Royal Mail

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with love from Manchester (2016)

with love from Manchester

Dear Hilary, We’re in Manchester, staying with Julia and Matt. Had a visit to the Whitworth Gallery. Julia & Matt are now in their own little house in Didsbury. Hope the foot is on the mend. Sue

Post marked ‘Royal Mail South Midlands Mail Centre 19-01-2016’ the status update on this card is brief and informative.

Featured on the front is Manchester’s Whitworth Gallery, which has recently undergone extension and renovation works.

The other postmark is ‘Celebrating 500 Years of Royal Mail 1516-2016’ Amazingly, it seems we have had some sort of postal service in the UK since Henry VIII was king!

I have been friends with this fourth Sue for over 20 years; we met when our children started school and we used to chat every day in the playground. We still see each other, but not quite so often these days; the children have all remained friends too 🙂  I had a minor operation on my foot in January which Sue refers to in her message.  I’m still no wiser about Sue no 3, 2 or 1….

 

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with love from The Cotswolds (1975)

With love from the Cotswolds

To Hilary, Thankyou very much for the lovely birthday card you sent me, I have forgotten exactly when your birthday is, I know it is soon so please will you let me know. My mum sends your mum her love. I am going to Wadhurst College as a boarder on Sept 10th Have fun Ida.

The text on this card offers no clues about a trip to The Cotswolds; 790 square miles of outstanding natural beauty in South West England.

Indeed the card wasn’t even posted from The Cotswolds as it bears a very clear ‘Tunbridge Wells 1.30pm 20 Aug 1975 Kent’ postmark.

Interestingly the other postmark promoting ‘The Pantiles ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ was still being used in 1981

So, forty years ago, here is my good friend Ida dropping me a quick note to thank me for a birthday card. I still know when her birthday is, although, these days, I don’t always remember to send a card in time. I am one of those people that remembers dates, whereas Ida is one of those who doesn’t! Never-the-less, we have exchanged many other sorts of cards over the years 🙂 

 

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with love from Lyme Regis, Dorset (2015)

With love from Lyme Regis

28.5.15 Dear Hilary, Simon & Co. A few days away to re-charge the batteries! Place is lovely, with plenty of eating, walking and swimming. Not far from ‘The Cobb’. Forgotten how hilly Lyme is. Lots of love Gill, Ash, C & P X

Picturesque Lyme Regis is famous for its Cobb, which has featured in several films, most notably The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), starring a young Meryl Streep.

This card was sent recently and carries the new style UK stamp which merely states 1st or 2nd class. These ‘valid in perpetuity’ stamps were introduced on 30th April 2012, negating the need to purchase smaller value stamps to add on when the postage rate goes up. This is convenient for users as well as for Royal Mail, who can hike prices without anyone noticing. Indeed when these stamps were introduced, first class postage jumped 30% from 46p to 60p. Three years on, very few people in the UK know the current price of a first class stamp!

 

Since finding out, through this blog, that I have kept postcards over the years, my friends and family are joining the campaign and sending cards with enthusiasm.  Gill sent this to me shortly after we met up again… 

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