11. Members’ Annual Competition

The fourth meeting of the Society held on the 14th December 1948 was ‘My Ideal Page’ competition. Yes, just one single page – how things have advanced! Unfortunately there are no records of how many members displayed or what the winning page was entitled. It was almost three years later on the 13th November 1951, before another competition was held – four sheets on one subject. Again, no records exist for this competition. The same result in the 1952 competition, 3 sheets on a thematic theme. No competition was held in 1953 or 1954.

In June 1955, Mr S Mawer stated “That he had a silver shield mounted on oak suitably inscribed as a trophy.” This was accepted and is still competed for today. It was the forerunner of the present 8 trophies (see below). The S Mawer trophy was won for the first time in 1956 and was competed for with 4 sheet displays until 1965 when the sheets increased to 6 and in 1973 to 12 sheets recorded as “12 sheet competition entries for Y.P.A.” this remained until 1978 when it again became 6 sheets. In 1979 the annual competition became wider with 5 trophies:

• S E Mawer Philatelic Trophy – 6 sheets

• S E Mawer Thematic Trophy – 6 sheets

• Major Eric Farrant Postal History Cup – 12 sheets

• Arthur Dent Thematic Cup – 12 sheets

• R C Tice Philatelic Cup – 12 sheets

In 1983 was added:

• Wing Comd, R S Mason Novices Trophy – 6 to 12 sheets, any subject open to all members who have not previously won a Society trophy

And in 1999 the:

• Conyers Rutter Postal Stationary Cup – 16 sheets

And finally in 2000, the 8th trophy:

• Harry Hayes Trophy for the best overall display

Up to 1966 the annual competition had been judged by the members attending the competition evening. In 1967 the first outside judge attended Mr R W Wright of Leeds P.S. followed in 1968 by Mr Clarkson also of Leeds P.S.

During the following years judging panels attended from other Yorkshire Philatelic Societies – Hull, Leeds, Otley, Scarborough, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Durham and Darlington.

Since the 21st Century the Society displays have been judged by Mrs J Bygate, Mr P Byrne and Mr M Lewis, all qualified judges within the York Society.

Various winning entries have been forwarded to Y.P.A. Competitions with varying degrees of success. The first being in 1963 by Mr H Davis of the South African Pictorial 1/2d, 1d and 2d values.

It may be true to say that although there is a wide range of trophies available for competition, the number of entries remain on the low side.

Tables showing the past winners of Society trophies can be found on the competition page.