Edmonton Stamp Club

ESC OUR STORY

The world’s first postage stamp, England’s famous Queen Victoria Penny Black, appeared in May, 1840.  Stamp collecting started the very next day and swept the world, touching down in Edmonton, Alberta in 1912 when a group of stalwarts met to form the Edmonton Stamp Collector’s Club.  Edmonton’s two newspapers featured stamp columns and several downtown stamp shops became gathering places for keen collectors.
The Edmonton Stamp Club grew from its dozen male members to an enthusiastic group of over 500 stamp families who have met continuously for over 100 years to buy, sell, trade and learn about stamps. In early days, the Club met in Edmonton’s downtown Library. The current Monday meeting place is the St. Joe’s High School cafeteria which is in keeping with the friendly, family nature of the Club.  New members and visitors are always welcome to share in the evening’s fun and fellowship……..

In Memory Of Bill Symonds
February 4, 1950 - November 19, 2022

Born: February 4, 1950

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and colleague died suddenly November 19, 2022 in his adopted home of Edmonton AB. For his wife Gail Perrin and sons Ian (and Eveliene) and Graeme (and Anna) the voice of reason has left. To his grandchildren Justin, Kaylin, and Isabella their kind and loving Ampa is only a memory. For his brother Gary (and Eleanor) a link in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia family is broken. And to his friends and colleagues an easy going openminded relationship ends. Luna, the dog lost her best friend.

Bill was a lifelong stamp collector and member of the Edmonton Stamp Club.

Bill also played guitar and as a teenager played base in a garage band; in the 80’s he had a come back in a band of friends called “Next Exit”.

Retirement gave Bill an opportunity to add a new dimension to life long learning by reading for pleasure and traveling with wife and often with our friends.

Bill worked in the planning field in Alberta for over 35 years initially with the City of Edmonton and then Murray Jones and Associates before joining Alberta Municipal Affairs in 1978. Over his career Bill participated in a variety of planning studies, land use bylaws and municipal development plans and acted as the subdivision approving authority for municipalities not served by regional planning commissions. In 1995 he worked on the re-write of the Planning Act and provided advice to municipal officials, planners and the public on the meaning and application of the legislation. Bill served as the director of planning for Alberta Municipal Affairs before retiring in 2014.

A farewell party will be held in his memory in the afternoon of December 18th at Symonds’s residence. For friends and family who cannot attend, we have made the necessary arrangements for you to attend by ZOOM. For details, please reply to this notice and we can give you more information.

Finally, if you would like to donate in Bill’s memory the Bissell Centre, Mustard Seed Church, Hope Mission in Edmonton and World Vision International are charities that Bill supported.