Month: January 2016

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With love from Venice (1977)

With love from Venice 1977

Dear Hilary, Thanks for the letter, I will write as soon as we get home. As you’ve probably noticed we’re in Venice. So far we’ve seen St. Marks Square (and avoided the very low flying pigeons!) sailed up the grand canal and got lost in the back streets. Next week we are going to Pompei, Vesuvius and Herculaneum. We are staying at a very modern hotel with a swimming pool! love to everyone Jackie xx p.s. There’s loads of tall, dark, handsome Italian boys!

Post marked ‘SIENA 14 LUG 1977’ (14th July 1977) this card was obviously posted once they’d moved on from Venice. It carries stamps to the value of 130 Lire, the currency of Italy prior to the Euro.

From the text it sounds as though Jackie is having a thoroughly exciting time; showing particular enthusiasm for the ‘modern hotel’ WITH swimming pool! Being teenage girls our interest in boys was significant – mention of the ‘loads’ of eye candy in Italy would, no doubt, have made me quite jealous at the time 😉

I have lost touch with Jackie and, despite various internet searches, as yet I have been unable to reconnect with her.

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with love from Dulverton (1992)

With love from Dulverton 1992

Here for a week We are in a rural old fashioned cottage, all mod cons. We are up the little lane by the Rock Inn (top right on this card). Thanks for your letter and trust all goes well for you both My love Auntie Vi

Here’s Great Auntie Vi again; she loved Somerset and visited the county most years. It sounds as though she and her companion are very pleased with their choice of holiday let; character combined with ‘mod cons’ (modern conveniences), presumably a TV and possibly a washing machine!  Although she mentions The Rock House Inn, it is unlikely that Auntie Vi frequented it, being of the generation of ladies that hardly visited pubs, and certainly didn’t enter them unaccompanied by a man!

The top left picture is of ‘The Caravan Club’ park; an interesting choice of subject matter and a handy bit of free advertising for the CC The site still features on the CC website (2016).

The postmark date is ‘EXETER DISTRICT 23 JNE 1992’   The 18p stamp was the cost of sending a postcard second class in 1992 (this is approximately 35p in 2016).

Dulverton is mentioned in the Domesday Book so it is full of historical interest.

Auntie Vi would have been in her late seventies at this time, still enjoying a full life, but sadly her health deteriorated a few years later. 

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with love from River Tagus, Lisbon (c1982)

With love from River Tagus, Portugal 198

Hello Hilary, Happy Birthday. Yes it’s 27th Oct so hopefully this will get to you in time Hope to see you all at Christmas Take Care Love Sue xxx

Sent in plenty of time for my birthday, this greeting does not contain even the briefest of status updates – there is no clue as to why, or for how long Sue is in Portugal.  She hopes to see us ‘all’ at Christmas, suggesting that Sue knew the whole family, rather than just me. Look closely, and above ‘Miss’ she has written, in brackets, ‘I THINK’ Is she wondering if I have got married?

The crucial final number of the post mark date is missing ‘Lisbon 27 Oct 8?’ so I am guessing at ’82, but it could be later.  The stamp is from The Development of Working Tools series issued on 2nd January 1980 and in circulation until 31 August 1989.

The atmospheric picture on the front is of the mouth of the River Tagus, Lisbon.

 

This is the third Sue that has featured; sadly, also the third that I am unable to identify and with whom I have lost touch 😦 If your name is Sue and you think you recognise your own handwriting, please leave a comment – it would be lovely to reconnect… Here is the first Sue, and the second Sue. 

 

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with love from Val d’Isère, France (1986)

With love from Val d'Isere

Dear Simon & Hiliary, Having a wonderful holiday & I’m just about managing to stay on my feet and ski. Weather apart from today has been glorious hot sunshine. Many thanks for the invitation see you end of April. Peter

This card is not actually addressed to me; however as I am included in the text (albeit incorrectly spelt) it has remained in my collection. The invitation mentioned refers to our wedding – 30 years ago 🙂

Post marked ’73 Val d’Isère Savoie 15H 15 21-3-1986′ and ‘Val d’Isère HIVER-ETE Ski, tennis, montagne, loisirs et detente’ promoting the leisure and relaxation that can be enjoyed in the area during winter and summer.

Val d’Isère is one of the most popular ski resorts in the French Alps and Peter’s upbeat status suggests that he certainly enjoyed his visit!

Peter and Simon became friends as graduate trainees working for the same firm. They subsequently lived in the same shared house. I spent quite a lot of time at the house as I was going out with Simon, and so I got to know Peter too. We are still in touch with Peter – he called me back in November for a catch up and we’ll all be getting together again soon 🙂  

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