1. Foundation

An inaugural meeting was held at 7, Devon Place, Green Dykes Lane, York on 19th April 1948 at 7.30pm. Present were Messers Chapman, Davies, Donaldson, Harrison, Heywood, Jackson, Lofthouse, Mowforth and Watson.

Mr H Davies was elected to act as Chairman and Mr H J Jackson to take the minutes. It was agreed to form a Society to be known as The York Philatelic Society; membership to be to persons of either sex over the age of 20; a committee to be formed comprising a Chairman, Vice-Chairman Secretary, Treasurer and 4 committee members, all to be elected by ballot [1]; one auditor to be elected by show of hands; that a circulation packet shall be made up by the secretary and circulated among the members; the subscription was set at 5/- (25p) and an entrance fee of 2/6 (12.5p) [2] ; that the society shall hold an AGM in May of each year.

Thus the foundation was laid on a firm base which has stood the Society in good stead ever since.

The first syllabus was:

1948

14 Sep. Gt. Britain Mr. G. Arridge

12 Oct A dozen stamps I would not care to part with.

Open night

9 Nov. The Dominican Republic Mr. R. Boak.

14 Dec. My Ideal Page. Competition.

1949

11 Jan. U.S.A. Mr. H. Davies

8 Feb. Pages from a General Collection Mr. J. E. Rowley.

8 Mar. Sarawak Mr. S. Mawer.

12 April Design in Stamps. Mr. K. Chapman.

10 May Annual General Meeting.

14 June To be arranged

12 Jul Norway Mr. E. Lofthouse.

9 Aug. Italy Mr. C. B. Watson

The first set of rules of the Society, created in 1948 can be seen here.

Footnotes:

[1] It was not until the rules of the Society were changed at the 11th AGM in 1959 that the officers were elected by proposal and not by ballot

[2] The entrance fee was dropped at the end of the 1970/71 season when it had risen to 15p.