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The British Postmark Society (BPS) was founded on 1st January 1958. The BPS exists to promote and to co-ordinate the study and collection of British postal markings (particularly of the 20th and 21st centuries), and the means and mechanisms by which they are applied, and to publish and disseminate the results of our studies. The BPS Journal is usually published quarterly, in January, April, July and October. For a free sample PDF copy, please contact us by email - contact@britishpostmarksociety.org.uk

Our members' interests include hand and machine datestamps, slogan and special event postmarks, explanatory and instructional labels and markings, Post Office and Post & Go (Self-Service) postage labels, Royal Mail Online Postage indicia, and printed postage impressions of Royal Mail and other licensed postal operators ("C9" licences).

Membership is open to students and collectors of British postmarks throughout the world. The Society's publications include the BPS Journal, and a number of books about different types of postmark - see the Publications page. These include catalogues of slogan and special event postmarks, which are now also available in PDF format as free downloads - see the Slogans & Special Events page. In July 2022 BPS published a second edition of Paul Carter's 2012 Krag Machine Postmarks of Great Britain & Ireland. More details can be found on the Machine Cancellations page (where a free download is available in PDF format) - you will also find links to specialist BPS sites dedicated to Universal and Hey-Dolphin machine marks, as well as a BPS site dedicated to Krag machine marks (where the second edition is kept up to date).

The Links page contains links to other websites which may be of interest to collectors and students of postmarks and postal history. These include links to Ken Smith's county lists of Post Offices in the UK, past and present, and to Colin Fountain & John Hine's site which aims to record and illustrate as many as possible of the postmarks used at Post Offices in Gloucestershire.

Our 2024 Annual General Meeting was conducted in June via Zoom. There is also an opportunity for present and prospective members to meet at Midpex, where the Society has a table in the Specialist Societies' section - this biennial stamp and postal history fair is held at Warwickshire Event Centre on the Fosse Way (B4455/A425 junction) near Leamington Spa. Future meetings will be announced here.

Page updated August 2024