Month: April 2016

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with love from Daytona Beach, Florida (1992)

with love from Daytona Beach

Hi, How’s it going? Got down south for Spring Break with all the other millions of students. It’s pretty happening though and the weather isn’t bad! I hope you are all alright and hopefully see you in the summer. Regards Rob.

Is this ‘The World’s Most Famous Beach’, as is suggested in the description on the back? What about Bondi in Australia?  Maybe in 1992 Daytona was the most famous! Either way, Rob certainly seems quite impressed with it all.

The postmark is sharply legible, ‘DAYTONA BEACH FL 32120 PM 13 MAR 1992’ and the stamp is 40 cents featuring Claire Chennault, part of the Great Americans Series of stamps which were issued between 1980 and 1999.

Rob is my cousin, the only one my mother’s side. He spent several years working, studying and travelling abroad before finally settling on the other side of the world. I cannot recall if we saw him in the summer of ’92 as mentioned in his message; I believe the last time we met was in ’93 at a family wedding. We keep in touch via email, and, excitingly, this summer (2016) Rob and his family are visiting the UK; they plan to stay with us for a few days 🙂 

 

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with love from The Malvern Hills (1981)

with love from Malvern Hills

Dear Hiral, I hope this catches you some time before you leave.  Am having a lovely time. Have climbed one of these hills, and been to lots of towns etc. Please send your adress. Love Anne

On the back of the card this view of The Malverns is described as being ‘from the slopes of the Herefordshire Beacon, looking north towards wooded Wynd’s Point and along the outline of the oldest hills in England’

The card is post marked ‘BASINGSTOKE 10 July 1981 HANTS’, which is a considerable distance from The Malverns, so was obviously posted after the visit.  It also carries the familiar ‘Be Properly Addressed POSTCODE IT’ post mark, along with an 11½p stamp – the cost to send a small postcard in 1981

In her message Anne is hopeful that I will receive the card before leaving to start work in Norway. As letters and cards would be my only means of communication it was important to keep friends and family up to date with address changes, hence her request.

This is another of the many cards that I have received from Anne over the years and we remain in touch.

 

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with love from Southborough, Kent (1981)

with love from Kent

Hello there its me here working far too hard in boring Kent. Just thought I’d send a post card. The journey back was o.k. The test on Monday was alright, nothing to worry about! Going home tomorrow thank God! I will be in touch in the near future.  Love Gerard. xx P.S. Does this count as a letter

Similar to the other card from Southborough this one is dated earlier the same year, carrying the postmark ‘TUNBRIDGE WELLS 6.45pm 15 JAN 1981 KENT’ together with the detailed Pantiles postmark.

This card again features David Salomon‘s house, which in the 1980’s was a regional conference and training centre.

Since I’ve got several cards featuring this building I’m assuming that Gerard was based there for some reason. The text suggests that he’d been to visit me and this must have been the final time that we met, although correspondence continued for several more years. To date I have not managed to reconnect with Gerard…

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with love from Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer, France (1988)

with love from Saint Palais sur Mer

Having a great time, very hot here, sea not quite rough enough but did surfing yesterday. John has just replaced his rubber dinghy that he wrecked yesterday. The site is lovely, quiet, clean & very convenient & plenty of room (unusual for French sites). We are eating outside all the time, barbecuing & drinking every evening – very relaxing after the activity at home. Love J P R & C

The last sentence says it all – we can picture the evening sun on the caravan site and practically smell the barbecue as we read!

Postmarked ’17 LES MATHES 16h 45 28-7-1988 CHARENTES MARITIME’ the card features a view of Le Pont du Diable au Platin, which is a popular natural feature of Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer on the Atlantic coast of France.

The stamp is 2 franc 20c featuring the famous Liberté de Gandon engraving which appeared on French stamps between 1982 and 1990

This is another card from J,P,R & C.  John, once again features, as a middle aged man who has ‘wrecked’ his rubber dinghy in the surf!  This comes as no surprise to me – during the 70’s our family and theirs spent many happy holidays in Cornwall; a big feature of these holidays was John and my Dad endlessly pushing us children over the surf in a rubber dinghy and, inevitably, us squealing with laughter as we were tipped out.