08/04/2018

10^TH ESSEX INTERNATIONAL JAMBOREE

Saturday 28^th July – Saturday 4^th August

1984

OFFICIAL EVENT POSTCARD

I remember this camp well as I camped here myself and volunteered to work at it. It was my first International Jamboree and I had great fun over the week I stayed at the event. I collected a range of postcards whilst I was there, and I had a number posted and hand-stamped at the small on-site mini post office, although this card here is a mint unused one. These cards were designed so that a stamp and cancel could be applied on the top right-hand side.   

NON-POSTCARD ITEM

SPECIAL 10^TH ESSEX INTERNATIONAL JAMBOREE

SOUVENIR SHEET

There are all sorts of souvenir’s available at any Jamboree, this was a nice souvenir sheet which was available. People did cut out some of the event logos, the blue squares, that appear on this sheet and attach these to envelopes and postcards. I have such an item in my collection.

ENVELOPE

Here one of the logos from a sheet like the one above has been cut out and stuck down to this envelope and canceled with a Jamboree red cachet. A green scout trop cachet has also been applied. This item has clearly not been in the postal service but is a souvenir produced at the jamboree itself.

10^TH ESSEX INTERNATIONAL JAMBOREE

Saturday 28^th July – Saturday 4^th August

1984

OFFICIAL EVENT POSTCARD

Another official postcard for the Jamboree

10^TH ESSEX INTERNATIONAL JAMBOREE

Saturday 28^th July – Saturday 4^th August

1984

OFFICIAL EVENT POSTCARD

And yet another official Jamboree postcard

REVERSE SIDE OF THE ABOVE POSTCARD

This one was sent by my then future wife, she was also camping at this same Jamboree, to her grandmother. The stamp has been cancelled with the Jamboree’s official special hand stamp – this one is dated 31^st July 1984. This would have been posted at the Jamboree post office on site within the camp.

I notice Jo stuck the stamp on upside down! 

PHOTOGRAPHS

Official 10^th Essex International Jamboree Photographs

TOP

Ref: K 19

BOTTOM

K 20

The young man in the white top, with the blue neckerchief, is none other than my good self. The bare topped young man to the right side of me in the photographs is my brother Andy, whilst the young man on the other side, in a light green top, was my old and best friend Pete Darby, who sadly passed away just four years later in a tragic accident.

Here we are depicted talking with the then Chief Scout Major-General Michael J. H. Walsh (who had become Chief Scout in 1982). The Chief Scout was very kind to speak with us for as long as he did, because, and you can tell from a state of us, we did smell a bit at this point as we had just finished up a toilet cleaning and emptying tour, and trust me, Jamboree temporary toilets are something else!

These two photographs are kept with my Scout themed postcards in a single box and I often look at them as they bring back great memories of the camp, my friend Pete and my younger time in the scouting movement.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE PHOTOGRAPHS

These still have their official 10^th Essex International Jamboree identification number stickers. I kept them on and they are still as clear today as they were when I was given them (after having ordered them from the photograph board ordering service which was available at the main office of the Jamboree). I wonder how many of these stickers still remain with their respective photographs?

08/04/2018

“VOTES FOR WOMEN”

ROYAL MAIL PHQ STAMP CARD SET

PHQ Set 439

(postcards that reproduce the Royal Mail’s stamp releases)

Stamps issued – 15^TH February 2018

(As always, I have my copies used with the appropriate stamp applied to the front of the card and cancelled first day of issue with a special hand stamp)

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

(TOP)

LONE SUFFRAGETTE IN WHITEHALL, Circa 1909

2^ND CLASS STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (1) 2. 18

This is a lovely set of postcards. Each stamp/card depicts an old black and white photograph related to the Suffragettes. The pictures selected are quite interesting and I was impressed with the design of this set.

