autobiography

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With love from Tatton, UK (2016)

with love from Tatton

Dear Hilary We are visiting Julia and Matt for a few days. Went to Tatton Park yesterday, rather wet!! Have never been so close to deer! Going to visit Paul’s Dad tomorrow in the home, and viewing a flat for his Mum. Sue

A quick status update from Sue who is, once again, visiting relatives in the north of England.

The blurred postmark date reads 16.07.16

Thanks to our creation of a book group, I now see Sue and other ‘school gates’ friends at least once a month to discuss, among other things, the current month’s set read 🙂

 

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With love from Spain (c1974)

with love from Spain

22nd Nov Dear Hilary, I’m having a lovely time the weather is good except for the first few days when we were seasick. Today we are going on a tour around an Island called Las Palmas. I hope you are feeling well Love Helen

The SS Australis, pictured on the front, travelled between Britain and Australia & New Zealand, calling at various ports along the way – Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) obviously being one of them.

The postmark date is not clear, but I believe that this must have been sent in 1974, as General Franco (featured on the stamp) died in November 1975

Helen and her family emigrated to New Zealand and this card seems to be from the voyage to their new life on the other side of the world. However, a few years later they returned to the UK. Despite several internet searches, I have not been able to reconnect with Helen.

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With love from Marrakech (2005)

with love from Marrakech

Dear Hilary – we’re having a great time in Marrakesh (5 night break over half term). We’ve explored the city & taken a trip into the Atlas Mountains. The hotel is wonderful, with a lovely pool & garden with tortoises, so the children are happy. Thanks for the b’day card – I do hope all is going to plan for your Dad. Take care – love Anne Tony Isobel & Dora xxx

This sounds wonderful – something for everyone!  Obviously finding the post office was not on their list of things to do, as this card was posted from London on their return 🙂

The postmark date is 08.06.05 and the other postmark is supporting the London 2012 Olympic Bid, which was, of course, successful!

In her message Anne refers to my Dad, who underwent a double heart bypass operation that year, which was quite stressful, but twelve years later he is still going strong 🙂

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With love from Cornwall (1991)

with love from Cornwall St Anthonys

20.5.91 Here in a lovely hotel for one week. Weather dull but went to lovely St Mawes & found sun. Most enjoyable Trust things are sorting out for you Love Auntie Vi

Another brief update from Auntie Vi, once again featuring the hotel and the weather – those stalwarts of British postcard writing!

Interestingly, Auntie Vi has written a date of 20.5.91 on the card, but the postmark can clearly be seen as ‘NEWQUAY 14 MAY 1991’ – that will remain a mystery…

1991 was a difficult year for us, and many others, as the UK was deep in recession, to which Auntie Vi makes reference in her message.

 

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With love from Isle of Wight (1990)

With love from Carisbrooke

Dear Hilary & Simon Quite a nice change Have never been to I.O.W. So glad I am going to be a great, great aunt Love Auntie Laura

The postmark is not clear, however I know that it was 1990 as that is the year our daughter was born.

We do not learn whether Auntie Laura visited Carisbrooke Castle, featured on the front!

A 20p stamp commemorates the Stamp World Exhibition held in London that year.

Auntie Laura seemed excited at the prospect of an additional ‘great’ in front of her name 🙂

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With love from Brisbane (1988)

with love from Brisbane

Dear H & S, Glad postal strike is over at last. Sue and I have just arrived here after 18 hour bus journey from Townsville. We’ve just been to the koala park and had our photos taken cuddling koalas – how touristy!!  John will be here in a couple of days and by then hopefully I will have found the airport. Falling desperately in love with Australia and travelling – just have to hope John does too.  Lots of love Marion x

This card is postmarked 30 Sept 1988 and it would appear that there had been a postal strike in Australia, which must have been very frustrating (this was before electronic communication was universally accessible).

The stamp is from the set of 29 different cartoons depicting aspects of Australian life, issued in 1988

Marion has travelled to Brisbane, home of World Expo 88

Marion is waiting for my brother to arrive for their road trip. Reading this now, with the benefit of hindsight and life experience, I cannot believe I did not notice that Marion is clearly not ready to settle down to married life. She made the strong decision to cancel the wedding and follow her own path. Heartbreaking as it was at the time, for all of us, it was the right choice for her.

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With love from Berlin (2017)

with love from Berlin

Berlin, 30.05.17  Hallo Hilary! This is the Revival postcard from Berlin :)!! 30 years later I’m now able to walk through Brandenburg Gate – it’s still a marvel!! I hope we won’t start building new walls in the future! Love Claudia

A status update from earlier this year, in which Claudia refers to the other card she sent me, 37 years ago 🙂 Berlin is now much more of a tourist destination than it was in the 80’s

Claudia and I continue to exchange news and views 🙂

 

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With love from Lagos, Portugal (1991)

With love from Algarve

Dear Hilary & Simon It’s really lovely here, and although we waited a long time – the holiday was worth waiting for! We are off to Lisbon tomorrow for two days – really looking forward to that. Hope all is well with, and look forward to seeing you on the 25th. Take care. Love Doreen & Jimmy x

This long anticipated trip to the Algarve is meeting expectations!

Carrying a 60 escudos stamp from the Portuguese Navigators series issued in March 1991 and featuring an aerial shot of Lagos, the card is postmarked 2-10-1991

Doreen used to work with my husband, Simon. They stayed in touch after Simon left the company and we used to see Doreen & Jimmy quite regularly. We have not seen them for some time as we no longer live so close, but we still exchange Christmas cards and news once a year 🙂

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With love from Moscow (1986)

with love from Russia

Dearest Hilary & Simon From Russia with all our love! Just amazing x

Short and sweet in the distinctive handwriting of my mum, with a nod to Ian Fleming 🙂

This was during the time of Mikhail Gorbachev’s presidency and the period of glasnost, just prior to the dismantling of the the Soviet Union.

The card features the famous St Basil’s cathedral in Red Square and carries the 35 kopeck stamp ‘sable in a cedar tree’.

Another card from my parents…

 

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With love from Denmark (1981)

with love from Denmark

Hello Hilary! I send you many greetings from the danish island Møn. I stay here with 5 friends. We rent a house very near to the sea and the beach. The weather has been very good for the whole week and I got very brown. I’ll soon write more. Yours Claudia

This card from Møn is postmarked ‘STEGE 14.30 8 8 1981’ and carries a 1 krone 30 stamp commemorating the oldest Danish coin.

Claudia is enjoying some good weather in Denmark; she sent this card to me not long after I’d arrived in Norway.

There are now many cards posted here from Claudia – she continues to communicate regularly although these days it is usually via WhatsApp 🙂