March 6th 1905 Tallifer (?) to alice maria Elizabeth godfrey nee penn

stroud, Gloucestershire to london

107 miles

the message

"I am looking out for a letter to night. I've been out to tea this afternoon. Can you believe it,

Tallifer"

the sender

Unfortunately the signature cannot be interpreted. The first letter could be T or J or even L. The stroke across the top could be part of the name or nothing to do with it. It looks as if it ends in "fer" but the only name that comes to mind is Jennifer and it doesn't look like that is right. Is it a nickname? Is it a surname or a first name? It is a shame because whoever it is, they sound like a hoot.

the recipient

Alice Maria Elizabeth Godfrey nee Penn (1862-1940) is a bit of a puzzle. She was born in Blakeney, Gloucestershire, the daughter of Richard Morse Penn (1831-1901) and Sarah Powell (1832-1914). Richard was a builder. By the time she was 19, in 1881, Alice was no longer living at home. She appears in the 1881 census living in nearby Awre as an assistant to a grocer and draper called Henry Clayfield. In 1886 she married Joseph Godfrey who is a complete mystery as there are no subsequent clues in the records as to who he is. Identification would require their marriage certificate to see his father's name and his profession. They had 3 children according to the details of the 1911 census for Alice, one of whom had dies by 1911 and has not been identified. The other two children were Mary Irene Godfrey (1888-1978) and Harold Bernard Godfrey (1890-1918).

This is where the picture gets complicated. Normally you would expect the 1891 census to show a neat family unit of parents and two children. However, the only positive entry that can be confirmed is Mary who is 3 years old and living with her grandparents, Richard and Sarah, in Awre. Harold has not been located and neither has Joseph, his father. There is a possible entry for Alice in London where someone of the name Alice Godfrey is living with a family headed by William Godfrey, an innkeeper, who hails from Gloucestershire. This Alice is listed as married but her relationship to the head is recorded as sister. This does not make sense because if she was married she would not have the same surname as her brother. No occupation is recorded for Alice. It is probably the right Alice with mis-recording of the relationship, but it has not been possible so far to link Joseph to William.

The 1901 census picture is a little clearer but by no means complete. Harold, who is now 11, is living with the grandparents in Awre. There is no record of his 13 year old sister Mary. Alice meanwhile is living in Stroud where she is boarding with someone called Hannah Bassett, a widow living on her own means. Alice is a manageress of a Co-Op Drapery. She is recorded as married but there is no sign of her husband Joseph. There is a servant called Mary Jones who is referred to in another card.

By the time of the 1911 census a few things have happened. Alice's son Harold emigrates to America in 1910 and dies there in 1918. Alice is still living in Stroud and is still a Drapery Manageress but she is now recorded as a widow. This suggests that Joseph has died between 1901 and 1911. Alice's daughter is still around because in 1914 she married Albert Clement Hooper (1883-1954) and it is to Mary that Alice leaves her estate when she died in 1940.

One can only speculate about the life of Alice Godfrey nee Penn. Why was her husband absent? Was he a soldier or a sailor, or a villain? Was his absence the reason why Alice became a Drapery Manageress to make ends meet while her children were looked after by her parents. Lots of questions.

the places

Stroud, Gloucestershire

Aldersgate Street, London

Tewkwsbury, Gloucestershire

what the card says to us

The picture shows internal detail from Tewkesbury Abbey about which more can be found here http://www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/

There is also a quote from Byron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Byron) although that line was not about Tewkesbury Abbey. It seems to have felt apt to the card maker.

The message suggests that going out to tea in Stroud in 1905 was unusual, or was it just unusual for the sender of the card who remains unidentified. It is part of the story of Alice that despite being a resident of Stroud, she seems to be temporarily residing at a Temperance Hotel in London close to what is now the Barbican. Was that related to her work at the Co-Op? was she often away from home? Was she active in the Temperance Movement or was this just a coincidence? More questions than answers.