I’ve just come across this postcard, which I bought some years ago in the market at La Baule
The caption says she is a ‘Jeune Fille de Quimperle’
But it is the rear of the PC which fascinates me. It was posted in Pont-Croix, Finisterre in Brittany on 25th February 1906
As you can probably make out, it is addressed to Madame Vailhen at 3 place de la Republique, Nantes, and a rough translation is:
Saturday evening.
I’m putting a rabbit on the train to gare d’Orleans. I think you’ll have it by Monday. Ant. [Antoine, Antoinette?] will be able to collect it. It is wrapped length-ways in 2 cloths.
Kind regards to Rue St. Jacques. Kisses [?] to the place de la Republique. L.
I love reading old letters and postcards - trying to get a feel for the past and to envisage the writers and recipients. What were these people’s lives like, and what became of them.
Who was L., I wonder, and was Madame Vailhen pleased with the gift? (and was it fresh when she took delivery of it!)
Did she enjoy her rabbit pie?
6 comments:
How lovely! Sorry I haven't been around sweets, I'm blogging on some police corruption and I didn't want to force it on anyone.
Thanks, fjl - and good luck with all that complicated stuff!
Hello anno domini,
It's been long since this article has been posted, but I found it by chance, as I was searching for the name of Vailhen, which is my mother's family name.
It may well be, that the Mme Vailhen to whom this card was addressed was a parent of my mother's. I could check this and tell you...
@+
Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
Hello,
I got my parents on the phone, they examined the image and it fits : Madame Vailhen was my mother's grandmother. Her husband was a doctor in Nantes. "Ant." might be Antoinette who might have been a house servant. More lies in the family's history which we have in our country house, but not at hand by now.
If we had the image scanned at a higher resolution and given time to get the book, we may give you more details ^-^
@+
Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
Hello - benoit 'mutos' robin, I am sorry I have not replied earlier - I have not looked at my blog for months!
It is so interesting to find a connection with the recipient of the postcard. I’d be very pleased to send you (or your mother) the original card if you would like it. (I have a scanned copy for myself) It would be fitting to return the card to its ‘family’!
Do let me know your address, if you would like me to send you the card.
Hi,
I am a postcard collector from Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. I recently added a postcard from a certain LB to a Mademoiselle A Vailhen on Place de la Republique in Nantes. The cpa is written in 1904 most likely from a young man. It is posted in Vichy where the fellow has gone to "...me debarasser de mon albumine" !The handwriting is identical to the writing on your card. Just came across your blog as I try to trace most of the cpa I collect. Just to let you know that across the Atlantic we both possess a trace of Mademoiselle and later Madame A. Vailhen.
:-)
Lena
If you would like a scan of my card I'd be happy to e-mail it, just for fun, my email is canstis@saltspring.com
Post a Comment