Do you believe in fairies? Valentine's Rene Cloke Postcard number 3930.
Posted to an address in Sloane Court, London in 1941.
Message reads ... Dear Virginia I hope you were very good in the car. Don't forget to tell Nanny that your blue pram cover is in the bottom drawer in the day nursery lots of love Nanny.
What do you think about when you read those words sent to a
little girl in 1941? I imagine a large
townhouse with a staff of uniformed nannies residing over a nursery located on
a floor somewhere far away from the rest of the family. I’m thinking of the days
when children of wealthy families were kept 'out of sight and out of mind'
other than at set times when they would be brought down to see the mistress of the
house. Or is it
possible the card was sent by the child's grandmother in the hope it would be
seen by her other grandmother? Have I
been watching too much Downton Abbey perhaps?
Secrets. Valentine's Rene Cloke Postcard number 4619 - undated and unused.
The Pixy School. Valentine's 'fine art' postcard Number 3715.
Sent to Miss Dashwood of Ealing, London in September 1949.
Sent to Miss Dashwood of Ealing, London in September 1949.
Elfins of the Brook. Valentine's 'fine art' postcard number 3931.
This was sent to the same little girl as the first card this time the message simply reads - See you at tea time xxx
The Dream Fairy. Valentine's Rene Cloke postcard number 4621.
Sent to 'Shirley' with love on her birthday.
Fairy Artists. Valentine's Rene Cloke postcard no 4729 posted on the 21st December 1951.
The Basket Maker. Valentine's Rene Cloke Fairy Series. Posted in 1954.
Sent to a Miss Harris with heaps of love and kisses from Uncle Glynn & Auntie Anne xx
The Little House Beneath the Trees. Valentine's Rene Cloke Fairy Series number 5110.
Sent to 'Sarah darling' unfortunately the card has suffered some water damage, and the message is illegible.
A Song of Summer. Valentine's Rene Cloke postcard no 1330 - undated and unused.
The Fairies go Marketing. Valentines Rene Cloke Postcard No 3332B
Posted on the 1st December 1950 and sent to Darling Angela. Message reads...I thought you would love to see these little fairies going to market. Can you dance as light as a fairy? Love and lots of hugs and kisses from Mummy and Paul xxxx
Posted on the 1st December 1950 and sent to Darling Angela. Message reads...I thought you would love to see these little fairies going to market. Can you dance as light as a fairy? Love and lots of hugs and kisses from Mummy and Paul xxxx
Can you dance as light as a fairy? I certainly can’t I have two left feet and absolutely
no coordination.
I hope you enjoyed these vintage postcards from my
collection if you would like to see others please visit these previous posts. DearMaudie, Doesn’t the tempus seem to fugit? Easter Greetings. Cats and dogs ... and Peter rabbit. Is this the ideal home for Snow White?
Dearest Barbara, HELLO! Your collection here is perfection! Not only are the postcards vibrant still in color, but they are intact with history! I love reading what someone wrote way back in the day, because it sends us dreaming and remembering that the world WAS different then...prams, toy horses, walks in the park, NANNIES. In my world, who knew of this? But documents as such take us back to a real world, someone's world...
ReplyDeleteI BELIEVE!
Hello Anita, how right you are. It's like opening a window and glimpsing a little of a life that belongs to someone else.
DeleteI just knew you would believe. Warm hugs dear friend.
Ah! Bless! I~Love~Fairies!:).
ReplyDeleteI've been called one often enough!
So over the years, l've kept people happy,
by dressing/acting like one. I did relate
to this on a previous post, of me dressing up
as one, one New Years Eve! Wings and all..Great
fun! :).
They say that fairies are legendary creatures....
what rubbish..I like many other people have them at
the bottom of the garden...o.k....o.k....'Fairy' enough
then...! And, when l was a lad we were always told, if
you did'nt believe in fairies..they would ALL drop dead!
And..of course there are many types of fairies...
Pixies, Brownies, Gnomes, Leprechauns, Elves, Hobgoblins..
And...When they get sick or poorly, they are all treated
under The National Elf...! :).
And..the story of three creatures, who were terrified of
a BIG BAD WOLF...They grew on trees...You all know the
title of course....'The Three Little Figs'. :0).
And dance like a fairy...Of course...I used to be very,
very, good...Now l'm just good...As a retired dancer/
choreographer, my well worn dining room carpet, will
prove that...! Love my music!
