Award joy for Garth...

ON THURSDAY March 24, members of the Loughborough & District Philatelic Society applauded fellow member, Garth Taylor, on receiving a Large Vermeil medal, at the London 22 Stamp Exhibition, for his display titled, “A study of the third issue of Czechoslovakian Airmail Stamps”.

Garth, not only is a member of the Loughborough Society, but of the Czechoslovakian Study Circle and is well known for his displays on other Czech Postal items.

The President, Christine Harris, then introduced Norman Hudson, (who had travelled all the way from Chester), to present his display on the “Scottish Islands”.

First of all he thanked Christine and her husband Trevor, (whom he has known for some time, due to their similar interests), for their invitation to present his display.

He then produced a map of Scotland showing the location of all the islands, especially of those who would be included in his display.

The first half consisted of the Inner and outer Islands of the Hebrides starting with Colonsay where he had stayed in 1979. Here he showed a postcard of a Postbus that was used not only to transport people on and around the island, but to deliver and receive the post. He said that other post busses were used on some of the larger islands, along with the Ferries, for this purpose. However the Postbus service was withdrawn in 2017 and Norman displayed a cover commemorating the event and signed by the postmaster.

Items from the island of Islay came next. It has a population of some 2,200 with 8 or 9 whisky distilleries! Some interesting postmarks being shown. In contrast the island of Jura, (approximately 200 in population). Then came Bara, where the film Whiskey Galore was made. Planes from Glasgow airport arrive and land on the beach. It must be the only landing strip in the world that aircraft have to rely on a Tidal Timetable!

Next came the Islands of Harris and Lewis. Harris is the southern part of the Scottish Hebridean island of Lewis and Harris. It’s known for sandy beaches on the west coast, and for rugged mountains in the north. The 16th-century St. Clement’s Church in the village of Rodel. Harris is also the original home of Harris Tweed, a luxury handwoven cloth. At one time it was a Norwegian Whaling Station. It is unusual as all the road signs are in Gaelic. Postage items included some “Western Island Rocket Mail” labels in green. Some in red that denoted damaged mail when a rocket exploded. The covers being countersigned by the postmaster. Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The total area of Lewis is 683 square miles. St. Kilda Island followed.

This is an inhabited island. The UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of only 39 in the world. · Home to nearly 1 million seabirds, including the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic Puffins. It was populated up to 1930. A Post Office opened in 1900. The earliest postmark is dated May 1902. Shown on a rare postcard.

Then came the Isle of Skye. Norman stated that the size of Skye was about threequarters the size of Leicestershire and is the largest Island in the Inner Hebrides. It is known for its rugged landscape, medieval castles and picturesque villages. The main town is Portree. The island is connected by a bridge (the Skye Bridge) to the North West point of Scotland. Population about 10,000.

Norman ended his first half by showing postcards, covers and photographs of many other islands that included, Iona, with its special handstamp and photo of its