Jeffryes, George Kirk

JEFFRYES, George Kirke. Stamp forger. Exposed by JB Moens in 1883 as fabricator of Ecuador and Colombia provisionals with bogus surcharges. Became known in the trade as 'Dos y Medio', his first Colombian surcharge. Later he engraved the plates of forgeries marketed by A Benjamin and JH Sarpy, at their premises in Cullum Street, London. His most successful were New South Wales 'Sydney Views', and Grenada 'Chalon Heads'. The three became known as 'The London Gang' and were reported to the police by the Philatelic Protection Association. They appeared at the Thames Police Court in 1892 on charges of forging stamps and conspiracy. Jeffryes, then age 24, was sentenced to 6 months hard labour.

ISAAR(CPF)