Post date: 13-Feb-2016 10:41:31
Sadly, John passed away on Friday 12th February 2016.
John was a Dorset man from Sherborne who often joked that he had defected to Somerset. He was very happy there and set up home in Street.
Apart from collecting Sherborne postal history & postcards, John was a general, but knowledgeable collector of Somerset postal history and Switzerland who gave interesting & informative displays to the S&D group as well as to the local philatelic societies.
John was also a willing and enthusiastic contributor to our journal, contributing many articles over the years.
John has raised money for the St Margaret's Hospice over many, many years. It is hard to estimate the true amount, but knowing what I have "donated" over the years, it must be a considerable sum!! John would grin at me at the start of our Chard meetings and I knew by that grin that John had something to trade for some hard-earned cash; cash for his beloved hospice.
His very low membership number of 42 [latest member's number is 116] indicates a good few years service with the group. At the time of his passing, there were only 5 more "senior" members.
John was a personal friend to myself & to everyone in the S&D Postal History Group as well as the wider philatelic world.
Our sympathies and prayers go out to his wife, family & friends at this very sad time.
Bill Pipe.
Secretary of the Somerset & Dorset Postal History Group
13th February 2016