Saturday 29 September 2012

Love at first sight - picture postcards

This set of six postcards published by Delittle, Fenwick & Co, Art and Colour printers of York appealed to me because of the story they tell.

They were all sent to Miss Maudie Anscombe, Ivy Cottage, Guildford during the months of August and September 1903.


Love at First Sight
Posted 17th August, 1903
Message on front reads
Dear Maudie, aren't the above awfully fetching?

Courtship
26th August, 1903
With Leslie's love

The Proposal
August, 1903
Am expecting a letter from you dear Maudie, Nell

Papa's reply
3rd September, 1903 
Dear Maudie, I hope you are enjoying yourself more than the individual above. Papa!

Married in haste
5th September, 1903
Dear Maudie, do you know Victor or Sara at Brighton Parish? Wish you were here from Nellie.

Repenting at leisure
5th September, 1903.
Dear Maudie, when you go to Brixton look out for "Black Marias" (slang term for a police van)Victor

I thought I might share a few more cards from my collection – what do you think? Is it something that would interest you?

Monday 24 September 2012

Two brides, wealthy or not, they'll agree on this


Whether she is the richest bride in the country or just another young wife starting out...she'll need an electric cleaner. No matter how wealthy she is, she cannot buy a better cleaner than The Hoover; yet no one can buy a more economical one. You can have it from as small a down payment as 10/.

From an advertisement in The Bride Book published in 1938. 182 pages containing everything you need to know about getting married and running a home. 

Another advertisement aimed at The Wealthy Wife;
A boon to the newly married as well as to the experienced housewife…an additional servant in your house ready at all times to run your errands and save your time. A patient, cheery soul, no sulks. No back-chat, no moods. She does her work quickly, economically, and well. Her name is: The Telephone. Her address is: Any Post Office. Her cost is: 7/- to 9/- per month. Extensions which save your time, your temper, your staff, and your stair-carpets cost only 3/6 to 7/- per quarter. You’ll get into all sorts of hot water with relations – his as well as yours – if you maroon yourself without  a telephone.

Tinned soup, peas and cold meats are the order of the day in this advertisement for Canadian canned foods.

However, new brides are advised that "cookery is common sense rather than science" 
It is obvious that for making pastry or jam you want weights, measures and careful timing. Yet it is not an exaggeration to say that the dangerous woman in the kitchen is the one who goes mercilessly by thermometer, scales and such-like. Apart from the fact that she may not succeed in making a dish in spite of all her precautions, there is something far more fundamentally important which is wrong and that is her mental attitude!

Menu's and meal planners are provided;
Sunday:  Luncheon - Grapefruit, shoulder of mutton boulangere, plum tart (hot). Dinner - cabbage soup, pigeon pie, vegetable salad, cream cheese, fruit
Monday: Luncheon - Ham omelette, silverside of beef (hot) and its vegetables, plum tart (cold). Dinner - Tourain, emince of mutton with baked potatoes, Welsh rarebit.
Tuesday: Luncheon - Maltese Curry with rice, lettuce salad, cheese. Dinner - Tourain, grilled herrings with mustard sauce, silverside of beef (cold), apples Normande.
Wednesday: Luncheon - Hors d'oeuvre, Alsatian Salad, Macaroni cheese, wine jelly. Dinner - clear soup, escalopes of veal Viennese with purée of potatoes, chocolate mousse.
This makes me wonder if the 1938 bride ever left the kitchen!


Once the cooking is done the bride must still take care of her personal daintiness;
With the products now available to us, there is no longer any reason or possible excuse for a girl not to be dainty about her person. And the fastidious girl takes no chances. She realises that odours caused by perspiration or other secretions can sometimes be detected by others when they are not apparent to herself. The weekly use of a liquid deodorant should be a fixed and unalterable habit.Weekly??

She should wear a girdle at all times;
Suppose you never wore shoes, little by little your feet would spread. In certain ways the same thing applies to the figure. At the moment you may have no unwanted curves or bulges, but as time goes on, the body, like the shoeless foot, begins to spread. 

and always choose the correct riding kit!
The correct riding kit shows the average girl off to a very pleasing advantage. But it must be right. When it is, the wearer looks trim and smart. When it is not she looks merely dowdy.

and beach shoes;
Very few feet look at their best in flat rubber beach slippers. But since there is a limitless variety of sandals and slippers with heels, there is no reason why every foot should not look neat and trim.