(BOTTOM)

THE GREAT PILGRIMAGE OF SUFFRAGETTES, 1913

2^ND CLASS STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (2) 2. 18

(TOP)

SUFFRAGETTE LEADERS AT EARL’S COURT, 1908

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (3) 2. 18

I think this is another superb example of how the post card images work so much better than the smaller stamp ones

(BOTTOM)

WOMEN’S FREEDOM LEAGUE POSTER PARADE circa 1907

1^ST CLASS STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (4) 2. 18

 I also think this is a smashing photograph, but even better is the shaped special hand stamp which has been used on the stamp on this postcard.

WELSH SUFFRAGETTES CORONATION PROCESSION, 1911

£1.40 STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (5) 2. 18

I have a friend who collects Welsh Costume postcards, I wonder if he has seen this one? If not, he soon will do as I am displaying this one with my article in my article in the June issue of ‘Picture Postcard Monthly’.

LEIGH AND NEW RELEASED FROM PRISON, 1908

£1.40 STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (6) 2. 18

Edith Bessie New and Mary Leigh were arrested in late June 1908 after they broke two windows at 10 Downing Street in London. They were sentenced to two months in prison at Holloway. This was the first time any suffragette had used vandalism as part of their protest. Whilst in prison New went on a hunger strike in another protest for women’s rights. When the pair were released a parade, as can be seen here, was held in their honour by a delegation of suffragettes.  

SOPHIA DULEEP SINGH SELLS THE SUFFRAGETTE, 1913

£1.57 STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (7) 2. 18

I liked the simplicity of this photograph, although Sophia was anything but a simple suffragette as she was an actual Princess, her father being the Maharaja Duleep Singh. Her father had been exiled to Britain from his kingdom of Punjab through the political maneuvering of the Governor-General in India. Sophia’s Godmother was Queen Victoria, who had passed away two years before this photograph was taken. Sophia was a prominent suffragette and this photograph here appeared in newspapers at the time. When the famous leading suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst passed away in 1928 Sophie Duleep Singh took over her position as president of the Committee of the Suffragette Fellowship.

SUFFRAGETTE PRISONER’S PAGEANT, 1911

£1.57 STAMP

Published by

ROYAL MAIL

Ref: PHQ 439 (8) 2. 18

I think this is a superb set, and one well worth obtaining if this subject is of interest to you.

08/04/2018

GUATEMALA

¼ REAL Black on White Postal Stationery Postcard

Higgins & Gage, World Postal Stationery Catalog

Section 7

Guatemala - Page 1

Reference No: 1

Issued 1875

The head depicted in the top centre of the design, on the postage design, is a depiction of ‘Liberty’ with an ornate surround. These post cards were printed by the Columbian Bank Note Company and were printed in plates of ten cards. This was the very first postal stationery post card issued for Guatemala.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD

This ‘particular’ post card has an unusual added print on the reverse side, which was what caught my eye when I found this on a dealer’s stall in a £1 box. This reads as:

Gratis – Beigabe

zu

No. 1 des XV. Jahrgangs (1888) von

SENF’S

Illustrirtem Briefmarken – Journal

Abonnements - Preis :

pro Semster (12 nrn.) nur 1.50 Pf., Ausland 1.75Pf.

This kind of translates as follows:

Free – Delivery

To

No. 1 of the XV. Vintage (1888) of

MUSTARD’S [although SENF’s might be an actual company or persons name and not need translation]

Illustrated Stamp – Journal

Subscriptions – Price

per semester (12 nrn.) only 1.50 Pf., abroad 1.75 Pf

So, this was an advert for an early stamp magazine placed on the reverse side of a Guatemalan postal stationery post card. The language used here is German. The language, outside of the local dialects, most used in Guatemala is Spanish. So, I am left to assume that a German company used these Guatemalan cards as an advert for their magazine (Journal), and I think they might even have been sent out free, or given away free (you never know – one of the first stamp related freebies?)

08/04/2018

KING GEORGE V

1d SCARLET STAMP ‘FOREIGN & COLONIAL’

POSTAL STATIONERY POST CARD PACK

(Full pack of 11 postal stationery post cards)  

With Original Wrapper

(Updated for price change – 12 cards overprinted with 11)

In the ‘Collect British Postal Stationery’ catalogue (by Alan Huggins and Colin Baker – an image of this book can be found in the BOOK LISTING section of this webpage under the tab ‘BOOKS 1’) this postal stationery post card is reference CP72 – Type L14 stamp on type CF14 card with arms type e, on thin buff card size f. This catalogue values each individual card at £100.

