july 16th 1919 Elisabets Cessot to jane littlefair

paris, france to burradon, northumberland

485 miles

the message

“Paris 14 Juillet 1919

My best thoughts for you during this wonderful day

Elisabets Cessot”

the sender

The card is signed “Elisabets Cessot” but there is no indication as to who she was or what her connection to the Littlefair family was.

the recipient

Jane Littlefair (1899-1985) was born in Burradon, Northumberland. Her parents were James D Littlefair (1876-1958) and Annie White (1878-1955). In 1911 James was a Traffic Manager at a Colliery but he had also been a Newcastle United footballer.

In 1901 Jane was living with her parents in Burradon. In 1911 she was still living with them but now they were in Strawberry Terrace, Burradon. She must still have been there in 1919 when the card was sent. In the 1939 Register she was still living with her parents in Longbenton just outside Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. She was a School Teacher. In 1958, after the death of her parents, Jane, aged 59, married John Bolam in Northumberland. Nothing else is known about John Bolam.

Jane’s death was recorded in Burradon in 1985.

the tree

the places

Paris, France to Burradon, Northumberland

Paris, France

Burradon, Northumberland showing Strawberry Terrace

what the card says to us

The picture is St Fabiola (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Fabiola) by Jean-Jaques Henner (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Henner) and appears to have no connection to the message or the recipient.

The “wonderful day referred to is presumably Bastille Day (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day). What the significance of this to Jane Littlefair is a mystery.