Mouth-watering gathering

Lanarkshire Philatelic Society’s final meeting of the year got mouths watering ahead of the festive season.

The theme for the evening was “Christmas dinner” and this unsurprisingly popular topic was interpreted through stamps, postcards and meter marks.

Murray Touche focused on a chef ’s display and Maureen Mathieson showed a decorative and beautifully arranged dinner table.

Raymond Baldock had a collection of skilfully embroidered cards sent to families during the First World War, Ellen Currie spelt out “Christmas dinner” with stamps illustrating each letter and Margaret Lyth provided a bit of a play on the names of politicians as she told the story of “Wee Maggie’s Christmas Pudding”.

Ken Norris showcased a collection of covers bearing Christmas Local Post stamps from Lanarkshire – when Boys’ Brigade and Scouts were prepared to make the deliveries.

Other displays on the night included Paul McGowan taking viewers on railway journeys around Ireland and Alan Wishart showing mail posted from the Philatelic Congress in Perth.

Dr Ken Liddell led members in giving warm thanks to all who had brought along a display and pronounced the whole meeting a “memorable presentation”.

The society’s first meeting of 2018 will be in Hamilton’s Caledonian Bowling Club, in Motherwell Road, on Friday, January 5, at 7.30pm, when committee members will entertain all with their displays.

Anyone with an interest in stamps, postal history or postcards is welcome to attend, and for further details on the society and its meetings, visit http://www. lanarkshireps.co.uk/