The Postcard Collection – serie

Nottingham was established as a settlement even before the Normans built their castle there, but the castle became an important stronghold and the medieval town grew around both it and the original settlement in today’s Lace Market area. The castle was later rebuilt but some remains of medieval Nottingham can still be found today, including two of the oldest public houses in the country, Ye Olde Salutation Inn and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. Lacemaking and other industries later left their mark on the city, and the nineteenth century and early twentieth century was an era of great civic pride in the city as the Council House was built, major railway stations and theatres opened and the city expanded its boundaries.In Nottingham: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Nottingham from the late nineteenth century to the early 1950s. Although much of Nottingham has changed over the years, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes to Nottingham’s fabric and its community adapting and changing over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Nottingham or know it well.

The ‘Fair City of Perth’ is aptly named. Situated on the banks of the Tay, Scotland’s longest river, Perth and its surrounding area boast some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. The city’s position on the River Tay ensured that it became a busy trading port, exporting salmon and wool and importing claret from Bordeaux. Its bustling harbour remains in use, the only inland harbour in Britain. Perth was once the capital of Scotland and there are many interesting historical sights to visit. The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly Scone Palace on the outskirts of town. Scone was the home of the Stone of Destiny for nearly 500 years, and the site where every Scottish king was crowned. Today, Perth is a major tourist centre and important staging post on the route north to the Highlands of Scotland. As such, it boasts many shops, bars and restaurants, as well as a thriving arts and cultural scene.In this book, author Jack Gillon takes the reader on an evocative journey into Perth’s past through a superb selection of old postcards. This fascinating window into the city’s history will appeal to residents and visitors alike.

Having been granted city status during the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002, Stirling is Scotland’s smallest city, but has an enthralling wealth of architectural and historic heritage that would be the envy of much larger places in the country. Stirling’s heritage dates from the thirteenth century, when it was granted a royal charter and became a significant medieval settlement. Its strategic importance as the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’ also made it the much-fought over ‘Cockpit of Scotland’ and it has been witness to many of the most significant battles in Scottish history.Today, Stirling is a bustling and charming historic city that retains much of its ancient character and architectural quality. Using old postcards, Stirling The Postcard Collection shows how the city has changed and evolved over the years. These postcards are an invaluable visual record of a place’s past and provide a fascinating insight into the world of our ancestors. The old postcards of Stirling celebrate the town’s civic achievements and distinctive character in the form of public buildings, principal streets, parks, railway stations and historic landmarks.

Liverpool was a small port on the River Mersey in the medieval period, but started to grow rapidly in the eighteenth century, benefitting from the expanding transatlantic trade. Wealthy merchants built large houses and invested in the city. During the Victorian age, Liverpool was the second largest city in England and there was a massive programme of civic building to demonstrate Liverpool’s standing. The city drew in people from around Britain and further afield and although it suffered heavily during the Second World War, when it was targeted for aerial bombardment by the Luftwaffe because of the importance of its docks and associated industries, and then in the post-war decades as docks declined, it is today a culturally vibrant city. Although much of old Liverpool was lost in the destruction of war and in the attempts to modernise the city post-war, it is once again a thriving commercial centre that is proud of its heritage.Liverpool: The Postcard Collection takes the reader on an evocative journey into Liverpool’s past through a selection of old postcards from the late nineteenth century to the 1940s, which offer a fascinating window into the history of this dynamic city.

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, has been central to Scottish life and its history over the centuries. It is the seat of the Scottish government, the Scottish parliament, the supreme courts of Scotland, many national institutions, and a major educational, medical and financial centre. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland.The Old Town retains much of its medieval character and the Georgian New Town, with its regular facades and major neoclassical buildings by architects of the stature of Robert Adam, is one of the world’s most extensive examples of neoclassical towns. Numerous festivals attract visitors from all over the world and its eminent scientists, engineers, philosophers and writers are internationally renowned.In this book, author Jack Gillon brings together a superbly evocative collection of old postcards of Edinburgh. The 180 featured postcards celebrate the city’s achievements and distinctive character in the form of its public buildings, principal streets, and historic landmarks. Edinburgh: The Postcard Collection provides an invaluable visual record of the city’s past and a fascinating insight into the world of our ancestors.

