King from matters of state and the war, and made him consider the curator as a friend like Tilleard. After George V's death in January 1936, Bacon continued his tasks on a collection that became part of the royal heritage. Even if Kings Edward VIII and George VI were less enthusiastic stamp collectors than their father, they made sure that all British and colonial postal authorities continued to send philatelic material to the Curator. But Edward VIII ordered that the collection had to be financially self-sufficient, through the sales of duplicate stamps. In July 1936 Bacon was authorised to sell two 500-dollar stamps of the Straits Settlements featuring King Edward VII for 1,000 pounds. In April 1938 Bacon announced to the King his retirement on the next first of September. John Wilson was quickly chosen because, as President of the Royal Philatelic Society London and chairman of its Expert Committee, he already knew the collection well. However, Bacon died of influenza in June 1938. From 1904 until his death, he lived in Croydon, commuting to work at Buckingham Palace. Titles and awards In 1917 Bacon was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order, then Commander in 1922 and Knight in 1932. He received the King George V Version of the Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal in 1933 for 20 years of service to the Royal Family. In 1906 he received the first Lindenberg Medal from the Berliner Philatelisten-Klub and was amongst the first to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists with King George V. Publications Saint Vincent: With Notes and Publisher's Prices. Co-Author: Francis H. Napier. London: Stanley Gibbons, 1895. The Stamps of Barbados, with a history and description of the star-watermarked papers of Messrs. Perkins Bacon and Co., etc. Co-Author: Francis H. Napier. London: Stanley Gibbons, 1896. The Stamp Collector: A treatise on the issue and collecting of the postage stamps of all nations their art, history, and market value, with fascimiles of rare stamps principally from the Tapling collection in the British museum. Co-Author: W.J. Hardy. London: G. Redway, 1898 Reprints of Postal Adhesive Stamps and Their Characteristics. London: Stanley Gibbons, 1899. (Republished by Lowell Ragatz in 1954 as Reprints of 19th century postal adhesive stamps and their characteristics.) Grenada: to which is prefixed an account of the perforations of the Perkins Bacon printed stamps of the British Colonies. Co-Author: Francis H. Napier. London: Stanley