Stanley Gibbons During World War II

Does anyone here on this forum have information about how Stanley Gibbons operated / survived during World War II? Given the massive destruction wrought on London during the Blitz, I am wondering if anyone has put together a written history of what life for the SG company was like during that era? Any links to articles or information about books on the subject would be appreciated. Also, it occurs to me that some of the British collectors here on this forum might be old enough to recall .....?

Cannot speak for the WW2 Stanley Gibbons but I have a SG catalogue from 1917 during WW1 and it has plenty to say on the war in their Introduction. Perhaps WW2 catalogues are of similar content?

In 1917 they indicated "No Future Business With Germany"...but Austrians or enemies of other nationalities might be considered after the war has ended. Tremendous gung-ho stuff

Why don't you ask Stanely Gibbons themselves?

smauggie, great idea AND ... I like reading anecdotes like scotzm's as well. History can be re-told by many and I relish the diversity like I relish looking through a pile of different stamps.

While it would be interesting to get Stanley Gibbons's corporate statement on their operations during the war, I've read some of their marketing material, particularly their "Investment Guide" and it is almost like reading a tabloid - lots of marketing spin and highly sensationalized. I would expect the same sort of stuff from them in regards to their history.

*mphmmmph*

That was me not talking about their marketing.

That aside, I think it would be interesting to hear their take on their own history. Do share it with us should you decide to ask.

I have a 1941 Gibbons Part 1. In the Introduction, it includes a paragraph headed 'Philately in War-time':
'Writing in the middle of June, the philatelic situation is distinctly encouraging. There was a lull in stamp business for about a fortnight at the beginning of the war, and then the black-out, the need for relaxation of strained nerves, and the general feeling that a fit man or woman is more use to the country than one who does nothing but work, brought about a revival, and. in the case of publications, even an increase, of business, while stamp prices in the open market rose in response to general demand coupled with a notable deficiency of material on offer.

At the moment of writing, we still do not know what war may bring to our own country (though we have had a few "samples"), but if the worst does happen, we may be fairly confident that, so long as there is one philatelist alive and with a bit of head-cover and sufficient light to see his stamps, so long will stamp collecting endure, for it is, above all hobbies, the one to which people turn for refreshment in difficult times.'

It also says 'There has also been a keen demand for stamps of the countries immediately affected by the war ...' and 'The paper situation became so difficult that, at the last moment, we had to delete a number of illustrations from the volume of the Catalogue in order to save space.'

The paragraph 'Our Shop' is also interesting: 'Our shop, at 391, Strand, still carries on, and the staff has been strengthened by the addition of more reserves and an extra senior with a good knowledge of stamps. We are thus able to give much better and quicker service than we were at some periods during the boom of 1935-38.'

So it appears that things weren't too bad, in 1941 at least.

Wow! Great stuff tonymacg ... thanks for sharing it with us. Now about that email to Stanley Gibbons ... I will report back to the forum if/when I receive a response.

I received a very nice email from a representative at Stanley Gibbons with an attachment that included a brief history of their operations during World War II. I will excerpt from it, as it is too long to reproduce here in its entirety:

"The Second World War brought many restrictions and complications to trade generally throughout the country, but the particular problems that affected Stanley Gibbons Ltd and indeed the whole of the stamp trade were the rationing of paper for albums and catalogues, and the virtual ban on the import and export of postage stamps. Coupled with the inevitable staff shortage and the danger to life and limb in just getting to '391' and even in working there during the air-raids, it is not surprising that progress was somewhat retarded during the wartime years. And yet stamp collecting continued to flourish and many fine collections were bought in this period."

And this terrifying event recounted: "In April 1941 our printers, Messrs William Brendon and Son, Ltd, suffered a direct hit at The Mayflower Press, Plymouth, and the firm's brass name-plate was literally the only thing that escaped destruction. The whole supplies of the May Gibbons Stamp Monthly were lost in this calamity but an emergency issue was printed in London and put on sale within three or four days of the normal publication date, a remarkable feat in wartime."

So, some idea of what it was like to be a stamp dealer during those trying times in Great Britain.

I admire those people who kept our hobby going in the midst of a terrible war, knowing full well that it would provide some respite to collectors.

You sent an email?

Can you please forward it to smauggie@gmail.com?

smauggie - forwarded the email to you a minute ago. Enjoy!