Saturday 13 August 2011

The life and loves of Elsie Back


As a birthday present one year my father was given a collection of postcards that had been put together, as far as we could tell, by Miss Elsie Back.  This postcard was the first in the collection and although it was unwriten, we take it to be Elsie.

Elsie received many cards addresses to her in various parts of Kent, mainly between Canterbury and Ashford.  Because the cards were addressed c/o, it looks as though she may have been in service.


Then there were cards from Sid or, more often, Sidder, including one addressed to Mum and Elsie, the top one of the next three.  Sid and Elsie were clearly already "an item" by then.  It was sent from Genoa in 1917 where it looks as though Sid was sent during the First World War.  I have already once blogged about it, the second of these cards.



Eventually.....


... cards addressed to the Newtons


First to Mrs S Newton in 1926, then to Master J Newton in 1930, then to E and the boys in 1934 where Sid is happy to hear that J likes school.  The first son was James or Jimmie, the second was Peter.  During this time the Newtons moved house a number of times but never very far from their origins.

The last one I have is dated 1956 and addressed to both Elsie and Sid, back in Shalmsford Street near Canterbury, the same road where Elsie lived when she was Miss Back.  I hope they had a long and happy life together.

Find more romantic or other stories at Sepia Saturday.

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19 comments:

  1. A fine set of cards; I like the stamps as well. This is quite a story of a family told in postcards.

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  2. A lovely story of true romance. I like the wedding photo; they are an attractive couple (though Sid’s trousers seem on the short side - surely that wasn’t the fashion?).

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  3. That was a great story and the pictures made it that much better. Thanks

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  4. You can piece together quite a bit about a person's life from the old postcards that were saved.

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  5. Love the photo with the bride smiling. She was absolutely giddy and that makes me smile.

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  6. The wedding photo looks like they we well dressed and I agree about the trousers. But who knows maybe it was the fashion.
    Great post.
    QMM

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  7. She was a lovely bride!! You wove a very nice tale of this family, Sheila.

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  8. This is such a beautiful, romantic post!! Sigh. I'm incurable. ♥ I love this story and the wedding photo especially.

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  9. A great story captured in postcards and photos!

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  10. Doesn't she look great in her wedding picture! What a lovely story....

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  11. Thanks everyone for your comments. I really enjoyed piecing all this together, though it was very time-consuming. It's made me want to find out more about them.

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    Replies
    1. I was just wondering if you are related in anyway to the Newton/Back family, as I am married to one of Sid and Elsie's grandsons.

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    2. That's amazing! No, I'm no relative at all. The cards were in an album that my father had.

      I have other cards of theirs. Do you want to get in touch via daily. postcard at gmail . com?

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    3. Hello I have created a gmail account so would you be able to send me your email address and I will add you as I am intrested in the postcards you have as it is relevent to me.

      Kind Regards.

      Rachael.

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  12. funny how these cards were written one way than another... the wedding pic is lovely except for his pants being a tad too short...
    :D~

    now, go on and find more!!
    :)~
    HUGZ

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  13. A Great Find! What A Lovely Tale.

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Welcome to my postcard collection! I love hearing what you think of the cards - but spam WILL be deleted.

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