R.P.S.C. Chapter #65
A.T.A. Chapter #58
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Meeting Information

We hold in-person meetings twice a month from September through May.

The second Tuesday of each month meeting runs from 2:00 pm till 4:00 pm with doors opening at 1:30

The fourth Tuesday of each month meeting runs from 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm with doors opening at 6:30

Location:

Church of the Epiphany
560 Dundas St,
Woodstock, Ontario
N4S 1C7

The regular agenda includes prize draws, philatelic quiz, 'buy it now' table, stamp show & share, stamp news & views, and scavenger sheets. Dealers and guest speakers are also part of the agenda as well. Information for each meeting can be viewed on the schedule.

Our Charities

 

Our History

Jim Watson and Henny Uyl presented the clubs fundraising cheque to the Canadian Cancer Society on Friday, October 23, 2020.

Through personal donations and stamp sales of donated collections the Oxford Philatelic Society raises funds to donate to charity.

We have donated to the Canadian Cancer Society since 2019 and this year have added The Alzheimers Society of Canada.

For those not familiar with the birth of the Oxford Philatelic Society - a birth no doubt similar to most clubs conceived by like minds - I am grateful to Gib Stephens, deceased, who continually nurtured new and old members to better understand the philatelic world and provided the background notes for the following synopsis of OPS’s history.

On March 3, 1949, 4 stamp collectors gathered at the Woodstock Y.M.C.A. to form what was initially called the Woodstock Stamp Club. Within the year it was renamed the Oxford Philatelic Society, to include all members attending from Oxford county. The first president was Tony Keller.

Meetings were held twice a month in the homes of members until 1951 when membership surged to 20. Libraries, Y’s, church basements, in both Woodstock and Ingersoll were used as meeting rooms, as long as the rent was free, or a donation was acceptable. Arrangements were the most favourable when the contact person was a sympathetic stamp collector.

By 1968, OPS had 21 members, four of them becoming stamp dealers - John Kitchen, Ron Cuthbert, John Gruszka, and Norm Goodger.

The club met at Southgate Community Centre from 2007 to 2023. In 2023 due to scheduling and availability concerns around the Community Centre expansion program we have again moved and are now at the Church of Epiphany.

The first OXPEX Stamp Exhibition was held May of 1951 at the home of Mrs.Wolsteholm in Ingersoll. The show consisted of 12 picture frames of various sizes, each displaying a separate exhibit. Since that time, OPS’s Annual Stamp Exhibition has had a variety of venues. In 1981, OPS hosted the first all Ontario Topical Show. And now OTEX is a part of every OXPEX show.

From 1994 to 2021 the John Knox Christian School on Juliana Drive in Woodstock (now Woodstock Christian School) had been the home to OXPEX/OTEX every March, with approximately 140 competitive frames per show. Every show from 1966 to 2012 featured an exhibition cover, commemorating a notable resident or special event of Oxford County, both past and present.

We are now holding the show at the St. Mary's Catholic High School, still on Juliana Drive. "Visitors are always welcome" So come by for visit. Better yet, join!