Lovely to look at and so is her home!

Her beauty is enhanced and maintained by a careful discrimination in the choice of cosmetics.

Her home is always fresh and lovely too, because she used the same discrimination in its decoration. She insisted on the use of Paripan throughout. 

Paripan has enjoyed a world-wide reputation for over fifty years. It is used in Royal Palaces, mansions, and thousands of homes throughout the world. Communicate with us before giving your decorator instructions, as we can offer you many helpful suggestions. 


Ye gods - Cupid has a lot to answer for! 

When Cupid shoots his arrow, he waits just long enough to see it reach its destination before darting off to new shooting-grounds. When the thrill of getting married, and honeymooning, is just a little thrust into the background by domesticity, the young bride must turn to more prosaic matters. And this, we think, is a suitable moment to tender some advice regarding meals.

You will, of course, consider very seriously your own and your husband's diet. He'll need a food that will keep him alert and cheerfully healthy - that will replace the strength used up daily in work and sport. And Vita-Weat will do this - will help you both - because, by containing all the goodness of whole wheat with all its vitamins, Vita-Weat gives abundant energy (plus slimness of figure) - aids digestion and is definitely real nourishment.

This mind-boggling book was sent to Miss G. E. Miller, Devonshire Place, London on the 4th April, 1938. 
I didn't know what to expect when I found and opened Miss Miller's parcel, but I must say I wasn't disappointed. I've had a lot of fun reading it, but I'm thankful I don’t have to abide by it.

As I have no idea what it might be worth (if anything) I've decided to list it on eBay with a starting price of £0.99. I'm happy to report the bride's book sold via eBay. I’m sure the new owner will have a lot of fun with it.

Were you given any words of wisdom or advice on your wedding day?

Thursday 20 September 2012

Newly Catalogued

The last few weeks have flown past but now that my new website is up and running I hope to have more time for cataloguing. If you are looking for a particular title, please let me know, and I will do my best to find it for you.


Speedy the mini story and playbook. Illustrations and story by Tim. [William Timym, (1901-1990) artist whose best-known work is probably the Bleep and Booster cartoons for the BBC's Blue Peter.] Published by Purnell & Sons in 1966.  The historical map of England and Wales and the toy cars came from a vintage antique fair. These are the kinds of things I can never resist, but now there is an excuse – props for this blog! 

Secret Seven books by Enid Blyton always look so colourful side by side on a bookshelf. These were all published by Brockhampton Press between 1967 and 1973. From left to right - The Secret Seven,  Secret Seven on the trail(sold), Well done Secret Seven(sold), Look out Secret Seven(sold), Good Old Secret Seven(sold), Three cheers Secret Seven, Secret Seven mystery(sold), Go ahead Secret Seven and Good work Secret Seven.

There are other Secret Seven books waiting to be listed. If you are looking for a particular title, and don't see it here, please contact me. If I don’t have it, I may be able to find it.  


Little Grey Rabbit books by Alison Uttley are always very popular but have you met Snug and Serena?

Little Grey Rabbit makes lace with illustrations by Margaret Tempest. Complete with dust jacket. Published in 1951 by Collins. When Hare sees an old woman making pillow-lace, he decides to learn how to do it so that he can show Little Grey Rabbit. Little Grey Rabbit makes lace is now sold, thank you for your interest.

Snug and Serena meet a Queen is also by Alice Uttley but this time the illustrations are by Katherine Wigglesworth. Published by Heinemman in 1950 in the same format as the Grey Rabbit books. Snug and Serena are two little field mice. Not only do they meet a Queen but Snug is carried off by a hawk and Serena has a narrow escape from a hungry weasel!

This is the first copy of Feed the animals by H. A. Rey that I've had the pleasure of listing.  It was published by Chatto and Windus in 1960. The story is told in rhyme with transforming pages that lift to reveal different animals. “Harry the keeper is ready to bring a bag which is tied at the top with a string. Now what’s in the bag, and for whom will it be? Open the flap, and you will see.”

