september 7th 1910 E Pivat-blayon to jonathan charlesworth
clermont-ferrand, france to south west london
422 miles
the message
“Sinceres remercierements
E Privat-Blayon
(7 Rue Clot Bey
Grenoble)”
Translates as “Sincere thanks”
the sender
E Privat-Blayon is possibly Eugene Jean Pivat-Blayon born about 1867 but this has not been conformed and no further details are known.
the recipient
Jonathan Charlesworth (1869-1944) was born in Netherton/South Crosland are of Wakefield, Yorkshire. His parents were Thomas Charlesworth (1840-1892) and Eliza Oldfield (1840-1913). Thomas was a Foreman in a Woollen Mill.
In 1871 and 1881 Jonathan was living with his parents in South Crosland. In 1891 he was lodging in Lambeth, London and was a Schoolmaster. In 1895 he married Sarah Elizabeth Roberts (1861-1924) in Brixton, London. Sarah was born Sarah Bragg in Wellington, New Zealand and had a previous marriage to Charles Thomas Roberts (1856-1892), a Publisher. In the 1901 census, Jonathan is recorded in South Crosland at his mother’s address while Sarah is in Lambeth at 110 Stockwell Park Road where the card was sent to. Presumably Jonathan was in Yorkshire on family business. The card was sent in 1910. Jonathan and Sarah are together at 100 Stockwell Park Road in 1911. In the 1939 Register, Jonathan, now a widower, is registered in Truro, Cornwall as a retired Head Master lecturing Music at a Training College.
Jonathan’s death is recorded in Streatham, London in 1944.
the tree
the places
Clermont-Frrand, France to South West London
South West London showing Stockwell Park Road
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Grenoble, France showing Rue Clot Bey
Grenoble, France also showing Clermont-Ferrand
what the card says to us
The picture shows Notre-Dame-du-Port in Clermont-Ferrand which is where the card was posted. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Notre-Dame_du_Port)
The link between E Pivat-Blayon of Grenoble and a schoolteacher from Wakefield now living in South West London is a complete mystery. But something must have happened between them. Was it professional or social. We may never know.