postcode

by

With love from Cornwall (2005)

with love from Cornwall

Hi Hilary – We’re in Cornwall at the moment – thought of you and Simon as we’re in Newquay today. Janet (Gra’s sister) is getting married on Saturday + Carrie + Ashlea are bridesmaids + I’m singing. Lots of excitement + my mum + dad are coming too. Getting about to different beaches with the children. Hope to catch up before hols are ended – will be in touch. Lots of love Sara + all xxx

Amidst all the excitement Sara has still found time to drop me a postcard – the style of writing suggests a very hectic time. Simon, my husband, comes from Cornwall, which is why she’s thought of us.

The postmark is very blurred, but I believe that it is dated 22.06.05  The other blurred postmark is asking us to ‘Please print the postcode’ – something which Sara has ignored on this occasion, and the card still arrived safely!

I haven’t seen Sara in a while, we both seem to have more time for meeting during the winter months…

by

With love from the Tank Museum (1991)

with-love-from-dorset

Dear Hilary & Simon & Tallulah, Loz & I went to the tank museum while Linda & Ann went to the more intellectual attraction of Kingston Lacy House.  The first launching of the boat was not a success but will provide an entertaining story when we next see you.  Hope your hol went well, our first attempt at UK camping has been surprisingly not too bad.  Love Ann Gordon & Laurie.

Postmarked ‘BOURNEMOUTH – POOLE 8.30pm 22 AUG 1991’ this card carries a 19p stamp and also carries the infamous ‘REMEMBER to use the POSTCODE’ postmark.

Lots of descriptive information is included in this status update, including the tantalising suggestion of a more detailed and hilarious anecdote to follow!

We met Ann & Gordon, in the late eighties, through a mutual acquaintance; we lived in the same area and found that we had much in common.  Since moving away we don’t see them so often, however we do sometimes meet up for a walk and a pub lunch – although less frequently of late…

 

by

With love from Banbury (1980)

with-love-from-banbury

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 🙂

by

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 🙂 

by

with love from Keswick (1979)

Keswick 1979

Dear Hilary, Ged here in Keswick and believe it or not its sunny for a change. Ta for your letter and postcard from up North. As you can see I’m in Keswick still but I go home on the 6th of September to my new house the address of which is 14 …. I’ve got to work till next Thursday so I’ll write a proper letter then from ….. So I’ll be able to tell you all my news then, tarra for now. Gerard xx P.S Don’t think much of the hotel on the other side. P.S.S. Hope you had a nice holiday! xx

Here’s another postcard being used to update an address change.  It’s amazing how often we all did that, back in the day! It is unclear whether Ged is staying in the hotel or working in it – the latter I suspect. Either way he’s obviously not a fan, despite the ‘warm welcome, courtesy and friendliness’ promised in print at the bottom!

Sunshine in Keswick is, of course, worthy of a comment 🙂  My postcard to him was from even further ‘up North’ – our family holiday that year was spent driving and camping round the north coast of Scotland.

Postmarked ‘KESWICK 11.30am 31 AUG 1979 CUMBRIA’, this card was posted exactly 37 years ago today! The other postmark is the old favourite ‘REMEMBER to use the POST CODE!’ which he hasn’t.

The card carries 10p worth of stamps which is approximately 52p today (2016).

This is three years after Ged and I first met and the correspondence was still fairly regular; these were the days long before texts, emails, Whatsapp, Facebook; when there were only 3 channels on UK tv and expensive long distance phone calls were made by special appointment and only with permission of the bill payer (Dad), who was generally sat in the same room listening in! Letter writing was the only option 🙂 

by

With love from Twickenham (1983)

With love from Twickenham 1983

31.7.83 Dear Hilary, Hope you are well and are everything is working out for you. Everybody is well here and celebrating dads ….. birthday. Jim & I are still buying are house & once its through you must come for an overnight Hope to here from you soon. Love Gill. Love to Family

The copyrighted (1977 Millimetre Limited) design on the front of this card has a Christmas feel to it and this combined with the Christmas stamp suggests that this might have been a December communication.  However, the card is dated 31.7.83 and postmarked ‘TWICKENHAM 2pm 1 AUG 1983’ It also carries the old favourite ‘Be properly addressed POSTCODE IT’ and, indeed, this card still arrived despite not carrying the postcode – nine years after they became a required part of all addresses!

Status updates: The big news about her first house purchase is thoughtfully contained to just the one line. It was probably her Dad’s 50th – an age so great (when you’re in your early twenties) that it couldn’t be spoken aloud!

Gill was, and continues to be, very good at the quick ‘keep in touch’ note, although these days it’s generally by email 🙂 I was back home after a period of travelling and had probably mentioned in a letter that I didn’t know what I would be doing next (or for the rest of my life!) career wise – hence her kind words at the top.