This postcard features a delightful scene titled "Marooned at Five Acre" by Rowland Emett. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary countryside illustration, but the longer you look, the more charming details begin to emerge. Emett's work is full of gentle humour and imaginative touches that invite you to linger over every corner of the picture. I was curious about the artist, so I did a little reading. Rowland Emett (1906–1990) was an English cartoonist and the creator of whimsical kinetic sculptures. His fantastical machines, often built from gears, wheels, and unlikely contraptions, seemed to celebrate ingenuity for its own sake rather than practicality. They became so popular that he was commissioned to create moving sculptures for exhibitions and public spaces, and some of his wonderfully eccentric creations can still be seen today. Knowing a little about Emett makes this postcard even more enjoyable. The illustration captures the same playful spirit that made his ...

Westminster Abbey, formerly known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is one of London’s most iconic landmarks—and one that somehow feels even more impressive when you see it on a postcard. The site has been a place of worship for over a thousand years. Around 959, Benedictine monks established an abbey here, and its first large church was built in the 1040s under Edward the Confessor , who was later buried inside. The building we recognize today began taking shape in 1245, when Henry III ordered a grand new church. As I look at the image on the card, it’s hard not to imagine how many moments of history these walls have witnessed. The monastery itself was dissolved in 1540 under Henry VIII , and later re-established as a royal peculiar—answering directly to the monarch—by Elizabeth I . Inside, the Abbey is as much a resting place as it is a church. Sixteen monarchs are buried here, including Elizabeth I and her rival Mary, Queen of Scots . George II was the la...

This card shows scenes from the Cotswold District , a region in south-west England known for its rolling hills and honey-coloured stone villages. The sender is from Avening , a small village of about 1,100 people tucked into this historic landscape. They mention their local church, the Church of the Holy Cross, Avening , which dates back nearly 1,000 years. Built in the late 11th century, it is a Grade I listed building, marking it as one of exceptional historic interest. The church is traditionally said to have been commissioned by Matilda of Flanders , the wife of William the Conqueror, linking it to the period just after the Norman Conquest of England. Like many ancient buildings, the church grew over time. The tower, part of the chancel, the north aisle, and the north doorway were added in the 12th century. The transepts followed in the late 13th century, and the top storey of the tower was added in the 14th century, creating a structure that reflects centuries of change and crafts...

This card comes from an Italian ex-pat living in London. She's very active and is training to run a 10 k.  This beautiful card shows one of London's iconic symbols, Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge was constructed between 1886-1894 and spans the River Thames. It is 290 metres long and 65 metres high. The bridge was officially opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales (the future Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark). Because the Thames is a busy commercial river, the bridge had to allow large ships to pass beneath it. The raising mechanism when the bridge first opened was powered by pressurized water stored in six hydraulic accumulators, with two pairs of engines on each pier. The original operating system was largely replaced in 1974 by new electro-hydraulic drive system. Oil is used in place of water as the new hydraulic fluid.  During the first year of Tower Bridge, the bridge was raised 6160 times, or about 17 times a day. River traffic is much reduced these days and t...

When I first received this card in the post I became very excited because it is a photo from Antarctica. There are seven Postcrossers in Antarctica and I thought I received a card from one of them! Alas it was from just outside of London. The photo is of Damoy Hut on Dorian Bay in Antarctica. The card reads: Damoy Hut in Dorian Bay, along with the glacial 'skyway' on Damoy Point, together made up the "Damoy Point Transit Facility,' which operated between 19756 and 1993. The facility served as a staging post between the sea and station for BAS employees making their way south. It is designated Historic Site and Monument No. 84 under the Antarctic Treaty. The sender writes about something unrelated to Damoy Hut on the back of the card. He says, Something about Greenford. In 1856, William Perkin made the first synthetic purple dye, mauveine, and in was in Greenford that he set up a factory to produce the dye. The factory was about 2 km from out house. There is now a schoo...

Huddersfield is located in West Yorkshire and is home to 142 000 people. Human settlements have been in the area since the Iron Age. The remains of a Roman fort was found here in the mid 18th century. The earliest mention of Huddersfield in documents is 1086 in the Domesday Book. It's been a market town since Anglo-Saxon times.  The card is a reproduction of an old advertisement for F. H. Ayres', which manufactured sports and games. A cricket match is shown on the front. The Huddersfield Cricket League was founded in 1891. It represents teams from the suburbs of Huddersfield and villages in the Huddersfield district area. There are 41 teams in the league.

