The display of ‘The Port Phillip District and The Colony of Victoria 1842-1864’ by Ian P. Greig FRPSL came as a huge surprise to all at the Royal Philatelic Society London on 23 October. Few realised that Ian had, over 50 years, created this wonderful collection. ‘Amazing’, ‘quite remarkable’, ‘incredible’, ‘stunning’ were just a few of the superlatives heard as over 100 members and guests, representing some twelve countries, viewed the material.
As Geoffrey Kellow RDP, FRPSL, giving the Vote of Thanks explained: ‘It is a magnificent display that no one else could show. There is nothing like it that will ever be put together again.’ He added that the material clearly demonstrates Ian’s love of technical matters, adding that, while 864 pages were on display, this was just one third of the collection.
The display began from the time that The Port Phillip District, part of New South Wales up to August 1842, became an autonomous postal district but was however still under its control. On 1 July 1951 Victoria became the official title of the Colony.
Superb material, including covers, stamps, artwork, die proofs and plating studies filled the pages of a collection that undoubtedly deserves all the accolades that members expressed. The Society’s plaquette and Certificate of Appreciation, presented to Ian by Simon Richards RDP, FRPSL, President of the Society, had been fully deserved.
