Those were the Postcard days my friends...

[Karmann Ghiaman]

Let's have the traditional start in London in 1976 when you could send this card for Eight and a half Pee:

 

 

Some evidence of the Port of London still there, though the two yellow cranes are for building (demolition?) rather than unloading cargo. He seems to have waited till a double decker was on the mad gothic bridge, nice touch. It describes a rather fraught weekend on the B-side:

 

X and I spent the w/end away. We left Phil in charge at home! We spent 3 hrs with Frank on Wednesday & another 4 hrs with him today. It's a lovely place & I took him out in his wheelchair & he sat in the sunshine. He is very much better, the wound has healed. He has a new type of frame & he walks quite well with it to the toilet & bathroom. X & I stayed at a comfortable hotel in Hendon Way

 

Then it just ends without signing off, as if she had to suddenly drop everything and rush off to deal with some new sudden emergency. Anyone with elderly relatives can surely empathise...

 

Should've been more fun with the kids on South Beach, Heacham in July '68:

 

 

Copacobana it ain't. And things get worse...

 

Dear Joan

 

I dont know what the weathers like at home but its horrible here nothing but rain so far. By the way we left Jim at home in case you are interested.

 

It is not clear whether 'Jim' was a cat/canary/tortoise/bedridden (dead?) relative, or her fancy man. You'll just have to make up your own scenario there.

 

A slightly more successful holiday at Burnham-on-Sea twelve years later, September 1980:

 

 

Enjoying myself in the furious gusts of wind and rain. Just bursting with fresh air. However, one can still have a donkey ride at Weston. Trust you are both well an [sic] happy and enjoying life. Affectionately, John./

 

Thank God for the donkeys. Interesting shite on beach there, including topless Land Rover and Camper van, plus lots of trailers to bring boats down. Ice Cream van centre right.

 

What a relief to learn that the British weather has always been horrible and you're only imagining those lost golden summer days of childhood. Nineteen years ago we could have escaped with Ray & Betty in this:

 

 

Had a very good Ferry crossing. Had 2 days in France now back in Spain. The pyrenees are wonderful, they are covered in Snow. We may go down to the South of Spain Barcelona We take each day as it comes. Very hot, the Allmond Blossom is beautiful Regards to one and all

 

That was 55 Pesetas to post. Back in the '60s you could send this card from Menorca for just 5, but with the quizzical face of Fascist dictator General Franco staring out of the stamp at your friends back in Burgess Hill:

 

 

Babs with her beehive there and we see the swarthy Beach Romeo, Diego, eyeing her up. This must be about as erotic as Franco, his thugs & the Catholic Church would ever have allowed. The traditional message too:

 

Having a lovely time Hotel & Food and Weather very good. Hope you are all Well. Peg Pat Kit

 

More well-tanned, sex-starved Latins on the beach at Riccione in Italy:

 

 

Having a nice time. Weather very hot but with a nice breeze. Arrived here Sun. Done 1018 miles altogether. Barry & Caroline are enjoying the swimming pool & the sea. See you in September Love Mr & Mrs Smith Barry & Caroline

 

Nice indeed. Wonder what car they had?

 

Back to Blighty to keep up the beach theme with this beauty from

 

 

Superb text, though sadly it was never sent:

 

Weather hot sea cold at first but loved it, Mum got her trousers wet because Allan wouldn't wait for her to put swimsuit on, Went to lego show and saw fireworks on pier, they were lovely Allan didn't like the bangs. Joanna Allan, Gemma and Mum

 

A beautifully shabby '70s pier at

 

 

Name of the guilty town has been slightly crudely inserted there by the photographer from Norwich. Joyland seems particularly depressing with its cardboard Ark in a papier mache storm... Anybody traumatised by that as a child? Nice Walls Ice Cream sign - do you remember those wafers that really did taste worse than cardboard? And another classic (August 1982) missive:

 

Dear Nan, Dave & Daph having a good time The hotel is nice and the food is very good.

 

The weather isn't to bad, quite windy though

 

We are going to see Russ Abbott so that should be good.

 

Love Lorraine

 

That sharp, pebbly disappointing 'beach' at Brighton, painted yellow and pretending to be sand:

 

 

Rather dutiful message: To Nellie

 

The journey was fine and the Hotal is lovely. Visiting Eastbourne tomorrow Weather has been good so far

 

Ring you when get back

 

from Sybil

 

OK, Darling, looking forward to that, have a great time in 'Eastbourne'.

 

Still in Brighton, 1973:

 

 

This is like the Portobello Road in that there London, spoilt by its own success and now a fucking ripoff wherever you look! But it might've still been quaint & charming in those days. Lovely weighing machine waiting for your pennies there, my lad!

