Over the years, H.I. has accumulated a huge quantity of vintage handbags, and yesterday she rummaged through them and found this little note tucked away inside a 1930s one.
Kitchener, Ontario to Westcliff (on Sea), England - by sea of course, in the Golden Age of travel.
From right in the middle of the Great Lakes, one of which is big enough to swallow England whole, to the mouth of the river Thames - it could all have been done by boat, aside from the 570 miles across Ontario, and about 30 miles across Kent.
It could have been done by sea-plane, but only the seriously rich could afford that.
It's a shame there is no name attached to the note.
I've just changed the title from '30' to '7'. Maths was never my strong point.
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting find Tom (and H I )- I love finding this sort of thing - sometimes happens if you buy an old book from somewhere. Then what you want to know is who wrote the note and what their life was like - but of course you can only speculate. I envy the vintage handbags too - a girl can't have enough handbags is my philosophy.
ReplyDeleteYou should see her shoe-collection. Our contents insurance wouldn't cover it. It's nice when you open a Victorian book and find a pressed flower inside too.
DeleteI recognise the handwriting; it belonged to a Mr Thomas Cook.
ReplyDeleteIf you had said Mrs Thomas Cook, then you would have been in with a (very slight) chance.
DeleteYou obviously haven't heard the rumours!
DeleteHe used to live in Bath, but I was never invited to any of the parties...
DeleteProbably because you didn't have the right frock.
DeleteA fascinating find. I once found a mysterious b&w photo of an old house in a second hand book I'd bought. I wondered where it was so I asked around. One of my friends thought I was pulling her leg as she had been born there.
ReplyDeleteThat's even more fascinating. How far was the book from the house when you bought it?
DeleteSo tantalising ...
ReplyDeletesorry if this is boring but I found it gorgeous. From the antipodes:
All the relations have been me kind and thoughtful .Even the guest house proprieter was generous and went out of his way to ensure I could get from one place to another in Bmth.[Bournemouth] This is a very beautiful city steeped in history with famous names of the folk who holidayed here during their childhood and the war. Winston Churchill was among them.And no wonder for one could not find a better place. I feel more rested now than in the 9 days or so since I arrived.It's hard to believe this city was bombed during my birth 70 years ago.For the 1st time I've given way to my emotions . I find tears of joy and relief to see all this again is mixed with some sort of sadness I don't quite understand.All part of the great experience I guess..Run out of time so have to go .GOD BLESS you all love Carmy Mum.
my Mum.
She's still navigating qwerty :~)
DeleteNot boring at all. I love this sort of thing. It's very important we ask them questions before they are gone - I wish I had asked my parents more questions.
DeleteI love stories like these.... History captured in an old bag
ReplyDeleteDon't call H.I. that - it's very rude - COCK SLAYER!
DeleteHahaha - that note looks very much like the little slips of paper I have already written (and photographed, but don't find time to write a new post, write too many comments).
ReplyDeleteA student of husband had made a whole exhibition with shopping lists, notes, leaflets people have made and then lost or thrown away - very interesting.
Without a name the writer remains mysterious - I like that. Though Sherlock would have instantly known whom he had to look for.
Richard Brautigan - the American writer - once found a note from a Mexican worker to his boss:
Delete"Dear Boss,
I will not be coming to work today.
I am not ill, I just feel too good to work today.
If I feel bad tomorrow, then I will be coming to work."