A great card from Malta from an Italian, living in Germany. The card showcases the traditional Maltese buses. The first Maltese buses came from England in 1905. Buses on Malta were privately owned and there wasn't a lot of regulations in regards to upkeep and maintenance of the buses. This changed in 1931 when regulations required bus operators to upgrade the appearances of their buses. This pride in their appearance was maintained with buses getting frequent paint jobs and becoming very colourful. Today bus service is centralized and Maltese buses are only used for special heritage services. 

Tilbury is a town found on the north banks of the River Thames and is a part of the Port of London. This deep-water port is located about 40 km east of central London. There are 12 500 people who live here.  The cover shows a picture of the Southend Pier, which is a major landmark in Southend-on-Sea. It extends 2.14 km into the Thames Estuary and is the longest pleasure pier in the world.  The first pier was made of wood and finished in 1848. The iron version of the pier was completed in 1898. During World War II, the Royal Navy took over the pier and became the Naval Control Centre for the Thames Estuary.  Today the pier carries pedestrians, shuttle trains, lifeboat crews and supplies. 

Connah's Quay is on the River Dee and next to the border with England. The city of 16 771 was once called Wepre, dating back to the Domesday Book of 1086.  The card is a painting entitled Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset . The very famous steep cobbled hill, that leads from the Town Hill to St. James. The street in lined on one side by a massive stone retaining wall. The opposite side features cottages and small houses from the 18th century. 

One of my grandmother's parents, Victor and Lily Burt, came from Gosport in the early 1900s. They traveled on ship to the east coast of Canada and then went by train to Vancouver. A family story - and this has not been verified - is that they had originally book passage on the Titanic but had to cancel. They did leave England for Canada a month after the Titanic sailed, but, again, we can't verify the story.  This card comes from Jane Austen's House Museum located near Gosport in Chawton. It was the house that Jane Austen spent her last eight years of her life. During this time she wrote, revised, and made ready to be published all six of her novels, and the fragment Sanditon. The museum is a Grade I listed building in England. That means it has significant historical interest.  When Austen arrived at the house, she had drafts of Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Northanger Abbey. She revised and edited the novels here. Austen wrote and revised Mansfield Park,...

The sender is a Spanish national living in England. She didn't have a lawn bowls card, so she send a cricket card and says, "most puzzling sport ever!"  I'll agree, but its also fascinating to watch.  Reading is a city of 175 000 people located 65 km west of London. It is a major commercial centre, mainly in technology and insurance. It dates back to 871. It doesn't seem to have a professional cricket club, but does have teams in the Men's and Women's England Hockey Leagues! Whoops...not ice hockey, field hockey. The Reading Hockey Club has 950 members. The men's side is one of the most successful club in the United Kingdom. They have been champions of England six times, and the women twice. 

This is a great card. I can't tell if it is an illustration or a photograph. It is a picture of a canal lock.  London is home to the  London Canal Museum . It is located in the King's Cross area of London. Th museum is devoted to the history of London's canals and opened in 1992.  The museum's main exhibitions include: History of the London canals, the Regents Canal in particular; Water and Locks - canal engineering; Boats and Cargoes Methods of traction by horses, internal combustion engines, and miniature tractors; Carlo Gatti and the ice trade; Social history of canal workers; lifting and handling; and the decorative arts of the canals known as "roses and castles." There is also a guided trip for 50 minutes through the Islington Tunnel, Little Venice, and Victoria Park.  I would love to spend a few weeks travelling the canals around England and I know my dad would join me. 

I'm catching up to my backlog. This one was sent in November 2023. The sender is from Portland, Oregon, and her card is an inspirational one.  Portland was named after Portland, Maine, which was named after the Isle of Portland. The Isle of Portland is 5 km south of Weymouth, England. The island is only 6 km by 2.7 km and has a population of 13 500 people. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a part of the Jurassic Coast. Portland Stone, a limestone, has been used in British and world architecture. St. Paul's Cathedral and the United Nations Headquarters used Portland Stone.  Portland Harbour is one of the largest man-man harbours in the world. Stone breakwaters were put into place between 1848 to 1905. A Royal Navy base was established. Royal Navy and NATO ships exercised here until 1995.

