November 19th 1923 Phyllis and edith to Ellen Bradshaw

Sheffield, Yorkshire

0 miles

the message

"Nov 19/23

Dear Nellie

Heartiest congratulations on your 21st birthday + best wishes for the future.

Love

Phyllis + Edith

XX"

the sender

There are no clues as to who Phyllis and Edith are.

the recipient

Ellen Bradshaw (1902-1930) was the younger sister of Ruth Victoria Bradshaw and was the co-author of a 1916 card that can be seen here

the places

Sheffield, Yorkshire

what the card says to us

The card tells us that the Bradshaw girls continued to be sent and kept hideous birthday cards into the 1920s, the first example being in 1912. This one is made somehow worse for being a specifically designed 21st birthday card.

"Nellie" is used as a derivative of Ellen and Helen which may be the correct name as the card looks as if it is addressed to Miss H Bradshaw. Who is right? This highlights the problems with census returns handwritten by people going door to door and mis-hearing the details, or writing them down wrongly.

Is "heartiest congratulations" common on the 1920s?