cousins

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With love from Lastingham, UK (c1988)

with love from Lastingham

Weather is superb – clear and sunny. Can see over the moors for miles. Went on the steam train from Pickering to Grosmont today and going to Whitby tomorrow. Staying in an excellent location – beautiful scenery in every direction. Love Jo & John

The fine weather is obviously making this a memorable trip to Yorkshire for Jo and John!

There is no date on the card and the postmark is not visible, however a combination of the postage cost and the other postmark which is encouraging us to ‘Collect British Stamps’ indicate around 1988

Another one from Jo and John. We recently saw Jo at a family gathering – it was lovely to catch up in person after what has been quite a long time 🙂 

 

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With love from Market Harborough (1097)

with-love-from-canals

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 🙂 

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with love from Armaçāo de PĂȘra, Portugal (1986)

With love from Portugal

WED Sun very hot but a constant cool breeze – just right. Being very lazy this week but will try and be a bit more energetic next week and look around the area.  Love Jo & John

A brief status update that concentrates on the weather 🙂

Armaçāo de PĂȘra is in the Algarve region of Portugal, on the southern coast.

The clear postmark reads ’20H 26-VI-1986 ARMACAO DE PERA’ and the card carries stamps to the value of 37.50 escudos (the currency in use before the euro was introduced in 2002).

The 25.00 escudos stamp is from the Traditional Architecture series issued in 1985 and the other two are from the 1978 Instruments Working definitive series.

Another card from Jo & John; as well as being my Mum’s cousin, John was also cousin to Betty and Ted.  (Family trees are always much easier to understand in diagrams rather than words!)

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with love from Senigallia, Italy (1985)

With love from Italy

30/7/85 Dear Hilary & Simon, Arrived Friday, so far weather wonderful. Hotel is great – plenty to eat and drink. Sea is lovely after initial shock. All we want is weather to continue as it is, we had nearly forgotten there was a sun in England. Hope you are settled in OK Love Bet, Mo, Margaret & Ted

It seems that Italy is a popular holiday destination! This card is from Senigallia on the east/Adriatic coast where the sea is apparently cooler. Bet, Mo, Margaret and Ted are enjoying the sunshine, which has obviously been missing during the English summer.

The card is postmarked ‘SENIGALLIA’ and carries a 400 lira stamp depicting Castello dell Imparatore-Prato from the 1980 definitive series of castles and strongholds.

The arches of the historical building beside the River Misa, featured in the image on the front of the card, are a stark contrast to the popular and crowded seafront beaches.

This was sent just after Simon and I moved into our first flat together, hence the ‘settled in’ reference. We were not married at the time; a cause for great consternation amongst some family members, but this card from Bet, Mo, Margaret and Ted suggests acceptance and support on their part. Bet & Ted are siblings and are first cousins to my mum. Bet was married to Mo (sadly Mo has died), and Ted is married to Margaret (they are both now in their nineties).  Mum continues to have a close relationship with her cousins, seeing them regularly. I see them less, but exchange seasonal cards and swap news via Mum. 

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with love from Ireland (1986)

With love from Ireland

Firstly, Belated congrats. Hope you’re both enjoying plenty of bliss! Well we’re now at the end of the Irish Tour 86. We’ve seen lots of Ireland like Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and back to Dun Laoghaire. Just about every place featured overleaf I’d say. As you’d expect we’ve dabbled a bit with the Guinness and checked out lots of cousins and generally speaking had a great time. Might see you if we come down for Sunderlands’ game at Portsmouth. Lots of love Gerard and the lads on hols!

An enthusiastic status update from the Emerald Isle where ‘Gerard and the lads’ obviously enjoyed themselves 🙂

Postmarked ‘DUN LAOGHAIRE 1.30pm 2 AUG 1986’ the card carries another, barely legible, postmark asking ‘are you on the VOTERS LIST…’

The 24p stamp features Cormac Chapel and is part of the Irish Architecture series issued between 1982 and 1990

Amazingly, this card was sent some ten years after we met on holiday as young teenagers! The card is addressed to both me and Simon and acknowledges our recent wedding; however, we did not meet up for Sunderland v Portsmouth. The good news is that I have now re-connected with Gerard and we have exchanged several emails. He (and his wife) still live 300 miles away, but we are thinking about planning a get together in conjunction with next season’s football fixtures 🙂 

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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 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 Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca (1985)

Puerto Pollensa 1985

This really is a beautiful island with superb coastlines. Trying to do some sightseeing in the mornings before it gets too hot. The rest of the time we are in the sea. Going to see the caves later this week. Love Jo & John. * Sorry, but I haven’t got your address with me.

Puerto Pollensa still looks very much the same, although 30 years on there are more boats in the harbour and they seem slightly larger! I’m a bit worried about the coach that appears to be hanging over the edge?

My earlier post card from Mallorca was dated 1974, this one is post marked Puerto de Pollensa 9.7.85 and once again the caves feature as a day trip.

Simon and I had just bought our first place together, so I had officially left the family home to where this card was sent, hence the asterisk and apology.

John was my mum’s cousin, and Jo his wife. They sometimes looked after my brother and me when my parents went out.  They taught us to play various card games and excitingly there was always a pot of pennies that were used to make the games more interesting.  We remained close to Jo and John as we grew up.  Sadly, Cousin John died some years ago, but I still see Jo at family events.