Lincoln can trace its history back to an Iron Age settlement by the River Witham, subsequently a Roman and Viking town. The Norman castle and medieval cathedral, built on a ridge, still dominate the city today, with the suburbs spread out below the hill. Medieval Lincoln was one of the wealthiest towns in the country and many buildings from this period survive today. The city experienced another boom during the Industrial Revolution and manufacturing is still an important part of the city today.In Lincoln: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Lincoln in the past. Although much of Lincoln has changed over the years, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes to Lincoln’s fabric and its community adapting and changing over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Lincoln or know it well.

Leicester has long been an important city in the East Midlands. Remains of Roman Leicester can still be seen today, as well as many buildings from the Middle Ages, not least being the resting place of Richard III at the end of the Wars of the Roses. Leicester grew rapidly during industrialisation, led by industries such as textiles, clothing, footwear and engineering. It was granted city status in 1919 after its industries had played a key role in the First World War and St Martin’s Church was consecrated as the cathedral in 1927. The last 100 years have seen sweeping changes to Leicester as the city has extended and rebuilt itself.In Leicester: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Leicester in the past, from c. 1900 to the 1950s. Although some of the historical Leicester seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes in Leicester’s fabric and how its community has adapted to and changed over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Leicester or know it well.

The spa town of Bath has drawn visitors since the Roman’s built baths and a temple at the site of hot springs in the Avon valley. Bath Abbey was founded in the seventh century but it was in the eighteenth century that the town became the fashion centre of England. Bath’s Georgian architecture is one of its chief glories today but the city has seen many changes in the intervening years, not least the destruction caused by aerial bombardment during the Second World War. Post-war years saw new housing and commercial redevelopment in the city, museums opened, fresh industries established and the expansion of its two universities.In Bath: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Bath in the past. Although some of historical Bath seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Bath or know it well.

Exeter has long been an important city in Devon, centred around its medieval cathedral. Much of the historic city centre was lost during the Second World War and subsequent redevelopment, but some scenes of Exeter from the past would still be recognisable today. Historic buildings stand next to redeveloped commercial centres, though many landmarks of old Exeter were lost and even the street plan was altered in places. In Exeter: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in this city’s past. Although some of the historic Exeter seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show how Exeter’s fabric and community have adapted and changed over the years. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Exeter or know it well.

Middlesbrough boasts a rich, diverse history and heritage that brings together tales of unprecedented industrial development, rapid urban expansion, the cultivation of new cultural institutions and a proud sporting heritage that has helped put the town on the map. As Middlesbrough expanded from a small hamlet of just twenty-five people in 1801 to a town with a population exceeding 90,000 a century later, new landmarks emerged and communities grew to create a distinct industrial ‘boom town’ forged in iron and steel.In Middlesbrough: The Postcard Collection the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in the past. Although some of the historical town seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Middlesbrough or know it well, as well as those interested in postcards and industrial heritage.

Whitstable, lying on the shore of the Thames Estuary on the North Kent coast, has long been famous for its oysters. The world’s first passenger steam railway connected Whitstable to Canterbury in 1830, serviced by a harbour that opened two years later in 1832. These events were the catalysts for growth and prosperity during the ensuing Victorian era, turning a small fishing community into a busy seaside town with maritime-based industries at its heart. Much about the town has changed over the years but its long, winding High Street, the maze of alleyways, an unpretentious seafront and its still-thriving harbour ensure that Whitstable’s charm and special character survives to this day.In Whitstable: The Postcard Collection, Philip Johnson has drawn on a remarkable collection of postcards of Whitstable and Tankerton and the surrounding villages of Swalecliffe, Chestfield and Seasalter, providing a window into the town’s past through the world of old picture postcards. This absorbing selection of images will be of interest to those who live in Whitstable, those who know it well or those who are just intrigued to find out more about this fascinating town.

Dundee is a modern city with a long history. It became a royal burgh in the late twelfth century, but the town itself long predates this, and human settlement in the area can be traced back many hundreds of years earlier. In its eight centuries of official existence, Dundee has been a medieval burgh subjected to invasion and conflict, a thriving seaport and centre of trade, and a booming industrial town known worldwide for its ‘Jute, Jam and Journalism’. It officially became a city in 1889 and, shortly after this, began to be documented by the medium of the picture postcard.In many ways Dundee can be considered the home of the picture postcard. In the early years of the twentieth century when the craze for them was at its height, Valentines of Dundee was the world’s largest producer of postcards and their closest Scottish rival J. B. White Limited was also a local firm. Many photographs were taken for postcard production in Dundee and these images have become an invaluable historic archive for local historians. Dundee: The Postcard Collection dips into this archive and presents many rare and fascinating images of the city.

Birmingham expanded massively in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, becoming the second-largest city in Britain. It led the way in new technology and manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution, as well as being the cultural centre of the Midlands. Although the centre was severely damaged in aerial bombardment in the Second World War, and subsequently rebuilt in modern style in the post-war era, much of historical Birmingham remains alongside the city’s new buildings and streets, criss-crossed by its distinctive canal network.In Birmingham: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in the city’s past. Although some of the historical Birmingham seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Birmingham or know it well.

Walsingham is a large village in North Norfolk famous for its shrines of Mary. The original Shrine was built there in 1061 and attracted pilgrims from all over Europe. In the Middle Ages, it was said to be the fourth most important pilgrimage place after the Holy Land, Rome and Compostela in Spain. That all stopped with the Reformation in the 1530s, but memories remained. The Catholics refounded a Shrine at nearby Houghton in the 1890s and then the Anglicans did the same in Walsingham itself in the 1920s. Both shrines have grown since in popularity and size with many thousands of pilgrims visiting each year.In Walsingham and Around: The Postcard Collection the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Walsingham and the surrounding area in the past, including historical illustrations of the shrines, the village of Walsingham and its parish church before the shrine were refounded as well as the nearby villages of Great Walsingham, Warham and Wighton, East Barsham and Binham, Stiffkey and Hindringham. Although some of the buildings seen in these views have been lost, many landmarks remain, with changes, and will be familiar today. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who visit or who have lived in the Walsingham area of North Norfolk.

Carlisle has long been a strategically important border city. Close to the English border with Scotland the city was heavily fortified through the centuries, and its medieval castle and cathedral are still prominent. The city was industrialised in the nineteenth century and the Victorian era saw the city extended with large areas of new housing built for the workers. Although the city centre has been redeveloped in recent decades much of the historic city of Carlisle remains today.In Carlisle: The Postcard Collection the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Carlisle in the past. Although some of the historical Carlisle seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes in Carlisle’s fabric and its community adapting and changing over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Carlisle or know it well.

The British West Indies cover a distinct geographical area. However, the countries within it have their own histories, sometimes overlapping, sometimes very different. British West Indies: The Postcard Collection brings together over 100 postcards showing the region's commonalities and differences. The British West Indies were an important economic source for the British Empire, supplying sugar, coffee, tobacco and cocoa. During the First and Second World Wars, many men joined up to fight for Britain, and many young citizens later emigrated to help the country recover and rebuild its economy. Today, many see the countries of the British West Indies only as wonderful holiday spots with sand, sea and sun. However, scratch the surface and one will discover a fascinating and chequered history.

Picture postcards first began to appear in Colchester in 1902, used by people from all walks of life as a cheap and easy form of communication. Fortuitously, local photographers saw the opportunities provided by the cards and began capturing everyday local scenes, leaving us with now priceless snapshots of a bygone age.Said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain and the site of the first Roman city, Colchester has a story that is second to none. While the town has changed greatly over the past two millennia, the origins and history of Colchester are still very much part of its fabric, and the postcards contained in this book capture just a glimpse of it.Colchester: The Postcard Collection provides a fascinating insight into how this incredible town has changed over the past century. Colchester’s most iconic buildings, much-loved monuments and long-lost views are all brought to life in this beautifully illustrated volume.

Barnstaple, the main town in North Devon, is quite possibly the oldest borough in the United Kingdom and is home to a community rich in history, ambition and achievement. The town still preserves its medieval layout. Its wealth was derived from its licence to export wool, which was also later imported from Ireland. After its harbour silted up, the growth of other industries such as sawmills, foundries and shipbuilding were established. Its Victorian market still survives and the railway is still in much use. In Barnstaple & Around: The Postcard Collection, authors Denise Holton and Elizabeth J. Hammett explore the town and its surrounding areas through the use of beautiful postcards.

