Your First Stamp - Dartmoor Letterboxing Archive

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-04 17:25:59

Another question for you all.

What was your first stamp? Where and how did you come across it?

moorland wizard

2011-11-04 20:58:03

can remember the stamp, but sheepstor, sitting on a rock and a letterbox inbetween the crevas, think it had a pixie on it

The Wandering Artist

2011-11-04 22:50:37

Remember it was 'Fred at Foggintor' sometime around 1982 ish. Box was sited in low run of spoil away from main spoil tip, and West of ruins.

Dartymoor

2011-11-05 07:12:13

When I was about 11 or 12, my mum packed me off to the Rowden adventure centre behind widdecombe for a few days. As wall as caving in Priddhamsleigh and under Buckfast church, and canoeing above the weir at Totnes, one warm summer evening they walked the bunch of us up to nearby Wind Tor.

I quite clearly remember the leader explaining the area, then adding at the end. "So, where do you think the nearest postbox is?"

After a few guesses, mostly at Widdecombe, he reached under the rock he was sitting on and pulled out some tupperware!

This year, some 29 years later, I went back there and found it again.

brinbunny

2011-11-06 22:07:29

The Pastie plodders was our 1st stamp - Brat tor area If I can remember rightly.

My very 1st letterbox was just back from the gate at the back of the fox and hounds 20 odd years ago - I lost it! It was a picture of a post box. This was well before Tim was born.

Tamerton Chocolates

2011-11-07 08:44:24

Can't remember - was finding these odd pillpots everywhere and I didn't know what they were. When I finally figured it out and decided to give it a go I decided it'd be appropriate that the first one I ever stamped was Cranmere pool.

Nik - KOTM

2011-11-07 18:15:39

Going back into the depths of time and history, it wasn't our first time out on the moor looking for boxes as our first (guided) trip was around Burrator and we found... nothing!
However, undaunted by our initial failure, we had gotten the bug... hook, line, sinker, rod, fisherman and the pier!
Our first solo trip was around Leather Tor and to our surprise we found hidden under a rock The Lost Ferret Box, we then duly plodded on for the next couple of weeks/months to get our 100 which was a tempered celebration, happy we had reached the 100 but saddened that it was Tims Box... a memorial to a young lad.

Then we got hold of the catalogue and off we went - best for a day - 92!

The Lost Legionnaire

2011-11-07 20:56:57

My first stamp found at Top Tor near Widecombe in 1984

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-07 22:06:39

My first box was QE Animal Tracks - The Otter. This was in 1989 and I can't now recall how and where I found it.

Lost Legionnaire I also got that box which I believe was called Presidents Box, but I didn't come across it until 1989. For a popular area that box was on site for quite some time.

When I started boxing in 1989 (gave up in 96 and just returned to it), there was a wonderful series of Reynard stamps. Whatever happened to those? I see there is a Moving Box, but do the others still get put out?

I also used to collect Dave Hagar's stamps. Whatever happened to those?

Nik - KOTM

2011-11-08 07:37:39

Dave Hagar sadly passed away about 10 years ago, he and I had been friends for years neither of us realising we were both into letterboxing

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-08 08:15:18

Nik. Sorry to hear that. His stamps always amused me.

Sowerby Streaker

2011-11-08 08:20:42

He was a lovely man and all his stamps were hand cuts - very amusing as you say. The Reynards were a lovely set of stamps, mainly around Smallacombe area. New Reynars are being put out but by different people. Sadly the LBT seems to have taken a shine to most of them. When I look back at my albums there were some beautiful sets of stamps plus some basic ones but hand cut. Remember well chasing after the Mystery Tors sets. Eric Spicer used toput out the Dartmoor Bridges series, wonderfully drawn stamps. My first one was the Main Laughter Tor box (Dancing with Pixies) which my daughter found whilst rock climbing in 1985 - that was the start of it. Kept the children busy all day searching for other hidden gems on the tor.

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-08 12:23:02

I have just looked back through my albums and found the following Reynard stamps:

Reynard’s Duel, Reynard’s Prey, Reynard’s Walk, Reynard Communicating,
Reynard’s Cubs, Reynard on Guard, Reynard’s Valley, Reynard’s Vixen
Reynard Scent Marking, Reynard Catching, Reynard’s Vixen

They were all beautiful stamps.

Sorry to ask so many questions, but anyway here are some more. Do you know if there were many other original Reynard stamps and if new stamps are being re-issued are they WOM and (sorry, I know yet another 'and') is there anyone I can email to try and obtain the new clues? If they are as good as the originals I would love to have a crack at collecting them again.
If they say no, I would quite understand.

Sowerby Streaker

2011-11-08 14:49:13

Now you've started something

Just checking my folder, they were lovely stamps

I have - Reynard's Walk, Vixen, Prey, Duel, Cubs, Scent-Marking, Valley, Communicating, Visiting. Reynard and Friend, Reynards Family, Catching, On Guard, Stalking, At Rest, Reynard's Perch. Reynards says have a merry Christmas, Reynards says Welcome to the meet (3), Reynard's Baby, Reynard in Mid Winter, and Reynard goes to Princetown.

The new Reynards tend to be sited in groups and consist of just one main stamp with name plates. Still nice stamps.

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-08 16:28:03

This is like playing Top Trumps with someone you know you cannot possibly beat!

