About Us

Philately (derived from Philos meaning loving and ateles meaning franked) is the collection of all aspects of postage stamps and postal history encompassing a large and varied range of collecting. There is far more to the hobby than simple “stamp collecting” that some may recall from their school days.

One of the UK’s longest-running philatelic societies, the Caledonian Philatelic Society was founded on 14 February 1906, when a group of stamp collectors met on the premises of Douglas, Cook & Co Stamp Dealers on Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, and made the decision to form a philatelic society. The group was initially known as the Junior Philatelic Society of Scotland, changing to its current name in 1930.

The society has met at several Glasgow venues over the decades and currently meets weekly from early October to the middle of December and from early January to mid-March on the fifth floor of the Graham Hills Building, University of Strathclyde, George Street.

A typical Society meeting would involve a display and talk from one or more members of the Society, visits from other philatelic societies or by an invited guest or guests. The current syllabus can be found on the Society’s website www.caledonianphilatelic.org.uk/syllabus.htm.

Displays could either be a collection of stamps, postal history, covers or on a theme illustrated and developed using what is printed on the stamps with other associated ephemera. Displays may also include other material related to stamps and their uses – such as revenue and tax stamps - or other similar items such as Cinderella stamps – for instance Christmas Tb Seals. Postcard collecting is now very popular and there are often displays based on postcards.

The two thousand-five hundredth meeting of the Society was held on 13 October 2016. Click here to view meeting. Members also benefit from access to an exchange packet.

There is also an Advisory Committee to give advice to the relatives of deceased members or members in failing health about selling their philatelic properties.

Each year there is a social evening, for which a souvenir card is created, and where the Society’s annual competition winners are awarded their trophies.

New members are very welcome and the current annual subscription is £15, with the option to enrol on an ‘out of town’ membership rate if you live away from Glasgow. For details, or to join, contact Dr Stewart Gardiner by e-mail: secretary@caledonianphilatelicsociety.org.uk