Three from Blackpool

Another three cards from Alison, all from Blackpool, starting with the one I take to be oldest.

 

Central Pier, Blackpool

I'm showing the reverse because it's undivided, and the postage a halfpenny.  At the top of the card it states "Copyright S Hildesheimer & Co. Ltd. London & Manchester".  Hildesheimer were one of the earliest publishing firms to take advantage of the growing popularity of postcards.

The next I thought might have been a home made card but the reverse is that of a printed postcard.  The first line mentions the Union Postale Universale, the Universal Postal Union, which was founded in 1874, with its head office in Bern is the world's second-oldest international organization.  Before it established its principles, a letter travelling through several countries would have to carry stamps from each of those countries.

By the time of the third card, the postage had risen to 1 penny and only "five words of conventional greeting".  Nothing unconventional please!

Lovely cards, all.  I plan to return to the picture cards at some future date because I'm intrigued by the advertising on the pier, and by the scenes shown.  And I think the Universal Postal Union deserves a post of its own.