October 2nd 1913 Mary Elizabeth barrett to Georgianna cox nee bettey

castle cary, somerset to Bristol

28 miles

the message

"October 1st / 13

Dear Auntie

Rob has today sent you a box of apples for you to go on with. Will send you some keepers later. Hoping you are both well.

With lots of love in haste from

Mary"

the sender

Mary Elizabeth Barrett (1886-1969) was the second child of Wosson Barrett (1850-1930) and Elizabeth Amelia Bettey (1855-1921). Wosson was a Grocer by trade. Mary did not marry and lived with her elder brother William Robert Herbert Barrett (1885-1951), a dairy farmer, and was his housekeeper. In 1919 William married Rose Dora Amelia Barrett (1882-1957) who unusually had the same surname.

Mary never married.

the recipient

Georgianna Cox nee Bettey (1859-1933) was the daughter of William Bettey (1826-1877) and Elizabeth Ann Dauncey (1824-1901). William was a farmer.

In the 1901 census, before she married, Georgianna's occupation was given as Fancy Stationer. In 1902 she married William Barnard Cox (1847-1931), a Butter Merchant.

Georgianna was the aunt of Mary Elizabeth Barrett because her sister, Elizabeth Amelia Barrett nee Bettey was Mary's mother.

the places

Castle Cary, Somerset

Bristol

what the card says to us

The picture shows a painting entitled The Mill Stream. Curiously the manufacturer has shown it as a cut-out with an odd spider web textured gold foil mount. It would have looked better with just the painting.

The card was dated on October 1st but not postmarked until the second. In modern day terms the message is a text about a consignment of apples. How long would the apples take to get from Castle Cary to Bristol in 1913? Not as quickly as a postcard, even with a day's delay.

"In haste" is typical of the period and appears to be an excuse for sending a card rather than a letter.