In the "Card Scene" Magazine for April-June 2020 there was a grand announcement - "CSGB SOUTHPORT CONVENTION 2021 - The CSGB has recently announced that next year`s convention will take place at Southport on 23rd and 24th of April.
Little did we know how things would change in the time between.
Most of what follows is either extracted from "Card World" or from “The Card Scene” magazine`s “Lockdown Card Therapy Rainbow Edition” of July-September 2020.
The latter not only shows how quickly the rainbow was adopted as a sign, but also reveal the scale of how Covid changed Cartophily.
In fact this issue of the "Card Scene" was “Dedicated to the NHS and the keyworkers, fundraisers, and creative spirits who have kept the world turning during the Covid-19 crisis. God bless you all.”
Our Convention
"Card Scene" Magazine also tells us, "The proposed October Annual Convention at Salisbury has now been postponed until April 2022. A recent Council meeting concluded that there would be legal restrictions on holding such an event, and that older members would probably have been averse to attending for safety reasons. All being well, the Southport Convention will be going ahead in Spring 2021.
In fact the rearranged October convention in Salisbury was cancelled again - and it was tentatively pencilled in that we would be holding the Annual Convention, at Southport, in April 2021.
But in actual fact we met in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and not until Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October 2021 - and you can read of that event at Convention 2021
However we thought we would use this space to record the goings on of those crazy, and fearful times that affected us all forever.
Our Branches and Clubs
Most of these decided very quickly that they would choose to `play it safe` and remain in shutdown mode for the foreseeable future. It was also openly admitted that much would depend on the spread of the disease, any changes to self-distancing rules, availability of premises, practicality of safety measures, and even the willingness of collectors to attend.
However, it was reported that “In contrast to this precautionary approach, the East Anglia Club already has a provisional meeting date earmarked for 18th July (possibly followed by 15th August and 19th September).” And they did manage to hold that meeting on the 18th of July 2021, with five visiting dealers. This made them the first club to reopen, and they reported that thirty four members and three visitors from other clubs came along, all delighted to be able just to see other people`s cards again. However there were a few restrictions, including a sanitising station, and reminders to use it frequently. Social distancing was also firmly enforced - including a maximum of thirty people inside the hall, and only two people being allowed to view the auction lots at any one time.
Sussex and Lea Valley were next to re-open, choosing the same day, of July 25th.
Kent and the Cotswolds also hoped that meetings would take place in September, Kent on the 3rd and Cotswold on the 13th. The Kent Branch stated it was to be a pretty basic meeting, with no catering, but they would waive all admission fees and dealers could have their stands at half the usual price. And the October-December 2021 “Card Scene” tells us that Cotswold Branch had managed to hold their September Rally, though it was on the 7 September, and that seven dealers attended - albeit under strictly controlled conditions, and in compliance with the new “six-person” ruling. They also added that "although the numbers were a bit down from previous rallies, it felt like old times at the Cotswolds Branch." They also managed to hold their Christmas event on Friday the 10th of December.
Winchester and Solent cancelled their Autumn fair, and then their entire calendar, but hoped to return in 2022, and in the meantime they announced that they would be holding quarterly postal auctions.
Humberside Branch also took the postal auction route, but were immensely saddened by the loss of their regular venue, “The Sherpa”, and the death of its very popular landlord, one of the many covid casualties.
Fairs and Markets
The first lockdown started on Tuesday the 24th of March 2020. And we currently believe that the last fair that actually took place was Nottingham Postcard Fair, on February 1st 2020.
But if you can add a later date please do.
The Postcard Traders Fair at Woking, and many other smaller fairs were cancelled.
And many dealers were forced to start or expand their online trading presence.
Auctions
Auctions too, had to change. Salerooms across the country also closed, or converted to online sales only, with viewings by appointment.
On the 20th of May, Warwick and Warwick`s sale was internet and phone bidders only - whilst Toovey`s July auction did take place in the usual way, with a skeleton staff and safeguarding and sanitation measures firmly in place.
However Lockdales announced that their August sale would be completely closed to the public, and bidding would take place online, by telephone, or by postal bids. They then updated this, allowing for viewing and lot collections, by appointment only.
And Also...
The virus even led to the non-appearance of the new Murray Catalogue of Values, for even printers were forced to lock down their works. It came out in October, but it was extended so that it covered the years 2020-2022.