Connections in time: The Barber postcards
postcards to a North London family
The message on this rather stylised card is one of those which is like a text message today. Winnie sent this to her father on 13th October 1922 giving the details of her return home from holiday with Madge. She has obviously had a good time as she doesn’t want to come home!
This card, which was posted to Winnie Barber in February 1920, is one of the “Boots Cash Chemists Pelham Series, No 453a”. The image shows the interior of St Stephen’s Church in Bournemouth.
The card was sent from 55 Revelstoke Road, SW, and seems to have been posted in Wandsworth. Revelstoke Road is adjacent to Wimbledon Park.
The message is quite detailed; some of it seems to have been written in pencil and then written over in ink. It reads:
Dear Freddie
Will you please ask Dany(?) if she received my letter safely. If so, will she please answer it as I want to know if she is coming to tea Sat.
Well Freddie how are you getting on? I am coming in next Monday, I hope nobody’s got my job. Please let me know. With love, Mooney (?)
The name of the sender is difficult to decipher – but I assume she was one of Winnie Barber’s work colleagues. Winnie was now almost 18 ; I wonder what her occupation was, and whether the next batch of cards gives us any clues.
This postcard is the first one in the collection to have been sent specifically to Winnie Barber. Winnie, the daughter of George and Annie Barber, was born in 1902. Later in life she lived in Woodland Way, Winchmore Hill, which is where the box of postcards was found in the 1960s.
In 1914, aged 12, whilst presumably on holiday at The Laurels at Leigh on Sea, Winnie received this postcard from her Aunt Annie who had been on holiday at Clacton but had now returned home. The card is postmarked “Wood Green”.
The message reads:
Dear Winnie
Very please to have a pc from you please you are having such a good time and such fine weather.
I have had a nice time at Clacton but please to get home. I hope your mother’s enjoying herself.
With love from all
Aunt Annie good bye
Connections in time: The Barber postcards 