WEB PAGE NO. 2860 25th November 2021

First Picture: The first ever Christmas series 1966

Second Picture: Another 1967 stamp

Third Picture: A 1980 stamps

Forth Picture: Sorting the Christmas Mail

When he became Postmaster General in October 1964, Tony Benn suggested seasonal stamps be issued the following year, prompted by repeated requests from the general public for Christmas stamps. However, officials within the Post Office were adamant that Christmas stamps could not be issued as they did not meet the existing criteria for special stamps (although Christmas aerogrammes were first issued in 1965). Tony Benn had his own views, so when he put forward his programme of special issues for 1966 it included a set for Christmas – and has remained an annual feature ever since. In his plans for 1966 he thought that the designs for the Battle of Hastings set should be the result of a competition among schoolchildren. Those responsible for stamp design within the Post Office thought such a competition much more suitable for the Christmas set. Over 5,000 entries were received, judged by a team of eight stamp designers. Britain’s first Christmas stamps were issued on 1st December, that year, the designs showing The King of the Orient, and a Snowman, were submitted by Tasveer Shemza and James Berry. Reactions to the set were mixed, although the idea of using children’s designs was repeated in 1981 and 2013. Given that, among the special issues of the year, Christmas sees the greatest use, it is hardly surprising that the stamps come in for the most comment. A design that proved controversial in recent years was the 68p issued in 2005 showing the Madonna and Child, from a 17th-century painting that hangs in Bombay, which caused some disquiet among Hindus. The pattern that has developed of alternating religious and secular themes seems to satisfy most, although finding original design concepts each year remains a challenge. Since 2007, when two separate designs depicting the Madonna and Child were issued, a religious option has been available every year. But not all believe that religious designs are appropriate, so in 2013 two sets were again offered, one depicting paintings of the Madonna and Child, accompanied by a second set using children’s paintings, planned very much at the eleventh hour.

A glance through the stamp catalogues shows that Royal Mail manages to find a fresh approach every year. Themes chosen have included religious paintings (invariably detail from paintings), the Christmas story and celebrations, Angels, stained glass windows, Christmas carols and songs (with sets devoted to ‘Good King Wenceslas’ and ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’), Father Christmas, Christmas decorations, Pantomime, Christmas Cards and Robins, through to the more unusual Ice Sculptures and Wallace and Gromit. A break from the ‘formal’ Christmas set came in 1999 and 2000. Royal Mail decided to mark the new Millennium with a series of 25 sets spanning the two years and concluding in January 2001. The original intention was that there would be no other special issues during this period. However, we all know what happens to the best laid plans: Prince Edward’s wedding and The Queen Mother’s 100th birthday both demanded separate issues. Thus for 1999 we saw four stamps styled ‘The Christian’s Tale’ issued on 2nd November, and in 2000 a further four stamps marking Millennium projects on the theme of ‘Spirit and Faith’, issued on 7th November, fulfilled the need for Christmas stamps those years. Prior to 2001 self-adhesive stamps had only been available from Royal Mail in booklets. That year the first such stamps in normal sheets were issued – for the Christmas set. As counter clerks were not familiar with handling self-adhesive stamps in sheets, special labels were produced by the printers De La Rue. Depicting the De La Rue logo, these were in the same size, with simulated perforations and rouletting of the backing paper, as the Christmas issue, sent to staff for familiarisation. As with the issued stamps, the excess paper around the stamps was not removed as part of the printing process. All subsequent Christmas stamps have been self-adhesive; however, since 2004 a miniature sheet combining the stamps has also been issued each year, these having standard water-soluble gum. From 2003 the excess paper around the stamps has been removed making stamps easier to remove from the backing paper. Each year Royal Mail staff receive a gift of fifty 1st Class stamps, but these do not have the excess paper removed (normal stamps were provided in 2013). In 2006 came another change, the size of the Christmas stamps becoming the same as the standard definitives, including the introduction of ‘Large’ versions as part of the ‘Pricing in Proportion’ scheme launched that year. The demand for this change came primarily from Post Office Counters, wishing to align the Christmas stamps with standard definitives in view of their high usage. However, keeping the format to definitive size does put a constraint on designers and can detract from the designs, so a compromise has been reached. From 2012, while the designs retain definitive ‘proportions’, they are slightly larger. Since the introduction of Smilers stamps in 2000, each year Christmas designs have been available. Back in 1966 multicoloured stamps were still novel for the British Post Office. Consequently, missing colours were not unusual. By the mid-1970s such errors became less common. Imperforate errors continued to appear, the most recent being the 2nd and 1st Class values of 2002, found with both the simulated perforations and rouletting omitted.

