Leaf postcard

This leaf postcard is made from Brachyglottis rotundifolia (mutton-bird scrub) and was written by ‘Harry’ and sent to ‘Mrs T Brierley’ in 1906, who was possibly Clarissa Mabel Brierley (1878-1924) who owned a Bible which the leaf was tucked into (she was married to Thomas Brierley, hence the 'T' in her name).

Harry was possibly her brother Henry Charles Isaac (born 1879). He was visiting Rakiura Stewart Island and wrote to her on a leaf found on the island. The postcard features a one penny universal postage stamp which has been date stamped ‘N Z Half-Moon Bay 24 Ja 06’.

The message is handwritten in ink: 'Stewart Island / Jan 23. 1906. / I am still on this lovely Island / am hoping to see you all early next month / Resting on His promise, / What have we to fear, / God is all-sufficient / For the coming year / Harry'.

At that time, postcards could be sent very cheaply, and it was very popular for visitors to send dried leaves as postcards from the post office at either Halfmoon Bay, or Ulva Island in Paterson Inlet, Rakiura Stewart Island. This one is a particularly nice example because the message and address are together on one side. The Post Office frequently announced that such postcards were prohibited, but tourists persisted sending them for many years. They were finally banned by the Post Office in 1915.

At some point, the postcard was placed in the family Bible (tucked inside the book of Genesis); possibly because it was a reminder of family relationships, but also perhaps because it bears the devotional quote above.