The British Postal Heritage Museum - podcasts to listen to online or download

I've recently discovered this amazing resource for stamp enthusiasts but I must add that it's for everyone who has an interest in the subjects which appear on British stamps and that could be almost everyone! The subjects are so numerous and include history, the monarchy, art and architecture, sculpture, nature, the post office itself and all aspects of design.  I was given an ipod for Christmas and have managed to download a small selection of podcasts to start with and can then listen to them wherever I want.  But you can actually download them from the website's link at www.postalheritage.org.uk/podcasts - scroll down the list and click on the stamp next to the one you want to hear and listen at you screen!
So far, I've listened to Brian Webb and Peyton Skipwith talking about Design - Artists and the GPO. Two brilliant speakers covering a subject which artists will find fascinating and including references to such famous British artists sculptors as Eric Gill, Edward Bawden and Eric Ravillious. Some very amusing stories are related with regard to how some of the details on our stamp designs came about and intersting facts about our architectural heritage. It would be wonderful to be able to attend these talks and see the refernced work on display but I had my stamp album handy to check into some of the details they mentioned in their talk.
Another one I can recommend is Ronald Maddox talking about his work as an artist and his commissions for stamp designs relating to architecture on British stamps.  Douglas Muir on Bertram Mackennal and Matthew Glencross on Grandpa England, the Queen's childhood name for her Grandfather, George V. It's not just about stamps, it's also a very entertaining talk about the life and times of George V and very informative!
A recent talk was by Chris West, who has written  First Class, a History of Britain in 36 Postage stamps and  talks all about it here.  Well worth listening to.

First Class by Chris West

I was given this brilliant book for Christmas! It's full title is "First Class - A history of Britain in 36 postage stamps", by Chris West.  I have to admit, it was on my wish list, as I like to do plenty of background reading to the hobby of stamp collecting as well as my creative activity of making collages from stamps.

It's a great way to learn about the history of Britain by relating the different eras to the stamps issued at that time, as each chapter is headed by a stamp of that period.  It has also brought the stamps alive as I'm sure I'm not the only collector who has been guilty of collecting for collecting's sake, without always taking too much note of why the stamp has been issued. Some of the stamps are very familiar to me and others not so, but that's probably due to my "gap years" in stamp collecting!

Since I've been making collages and exhibiting them, I've become so much more aware of the stories behind the stamps - not all of them of course, but researching their stories has become an important part of the creative process and being able to tell their stories has also become part of the fun!

Christ West says on his introductory page, "Stamps tell stories. They speak to us across generations - if only we'd stop squeezing them into albums, and worrying about their catalogue values, and just listen to their voices instead."  So very true! I have had so many comments to this effect from viewers of my work, some stamp collectors themselves, and others who are not but are pleasantly surprised by what they see.  I'm often complemented about having them on display rather than shut away in a drawer. One comment from a visitors book read, "I never knew stamps could be so interesting!" I hope along the way that I may have brought a few people back to stamp collecting and also given some youngsters an interest in the hobby.