Spring Wild Flowers – 1979

This issue was released on the 21st March, the official first day of spring, and was a set of four stamps designed by Peter Newcombe. The 9p depicted a Primrose, 10 1/2p a Daffodil, 11p a Bluebell, and 13p a Snowdrop.

According to Royal Mail literature, this set features four of the popular early flowers of the countryside, but makes no reference to how the flowers were chosen. Using their natural settings, Peter Newcombe has highlighted the change of the season with his first attempt at stamp designs. The reference material Royal Mail produced seemed to be more an advertisement of the artist than the stamps, although the stamps were very well received by the public. There was an important message with the changing of the law, but this was not portrayed effectively to the public and caused controversial with conservationists.

Until 1975 these flowers were unprotected by law but this situation changed with the introduction of the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act, whereby it is an offence to uproot any wild plant or to pick certain endangered species.

The issue could have been a great vessel for promoting the conservation laws but the Post Office seemed to miss the point slightly!

---

Bookmark with: