Postcards of the Past

USS Kansas

2011-07-04T17:03:00.001+01:00

For you navy fans, here's a great postcard of the US battleship "Kansas". We have many more similar to post on the website, so keep your eyes open for them - at this link.

You may also see some old US battleships on our Squidoo lens !

Railroad Depot, Portage, Wisconsin, USA

2011-07-04T16:59:00.000+01:00

Thought you would like this old postcard - which I can't date - of the railway depot at Portage, Wisconsin. You can see more Wisconsin postcards by following this link.

Yet More Attractive Young Ladies

2011-06-19T12:46:00.003+01:00

Another couple of early 20th Century postcards for your delectation !

We've just added many more to our webpages - have a look at Postcards of the Past.

Or you may see some more lovely ladies on our Squidoo Lens !

Comic "Seaside" Postcards

2011-06-03T17:54:00.001+01:00

Remember going to the seaside and reading the dirty postcards with their non-too subtle double-entendres? Here's one to tickle your fancy !

There are loads more on our website - follow this link.

You can also find a few more comic postcards on our Squidoo lens !

On The Sands at Torquay

2011-02-21T13:07:00.001Z

This is a great old postcard of children playing on the sands at Torquay. It looks as though it dates from the 1920s but I'm not sure, but what an excellent image !

You may buy a reproduction at this link, and the image is also available as a greetings card which you may customize, and a small print. And we've just created a mousepad too !

Lille Railway Station

2011-01-22T10:25:00.000Z

A great old postcard of the railway station in Lille !

See our collection of old postcards of this French city here !

Rome, Church of Our Lord "Quo Vadis ?" on the Via Appia.

2011-01-16T11:04:00.000Z

An unusual and interesting old postcard of the Santa Maria delle Piante church, better known as the Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis (Church of Our Lord "Quo Vadis") which can be found at the junction of the Via Appia (Appian Way) and the Via Ardeatina - in Rome, of course. For those of you who don't know Latin, "Quo Vadis" means "Where are you going ?"
See our collection of old postcards of Rome at this link.
You may buy a reproduction of this postcard for only 95p from Zazzle.

High Street, Lincoln

2011-01-15T10:15:00.000Z

This is an excellent old view of High Street and the Stonebow in Lincoln, dating from the 1930s.

Follow this link to see our collection of old postcards of this city, and to buy a reproduction of this postcard, click here.

Sydney, NSW

2010-12-30T15:03:00.000Z

A nice old postcard of Pitt Street, Sydney with the Harbour Bridge in the background. Follow this link to see more of our old postcards of this city.

Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire

2010-08-05T09:28:00.000+01:00

Henley-in-Arden is a small town in Warwickshire about 8 miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon. It used to be noted for the large number of pubs which lined its main road, but many of these have long since disappeared. Just after the war (World War 2 !), we used to cycle there from Wilmcote just to buy some of the famous Henley Ice-Cream. To see some more old postcards of the town, follow this link.

Yet More Unclothed Young Ladies !

2010-06-11T13:28:00.003+01:00

For those of you who have asked to see more young ladies from the early years of the 20th Century, here are a couple more !

As before you may see lots more like this at this link.

And of course you may purchase a reproduction by following this link.

New York City Post Office

2010-06-11T13:09:00.002+01:00

This old postcard is a recent acquisition and shows one of the New York City Post Offices. We estimate the postcard to be from around 1910, give or take a few years, but we can't identify the location. Can you ? Please let us know at gregoryolney@aol.com.

A reproduction of this postcard is available at Zazzle for only 95p plus postage.

Skegness, Lincolnshire

2010-03-24T23:33:00.009Z

Skegness is a seaside resort in Lincolnshire, on England's north-east coast. The Great Northern Railway built a line to Skegness in the late 19th century, and in 1908 produced the now famous "Jolly Fisherman" poster with the slogan "Skegness is so Bracing". It is still a popular resort today, and is very bracing when the wind blows off the north sea ! Nevertheless it has a fine, sandy beach and is a very pleasant spot. The postcard dates from about 1910.

To see old postcards of Skegness, please follow this link.

If you would like to buy a reproduction of this postcard, follow this link to our Zazzle store.

Armstrong Whitworth "Ensign"

2010-03-02T23:45:00.008Z

I've recently been sent lots of images of postcards of old aeroplanes, dating from the 1920s to the 1950s. There are some super postcards - you can see them at this link. This one is of an early airliner, an Armstrong Whitworth "Ensign" belonging to Imperial Airways and built at the Hamble facility. Imperial merged with British Airways Ltd in 1939 to form BOAC, which in turn merged with BEA in 1974 to form BA.

If you would like to buy a reproduction of this postcard, follow this link to Zazzle. Reproductions cost 95p each, plus postage.

Paddington Station, London

2010-02-10T11:35:00.004Z

This great old postcard was mailed in 1912 and shows the very busy platforms 1 and 2 at Paddington.

For those of you not familiar with the station, it was built in 1838, although much of today's buildings date from 1854, having been designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The station was the London terminus of the Great Western Railway. Trains still run from here to Bristol, Bath and the west of England.

Follow this link to see our old postcards of London's main rail termini.

Bruges, Belgium

2010-02-10T11:22:00.004Z

An excellent view of Grand'Place in Bruges from around 1910. The clock tower fascinates me as it seems to be far to high for the building below, although it can no doubt be seen for many miles around.

If you would like to buy a reproduction of this postcard for 95p (plus postage) follow this link.

To see our collection of old postcards of Bruges, click here.

Another Attractive Young Lady

2010-02-05T10:48:00.006Z

For those of you who like attractive women, here's another early Twentieth Century postcard. Hope you like her !

Visit our website - Postcards of the Past - to see more like this one.

If you would like to buy a reproduction of this postcard for only 95p, plus postage, follow this link to our Zazzle pages.

Irkutsk, Russian Federation.

2009-12-30T18:13:00.003Z

This is a fascinating old postcard which shows the main street in Irkutsk, a city in Siberia in the Russian Federation. Although I don't have a date for the card, it appears to be just before or just after the First World War. The large building on the right is the Grand Hotel.
To see more postcards of Irkutsk, follow this link.

Mumbai, Victoria Terminal Station

2009-11-09T12:28:00.003Z

An interesting old postcard of the Victoria Terminal Station in Bombay, or Mumbai as it is now called. No date, but probably 1920s.

Amsterdam

2009-10-30T08:15:00.006Z

A view of Waaggebouw in Amsterdam. No date for this postcard but probably the 1930s. If you would like to buy a copy, please visit Zazzle.

Leeds, Yorkshire - Boar Lane

2009-09-20T21:53:00.005+01:00

This old postcard dates from the late 1920s and shows Boar Lane in Leeds, Yorkshire, with a couple of trams. Postcards of city centres were very popular at that time, and are much sought after today both by collectors and by local historians.

If you would like to buy a copy of this postcard, follow this link.

Evesham, Worcestershire

2009-08-15T19:59:00.005+01:00

Evesham is a medium-sized market town which lies on the River Avon in the south-east of Worcestershire. It is the centre of the local fruit growing and market-garden industry, although this has declined in the last 50 years. When I was a lad, just after the second world war, we used to go to the Vale of Evesham to buy strawberries, gooseberries, cherries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and raspberries and more, come home and my mother would then prepare a huge bowl of summer fruit, gently stewed. Wish we could afford to do that today. This super old postcard, dating from 1937, shows Booth Hall in the town centre - and some great old motor cars !

If you would like to buy a reproduction of this postcard, please follow this link.

Britain's Railways

2009-08-08T11:30:00.003+01:00

I've recently received images of over 100 old postcards of Britain's steam railway trains, dating from the early 1900s to the 1960s. I'm slowly processing them and adding them to my web pages - you can see them at Postcards of the Past - follow this link. The postcard here is of the Southern Railways "Merchant Navy" Class engine no 35001, "Channel Packet".

Eastbourne

2009-07-29T10:04:00.003+01:00

We've just spent a couple of nights in Eastbourne, a town I last visited about 30 years ago. I must say we were pleasantly surprised, and instead of finding a rather seedy and run-down English seaside resort we discovered a vibrant and well-cared for holiday destination. So here's an old postcard, dating from the 1920s.

The Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

2009-07-21T08:04:00.005+01:00

Now here's an interesting building ! It was erected in 1892 to encourage people to settle in the area, although how it was supposed to do this I can't imagine ! It has since been rebuilt several times and is now a multi-purpose arena as well as a tourist attraction. The exterior of the building is covered with murals made from corn which are replaced and redesigned each year - no doubt at considerable expense - with a new theme. At the end of August each year there is a Corn Palace Festival in the town, and other annual events held in the building include the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo and the Corn Palace Polka Festival, doubtless enjoyed by one and all but something I would avoid like the plague !
The postcard dates from the early 20th Century - can't date it with any precision. Follow this link for more postcards of Mitchell.

Can You Compose a Witty Caption ?

2009-07-03T10:54:00.004+01:00

We have lots of vintage erotic postcards on our website at this link, and it occurred to us that some of the poses - like this one for example - are so ridiculous as to merit a comic caption. The magazine "Punch" - now, alas, defunct since 2002 - used to have a weekly competition for new captions to old cartoons. It gave prizes to the winners. We'd love to be able to do the same, but our finances do not permit such generosity, so instead, if you can come up with an hilarious (and not too rude !) caption for this card, or for any postcard on our web pages, we will construct a permanent memorial to you by adding your name to the caption (should you so wish of course) so that your fame will be spread far and wide - I was going to add "like this lady's legs" but perhaps not. So ignite the humorous side of your brain and show us what you can do !
The New Yorker has excellent cartoons, and you can see lots of old Punch cartoons on their super website - just follow the links !

Avebury, Wiltshire

2009-06-30T11:25:00.007+01:00

If you have enjoyed a visit to Stonehenge, go to Avebury as I think you will enjoy it even more. The village is situated in amongst several large circles of prehistoric stones, many of which have been lost (the locals broke them up and built walls and houses from them !) but many of which are well preserved - and unlike Stonehenge, you can go right up to the stones and touch them. This postcard, which was issued by the old Ministry of Works, clearly shows the village and the stone circles. Nearby are Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow, and there are shops and a pub in Avebury.

Budapest, Hungary

2009-06-25T10:54:00.003+01:00

This is a great old postcard of Klothild Palace in Budapest. It was mailed in 1909.

Krakow, The Cloth Hall

2009-06-08T15:30:00.004+01:00

The Cloth Hall in Krakow may well be considered the world's oldest shopping mall. It's in the middle of Grand Square, and about 1300 a roof was erected over the market stalls where textiles were traded - hence the name. After a fire in 1555 it was rebuilt as a splendid Renaissance edifice to which various additions and alterations have been made so that today it is a big tourist attraction housing the Krakow National Museum plus stalls and shops selling mostly souvenirs. A Christmas market is held there each December. This postcard dates from around 1910.

Northampton - St Giles

2009-06-01T15:58:00.004+01:00

This is a great old postcard from the 1950s and shows St Giles Street in Northampton and some contemporary motor vehicles. It's an excellent quality real photo postcard and will be valued by collectors.

Another Early 20th Century "Glamour" Postcard

2009-04-10T11:27:00.003+01:00

Not a lot I can say about this one - looks as though it's from the 1920s or 30s, and a good quality photograph. More at this link.

The London Coliseum

2009-04-07T14:19:00.003+01:00

The London Coliseum can be found just off Trafalgar Square, on St Martin's Lane. It is visible from a fair distance because of its famous globe on top of the theatre tower. The theatre opened on Christmas Eve 1904 but closed down two years later and lay dormant for another year. Since then, however, it has had a string of successes and now is home to the English National Opera. It is one of London's largest and most lavish theatres, larger even than Drury Lane, and with seats for an audience of around 2500. For lots more about this theatre, follow this link to an excellent website !

Niagara Falls

2009-04-05T09:43:00.004+01:00

Probably the most visited tourist spot in the USA if not in the world. I've been a couple of times and it certainly is very spectacular, although very hot and steamy at the height of summer. It's also becoming more and more commercialized, but in the end nothing spoils the sheer grandeur of the falls when you are standing just a few feet away from this enormous cascade. This postcard was mailed in 1919.

Stratford-upon-Avon, The Fountain

2009-04-04T18:38:00.005+01:00

This postcard from the early twentieth century shows a drinking fountain which was presented to Stratford-upon-Avon by a certain Mr George Childs from Philadelphia in the USA in 1887. It was intended not only to commemorate Shakespeare but also Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and provided drinking water for horses and humans alike. The Fountain is in Rother Street where a weekly market has been held for many years.

Hong Kong - the Kowloon Ferry

2009-04-02T11:10:00.003+01:00

This is a rather fine old postcard of the Kowloon Ferry, Hong Kong. Unfortunately we can't put a date on it, but it appears to be quite early 20th Century. We've just created a page of old postcards of Hong Kong on our website - to see it, please follow this link.

Victoria Station, London

2009-04-01T09:02:00.005+01:00

Victoria was originally two stations. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway station opened in 1860, followed by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway in 1862. The two stations were merged in 1924, although even today there are two distinct internal areas. The Grosvenor Hotel was built above the station as can be seen in this postcard. It opened in 1861. The postcard is undated but appears to be from around 1910 or a little later.

Philadelphia - Aerial View

2009-03-28T12:56:00.005Z

Postcards showing aerial views became very popular in the 1920s and 30s when aeroplanes became available to take the photographs. This one is of Philadelphia. The reverse of the postcard states "Air View showing the Benjamin Franklin Parkway leading straight from the center of the city toward the Art Museum and Fairmount Park". The postcard has not been through the mail, so we can't date it, but no doubt some of you Philly residents should be able to identify buildings and date it that way.

Sorry !!

2009-03-26T23:31:00.002Z

For those few of you who have been following this blog, apologies for not posting anything for a month - not exactly daily !! Circumstances have made it difficult to keep up with this commitment. I can't promise that posts will be daily from now on, but I'll try !

Jean Harlow

2009-03-26T23:19:00.003Z

There are a vast number of old postcards of film stars from the 1930s onwards. In the early days of the movies, these were excellent publicity material, and were collected avidly.
Jean Harlow was a beautiful actress, who died at the age of only 26 from kidney failure. Nevertheless she still managed to appear in about 40 films in her short life. She was an MGM "superstar" and in 1931 earned a salary of $1250 a week, a huge sum in those days - wish I made that now !! It was in the Spring of 1937, whilst filming with Clark Gable, that she fell ill and died.

London - The Thames Embankment

2009-02-27T12:05:00.004Z

A nice view of the Embankment from the 1930s. The large building on the left is the Shell Building, formerly the Hotel Cecil. Shell took it over in 1930. The river front was remodelled and the building renamed Shell-Mex House, so this, as well as the vehicles on the Embankment, gives a clue to the date of the postcard. The building to the right of the Shell building is the Savoy Hotel.

Florence - Piazza del Duomo and Giotto's Bell Tower

2009-02-26T10:48:00.004Z

This is a nice old postcard of Florence, probably dating from the 1920s or 30s. Note what appear to be tram lines in the foreground.

Not much more I can write about this one. Most people know Florence nowadays and even if you've never visited I'm sure you've seen loads of pictures and read books about this beautiful city and its amazing old buildings.

Echternach, Luxembourg

2009-02-18T16:40:00.007Z

This old postcard of Echternach, in Luxembourg, was posted in 1928. The town lies on the River Sauer which at this point forms the border between Luxembourg and Germany. Echternach was badly damaged in World War II and has since has been - as they say - "sympathetically" restored. I've been a couple of times a few years ago, and it's an interesting spot with plenty of old - or perhaps not so old if they've been restored ! - buildings. Worth a couple of hours of your time.

Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire

2009-02-15T08:35:00.004Z

Stow-on-the-Wold is a small town in the English Cotswold Hills, in Gloucestershire. It is situated on top of a hill, and can be quite cold in winter - hence the local rhyme "The wind blows cold in Stow-on-the-Wold". It's a pleasant little town with a large square in the town centre and some interesting shops and pubs. This postcard - from the 1930s - shows the old stocks which have been preserved, for the benefit of tourists no doubt !

Woodbine Racecourse, Toronto

2009-02-13T09:37:00.004Z

This old postcard depicts horse racing at the famous Woodbine Course in Toronto. I don't have an exact date for the postcard but from the ladies' fashions...well you can guess for yourself, early 1900s certainly. This is the original Woodbine which opened in 1874. A new course was opened in 1956 and this site renamed Old Woodbine and then Greenwood. Racing continued there until 1993 when the site was redeveloped.

Brussels - A Panoramic View

2009-02-12T12:21:00.004Z

This is a good quality old postcard of Brussels, dating from the early 1900s. Like most big cities in Europe, there are hundreds of postcards of the Belgian capital, mostly of the tourist spots, but also a good many of the less visited places as postcard photographers tried to come up with something different. For those of you who haven't visited this city, try to do so as it is a great place, very lively, and with plenty to see and do.

Warwick Castle

2009-02-10T22:46:00.003Z

Warwick Castle has a long history, dating back to about 914 AD. It was purchased by the Tussaud's Group in 1978, since when it has become one of England's most visited tourist attractions, and is probably the country's finest example of a mediaeval castle. The postcard is one of my favourites from my collection - see them all at this link - it seems like a good setting for the ghost of Hamlet's father to appear !

Another Scantily Dressed Young lady

2009-01-23T09:15:00.002Z

I thought you might like another "naughty" postcard, so here's one from I think the 1920s. Many of the thousands of similar postcards were of poor quality photographically, but I think this one is quite well-composed - enjoy !

Duke's Avenue, Chiswick, London

2009-01-21T23:05:00.003Z

I have fond memories of Chiswick and of this road as I had a bedsit at number 49 for a few years in the early 1970s. Chiswick is a great place to live - wish we could afford it now - with good shopping on the High Road, plenty of pubs and restaurants, excellent transport links to central London and with the river just a short stroll away. This old postcard of Duke's Avenue was mailed in 1907.

London - The Imperial Institute

2009-01-20T21:49:00.004Z

This lovely old building - just off the Exhibition Road - was demolished in the 1950s - the site now houses Imperial College. Only the Queen's Tower (on the left) remains. From the reverse of the postcard : "The Imperial Institute erected in South Kensington as an imperial memorial of the Jubilee of Queen Victoria contains collections of the natural and artificial products of India and the Colonies, as well as a fine reference library. It is under the direction of the Board of Trade. The University of London has had its headquarters here since 1900, the teaching being carried on in various schools of the University elsewhere."

Vesuvius Erupting - May 1933

2009-01-19T18:26:00.002Z

A great "real photo" postcard of the eruption of Vesuvius in May 1933. There are of course very many old postcards of this volcano and many of it actually erupting. As well as this there are lots of "artists' impressions" of the volcano, most of them depicting flames, ashes and clouds of smoke ! Wonder when it will blow its top again - hope I'm not in the area, although I must admit it would be fascinating to watch.

Stonehenge

2009-01-18T14:55:00.003Z

Years ago Stonehenge was a great place to visit because it was almost always deserted and you could walk amongst the stones, touch them and soak up the atmosphere of the place. Nowadays it is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions with thousands of visitors, coaches, cars etc, all of which combine to make it feel like a theme park. But go there early in the morning on a snowy day in winter and you will begin to understand why it is such a magical site, stuck in the middle of Salisbury Plain, miles from anywhere, and you ask yourself why it was built 4000 years ago, who built it and how did they manage such huge, heavy stones and assemble them with such precision. This aerial view postcard was produced in the 1930s.

Malbork, Poland

2009-01-17T09:34:00.008Z

Malbork, or Marienburg in German, is a town in Northern Poland which grew up around its large thirteenth century castle. Originally part of Germany, it changed hands several times after having been annexed by Poland, and in 1871 became part of Prussia. After World War I, the inhabitants voted to remain in Germany, but after World War II it reverted to Poland and its German population was expelled. Not a happy history. The postcard, which is undated, is an artist's impression of the castle and the River Nogat.

Portrush Station, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

2009-01-16T10:11:00.003Z

This great old postcard, which we have not been able to date, is of Portrush Station in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is almost certianly from the early 1900s, but if anyone knows when the electric cars were introduced to Portrush, please let us know

Edinburgh, Princes Street

2009-01-15T09:05:00.006Z

This old postcard dates from about 1930 and shows the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh. This is the main thoroughfare of the city with lots of shops and places of interest including the Scott Monument and the Princes Street Gardens. The area is dominated by Edinburgh Castle on Castle Hill, and by Calton Hill at the Waverley end.

Gibraltar

2009-01-14T11:03:00.007Z

Gibraltar lies between Spain and North Africa, at the western edge of the Mediterranean. It has been a British possession for many years, although I don't know why as it serves no useful purpose nowadays, and it would make more sense for it to revert to Spanish control. But while the inhabitants want to stay British, I suppose that is what will happen. I've been there once and didn't think much of it. The cable car ride to the top of the rock was fun, with some good views, but the rest of the place was boring - even the cafes were pretty awful compared with those across the border in Spain. However, Gibraltar has a long and interesting history for you to delve into should you ever be there and have the time to explore.
The postcard dates from around 1910.

Belgrade, Serbia

2009-01-13T08:00:00.004Z

Formerly the capital of Yugoslavia, Belgrade is one of the oldest cities in Europe. This postcard, which was mailed in 1934, shows the main city square, the Terazije, and the Hotel Moscow.

The Forth Bridge

2009-01-12T08:50:00.006Z

There are now two bridges over the Firth of Forth, just north of Edinburgh, with I believe plans for a third. The road bridge was built in 1964, whilst the rail bridge - shown in this postcard - was completed in 1890, connecting Edinburgh with Fife and allowing trains to travel from the Scottish capital to the north of Scotland. The construction of the bridge was a spectacular engineering achievement and thus a lot of postcards depicting the structure have been produced over the years. This card was posted in 1910. The Forth Bridge has appeared in many films, including Hitchcock's 1935 version of "The 39 Steps".

Comic or "Seaside" Postcards

2009-01-11T08:53:00.005Z

When I was a lot younger, no day out to the seaside was complete without spending a few minutes reading the dirty postcards. Nowadays there don't seem to be so many about, but they haven't disappeared completely and seem to be very popular with collectors. Millions of these cards were produced, and they reflect the prevailing sense of humour very well, someof them not appearing to be at all funny today. The artists - or at least those who thought up the jokes - were masters of the double entendre, and almost all comic cards are based on this. The postcard shown is an early comic card, produced by Bamforth, probably dating from around or just after the First World War, and would have been considered very risque given the the attitude to sex and the clergy at that time.

Victorian and Edwardian Nudes

2009-01-10T07:47:00.006Z

Postcards like this one were produced in their thousands from the late 19th Century onwards, with their equivalents still being produced today. The majority were French, but many came from other European countries, and whilst some were clearly pornographic and thus aimed at a particular market, most were pretty harmless, particularly by today's standards. Our collection is almost exclusively of postcards from the first two decades of the 20th century, although a few later cards have no doubt slipped in as they can be difficult to date. A lot of postcards were produced during the two World Wars specifically aimed at the armed services who would pin them up in their barracks - hence the expression "pin-up girl".

East Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset

2009-01-09T09:22:00.005Z

This early 1900s postcard shows East Street in Blandford Forum, Dorset. It is of particular interest to me as my aunt, who was mayor of Blandford in the early 1950s, used to live in the house on the extreme right of the image. I used to spend a week or so every summer there when I was at school. Blandford is a pleasant town on the River Stour, with lots of pretty villages nearby and an army camp, Blandford Camp, which is now the home of the Royals Signals. My father was stationed there in 1918 and narrowly escaped being sent to France, saved by the Armistice !

Bruges, Belgium, Grand' Place

2009-01-08T09:39:00.008Z

A postcard of Grand' Place in Bruges, Belgium, which appears to be from the 1920s. Bruges is a very popular tourist destination with its remarkable architecture and many beautiful old buildings, including the belfry tower shown in this postcard, a tower which dominates the city and which appears to me to be out of proportion. There are, of course, very many postcards of the town, some of which may be seen on our website, Postcards of the Past.

Royal Leamington Spa - The Parade

2009-01-07T09:12:00.004Z

Royal Leamington Spa grew up around the saline springs and the Royal Pump Room and Baths, which were opened in 1814. A treatment at the baths was supposed to be very beneficial and claimed to cure many disorders - gout, rheumatism, stiffness of the joints etc - and the spa water was drunk as a laxative. The town has many beautiful old buildings and a wide main street - the Parade, pictured in this postcard - and some well-maintained public gardens by the River Leam. Charles Dickens was a frequent visitor to Leamington, and set a scene in "Dombey and Son" in the town.

More about Leamington on our Squidoo Lens.

Moscow - The New Moscow Hotel

2009-01-06T09:03:00.001Z

I've been to Moscow once, in 1986, which was of course during the communist era. It was a most enjoyable visit even though we were "under orders" from an Intourist guide, and we managed to wander off on our own and explore a little. We stayed at the Intourist Hotel - now from what I understand demolished and replaced by the Ritz Carlton - on what was Gorky Street and which has now reverted to its original name of Tverskaya Street. Moscow was very cheap to visit in those days. There was little to spend your money on, some lovely shops but with very little stock. I recall a very smart shoe shop which stocked shoes which looked to be 20 years old, and a marble lined grocers with nothing but a very large pile of tinned fish. Things are different now I'm sure, but Moscow is now the world's most expensive place to stay !
The postcard dates from 1936, and shows the New Moscow Hotel.

Uriah Heep and Mr Micawber, from "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens

2009-01-05T08:49:00.002Z

Charles Dickens was probably the most well-known popular novelist of the mid to late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. His continued fame coincided with the boom in picture postcards, and as a result thousands were produced which featured characters from his works. This postcard depicts Uriah Heep and Mr Micawber from "David Copperfield". The number of postcards produced did depend on the popularity of the particular novel, so that there are lots of "The Pickwick Papers" whilst others such as "Hard Times" are more scarce.

The Cunard Liner "Franconia"

2009-01-04T12:09:00.002Z

This ship was named after the first Franconia, which was sunk during World War I. She was launched in 1922 and served both as a cruise ship and on the New York - Liverpool route. During World War II she served as a troop ship, and in 1945 acted as a floating hotel for Winston Churchill and his staff at the Yalta Conference. After the war she was restored and served on the Liverpool-Quebec route. She was finally broken up at Inverkeithing in 1957.

St John's, Newfoundland

2009-01-03T09:13:00.002Z

St John's is a city I've visited many times over the past 35 years as I have family connections there. It is an interesting blend of old and new, with plenty of modern buildings, hotels, shopping centres, a university etc, but also many very old houses. It has a great harbour which is always interesting to visit with ships arriving and departing every day. Newfoundland was under British control for many years until joining Canada in about 1949.
The postcard shows a view across the city to the harbour, and was posted in 1910.

Nice - the Promenade des Anglais.

2009-01-02T08:59:00.002Z

Nice has been our favourite holiday destination for many years now. It has much to offer - plenty of cafes, good food, some decent hotels and plenty to do, and if the beach is pebbly, so what, the sea is beautiful.
The postcard, which is from the late 1920s, shows the Promenade des Anglais, a broad promenade which runs for two or three miles around the Baie des Anges. The building with the domes is the Hotel Negresco, the resort's premier hotel, outside which Isadora Duncan met her tragic end.
There are lots of postcards of Nice on our website.

New York City, the Flatiron Building

2009-01-01T10:08:00.002Z

This is my favourite building in New York. We have seen it a couple of times, and whilst it's getting a bit tatty on the outside, it still fascinates me. The building was originally called the Fuller Building, and when completed in 1902 was one of the first skyscrapers. This postcard dates from the early 1900s - you will see that there are no cars ! If you want to see it, it's at 23rd and Broadway, or there are lots of images on Google Earth, especially on Street View, and several more old postcards on our website.

Stratford-upon-Avon, High Street

2008-12-31T16:11:00.001Z

This postcard shows High Street in my home town, Stratford-upon-Avon, in what looks like the late 1920s. The Town Hall is visible at the end of the row of shops on the left, whilst in the background is the Guild Chapel.