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(The Who Was Who listing is broken down into sections, in alphabetical order by surname - please click on the appropriate letter above to visit that section of the listing.) 

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SARPY, Julian Hippolite. Proprietor of a wholesale and retail stamp business in Peckham. In 1888, he and Alfred Benjamin opened a shop in Cullum Street, London where they marketed fakes and forgeries, mostly provided by the engraver GK Jeffryes. The three became known as ‘The London Gang’, and were reported to the police by the Philatelic Protection Association. They appeared at the Thames Police Court in 1892 on charges of forging stamps and of conspiracy. Sarpy, then aged 32, was sentenced to 4 months hard labour. Benjamin and Sarpy were still trading in Cullum Street in the 1920s.

SCOTT, John Walter 1845-1919. Began to deal in stamps in London at the age of 14. Emigrated to USA in 1863. Founded JW Scott & Co in New York 1867 and built up one of the largest stamp and coin businesses in the world. President American P.S. Founder and first editor of American Journal of Philately. Introduced stamp auctions in USA from 1870. Held the first stamp auction in London 1872, at the rooms of Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge. Secretary of Association for Stamp Exhibitions founded at New York in 1913 to conduct international events. WT Wilson of Birmingham held the Scott agency for Great Britain.

SCOTT, Walter JP 1852-1933. Solicitor. General collector. In January 1870 he purchased over the counter in a Cardiff post office imperforate sheets of the 1d red stamp in use at that time. In an exchange packet he acquired for a few pence a copy of the New South Wales 2d ‘diadem’, error watermark ‘8’. President South Wales and Monmouthshire P.S.

SEFI, Alexander Joseph 1889-1934. Educated Merchant Taylors’. Spent three years conducting geological and scientific expedition in Asia Minor, Syria and Arabia. Afterwards worked in association with David Field, and in 1922 joined PL Pemberton, to trade as Sefi, Pemberton & Co. Edited Philatelic Journal of Great Britain from 1926. Also edited Philatelic World and West-End Philatelist. Researched silk thread issues of Switzerland 1854-62. Wrote ‘The Postage Stamps of Grenada’ [1912], ‘King Edward VII Land’ [1912], ‘The Postage Stamps of Malta’ [1913], and ‘An Introduction to Advanced Philately’ [1926] (2nd edition 1932). Awarded Congress Cup at PCGB Birmingham 1929 for his paper ‘Forgeries and Fakes’. Won Bates Prize at PCGB London 1923. Joint editor of PCGB Handbooks. Donated Sefi-Pemberton Cup for annual competition by boys of Junior Philatelic Society. Received international awards for displays. RDP 1933. Was engaged with CH Mortimer (d.1932) in preparing book on Jammu-Kashmir (published 1937). Played Bridge for England. 

SEYMOUR, James Benjamin d.1950 age 81. Council Member RPSL 1931. Had international awards for Great Britain, including Tilleard Medal for line-engraved, 1928. He and Dr H Munk were given the Sieger Medal for their collaboration on Great Britain in the Kohl Handbook, considered as the best philatelic work in the German language in 1931. Corresponding member of L’Académie de Philatélie, 1946. President International Philatelic Union. Author of ‘The Stamps of Great Britain’ Part I (to 1853) [1934], Part II (to 1865) [1937]. Second edition of Part I in 1950. RDP 1931. His collection auctioned by Robson Lowe, 1951. President of Magic Circle.

SHERATON, Richard Frederick Wilfrid 1896-1982. Chartered accountant. Specialised in Gambia, Cayman Islands, and Falkland Islands, to international standard. Member of Permanent Executive Committee of PCGB and Chairman, 1952-55. Hon Treasurer Melville Memorial Fund. Chairman of Board of Election of RDPs 1951-56. President Brighton & Hove P.S.

SHERBORN, Charles Davies 1861-1942. Geologist and bibliographer. His collection of Great Britain, 1841 1d pink postal stationery envelopes, was presented to the British Museum in 1913 and is now in the British Library.

SIDEBOTTOM, John Kercheval OBE 1880-1954. Student of postal history of Great Britain, particularly carriage of mail abroad. Author of ‘The Post by Road’, ‘History of Mileage Marks’, ‘Additional Halfpenny Tax’, ‘The Overland Mail’ [1948] (based largely on his collection of Thomas Waghorn covers), ‘The Government Dockwra’ [1951]. President International Philatelic Union. RDP 1949.

SIGGERS, Charles William d.1937 age 71. Collected Great Britain, New Zealand, and Canada. Gold medal in Antwerp 1930 for Great Britain. Member of Permanent E cutive Committee of PCGB. President Thanet P.S.

SKIPTON, Stacey Charles d.1906 age 43. Medical practitioner. First editor of Philatelic Journal of Great Britain from 1891 and partner with William Brown of Salisbury, its publisher. Collected stamps of Great Britain and all-world postcards, particularly Mexico.