The north Cornwall seaside resort town of Bude has undergone quite a transformation since its humble beginnings as Stratton’s unremarkable neighbour. As one local candidly put it, ‘Stratton was a market town when Bude was just a furzy down.’ Initially known for its beach sand properties, which worked wonders on soil and proved favourable with many Cornish farmers, Bude expanded rapidly following the construction of the sea canal in the early nineteenth century. The Victorians sought it out as the ideal holiday resort.Bude – known in the Cornish tongue as Porthbud – has proven a hit with holidaymakers as an idyllic seaside destination. Whether surfing at Widemouth Bay, exploring cliffs and hidden beach coves, or simply enjoying a spot of fishing, the charming resort has emerged as a tourist hotspot. Author Dawn G. Robinson has compiled a captivating collection of postcards that capture the beauty and charm of this seaside spot.

Full of archaic charm, St Andrews has plenty to offer with its breathtaking coastal scenery and beautiful ruins. Not just a pretty face, this Fife settlement is also home to the third oldest university in the United Kingdom; alumni include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Also a sporting hotspot, it is well known for its golf.First mentioned during the Dark Ages and known as Kilrymont, it was inhabited by farmers and fishermen. The sixteenth century was particularly troublesome for the area, with feuds between Catholics and Protestants. Its cathedral, the oldest in Scotland, fell into disuse when Catholic mass was outlawed during the Reformation period. St Andrews: The Postcard Collection boasts a fascinating array of postcards documenting St Andrews’ character, culture and rich history.

Situated a few miles to the south of Manchester City Centre, the Four Heatons have always been popular residential suburbs for families wishing to swap the industrial clamour of the inner city for fresh air and fine views across open spaces to the Pennines and the Cheshire Plain. The coming of the railways in the late nineteenth century provided easy access to the area for commuters travelling between Manchester and Stockport, resulting in the building of the imposing period houses, churches, tree-lined roads and parks that are still a feature of the area today.Each of the Four Heatons has its unique story to tell. Heaton Chapel’s links to St Thomas’ Church, Heaton Mersey’s journey from rural hamlet to Victorian village, Heaton Moor’s development as the natural centre to the area and Heaton Norris’ industrial heritage, can all be traced through the pictures and stories of these postcards. Between 1901 and 1910 the Heatons were involved in the communications revolution which swept across Britain and were unequalled until the digital age of the 21st century. The postcards which survive today tell that story through the work of pioneering photographers and give us a unique insight into Heatons’ life from the early part of the twentieth century.

One of the most famous and popular road circuits for tourists in the southwest of Ireland, the Ring of Kerry traverses the coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula, with a great many tourist sites along the way from Killarney’s lakes to Waterville’s coast. A century ago, the Grand Atlantic Tour emerged as one of the essential travel itineraries by horse-drawn and motor bus tours on the island of Ireland. For the landscape lover, postcards were produced for visitors to remember their visit and to send to loved ones. These beautiful, colourful postcards showcased the region and framed the visitor’s memories.The magnificent scenery, with unspoilt coasts and rugged mountains, makes the Ring of Kerry a top tourist destination. Dramatic panoramas, majestic mountain shapes, ancient sites and heritage towns are found along the winding route of the N70 through the southern tip of Kerry. The 180-km route is much travelled, especially by coach tours. Along the coast are picturesque little towns such as Sneem, Caherdaniel and Waterville. Kenmare Bay to the south, Dingle Bay in the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west surround this peninsula, which boasts 75 miles of beaches.

Museums play an important part of twenty-first-century life for residents of the United Kingdom. Either as places of education or entertainment, most of us would consider a visit to a museum or art gallery as part of any holiday. However, for a sector that prides itself in telling stories of a wide variety of cultures and historical periods, it has done a pretty bad job of promoting and recording how the museums of the United Kingdom were founded and how they grew to be such an important part of regional and national identity.Museums: The Postcard Collection looks at the development of museums by utilising images created during the heyday of the postcard, 1890s–1930s. It illustrates how many of the well-known institutions were founded and grew, and records some museums that no longer exist.