Canterbury's football team, Canterbury City FC, is a symbol of local pride and sporting passion. Established in 1947, the club has a rich history in the regional leagues, providing a platform for local talent to shine. The team's home ground, Salters Lane, is a hub of community activity, where fans gather to cheer on their players with unwavering enthusiasm. Canterbury City FC is known for its commitment to developing young talent and fostering a strong sense of community spirit. The team's colours, green and white, are proudly worn by supporters on match days, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Whether competing in league matches or cup tournaments, Canterbury City FC continues to strive for excellence, embodying the resilience and determination of the city it represents.

A movie postcard of the movie, San Francisco , starring Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald, and Spencer Tracy. The sender is from Shelley, in West Yorkshire, England.  Shelley has a population of almost 3100 people. According to Wikipedia, Shelley has three public houses - The Rising Sun, The Flying Ferret, and the Shelley Sports and Social Club.  San Francisco  is a 1936 American film, and is a musical-drama disaster film. It is based on the 18 April 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It received good reviews and did well at the box office. It was nominated for six Academy Awards for Outstanding Production, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Writing, Best Assistant Director, and Best Sound Recording, but only won for Best Sound Recording by Douglas Shearer. 

Felixstowe is a port town in the county of Suffolk on the east coast of England. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the United Kingdom. You can find Felixstowe about 115 km north east of London.  Felixstowe has ancient origins with the hamlet being centred with a church and pub long before the Norman conquest of England. It remained a relatively low populated place until the late 1800s when tourists began arriving. A permanent pier was constructed in 1905 with an amusement arcade. Permanent beach huts were adopted in Felixstowe around this time, instead of the huts that were wheeled on to the beach that other coast towns had.  The Royal Navy, Air Force, and Army occupied the south-west part of Felixstowe during World War II and built a fort and gun emplacements.  In 1945, German naval commanders from Occupied Holland arrived in E-boats at Felixstowe Dock to surrender their boats and charts to the Royal Navy.  Tourism is still a big part...

Bournemouth is located on the south coast of England. It is the largest town in the area with 187 000 people. It is a part of the South East Dorset Conurbation (I think it's the English term for metropolitan area) which has a population of 465 000 people. Bournemouth is near where a large part of my own family tree hails from - Gosport (maternal great grandparents). The card shows The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Ascot. Ascot is a famous horse racing course. It was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne and is found about 10 km from Windsor Castle. Ascot was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II. 

Ringwood is a city of 14 000 in southern England. The name was first record as far back as 961. Ringwood Town FC is a club affiliated with the Hampshire Football Association, and are members of the Wessex League, Division One. They formed in 1879. The card shows Teddy Sheringham. Sheringham is a former football manager and player. As a player he was a forward, mostly as a second striker. His professional career began with Millwall where he made 220 appearances and scored 93 goals. He spent eight seasons in Millwall. Between 1991 and 2008, he played for Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Portsmouth, West Ham United, and Colchester United. With Tottenham he played in 166 games and scored 75 times. He is currently the 11th highest goalscorer in the Premiership with 146 goals in 755 matches. He has 51 caps with England, scoring 11 times. He has played in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, and the 1996 UEFA European Championship.  He managed League Two club Stevena...

Tamworth is a market town in Staffordshire of 77 000 people. It has ancient roots and was the centre of royal power for the Kingdom of Mercia in the 700 and 800s.  The sender of the card is a cyclist and sent me a reproduction of the cover of the first issue of Cycling Weekly Magazine, produced 24 January 1891. This magazine is still published weekly in Britain with printed and digital editions. British club cyclists refer to it as "The Comic."

I love receiving sports themed cards and this one is a great one. Clare tries to explain cricket to me on the back of her card and did a fairly good job.  Colchester is home to the Essex County Cricket Club, one of 18 first-class county clubs within the British cricket structure (England & Wales). The club was founded in 1876 and play at the County Ground in Chelmsford. In the First-Class league, Essex has won the championship eight times, the last being in 2019. They have also won the Division Two three times the last being in 2021.  Colchester is on the site of the first major Roman city in Roman Britain. It claims itself to be Britain's oldest recorded town. It was known as Camulodunum. It was a military garrison during Roman times and is the current home to the 16th Air Assault Brigade.  Colchester is located on the banks of the River Colne. It has an estimated population of almost 140 000.