In the older Higgins and Gage catalogue this card is referenced as follows:

Higgins & Gage, World Postal Stationery Catalog

Section 7

Great Britain - Page 6

Reference No: 45

Issued 1917

As stated above, the Higgins & Gage catalogue is much older than the ‘Collect British Postal Stationery’ catalogue by Huggins and Baker, but the Higgins & Gage still values each individual postal stationery post card at £75.

I assume by now you will have realised that this is one of the more valuable items in my postcard collection – valued at £1000+ - although it does not look like much. The vast number of my postal stationery post cards are worth not much more than £1, many less, but this example of a full pack with original wrapper is very scarce. All collectors like to have one or two special items in their collection.

This is another photograph of the above full package with wrapper, only I have moved the wrapper aside so that the arms (the heraldic emblem in the centre top part of the post cards text lines) can be viewed.  

08/04/2018

RMS TITANIC MONTH

April is the anniversary month for the RMS Titanic leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage

and, the month that the ship hit the iceberg and sunk.

To commemorate this tragic event, I intend to place at least one TITANIC postcard on the webpage each day up until the anniversary of the sinking on the 15^th.

DAY EIGHT

OPERATION TITANIC

LES TRESORS REMONTENT

23-08-87

Artist

P. HAMM

Published by, and in the series:

LA CARTE POSTALE TEMOIN DE SON TEMPS

SERIE “EVENEMENTS” No 80 E

CARTORAMA – BOITE POSTALE No 46

Ref: 08 – 1987

Tirage limite a 175 exemplaires

(Limited to 175 examples – these are individually hand numbered – this copy is No 132)

We have had a Patrick Hamm postcard in the website before, but I like this Titanic one which was issued for an expedition down to the wreck site. The design is in the artists distinctive style, loved by many postcard collectors, but also criticised by some as being too simplistic or childlike in its style, but regardless of anyone’s opinion these cards are very collectible and often very expensive. I am not the first person to own this card and the previous owner paid £5 for this card back in the early 1990’s (It would be catalogued far higher today). This one appears here today because I thought it was time to have another Titanic postcard which does show the ship.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Hand numbered, limited edition of just 175 copies – number 132

BLOEMENDAGENGROET

UIT ANNA PAULOWNA

(Flower day greeting from Anna Paulowna)

JAARLIJKS EIND APRIL / BEGIN MEI

(Yearly end of April / early May)

Published by the flower photographer/artist

Printed by

ONTWERP + DRUK ROWA BREEZAND

An extra, highly unusual Titanic related postcard for you today! This one shows Dutch flower prints, pictures made entirely of little coloured flowers. Flower festivals and competitions are a major part of Dutch tradition and heritage in some regions. I have visited a flower festival here and the parade floats were unbelievable. This card shows four of these flower pictures and originally, I bought this for the Goofy Disney one bottom left corner, which first caught my eye when I saw this on a dealer’s stall. I thought it would make an unusual addition to my ‘Disney’ collection. It was not until I got home and looked at it again that I saw the Titanic film poster flower print top right. So, this made an even better, and far more unusual new addition to my RMS Titanic collection. The film came out in 1997 so I suspect this card is from around that period, or very shortly afterwards, whilst the film was so topical.

    08/04/2018

BLOEMENDAGENGROET

UIT ANNA PAULOWNA

(Flower day greeting from Anna Paulowna)

JAARLIJKS EIND APRIL / BEGIN MEI

(Yearly end of April / early May)

Published by the flower photographer/artist

Printed by

ONTWERP + DRUK ROWA BREEZAND

This companion postcard was bought at the same time as the card depicted above in todays ‘Titanic Month’ posting. As that one was going to be posted I decided this one should appear close to it (so I placed it here). This one I bought because of the Sesame Street Muppets (top right) and Barney Rubble from the Flintstones (bottom left), because this placed this nicely into my television collection, but I could equally have picked this up for its Disney connection via the characters from the animated film ‘Pocahontas’, which came out in 1995. The card depicted above shows a poster design which had to be post, or during 1997, so I wonder, assuming these flower prints, each image here is constructed from little flowers (read text with above depicted card), if these postcards come out yearly, and this one is from 1995, or a close year, seeing as Pocahontas would have been topical at that time, as all the other designs across the two cards are perennial. It would be interesting to find out.   

07/04/2018 

GREAT BUSTARD WITH YOUNG

HUNGARY STAMP

(MAGYAR POSTA)

MAXI-CARD

Artist

MURAY ROBERT

Published by

KEPZOMUVESZETI ALAP KIADOVALLALATA

BUDAPEST

Ref: 13030/712   

The stamp used on this card is the 1971 issued 2fo value ‘Great Bustard with young’ stamp (SG 2588), which is from an eight-stamp set titled ‘World Hunting Exhibition, Budapest’. There are possibly, even probably, similar cards for the over seven stamps from this set. This does not appear to be a first day of use usage as the official date of release for this stamp set was 21^st May 1971. From what I can make out of the date on this special cancel it includes a 9 (IX) in the middle, so, as this does not form part of the first day of issue date numbers I can only assume this was a cancel for another event held in 1971. This does not greatly affect the value to me here as this is a lovely card and it only cost me 50p anyway, at a Stampex show.

07/04/2018

BADGER

Published by

J. SALMON LTD

(A SALMON CAMERACOLOUR POSTCARD)

Ref: 6 – 10 – 66 – 21

Salmon issued a series of postcards depicting British wildlife depicted in paintings by this unknown (or at least unrecorded) artist. These were quite common around the end of the 1980’s and well into the 1990’s and were sold in any number of tourist locations up and down the country, especially anywhere close to the country or quite small in size with a close edged country boarder.

HARVEST MOUSE

Published by

J. SALMON LTD

(A SALMON CAMERACOLOUR POSTCARD)

Ref: 6 – 10 – 66 – 25

Another card from this series

07/04/2018

UNTITLED

3D LENTICULAR (MOVING IMAGE) POSTCARD

Design by

BEATRICE DOUILLET

Published by

DRAGONART

(Cartesart - PARIS)

Ref: P.L 269

Another recent purchase whilst I was in France two weeks ago. As you will have become aware, I love novelty postcards, and 3d or Lenticular postcards are one of my favourites. This image here is extremely well known to early film historians and fans, although there are no details on this card as to its source. The image, normally in black and white, but colourised here, is taken from the 1902 French adventure film titled ‘Le Voyage dans la Lune’ (A Trip to the Moon). This was directed by the now famous early director Georges Melies. The film, an early silent movie, is the story of a group of astronomers who use a cannon-propelled rocket (the capsule that is shown embedded in the moon’s eye – the rocket is probably not the right word to use here as no rocket power was involved – a cannon shot capsule would be a better description) to visit the surface of the moon. I have seen this film and it is something fascinating to see, and possibly the earliest piece of film science fiction.

The image is sightly blurred because it is a plastic surface and the image does move when the card is titlted, this causes a slight blur to any scan.

PHOTOGRAPH

The scene as it appears on the film

PHOTOGRAPH

The Film Title still  

07/04/2018

DISNEYLAND PARIS

PACKAGED POSTCARD + ENVELOPE SERIES

EXCLUSIVE PARIS THEME PARK CARDS

On my last two Disneyland Paris visits, both this year, I saw these items on sale in various official park shops, and sometimes in the postcard racks as well. Because the envelope in the cellophane package covers the reverse of the card I could not be sure if it was ‘definitely’ a postcard backed item or a folded greetings-styled item. I took a chance and bought the four that were on sale. When I got back I opened the Donald and Daisy Duck package and was delighted to find that these are postcards.

In my mind the front design is reminiscent of an old polaroid picture (I used to have a polaroid camera as a kid and I still have some of the photographs it produced in one of my albums). As a result, I have been calling these the ‘Polaroid Series’, but that’s just my name for them. Individually they have no separate titles, so I have used the test that has been printed on the front as a descriptive title below. I do have one question though? This Disney park is in France, they speak French there and many products have French text on them, I will admit not all though, but why is the written message on the front of all four of these cards in English? Is it because this is the standard ‘Disney’ language? Personally, I think they would have been more interesting in French.

DISNEYLAND PARIS

DONALD AND DAISY DUCK

“HAVE FUN”

FULL UNOPENED PACKAGE

FRONT VIEW

(yellow envelope – all the Donald and Daisy packages I saw have this yellow envelope)

DISNEYLAND PARIS

DONALD AND DAISY DUCK

“HAVE FUN”

Postcard removed from package

They are depicted on the Mad Hatters tea-cup ride

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

All the postcards have the same basic reverse layout

DISNEYLAND PARIS

CHIP ‘N’ DALE

(Although as this is France they should more properly be called TIC and TAC)

“BE CRAZY”

(green envelope – all the Chip ‘n’ Dale (Tic and Tac) packages I saw had a green envelope)

They are depicted in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle

DISNEYLAND PARIS

GOOFY AND PLUTO

“TERRIFIC TIME”

(blue envelope – all the Goofy and Pluto packages I saw had a blue envelope)

They are depicted in front of the Hollywood Hotel which is the building that houses ‘The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’ ride – which I like

DISNEYLAND PARIS

MICKEY AND MINNIE MOUSE

“HAPPY PLACE”

(red envelope – all the Mickey and Minnie packages I saw had a red envelope)

Like Chip ‘n’ Dale, alright, Tic and Tac, they are also depicted in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle. I like all four of these and I think 2 euro’s each is remarkably cheap for Disney prices (these would have cost a lot more in the US, maybe $5 if they were to start doing them)

REVERSE SIDE OF PACKAGES

DONALD AND DAISY DUCK

CHIP ‘N’ DALE (or, Tic and Tac if your French)

REVERSE SIDE OF PACKAGES

GOOFY AND PLUTO

MICKEY AND MINNIE MOUSE

07/04/2018

RMS TITANIC MONTH

April is the anniversary month for the RMS Titanic leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage

and, the month that the ship hit the iceberg and sunk.

To commemorate this tragic event, I intend to place at least one TITANIC postcard on the webpage each day up until the anniversary of the sinking on the 15^th.

DAY SEVEN

S.O.S. TITANIC

1979

Film Poster Postcard

Published by

LONDON POSTCARD COMPANY

Ref: LU 556 (Series 6 set of 9)

(BRITISH CLASICS)

There have been many good films made about the Titanic disaster, but this 1979 made for television feature film would, kindly, be best described as not being one of the best. This is even despite a very fine cast which included: Ed Bishop, David Janssen (he of the TV series ‘The Fugitive’ fame), Nick Brimble, Warren Clarke, Ian Holm, Karl Howman, Helen Mirren, Phil Davis, Rosemary Leach and Timothy Spall. Many of these have gone on to be considerable actors (Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall and Ian Holm are extremely well known and thought of). The film is not terrible, its just a bit disjointed, which is not a surprise when you realise there was a cast of 75, which was big in those times. Having said that, I do think this poster is a smashing one and I think this is the only time it has appeared on a postcard.

There is one other cast member I have not mentioned and this because he has the pleasure of being the only person to appear not only in this 1979 Titanic film but also had a part in the record breaking (and much better) 1997 James Cameron film titled ‘Titanic’ (which I am sure all of you have at least heard of…you will have heard its theme song…he says, smiling!) So, who was this actor? None other than the excellent David Warner. In the 1979 film he plays a real character, Lawrence Beesley, who survived the sinking of the Titanic. In the 1997 Cameron film he played a fictional character, a nasty one (who did not survive). Cameron’s film resulted in a plethora of postcards being issued, but the S.O.S. Titanic film appears to be represented by just this one (as far as I have found).

06/04/2018

BELCHAMPS SCOUT CAMP

BLACK AND WHITE SKETCH POSTCARDS

BY

“WOODY”

I have previously posted here about this scout campsite – one post about recent postcards available, and another about an older jamboree postcard – it is the local official scout campsite to where I live. I have camped here more times than I want to try and think about, and I have many fond memories of the place.

Now, many years ago, way back in the 1980’s I believe, the campsite issued a set of black and white sketch postcards which were drawn by an artist called ‘Woody’. At the time these were on sale I was only collecting wildlife related postcards. By the time I had moved on into other subjects the cards were no longer on sale. I have always wanted a set, but could not find any. Later that decade I married Jo and after awhile I discovered that my Father-in-Law did have a full set in his collection. Now, if I was not jealous enough about him having the cards I also found out that his set was all signed by the artist ‘Woody’ as well. They were also dedicated to my Father-in-Law Brain and my Mother-in-Law Christine. Brian obtained these because he used to volunteer as a worker at the campsite and was often on site doing catering at special events etc. I loved these cards, and after my Father-in-Law passed away last year his postcard collection was passed to me. Although I am sad at the reason the cards have come my way, I am delighted that this set has now joined my collection. For the family connection alone, I will be keeping these postcards.  

CAMP FIRE CIRCLE

BELCHAMPS SCOUT CAMP

By

“WOODY”

Signed and dedicated by the artist

Blue ink signature

I have attended any number of camp fires at this location. When I was camping here as a patrol leader I was asked by the site warden to build the central campfire for the weeks campfire event. So, I do have fond memories of this bit of the campsite (although I am not now a great lover of campfire events themselves)

PACK HOLIDAY

&

ACTIVITIES CENTRE

BELCHAMPS SCOUT CAMP

By

“WOODY”

Signed and dedicated by the artist

Blue ink signature

The building you can see here contains a climbing wall which has now, sadly been condemned and is no longer in use, but when I was younger this was where I learned to rock climb. I went on to become an instructor for this wall and took many groups through climbing sessions and even trained some of the other younger helpers when I got older.

THE PROVIDORE &

ASSEMBLY AREA

BELCHAMPS CAMP

By

“WOODY”

Signed and dedicated by the artist

Blue ink signature

The Providore is the camps shop

BELCHAMPS SCOUT CAMP

MAIN GATE

By

“WOODY”

Signed and dedicated by the artist

Blue ink signature

THE CHAPEL

BELCHAMPS

By

“WOODY”

Signed and dedicated by the artist

Blue ink signature

Sadly, some years ago now one of the camp wardens decided that this chapel was no longer fit for purpose and, despite it being a consecrated piece of land, had it pulled down and dismantled. This act caused outrage locally with the scout groups and many of the leading scout people in our area. This is still to this day a point of contention, although the warden in question has moved on. When I was younger I attended many services here, and I even helped run some small services here when my Venture Scout Unit camped over here. I really miss this chapel, but I am glad that it was a part of this campsite set recorded on postcard by Woody.

PHOTOGRAPH

My Father-in-Law Brian

At Belchamps Scout Campsite

During the 1956 Essex Jamboree

(Visit my posting of a related postcard – 18/09/2017)

Brian is the one in the middle bending over

He is sadly missed but fondly remembered

06/04/2018

GOLD MASK

OF

KING TUT ANKH AMUN

POST CARD

A.R.E. EGYPT

Published by

DAR EL KITAB EL GUEDID

(Galaa St, Cairo)

(Printed in Italy)

On the 01/04/2018 I posted an image of a Dufex art postcard which featured this gold mask, so, I thought I should also post an image of the cracking photographic image of the mask on a postcard I found in one of my Father-in-Laws postcard albums when going through his stuff last week on a visit out to the house in France which I have previously mentioned. My Father-in-Law had some smashing postcards in his little, although not that little, collection.

06/04/2018

NELSON COLUMN,

TRAFALGAR SQUARE,

LONDON

Published by

A. V. FRY & CO LTD, LONDON

Ref: F. 106

“This monument was erected in 1843 and the column is 170ft. high. The square is named after Lord Nelson’s great Naval victory”

(Text from reverse side of postcard)

This postcard was posted in 1961, so obviously the image dates from before August of that year. I found this one interesting because the area has changed so much since this photograph was taken. All the trees you can see which line the edge of the square have long since been removed (they attracted the pigeons that were once a tourist attraction here in their own right – you could feed them, which I remember doing as a child -the group of people you can see on the right side of the base of the column are feeding pigeons. This has long since been banned and there has been a dedicated process of trying to decrease their numbers and as a result the trees had to go).

Also, if you look at the buildings on the left side, behind the column, the big one in the front being the National Gallery, you can see a line of three buses across the front of them. This would not be possible now as this area has been pedestrianized, I know, as I walk here often on my way to the National Portrait Gallery which is located on the right side behind the National Gallery (pretty much behind the column here on this card).      

Close up of the line of buses outside the front of the National Gallery, on the north side of the Square.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

The 4d Wilding Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp (4d because this was posted to France) has been cancelled with a slogan cancellation reading:

EXPRESS GOOD WISHES

BY

GREETINGS TELEGRAMS

This cancel is for Chelsea, in London, and is dated 21^st August 1961. This is nicely used, and I think an attractive reverse.

06/04/2018

OPEN AIR SWIMMING POOL,

WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA

Published by

RAPHAEL TUCK & SONS, LTD

Ref: WF 7

Yesterday I posted a postcard image looking down at the outside of this open-air swimming pool. I then found this postcard which depicts a view of the pool itself, which could not be seen on yesterday’s card. Imagine this with a roof over it and the pool filled in and covered and a casino in its place – that’s what is here now.

06/04/2018

RMS TITANIC MONTH

April is the anniversary month for the RMS Titanic leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage

and, the month that the ship hit the iceberg and sunk.

To commemorate this tragic event, I intend to place at least one TITANIC postcard on the webpage each day up until the anniversary of the sinking on the 15^th.

DAY SIX

“TITANIC” INTERIORS

SECOND CLASS STATEROOM

Published by

RMS TITANIC INC

(RMS TITANIC, INC COLLECTOR’S SERIES)

TITANIC INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION,

FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY

RMS TITANIC INC are the company that have brought up items from the seabed which have been displayed in a travelling exhibition which has toured the world. They have produced exclusive postcards to sell at these exhibitions, many of which depict some of the items in the display, although this one is different as it depicts an early print of what the second-class staterooms looked like. I also have this same image on a postcard in black and white, although here it has been coloured.

This is another nice example of a Titanic postcard which does not just depict yet another image of the ship itself.

05/04/2018

THE SWIMMING POOL AND GARDENS

WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA

Published by

VALENTINE & SONS. LTD, DUNDEE AND LONDON

“CARBO COLOUR” POSTCARD

Ref: H.687

I love this view, which with one major exception, has not changed that much over time beyond the growth of the trees and bushes. The one major change is the closure of the open-air swimming pool that can be seen along the edge of the water, the River Thames (my seafront). This is now a covered building which is a seafront casino. This is a nice photograph looking down into the swimming pool although the pool itself, which was quite large, can not be seen, just the structure that enclosed it.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

Classic ‘Valentines & Sons. Ltd’ reverse layout

05/04/2018

SIMPLY MARKETS

By TUBE AND BUS

1998

Artist: ANDREW CROCKER

Published by

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Ref: LTM 627

One of the things I have always really liked about the on-going series of poster postcards issued by the London Transport Museum is that they have not restricted themselves to just the older poster designs in their collection. They have always included the more up to date Underground and London Bus posters, like this one from 1998. Although many collectors prefer the images of older, more historical posters I have always had a thing for the up to the minute modern designs, and I think that LTM are probably the only people really issuing these in any quantity. I hope, and expect them, to continue to do so.

