The Wandering Genealogist » Postcards

Postcard Album: The Sussex Riviera

John Gasson — Sat, 26 May 2012 15:05:45 +0000

It is not often that I have an excuse to show pictures of scantily clad women on this blog, but given the beautiful sunny weather we are having I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to show off this postcard from my collection.

This is obviously more modern than most of the postcards in my collection, it was posted on the 9th June 1975 from Bognor Regis, Sussex. The card was published by D. Constance Limited of Littlehampton, Sussex. The 1970s were a lean time for postcards of anything other than tourist attractions, although the same could be said for pretty much any decade since the Second World War.

Honestly it wasn’t the bikini-clad beauties that attracted me to this postcard, but the name emblazoned across the middle of the card, The Sussex Riviera. I think this was the first time I came across the name and as far as I can see it has never been in widespread usage.

Although the map on the top-half of the card depicts pretty much all the Sussex coastline I would imagine the photos are from somewhere in the Worthing, Littlehampton or Bognor Regis area.

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Postcard Album: Gibraltar – Gates to Spain

John Gasson — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:36:27 +0000

Continuing on the theme of my grandad’s Second World War army service the postcard below is presumably a souvenir brought back from his time in Gibraltar with the Royal Engineers.

Although you can’t tell from the scan the left edge is perforated, indicating that it has come from a book of postcards or maybe a string of postcards joined end to end. This is the only one of these I have, so I don’t know what happened to the others, if indeed my grandad brought the whole set.

It is of course possible that this didn’t come back from Gibraltar with my grandad, but rather it was something that he acquired later on as a reminder of his time there.

I imagine that the postcard dates from the 1930s but that is just a guess really, my grandad was definitely out in Gibraltar in December 1940, but I am not sure for how long.

I think it is quite a nice image, not particularly picturesque but an interesting historical record of the border. I love the wheelbarrow abandoned on the corner of the pavement.

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Postcard Album: To Greet You at Eastertide

John Gasson — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:38:56 +0000

However you spend your Easter (I think this Sussex Vicar might be onto something), I wish you all the best at this special time of year.

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Postcard Album: Steep Grade Railway, Devil’s Dyke

John Gasson — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:13:38 +0000

Just over a week ago I showed you a postcard of the “station” at the top of the steep grade railway that used to run up and down the side of the South Downs at Devil’s Dyke near Brighton, Sussex. The rather battered postcard below shows pretty much the full extent of the track.

It wasn’t a particularly long railway and in contrast to the little engine shed at the top there was nothing other than a platform at the bottom and a short walk to the nearest village, where visitors were supposed to be taking tea. I suspect however most probably just went up and down for the novelty of it.

The postcard was used, but unfortunately the stamp has been removed, taking most of the postmark with it. Just enough is left to see that it was sent in 1906. This card was published by Frederick Hartmann, a national publisher of postcards based in London.

Last week as I returned from Lewes and Brighton on the bus in the late afternoon the path of the track bed was incredibly well defined on the hillside, because of the short grass and low angle of the sun. There are more trees on the side of the hill now, but I wish I could have stopped the bus and jumped out and taken a photo.

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Postcard Album: Steep Grade Railway, Devil’s Dyke, Sussex

John Gasson — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 18:51:03 +0000

Several weeks ago I mentioned the steep grade railway that once ran up and down the side of the South Downs at Devil’s Dyke near Brighton, Sussex. Well, the postcard below shows the “station” at the top of this railway.

This is a superb postcard, showing much detail of the station, which doesn’t exist any more (apart from some brick foundations). Not only does it show the engine house and platform but also one of the carriages is in view.

The publisher’s name is down the left-hand sided, Mezzotint Co. of Brighton, and although this postcard wasn’t posted (so no postmark) it was probably published around 1904. Although it wasn’t postally used it does have an interesting message on the back. I wonder who Vera was?

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Postcard Album: Ye Olde Maypole, Hurstwood, Buxted

John Gasson — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 19:17:35 +0000

The postcard below shows what is probably the oldest building in High Hurstwood, East Sussex.

Even when this card was published (probably 1910-20) it had already acquired the prefix “ye olde”, although this might just be the publisher of the card trying to make it seem older than it was.

According to English Heritage it dates from the Fifteenth Century and it is a Grade II* listed building, in their records as Old Maypole Farmhouse. Surprisingly this is one of ten listed buildings (including the church) in High Hurstwood.

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Postcard Album: Olympia, London

John Gasson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:04:23 +0000

Here is a historial view of a scene that will become familiar to many family historians by the end of this week, the Olympia exhibition centre, London, home to Who Do You Think You Are? Live.

This postcard was Published by C. Degen, London and was posted in West Kensington on the 19th December 1924.

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Postcard Album: Inside High Hurstwood Church, Sussex

John Gasson — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:54:07 +0000

Last week I showed you a postcard of the outside of Holy Trinity Church, High Hurstwood, Sussex, so this week I will give you a glimpse of the inside of the church.

This postcard is a bit of a mystery, it is unused and doesn’t name a publisher or photographer. The caption is of a style that I don’t recognise, so I am at a loss to tell you any more about this card. If I had to put a date on this card I would have to guess that it was around 1910-15.

I haven’t been inside this church (but I really should) and can’t find a photo of it online, so I don’t know whether it still looks the same inside.

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Postcard Album: High Hurstwood Church, Sussex

John Gasson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:11:15 +0000

Several of my Finding Minnie posts have mentioned the High Hurstwood, Sussex and this postcard shows Holy Trinity Church, where my great-grandmother was married (twice) and where my grandmother was baptised.

This particular postcard is unused, but probably dates from around 1910, perhaps a little later. The style of the caption gives it away as being published by Cecil Travers and it is a really super photo.

Then line of the hedgerow clearly illustrates the fact that the church is built on a slope, and I love that the photographer must have been standing up to his waist in the meadow grass to get the photo.

I love this church, not just because of the family connections, but because it is one of the most unusual churches I have seen. I haven’t been inside yet, but the outside is a pleasing assortment of architectural features and adornments, and there have been more since.

I really must try to get back over to High Hurstwood this year and explore the area further.

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Postcard Album: Dyke Hill and Poynings Church, Sussex

John Gasson — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:46:09 +0000

Below is another view of Devil’s Dyke, West Sussex looking south-west towards the north face of the hill, showing Poynings Church in the foreground with it’s solid square tower, but then the caption already told you that.

This postcard is unused, but the back reveals that it was No. 30 in The Brighton Palace Series XVIII, which means it was published by the Handwercks of Brighton, Sussex and probably dates from around 1912-13.

Apart from the farm buildings and haystacks in the foreground, the other interesting feature of this card is the steep grade railway on the side of the hill. That light coloured strip running half-way down the side of the hill marks the course of the railway.

It was a funicular railway transporting visitors up and down the side of the hill, supposedly to enable visitors to the Dyke to all visit the villages at the foot of the Downs, but as you can see it didn’t really go all the way, and I suspect it was of little practical value.

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