I can still recall the thrill after all these years of finding a new Reynard stamp. Funny old hobby isn't it!

The Lost Legionnaire

2011-11-08 17:03:09

I can only find 2 of Dave Hagar's stamps!

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-08 18:18:45

Recognise the first one - Dave's Family of Hagar which I found in 1989, but I never got the second one.

I was however fortunate enough to locate his following hand cut stamps:

Dave’s Hagar Planning a Walk, Dave’s Family of Hagar, Dave’s Hagar Dartmoor Wildlife No.1 – ‘Badger’, Dave’s Hagar The Miner, Dave’s Haytor Hagar, Dave Hagar – Rosie’s Birthday Box,
Dave Hagar’s Seasonal Box – Autumn, Dave Hagar’s Belated New Year Jigsaw. Part 1, Dave Hagar’s Belated New Year Jigsaw. Part 2, Dave Hagar’s Belated New Year Jigsaw. Part 3, Dave Hagar’s Belated New Year Jigsaw. Part 4, Dave Hagar’s Seasonal Box – Winter, Dave’s Lost Helga, Dave’s Hagar’s Seasonal Box – Spring.

Lovely stamps which always made me smile.

The Lost Legionnaire

2011-11-08 19:17:18

Not sure whether the other one is a 'traveller' that Dave had on him when I bumped into him on the moor somewhere?

It was a long time ago!

Sowerby Streaker

2011-11-08 19:31:44

Kenton Kestrel wrote:This is like playing Top Trumps with someone you know you cannot possibly beat!

Don't get me started on Dave Hagars stamps

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-08 19:55:58

Why, do you happen to have the odd one or two in your albums?

Sowerby Streaker

2011-11-08 20:28:04

Just a few -
Dave's Family Hagar; Hagar Collecting a stamp; Dave's lost Helga; Hagar the Miner; Hagar Planning a walk (2 stamps);Haytor Hagar; Happy Easter 1988; Christmas 4 stamp jigsaw 88; Merry Christmas walk around Longaford 8stamps; Dave Hagars Seasonal boxes (4) 1988 changed stamps another 4 for 1989; Changed 4 stamps 1990; Helga;Hagar;Steady Eddy; Another 4 stamp jigsaw for Christmas 89; Dave's Miniature series (4 stamps); 25th Mumsday; Taking a welcome break; Rosies Birthday Box;Dave Hagars Wildlife Series - Badger, Fox, Hedgehog; Dave's Valentine box 90 and 91; 4 part Jigsaw for Happy New Year 1991:.8 x Hagar meet stamps 88-92;
I know there were many many more out there.

Kenton Kestrel

2011-11-08 20:39:16

Thought you might have the odd one or two!

bog_baby

2011-11-09 11:02:22

Our first stamp was a spiral on Hound Tor, first non commercial stamp was
Dartmoor Border Morris on Sheepstor.

Tamerton Chocolates

2011-11-09 16:04:14

I know the Hagar comics - it was printed in our newspaper in the early 80's - never knew they were used as letterbox subject.

Shame for those of us that started later that there aren't a lot of boxes like that around anymore.

panomobile

2011-11-09 20:57:01

My first stamp was a stamp of a cartoon horse on the top of Cox Tor. I was actually looking for letterboxes at the time after overhearing someone in a local shop discussing what letterboxing was to someone. It sounded interesting...

The 4 Pitcher's

2011-11-09 22:43:02

My 1st stamp was Bell Tor in 1985 when I was just a 7 year old, can still remember it very vividly.

My parents were Venture Scout leaders and they took me along to a venture camp in Chudleigh. Whilst alot of the Ventures went rock climbing at Hound Tor, myself, my Mum and sister who was a Venture Scout but had broken her a few days before on camp were taken for a guided walk from Bonehill to Hound Tor. Whilst walking up towards Bell Tor the guide reached under a rock and pulled out the box..... and so started Yearly hoildays to the Moor and working for those elusive 1st 100 boxes.

The Lost Legionnaire

2011-11-10 17:56:19

Was it either of these?

Nik - KOTM

2011-11-11 18:30:24

panomobile wrote:My first stamp was a stamp of a cartoon horse on the top of Cox Tor. I was actually looking for letterboxes at the time after overhearing someone in a local shop discussing what letterboxing was to someone. It sounded interesting...

Was that one of the Cartoon Capers series?

Nik - KOTM

2011-11-11 18:47:30

As for Dave's Hagar Traveller... I can top that one - Dave's Hagar pornographic Stamp -
Tis a shame I can't put it on here... nor was it registered - for obvious reasons

UniS

2011-11-13 19:17:54

1st box found was a little oak leaf stamp at the top of belstone common.

Over teh next week or so I found out more about letterboxing and sorted out a note book and ink pad to go in the backpack, then we had Lunch at the Bearslake inn in teh middle of a long ( for a 3 yr old) bike ride and discovered a letterbox there, so that was teh first stamp collected.

bigdave

2012-03-26 07:36:14

i couldn't remember mine from all those years ago but knew where it was and went back to have a look after the meet yesterday and found it still there after over 20 years

it was west view granite block works and now i have it again in the restarted new millenium collection

Kenton Kestrel

2012-03-26 17:22:13

Someone has a good memory to be able return to the same spot!

Amazing it was still there after all that time.

I wonder if anyone can beat that?