Denys R. Martin

Colonel Denys Richard Martin (1892–1970).^[1] ranks among the most distinguished philatelists of the Twentieth century. As a systematic scholar and prolific writer, Martin illuminated some of the most difficult topics and set a high standard for the study of the postage stamps and postal history of India and Burma.^[1]

Life

As a regular British Army officer of the Royal Engineers, Martin arrived in India during the First World War and travelled throughout the subcontinent during the next twenty years.

Philately

Martin's collection included postal history material from the Persian Field Force, the Abyssinian campaigns and the Treaty Ports, which are now in the Government of India's collection.^[2]

He was a member of the India Study Circle.^[3]

Awards

• Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London (FRPSL).
• Crawford Medal for The Four Annas Lithographed Stamps of India, 1854-55, 1932.
• Signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1939.

Publications

• D. R. Martin and E. A. Smythies, Half Anna Lithographed Stamps of India (1928)
• D. R. Martin and E. A. Smythies, The Four Annas Lithographed Stamps of India, 1854-55. Philatelic Society of India and Stanley Gibbons Ltd., London (1930).
• D. R. Martin, five appendices in L. E. Dawson, The One Anna and Two Annas Postage Stamps of India, 1854-55. Philatelic Society of India, H. Garratt-Adams & Co. and Stanley Gibbons, Ltd., London (1948): Die I, A Stone, No. 7 - p. 66; Die I, B Stone, Nos. 2, 28 and 64 - p. 67; India, 1854. Pin Perforated - p. 73; One Anna, 1854, Numbers Printed - p. 75; and The Two Annas, 1854, Some Problems - p. 81.
• Gerald Davis and Denys Martin, Burma Postal History, Including the 1987 Supplement. Robson Lowe, London (1971). 204 pp, illustrated, plus 38 pages of addenda and corrigenda.
• D. R. Martin, The Second Afghan War (1961).
• D. R. Martin and G. C. Danby, The Bombay-Karachi Sea Post Office (1963).
• D. R. Martin, Pakistan Overprints on Indian Stamps, 1948-49, London: Robson Lowe (1959).
• D. R. Martin, Indian Travelling Post Offices 1864-1891. Robson Lowe, London (1969). First printed in The Philatelist.
• D. R. Martin, Numbers in Early Indian Cancellations, Robson Lowe (1970).
• D. R. Martin, ed. Neil Blair Overseas Letter Postage from India 1854-1876 (1975), 72 pp.

References