 

Dear Joan & Ken,

 

The weather isn't so good as last year but we are enjoying ourselves, been to the International Exhibition & Trade Fair twice so far, so it must be good. The flat we have is nice & spacious with all mod cons & clean. see you. Ivy, George & Tony.

 

Three and a half Pee to post. Five years of hyperinflation later a massive 9p was required to send this from Ilfracombe:

 

 

Monday

 

This is the 2nd postcard I have written The 1st one blew away as I was posting it. Perhaps the wind will blow it to [where they lived]. It is very bright & sunny - but what a strong wind. We have just walked about 1 1/2 miles all uphill to a little village called Mortehoe.

 

Hotel & food excellent. See you soon

 

love John, Jenny, Jonathan xx.

 

It just can't be done with text messages, can it?

[Guest]

Thanks for sharing these. Amusing that as you say we've always had crap weather

[Mr Lobster]

Excellent, enjoyed very much.

 

I quite miss sending and receiving postcards, there was a certain charm about getting a little piece of someones holiday through the post telling you all they had done. Usually about a week after they got home.

[retrogeezer]

Top stuff, thanks for sharing.

[Angrydicky]

Superb thread. Thanks for taking the time to scan these, love old postcards

[Doctormop]

Really enjoyed reading these, slightly worrying thing is I work with a chap, almost 60 years old, his wife bought him a mobile phone last Christmas but he can't use it who sends a postcard to us "chaps at work" every time he goes away for a weeks camping in Cromer or 3 nights for £57 in a Travelodge on an industrial estate in Sunderland expressing the same sentiments as Ray and Betty, were, times change but not everybody changes with them.

[Karmann Ghiaman]

These market stall-bought cards do have the advantage of anonymity. As previous inheritors have obviously chucked them out, it seems fair enough to share the pleasure of giving them an airing a few decades after they were originally sent. I have changed one or two names, but all the messages are genuine.

 

Glad so many people enjoy them - here are a few more:

 

 

Dear Rick & Helen,

 

Having quite a nice time. It's very warm here, too warm for me We've been to see lots of places, Garden centres etc, the flowers were lovely See you soon take care both of you Love Mum xxxxxxxxx

 

17p to send in '86. Did the burghers of Paignton ever come to regret those ugly brick flats and shops that dominate the left hand side of their harbour?

 

From NW Cornwall in 1980:

 

 

That wooden hut will be long gone after a few winters on the sand. Dear Mum & Dad having a nice rest. Weather is not to bad! not spent much money yet! Going to the beach To day. Les, Mike, Lorraine & Kerry

(They can probably spend a few New Pee on Walls icecreams in the hut.)

 

Further up the coast:

 

 

Never sent, but there is some magnificent shite to be seen parked in front of the place. Must've been taken in the early '60s.

 

More good stuff parked below Corfe Castle:

 

 

VW entymologists will get their Beetle (more common abroad) out of that one.

 

We have been here before:

 

 

Don't know about you, but I think those sort of flowerbeds are fairly revolting in reality, let alone badly coloured-in on old postcards. But of course the Esplanade always has some fine motorised shite included. Bonus 1978 message:

 

Just had a lovely meal of fish & chips & are in Congress Theatre seeing Val Doonican show very good. P. office outing & I brought Robby, Kath & Gladys Crichton. Frank has been v. poorly but better to day - Dorothy & Kaths husband looking after him. Love Cecilia

 

There's a Sky Arts2 playscript in that! Do you feel a bit sorry for Val Doonican?

 

Another fine trip to

 

 

a couple of years earlier: Dear Mum & Dad Saw Sussex play at Eastbourne on Monday and Tuesday, great match. Went to the cinema on Tuesday night, saw the four musketeers. went to Eastbourne on Wednesday listened to the Royal Artillery band most of the afternoon at the bandstand on the seafront, went to Hove on thursday to watch Sussex play.

 

This was sent home to Hampshire, so he came from a pretty good cricketing county himself, but certainly got the most out of Sussex that (hot hot) summer.

 

This seems to be 1974, only cost 3 and a half Pee to send from

 

 

Vera & Dan were more keen on indoor entertainment:

 

Glad to say weather now very good after very wet day early Sunday - Hotel very good in every way - Been to two shows - going to Paignton to see Mike Yarwood on Thursday - and Lulu at the Winter Gardens tonight - As usual here it seems to be nearly all northerners who come here each time -

 

Don't know where they came from, but since it too was sent to Hampshire that may be intended as a disparaging remark about their fellow holidaymakers...

