Grant award from Heritage Lottery Fund

We are proud to announce that the Society has recently secured a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for £14,760 to fully fund the making of a short film about John Walker and the impact of his invention on the world. This project is made possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, allowing us to engage with Lonely Tower Film and Media from Durham to make the film with us. Our film will act as a lasting legacy of John Walker, beyond 2026, and it will be premiered on 29th May 2026 during the Birthday Weekend celebrations in Stockton on Tees.

Governance Rule changes approved on 7th September

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was held at the Northwich show on 7th September 2024, which had been called to vote on two proposed changes to the Society’s Governance Rules. The details of these proposals, and notice of the EGM, was published in the August magazine. The two Rules affected are Rule 19 and Rule 25.

We are pleased to say that the two proposed changes were unanimously approved by the meeting and will take effect from 1st October 2024.

John Walker – inspires a new concept CD

The progressive-rock band Gil Galad have recently announced the release of a new studio album “A Record of the Unworldly and the Strange – An Ingenious Man …”. 

The work was inspired by John Walker, the entrepreneur and chemist from Stockton on Tees who is credited with the invention of the friction match.
The limited edition CD launch version comes in beautifully presented packaging featuring original artwork with lyric booklet, and the album weaves a wonderful story of truth, myth and legend.

More details can be found here on their web site and you can download the album here on their Bandcamp page.

2025 Society Award Winners announced

The Society makes two Awards each year, and the Award Winners for 2025 were announced at the recent AGM.

  • The Tony Gallaher Memorial Award for the Best Article published in the Society magazine in the previous year was awarded to :
    John Hope for his article ‘Who was G. C. Evance and why did he fall from grace?’ (published Dec 2024)
  • The KC Literary Award for the Best Publication reviewed in the Society magazine in the previous year was awarded to :
    Jiri Kučera and Jan Homol for their book ‘SOLO vídeň a.s. 1904-1918 Export (vol 2 and 3)’

2024 Society Award Winners announced

The Society makes two Awards each year, and the Award Winners for 2024 were announced at the recent AGM.

  • The Tony Gallaher Memorial Award for the Best Article published in the Society magazine in the previous year was awarded to :
    Jerry Bell and Barry Sturman for their article ‘Sulphur Matches’ (published Oct 2023)
  • The KC Literary Award for the Best Publication reviewed in the Society magazine in the previous year was awarded to :
    Tom Gibbard for his book ‘British Bookmatches’ 

Society Facebook pages

Thanks to Tom O’Key the Society has now joined Facebook.

Tom has set up for us two Facebook Groups’ :

  1. “British Matchbox Label and Bookmatch Society” is intended as a general Group for those interested in the hobby of phillumeny. Anyone wishing to join this Group does not need to be a member of the Society.
  2. “BML&BS” is for Society members only, and to join this Group members need to supply their BML&BS membership number.

Facebook Groups are designed for people to connect with each other around a common  interest or topic. They are a place where people can have discussions, ask questions, and share information, including pictures and videos, and ideas.

To participate in these Facebook Groups you would have to be registered with Facebook. Both these groups are registered as private with only members of the group being able to see who is in the group and what they post, although, the group itself is visible to anyone so that they can find this group. Anyone seeking to join either group will be required to abide by the Group rules.

To find either Group log into your Facebook account and use the Facebook search (top left of any page on Facebook) by typing the Group title, and choose what you are looking for from the results:

  1. British Matchbox Label and Bookmatch Society
  2. BML&BS

Auction Rules updated

Following feedback from members who sell items in our Society Actions we have changed the Auction Rules in respect of Reserves on Lots that do not sell. Previously the seller would be charged a 15% commission with no upper limit. Now the same commission applies but there is a fixed upper limit of £10. We hope this will encourage sellers to enter more high-value Lots in our Society Auctions.

The Rules affected are : Meeting Action Rules 9.4 and 11.1, Postal Auction Rule 9.3 and On-line Auction Rules 9.3 and 11.1

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