Postcard [The Old Curiosity Shop Immortalized by Charles Dickens']

item details

NamePostcard [The Old Curiosity Shop Immortalized by Charles Dickens']

ProductionWilliam Hansen; writer; 13 June 1917; Great Britain

Classificationpostcards

Materialscardboard, printing ink

Materials Summaryblack and white photographic postcard with message on reverse

DimensionsOverall: 140mm (width), 90mm (height)

Registration NumberGH026231

Credit lineGift of Eileen Tiller, 2018

Overview

Message to 'My Dear Mum'

Fred Hansen sent this postcard to his mother while he was recovering from tuberculosis (TB) at Oatlands Park hospital in England during World War I. Oatlands Park was attached to No. 2 New Zealand General Hospital at Walton-on-Thames. Carpenter Fred had contracted TB while serving in the New Zealand Engineers’ Tunnelling Company at Arras, France. Fred appears to have written the rest of his message on two other postcards.

Transcription

(2)

...we had tea + a spell for a little while after + then caught a bus to the train + got back here about 9pm had we gone today we would ahve seen the bombing raid by 17 german planes we were shown where the last London raid had bombs dropped most fell in the streets but thre was nothing to show for it, it had all been mended + new glass put in where windows where [sic] broken. One of the maori boys...