History of the Various Saskatoon Stamp Clubs

The Saskatoon Philatelic Society was organized on October 27, 1933. The club's first meetings were held in Dr. Biro's office in the Canada Building. The stamp club grew to 78 members by 1937 at which time meetings were being held in the King George Hotel. The Philatelic Society was dissolved late1940's. Another club called the Rusholme Road Stamp Club was organized and held meetings in the choir loft of Christ Church which was located at the corner of Avenue E and Rusholme Road. Charlie White who was the caretaker of the church was also a collector; with his passing so did the club.

In 1951 another stamp club was organized which met at the C.N.R. Veteran's Club Room at the corner of Avenue A and 19th street. The President was H. Smith and the Secretary was Mark Fennell. This club had weekly meetings and with the demolition of the CNR Club rooms a new meeting place was once again required. The club was dissolved shortly after in late 1950's.

Then in the fall of 1963 The StarPhoenix had a notice inviting all stamp collectors to meet at the University of Saskatchewan. Thirty collectors attended this first meeting on February 6, 1964. Arie VanDuyvedyk was the first President and K.J. Knight was the Secretary-Treasurer. This was the beginning of the new Saskatoon Stamp Club.

Many meetings followed at the J.S. Wood Library, at City Hall in the Water Meter Reader's Room and then the Field House until mid 1980's. While meeting at the Field House city employees went on strike. In order to keep the club viable members took meetings to their homes. Two meetings were held at Fred Meyer's place and three meetings at Merv Morrison's basement. Meetings then were held at the Rusty MacDonald Library until the end of March 2013.

The first meeting at St. John's Cathedral on Spadina Crescent was held April 9th, 2013. Meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. This is the present meeting place of the club which has over fifty members.