july 22nd 1905 w to john buckley bradley

morecambe, lancashire to astley, lancashire

52 miles

the message

“Saturday night

Dear F. M. B+?

Arrived safely. Weather nice on Friday but wet today. Having a nice time but we have not seen the sea quite so rough as the Picture. Suggest in fact it has been a dead calm.

Yours + ?

W”

the sender

The tone of the card suggests family. The card is signed “W”. There are two potential candidates within the Bradley family and they are William Bradley (1871-?) and Walter Bradley (1885-?). Both are the sons of John Buckley Bradley (1848-1923) and Eliza Warriner Mellor (1846-1909). They are 2 of 10 children.

At the time the card was sent, William was 34 years old and working as a power loom operator in a cotton mill and married since 1893 to Sarah Roberts (1868-?).

Walter was 19 years old and an assistant clerk in a cotton mill. In 1913 he married Ethel Beatrice Clare (1885?).

the recipient

The card was sent to John Buckley Bradley (1848-1923) + Co. John was a warp sizer in a cotton mill. In 1867 he married Eliza Warriner Mellor (1846-1909). They had 10 children and so in 1905, the “+ Co” might be a selection of the following.

Sarah Alice (1870-?)

William (1871-?)

Mary (1873-?)

James (1875-?)

John Thomas (1875-?)

Ruth (1877-1955)

Charles (1879-1944)

Frederick (1881-1965)

Annie (1883-?)

Walter (1885-?)

The salutation on the card is “Dear F. M. B.+S.”. Assuming that this refers to 4 people, F is probably Frederick, M is Mary and S is Sarah Alice as these 3 are all living at home in the 1911 census and this card was sent in 1905. B is more difficult to identify.

the tree

the places

Morecambe, Lancashire

Astley, Lancashire

what the card says to us

The picture shows the sea front at Morecambe with a rough seascape. This is where the card was posted and the state of the sea is referenced in the message. Presumably this is a holiday postcard. The family work predominantly in the cotton industry in Astley and a holiday in Morecambe would not be unusual in 1905.

The sea in July 1905 in Morecambe was calm.

The addressing of the card is confusing. It is not clear who sent it and who it was sent to, but it does give a vague idea.

The handwriting is beautiful.