|
Postal History
Faeroese Postal History
Hungarian Hyperinflation
Soviet-Lithuania
1947-90
Encased Stamps
Dutch Silver Stamp
A Jewel on a Stamp
TPG Post
Azad
Hind
Christmas Island
Nordic Swans
Ephemera
Braille
Bluenose
Kaulbach Island
Canadian Nat. Symbols
Barcelos
Rooster
Easter
Private - Personalized
Roses
Swarovski Crystals
St. Zeno
St.
George
St. Patrick
St. Valentine
Thanksgiving
Mother's Day
Father's Day
Seven Wonders
Four Seasons
Curiosa
Hidden
Messages
Gothic Alphabet
Philatelic Art Mews
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
National Portrait
Gallery
Bjørn Wiinblad
Tordenskiold
|
|
St. George, pg.1
St.
George, pg.2 St.
George, pg.3
Saint
George, Patron Saint of England and the Scouts
 |
Saint George was born in
Cappadocia (in eastern Asia Minor) and died about 303 as a Christian Martyr. Saint
George has been adapted world wide as the saint fighting the evil and defending
the good, in the end slaying the dragon (representing the evil). He is
the patron saint of England, and also the patron saint of scouts. Finally,
as the Byzantine martyr, he is one of the most important saints of the Christian
Orthodox faith.
|
-
England 1951. King
George VI and St. George.
-
England 1990. The
George Cross (from the set of Gallantry Awards, issued 11th Sept. 1990).
The George Cross is awarded to civilians for outstanding acts of bravery.
The medal shows St. George slaying a dragon (as depicted on gold sovereigns)
and bears the legend 'For Gallantry'. It is the civilian equivalent of
the Victoria Cross which is awarded to members of the armed services for
conspicuous acts of bravery and bears the legend 'For Valour'. These
two crosses are the nation's highest awards (by the sovereign) and are given
only very rarely. Holders of these crosses are entitled to put the
letters GC (or VC) after their name, and these take precedence over all
other honours and qualifications, whether awarded by The Queen (or King) or
not. It is easy to remember that the GC is for Gallantry, and the VC
for Valour ...
-
England 2001. On
23rd April England's first pictorial definitives were issued. These follow
the Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland sets issued earlier. The 1st-class stamp
shown above features the Lion of England holding a shield with the cross of
St. George.
-
England 1929. King
George V and St. George, issued at the occasion of the Universal Postal
Union Congress in London 1929.
In 1222 the Council of Oxford
ordered that his feast, on April 23, be celebrated as a national festival, and
in the 14th century he became the patron saint of England and of the Order of
the Garter, despite the absence of any historical connection between him
and England. The below set was printed in a se-tenant strip of five.
Later Saint George came to be
regarded as a model of chivalry, and is represented in the British National
Flag, Union Jack, by the intersecting crosses of three of her patron saints:
St. George's Cross (red on white for England), St. Andrew's Cross (white on blue
for Scotland), and St. Patrick's Cross (red on white for Ireland). The
crosses represent the union of England with Scotland in 1707, and the union of
both with Ireland in 1801. (The patron saint of Wales, St. David, is not
represented in the Union Jack).
Finally St. George is
portrayed on some coins, see particularly the stamp top right from Bermuda.
Tasmania, in the beginning of
the 20th century as part of the British Commonwealth , has used the figure of
St. George on revenues in the 19th century. Today the island, located
south of Australia, is part of the Australian Commonwealth whose stamps it now
uses.
-
Tasmania 1901.
Reprints of early revenues from the 19th century, featuring St. George and
the Dragon. The values are 3d, 2/6 sh, 5sh and 10sh. The
first issue of the St. George & Dragon revenues of Tasmania were issued
in 1863/70: 3d green (1865), 2/6 carmine (1863), 5/- brown (1864) and
10/- orange (1864). They exist both imperforate and perforated (by
private stamp sellers). Reprints were produced in 1879, 1889 and 1901.
The set shown here was produced in 1901 as part of Presentation Sets given
to Members of Parliament when the Australian states joined together to form
the Australian Commonwealth. There are several sources of further
information, and some of the most authoritative ones are "Handbook of
Tasmanian Revenue Stamps" by William D. Craig, and "Tasmania,
Stamps and Postal History" by W.E. Tinsley, published by The Royal
Philatelic Society of London (1986).
|
Saint George is also the patron
saint of scouts world
wide, not many, though, featuring St. George. Below
and right are shown German issues in the honour of
the 50th anniversary of the German St. George Guild.
|
 |
St. George, pg.1
St.
George, pg.2 St.
George, pg.3
Saint
George, Patron Saint of England and the Scouts
|