SMITH, Alfred William b.1837 in Bath. Dealer in partnership there with his brother, Henry Stafford Smith (q.v.), until 1866. Published ‘A Descriptive Price Catalogue of British Colonial and Foreign Postage Stamps’ (late Stafford Smith and Smith) [1866]. By 1878 there had been twenty-five editions, and in 1880 he issued, in a new format, Alfred Smith & Co’s ‘Standard Catalogue of the Postage Stamps of All Nations’. His ‘Monthly Circular’ ran from 1875.

SMITH, Bertram Tapscott Knight d.1938 age 66. Son of Alfred William Smith. Edited the latter’s Monthly Circular 1899-1918, and Journal of Philatelic Literature Society (a founder). Wrote, with PJ Anderson, ‘Early English Philatelic Literature 1862-65’ [1912]. Author of ‘The Postage Stamp and Its History’ in Quarterly Review [1913] and ‘How to Collect Postage Stamps’ [1907].

SMITH, Frederick Burgess d.1954 age 70. Originally in timber trade. Dealer, with FC Penney, as FB Smith Ltd. They were known as ‘Penny-Farthing’, Penney being large, and Smith diminutive. Member of BPA Expert Committee. Became director of Stanley Gibbons Ltd on death of G Hamilton-Smith in 1926, as representing the majority shareholding that had passed to the Hamilton-Smith estate.

SMITH, Gordon 1856-1905 Educated King’s College School, London. Barrister. Had fine collection of unused South Australia, which later passed to LLR Hausburg. Council Member RPSL 1897. Joined Stanley Gibbons Ltd 1893 and became a director 1898. Wrote handbook on South Australia with FJHS Napier [1894].

SMITH, Henry Stafford 1843-1903 b. in Bath. Stamp dealer there 1862, and published The Stamp Collectors’ Magazine in the following year, edited by Dr CW Viner. He was in partnership with his brother, Alfred William Smith, until 1866. Alfred then remained in Bath and Henry moved to North St, Brighton where he established a new business and a new journal The Philatelist (1866-76), with Dr Viner as editor. He also published the Illustrated Postage Stamp Album and Catalogue of British, Colonial, and Foreign Postage Stamps from 1867, and the Permanent Postage Stamp Album [1871].

SMYTHIES, Evelyn Arthur CIE 1885-1975. Educated Cheltenham College. In Indian Forest Service. Author with DR Martin of ‘The ½ anna Lithographed Stamps of India 1854-55’ [1927], and ‘The 4 annas Lithographed Stamps of India 1854-55’ [1930]; and with LE Dawson, ‘The Postage Stamps of Jammu and Kashmir Simplified’ [1937] and ‘The Stamps of Nepal’ [1952]. Compiled Specialised Catalogue of Early Indian Lithographs. Wrote ‘Notes on the Government of India Stamp Collection at New Delhi’ [1933], ‘Canadian Duplex Cancellations of the Victorian Era 1860-1902’, and, with Col GL Roberts, ‘The Japanese Occupation Stamps of Burma 1942-45’ [1947]. Co-author of ‘BNA Fakes and Forgeries’, ‘Canadian Roller Cancellations 1894-1930’, ‘Canadian Registered Letter Stamps and Cancellations 1875-1902’, and ‘Canadian Fancy Cancellations of the 19th Century’. Crawford Medal with DR Martin, 1932.

SNOWDEN, Charles John Leonard d.1964 age 87. Specialised in Britannia issues of Barbados and Trinidad, Montenegro (embodying Ferrary collection), and Queensland (embodying Chapman, Bernhard, and Mursell collections). Won international awards for Turks Islands, Barbados, Queensland, and Montenegro, and Tilleard Medal, 1940, for the Lithographed Issues of Trinidad.

SOUTH, George MBE 1916-1988. Solicitor. Collected and displayed Brunei, Finland, Malaya, and Colombian Airmails. Hon Secretary RPSL 1961-74, President 1978-80. Member of Expert Committee. Instrumental in the amalgamation of BPA and PCGB, to form British Philatelic Federation. London Medal of RPSL 1980. Lichtenstein Award 1986. Judge at international exhibitions and Chairman of London Exhibition, Earl’s Court, 1980. Chairman of Board of Election for Roll of Distinguished Philatelists from 1977. RDP 1974.

SPOWART, Henry Arthur d.1956 age 73. Collected Argentina and Gold Coast. Wrote ‘The Postage Stamps of the Gold Coast’ [1929], and contributed details on postmarks to WJ Cochrane’s handbook on the Rivadavia issues. Received at PCGB Newcastle 1920, Silver Cup for best exhibit of rarities, errors, and curiosities, and Special Gold medal for the best arranged collection. President North of England P.S.

STAFF, Frank William 1908-1994. A survivor of the evacuation from Dunkirk, 1940. Student of Canadian postal history, and all aspects of Great Britain postal history, in particular TPOs, Campaign covers, Ship letters, Transatlantic mail, and the story of the envelope and ornamental notepaper. Author of ‘The Transatlantic Mail’ [1956], ‘The Penny Post 1680-1918’ [1964], ‘The Picture Postcard & Its Origins’ [1966], ‘The Valentine & Its Origins’ [1969], and ‘Picture Postcards & Travel’ [1979]. Had superb collection of 1840 Treasury Essays, but his fine collection of Penny Blacks was unfortunately stolen from him. Corresponding member of L'Académie de Philatélie Française. Material from his Penny Post and Transatlantic Mail collections is displayed at the National Postal Museum.

