23rd august 1917 unknown to elsie mary vickers
newmarket, suffolk to southwell, nottinghamshire
81 miles
the message
“This is our village! But you can’t see our house tho’ all the views are near it. Baby has gained 5 oz this week, C Makepeace is actually pleased to hear it!! So he is improving in his temper
?”
the sender
There is an initial. It could be D or R and might be accompanied by a M. It would be nice if it was sent by the recipient’s sister Dorothy Gertrude Vickers (1896-1998) but apart from the possible D initial. The location of Exning is a big clue because it is a small village with a small population but it has not been possible to find any likely candidates.
the recipient
Elsie Mary Vickers (1904-1986) was born in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. she was the youngest of three children. Her parents were Wistow Vickers (1863-1952) and Rachel Scarliff (1869-1952. Wistow was a Coal Merchant. Elsie had an older brother, Ernest Charles Vickers (1894-1917) who was killed in action during WWI. She also had an elder sister, Dorothy Gertrude Vickers (1897-1926) who married Stanley Jewison Hill (1889-1952), a Piano Tuner and Musician, in 1926.
In 1911 Elsie was living with her family in Southwell. The address is Westgate House which in the 1911 census has 10 rooms. Today it is Grade II listed.
In 1931 Elsie married John Vincent Hebblethwaite (1900-1962), the son of a Dairy Farmer from Southowram, Yorkshire. In the 1939 John is listed as a Bank Accountant. They are living in Stokesley, Middlesborough.
Elsie died in Stokesley in 1986. They did not have any children.
the tree
the places
Newmarket, Suffolk to Southwell, Nottinghamshire
Newmarket, Suffolk showing Exning
Southwell, Nottinghamshire
what the card says to us
The picture is a multi-view of Exning, Suffolk. It is referred to in the message as being where the sender is living.
The rest of the message is quite mysterious referring to a baby, which has gained weight, and someone called C Makepeace.
It would be fascinating to know the story behind this message.