The picture on this postcard is labeled London Types: The Postman. There is a small folder of 12 London views attached to the front of the postcard. When the folder is opened, the views fold out.
These are the views inside the folder: Whitehall, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Tower & Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Old Houses, Houses of Parliament, Traffic Duty at Ludgate Circus, Exchange & Bank, Cheapside, Looking E., and Queen Victoria Memorial.
The back of the postcard has instructions about the amount of postage needed with and without a written message. To get the lower rate, "Post Card" had be crossed out and Book Post marked in place of "Post Card."
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They had very odd postal charge arrangements then. You could have written whatever you like on the picture side of the card and still be charged 1/2d. Anything more than a name on the address side and the charge was doubled!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great card - and the postman looking so serious and official too.
ReplyDeleteYou managed to get a policeman in too, not running, but standing still.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw the photograph, my reaction was to say, "That's not London - he looks like a French gendarme". The uniform for a British postman was new to me - do you have any clue as to its date?
ReplyDeleteCirca 1915. There is a postcard on eBay with the same postman but no attached views that is postmarked 1914.
ReplyDeleteSuch great postcards and story. But if I were back in the day I'd love to pursue that handsome policeman! Anyday!
ReplyDeletewow! what a find...a brilliant novelty card - one of the best i've seen!
ReplyDeleteA neat set that's very appropriate for this week's Olympics in London. The instructions on the back are new to me and I'm curious how long that procedure was in place. I've just Googled it and discovered that there was a long history of complaints from the public about the British Post Office for its petty enforcement of rules in order to collect another half-penny. Writing certain words on a card or packet were acceptable but the addition of a pronoun or adverb could flip a packet rate up to the letter rate. It helps explain why some postcards have stamps and others have none.
ReplyDeleteInteresting controversy over the postage. I wonder what the popular scenes are today that tourists are mailing home to family and friends.
ReplyDeleteIn The Netherlands there was a similar postage structure. If you wrote anything more than senders name on a card, it was regarded as a letter. I wonder which official checked it all... I also wonder about his job description :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Pleased to see that the London Bobby was included amongs the views. Interesting card in postal history.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great postcard. So much more interesting than your standard card :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! Great post!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen one like this ... what a great idea. The fold out pictures must be tiny! Thanks for showing this to us.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
Such a fun postcard. Love the little envelope containing the pullout views of all the important landmarks.
ReplyDeleteNancy
Yes how appropriate for what is going on now. I love anything about London and we are really enjoying the Olympics. Wonderful collection material.
ReplyDeleteQMM
In many ways the "famous views" have not changed over 100 years neither in terms of what constitutes famous views nor in the actual buildings themselves. I suppose you would now need to add the Olympic Park to the series.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun postcard - like all of the pics, but my favorite photo is the one of the "Exchange & Bank". It's colorful and alot of activity going on.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle took me to see the guards changing at Whitehall when I was little. I was too small so he put me up on a nearby windowsill. Strange the things that trigger memories.
ReplyDeleteInteresting concept. Love the "traffic duty" one!!
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