We are away again this weekend and therefore it is another rushed Sepia Saturday contribution. My chosen postcard shows the Italian Gardens in Scarborough, Yorkshire, which is appropriate as we are heading for Scarborough for the weekend. I suppose what I should do is to volunteer to repeat the exercise of last week and try and recreate the old photograph, but I am not sure I will get chance. If you look closely at the photograph you can spot the group of people standing next to the pond and the statue of Mercury, and you can also spot the rather crude hand-tinting that has taken place and upgraded a monochrome photograph into a full-colour card.
The Italian Gardens were set out in 1911 and designed by Henry W Smith. Scarborough is proudly part of Yorkshire, and Yorkshire folk have always been noted for being careful with their brass (money). When the Town Council realised that they would have to pay for a sculpture of Mercury, they very sensibly asked for a couple of copies to be run off and placed the other in nearby Peasholm Gardens.
I am not entirely sure of the date on the postmark - it could either be 1924 or perhaps 1929. The one penny stamp doesn't offer too much help. Postage rates for postcards increased from a half-penny to a penny in June 1918 and then went up to a penny-ha'penny in June 1921. However, it was eventually reduced back to one penny in May 1924 and remained at that level for the rest of the decade. So we know it is unlikely the card was sent between 1921 and May 1924. But there again it was from a Yorkshire person to another Yorkshire person, so they would have probably used old stamps to save an ha'penny.
You can save far more than an ha'penny by indulging in some free entertainment and edification by viewing the work of other Sepia Saturday contributors by visiting the Sepia Saturday Blog.
I'd try carbon dating - or maybe the tree rings on the wood used for the postcard.
ReplyDeletePS - the soldier would suggest to me a date very close to the end of WWI.
ReplyDeleteI'm very fond of Scarborough! Have a great weekend :)
ReplyDeleteboth Mercury AND Brass ! Is it a Heavy Metal Convention your going to in Scarborough?
ReplyDeleteMercury certainly has a look of speed about him...Love the ladies hats and costumes - so staid by contrast.
ReplyDeleteYes I do see the remake, although really to me the picture, place and people themselves is what I study most, and it is a lovely place! I hope you have a wonderful holiday and get many lovely photos! Enjoy your time away!
ReplyDeleteIf you do get to go to the Italian Gardens, please take a picture so we can see what they look like now
ReplyDeleteI'm always just as interested to see the back of the postcard as the photo on the front. Love the old style writing and 1 cent stamp! Yes, do recreate a photo while you are there this weekend. :)
ReplyDeletelol at tony...
I'm voting for a postmark date of 1926. The cancellation on the very left looks much like the one on the right, but you can see the number 6 where the number is obscure on the right. Anyway, I hope you are having a fabulous weekend and favorable weather.
ReplyDeleteI must be more observant.
ReplyDeleteI must be more
I must be the next time I go to Scarborough. I don't remember the Italian garden nor the Mercury statue in Peasholme Park.
Oh, this brings back memories. I spent several summer days in Scarborough as a child. I'm always fascinated by what is written on the back of old postcards. It's like a wee flash of living spirit from someone long dead.
ReplyDeleteOh how nice it would be to walk through this lush garden with that beautiful Yorkshire light.
ReplyDeletelovely card.
ReplyDeleteall you need to recreate this is someone in a uniform to join you. maybe you or your wife could commit some misdemeanor and surely a cop would show up...
;)~
HUGZ
Hoping you get to photo the Italian gardens todAY so we can compare. Tinted as they liked, no doubt. Enjoy the vaction
ReplyDelete