A post card from EP

Could this be a post card from Elizabeth Povey to her aunt? The post mark appears to be Reading so it is a possibility. A week by the sea in July sounds delightful.

July 4th 1907 was a Thursday. From the Commercial Motor archive.

Many Happy Returns Dad

Birthday greetings for John Goodridge from his daughter and son-in-law Edith and Percy King. In December 1905 John Goodridge senior celebrated his 57th birthday.

11th December was a Monday. There was an explosion at the North Walbottle Colliery on that day.

An image of West Coast Scotland

Edie says 'I will send your slippers home with Dad on Monday.'

This would indicate that John had been to stay with his sister for the weekend as 10th January 1904 was a Sunday. Their Dad was John Goodridge and he had a farm in Lewes.

Thank you from Henry Mould

I wonder which newspaper Mrs Povey was sending to Henry Mould. There may be no evidence about the particular title this website provides a history of the newspapers published in Brighton.

8th February 1904 was a Monday.

Post card to Miss L Povey

This is another of the three cards sent to Miss Elizabeth Povey to an address in Chieveley, Nr. Newbury, Berkshire. All though the time on the postmarks are incomplete it would appear that the three cards were posted at the same time on 15th September 1904.

Miss Elizabeth Povey was the daughter of Joseph and Ellen Povey. She was born in1860 in Shinfield a village just south of Reading in Berkshire. Joseph Povey was one of John P. Goodridge's Great Uncles.

By 1911 she had move to 51, George Street in Brighton to live with her widow Uncle, Matthew Povey. She did not marry and died in 1940 aged 80.

Dear Bessie from Wimbledon

This is the second post card in the collection dated 15th September 1904 sent to Miss Povey in Chieveley. The initials of the sender, possibly L. C. are no help in pursuing the connection. This card does however reveal that the Miss Povey first name was Elizabeth so I will be able to find details of her life. More to follow.

September 15th was a Thursday.

Evidence of Post Card Collecting

A card published by The Collectors' Company says much for the enthusiasm that people were collecting post cards. The sender of this card to Miss Povey of Chieveley in Berkshire says

"I thought that you might like to see some of our Wimbledon Postcard. If you have any of Chieveley I should very much like them."

Jane Povey's husband, Matthew was born in Chieveley. He had 6 brothers so the recipient of this post card was a no doubt related to John Povey Goodridge. The 1901 census record for Chieveley suggests that there were no Povey's resident in the village at that time.

September 15th was a Thursday.

Stowe House, Buckingham

A post card to Charlie Dumbrell from by the possible signature looks like Beit(?). 14th July was a Thursday so the card would have been delivered on Friday morning so probably no time for a reply.

High Street, Welwyn

This card was sent by Edith King in 1904 its is a photograph of Welwyn High Street looking North towards the church of St Mary the Virgin. This view on Google Streetview is from 2016 cars, buses and lorries have replaced horses. The photo reveals plenty of evidence of horses that have passed along the road.

August 6th 1904 was a Saturday. The Spectator reported on the war that was being fought by Russia and Japan.

The lych gate at East Barnet

A post card with a simple message from Henry Mould to Mrs Povey.

The image is of the Lych Gate at St Mary The Virgin Church and an internet search reveal a colourized version of the same photograph.

January 13th 1904 was a Wednesday.

Hampton Court Palace with no message

There is no message on this card and its not signed. While I am sure that John would have recognised the hand writing I have not yet discovered who the sender was. May be there are other cards sent by this person elsewhere in the collection.


24th May 1904 was a Tuesday.

New Street Station in Birmingham

Passing through New Street Railway Station in Birmingham recently reveals no evidence of the Victorian transport palace that this post card illustrates. Saying that the current station is a terminus to speed the traveller on their way. The history of the station can be found here.

Mrs Goodridge's husband, John was born in Horsham so Mary is no doubt a relative. One to add to the list to investigate.

11th February 1907 was a Monday.

Hadley Wood in winter

Christmas greetings from S Baldwin to Jane Povey. After researching the sender of the previous post card of Hadley Woods S Baldwin is probably a descendent of Mould family.

22nd December 1905 was a Friday. Two events that helped shape the 20th century occurred on that day. In St Petersburg the arrest of Soviet members led to an uprising of Moscow workers and fighting in the street.

The Emperor of Japan and The Emperor of China signed a treaty relating to Manchuria.

Hadley Woods

Another post card from Henry thanking Mrs Povey for a newspaper that she had sent. But who was Henry? A dig into the family history of my 3rd great grand father, Thomas Cooper seems to reveal the answer. Thomas married Mary Mould nee Dawes in 1850, Mary's second husband, her first husband was Matthew Mould. As Jane does not appear on the 1841 census among the Matthew and Mary Mould. Could her father, Thomas Cooper have married twice with both spouses named Mary? If this is the case then it would appear that Henry Mould was Jane Povey's half brother.

6th October 1904 was a Thursday. A rail accident happened at Tonteg Junction on the Barry Railway. The Board of Trade investigation report can be found here.

Christmas greeting from Edie and Percy

In Dickins Land - Gateway, Lincoln's Inn

This post card reminds me of a conversation that I had with an elderly gentleman in December 1990. He had just bought postage stamps for his Christmas cards and was bemoaning the cost. He told me that he his first job had been as an office runner and recalled being sent to buy £1 worth of half penny stamps for his employers cards. In 1913 £1 bought 480 stamps!

Mrs Povey, Jane was Edie's aunt.

22nd December 1903 was a Tuesday.

A post card from Kildare

A card from Kildare in Ireland. The Y.L.C. (your loving cousin) would suggest this was sent by Charley Tidy, a first cousin from Horsham who would have been 18 in 1903.

11th October was a Sunday.

Postcard from Laura

Another Horsham connection, not sure if Laura and Harry are friends or family.

7th August 1904 was a Sunday.

A message from a cousin

This card is from Lily Tidy, one of John's cousins. The Charley she mentions is her brother.

8th March 1904 was a Tuesday.

Another post card of Hadley Church

A post card to Mrs Povey with a brief message written on the front of the card. I can't work out who sent the message.

This card has a two postmarks. the place, time and date stamp and E33. The E33 is the duplex mark for New Barnet. Some of the cards in my granddad's collection have these marks.

2nd May 1904 was a Monday. The Law Lords ruled in the case Colls v Home and Colonial Stores Ltd. They found in favour of the plaintiff in a case about the right to light.

Many thanks for paper.

The church in the photograph is in Monken Hadley, Barnet. Without the post mark it is not possible to know if the sender of this card lived in that area.

1st February 1904 was a Monday.

Post card from Ada

A got home safe message sent from Huntingdonshire. Jane Povey was born in Chatteris so the image may have reminded her of her childhood.

7th June 1906 was a Thursday.

1906 International Lawn Tennis Challenge now know as the Davis Cup started on this day.

Post card from E.W.

A post card to Mrs Povey from someone who had been to stay.

24th July 1905 was a Monday.

A postcard to Mrs Povey postmarked New Barnet

The handwriting of the sender has the look of an elderly person. As it has a Newbury postmark it was probable from a member of the Povey family who lived in the village of Chieveley in Berkshire.

July 18th 1904 was a Monday.

Postcard of Southover

Southover is found on the southern side of Lewes and this image is typical of Francis Frith.

6th October 1903 was a Tuesday.