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 🙂
23.6.86 Had an easy journey here & weather varied. Sun & mist but warm. We are close to Exmoor & with a good pair of boots would love to walk up there. Sad but I think those days are past. Hope your Lake District holiday was a success. We return on Sat. Love Auntie Vi
Auntie Vi is in her favourite county of Somerset and coming to terms with the fact that she isn’t able to do as much as she once could. The Lake District holiday to which she refers was our honeymoon earlier in the year 🙂
The card is postmarked ‘MINEHEAD 23 JUN 1986’ and carries a 17p stamp which was part of a set issued in 1986 featuring medieval life, and commemorating the 900th anniversary of the Domesday Book.
(Great) Auntie Vi was a widow for much of her later life; she overcame her grief and regained her spirit and independence – an example to us all.Â
Here for a week We are in a rural old fashioned cottage, all mod cons. We are up the little lane by the Rock Inn (top right on this card). Thanks for your letter and trust all goes well for you both My love Auntie Vi
Here’s Great Auntie Vi again; she loved Somerset and visited the county most years. It sounds as though she and her companion are very pleased with their choice of holiday let; character combined with ‘mod cons’ (modern conveniences), presumably a TV and possibly a washing machine! Â Although she mentions The Rock House Inn, it is unlikely that Auntie Vi frequented it, being of the generation of ladies that hardly visited pubs, and certainly didn’t enter them unaccompanied by a man!
The top left picture is of ‘The Caravan Club’ park; an interesting choice of subject matter and a handy bit of free advertising for the CCÂ The site still features on the CC website (2016).
The postmark date is ‘EXETER DISTRICT 23 JNE 1992’ Â The 18p stamp was the cost of sending a postcard second class in 1992 (this is approximately 35p in 2016).
Dulverton is mentioned in the Domesday Book so it is full of historical interest.
Auntie Vi would have been in her late seventies at this time, still enjoying a full life, but sadly her health deteriorated a few years later.Â
Taking a week away in Dunster with such lovely surroundings. Our flat is very satisfactory and well furnished & situated next to a large house & garden, of which we have the use. Taking things quietly & exploring the village My love to you from Auntie Vi
A classic status update from my great aunt. The postmark date is Minehead 5 Oct 1987. Â The 13p stamp was the cost of sending a postcard second class in 1987 (this is approximately 34p in 2015).
We were still being reminded to ‘Be properly addressed’ and to ‘POSTCODE IT’ – this is some thirteen years after it became mandatory; by this time most people in the UK seemed to have got the idea!
Porlock Weir is still a popular spot for visitors, it is about 10 miles from Dunster. The yellow dragon in the top left hand corner of the picture is the logo of Somerset County Council.
The eagle eyed amongst you will notice the name change – I’d got married.
Auntie Vi was married to Uncle Wilf who was Grandad‘s brother. They did not have children, hence no grandchildren; they were great fun and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them when I was a young child. We were out one day, us in our car, with Wilf and Vi following behind; there was a crash, Wilf died. With a child’s eye view, the horror was lost on me – he was my Grandad’s brother, therefore ‘old’. I saw Auntie Vi more regularly, she holidayed with us and livened up our birthday parties, but she lived as a widow (seeing me grow up, get married, have my own children) for at least another 20 years. How sad that she was denied spending that time with Wilf.Â
fromsomewherewithlove 