 

This was sent for 3d in 1967 when the Queen still looked like Audrey Hepburn on her purple Postage Revenue stamp:

 

 

Also in Hampshire, it really is called Buckler's Hard, surely the butt of endless sniggering and perfect holiday destination for Finbarr Saunders?

 

Superb message from young Robin and you can easily work out the backstory:

 

Dear Mum Dad & others

 

Thanks for money. Isn't the weather lovely! If the Dook of Edinburg should see us now he'd give us the V.C. We [4 of us] are soaked through but still plodding home to camp which is 10 miles away. Living on iron rations but enjoying ourselves Hope you are having a good time.

 

They were on holiday since it's addressed to Railway Camping Coach, c/o Stationmaster, Wool Railway Station, Wool, Dorset No stupid postcodes in those faroff days.

 

Another sinister spot:

 

 

You can feel the biting cold. Sent by Robin again, four years later. He's finished his D of E and now, it seems, an Army cadet:

 

Hope you are having a good time. We had a 4 1/2 mile church parade yesterday in boiling hot sun. I got pushed into the swimming pool today with all my clothes on so one boy is on extra orderley duties now. See you on Saturday

 

Splendours and miseries of the military life. Hope it was the pusher, rather than his victim, who got punished, though that remains ambiguous.

 

Useful map of

 

 

And they've been all over them (the Cotswolds, I mean):

 

Weather is very good weve walked 15 miles yesterday and will have done 12/13 by tonight. Phil has washed his feet. Had bath in spring last night. Eating well, some of the places are very nice and we have spent most of today looking round the [illegible] Slaughters & Stow. Vive la France.

 

Is the last sentiment something to do with rugby in 1968? It was posted from Cheltenham.

 

And here's one of the aforementioned villages, Lower Slaughter:

 

 

Sent from Cirencester in '69. Anybody know any of these places? Got comparison shots? Having grown up in Oxford I've visited almost every town, city & village on the Cotswolds map (and Birdland).

[Karmann Ghiaman]

STOP PRESS: Not a Beetle at Corfe, is it? Now that it's posted, looks more like a Jag.

[Andrew353w]

I just LOVE this thread! Those old postcards bring back a bygone age. You can almost smell the Players No.6 being smoked by men with short back and sides, while drinking Watneys Red Barrel or Double Diamond!

 

The stories on the cards are equally fascinating and it would be great if someone recognises the details of their friends or relatives (SLIM chance!)

 

By the way, Bucklers Hard features in a "Minder" episode many years ago-famous quote from "Arfur" was: "The VAT man in a boat-whatever next?"

[Karmann Ghiaman]

Fizzy 'beer' of the time that stuck in my (then) little head was Brew XI: for the men of the Midlands. There was also the irritating jingleDouble Diamond works wonders . People must've had better taste than you'd think since such beverages died the death, though being replaced in popularity by the likes of Fosters and Budweiser doesn't look like much progress.

 

 

The church. The bridge. The parking arrangements.

 

An earlier era, a bit further north:

 

 

Many beauties lined up outside. Note the surreal-ly huge saddle. (Useful if a surreal-ly huge horse ever came along.)

 

Also in York:

 

 

Some old friends to catch up on in 1980: Thanks very much for helping Phil with Frank. Hope you managed to get some relaxation & he didn't call you too often. Rob & I have had super weather - enjoying York & walking our feet off! Enjoyed the Railway Museum today. Very comfortable hotel. Love Aunty Cecilia

 

Managed to get away from the ghastly old responsibility for a few days then.

 

A little further north again, Richmond:

 

 

Excellent shitepark and busses (never sent).

 

Here's one for you caravanners:

 

 

Interesting early sighting of Camilla Parker-Bowles gone skiing in the woods, too.

 

Down on Shanklin, Isle of Wight:

 

 

Good use of weighing machine (again - where are they now?) and litter bin.

 

Better go to work now. More this evening when Corrie & Eastenders drive me out of the living room...

[face]

Thanks for that five minutes of computer-escapism.

 

More please.

[Karmann Ghiaman]

Still on the I.O.M.:

 

 

Bradda Head, Port Erin - never sent. Some fine crud both on, and off, the water.

 

Another beach, apparently frequented by the Liver Birds and a young Kirk Douglas:

 

 

It is Vazon Bay, Guernsey. 3d to send in August '66. Having a lovely time, weather is good Sunny but a bit windy lovely place and plenty of beaches to go to Christine & Tim are enjoying themselves. Can you get 1/2lb tea. P.G. please. Best wishes Nancy

 

We go up to Scotland and this was sent in 1980 with a Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 80th Birthday 12p stamp:

 

 

Nice card, and they have made use of the hardware illustrated:

 

Having an excellent time in Edinburgh. I crossed the old bridge on Wednesday on my way to St Andrews. Yesterday Alan took the day off and we crossed the new bridge on our way to Perthshire. We visited some glens & lochs & they were superb. Today I'm in the Museum & will visit the Botanical Gardens later. Tomorrow we're off west to Loch Lomond & Glencoe

 

I suspect that Alan was a Scottish friend they were staying with, since it looks like a proper, well-planned holiday itinerary. Why do I care? Haven't a clue who any of them were.

