August 18th 1904 Martha mary mantz to Frances Martha mantz

Victoria docks, London to chard, somerset

188 miles 

the message

Dear Frances & Nellie

We are coming to meet you, bring some ivy if you can. Mrs Stafford is coming so I don't want to bring E.B. with me

I remain your loving sis

Martha

the sender

Martha Mary Mantz (1889-1985) was the youngest of three daughters. Their parents, Heinrich Fredrick Mantz (1859-1927) and Maria Elizabeth Becker (1857-1945) were both born in Germany. Heinrich was a baker and came to England around 1881. Heinrich and Maria married in Southwark, London in 1882.

Martha married William Joshua Naylor (1889-1958) in 1948 when she was 59 years old. Perhaps, being the youngest daughter, she devoted her younger years to looking after her mother. They had no children.

the recipient

Frances Martha Mantz (1887-1972) was the middle of the three Mantz sisters. The elder was Ann Elizabeth (1886-1967). (Ann married Frederick John Jacob Geller(1878-1954) in 1920 when she was 34 and had no children. In 1911 Ann was a milliner.).

Frances was an elementary school teacher. In 1904 she was 17. The Grammar School in Chard at that time was a public boarding school. She may have been a pupil or maybe she was already working or she was training.

In 1911 she was living with her parents and sisters in Canning Town and she was an elementary school teacher.

In 1914 Frances married Walter Joseph Newitt (1886-1952). Walter was also a school teacher. In 1939 they were living in Shepton Mallet in Somerset where Walter was teaching. They had two children.

the tree



the places

Victoria Docks, London

Chard, Somerset

what the card says to us

This is the earliest of 12 cards sent by or to Frances Martha Mantz. It is 1904 and she is 17. The card is from her 15 year old younger sister, Martha. The address is a school in Chard, Somerset which in 1904 was a public boarding school. Was Frances a pupil? It is a long way from Victoria Docks. And where were they going to meet?

The picture of the London Law Courts does not appear to have any relevance.

The card is sent c/o Mrs Williams or Williamson, the postmark obscures the end of the name.

The card is addressed to Frances and Nellie (or Millie) and there are no clues as to who that is. There is a reference to a Mrs Stafford but again no indication as to who that might be and why bringing E. B. might not be the right thing to do, whoever E.B. is.

The most curious aspect of the card is the request to bring some ivy. This is August and nowhere near Christmas. Was ivy a rare thing in London in 1904 but plentiful in Somerset? Was it sought after for decoration?

Finally there is the closing which says that Martha remains your loving sis. A bit formal between sisters or perhaps it is a joke.

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