I 'tap' dance as well, though when l first started l fell
into the sink quite a lot...Boom! Boom! :).
So here's to ALL the fairies out there...Even the ones on
stage and screen...Bless them! Wings and ALL....!
Ah Willie you do my heart good! Of course, there are fairies at the bottom of the garden, fairy rings, tooth fairies and all the rest – and what harm did they ever do anyone? My mum told me that story about the fairies dropping dead if I didn’t believe in them, I cried myself to sleep that night. I was banking on them leaving me a silver sixpence when my loose tooth came out!
DeleteThanks for making me laugh Willie – keep dancing and keep wearing those wings!!
ooooO! Forgot about the tooth fairy....
DeleteWhen l was young...I fell asleep with my
head underneath the pillow...?
When l woke up...'ALL' my teeth were gone...! :).
HeHe! Sorry..best l can do 6:15 in the morning!
HeHe! xx
DeleteHi Barbara, loved, loved, loved this post! And the comments too!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kelly! :)
DeleteThese post cards are a delight and it is so great to see the message on the back. They certainly stir the imagination. BTW you can never watch too much Downton Abbey!
ReplyDeleteAnother fan I see! Love Downton.
DeleteBeautiful illustrations!
ReplyDeleteThank you Joleene, I’m please you enjoyed them.
DeleteThey live at the bottom of the garden. Don't they..........?
ReplyDeleteI love those postcards they are beautiful
Julie xxxxxxx
Yes they do! :)
DeleteEnchanting! I would love it if Virginia, Shirley, Sarah or Angela (or the other recipients) read your blog and recognised themselves ....
ReplyDeleteHello Sue, wouldn’t that be something? In 2011, I published a post about a set of postcards sent to a little girl called Elizabeth. I rather hoped she might make contact, nothing yet, but I’m still living in hope. I would happily return her postcards to her if she did.
DeleteI pictured something similar to the scene you described. If that was the case, I am glad someone was sending the little girl cards from time to time (even just about tea). What a different time for sure!
ReplyDeleteElfins of the Brook is probably my favorite one, but they are all so sweet. :) I do believe in fairies and spent a lot of time looking for them when I was growing up (especially near brooks and in the woods).
Thanks so much for sharing these- they are beautiful and make me think of life as it might have been for the people sending and receiving the cards over 60 years ago. :)
Hi Stephanie,
DeleteI believe in fairies too and like you spent a lot of time looking for them when I was little.
My Godmother sent dozens of postcards and telegrams when I was growing up. I still have two of the telegrams, but all the cards were thrown away. Maybe that has something to do with me collecting them now.
Thanks for calling in, Barbara
Oh yes, definitely reminds me of Downton Abbey, except the nurses would all be Midwives (different periods, I know, lol). I love the postcards here, especially The Basket Maker. There's something about the blue in the cap and cloak that attracts me tremendously. How nice to receive a postcard just to drop the line 'See you at tea time.' I remember there was a time when my bunch of girlfriends (we were 11 or 12) would send hand-drawn cards just to say hi, good luck with the upcoming exams or best friends forever etc. It was a different time, then.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these postcards again, Barbara. Such a sweet moment in a busy week! As for your Header Question, I did believe in them when I was a child. Now, I'm reluctant to say I don't but can't honestly say I do either.
Hello Claudine,
DeleteFather Christmas, The Easter Bunny, Fairies at the bottom of the garden – yes, I believe in them all! (I have to say that because of my granddaughters)
Of course I believe but sometimes I confuse fairies with angels. Thanks for the lovely postcards. I could gaze at them all day!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Eve!
DeleteThese are such fun to see! I tried to pick out a favorite postcard, but each one is slightly different from the next, yet still equal in enjoyment. :)
ReplyDeleteIt’s difficult isn’t it? They are all so lovely.
DeleteOh my goodness, what an adorable selection. Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure Tracy!
DeleteDear Barbara,
ReplyDeleteYou have the sweetest collection of postcards - love the cute vintage fairies and love all the messages on the back.
Thanks for your kind visit and happy to say we have rain which I am loving.
Happy March
hugs
Carolyn
Thank you so much Carolyn, I’m really pleased you enjoyed them...
DeleteI’m glad the rain arrived for you at last is it time to get out into the garden now?
