10th JAnuary 1907 w to norah gertrude birch
london SW to ramsgate, kent
66 miles
the message
The message has been written upside down in mirror writing and in French. Here is a translation courtesy of Alys Cambray from the Ghostpostcards Facebook Group.
“Irene is Dion Boucicault’s, and not the Vanburghs who are the daughters of a prebendary at Exeter Cathedral. It’s good to be transported in the clouds with each letter from my well-beloved. Your last (letter) was so kind, especially the “whisper”. And I shall “whisper” something to you very soon. A “whisper” from you is like a breeze in the desert, but today I shall reach the oasis. To be starved is very dangerous after such a diet. We ???? Your insatiable friend is already desiring manna from you”
the sender
This card is not signed but it is one of a pair, sent two days apart. The second one, from January 12th is signed W. It is assumed that W is William Harvey Ide (1877-1960) who later married the recipient.
William Harvey Ide was born 5th March 1877 in Stratford, Essex. His parents were William Ide (1850-1887), a Glazier from Birmingham, and Sarah Harvey (1854-1941), the daughter of a Birmingham Brewer. They had five children.
William Harvey appears in the 1881 census with his parents in West Ham, Essex and in 1891 with his widowed mother also in West Ham. It has not been possible to trace William Harvey in the 1901 census. He reappears in 1911 as a Visitor at the residence of the recipient Norah Gertrude Birch (1888-1976) and her mother Gertrude Birch nee Jennings (1862-1914) at an address in Wandsworth, SW London. He is listed as a a Clerk to Public Company.
William Harvey married Norah Birch in July-Sept 1913. They did not have any children.
Throughout the ensuing years, according to the electoral rolls, they remained in South London. In the 1939 Register they were living in Deal, Kent. William Harvey was listed as Company Clerk.
William Harvey’s death was registered in Dover, Kent in October-December 1960.
the recipient
Norah Gertrude Birch (1888-1976) was born in July 30th 1888 in Harringay, London. Tee birth was registered in Edmonton. Her parents were Thomas Allan Anderson Ramsay Birch (1833-1896) and Gertrude Jennings (1862-1914). On their 1887 Marriage Certificate, Thomas is listed as Clerk To The Sons Of Clergy and this is repeated in the 1891 Census. While on their son Allan’s marriage certificate in Russia in 1889, he is listed as Secretary London Corporation. He was originally from Liverpool. Norah was Thomas’s only child with Gertrude but he did have four other children through a previous marriage to Susannah Griffin (1831-1871). Gertrude was born in Canterbury, Kent and her father was a Printer.
Norah Gertrude was living with her parents in Tottenham, London in the 1891 census. It has not been possible to find Norah in the 1901 although her widowed mother was living in Ramsgate. In 1907 Norah was living in Ramsgate when she was sent this card. In 1911 she was in the census in Wandsworth with her mother and William Harvey Ide is listed as a Visitor.
Thereafter Norah’s story follows that of William Harvey until his death in 1960. Norah died in February 1976 and her death was registered in Dover.
the tree
Birch
Ide
The PLaces
London SW to Ramsgate, Kent
Ramsgate, Kent
what the card says to us
Where to start?
The picture shows two actors, Irene Vanburgh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_Vanbrugh) and George Alexander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Alexander_(actor)). The Vanburghs, an acting family, are mentioned in the message in connection with Dion Boucicault (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dion_Boucicault) who was playright. The background context behind the comment can only be guessed at. It certainly doesn’t explain the extraordinary lengths taken to obscure the content of the message i.e. mirror writing in French and turned upside down on the page. The rest of the message is quite racy and that is likely to be the reason. If the sender is William Harvey Ide, then it must be pointed out that it is four years from 1907 before he is a visitor at Norah’s address and a further two years before they married. It is likely that this is a love letter, but it must also be read in combination with a second card, sent two days later, details of which can be found by following this link.