To Ruth from Ethel and Fred

Ethel sent her sister Ruth in London a few cards - one from Felixstowe and one from Folkestone.

Here are the backs of the cards in the same order.

The message reads:

Dear Ruth just a card to ask you if you can put me up for one night as I shall be home on Thursday and shall probably go to the flat on Friday. I shall not come until after xx o'clock as I shall be calling at mothers first hope you are all well Love from Ethel

The message on this one is a little harder to make out, but seems to say:

14 Warren Rd Folkestone

Dear Sister This is where all the big Pots stay there are two bandstands and a new Hall called the Cliff Hall also Leas Pavilion where we went to a Variety show called the Golden Gommes it is very good there are also some lovely walks below the cliffs We had a ride on the Model railroad at Hythe. We hope you are all well today Love Ethel and Fred.

We are at Swingate (?) today

Würzburg

I wanted to post this card today, because it was sent to the same address as yesterday's, to the lovely Villa des Marguerites on the Brittany Coast.  If you want to see a picture of the vila, check yesterday's post.

I have come to the conclusion that when people struck out the word Postkarte and replaced it with Drucksache (the equivalent of book rate), that they could then pay a lower postage rate, with the card presumably taking somewhat longer to reach its destination. That's merely a guess though. If you have a better explanation, please let me know.

The second card was sent from Würzburg too, though a few years earlier.  It was sent to Lara and Alma Kahn of Oakland, California.

From Freiburg to St. Lunaire

In 1902, Gabrielle was visiting Freiburg, Germany and sent a card to Monsieur G. Kuentz in St. Lunaire in Brittany, land of beautiful beaches and equally beautiful houses.

Here's another view of Freiburg at about the same time.

The back of the second card is blank, but the back of the first card includes Gabrielle's sweeping script and a few cancellation stamps.

Although I felt like a bit of a stalker, I had to look to see what the Villa des Marguerites looks like. Here it is. This is the side view. The front looks out to the sea. The Villa was built in the 1880s, one of the first villas to be built on the point.