David Parkes Masson
Sir David Parkes Masson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1847 Ross-shire, Scotland |
| Died | 1915-12-30 |
| Occupation(s) | Philatelist, Banker, Military officer |
| Known for | One of the "Fathers of Philately"; exposing counterfeit Kashmir stamps; leadership in Philatelic Society of India |
Sir David Parkes Masson (1847 – 30 December 1915) was a prominent British philatelist recognized as one of the "Fathers of Philately" and was posthumously included on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921. As a prosperous banker based in India, he possessed extensive estates in Malaysia, fulfilled duties as a British military officer, and occupied several influential public positions within British India.
Philately
Masson held multiple leadership roles within the Philatelic Society of India, including Treasurer, Vice President, and President, and was a regular contributor to the Philatelic Journal of India. He became a Fellow of The Philatelic Society, London (currently known as The Royal Philatelic Society London) in 1899. His philatelic collections were renowned globally, particularly those featuring stamps from Afghanistan and Kashmir, alongside notable assortments from Ceylon, Portuguese India, Sirmoor, Poonch, and British India. His investigative work exposed the so-called initial issue of Kashmir stamps as counterfeit—a revelation that The London Philatelist described as "one of the most memorable and startling... disclosures ever made in philately."
Outside philately
Born in Ross-shire in 1847, Masson spent the majority of his life residing in India. He served as Managing Director of the Punjab Banking Co., which operated across Lahore, Karachi, and Kashmir. Additionally, he acted as ADC to both the Commander-in-Chief and the Viceroy of India and held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel for fifteen years with the 1st Punjab Volunteer Rifles. Knighted on 20 July 1904, his other distinctions included Deputy Grand Master of Freemasonry in Punjab, recipient of the Volunteer Decoration, membership on the Council of the Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab, and Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire.
Death
While inspecting his properties in Penang, Masson became gravely ill and subsequently returned to London, where he passed away on 30 December 1915. He was survived by his wife, Therese Emilie Louise Masson, and their daughter, Marie Therese Stanley-Creek. His interment took place at Brookwood Cemetery on 1 January 1916.
Selected publications
- Jammu and Kashmir. (Two parts bound) Calcutta & Lahore: Philatelic Society of India, 1900 & 1901. Online excerpts
- Sirmoor I. Calcutta: Supplement to the British Journal of India, Vol. 10, 1906.
- The Postage Stamps of Afghanistan. Madras: Philatelic Society of India, 1908. (Co-authored with B. Gordon Jones)