West Africa Study Circle

The West Africa Study Circle, formed in 1950, is the international specialist society for the study of stamps, postal stationery and postal history of West Africa.

It originated from small specialist groups which already existed and has undergone several expansions of scope.

The following philatelic areas are the ones covered in the most depth. The map shows where they are. From there, or from these links, you will find brief introductions to each area:

Ascension / Tristan da Cunha / Gough Is. Cameroons
Gambia Gold Coast / Ghana
Nigeria St Helena
Sierra Leone Togo
Additionally, several other areas are also included: British Postal Agencies on Madeira, Tenerife. St Vincent (Cape Verde Islands) and Fernando Po; airmails and sea-mails throughout the region.

Study dates from the earliest times and includes military campaigns, maritime, censorship and airmails.

There is an introductory article to the philatelic history of the Gambia (by Oliver Andrew). Further articles will follow.

If you wish to contact the Study Circle for information which does not appear on the site, please use this email address (remove spaces): wasc @ frankwalton. com

New in March 2010
Grosvenor Auctions will be holding an auction on May 19th 2010 of the John Forrest collection of cancellations which includes Gambia, Gold Coast and Togo, the Nigerias and Sierra Leone. John Forrest is an Honorary Life Member of the WASC. Catalogues will be available from and on line at www.grosvenorauctions.com .

The booklist was updated in March 2010.

Details of meetings were updated in March 2010.

An index to Cameo, all volumes 1-10 has a link from the Publications page.

Also added in 2009

West Africa Study Circle member John Wilson has made a superb job of transcribing Civil Aviation Authority records of World War Two. This has led to the document attached here which details Empire and Trans-Oceanic airline services during each of the war years. This will be of invaluable help to philatelic researchers, and not simply those of British West Africa. John wishes it to be made available to all readers whether members or not of the Study Circle. It is not to be used for commercial publication without his permission.

last updated: 28 March 2010