Methodist Philatelic Society

The illustrated cover has recently been sold on e-Bay for US $229. Click the picture to see a full size image.

It's a fascinating cover, here is the e-Bay seller's description: Finland airmail registered cover to the US censored by Finland and by the British. Illegible Helsinki postmark probably late 1941 or early 1942. Lisbon backstamp 22 Jan. 1942. On front purple "Held by British Censor until Jan1946". Also smaller "RELEASED" in black. NYArrival marks on back. So what info was the Finish Methodist Committee sending to the Methodist Committee in the US that was so dangerous?

A good question! The cover is clearly printed stationery of the Finnish Methodist Church and comes from around the time when the United Kingdom had declared war on Finland following Finland's 1941 attack on the Soviet Union, known to the Finns as the "Continuation War". Essentially the Finnish government had taken advantage of Hitler's invasion of the USSR to try and recover the territories lost in the "Winter War" of 1939/40.

The cover may well have been posted in December 1941 before the USA entered the war and had reached Lisbon en route to a US address by 22 January 1942. So how did it end up in the hands of a British censor? And why was it held until the end of the war?

This year's AGM will be held at Wesley's Chapel, City Road, London EC1Y 1AU on Saturday 27th September 2008. This is within walking distance of Moorgate and Old Street Tube stations. Click here for a map.

Entries are welcome for the three competitions on Methodist Topics:
1. The JT Aungier Trophy (8-12 sheets)
2. The Grace & David Clark Cup (single sheet)
3. The John Crocker Memorial Trophy (Single sheet of postal history at least 50 years old)

The room will be open from 10am for displays, etc., followed by the AGM from 2pm until 4pm. All members and friends are invited.