Civil Censorship Study Group

Rules relating to the running of the group

The name of the Group shall be 'The Civil Censorship Study Group' but the abbreviation 'CCSG' shall be permitted in Group documents to mean the Group.
The main purpose of CCSG is the study of censorship of civilian postal and telegraph communications and the suspension of civilian postal communications in all countries at any time and related matters and to facilitate communications between members on such main purpose.
CCSG shall be run on a non-profitmaking basis subject only to the ability to retain any surplus cash from time to time as a fund to finance the publications and research of CCSG or it's members.
The main purpose of CCSG shall be implemented by the publication of a quarterly journal and the support of any other publications which relate to the main purpose of the Group.
The officers of CCSG ['the Officers'] dealing with the implementation of the main purpose shall be: A Treasurer who will deal with all financial affairs of CCSG; an Editor who will arrange for the publication of the quarterly journal and supervise and facilitate the publication of any other publications; and two General Secretaries one for North, Central and South American members who shall be resident in a country in the Continents of America [the US General Secretary] and one for all other places in the world who shall be resident in the UK [the UK General Secretary]. The General Secretaries shall act independently to deal with all CCSG and membership matters not dealt with by the Treasurer and the Editor. An auctioneer to sell members' material may be appointed by either General Secretary with the written confirmation of the other General Secretary.
A bank current account and/or a bank or building society or other savings body deposit account shall be opened in the name of CCSG to be operated by the Treasurer and the UK General Secretary under the signing limits arranged and agreed by the UK General Secretary and the Treasurer. The US General Secretary shall open and maintain a bank account in the name of CCSG or in his name designated CCSG for the purpose of collecting any monies due to CCSG from members or others in the Continents of America. Adjustment of monies owed by or to the US General Secretary to or by the Treasurer in the UK will be made from time to time on request by the Treasurer to the UK General Secretary.
The Treasurer shall prepare simple accounts for CCSG once a year with a financial year ending 31st December in each year. Those accounts shall be verified by a member chosen by the UK General Secretary not being the Treasurer or the Editor and the verified accounts shall be published in the CCSG journal in the year following the year of the accounts. Any member may at any time ask the Treasurer for a simple statement of the assets and liabilities of CCSG.
Any person may apply to be a member of CCSG on completing an application for membership on a form prescribed by either General Secretary for the countries for which such General Secretary is responsible and paying the annual membership fee or dues current in the year of application. Membership may be refused and membership may be taken away either by the Treasurer for non payment of the annual membership fee or dues as set out in the journal of CCSG from time to time or by either of the General Secretaries at their absolute discretion without being required to give any reason for the withdrawal of membership.
Payment of the annual membership fee shall entitle members to receive post paid all journals of CCSG and all other publications for which no purchase cost has been assigned by the Treasurer at his absolute discretion but nothing else.
There shall be no meetings of CCSG save such as those that may be arranged informally by members of CCSG from time to time at their own expense. The Treasurer shall have discretion to use CCSG money to reimburse payment made by CCSG members for any meeting room rental for such informal meetings where 15 or more members have actually attended.
To keep CCSG expenses to a minimum there is no requirement that the Officers should meet to carry on the affairs of CCSG. The Officers shall communicate informally [by email, telephone, letter or personal meeting and the Officer leading or initiating any discussion shall be responsible for circulating a formal minute of the discussions for agreement, dating and signature of the Officers involved in such discussions. The General Secretaries shall hold the signed minutes in a minutes file.
The Editor shall be in final charge of the contents of the quarterly journal and any other publication of CCSG and shall publish the Journal four times in every year except when members have not contributed enough to warrant a particular edition. The Editor shall agree with the Treasurer and one ofthe General Secretaries the size and cost of printing and distributing the CCSG Journal and any books to be published by CCSG by itself or jointly with any other persons or bodies.
The UK General Secretary and the Treasurer shall maintain a list of names and addresses of members of CCSG and with their written permission any email address or other computer related information concerning a member. This information about members shall be made available to the US General Secretary, the Editor and to any appointed Auctioneer. The US and the UK General Secretary will facilitate individual communications between members for the main purpose of CCSG. Each new member shall have his or her name and address and email address published in the Journal of CCSG unless the new member has indicated that no address shall be so published. No personal details of any member shall be revealed to any third party [except in communications between The General Secretaries, the Treasurer and the Editor] without the written permission of that member. Posting or sending mail with members’ addresses on for delivery to members shall not be a breach of this rule.
These Rules may be changed at any time on the initiative of the US or the UK General Secretaries, the Treasurer or any three members acting together provided that notice of the proposed change is printed in full in the next available Journal of CCSG with voting forms for or against such changes distributed to members at the same time. A simple majority of those voting will determine the result of the voting with the UK General Secretary having a casting vote in the event of a tied vote. The Editor or any member appointed by the Editor in writing and notified to the UK General Secretary shall be in charge of the voting arrangements
ln the event that CCSG shall for any reason cease to operate in accordance with its main purpose for a period not less than 18 months any surplus funds or assets of CCSG, subject to payment of all debts and liabilities, shall be transferred to any non-profitmaking charity, body or organisation which in the opinion of the majority ofthe General Secretaries, the Treasurer and the Editor has objects which would allow the main objects of CCSG to be continued as a whole or in part. If there is a tied opinion the Editor shall have the casting vote.

What we do

What we do

The CCSG caters specifically for collectors interested in civilian mails that have been censored and/or delayed or interrupted in the post during times of war and civil strife. Members include general collectors of censored mails, often with a parallel interest in military or PoW mails, and specialists who focus on a particular country, area or conflict.

The CCSG publishes a quarterly Bulletin covering a wide range of articles on censorship, covering 19^th century to date. The Editor welcomes and regularly publishes members’ queries. The CCSG has a library in UK which covers the whole world and all periods, and includes associated topics such as airmail routes in WWII. Books and files can be lent to members in UK (subject to the library rules), but it is impractical and very expensive to send books around the world. However small papers can be lent and moderate copying can be done for overseas members.

Censored cover

Censored cover

The Study Group has sponsored and published several books on censorship. Occasionally, reprints of significant documents are also made available. Some members have published their own titles. Topics covered include a series on censorship throughout the British Empire and occupied territories during WWII, USA and West Africa in both World Wars, The Levant in WWII, and civilian mails and PoW mails during WWI in UK. A full list of titles currently available can be found here.

Meetings have been held in UK occasionally, most recently in connection with the Midpex events in alternate years. In the USA meetings have been organised to coincide with some major APS shows.

A modest stock of back-numbers of the Bulletin are available for sale, £3.00 each (inc postage) if in stock, but a master set is held from which copies can be taken.

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