 

Here's a dour Scots card:

 

 

Having a nice time viewing the Historical Pieces of Edinburgh Weather is getting Better. Beer is quite appetising Whisky is grand Hope you are all well cheers/ Uncle Bill./

 

You'd think he'd have sent a jollier card, but still.

 

Water-damaged:

 

 

Was it the Welsh rain? I will give you the bits that can be deciphered:

 

Dear... this card shows some of...which the...is endowed. Port Enyon Bay is... told last night's beach... off very ... I cooked about ... of my bed at about 4 a.m. ... morning. today it's been rain... but it cleared up a bit to ... umpire a cricket ... this afternoon. Tonight I'm going to catch up on my sleep. Could you... over my... now hid ...'s trip on? ...

[gtd2000]

Great thread - I've nicked the "Commy Pool" and "Forth Bridges"

[Karmann Ghiaman]

You're welcome to them! Has anybody ever seen the Fifth Bridge?

 

Final stretch Abroad. Not very far in the case of this first one:

 

 

Dear Mum & Dad, we had a reasonable crossing last night on a very good ship arriving Cork at 0730 hrs. However we didn't find anywhere open for breakfast until 10 a.m. ! The slow pace of life is already taking its toll! We've walked about 2 miles along the Marina this afternoon & in a minute are off to our guesthouse weather very warm with sunny intervals - no rain.

 

Only date is FRIDAY afternoon, but it was just 2 1/2 something to post, maybe early '80s? It is our man again, the D of E Awarder who joined the cadets where he obviously picked up '0730 hrs'. Seems a shame that the cards were chucked out, as surely they would've brought back thousands of memories to him and his brother? (Yes, I know; maybe it was him that chucked them).

 

This one has a brilliant message from an illegible signature French exchange:

 

 

Dear Miss and Mister Granville and them children. I am very happy of holidays which I have stay in England. The journey is very good stay in Paris, my parents did stand us at the station. My parents thank you for the presents - I thing to retarn the last year. Have you a fine weather? Here we have a little fine weather - we send you our best wishes. Yours sincerely Scrawl

 

All these cards confirm that we rarely have a fine weather here in GB.

 

Brit on holiday, 1992:

 

 

Having a lovely time here, weather is very, very hot. we had a good flight over. The apartment is super, and we are finding plenty to do. Hope all is well with you.

 

She has sensibly taken stickers with her friends' addresses ready written-in to put on postcards. One nice thing about sending them is that it's an excuse to go to the local post office, often an interesting adventure in itself. Mobile phones isolate their owners in their own tiny little world... Try telling that to those young people. Oh yes!

 

Back in Italy, Diano Marina:

 

 

This has got one of those weird franks that says -9. 7. 71.13 which I guess is July 1971?

 

Making the most of the glorious weather. Very hot need lots of long cool drinks & ice cream. Wonderfull food, we are stopping in Paris for 2 days on the way home. All the Best Jack/.

 

Another holiday in Italy:

 

 

From 1973. Having a lovely time - weather very hot & Hotel Good. Went on the lake today. Hope you are well.

 

She knew that the house name in Finchdean Road was called 'Buena Vista', but not the number. Postman has rather crossly scrawled '43' on the card. Clearly it got there.

 

Austrians are always good for droll costumes:

 

 

Having a most interesting & enjoyable holiday. The scenery is absolutely wonderful. We came through belgium & Germany - have six days here in Austria & then home through Switzerland Very jolly crowd in the party & have some good times together Do hope you are getting along alright & feeling better.

 

Not sure me & Mrs KGM would enjoy being stuck with a very jolly crowd that you're obliged to have good times with, but still.

 

Old Algiers:

 

 

Never sent, but definitely French colonial and you can practically hear the bombs going off in the Casbah.

 

And finally Caecescu's Romania (Sibiu) with some fine East European shite in sight:

 

 

Trust you enjoyed the lush living at Rudgwick & drinks with the doctor! Have got a pretty Rumanian doll for Sally. We are here after 2 days in Bucharest which we thoroughly enjoyed & this is a very pleasant city - modern centre but also a very old part. Lovely weather & though some things are strange were enjoying it all Ron & Margaret

 

The first sentence is obviusly some sort of secret code which these MI5 agents are sending to their Controller back in Hampshire.