Diamond Jubilee Philatelic Exhibition at Highcliffe Castle by John Davis FRPSL

At Highcliffe Castle between Wednesday 1st February and Friday 10th February 2012, inclusive, there will be an exhibition of stamps and philatelic material to celebrate and commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended the throne on 6th February 1952. The exhibition comprises 12 double sided frames with 382 sheets of stamps and philatelic material on display.

Highcliffe Castle opening times for this exhibition are Sunday - Thursday 11am-5pm (last admission 4.30pm) and Friday and Saturday 11am-4.30pm (last admission 4pm). Admission will be £3.00 (accompanied children under the age of 16 and Season Ticket Holders, free).

Contact details for the Castle are:
Highcliffe Castle, Rothesay Drive, Highcliffe, Dorset BH23 4LE
E-mail: exhibitions@highcliffecastle.co.uk
Telephone: 01425 278807
www.highcliffecastle.co.uk

The material on display is being organised by John Davis FRPSL. The exhibition has been inspired by the combined triple interest in Philately, the Monarchy and genealogy. It affords the opportunity of not only showing a time-line of the Royal events to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, but includes her Royal ancestry, and her European connections through Queen Victoria. It also celebrates the history of our Monarchy, the oldest and most successful European Monarchy, and its glorious past and present.

The display is primarily aimed at the general public and illustrates:-

• The Queen's ancestry and line of succession to the throne from William I - The Conqueror, with stamps depicting all the kings and queens of Great Britain dating back to William I.
• Memories of stamps and philatelic material of Great Britain from Queen Victoria and the Penny Black, up to the Reign of King George VI.

• The Queen's life and times from 1926 as a young Princess up to her Coronation in 1953.
• A time line illustrating all Her Majesty's Royal Visits, and all anniversaries and many memorable events from 1953 up to the present day.
• The London 2010 Festival of Stamps International Stamp Exhibition held in May 2010 to coincide with two 6th May anniversaries: the 170th anniversary of the issue of the world's first postage stamp - the penny black - on 6th May 1840, and, on the death of his father King Edward VII on 6th May 1910, the centenary of the Accession to the throne of King George V - The Philatelist King.
• All the Royal visitors there have in the past been to Highcliffe Castle.
• The Family Trees and the Royalty stamps of the European Royal Monarchs and their ancestors and descendants linked to those who were/are descended from the Queen's great great grandmother - Queen Victoria - The Grandmama of Europe, (Denmark, Germany and Prussia, Greece, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Yugoslavia) and extended to include Belgium, Hanover and Württemberg.

The British Empire/Commonwealth is represented by:-

• All the Royal Visit stamps of Her Majesty the Queen, both as Princess Elizabeth when she accompanied her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on Royal Tours, and in her own right as Queen of the Commonwealth.
• The stamps issued by Great Britain and the Islands of the British Isles to commemorate all the various anniversaries, birthdays, weddings etc.
• The stamps issued by Great Britain and the Islands of the British Isles to commemorate all the various anniversaries, birthdays, weddings etc.

The European section includes examples of virtually all of the different types of definitive stamps which depict the head of the ruling monarchs and their families, and complete sets of most of the Royalty commemorative stamps.

This will be a prestigious exhibition which will promote philately to the wider audience, the general public, and may hopefully attract others to the hobby of Stamp Collecting.

For further details, please contact John Davis at - j552davis@btinternet.com

The incidental costs associated with this exhibition have been very kindly and generously covered by:-

• Association of British Philatelic Societies
• Ferndown and West Moors Philatelic and Postcard Club
• Hampshire Philatelic Federation
• John Mason (President New Forest Stamp and Postcard Club)
• Milford on Sea Stamp Club
• New Forest Stamp and Postcard Club
• Ringwood Philatelic Society
• The Poole and District Philatelic and Postcard Club
• The Roy Coasby Bequest by the Portsmouth & District Philatelic Society.

Promotional and publicity material provided by sponsoring philatelic societies and organisations will be available to the general public.