Postal Beginnings at Niagara Falls, Canada 1801 – 1904

Douglas Irwin
Released March 2016. Exhibit series # 88.
136 pages, 8.5x11, spiral bound.
Colour C$ 30.00 [ISBN 978-1-927119-60-0].

Douglas Irwin's Postal Beginnings at Niagara Falls, Canada 1801 – 1904, the 88th volume in the BNAPS Exhibit Book Series, is the result of many years of research into the history of one of Canada's best known cities and home of a tourist attraction that draws millions of visitors every year. Careful searching in dealers' stocks and auction catalogues has produced a postal history collection that, appropriately, won the Allan Steinhart Reserve Grand Award at BNAPEX 2015 Niagara Falls.

Over the years, the exhibit has also been awarded a Large Vermeil internationally, at SESCAL/AMERICAS 08, and nine national level gold medals. In 2007, it competed in the APS Champion of Champions class after winning the Grand Award at the Philatelic Show in Boston. The exhibit won the Grand Award at NOVAPEX 2006 and the Reserve Grand Award at ORAPEX 2008. It has been awarded three American Philatelic Congress awards and has been shown twice in the Court of Honour at the annual Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) convention and exhibition.

Doug has been a member of the British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS) for almost 40 years. His first philatelic specialty and exhibiting interest was the Centennial definitives of Canada, his exhibit of which was also awarded national level Gold medals. In the mid 1980s, Doug formed the BNAPS Centennial Definitive Study Group and edited its newsletter for many years. He edited the second edition of the original Keane and Hughes Canada The 1967-73 Definitive Issue, and contributed to the Centennial works by both Robin Harris and Michael Milos.

Doug became interested in the postal history of the Niagara Falls area about 20 years ago, first collecting the county of Welland, and then becoming more specialized with material relating to the Niagara Falls area. His other interests include photography, travel and golf. Doug usually combines either golf or photography with his travels and has currently visited 55 different countries.