Charlotte Tebay

Mrs Charlotte Tebay (1819-1901) was the first female member of the Philatelic Society London. She was elected to membership on the 22nd April 1876 after being proposed by the Honorary Secretary, M. de Joannis, and Dr. Viner. Born in Devizes, she was one of the first collectors to exhibit the primitive Ugandan Cowrie stamps, and did so at the London Philatelic Exhibition from the 22nd July – 5th August 1897 at The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. She was a regular at meetings and hosted nineteen meetings at her home at 37 Belgrave Road, London, during the 1870s. “As to myself, I can only say that ever since I began to be interested in stamps, now between thirty and forty years ago, I have found them a great help and solace in many months of ill health, and that I have had much help, and courtesy, and kindness from my fellow collectors. Indeed, I do think that there cannot be any “hobby” where there is more friendly feeling between fellow workers than among the lovers of postage stamps.” The Philatelic Record, Volume XXII, page 221. Tebay resigned her membership after the death of her only child at 32 years old, Mary Dolores, and her husband Thomas George in 1884. She was unanimously elected as honorary member on the 2nd October 1889. Tebay died on the 22nd December 1901, at the age of 82. Speaking of her after her death, it was remarked that: “…in all her relations of life-as kind in heart as charming in manner-Mrs. Tebay had none but friends; while all those older members of the London Society who have had the privilege in bygone years of meeting the deceased lady will always bear the kindliest and happiest remembrance of Charlotte Tebay.”