The Royal Mail is producing a special series of stamps to commemorate the First World War. 30 stamps will be issued between 2014 and 2018 and the first 6 are now available. An exhibition of enlarged versions of these stamps is now on display in Lewisham Library.
The stamps will represent several themes associated with the war - How artists, including writers and painters, interpreted the
events; the role of non-combatants and civilians; the role of the Services; the
role of women, and the contribution of the Commonwealth.
The first 6 are -
Poppy
Original artwork by Fiona Strickland, the Scottish born and
Edinburgh based leading botanical artist. She is a member of the Royal Society
of Botanical Artists and considered among the leading contemporary botanical
artists.
War Poetry
Lines from the poem, ‘For the Fallen’ by Lawrence Binyon.
First published in The Times on 21 September 1914, ‘For the Fallen’ is the
poet’s response to the first few weeks of the War. It is familiar through its
recitation at Remembrance ceremonies in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and
Canada. Binyon volunteered for hospital work in France during the War. Royal
Mail commissioned a letter-cutter to engrave a section of the poem into stone.
This was then photographed and the image used on the stamp.
War Art
‘A Star Shell’’ by CRW Nevinson. The image is of a flare
that illuminated no man’s land. Nevinson is widely regarded as one of the most
important artists of the Great War, with paintings in the collection of Tate
Britain and Imperial War Museums. The artwork is on display at Tate Britain.
Portrait
Private William Tickle, who enlisted on 7 September 1914,
and served in the 9th Battallion, Essex Regiment. He was accepted despite being
under age (15 on enlisting). He served until he was killed at the Battle of the
Somme in 1916. This is one of thousands of photographs donated to the Imperial
War Museum shortly after the war’s end in response to pleas to send images of
those who had died.
Memorial
‘The Response’, a bronze memorial by Welsh artist Sir William
Goscombe John, represents the raising of several companies of the
Northumberland Fusiliers and depicts the men joining up in 1914. The memorial
is located in a public park in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.
Artefact
Princess Mary Gift Box. In October 1914, the Christmas Gift
Fund was launched by Princess Mary, the 17-year-old daughter of King George V
and Queen Mary. The purpose was to provide everyone wearing the King's uniform
and serving overseas on Christmas Day 1914 with a 'gift from the nation'. The
result was the production of an embossed brass box, which contained a Christmas
card and a picture of the Princess along with gifts. Servicemen at the front or
at sea who were smokers received a pipe, an ounce of tobacco, cigarettes and a
tinder lighter. Non-smokers received a packet of sweets and a writing case with
pencil, paper and envelopes.
This
information is taken from the Royal Mail website. You can find out more at:
