Happy Christmas!

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Loving Xmas Greetings (1908)
Mrs Marrow from Ethel

Clearing out a house after someone you love has died is a sad thing to have to do, but sometimes you come across little pockets of joy such as these Christmas postcards from 1908. Only two have been sent, both by the unknown (to me) Ethel. The one above is addressed to Mrs Marrow, 12 Prospect Place, Woolwich, and is postmarked 1.30pm, December 23rd 1908. The message reads With all loving wishes for Xmas from Ethel.

For Auld Lang Syne
Mr & Mrs Maskell from Ethel

I have no idea who Mrs Marrow is, but there are clues in the second card which, because it is inscribed For Auld Lang Syne, I initially took to be a New Year card. However, its postmark is exactly the same as the first card, and this time the place of posting is visible – Sheerness in Kent. Ethel greets Mr and Mrs Maskell, also living at 12 Prospect Place, With all good wishes for Xmas from Ethel. Now I understand how these cards came into Mum’s possession. My Great Aunt Anna married Bob Maskell in 1931, and I suspect these were his parents and Mrs Marrow was their neighbour. Possibly, given the more intimate message on her card, Ethel was Mrs Marrow’s daughter.

Woolwich Arsenal was a major employer in the area, but in 1910 much of the work was moved to the newly built Royal Naval Torpedo Factory in Greenock and many families from London moved up to Scotland with it, including the Maskells and the Strouds – my maternal grandfather’s family. So these cards are definitely part of my history.

Xmas Greetings 1908
Rose
Forget-me-not
Christmas Greetings
Warmest Xmas Greetings

The cards in the final gallery are unused, but the three floral ones are also marked 1908. Two recommend that you should tell the wish of thy heart in flowers, one having the emblem of true love (forget-me-not) and the other the emblem of fond love (rose). Perhaps poor Ethel did not have a true love to send them to. I like the bridge and windmill scene, but I don’t think I will be the only one feeling a little freaked out by the woman with buckets of babies. Is she delivering them as Christmas gifts? Weird!

Happy Christmas to all who celebrate it. I hope whatever you will be doing tomorrow it is as wonderful as it can possibly be.

Family history ,

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  7. Happy Christmas. I hope you’ve had a lovely day. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to sort through your mother’s treasured belongings and I dread the day we have to do this task. Hopefully not for a few years yet. I’m glad for you that these little cards brought you some peace and joy.

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  8. I understand how you feel about clearing your mother’s house. I did it for my parent’s house in 2015 and Pierre’s parent house in 2017…We also found some interesting stuff both time. In Pierre’s parent house we found letters sent to his grand-father and his mother from her uncle who was a missionary in Lesotho from the 50′ to the 70’…Unfortunately his mother hadn’t keep copies of the letter she wrote so we only have one side of the conversation. Merry Christmas to you and your family and I know it will be a bit of sad being the first one without your mother. (Suzanne)

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  9. oh what a lovely find, well apart from the babes in a bucket – think i prefer it when flamingos bring the little ones!

    Sending love and hugs this Christmas xx

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  11. Lovely and surprising finds. I’m glad you managed to decipher and discover the messages and their background. First, I thought they were dolls in that last card, but when I looked closer, it appears to be children’s heads glued on dolls’ bodies. Weird indeed.

    I hope you and John have an enjoyable holiday season as well, Anabel! Merry Christmas!!

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  13. I, too, love old cards and postcards. These are perfect find this moment in time. It almost feels like it was meant to be and put a smile on your face. I am on Pinterest and have seen some weird/freaky Christmas cards. You have to wonder…Merry Christmas and I hope this time goes well for you.

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  15. I hope this find sends you on as happy a journey as mine. Sorting out my brother’s things reunited me with his estranged daughter and her family.
    Happy Christmas, and have a good Hogmanay, or as good as the rules allow!
    Cheers xx

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  16. Merry Christmas Anabel. Like the windmill scene. I have to admit I.m always keen to get Christmas over and done with as my seasonal calendar brightens after December.
    January = snowdrops. February = crocus. March = daffodils, warmer days of increasing sunshine, and not long til Spring. That thought always makes me happier than Christmas ever does nowadays although I liked it well enough as a child getting presents..

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  18. I have a collection of old Christmas cards from way, way back. I believe I did apost about the orignal Christmas cards some years ago and used them as illustrations. Yours are lovely, and having a personal relationship with them makes them even better. Amazing what one discovers when clearing out, I remember in my case it was tears and laughs in equal proportions.
    Wishing you and John all the best over the coming week and more good wishes for a healthy and happy 2022.
    Marie

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  19. Hi Anabel, love the cards. So pretty and ornate. The bucket of babies reminds me of a time a friend put her toddler and friend in a red plastic bucket and carried them round the house. I took a photo and called it ‘ Bucket Of Babies’. Enjoy your Christmas. xx

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  21. What great finds! Though I agree the bucket of babies is weird. I found letters to my mum from her brother who died in the war. I have kept them, but not sure who will want them after me.

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    • That must have been very poignant. I’ve found things like a lock of my father’s hair from their courting days which is rather romantic. There are many things I can’t bear to throw out, but I’m sure they’ll all go in a great big skip when my time comes!

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  22. Hi Anabel – how lovely, yet as you say so sad. Extraordinary to have those buckets of babies .. maybe they were toys for the poor – but as you say a rather grim possibilities – I hope my thought is more positive! Good to see you back – but take your time … just so difficult this first year. Have a peaceful and blessed time – with thoughts – HIlary

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  23. Clearing out a loved one’s house and possessions is never an easy thing to do but this has certainly given you a lovely surprise. The cards are beautiful – I love the windmill scene but I can’t begin to think what the buckets of babies might mean 🙂 Have a lovely Christmas Anabel however you choose to celebrate it 🙂

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