THE BIRTH AND FORMATIVE YEARS OF THE ACADÉMIE DE PHILATÉLIE
Text of our Past President, Jean-Paul Schroeder
published in n° 161 – 3° quarter 1999 – of "Documents Philatéliques"
It was the « Messager Philatélique » in its number of 25 May 1928, in an article penned by the editor in chief, M. Gaston Tournier, that launched the idea of a nationwide consultation amongst all the professional and amateur philatelists in France with a view to electing twenty five persons selected from them, of whom the reputation, knowledge, collections and writing made them worthy of inclusion in the Academy : provision was made for 5 sections : philately, literature, marcophily, aerophilately and postal stationery.
the "Messager Philatélique" n° 4 of 25 may 1928
It was not a question of competing with the Fédération des Sociétés Philatéliques Françaises who consolidated the philatelic clubs but bringing people together with a programme of work designed to develop philatelic knowledge.
the "Messager Philatélique" n° 5 of 25 june 1928
As one can imagine, the setting up and organisation of this referendum among all of the philatelists and all of the societies who had agreed to participate in it was hard work. Thanks to the perseverance of M. Tournier, the « Messager Philatélique », in their number of November 1928 (p.281) published the official report after the votes were counted of the result of the referendum.
« LE MESSAGER PHILATÉLIQUE IS DELIGHTEDTO ADVISE YOU OF THE BIRTH OF THE ACADÉMIE DE PHILATÉLIE «
« After the elimination of some six hundred non-conforming votes, the number of votes arrived at amounted to 4219 and the 25 persons having obtained the most votes were elected ;
There were thirteen in philately, four in literature, three in marcophily, four in aerophilately and one in postal stationery. Those elected and gathered together at institutional general meetings on 19 December 1928 and 16 January 1929 finally brought life the Académie de Philatélie to life, fixing the number of titular members at 40 and those of foreign members at 30, and adopting the statutes conforming with the Law of 1 July 1901 »
Twenty years later, on the 15 of January 1949,
9 rue Auber, Paris in the premises of the Chambre des négociants en timbres-poste (the association of postage stamp dealers). Under the president, Henri Kastler
From left to right :seated (in the first row) : Maurice PICARD - Pierre BOUVET - Léon DUBUS - Henri KASTLER - Jacques LE PILEUR - André-Émile de COCK (Bel.) - Émile FRIEDERICK (Sui.) - Eugène
OLIVIER standing (in the second row, somewhat uneven): Francis HAMY (Fra.) - Pierre YVERT - Aimé BRUN (forward of the others))- Léon MARGUE known as "MIRO" - Charles TOLLU - Charles
GUÉRITAULT - Maurice CHEVASSU - Henri NOËL - Edgard Huyghes de BEAUFOND (retired) - André ROCHETTE - Pierre MARCHAL (retired) - Georges DUMONT - Maurice BURRUS - Maurice EXELMANS
- Jean-Pierre HEISCHBOURG (Lux.) (half hidden) - Théodore CHAMPION - Edme-Henri GALLOIS.
"raised" (in the third row): Henri LORNE (Fra.) (who is only half raised !) - Pierre GERMAIN - Camille HALLU - Frédéric RUFER (Sui.) - George FULPIUS (Sui.) - Léon MAUDUIT - Jean de MICOULSKY - Lucien HERLANT (Bel.) - Émile FRÉGNAC.
Note: The nationality of the corresponding members is shown in brackets.
At least three of them (Maurice Burrus, Théodore Champion and André de Cock) continued their « philatelic career »in postage stamps posthumously.
Sixty years later, on the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the Academy, 20 June 2008 at the hotel Bedford Paris.
From left to right:
seated (in the first row): Alain MILLET - Gabriel DUTRIPON - Georges RYKNER - Brigitte ABENSUR - Robert ABENSUR.
Standing (in the second row): Alberto BOLAFFI (Ita.) - Jean-François BRUN - Michèle CHAUVET - Jean-Louis NARJOUX - Gérard DESARNAUD - Jérôme CASTANET (Fra.) - Guy PRUGNON - Michel VARIN -Jean GOANVIC (Fra.) - Raymond BEAUSSANT - Peter R. A. KELLY (UK) - George E. BARKER (UK) - Jacques RENAUD - Bertrand SINAIS - Patrick C. PEARSON (UK) - Raymond SENÉ - Alain TRINQUIER (Fra.).
Standing (in the third row): Christopher J. HITCHEN (UK) - Frans JORISSEN (P-B.) - Olivier SAINTOT (Fra.) - Jérôme BOURGUIGNAT (Fra.) - Arnauld de RUDDER - Guy DUTAU - Arnaud de LA METTRIE - Henk SLABBINCK (Bel.) - Guy VENOT - Laurent BONNEFOY - Fabien BARNIER.
Note: The nationality of the corresponding or associate members is shown in brackets.