05/04/2018

RMS TITANIC MONTH

April is the anniversary month for the RMS Titanic leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage

and, the month that the ship hit the iceberg and sunk.

To commemorate this tragic event, I intend to place at least one TITANIC postcard on the webpage each day up until the anniversary of the sinking on the 15^th.

DAY FIVE

TITANICK [SIC]

OPEN AIR THEATER

‘THEATER TITANICK’

MUNSTER/LEIPZIG

Open-Air-Theaterspektakel

Anonymous Printer – Published by the Open – Air Theatre Production

Surely this one must rate as one of the more unusual Titanic postcards in my collection. This one was sold as either advance promotion of this German Open-Air theatre production of ‘TITANICK’ (I love the spelling used here). This looks like it could have been a wonderful thing to see, an open-air play all about the ship and its sinking, certainly this photograph with all its flames and action makes this look an exciting thing to have seen.

04/04/2018

COLOUR ME WOODEN POSTCARDS

GORJUSS COLLECTION

Pack of 4 Wooden Postcards

(two different designs, two of each)

Published by

SANTORO – LONDON

Ref: GOR 356107

FULL SALES PACKAGE

From the front

Where can you buy four wooden postcards for just £2.50? In branches of a retail store called ‘The Range’. We have one here in Southend and I was in there today looking for some material I need for a display I need to mount up for my stamp club later this year. Whilst in this store I always check out the stationery area. It was here I found these delightful wooden cards. I accept that they are simple in design, but they are not cheap looking nor thrown together quickly. Knowing that other wooden postcards seem to cost between £3 and £5 each, these are a real bargain.

This is another good example of keeping your eyes open and looking everywhere, in every shop, museum, stall and event for new postcards. You never know what you are going to find or where you are going to find them, but the important thing is to keep looking.  

CLOSE UP OF FRONT STICKER

This shows the two designs which appear in the package, two of each are included.

REVERSE SIDE OF FULL SALES PACKAGE

With the reverse side of one of the wooden postcards.

I really like the fact that work has also been done to make the reverse side of these postcards attractive as well. This quality and added attention again highlights what a bargain these were (are, if you can find a branch to pick up a pack).

04/04/2018

RAY WILKINS….. RIP

Raymond Colin Wilkins

14^th September 1956 – 4^th April 2018

English Football player, coach and Manager. Played for many teams including Chelsea (1973 – 1979) and Manchester United (1979 – 1984). Played for the England team between 1976 and 1986. Assisted with the management of the England under 21 team from 2004 to 2007.

FOOTBALL COMES HOME

UEFA EURO 96

ENGLAND

“IN JUNE 1996 FOOTBALL COMES BACK TO ITS ROOTS AS ENGLAND HOSTS EURO 96”

Photograph by

RAY GREEN

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LTD (Official postcard)

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

PHOTOGRAPH

RAY WILKINS

04/04/2018

RMS TITANIC MONTH

April is the anniversary month for the RMS Titanic leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage

and, the month that the ship hit the iceberg and sunk.

To commemorate this tragic event, I intend to place at least one TITANIC postcard on the webpage each day up until the anniversary of the sinking on the 15^th.

DAY FOUR

MOLLY BROWN

(Margaret Tobin Brown – circa 1908)

‘THE MOLLY BROWN HOUSE’

1340 Pennsylvania Street

Denver, Colorado

Printed by

Jeff Black Photographics, Denver

For

THE MOLLY BROWN HOUSE

Ref: P76680

“A heroine of the Titanic disaster, the Unsinkable Molly Brown was born in Hannibal, Mo., 1867”

(Text from reverse side of Postcard)

Molly Brown is perhaps one of the best known, if not ‘The’ best known survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. Her life story is a fascinating one, and one which was turned into a feature film starring Debbie Reynold as Mrs Brown, and this film includes the sinking of the Titanic and her rescue by lifeboat. After surviving the Titanic disaster Molly was forever known as the ‘Unsinkable Molly Brown’.

Well, I did promise you some unusual Titanic related postcards, and I ‘definitely’ feel that this one fits that criteria.