aunts

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With love from Algarve, Portugal (1986)

with love from Portugal

Dear Hilary & Simon, Weather lovely Having a good time I suffered losing a stone for my holiday I will put 25 stone on the food is fab Love Auntie Laura

A short and sweet note featuring our favourite topics of the weather and food!

The card is postmarked ’25-VI 1986 Armacao‘ and carries a selection of stamps, two of which are from the Traditional Portugal Architecture series and one from the Development of Technology series, issued in 1978

Auntie Laura was my great aunt, she was married to my Nan’s brother. We saw them regularly at family gatherings when I was young, and they were fun to be around. Auntie Laura was a rock within her own immediate family; she died some years ago.

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with love from York (1991)

With love from York

Mum, Dad, Si, Hils & Tallulah, We’ve been to York today to learn a bit of Viking history. It’s quite an attractive city even when it’s wet and windy. The B&B is really smart – we’re in an old farmhouse and the fried breakfast is huge! We’ll be sightseeing on the ‘Dales’ tomorrow looking for Triston & Heriot. Had a good time with Don & Mor & Co. See you soon love Paul & Trace

The post marks are very feint on this card; the year is 1991 but the month is unclear and there is no clue in the text, since ‘wet and windy’ can occur all year round in the UK! The other post mark reads ‘The Magic of British Music THE BRITS 1991′

Inevitably, the weather features in the text, together with a descriptive status update on the accommodation and food. ‘Triston & Heriot’ refers to the popular TV series ‘All Creatures Great and Small‘ which was set in the Yorkshire Dales.

This card is written by Paul, who was, and still is, my brother-in-law. Tracey was, and still is, his wife. Presumably Simon (and Paul’s) parents were staying with us over the period as they are also addressed, along with our daughter, Tallulah, who was just a baby at the time. Lots of family info here as there is mention of Uncle, Aunt and cousins on Simon and Paul’s Mum’s side of the family – phew! We see Paul and Tracey regularly, along with ‘Mum & Dad’ and ‘Don & Mor & Co’ at family gatherings.

 

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with love from Wells-Next-The-Sea (1982)

With love from Wells-Next-The-Sea

Tues 25-5-82 Dear Hilary, I must thank you for your very nice letter. I hope you are well. As you can see from the card I am at present on holiday but unfortunately Uncle Ken isn’t with John, Alex & myself as the cat brought her kittens in & he is at home looking after all the cats and kittens.  I am glad ***** had her little baby safely. We went to Wells on Sea today Hilary, & the weather was lovely. I’ll write another time Hilary Love & God bless Aunt Jean x

Poor Uncle Ken – missing the holiday because the cat had kittens! This card is without stamp or postmark, although it is correctly addressed and I suspect I received it via a parcel from my Mum.

The baby referred to was born to the family that I was working for during my time in Norway.

Wells-Next-The-Sea is in Norfolk; the granary with gantry, seen in the top right picture, has now been converted into flats.

Auntie Jean was a ‘courtesy’ aunt; she was an old work colleague of my mother’s. Jean and her family did not have a lot of money, but she always remembered my birthday and enclosed a postal order without fail every year. She was very concerned for others and had a strong faith. Jean died several years ago, possibly earlier than she would have, if her life had been less of a struggle.