One Hundred Year Old Postcard collection

My Great Grandmother's Postcard Collection.

An extraordinary family treasure unearthed as my Brother and I continue work sorting our Grandmothers home of over 60 years. 

Of all the family-treasures I've found so far, this album of postcards has to be one of the most precious. It was put together by my Great Grandmother, Melinda, who clearly had a passion for corresponding with family, friends, acquaintances and indeed her husband-to-be John. The album itself is quite fragile, so Ive only removed a few so far and these date roughly from 1910 through to 1925. Many of them date from the years of the Great War, its dark shadow cast over these cards glorious patina. 

The sheer variety of postcards is extraordinary, with international postcards from California, France and Germany, theres local towns like Stratford, Tamworth and Nuneaton. There are cards featuring many coastal towns in England and Wales, from Tynemouth to Falmouth, from Woolacoombe to Scarborough, from Brighton to Llandudno. The album also hosts a number of birthday cards, christmas cards and rather presciently Happy Easter cards too. In addition there are many which feature people, from false colour portraits of children and young adults to battalions all lined up in uniform for a formal B&W photograph. The collection features hand-stitched cards too, many sent from my Great-Granddad to his sweetheart, signing off "Best Love, John". Just absolutely wonderful to unearth this. 

As I said many feature the Great War, not least the correspondence between John and Melinda, with John far away stationed at a field hospital on the South Coast, scenes of its idyllic grounds and ornate architecture belie a world at war. After the war has ended we see images of the Memorial Cross being unveiled at the village church, so many local lads names etched into the locally quarried stone. All the more poignant when you look at the postcards and realise something they couldn't have known; their only son's name would be added a mere 23 years later. 

Away from the war, the postcards vernacular is stunning, I love how many of the scenic postcards keep to quite a specific composition, featuring local landmarks prominently while having the copy space to include the name of the town. Their formulaic styles do not detract at all, instead it defines their common purpose; a memento of a day trip, a honeymoon or simply to say I've been there! I love how bridges feature in so many, and so often set in the distance too. They really do give an air of expectation, townscapes viewed across water linked by bridges or piers, a line leading your eye along an idyllic shoreline to the promontory of carefree days yet to be experienced.

One sender enquires as to the name of Melinda’s new baby, that baby was my Grandma Dorothy. Finding this resplendent collection really connects you to the family members who left before you arrived, it gives a strong impression of their personalities, their interests and passions, their hopes and dreams.