teenage

by

With love from Huizen, Holland (1980)

with-love-from-holland

Dear Hiral, Having a great time, so far, (it’s only the 2nd day but I’m sending this now so it arrives before I do!) As you can see the natives are really lively, always laughing + joking tapping their clogs, harping on about windmills and making sure their bikes are roadworthy. A FULL REPORT ON MY RETURN! Luv MAND.

A witty note full of stereotypical descriptions, but not a lot of information about what Mand is doing on her trip! Huizen is in northern Holland but there is no indication if Mand was staying there or simply passing through.

The card is postmarked ‘AMSTERDAM 18 VIII 80’ and carries another postmark which roughly translates as ‘POSTCODE use it well’ – a familiar request. The 55c stamp features Queen Juliana and was issued in 1971

Mand was at senior school and sixth form college with me, along with Sara and Anne. At one point Mand and I fell out over a boy… I’m no longer in touch with Mand.

 

by

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 🙂 

by

with love from Southborough, Kent (1981)

with love from Kent

Hello there its me here working far too hard in boring Kent. Just thought I’d send a post card. The journey back was o.k. The test on Monday was alright, nothing to worry about! Going home tomorrow thank God! I will be in touch in the near future.  Love Gerard. xx P.S. Does this count as a letter

Similar to the other card from Southborough this one is dated earlier the same year, carrying the postmark ‘TUNBRIDGE WELLS 6.45pm 15 JAN 1981 KENT’ together with the detailed Pantiles postmark.

This card again features David Salomon‘s house, which in the 1980’s was a regional conference and training centre.

Since I’ve got several cards featuring this building I’m assuming that Gerard was based there for some reason. The text suggests that he’d been to visit me and this must have been the final time that we met, although correspondence continued for several more years. To date I have not managed to reconnect with Gerard…

by

With love from Venice (1977)

With love from Venice 1977

Dear Hilary, Thanks for the letter, I will write as soon as we get home. As you’ve probably noticed we’re in Venice. So far we’ve seen St. Marks Square (and avoided the very low flying pigeons!) sailed up the grand canal and got lost in the back streets. Next week we are going to Pompei, Vesuvius and Herculaneum. We are staying at a very modern hotel with a swimming pool! love to everyone Jackie xx p.s. There’s loads of tall, dark, handsome Italian boys!

Post marked ‘SIENA 14 LUG 1977’ (14th July 1977) this card was obviously posted once they’d moved on from Venice. It carries stamps to the value of 130 Lire, the currency of Italy prior to the Euro.

From the text it sounds as though Jackie is having a thoroughly exciting time; showing particular enthusiasm for the ‘modern hotel’ WITH swimming pool! Being teenage girls our interest in boys was significant – mention of the ‘loads’ of eye candy in Italy would, no doubt, have made me quite jealous at the time 😉

I have lost touch with Jackie and, despite various internet searches, as yet I have been unable to reconnect with her.

by

with love from Pertisau am Achensee, Austria (1976)

With love from Pertisau am Achensee

Dear Hilary,  I am having a great time I haven’t fallen over once yet. I hope you are having a great time as well. The weather is beautiful and so is the view from our bedroom window. By the way Clive is behaving. We went to the glass place at Kufstein and we saw them carving things on glasses see you sometime love Jackie xx

 

Another card posted from Austria (almost 40 years ago!) and postmarked ‘Pertisau 3-2-1976 6213’

The picture of Pertisau am Achensee is similarly repeated in the other post mark, so must be the ‘classic’ view of the town.

The ‘glass place’ mentioned is the world famous Riedel glass factory.

 

Jackie posted this from a school ski trip – she still went on the trip even though she had left our school and moved out of the area (with her family) some months earlier. I went away skiing with my family the same week – my parents figured that there would be lots of kids who’d missed lessons and had to catch up. This was, of course, back in the days when trips and holidays could be taken in UK term time without any hassles or fines! Clive, was the boy I fancied at the time – I probably spent much of my own week away imagining him and the others getting up to all sorts of fun without me…  

by

with love from Scotland (1978)

With love from Scotland

Dear Hiraly,  We are in Scotland and having a brilliant time. We’ve had quite a lot of lousy weather but the last two days have been boiling. The other day we went to Loch Ness it’s really huge  22½ miles by 1½ miles! We didn’t see any sign of monster so we all sat & stared at Neil instead! ow! He just hit me. I hope you had a topping holiday what ho! By the way did I tell you I have definitely & decidedly gone right off Pete. You’re right he is a ugly spotty little weed! I don’t know how I ever could have liked him! Who’s the latest love in your life. I hope you’re luckier than me (that’s right I ain’t got one booked) I’d better go now not much room left. Lots of love Jacq x

PS I will write or phone you up so you can tell me what time you want me to come etc See you soon.

