postcards to a North London family
This card appears to be the only one in the collection which was posted in 1911. 
It was sent on 9th January 1911 to “Mrs George Barber” from Lizzie who was at 237 Thorn Place, Blackness Road, Dundee.
The message is brief:
“Dear Annie
I arrived safe at Tay Bridge Station at 9.30 this morning, weather here is much colder but dry
Lizzie”
This is another card sent to Annie Barber at “The Nook” , Wenham Drive, Westcliff on Sea, in August 1910. Although the image is of Great Yarmouth, the card was posted in Wood Green, London. The scene is quite busy, with a tram heading along the road.
The message is harder to read than some of the previous cards and the name of the sender isn’t clear. It looks as though the address has been written by someone else as the handwriting is different.
“Dear Anne and Winnie, very please you are having nice weather we are having it very wet. I should very much like to come for a week. George and father (?) are all right love to Winnie and yourself hoping you will still have fine weather ”
This postcard was sent on August 25th 1910 from “Nellie” to Annie Barber at The Nook, Wenham Drive, Westcliff on Sea, Essex:
The message reads “Having a good time. Will you send to 125 Palmerston Road my cream silk blouse in dressing table drawer and tennis shoes in wash stand drawer. In haste, Nellie.”
After some research I believe that Nellie is possibly Annie’s sister, Helen Buchan Crerar, who was born in 1883. According to a tree on Ancestry, she married Howard William Marks in 1910 and in 1911 they were living at The Nook, Wenham Drive, Westcliff. Annie was presumably staying in their house while they were in London.
Marie Studholme was a well known actress and singer. Given the topic of the sender’s message, perhaps the card was chosen because of the splendid hat she is wearing? The sender Mary, gives Annie Barber quite detailed instructions about how to trim a hat:
The message reads
“Dear Annie, When you trim my hat do not show all those long green stems of the poppies as they are a nasty colour green and do not go with my blue costume. I like the stems of the pink flowers, you can show them as they are a nice colour. Forgot to tell you on Saturday. Mary”
Before her marriage to George Barber Annie worked as a milliner, as shown in the 1891 census when she was living with her parents in Hornsey Park Road, Wood Green, so it’s no surprise to find her trimming hats in 1910, although she has presumably given up working. The census also shows that Mary is Annie’s younger sister.
The next card in the collection is a sepia view of the Gate of Humility at Caius College, Cambridge:
The card was posted in Cambridge on August 15th, 1910 to Mrs Barber.
The message reads:
36 Blinco Grove, Cambridge
15.8.10
Dear A, We are going round the Colleges tomorrow. Today we are cycling to Ely with the lady with whom we are staying. It is quite near Ettie’s College which we went over on Sunday.
Love, K
This modern map shows the location of Blinco Grove. the card refers to this being “quite near” to Ettie’s College – was she studying at Homerton?
Kitty and her companions were planning to cycle to Ely which is about 15 miles from Cambridge – a considerable distance for a round trip. Perhaps they were planning to use the train for the return journey.
This rather dark card was sent from 2 Oakwood Terrace , West Park Road, Dundee, from Lizzie Crerar in to George Barber in September 1909.
The message reads
Hope you are all well and that Winnie has quite recovered, hope she has not lost all her pretty curls.
Lizzie Crerar
Winnie Barber must have been quite unwell during 1909
This card was sent by Annie Barber, who was staying in Southend-on-Sea, to her husband George in 1909.
The message reads:
Dear George
We are now on the Pier waiting for the Lord Mayor coming along in the tram, the streets are too crowded for anything, the morning is grand. After you left we went up to the bandstand, found a nice seat, which nobody asked us to pay for, and saw the fireworks which were grand. Winnie is alright today. Annie
The Lord Mayor of London was visiting to see the fleet in July 1909. There is a short film of the event which gives us a good idea of the event and how crowded Southend-on-Sea was, as Annie mentions.
This card was sent from “Aunty Mary” to Annie Barber in July 1909. Annie was staying in Southend .
The message reads
Dear Annie
So glad you are having fine weather. Kitty and I are going to see the Fleet on the Thames embankment today.
Love from Aunty Mary
Although the image on the card is interesting and needs more research, it is Aunty Mary’s comment about going to see the Fleet on the Thames which brings us to what must have been an amazing experience.
Wikimedia Commons provides the following information about this important occasion:
“In the week from Saturday 17th July to Saturday 24th July 1909, ships from the Home and Atlantic Fleets were moored along the Thames from Westminster Bridge to the Nore Lightship in the estuary, some forty five miles. The larger ships, the Battleships and HMS Dreadnought were moored near Southend and the smaller ships further upstream. It was the first time there had been a Naval Pageant of such magnitude on the Thames. The timing of the pageant was thought by some to be linked with the vote in the House of Commons due on the 22nd July about the question of whether to build further Dreadnought class Battleships, happily the vote was passed and Britain was ready for what was to come in the First World War.”
The next card shows a good view of the seafront at Great Yarmouth with a helter skelter on Britannia Pier. The pier and pavilion were destroyed by fire on 22nd December 1909.
This card was sent from K (Kitty?) to Annie Barber in February 1909. The sender’s address is 58 Trinity Road, Wood Green , a relatively short distance from the Barbers’ home in Moffat Road, Palmers Green.
The message reads
Dear A,
We hope Winnie is getting along alright and is no worse. Edith has the measles. Strange coincidence, isn’t it? I have put in some pictures for Winnie. K.
In 1911, the census shows that 58 Trinity Road was the home of Annie’s parents, Alexander and Frances Crerar and their adult children, Mary (no occupation), Catherine Maria (an elementary school teacher) and James (a clerk).
Postcard 2
This is a good coloured view of Scotscraig Lodge, Tayport, Scotland, sent to Mrs Barber on August 2nd 1907. “With Best Wishes” is embossed across the front of the card.
This view appears to show the East Lodge of the Scotscraig estate in Tayport. The estate was owned for many years by Commander William Maitland Dougall, RN and was sold after his death in 1918.
At the moment I haven’t been able to find any definite information about the address from which the card was sent.
The message reads:
Scott’s Land
Queen’s Road
Tayport
Dear A & G (Annie and George)
The stewardess said we had the roughest passage of the season It was lovely until we went to bed when we were off Yarmouth. Then every one was bad even the stewardess.
I was sick during the night but not the next day. Ely was bad all the way & even when we got to the house.
Love Kitty
Was Kitty one of Annie’s sisters: possibly Catherine M Crerar (born c1880). If so, then “Ely” who suffered so badly from sea sickness could perhaps Ellen B Crerar (born c1883).
I’m intrigued to know from where they departed: had they travelled from London?
Connections in time: The Barber postcards 