january 28th 1906 margaret alwen nee holmden to mary martha vine nee holmden

edenbridge, kent to balcombe, sussex

12.5 miles

the message

“January 27 1906

Arrived safely had a jolly party 23 ??????? Went to Church 4 ??????? wish you were here

With love yrs

Maggie”

the sender

Margaret Alwen nee Holmden (1849-1926) was the daughter of Richard Holmden and Ann Elizabeth Wood (1824-1866). Richard was a farmer who married twice and had 19 children.

In 1892 Margaret married William Noah Alwen (1855-1931) who was a Baker and Grocer.

the recipient

Mary Martha Vine nee Holmden (1861-1912) was a full sibling of Margaret.

In 1891 Mary married William Henry Vine (1866-1934) who was a Baker and Confectioner.

The Holmden family is very large. There are many branches and there are a number of recurring surnames.

the tree

the places

Edenbridge, Kent to Balcombe, Sussex

Edenbridge, Kent (including Bletchingley in the top left corner)

Balcombe, Sussex

what the card says to us

The picture shows Bletchingley in Surrey which is local to the area. As always the questions of who the two men in the street are and what happened to them arise.

The handwriting in the message is very difficult to read and it is also difficult to look behind the message. The sender, presumed to Margaret Alwen, has been somewhere and is safely home. Was she visiting Mary Vine? The answers will probably never be uncovered.