december 2nd 1911 A to mabel taylor

langport, somerset to somerton, somerset

4.2 miles

the message

“I arrived home alright last night at 11 pm. Hope it was alright when you went in. Am longing to hear from you in the morning but a hundred times more for the evening when I shall CU. Have I sent you a PC like this before. I hope not.

Had a puncture going home to dinner & I had to walk back.

With love etc from A

December 2nd 1911

WAK

X X

Je vous aime mon chere (in mirror writing)”

the sender

There are no clues to the identity of the sender.

the recipient

Mabel Taylor (1890-1961) was the daughter of John Small Taylor (1855-1923) and Alma Leach (1868-1949). John was a Magistrate’s Clerk and in 1911, Mabel, aged 20, was working in his office.

In 1926 Mabel married Richard Victor Coomer (1886-1979). In the 1939 Register, Richard is described as a Wholesale Meat Salesman. Mabel is described as a Correspondent to School. They are living with Mabel’s mother Alma.

the tree

the places

Langport, Somerset to Somerton, Somerset

what the card says to us

The picture shows Winchester Cathedral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Cathedral) which appears not to be related to the family or the message beyond being an example of postcards that A used to send to Mabel.

A is obviously very keen on Mabel. That is clear from the passionate language, the WAK (With A Kiss), the kisses, the french mirror writing and the carefully coded positioning of the postage stamp. It would appear that they have seen eachother the night before and were going to see eachother again that night.

A would appear to ride a bicycle. Hence his puncture. Strange that he says that he got home alright and then confesses that he had a puncture.

Sadly it would appear that it did not work out for A and Mabel as she married someone else fifteen years later. What happened to A? Was it WWI?