PSS Mum sends best wishes to everyone

Post marked Aberdeen 29th July 1978 and Jackie and I are still writing and apparently visiting each other. Once the status update is dealt with, Jackie gets on with the serious  business of teenage angst about our favourite topic, boys – it seems I was none to complimentary about her recent beau!

The other postmark is a different version of the post code reminder – it states ‘ABERDEEN is mechanised Letter Office PLEASE USE THE POSTCODES’. The whole point of postcodes being that mail could be mechanically, rather than manually, sorted.

Jackie’s brother Neil is mentioned in the card – Neil was the same age as my brother; it worked out really well when they lived right next door! 

by

with love from Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire (1977)

With love from Slaughter, Gloucestershire

Dear Hilary, Sorry I could not come to the lake on Sunday and I am afraid I cannot come on Easter Day because I am on a cycle trip in the midlands. We stayed here on Thursday night. The weather today was absolutely terribly. Firstly the wind, which was very strong against us and then it decided to snow. It was terrible and everybody got absolutely freezing. We got to the host about 7.30 Love James

An earlier card from James, but still the same year. Much is made of the weather, which sounds a bit miserable for what must have been the Easter Holidays. The post mark is Cheltenham 8th April 1977

Upper Slaughter, pictured on the front, is described on the back as ‘one of the Cotswolds most beautiful villages’ – the macabre name is derived from an old English word meaning muddy place, but don’t let that put you off visiting!

The card is carrying 6½p stamp, being the rate for a small postcard.

 

1977 was obviously the year of James and me! We lived equidistant, in opposite directions, to the lake where our families were members of the local sailing club. This meant that our teen romance was constantly thwarted by dependency on lifts from parents and the various other commitments of our families… needless to say, it did not last long!  

by

with love from Tregony (1977)

With love from Tregony

Dear Hilary, The weather has not been very good with a couple of days of rain but we are still having a great holiday. We have been sailing nearly every day, the winds have been quite strong but we have not yet gone over. I shall not see you before so I hope you have a nice holiday Love, James

A newsy status update postmarked ‘Tregony Truro Cornwall 8th Aug 1977’ carrying a 9p stamp which was first class for a 2oz letter at the time.

Tregony is on the River Fal in Cornwall and still looks much the same now as it did when this photo was taken.

James’ family were members at the local sailing club, where my family sailed. James had a Merlin Rocket and I used to crew for him. There were plenty of social events and teenage discos and the inevitable snog… I have not stayed in touch with James.

by

with love from Buckfast Abbey (1983)

With love from Buckfast Abbey

26/4/83 Dear Hilary, It was really good to hear from you and to know that everything is going okay. Your card was very lucky to get to me as it seems I didn’t leave my address with my parents and only went home on the spur of the moment! I thought I’d send you a card although I don’t live in Buckfast – well just around the corner and I can see the Abbey when I go running! Life is just about okay but the college is a drag! Will write a letter soon Lots of love, Duncan x

This is post marked ‘South Devon 27th Apr 1983’ and obviously had enough postage on to reach me in Cyprus, where I was living at the time.  In 1983 the Post Office are still requesting us, via the other postmark, to ‘Be properly addressed POSTCODE IT’; this is 9 years after the final introduction of the postcode!

There has been an Abbey on the site at Buckfast, on the edge of the River Dart since 1018 The market town of Buckfastleigh is nearby.

In the late 70’s we finished school at 16 and either started work, went to Technical College for vocational qualifications or, as I did, went to 6th Form College to study A’ levels. Duncan was in my maths group; there were several lads from his school in the class and I remember them all as being taller and more mature than the boys from my school; they were also brighter with wicked senses of humour. I therefore relished maths lessons because they were such good fun, the teacher was excellent and we all learnt a lot. Duncan and I snogged on at least one occasion; we stayed in touch via letters and cards for some years, but sadly I have now lost touch with him…