Buffers End by Rowland Emett a humorous look at the machine age from steam trains to steam rollers and other forms of transport. Rowland Emett came to prominence in the 1930s with the publication of his cartoons in Punch Magazine. Nellie the steam train made her debut in the March 8th, 1944 issue, and a whole new world was created. The branch lines of Friars Crumbling radiated out to destinations such as Far Twittering, Buffers End, Long Suffering, Freezing in the Marrow and St. Torpid's Creek. In 1950, Emett was approached by the organisers of the Festival of Britain with a view to creating a full-size passenger carrying version of his railway system. Initially reluctant, he finally agreed and began creating the designs. Nellie was the first engine to emerge from the workshops. Two of his other trains (Neptune and Wild Goose) were also created for the renamed Far Tottering and Oyster Creek Branch Lines. Nellie and the Far Tottering Railway carried over 2 million passengers at the 1951 Festival. I must have been about five when my Godmother sent me a birthday greeting telegram designed by Rowland Emett, and I’ve been a fan ever since. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to call in, Barbara.


Update July 2016: All the books featured are now sold. March House books closed on my retirement in 2015, but I am still happily blogging here at March of Time Books. Your visits are always appreciated.

Saturday 15 September 2012

Holidays again! What bliss!!!

Dear Anne,


Holidays again! What bliss!!! It doesn't seem possible that Christmas is here again already. This time in three days we shall probably be feeling full up of Christmas dinner and deciding that we shall never look a piece of Christmas Pudding in the face again. What a boring letter!  Did you see the film on B.B.C at 3.25 Saturday afternoon?

I have now got all my Christmas presents and am left with the sum of 1/2d + 1 1/2d stamp which will go on this letter to you leaving me with a ha'penny. What a daft word ha'penny is! I don't even know how you spell it. I got so fed up with Dad's Christmas present problem that I asked mummy to get it for me as she knows what he wants. She rolled home with a pair of braces! They're not too bad but they've got the most ghastly pattern on them that you ever saw.

On Thursday we set off for Manchester and stay there until 31st Dec. I don't have much news at the moment so please write soon. Merry Christmas Gillian.

Found in:


The adventures of the wishing-chair by Enid Blyton is now sold, thank you for your interest.

Does anyone remember ha’pennies? I’ve got a box full of old coins in the loft many of them are ha'pennies, but my favourites are the threepenny bits with the Tudor portcullis design, and the pretty little farthings decorated with a Wren. (With thanks to Percy for pointing out my mistake - see comments)

What about shove-ha’penny does anyone remember playing it? Christmas was always my favourite time of the year.  That’s when the shove-ha-penny board, the card games and the roulette wheel would be taken out of the cupboard, and we would all sit down to play. Sometimes we used matchsticks for money, but as we got older, we were allowed to use the ‘real’ thing! Being the smallest I nearly always lost, but it didn’t matter, the joy of being with the ‘grown ups’ outweighed any upset at losing my pocket money.

Thursday 13 September 2012

One lovely blog award!

Thank you so much to Suzy for nominating my blog for the One Lovely Blog Award.  For those of you who have yet to visit Suzy you will find her at Low Fell Writer's place

These are the requirements that go along with the award;

Include the blog award logo in your post
Thank the person who nominated you
Provide 7 random facts about yourself
Nominate 7 other blogs, and let them know you have done so



Random facts;
I played the part of a daffodil in a school play – no lines to learn just lots of swaying in the breeze!

I've had the privilege of sharing my life with seven wonderful pets;
Kosset cat; named after a brand of carpets.
Peggy; a dog of no particular breed.
A budgie called Tarzan; who later turned out to be Jane  - it’s difficult to tell the difference!
Kelly; a beagle with a mind of his own.
Patch and Albe; two of the sweetest little King Charles Cavaliers.
Rosie; a Cairn Terrier who came into my life when I least expected it.

Patch and Albe

I used to enjoy entering competitions, especially those that required a slogan. My winnings include a mountain bike, a thousand pounds, a collection of CD’s and a CD player, numerous bottles of wine and boxes of chocolates, Marks and Spencer's gift vouchers, a voucher for home decoration, lots of cuddly toys and other miscellaneous things.

I lived on a farm for the first 21 years of my life.

On the farm with mum and dad not sure of the year - maybe 1957?

We have one son and four grandchildren, two girls and two boys.

I love playing Twister, Monopoly and any kind of card game except bridge.

I collect just about anything made of paper - cards, postcards, books (of course) and lots of ephemeral items.

Right that is quite enough about me!

