David John Springbett,

FRPSL The Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) is the oldest philatelic society in the world. It was founded on 10 April 1869 as ''The Philatelic Society, London''. The society runs a postal museum, the Spear Museum of Philatelic History, at its he ...

(1938–2022) was a British

philatelist Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possible ...

and former insurance broker, who signed the

Roll of Distinguished Philatelists The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (RDP) is a Philately, philatelic award of international scale, created by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain in 1921 to honour those who have advanced philately through research, expertise, or service. ...

in 2004.

Philatelic activity

Springbett was President of the

Grand Prix Club The Grand Prix Club is a club for philatelists Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp col ...

, a fellow of the

Royal Philatelic Society London The Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) is the oldest philately, philatelic society in the world. It was founded on 10 April 1869 as ''The Philatelic Society, London''. The society runs a postal museum, the Spear Museum of Philatelic History ...

, President of The

Revenue Society The Revenue Society (originally ''The Revenue Society of Great Britain'') was formed in 1990 and is the only international philatelic society which covers revenue stamp A revenue stamp, tax stamp, duty stamp or fiscal stamp is a (usually) ad ...

and a former Chairman of the

Stanley Gibbons The Stanley Gibbons Group plc is a company quoted on the London Stock Exchange specialising in the retailing of collectable postage stamps and similar products. The group is incorporated in London. The company is a major stamp dealer and phila ...

company. He was Chairman of The Stamp Show 2000 in

Earls Court Earl's Court is a district of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, bordering the rail tracks of the West London line and District line that separate it from the ancient borough of Fulham to the west, the ...

, London and was involved in planning for an alternative

stamp exhibition A philatelic exhibition is an exhibition of stamps and postal history where stamp collectors (philatelists) compete for medals. The displays are shown in glass frames, and the exhibition is normally accompanied by stamp dealer bourses and post ...

to the

London 2010 International Stamp Exhibition The London 2010 International Stamp Exhibition, 8–15 May 2010 at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, was a major international stamp exhibition that was granted FIP (Fédération Internationale de Philatélie) patronage. Theme T ...

. The alternative show would have been based at the ExCel conference centre in

east London East London is the part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London Docklands, London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of ...

, but the project was abandoned when the

Fédération Internationale de Philatélie The Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP) is the world federation for philately (the study of postage stamps and postal history). Based in Zürich, Switzerland, the FIP was founded on 18 June 1926. Aims The FIP was founded in 1926 w ...

(FIP) gave the London 2010 show approved status. In 2001, Springbett edited and compiled a biographical guide to the more than seventy philatelists who have been awarded a Grand Prix award at a philatelic exhibition held between 1950 and 2000. His philatelic interests lay in

revenue stamp A revenue stamp, tax stamp, duty stamp or fiscal stamp is a (usually) adhesive label used to designate collected taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs and medicines, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, ...

s and the large key plate stamps of Nyasaland. He won a Grand Prix medal for his exhibit of Straits Settlements at Bangkok in 1993 and was a candidate for a Grand Prix with his Nyasaland revenue stamps in Australia in 1999 and Nyasaland key types at Istanbul 1999.

Outside philately

David Springbett was an insurance broker and a campaigner on behalf of Lloyds names. Along with Malcolm Pearson and John Webb he founded Pearson Webb Springbett in 1964 which eventually became PWS Holdings. He lived in

Taplow Taplow is a village and civil parish in the Unitary Authority of Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the left bank of the River Thames, facing Maidenhead in the neighbouring county of Berkshire, with Cippenham and Burnham to the east. It is th ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

World record flight

In 1980, Springbett set a world record for a circumnavigation of the world as a passenger on scheduled airline flights by completing the trip in 44 hours and six minutes with the help of supersonic travel on the

Concorde Concorde () is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies started in 1954, and France and the United Kingdom signed a treaty establishin ...

. He also beat the record for a circumnavigation of any kind which previously stood at 45 hours and 19 minutes.Bonner, Sara "The fastest man in the atmosphere" in ''The Times'', 12 January 1980, p.3.

References

Publications

*''The Grand Prix Club Book 1950–2000'', David Feldman, Geneva, Switzerland, 2001. {{DEFAULTSORT:Springbett, David 1938 births 2022 deaths British philatelists Revenue stamps Fellows of the Royal Philatelic Society London Signatories to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists