canals

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With love from Banbury (1980)

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6/10/80 Dear Hilary, Just a quickie from me, while on holiday on the Oxford Canals. It is really good fun. We go to all the pubs en route and have had parties on the barge!! The weather has not been brilliant but we enjoying it so that’s all that matters! Today we are at Banbury. It is a really nice country town. I hope you are getting on OK at college. Bye for now Jan xx

A cheery status update from Janet,  who appears to have enjoyed at least two canal holidays in 1980!  As usual she is making the best of things, despite the inclement British weather.

The card is post marked is ‘BANBURY 1.15pm 7 OCT 1980 OXON’ and also carries the old favourite ‘Be properly addressed POSTCODE IT’.

In the UK we all hear about Banbury Cross from a young age thanks to a traditional nursery rhyme – although I suspect few of us have ever visited and some may not even realise the connection!

As I continue this reflection of my life through the postcards I’ve received, I am amazed at just how many messages some people have sent to me – Janet is one of the most prolific correspondents 🙂

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With love from Market Harborough (1097)

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Weather OK so far – scenery very changeable. Went through Leicester yesterday but are back in the countryside today.  Been through 77 locks so far – only another 120 to go! Glad I’m the Galley Slave! John’s the Captain. Regards Jo & John

The picture shows the famous and challenging Foxton Locks in Leicestershire (UK), which continue to be a popular destination for canal users and onlookers today.

Clearly postmarked ‘LOUGHBOROUGH 17 SEP 1987’ the card also carries another postmark reminding us to ‘Pass on your postcode’ – it was now more than 10 years since postcodes became a requirement on UK mail and we still needed reminding!

Jo & John again, who, as I recall, went on several canal boat holidays and were so enthusiastic about them that Simon and I decided to try it one year 🙂