Month: December 2015

by

with love from Longleat, Wiltshire (1981)

With love from Longleat

Dear Hilary, Thanks so much for your postcard. It was great to hear from you. You sound as if you are managing ok! I start nursing at Eastbourne on 6th Sept and will be living in. We are in Wilts until 28th Aug. The weather has been lovely, will write properly later, with lots of love from Ida xxx

‘Winter at Longleat’ is an interesting choice of image to send in August! And there is no mention of actually visiting Longleat and seeing the animals; the ‘lovely’ weather is featured, of course 🙂

The card is post marked ‘Devizes 18 Aug 1981 Wilts’ and also carries the feint ‘Be Properly Addressed’ post code reminder.

The 18p stamp features one of the Philip Sharland designs commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

Here’s Ida again – it seems that she was quite prolific over the years 🙂

 

by

with love from Stockholm, Sweden (1981)

With love from Stockholm

Hi Hilary, Thought I would drop you a line, your mum said it might surprise you. How’s life in Norway as cold as in Sweden. Might see you at Xmas Regards Bob England

A very brief status update, offering no clues as to why Bob was in Sweden…

It is postmarked ‘Stockholm 30-11-1981’ and carries a 1.75 krone stamp featuring Queen Silvia.

The front of the card features part of a watercolour painting by Rolf Lidberg – renowned for his depictions of trolls.

Bob was a work colleague of my mum’s; as I had worked at the same place during school holidays I also knew Bob. This fairly random piece of correspondence would indeed have been a ‘surprise’ and was, no doubt, gratefully received by me in Norway; it was thoughtful of him to take the time to send it. Strange that my married name is ‘England’ – no relation – and it is, in fact, a reasonably common surname here in the UK.

by

with love from Southampton (1982)

With love from Winchester

Sat 21-VIII-82. Dear Guess, Many thanks for postcard from ‘lake-district’ (sic.) sent via Alan in BRD, but I’m in wondrous England until doomsday or Down-under-departure (Xmas?). I still contend that the lake district is in foreign parts as anywhere west of Salisbury is infested with Texan, Irishmen or druids manifesting themselves up Stonehenge in their underwear. Yours developing a jealous envy of Canadians and their luck, DAM PS A phone call from yourself would prove rapturous (in phone book like yourself)

Postmarked ‘Southampton 1.30pm 23 Aug 1982’ and also carrying the cheery ‘Let’s get the most from our Post, Royal Mail Southampton Area’ mark! The stamp is a 15½p first class, which equates to 53p in 2015

Does anyone recognise the picture on the front? There is no clue on the back; I imagine it’s Romsey (like the earlier card) but it could be Salisbury or Winchester.

Once again the message on the card is full of fascinating ramblings… DAM called his parents by their names; Alan was his dad.

I don’t recall whether I phoned DAM as requested, but it was shortly after this that I went to Toronto to travel with the Canadian, to DAM’s obvious disappointment. I have not yet plucked up courage to reconnect with DAM… 

by

with love from Vancouver (c1983)

With love from Vancouver Island

Dear Hilary, Well here we are in beautiful B.C. We’ve been here a week and it’s great. We took a bus out here and it was awful. So far it’s been hot in the day and a bit chilly at night. We’re on Vancouver Island right now. We’ve been to a few lakes which are cool but nice. Lots of mountains and trees. My pack is too heavy again. It’s easy getting rides here. We’re off to Jasper and Banff soon. Talk to you soon, love Craig

There is no date on this card and the postmark is not legible. However, the wood stove heritage stamp was issued in April 1983.

The picture on the front is of North Vancouver Island. There is no clue as to who his companion is, but from the descriptive status update Craig sounds happy to be travelling again.

Back in the day Craig and I hitch hiked from Toronto to Los Angles (with very heavy packs, hence the references above). The story of that trip is probably a whole other blog! Since his death, I am the sole custodian of those memories…

 

by

with love from Cambridge (1982)

With love from UK

Do you know where this card comes from? I hope you are enjoying the summer in Norway, this could have been better, but of course I haven’t come to look at the weather. I am here to work! The hospital seems all right and I hope I will like it here but I think I will. You are still welcome to visit me here, and write me when you come back. Love Rikke

Of course we know where this card comes from! Interesting choice of image to send from historical Cambridge. There’s the inevitable weather mention, together with news of Rikke’s new job and life.

It’s postmarked ‘Cambridge 1 July 1982’ and also carries the ‘Be Properly Addressed POSTCODE IT’. The 19½p stamp features Admiral Blake and his ship ‘Triumph’ which is part of the Maritime Heritage series issued in June 1982

Another card from Danish Rikke who left Norway a few months before me to work in Cambridge, UK; at that time and place the Union Jack image would have appealed to me far more than a view of the historical buildings, so she made the right choice! I’m sorry to say that I did not visit her while she was in Cambridge as shortly after my return from Norway I went on to travel with the Canadian. Rikke and I recently exchanged long emails catching up on recent news 🙂