However, an error that some might still be unaware they own occurred in 1988. Sometimes stamps are printed, only for a change of tariffs to be introduced before they are released. The stamps have to be printed afresh with revised denominations. This happened for Christmas 1988. Stocks had been printed of the lowest value as 13p, but the rate was increased to 14p before issue. While most of the 13p were destroyed, some had been used to make up the Year Books for 1988. Collectors prefer that Year Books remain unopened in their cellophane wrapping. Do examples of the error still exist in unopened Year Books? While some may now question the need for special stamps, even definitives, the demand for Christmas stamps goes unabated. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

WEB PAGE NO. 2858 18th November 2021 DOTTO

First Picture: Shaw Taylor

Second Picture: Shaw Taylor with the artists

Third Picture: The artists backstage

Forth Picture: The Dotto board game

Dotto 1 9 5 8 – 1 9 6 0 (UK)

Now here is a 1950’s quiz program that you might well have forgotten, Dotto. This quiz was based on dot-to-dot pictures and was imported from the United States. Each featured picture contained 50 dots and two contestants raced to guess the famous face to win the round, winning £5 for each dot not used. They did this by answering general knowledge questions. The show was originally hosted by Robert Gladwell, and subsequently by Jimmy Hanley and then Shaw Taylor. The show was produced in the Alpha television studios which were based in Birmingham. Excitement reigned when a 45-year-old sheet metal worker Henry Baker had millions of viewers gasping as his winnings topped £1,000 (he went on to win £1,280), while 19-year-old Tricia Ball (the youngest contestant at the time) and Madeleine Casket (who wore a series of beautiful saris) became viewer favourites across the UK. The dot-to-dot pictures were drawn by Terry White and Charles Stewart who worked behind the screens, dressed in hooded black costumes so they would not be seen in the background see picture three. The original American version was forced off the air after being implicated in the so-called ‘Quiz Show Scandal’ which rocked US game shows in the late 1950s. It was alleged that certain ‘interesting’ contestants (those whom viewers liked and who generated good audiences) were given the answers to questions in advance so they could continue as reigning champions from programme to programme. In England Dotto rose to become the highest-rated daytime program in television history, as of 1958. The first ever contestant was introduced as "Jacqueline Evans, actress, dress-designer, horsewoman and racing motorist, who was married to a top Mexican bullfighter." The host Robert Gladwell could only say "Well, that sounds like a very colourful career". Quite. The producers of the programme produced a home version of the game and was very popular in the family homes of the late 1950’s Stay in touch, Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

WEB PAGE NO. 2856 11th November 2021

First Picture: Cycle Horn

Second Picture: Ticket Machine

Third Picture: Block signal machine

Forth Picture: London Tram

Sounds of the ‘60’s Not the music that we all followed and loved during our teen age years but the everyday sounds we used to hear around us but do no longer. The sounds of cycle bells and gongs plus the honking of the battery powered cycle horns made by Pifco or the old-fashioned horns with a rubber bulb at the end. Parp, Parp Who remembers the clattering noise of the pedal crank banging against the chainguard when the crank had become a little bent. The raucous ringing of the bumper mounted bells that used to be fitted to the front of Police Cars, Fire Engines and Ambulances The distant sound of the Steam Train whistles and chuffs as they passed through Cosham station Even from outside you could hear Bus Bells when they were rung by the conductor. Also, the whirring sound of the conductor’s ticket machines and the scramble to beg the end of the roll, with the red line through it, from the conductor. We must all remember the sound of fingernails scraped down a Blackboard, I still cringe when I just think of it today. Bells seamed to everywhere, the bells ringing from the block instruments in Cosham Signal box, bell on tills and cash registers, calling bells on counters to call a supervisor. Then there was always the school bell denoting the start and end of the school day, the peel of church bells and many, many more. Every Monday morning at 10.00 during the 1950’s and early 1960’s the old wartime air raid sirens were tested. Our local one was behind Mr Francis’ chip shop. Actually, the Naval Base still tests the nuclear attack warning on a regular bases and this sounds just the same. Even the National Benzol Petrol pumps used to ting away as the petrol was pumped into the car’s petrol tank. Election times drew out the cars and vans with large horn speakers mounted on the roof. Inside sat someone with a microphone who broadcast a message to, “Not Forget to Vote”. When were they phased out? The rattle of the tin as groups of children would crowd round a home made Guy and they would plead “Penny for the Guy”. In Charlotte Street market the area would be flooded with noise as the different barkers shouted out their wares for sale. Fruit, veg, china, blankets, meat and clothing they were all on offer. Having a grandmother who lived in central London I am lucky enough to remember the sound of the London trams. The rattle and clatter as they passed along and the warning bell worked by the driver. The last London tram ran on 6th July 1952. I did not see the last one as it pulled into the Croydon Depot but I must have most certainly seen and heard them in that last week of operation. Then there was the sound of the tramping of feet as the dustman walked into the back garden to collect the dustbin. Then the walk back with the bin on his back and the noise of him banging the bin on the lorry side to remove all the contents. Cars were not so reliable and there was always the sound of someone trying to start their car and the laboured turning over of the engine. If this did not work then it meant fitting the starting handle through the bumper and winding and winding in the nhopes of persuading the thing to start. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

