Once upon a time, long before email and texting, people wrote letters by hand. The twitter version of that, was the postcard, with just enough space on a small card to write a brief message, and a forwarding address. It was customary when travelling, to send postcards to friends and family back home, to share with them the scenery and culture of faraway lands. "Having a wonderful time, wish you were here", likely originated with the postcard.
When I was a teenager, my Grandmother gave me a small box of old postcards, most of which she had been given by an even older neighbour. Many of the cards pre-date World War I, making them more than one hundred years old. Is it still gossip after a century has passed?
A postcard dated January 2, 1914 and stamped the next day, is addressed to a Miss Sadie R. Starrett in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The writer, Ralph Scott must have been chaperoned because his passionate postcard starts, "Dear Friend..." The real message is the illustration on the front of the card: a little cowboy with a lasso circling the words, "When you've got a good thing, cinch it".
Then there's an urgent sounding message from someone named Sarah, to Mr. E.A. Bayford, of Central Park New Westminster, BC, Canada. Sarah's sepia toned postcard photograph of Bushmills Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, with it's horse drawn cart travelling down the road, was printed in 1902. The only date on the card is July 23rd, and she writes from Kirkistown, Ireland.
"I rec'd your letter this morning", she writes. "Mary is leaving for Glasgow. I have to wait until Aug So hope you have arranged to meet me at New York. Never mind the (rails?). You will enjoy the trip if you make up your mind. Don't (and the word is underlined) bring (I can't read the word - it appears to be a K, then an ary or any). Just slip away. See you at Times Square Hotel. don't fail (once again, don't is underlined, although not capitalized). Love from Sarah". He's doomed!
The postcard note reads: "Many thanks for P.C. (the abbreviation for postcard) which reminded me of very pleasant times which I had in your company. What do you think of this, nothing like it in B. Park. Some lovely walks in these gardens, but not very pleasing when only yourself for company. Hope you are keeping well, as it leaves me in the best of health. With fondest love, Yours JR".
My favourite of all the postcard messages is addressed to Miss Lizzie Galencia of Massachusetts, USA, and post marked from Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada on July 31, 1907. A cartoon of an Irish couple disembarking from a ship, their faces reddened perhaps to indicate that they've had a few, is captioned, "Just arrived". Next to which, the mysterious postcard sender has written in pencil, "two hours late".
They go on to say, "Had a fine trip although there was a very thick fog most of the way. Reminds me of last Thursday night, except that no one has fainted. Excuse the writing as the motion of the boat has evil effects on my pencil." You can't get all that in a tweet!
The lovely pink Parrot Tulips and Ranunculus are from Florigens Design of Toronto.
Photographs Copyright of: Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.
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