To Mr. E. Simpson, 81 Carshalton Pk Rd, Carshalton, Surrey (1939)...

109 Warwick Road, Carlisle, 15th Nov '39

Dear Ted, I hope you are not putting your staff through the mill or toiling as hard as we are here. Don't you wish you were here: In the picture, the large white building on the right is a palatial pub 'The Crescent Inn'. Next door is the P.O. What more could you wish. Our digs are out of sight on the other side. We are in the real pukka residential district. Billeted Captains and Majors are as sands on the sea-shore. As you may have learned, we have a P.O. technical advisor staying with us but I am afraid that, owing to war-time, his lips are sealed about many interesting matters. All the best, yours sincerely, Bernard. Hope to see you at Christmas."

Here's a stately view that hasn't changed much in 70 years, although most of these buildings still stand they serve a different purpose in 2010. On the right, where Bernard describes The Crescent Inn, there is still a pub but the Post Office building has now closed down waiting further use, and next to that is the Lonsdale cinema, now shamefully derelict, which opened in 1931 and would've been an ABC at the time the card was sent. I'm guessing that Bernard was posted here (no pun intended) to work for the Post Office as there's a theme running through his message. I especially like his description of the Warwick Road area residential district as 'pukka'... this area is still teeming with guest-houses.

What's great about this card is the details of the businesses, all now gone.. on the left is the imposing North British Mercantile Insurance Co. Ltd. with McGrath's shoe shop underneath, next door to Robson's Cooked Meats and a hairdresser. Opposite you can see Messenger's newsagent and the Carlisle Dyers and Cleaners. Right on the corner is the HMV sign - can anyone remember this music shop, or indeed any memories of Warwick Road in the 30s? In the background, standing above the area is the tower of St George's Church... but what happened to the four spires, I'm sure they are no longer existing...?

To Norah Thwaites (1909)

I've chosen this as the first card as it's coming up to almost 100 years since it was posted. It's also a good example of how postcards weren't simply used by tourists. This card was sent from Wetheral to Great Corby (which is within walking distance) to let Norah know that her lesson has changed from Wednesday to Thursday. Such minutiae of daily life is what fascinates me about these cards! This is the 1909 equivalent of an email or text message. As always, if anyone has any info about the people and places associated with these cards please post your comments - I'm sure Norah still has relatives in the area today...?

Sent to Miss Norah Thwaites, Post Office, Great Corby, Nr. Wetheral

16th November 1909

The image shows the Carlisle Steam Laundry and Carpet Beating Company buildings, just off Warwick Road by the River Petteril. The buildings on the extreme right are Petteril Terrace and still stand there today. The other buildings have now been replaced by more modern offices. It's an unusual view for a postcard; in fact, over time I've come to learn that Carlisle had many more 'sights' than at first thought. There are, obviously, many postcards of Carlisle's famous Castle, Cathedral and town centre...but other, less common parts of the city have been saved for posterity on the front of postcards. More to come...