Now we get to the interesting part,

my nominations are;

Nancy at  Simple Clockwork
Joleen at Amaranthine
Lindsay at The Little Reader Library
Michelle at Vintage Cobweb
Claudine at Carry Us Off Books
Angela at AJ Arndt Books Blog
PK at PK Hrezo

Congratulations! I will leave a comment on each of your blogs.
Barbara

PS. Sharon from Sharon's Sunlit Memories mentioned she would like to see more dahlia pictures - so Sharon this one is just for you.

Monday 10 September 2012

Grandfather’s favourite and Me and my Old Dutch

Regular visitors to this blog will know I missed the Dorset County Show this year. I did go last year and while there ordered a dozen gold medal-winning dahlias. They looked so beautiful, and they are easy to grow – right? Wrong!

What with rain, wind, slugs, snails and now ground frost – I must have been stark staring mad! From the moment the plants arrived, I knew I had made a mistake. The show dahlias were at least five feet tall. The ones left on my doorstep one morning in May were two inches tall and housed in three-inch pots! I had no idea I was expected to do the work myself – I naively assumed they would arrive fully grown and ready for planting.

Still nothing ventured; nothing gained. It can’t be that hard! Right? Wrong again. Back in May we were all being told to conserve water; hose pipe bans were all the rage and I though keeping the plants watered would be my biggest problem. Not so, a couple of weeks later the heavens opened and much of Somerset, including our garden was under water. Planting the now six inch tall plants in the ground was out of the question. These particular dahlias were going to have to remain in pots. Have you any idea how much 12 large pots and enough compost to fill them cost? Not to mention the garden twine and strong stakes? Trust me, you don’t want to know!

At this point, I had no idea how big they might grow or even what colour they would be. They all had labels with odd names like Grandfather’s favourite and Me and my Old Dutch – I kid you not! I spent hours online trying to research them, but that, like so much else about dahlias was to remain a mystery. Why do slugs and snails like them so much? I don’t have a problem with any living creature (except spiders), but suddenly I was in a constant battle against these pesky eating machines. I can’t kill them – it’s beyond me, so I started a daily round of carefully removing each one and taking it for a nice walk to the other side of the street only to find it back the next day. Don’t try to tell me they were different slugs and snails because I know darn well they were the same ones.

Fast-forward to the beginning of September, the dahlia’s and I are getting on just fine. They are now healthy, almost slug-free plants with a rainbow of flower heads, so what does the weather man forecast – ground frost. I ask you ground frost on the 5th September. It’s a conspiracy. The whole world is out to get me and my dahlias! So without further ado – dahlia plants cared for by yours truly – not bad huh?







Go on Jack Frost do your worst, I’m ready for you and there is always next year.

What do you do in your spare time? Take a tip from me, don't take up gardening!

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Rupert Bear The Adventure series. Fifty books published between 1948 and 1963

Rupert bear is one of the most enduring and well-loved children’s characters in British fiction. He was The Daily Express’s response to the highly successful children’s picture strip stories in other newspapers. Herbert Tourtel a senior executive at The Daily Express wrote the stories and his wife Mary provided the illustrations. Little Lost Bear ran for 36 days starting on the 8th November, 1920. The stories appeared in book form the following year and the first Rupert annual was published in 1936.










Herbert Tourtel died in 1931, but Mary continued to write and illustrate the stories herself until failing eyesight forced her to retire in 1935. Alfred Bestall was her natural successor. He had already published cartoons in other magazines as well as drawing the covers for Schoolgirl’s Own Annuals.










A new series of books began in 1948 and ran for 50 issues these were the Rupert Adventure Series with Rupert and Snuffy being the first. Numerous well known illustrators contributed artwork, including Enid Ash, Alex Cubie and Alfred Bestall. Later publications are the most difficult to find and are often the most expensive.










I was lucky enough to purchase a complete set, and although I no longer have them all I did manage to photograph them. I hope this proves useful for anyone wishing to collect the set.










Each unpaginated, slim booklet comes with colour illustrations in the same format as the annuals. All but three contain two Rupert stories some written specifically for the series and some reproduced from older annuals.










Information sourced from 'the new Rupert index' by W.O.G Lofts and D. J. Adley revised and updated by John Beck.

If you would like to find out more about Rupert visit the Followers of Rupert Bear