WEB PAGE NO. 2834 6th November 2021

First Picture: Richard Greene Robin Hood

Second Picture: Alexander Gauge Friar Tuck

Third Picture: Archie Duncan Little John

Forth Picture: Alan Wheatley Sheriff of Nottingham

The Adventures of Robin Hood, The British TV series, 1955 to 1960 The Adventures of Robin Hood starred Richard Greene as the rogue-hero of Sherwood Forest. Richard Greene had a rather undistinguished movie career and went into TV in 1950, and with Robin Hood a few years later, he received the fame that had eluded him. Robin Hood was advanced in its sets, scripts and acting. It’s true that Robin Hood frequently began with actors approaching through a forest and ended with a departure through the same forest, but the camera took advantage of filming in Northumberland and East Sussex. Any number of genuine castles and parish churches appeared, and there was an authenticity to sets of Norman corridors, banquet halls, inns and village houses. Carefully introduced were Friar Tuck (an appropriately overweight Alexander Gauge with a babyish face) and Maid Marian (Bernadette O’Farrell, replaced by a less attractive, less sympathetic Patricia Driscoll the last half of the series). Archie Duncan first appeared as Little John in the third episode, and would make the most appearances, third only to Richard Greene and Victor Woolf as Derwent. Like numerous actors in the series, Woolf sometimes appeared as other characters, occasionally as the ambiguous “an outlaw.” Larger than life, deficient in tooth, quick to anger and sometimes slow on the uptake, Little John was just as often the herald of peace and reconciliation among his fellows. Alan Wheatley will always be Robin’s nemesis, the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. He was there from the first episode. The sheriff had class somehow, with finely combed hair and a striking goatee, the best dressed of the cast, often in a fine leather tunic with silver accouterments. He played his role with sinister glee, forever scheming to kill, capture or discredit Robin, his clothes never dirty, his hair never askew whatever the skirmish. The scripts had an unexpected range. It’s true that many of the plots centered either on the sheriff’s always futile attempts to capture the forest rogue or on Robin’s fight for the downtrodden peasants, his infiltration of this castle or that caravan and his constant disguises—an ambassador, a knight, a minstrel, even royalty. Aside from the expected examples of the vicious abuse of the Saxons by the Normans, there was Robin’s men stealing grain, for only the best of intentions, from a storage house. What most invigorates me is the presence of famous stars. Sometimes I struggled to identify them. In some instances, the actors were obscure at the time, or would later acquire some degree of recognition, even become famous; in other cases, they were on the downward slopes of their careers. Time changes the appearance, makeup and costumes disguise it. The voice usually remains a giveaway. All though one episode, “The Prisoner,” this one actor’s voice sounded familiar. But beneath the hat and beard, he was a nonentity to me. I think it was mainly the presence of hair that confused me. Donald Pleasence. And he was Prince John in four installments of Robin Hood. Ronald Howard, the son of Leslie Howard, appeared twice as one of many actors who played Will Scarlet Incidentally, the actor who most frequently played Will Scarlet in the series was Paul Eddington. Jill Esmond played Queen Eleanor in two episodes, the last of her rather limited screen appearances. She was the first wife of Laurence Olivier. Small world! Charles Lloyd-Pack, with five episodes to his credit, was the father of Roger Lloyd-Pack, Followers of John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers will know Ballard Berkeley as the blasé, befuddled Major Gowan, my favorite resident of Basil’s disaster of a hotel One of the biggest nobodies to “rise above” the Robin Hood quaintness, if you wish to appraise the show that way, was John Schlesinger. He played Alan-a-Dale in one episode, and shortly thereafter turned to directing movies. Most episodes began with a minstrel singing a ballad as way of introducing the story, sung by Dick James, who sang Robin Hood’s marching song over the end credits. Peter Asher played the future King Arthur in three episodes; Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com