july 17th 1906 GL to elizabeth mary little nee smith

Humshaugh, northumberland to newcastle-upon-tyne, tyne and wear

26 miles

the message

"I am having a grand time of it. Grannie and I are coming down with the 11 o'clock train on Saturday. I have finished one pair of boots already.

GL"

the sender

The initials are GL. The initial assumption was that this was George Smith Little (1894-1984), the son of George William Little (1863-1936) and Elizabeth Mary Smith (1862-1921) who was the recipient. However, it is the reference to Grannie that is confusing. By 1906 both George's grandmothers, Mary Ann Smith nee Ramsay (1835-1870) and Eliza Little nee Watson (1826-1878) had died. So had one of his grandfathers, William Little (1820-1885). There is the possibility that his other grandfather, John Smith (1825-?) remarried after the death of his wife in 1870. However, it has not been possible to find a marriage because it has not been possible to trace John Smith beyond the 1871 census.

Assuming that the sender is George Smith Little, he would have been 12 years old when the card was sent. He married Florence Hall Aitken (1894-1980) in 1917. In 1939 George was working as an Ordnance Engineer.

George's father, George William, was a foreman fitter and turner at an ordnance works.

the recipient

Elizabeth Mary Little nee Smith (1862-1921) was the daughter of John Smith (1825-?) and Mary Ann Ramsay (1835-1870). John was a farmer.

Elizabeth married George William Little (1863-1936) in 1885. They had three children of which George Smith Little was the youngest.

the places

Hamshaugh and Hexham, Northumberland

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear

what the card says to us

The picture shows Chesters, an estate near Humshaugh near Hexham which is where the card was posted. 

The message suggests that George has been staying with his Grannie and is returning home. What is meant by the comment about the boots is a mystery. Have they done a lot of walking?