april 7th 1932 ivy may taverner nee coulstock to elizabeth coulstock nee king

london to Tunbridge wells, kent

30 miles

the message

“Dear M+D

Arrived home 7.40. Slight rain, gale all night. Spending today in town. Have just seen Changing of Guard on other side of card. Writing from Selfridges fine but wind cold. Send you all the news later -

Cheerio

I & L”

the sender

Ivy May Taverner nee Coulstock (1904-1991) was the daughter of Charles Coulstock (1871-1968) and Elizabeth King (1873-1952). Charles was a Postman.

In 1927 she married Leonard Spencer Taverner (1901-1978) who was a Train Driver.

the recipient

Elizabeth King (1873-1952) was the daughter of Stephen King (1843-1914) and Sarah Ann Gilbert (1845-1932). Stephen was a Bricklayer.

Elizabeth was in service. In 1901 she was working for a retired Royal Navy Commander called Edmund Evangelinos.

In 1903 she married Charles Coulstock (1871-1968). Charles was a Postman.

the tree

the places

London to Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Oxford Street, London (Selfridges)

Tunbridge Wells, Kent

What the card says to us

The picture shows The Horse Guards in Whitehall, London. The message refers to the Changing of the Guard.

The message contains a curious mixture of spurious detail and weather reporting. Ivy and Leornard arrived home at 7.40. Was that am or pm? Where had they been? Tunbridge Wells? Where did they live? In 1939 they were living in Croydon. Is that where they were in 1932? The card was posted from Selfridges (where it seems to have been bought) in central London. Presumably this was a day out in the Capital.

The weather had been light rain and strong winds. Today it is fine with a cold wind. Tunbridge Wells is only 30 miles away and probably had similar weather.

The language is curious too with words missing or skipped over.

What was “all the news” that would be sent later?