Welcome to our website!

 In 1949, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first French postage stamp, a group of British philatelists set up a pioneering  specialist  philatelic society devoted to the study of the stamps of France and the then French Empire. From small beginnings, the France and Colonies Philatelic Society now unites over 250 collectors in Britain and overseas in the many and varied delights of the stamps and postal history of la Francophonie.

The Society provides an extensive programme of meetings in several locations, holds an annual Philatelic Weekend, publishes a well regarded and authoritative Journal and series of monographs as well as several more extensive specialist philatelic books, operates a magazine circuit, two thriving exchange packets and three postal Auctions a year. It is a friendly and informal group to which non-members are welcome to attend any of our meetings.

LONDON GROUP MEETING DETAILS 

The next meeting of France & Colonies Philatelic Society will be held on WEDNESDAY 21st JANUARY 2026 in the Stockholm Room in the Royal Philatelic Society premises,  15 Abchurch Lane, London, EC4N 7BW.. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or text via 0776 675 1412 Roger Niven if you wish to attend as space is limited.

SOCIETY AUCTION - 24 JANUARY 2026

The catalogue and a selection of lots are available to view on the Auction's page. Bidding for lots is available to non-members - details are on on the page. Attention for members please read the details regarding acceptance of lots for the May Auction.

SOCIETY WEEKEND MEETING CHARLECOTE HOTEL

To be held at the Charlecote Pheasant Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV35 9EW, 01789 335960
Bookings should be made directly with the hotel on 01789 335960 quoting the reference FCPS EVENT 2026.
Further details will be placed in the December Journal and are available on the WEEKEND MEETINGS page . Please contact David Parmley either by telephone on 07464 926250 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any queries.

THE NORTHERN GROUP. 

The next meeting is planned for 18 April 2026 the suggested  theme:is Easter - at Ravenfield Parish Hall, Birch Wood Drive, Ravenfield, Rotherham S65 4PT Contact:by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mr. Roger Clapham, Tel: 01709 527673.   or John Morton by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Visitors most welcome

  JOURNAL 309

Journal 309 will be printed in the next few days - look out for it. Articles in the Journal include:

– Usage of the Série Sites et Monuments/Série touristique d’usage courant (1938 - 1941) - Part 4 (Edwin Voerman)
–  Precursors of the French postal card Part 7: The cards of the relief organisations (Frans Jorissen)
– Marianne de Muller  Part 9: the New Franc issues (Mick Bister)
– New Postage Rates in France 2026 (Richard Broadhurst) 
– There’s No Business Like Show Business – Connections on French Stamps - Part 11 (David Parmley)
– Dr Delafon and the collecting bug in Guadeloupe and Martinique (Rodney Gent)
– Dubious Signatures and Fake Experts: A Collector’s Survival Guide (Vincent Beghin)
Shorter Items - including Questions and Answers        
•  Mail between the Kingdom of Holland and France (David Huckett)
•  ‘La Poste du Bénin’ new post office meter stamps (Marc Parren)
•  France - Crypto-Timbre (Miles Cerny)
•  The Central African Empire (Michael Round)
•   France - Crypto-Timbre (Miles Cerny)
•   All Change!  - new France Postal Rates (Richard Broadhurst)
Reports of Meetings 
•  London Group Meeting 1 October 2025 (Roger Niven)
•  An Impromptu Coffee Spot (Roger Niven)
List of Recently Published Articles (Maurice Tyler) 
Society Notes
•  Appeals for Journal Manager / Journal Editor / Website Manager
Advertisement
- The Postage and Revenue Meter Stamps of Cameroun by Marty Bratzel Jr. and Dr. Marc Parren
-  Censorship in World War 1 by the Armée française d’Orient

A selection of images from Journal 309 are illustrated above in the slider. 

THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to to Journal WE ARE ALWAYS IN NEED OF ARTICLES, large or small, if you have something of interest please consider sending it for inclusion in a later edition. Let us know what YOU collect. If you are concerned about privacy - we won't publish your name. Type your text in Word or plain text, add any images, scanned at 300dpi as separate jpeg attachments and email them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 ZOOM MEETINGS 

14 OCTOBER 2025
 “Philately and Postal History of WW2” with Mick Bister and Chris Hitchen presenting the two respective parts

The next Zoom Meeting is envisaged later in 2026 please contact Chris Hitchen if you are able to contribute. Zoom meetings are a convenient way by which we can meet face to face and share our interests so please join us in what will be an highly entertaining and informative occasion. Those without a webcam can of course still view the displays but will not be seen by others. If you have a display that you would like to give on Zoom or you would like to join in in any way please let Chris Hitchen know by email

All previous Zoom meetings are available to view here

Information on Zoom meetings will only be sent to those who express an interest, however the programme will be advertised on the website. Read more

Please consider using the FORUM - perhaps share your latest acquisitions or any query or comment you may have. If you have not registered as a member, please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your preferred password and a Username will be provided.

A NEW PUBLICATION 

The Postage and Revenue Meter Stamps of Cameroun
Published by the authors with the support of the Stuart Rossiter Trust;  
A4. 149 pages. Full colour. Soft back, Laminated card cover.

The France and Colonies Philatelic Society is pleased to promote the new addition to its Publications list. 

Postage meter stamps, first introduced into Cameroun in 1953, comprise an integral part of the philatelic panoply of that country. However, meter stamps have been little studied and are often overlooked. Over 250 postage meter stamps are listed by town.  Each stamp is illustrated, accompanied by the earliest and latest recorded dates of use. Also illustrated are more than 50 alterations made to specific meter stamps.

Full details are listed on the Publications page 

JOIN OUR PHILATELIC FORUM 
You can join our Forum without being a member of the Society - just contact the Website Manager with your name and preferred password and you will be supplied with a username - you don't have to be a member!.

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Please note: The information displayed in these pages is copyright. The images used are used with permission from the owners’ of the material. Permission for the use of any material within these pages must be sought from the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.and must be quoted in references.