18th september 1907 unknown to elizabeth Steele nee hetherington
longtown, cumbria to carlisle, cumbria
8 miles
the message
“Hope you are all keeping well. We got home all right and I have been kept busy. We expected Jos and Sissy on Saturday but they never showed up. All ???? ????
???????”
the sender
Unfortunately the bottom edge of the message has been trimmed. It is possible that the signature is Annie but that cannot be confirmed. The most likely sender in the context of the family and the message is Alice Beckton nee Steele (1878-1945), the elder daughter of the recipient.
the recipient
Elizabeth Steele nee Hetherington (1850-1931) was born in Brampton, Cumbria which is not far from Carlisle. Her parents were William Hetherington (1825-1896) and Alice Graham (1824-1892). William was a Hand Loom Weaver.
In 1851 Elizabeth was living with her parents in Brampton. They were still together in 1861. In 1871 they were still in Brampton and Elizabeth was listed as a Factory Girl. In 1874 Elizabeth married Joseph Steele (1852-1907), a Railway Signalman. In 1881 they were living in the Botchergate area of Carlisle. They were there together in 1891 and in 1901. After Joseph’s death Elizabeth moved to live with her daughter Sarah Ruth Forsyth nee Steele (1880-1940). Sarah had married Joseph Forsyth (1883-1975) in 1905 and in 1911 they were living in Port Sunlight in Cheshire where Joseph was a Tool Fitter in Tin Box Making.
Elizabeth’s death was recorded in Cheshire in 1931.
The tree
the places
Longtown, Cumbria to Carlisle, Cumbria also showing Brampton
Longtown, Cumbria
Carlisle, Cumbria showing Maryport Cottages
what the card says to us
The picture shows Stepping Stones leading to Lanercost Priory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanercost_Priory) which is not far from Brampton.
Sadly the identity of the sender cannot be confirmed. What the sender really wants to emphasise is that Jos and Sissy did not turn up on Saturday. They are presumably Joseph Forsyth and Sarah Ruth Steel who had no yet moved to Port Sunlight. Why didn’t they show?
On a sombre note, this card was sent shortly before the death of Joseph Steele, Elizabeth’s husband although there is no hint of this event.