june 8th 1914 arthur john rosling to eleanor florence burley nee rosling
fulham, london to thornton heath, surrey
6.8 miles
the message
“Dear N
Is it this Monday I come down?
Arthur”
the sender
Arthur John Rosling (1881-1957) was born in Chelsea, London. He was the third of five children. His parents were Joseph Rosling (1846-1904) and Eleanor Sarah Maile (1851-1897). Joseph was a Painter and Decorator and originally from Spalding, Lincolnshire.
In 1881 Arthur was living with his mother and siblings in Chelsea. His father was lodging at an address in Hampshire, presumably working away from home. In 1891 the family were back together in Fulham. In 1901 Arthur was living with his widowed father in Lambeth, London and working as a Correspondence Clerk. In 1910 Arthur married Harriett Louisa Danks (1879-1912) and in 1911 they were living in Fulham and Arthur was a Correspondence Clerk for Co-Operative Stores.
Arthur served in WWI in the Machine Gun Corps of the Notts and Derby Regiment.
In 1918 Arthur married Delia Florence Gager (1893-1972). In the 1939 Register Arthur is listed as a Civil Servant in the Ministry of Labour and is living in Hertford while Delia is living with her parents in Wandsworth. Presumably this arrangement was related to the impending war.
Arthur’s death was recorded in London in 1957.
the recipient
Eleanor Florence Burley nee Rosling (1874-1946) was the elder sister of Arthur John Rosling. She was born in Chelsea.
In 1881 and 1891 Eleanor was living with her parents and siblings including Arthur. In 1898 she married Joseph Burley (1870-1957). Joseph was a Telegraphist for the General Post Office. In 1901 they lived in Lewisham. In 1911 they were living in Thornton Heath at the address to which the card was sent. In the 1939 Register Eleanor and Joseph are recorded in Kingsbridge, Devon and Joseph is now a Retired Telegraphist. Also in Devon, in Torquay, is their son Cyril Leslie Burley (1902-1983) who was the proprietor of the Gresham Court Hotel.
Eleanor’s death was recorded in Newton Abbot, Devon in 1946.
the tree
the places
Fulham, London to Thornton Heath, Surrey
Fulham, London
Thornton Heath, Surrey showing Lyndhurst Road
what the card says to us
The picture is entitled “A Tiff” and there is no further information.
The message is essentially a text. Arthur has sent this card on Monday June 8th. When he refers to “this Monday”, does he mean today or next week. I suspect he means today and is asking whether he is due at his sister’s house later on. Did he get a reply that day? Did he visit?