Genesis of The Overprinter
(Extract from Millennium issue of The Overprinter, p.47)
"The Overprinter" is issued 4 times a year.
Right from the start the Study Circle's Journal was called 'The Overprinter', a very appropriate name.
With the first issue it had meat, dealing initially with listing the Cylinder or Control numbers for all countries of interest. Number 2, issued in July 1970, lists 22 members, most of them collecting all Great Britain overprints. In September 1970 (Overprinter No 3) Gerry Bater had joined the Study Circle, along with five other new members, including Keith Buckingham. Gerry probably had more to do in creating the GB Overprints Society (GBOS) than any other single person. He was a sales person by trade, and his enthusiasm was so great. I did not join until May 1971, by which time the membership had grown to 75 members.
The Study Circle continued to produce six issues of the Overprinter a year for the first couple of years, normally about five pages an issue, until 1974. At that point the Study Circle changed direction with Gerry Bater becoming Journal Editor, and in 1975, also Honorary Secretary. I was appointed Research Co-ordinator and again in 1975, I became Chairman as well. The Study Circle was revamped and became the GB Overprints Society.
From then on the Society really grew. Gerry's enthusiasm was infectious. Each issue of the Overprinter grew, first from 10 pages in 1974, 18 pages in 1975, and 40 pages in 1977, and it still grew. Major contributions to this expansion of knowledge were due to John Davies, then working for the National Postal Museum, who researched all the Post Office Archives. Then Richard Malim wrote our first four Study Papers, all on British Levant. Mike Sanders was key for BOFIC countries, and he was followed by Alan Tregurtha who has written three study papers so far. Murray Gellatly et al, linked with David Stotter, have pioneered so much research into Morocco Agencies. The list is large as so many people have contributed to the growth in knowledge and of the Society, and continue to do so.
"The Overprinter" now appears four time a year, including many colour illustrations.
Francis Kiddle, RDP, FRPSL, President of GBOS, 2000-2016
page last updated: 22 June 2006, 11,18 April 2010, 16 January 2017
gbos: GB Overprints Society