Battle of Hastings – 14th October 1066 – stamps first day cover 1966

who’s still got a first day cover?

Dave Nattress… I have actually Alan – exactly like this one and many more first day covers of the era and for some time after.   For some reason stamp collecting was something many of us did when not train-spotting Ha Ha!!.  Sticking stamps in to albums with those little tiny transparent things called stamp hinges – which I later learned ruined the value of the unused or mint stamps!!  Still got a load somewhere possibly worth a few quid.  Thankfully girls and music took over and became bigger hobbies!

Roland Clarke… I’ve got a few, my Aunt used to design some of them and she would send them to us.

Pauline Richards… Have mine to the museum

Val Shoesmith… Me

Kathy Wood… I have a pile of them. Have used them as gifts to philatelists across the world

Josie Lawson… I had all of those first day issues Alan. When I had my first fall, someone threw out all my stamps plus first day issues. Maybe if ever someone finds them, a lot would have my name on the envelopes, some may have my other name on them, I would be very grateful for their return. But they may just have been thrown in the rubbish. What are treasures to some, may just be rubbish to others

Jim Breeds… I was always proud of my handwriting.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I have two albums full of First Day Covers dating back to the mid-sixties

Nick Webb… Yep me too most not worth the value of the stamps now

Tony Court-holmes… but we lost

Mick O’Dowd… Who remembers where they were and what they were doing at the time?

Jenny Power… Me

Alan Esdaile… I remember Priory Road School were selling lots mail order.

Colin Norton… I seem to remember a cancellation stamp that said “Hastings – Popular with visitors since 1066′ or did I imagine that?

Coco Pops…now I will have to find mine

Neil Partrick… I’ve got a lot of the stamps….and there are a lot. Beautiful designs. Obviously stamps get a lot less use in the UK these days but why do they often have to look like sh**? The Xmas ones have been nothing but crummy sticky tokens for yonks

Coco Pops… Yonks Sir yonks I cannot be arsed to look it up!

Andy Wright… My 12th birthday! My dad got me the stamps and the battlefield mark, but sadly only on a manilla envelope. Of course l still have I.

Jenny Power… I have!

Nigel Ford… Colin, yes, I remember that. Still got lots, even one from the special Battlefield kiosk set up specially on the day. Our Maths master at Bexhill Grammar, Mr (Snowy….) Winter, ran the stamp club on Thursday lunchtimes and encouraged us to buy the new phosphur banded definitive (non-commemorative) items and keep all in stock books to avoid using hinges. Shame the house was damp in later years, so they are all fully stuck in!!

Battle of Hastings – 14th October 1066 – coincidence?

Battle of Hastings today 14th October and first thing this morning when I checked,  we now have 1066 members on the SMART facebook page. It does go up and down all the time but a nice coincidence.

Jim Breeds… Yay!!

Peter Fairless… Watch out for arrows, then!

Pete Fisher… Was in my last year of junior school in 1966, and some of the local schools got together and made a film reenacting the battle at the original location, in which I was an extra, and had to play a dead Saxon…would love to see it again!

Mick O’Dowd… What’s the secret of the rejuvenation and long life after death Pete?

Alan Esdaile… I would say its one in the eye for SMART but notice someone has just left the group and we are down to 1065!

Martin Richter… mislaid my first day cover, during a move

Jeff Belton… Who won ?

Lyn Humphrey… Who won? Hastings Utd.

Steve Amos… Is their name Harold?

Dave Nattress… 1066! Well the story I heard was that when the chief of the Norman long-bowmen decided to tell his men to fire their arrows up into the air, his second in command said, well that’s all very well boss, but don’t you know if they’re not careful they’ll have some poor sod’s eye out!