CARD NUMBER 6330 1174 4000 5127
MRS V BELL
13 WATER GARTH
BARROW-IN-FURNESS
CUMBRIA LA14 3YL
From a deltiologist's point of view, I find this postcard rather sad. It is the newest postcard I have in my Carlisle collection and, to me, it epitomises the 'death of the postcard'. The idea of sending a greeting has given way to a faceless competition entry. This was a common use for postcards as we approached the end of the 20th century and the medium has gone from boom to almost bust.... but they aren't dead yet and I'm pleased to report that sites like Postcrossing and DIY postcard apps such as Touchnote are keeping the tradition going.
Most of my postcards come from auction sites or fairs, and they do tend to be early 1900s. I would be really really interested in receiving any cards from Carlisle which cover the 1970s to the present day. Their value is usually nothing, but to me they're an important omission from my collection as they fill in the gaps and bring me up-to-date. If you're ever having a clear out don't throw those postcards away, get in touch and send them my way!
The postcard itself was posted in 1997, but this picture goes back a bit further than that. Over on the right you can see the Scotch Street shops before The Lanes shopping centre was built, which dates this to pre-1986, but the flares are the biggest giveaway. The statue is that of James Steel, who was a newspaper editor, later councillor and Mayor of Carlisle in 1845 and
1846. The statue, by sculptor William Frederick Woodington is a Listed Building and was moved from this location to the top of Bank Street in 1989, sadly not without injury - his right hand was severed in transit.
Published by Photo Precision Limited, St Ives
Colourmaster International series (LK2204)
Postmarked: South Lakes, 1- January 1997
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