22nd october 1915 emma to alice mary daw

paignton, devon

0 miles

the message

“Dear Alice

Just a PC to wish you many happy returns of the day for your Birthday. Hope you will spend many more in the best of Health and Happiness. Just received a letter from D-.

With love from your sincere friend

Emma”

the sender

There are no clues to the identity of Emma.

the recipient

Alice Mary Daw (1887-1960) was the daughter of Henry John Buckingham Daw (1861-1927) and Jessie Anna Parnell (1861-1941). Henry was a Pondsman and Domestic Gardener.

Alice did not marry. She seems to have spent her life looking after her mother. In 1939 her mother is listed as an invalid and Alice and her unmarried sister Ethel Annie Daw (1889-1975) are living with her. Alice is not working while Ethel is listed as a Clerk Unemployed through illness.

the tree

The place

Paignton, Devon

what the card says to us

On the face of it this is a simple birthday card.

There is however one big question that remains unanswered. Who is D? Bearing in mind that this was sent in 1915 during WWI, was D a soldier?