Wednesday 5 May 2010

ABC Wednesday - P

P is for Postcards - Old and New

I have always loved postcards. I like to send them, am always delighted to receive them and keep them in a slot-in album so that I can more easily read again the messages written on the back.


I think it must go back to my childhood and the memory of rummaging through a drawer at my grandparent's house where there were countless postcards. My cousin and I still recall finding the sets of cards that told a story, some with soldiers going off to war, and the Victorian-style ones with flowers and lace.

About 20 years ago I went to a Craft Fair and came across a stall selling Original Framed Postcards (50 - 100 years old). Looking through, these caught my attention and I couldn't resist buying them.

This first one was sent to a Miss Bower and dated 15 July, though unfortunately I cannot make out the year. There is a halfpenny stamp on and I think the King is Edward VII. It was posted in Sheffield.

I love the picture on the front, such a beautiful young woman.



The message on the back reads "Dear Edna - Thanks for present tell Jessie I will write on Sunday, ask Jessie to look in the top drawer in the dresser and send me my registration card as soon as you can I have to change my address on it. love from Mother




The second one is a little water colour, which is quite simple but lovely.



It wasn't posted just simply inscribed on the back with the message "From Your Loving 'Aunt' with best Easter wishes" and is dated 1 April 1934.



I treasure them both.

A few weeks ago, after daughter and grand-daughter had been visiting I found a teddy bear under the spare bed. Knowing it to be a part of the bedtime routine for my now 6 year old grand-daughter I took a photo of it with Winnie the Pooh and Beddy Bear (who both reside with us)and emailed it to my daughter with the message - "Winnie the Pooh and friends, does one of them need to be sent home"? Speaking to my daughter the following day she said that she had asked Imogen if she would like me to send Night-night Teddy home or should he have a holiday with us until their next visit. GD replied that he could have a little holiday until her next visit. So I sent her a postcard



and on it I wrote "Dear Imogen, I am having a lovely holiday with Winnie the Pooh but I miss you. I am trying to be good and Winnie says that if I am Very Good he will get me some ice cream and honey when Nanny isn't looking. I am looking forward to seeing you when you come back again. Love from Night Night Teddy".

It duly arrived and she read it and later confided to her Mummy that she thought that I had written the card. Asked why she thought that she replied "because Night Night Teddy can't write unless I help him". No fooling her then!


ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs Denise Nesbitt and her team. For more looks at the letter P, please click here.

14 comments:

Von said...

Love them too, they're so informative, funny,poignant and many other things besides.I've been collecting all my life although not seriously and have sent a few including some not unlike yours re NightNight Bear.
I see you have an Aussie one there with koalas!

MaR said...

I have a collection too, which has been neglected in the past years...people don't write postcards anymore or not as often and that's a pity.

I enjoyed your little story about your Imogene and her Night Night Teddy, how cute!!

P is for palm tree

Deb said...

I love postcards too...what a clevr way to store them...your grand daughter is so mature...cute idea sending the postcard...maybe she will collect them also...

jabblog said...

Beautiful postcards! I liked the story of your granddaughter's teddy too.

Kim, USA said...

Oh wow you keep all those postcards you receive that is awesome! Happy Wednesday!

ABC Wednesday~P

DeniseinVA said...

Smart little granddaughter you have there Anne and I loved how you sent her the post card. I also love collecting post cards but I don't have any as old as yours. Great idea to frame them, they're beautiful!

Tumblewords: said...

Delightful narrative and terrific way to store those beautiful postcards.

Roger Owen Green said...

I wish I had kept more postcards. They tell stories, on both sides.

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

joo said...

I love postcards too, old and new...I love getting them and sending and also have some tresaures:)

Unknown said...

Cool thats a lot of postcard. Im sure you had fun collecting those.

Gill - That British Woman said...

what a lovely post. I love the one that looks like a watercolour painting.

You're right not enough people send postcards...

Gill in Canada

lv2scpbk said...

I collect postcards too.

On behalf of the ABC Wed. team, thanks for playing.

Jay said...

Oh, my goodness, I LOVE the little watercolour - what a treasure!!

And the story about the bears is just precious. :)

Kitty said...

What a fantastic idea to keep them in those little flip albums. Damn, I wish I'd thought of that - chucked out a whole load of them when we moved house a couple of years ago :( Lovely post. x