Spring arrived in the UK yesterday, but Winter returned today it’s pouring with rain and blowing a gale. :-)
Love this collection. Beautiful illustrations.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWhat beautiful fairy illustrations these are, they remind me just of the books I used to read at my Nannie's house, there were lots of old books, from even before my time, in the bottom drawer of the built in cupboard upstairs. I loved reading them and can still remember some of the beautiful pictures in them.
ReplyDeleteI do hope my granddaughters remember reading books with me. When they visited in December, it was all Christmas books so very few fairies. I try to send them books from time to time and have just posted off a parcel in time for Easter. I stick pictures of fairies and all kinds of things to the outside of the parcel and wonder what the customs people make of it – but the girls love it. Thanks for calling in and leaving a comment. xx
DeleteMy Goodness!!! You have certainly touched every fibre of my being with not only these wonderful images Barbara,but the scenes now dancing around in my mind's eye!!!! Huge Thanks for letting all of see your delicious postcards and also for sharing the messages written on their reverse sides!! As you must know by now: Yes indeed! I definitely DO believe in all the fairies of my childhood and also times so much earlier.....
ReplyDeleteThey come alive every time I open a book from my collection! They settle on my shoulder or the arm of my chair as I enjoy reading yet again of their escapades!! Ah! Such a life of wonder I have been so fortunate to have been blessed with,thanks to being raised by two parents who also believed in the world of Fairies,and made certain that they would read to us every bedtime about the escapades of both the kind and good Fairy folk as well as the cheeky,often naughty ones who in the end always did learn a good lesson!! I am in the enviable situation of being custodian to more old and antique book treasures featuring fairies,than most folk have enjoyed hot dinners,so how on earth could I NOT believe in these special characters who honestly have enriched my whole life!! I do hope to again,bring some smiles to your followers,as I shall soon be sharing my escapades on your gorgeous blog,thanks to your generosity in this matter! Oh Barbara,I have truly loved reading this post from you ,and also Willie's response which features his inimitable Wit!!
Thank You,ever so much,yet again for all the pure and simple pleasure you impart to us all by sharing your stunning treasures!
Many warm and cheerful smiles as always, Jules in Australia!!!
P.S. Finally,we have received some glorious rain which means so many more lush plants and flowers in which the Fairies may enjoy their frolics and fun!!!
Hello Julie, Rain, rain glorious rain there is nothing quite like it for cooling the brain -
DeleteSorry – that was the first thing that came into my mind when I read your PS. Do you know the song? I knew it was raining in your part of the world because I read about it on someone’s blog. We’ve been getting lots of rain and gale-force winds, but could really do with some sunshine now.
I know I owe you an email, and I will write soon, but it’s been a bit hectic of late what with decorators, carpet cleaners, and all kinds of things. I’m not sure if I’m coming or going. One day the furniture is taken upstairs the next it’s fetched down again and so on and so forth! The next thing to get some attention is the garden. I've rather neglected it of late but now that spring is just around the corner I really need to start tidying it up. We have to have new fences as the gales have broken several fence posts, and the fence is swaying backwards and forwards. We get up every morning and look out of the window expecting the worst but so far so good – keep your fingers crossed for us. It should be sorted out next Friday (the 11th March) just hope it holds on until then.
It really does sound as though your childhood was blessed both by lovely parents and by the fairies! I’m sure readers of my blog are eagerly looking forward to your next instalment. I’ve read it, so I know it’s good, and it will be on the blog very soon.
Lots of love, I will write soon.
Bless you,my dear friend!!! Barbara,I do know how very busy you are,and I am happy to hear from you whenever it happens.I am also able to 'catch up' through this wonderful blog of yours,so no apologies are ever required or expected!!! You have brightened my life so much with the long distance friendship we share,and that is the most generous gift any one could ask for. My thanks again and of course many smiles which are now so totally refreshed after some more of the gorgeous wet stuff from above, Jules in Oz
DeleteThank you so much Julie xxx
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDear Barbara, thank you thank you for sharing these beautiful post cards. My favourite one is the pixie school. Just love the image of the owl presiding over a class of pixies :-) only an owl could manage a group of mischievous pixies :-)
ReplyDeleteYes the little messages do conjure up images of children being taught by strict nannies in uniforms. Perhaps I too have watched too much of Downton Abbey :-)
Hi Shashi, I absolutely agree with you re the owl and the pixies. The owl looks just like a schoolmaster should look!
DeleteI am so sad about Downton Abbey finishing, but I’m pretty sure I will be watching the re-runs repeatedly.
Thanks so much for commenting. Barbara xx