august 7th 1908 elizabeth potts to arthur potts

rhyl, Flintshire to butt lane staffordshire

75 miles

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the message

“Nant Clwyd

Dear Arthur

Thanks you P.P.C. “I am surprised at you”. I am pleased to hear you went to Llandudno. Why didn’t you call to see us. Tell Mother I shall like the ? much better than the dress after all & to send the ? along with it. Tell her I am going to get some brown material I’ve seenfor a ? and skirt. I will send it on to be made. Ask Miss M if she has kept that pattern I liked. Ask her if 6 yds will be enough. Glorious weather. Never seen so many people before (I don’t think). Will send G PPC soon.

With love to Mother & G & yourself

Yours affectionately

Betty XXXX

This is a lovely spot on other side been many a time

Write back”

the sender

Elizabeth Potts (1892-?) was the daughter of Thomas Potts (1858-?) and Sarah Ann Lancaster (1856-1936). In the 1911 census Thomas is listed as a Colliery Train Man (Underground). This was his second marriage. He was previously married to someone called Hannah (1850-1889). Thomas and Hannah had one child, Mary (1879-1944). Thomas and Sarah had 3 children Elizabeth, Arthur (1893-1929) and George (1896-1973).

the recipient

Arthur Potts (1893-1929) was the son of Thomas Potts and Sarah Ann Lancaster. He did not marry.

the tree

the places

Rhyl, Flinstshire to Butt Lane, Staffordshire

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Nant Clwyd, Denbighshire, and Rhyl, Flinstshire, and Llandudno, Conwy

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Rhyl, Flintshire

 

Butt Lane, Staffordshire

 

Nant Clwyd,

 


Dolgelly, Merionethshire (now known as Dolgellau, Gwynedd)

 

Llandudno, Conwy

 

what the card says to us

The picture shows Llanelltyd Bridge in Dolgellau (https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/95424/details/llanelltyd-bridgepont-llanelltyd-near-dolgellau). This is a North Wales beauty spot and much of the card references places in North Wales although they are not particularly close together.

The card has Nant Clwyd written on it which suggests that this is where Elizabeth was staying. The assumption is that this was Nant Clwyd Hall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nantclwyd_Hall) or nearby. Elizabeth was working as a servant in 1911, so it is possible that she was doing so in 1908 too. The card itself was posted in Rhyl which would not be considered the nearest town, but this was a rural area and the journey to a post box may have been complicated and almost certainly reliant on an alternative reason for the trip.

Elizabeth admonishes Arthur for visiting Llandudno and not calling in. This may have been a joke because the two places are not that close. There are light-hearted points in the message like “(I don’t think)” in reference to the number of people. To where this refers is not clear.

There is a lot of talk about dresses, patterns, material and skirts as well as a word that can’t be interpreted but is presumably clothing related. Instructions for Miss M, whoever that is. Could it be her half-sister Mary?

Early on in the text Elizabeth writes “I am surprised at you” in response to an earlier post card. If only that one was available to see what it was all about. Was there a risque picture or a personal comment?

Lots to think about.