The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists was established in 1921 by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain to recognise outstanding contributions to the development of philately. At its launch, the names of 43 philatelists were inscribed on the Roll, these were “The Fathers of Philately”. A century after the last of the Fathers of Philately died, Brian Birch recounts the reasons why each of them was so honoured by the creators of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists.