In Victorian times how did you keep up-to-date with your friends and family?
It may seem incredible now, but you could send a postcard in the post to your friend across the other side of town inviting them to tea that same afternoon and you know they would have received the message – and also possibly reply to you so that you had confirmation as to how much cake to prepare!
Depending upon where you lived you may have had two, three, or even four postal deliveries a day – including a delivery on Christmas Day! – and you were able to run your social life via the post. Nearly as quick as Twitter or Facebook! And don’t forget that telephones were not yet in common use.
Collectors of postcards and postal history often wonder about the message which could have been as simple as the tea invitation, or an eye-witness account of something really unusual’.
There is a letter, with the envelope postmarked Worgret Camp, Poole, dated 27th September, 1916 which says ‘we heard from my sister in London this morning and she was so excited because she had seen the air raid and the burning Zeppelin’. This would start the social and postal historians on to a fascinating tale to find out more, both about the recipient of the letter, the sender, and the Great War air raid.
To learn more not only of postal history, but also stamps, why not visit the Stamp Fair at St Dunstan’s Church Hall, Dorchester Road, Upton BH16 5JA on Saturday, 8th September from 1000 onwards?
Contact davidlytch@gmail.com for more information.