STAINFORTH, Rev Francis John 1797-1866. Capt Bengal Cavalry. Ordained 1830. Possessed a fine general collection on which Mount Brown based his catalogue in 1862. Regarded as the first organiser of a local stamp club. Early collectors, including Dr CW Viner, Sir Daniel Cooper, FA Philbrick, Mount Brown, and Henry Haslett, a dealer, met on Saturday afternoons at Stainforth’s rectory in Mark Lane, London, for sale, exchange, and philatelic discussion. The idea led on to the founding of The Philatelic Society, London in 1869, subsequently RPSL.

STEPHENS, Michael Edmund 1868-1936. Educated Rugby. Head of Henry C Stephens & Co Ltd, manufacturers of writing inks. Had fine collection of classic issues, auctioned by HR Harmer in six two-day sales 1937-38. It included Canada 12d black superb used, Nova Scotia 1/- cold violet pair, with 6d yellow-green, on cover (ex Hind), Saxony 3pf red, corner pair on piece, France 1849 15c unused block of four, Geneva 1843 5c + 5c on cover.

STEVENSON, David Alan FICE b.1891. Author of ‘The Triangular Stamps of the Cape of Good Hope’ [1950] for which he received Crawford Medal, 1951.

STEWART-WILSON, Sir Charles KCIE 1864-1950. Director General of Indian Post Office, 1906-12. Original member of P.S. of India, and President for many years. Edited Philatelic Journal of India, 1898-1905. Council Member RPSL, 1915-39. Wrote ‘British Indian Adhesive Stamps Surcharged for Native States’ [1897-98] (revised edition with BG Jones, 1904). Joint author with CSF Crofton and LLR Hausburg of RPSL handbook on ‘The Postage and Telegraph Stamps of British India’ [1907]. RDP 1921.

STOBBS, Stephenson 1903-1989. Bank official. Specialised in Australian Commonwealth, Denmark and Yugoslavia. Researched Australian Forces Mail in both World Wars, and published ‘Check-list of Postmarks of Australian Forces in World War II’ [1955] and ‘Relief Postmarks of Australian Commonwealth’ [1955]. President Birmingham P.S. Chairman PCGB Birmingham 1947.

STOCKEN, Nevile Lacy d.1943 age 72. Associated with Puttick & Simpson until 1920. Later on staff of Robson Lowe and regular contributor to The Philatelist. Author of ‘Stamps of Great Price - The Bluebook of Philately’ [1932]. Edited Victoria, British Guiana, India, St Lucia, Tonga, Bechuanaland, and Transvaal, in the Regent Stamp Catalogue, published by Robson Lowe. Bought in 1912, from Col DH Colnaghi, who had discovered it, the original copper plate from which the 1d and 2d ‘Post Office’ Mauritius were printed. This was later owned by Sydney Loder, and then Maurice Burrus.

STOURTON, John Marmaduke Joseph 1847-1899. Educated Westminster. Author of ‘Postage Stamp Forgeries, or the Collector’s Vade Mecum, containing accurate descriptions of nearly 700 forgeries.........’ London [1865]. A frequent correspondent in the Stamp Collector’s Magazine. Miss AL Fenton was much put out when it was suggested that a second edition of his book might be published.

STRANGE, Arnold Montague 1905-1989. Collected USA Bureau printings, postal history of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, United Nations, and “Photographs of stamps he was never likely to own”. Researched Newfoundland issues of 1911-28. Edited West-End Philatelist, 1946-55, and London Philatelist, 1955-74. Wrote with Winthrop S Boggs ‘The Foundations of Philately’ [1956]. Published ‘A List of Books of the Postal History, Postmarks, and Adhesive Postage and Revenue Stamps of Great Britain’ [1964]. Edited with John Easton the ‘Perkins Bacon Records’ [1953]. Emigrated to Australia and died there.

STUDD, Brig Malden Augustus DSO MC 1887-1973. Principally collected Canada, Belgian Epaulette and Medallion issues, and world maritime cancellations. Awarded gold medals for Canada and Belgium. Vice-President RPSL 1948-51. Founder Member and Fellow of Society of Postal Historians. Membre d’honneur of La Société Philatélique Belge. Author of ‘Paquebot and Ship Letter Cancellations of the World 1894-1951’ [1953]. Contributor to the Guatemala Handbook, 1969. RDP 1951.

SWINHOE-PHELAN, Lt Col Wilfred b. Delhi 1877. Collected Rhodesia, Gibraltar, Malta. President Cinque Ports P.S. Chairman PCGB Folkestone 1937.

A B C D E F G H IJK L M NO P Q R S TU VWXYZ
(The Who Was Who listing is broken down into sections, in alphabetical order by surname - please click on the appropriate letter above to visit that section of the listing.)