Wilmot Corfield
Encyclopedia
William Wilmot Corfield was a British philatelist who was an important figure in Anglo-Indian philately. He was an accountant by profession.
. Subsequently, he was the editor there of The Town Crier and Birmingham Faces and Places.
(1897-1909). He was also Curator of the Indian National Stamp Collection at Victoria Museum
, Calcutta. While in India, Corfield wrote topical verses under the pen name Dâk dicta which appeared in the Indian press, Dak being the hindi
equivalent of "post office". He was active in The Calcutta Historical Society.
Corfield returned to Britain permanently in around 1910 or 1911. He was already a member of the Royal Philatelic Society London from 1899 and of the The Fiscal Philatelic Society
. He was also a member of the Hertfordshire society, The Junior Philatelic Society (now the National Philatelic Society
and the International Philatelic Union
. He became closely associated with the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain. He was for a short time Editor of The London Philatelist
. He was active in the National Philatelic War Fund and was credited by The London Philatelist with suggesting the design of the souvenir sword of justice stamp produced for the fund. He wrote the obituary of noted Indian philatelic specialist Sir David Parkes Masson
in The London Philatelist.
Corfield campaigned for the Tapling Collection
to be brought up to date so as to become the British national stamp collection but this ultimately proved impossible due to the terms under which the Tapling Collection had been donated and the scarcity of some of the material missing from it.
Early life
Corfield was born in Birmingham in 1859 and educated at King Edward's SchoolKing Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
. Subsequently, he was the editor there of The Town Crier and Birmingham Faces and Places.
Philately
Sometime in the 1890s, Corfield travelled to Calcutta where he subsequently became Editor of Philatelic World (1894 to 1897) and at different times the Hon. Secretary, Treasurer and Vice-President of the Philatelic Society of IndiaPhilatelic Society of India
The Philatelic Society of India was formed in 1897 by a group of, mainly, expatriate Englishmen resident in the country as the first all-India philatelic society...
(1897-1909). He was also Curator of the Indian National Stamp Collection at Victoria Museum
Victoria Museum
Victoria Museum may refer to:*Victoria and Albert Museum - London, England*Queen Victoria Museum -Harare, Zimbabwe*Museum Victoria - Melbourne, Australia*Tramway Museum Society of Victoria...
, Calcutta. While in India, Corfield wrote topical verses under the pen name Dâk dicta which appeared in the Indian press, Dak being the hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
equivalent of "post office". He was active in The Calcutta Historical Society.
Corfield returned to Britain permanently in around 1910 or 1911. He was already a member of the Royal Philatelic Society London from 1899 and of the The Fiscal Philatelic Society
Fiscal Philatelic Society
The Fiscal Philatelic Society was an early twentieth century philatelic society that is seen as a predecessor to today's Cinderella Stamp Club and The Revenue Society...
. He was also a member of the Hertfordshire society, The Junior Philatelic Society (now the National Philatelic Society
National Philatelic Society
The National Philatelic Society is one of two national philatelic societies in Great Britain. The other is the Royal Philatelic Society London.- History :...
and the International Philatelic Union
International Philatelic Union
The International Philatelic Union, formed 1881, was an early international philatelic organisation formed for the study of stamps and the promotion of philately generally...
. He became closely associated with the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain. He was for a short time Editor of The London Philatelist
The London Philatelist
The London Philatelist was first published in January 1892 and is the journal of the Royal Philatelic Society London.It is published ten times annually and includes coverage of worldwide philatelic and postal history topics...
. He was active in the National Philatelic War Fund and was credited by The London Philatelist with suggesting the design of the souvenir sword of justice stamp produced for the fund. He wrote the obituary of noted Indian philatelic specialist Sir David Parkes Masson
David Parkes Masson
Sir David Parkes Masson CIE VD was a British philatelist who was one of the "Fathers of Philately" entered on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921...
in The London Philatelist.
Corfield campaigned for the Tapling Collection
Tapling Collection
The Tapling Collection was donated to the British Museum from the estate of Thomas Tapling in 1891.The probate value of the Tapling collection was set at £12,000 but on arrival Richard Garnett estimated their value at more than £50,000 and described the bequest as the most valuable gift since the...
to be brought up to date so as to become the British national stamp collection but this ultimately proved impossible due to the terms under which the Tapling Collection had been donated and the scarcity of some of the material missing from it.
Death
Corfield died on 27 October 1919 at Sydenham, South London. He was survived by his wife and daughter.Selected publications
- Ye Manual of the Proceedings of the Birmingham Young Men’s Christian Association Debating Society. Vol. 1. Oct. 1881 - April 1882. Birmingham, 1881-82. (Editor)
- The Adhesive Fiscal and Telegraph Stamps of British India. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co., 1905. (With C.S.F. CroftonC. S. F. CroftonCharles Stanhope Foster Crofton was a British philatelist and a member of the Indian Civil Service.-Early life:Crofton was the only son of Major Henry Crofton R.A. . He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge.-Philately:Crofton specialised in the philately of India and Ceylon...
) - Calcutta Faces and Places in pre-camera days. Calcutta: Calcutta Historical Society, 1910.
- Dâk dicta: a selection from verses written in Calcutta, 1907-1910. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co., 1910.
- More Dâk Dicta. Verses written in Calcutta, 1894-1910, and philatelic verses. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co., 1911.