Few countries went through the level of interest and development of pleasure piers like the United Kingdom. Built during the Victorian age and early twentieth century, they hark back to a romanticised British coastal holiday – donkey rides on the beach, paddling in the sea and strolling along the pier partaking in the penny amusement arcades and the end of the pier show. Coastal towns often developed promenades along the sea front so that people could take in the sea air and would have easy access to the beach to gain the health benefits of salt water swimming. Some promenades were extended into the sea as pleasure piers. The National Pier Society record that ninety-nine such pleasure piers were built, but many dock sides and harbour walls also provided areas for tourists to promenade and adopted the title of ‘pier’.This book takes the reader through the evolution of the pleasure piers, from their heyday to the often sad decline and demolition, using early twentieth-century postcards capturing the piers in their prime and, in some cases, capturing their mishaps.

Sittingbourne’s steady growth from mid-Victorian times began with the construction of a railway line linking London to east Kent port, bisecting the town. Sittingbourne was renowned for its brick and cement manufacture, although papermaking subsequently predominated the town’s industry. Workers for these trades often moved from the countryside. Terraces of houses accommodating them arose either side of the main Watling Street thoroughfare. Economic growth continues apace today, with a far greater range of commercial enterprises.This fantastic selection of old postcards provides an interesting insight into mainly Edwardian times – a vital stage in this town’s development. They are fascinating too because of their universal usage; as commonplace as emails, yet just as revolutionary in their heyday.

The picturesque fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay is 5 miles south of Whitby and 15 miles north of Scarborough on the coast of North Yorkshire. Now a popular tourist destination with its distinctive maze of tiny streets tumbling down the cliffs, the village was once synonymous with smuggling and there is reputed to be a network of subterranean passageways linking the houses. Fishing, which had always been the main legitimate activity in the village, started to decline in the late nineteenth century and today most of the local income comes from tourism.Robin Hood’s Bay: The Postcard Collection takes the reader on an evocative journey into the former fishing village’s past through a selection of old postcards that offer a fascinating window into its history.

Once a relatively small rural settlement on the River Clyde, Glasgow expanded dramatically over the centuries to become the largest city in Scotland. From the early eighteenth century Glasgow prospered as it emerged as one of Britain’s principal transatlantic trade hubs with North America and the West Indies, as well as one of the world’s largest seaports. As the Industrial Revolution took hold, Glasgow continued to thrive, becoming world-famous for its shipbuilding and marine industries. In Victorian times Glasgow was recognised as the ‘Second City of the British Empire’, while today it is one of the top ten financial centres in Europe.Glasgow: The Postcard Collection takes the reader on a nostalgic journey back through Glasgow’s past in a vibrant selection of old picture postcards, offering an illuminating pictorial history of this great city.

Located in the heart of Ayrshire, Kilmarnock was once considered its industrial powerhouse. It was little more than a large village until the start of the nineteenth century. In 1812 Kilmarnock was linked to the new harbour at Troon by railway. This established Kilmarnock as an engineering centre, which led to new companies being formed from the old cottage industries. Locomotives were built in Kilmarnock by several companies, the most prominent being Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., and Glenfield & Kennedy grew to be one of the biggest suppliers of all manner of hydraulic engineering. Kilmarnock’s most famous product is no longer made in the town, but sales of Johnnie Walker whisky are worth more than £1 billion a year.Of course, it’s not all hard work and no play. Kilmarnock has pleasant parks and an outstanding country park. The area has produced people who have pushed the boundaries of science and have helped to build new nations. In this book local journalist, historian and author Frank Beattie explores the town’s past through a collection of vintage and modern postcards that help to tell the story of his home town.

The royal parks of London are lands originally owned by the monarchy of the United Kingdom for the recreation (mostly hunting) of the royal family. They are part of the hereditary possessions of the Crown. With the increasing urbanisation of London, some of these were preserved as freely accessible open spaces and became public parks with the introduction of the Crown Lands Act 1851. Today there are eight parks formally described by this name and they cover almost 2,000 hectares of land in Greater London. Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Regent’s Park and St James’s Park are the largest green spaces in central London; Bushy Park, Greenwich Park and Richmond Park are in the suburbs.London’s Royal Parks: The Postcard Collection takes the reader on an evocative journey into the past of these much-loved green spaces through a selection of old postcards that offer a fascinating window into their history and continuing development.