Genealogy in Hertfordshire

Post Cards and other Pictures
 

Hertfordshire Post Cards and other pictures

Hidden Messages

  

Can you help
Picture from http://www.fotosearch.com/
The Postcard Detective

Messages written on a postcard were visible for anyone to read and some people used various techniques to make it harder for the postman to read.

Mirror Writing

 


Postcard posted from Garston in 1907

as written		  
mirror image

Shorthand

Hidden Messages on Post cards - Shorthand

  

Valentine Post Card of Baldock Parish Church - JV 57693
Kathryn supplied the following translation:

Dear Mr Uphill
Thank you for your lovely postcard of Dorchester. You said I think that you liked pictures of churches. Have you ever seen a photo of this church before? I myself think that houses would be such a delightful collection of postcards. You said that you like foreign correspondents best, I think everywhere today, I have a correspondent in China, Malta, Gibraltar and in America, and find it very interesting indeed. Yours sincerely

Number Codes

 

1A 2B 3C 4D 5E 6F 7G 8 H 9I 10J 11K 12L 13M 14N 15O 16P 17Q 18R 19S 20T 21U 22V 23W 24X 25Y 26Z

My dear ada This is one you ought to have had last week yov will see what it is dearest just like the place

Mvch love from yovr own walt

k k k k k k k k

Ada Mabel Nichols married Walter Charles Maunder in 1906 and the couple were living in Edgware Road, Marylebone at the time of the 1911 census.

Misplaced Stamps

In the above example Walter Maunders signalled his love to Ada Nichols by sticking the stamp at an angle.

When James Humphries of Watford sent post cards to Margaret Rowe in Berkhamsted in 1909 the stamps were set at an angle, which was a simple way of, in effect, sending a kiss.

At one time an elaborate language of postage stamps was developed - until the postal regulations specified that the stamp should go in the top right hand corner of the envelope or post card.

  

Please tell me if you have any further information on interesting hidden messages on post cards relating to Hertfordshire.

September 2006   Page created
March 2012   Shorthand example
April 2012   Shorthand translated
May 2012   Number codes and language of stamps