Picture Postcards
Plain postcards were first produced in Britain in 1870 and picture postcards in 1894 but they only become popular at the beginning of the 20th century when the Post Office allowed both address and message to be written on one side, with the picture covering the other side. Britain was the first country to introduce the 'divided back' postcard which is so familiar today. From 1902 onwards the size was standardized; they were cheap to send (1/2 penny stamp) and with 7 deliveries a day they could be posted one day and delivered the next.
Between 1914 -1918 picture postcards were used in all the countries involved in the 1st World War to boost morale, reinforce the messages carried by recruitment posters and record the events of the war. These are now valued as research tools by students of that period.
An unusual trend was the production of so-called 'silk' cards. These were embroidered sentimental cards made by soldiers at the front. They sometimes had pockets into which photographs were inserted.
Humour was often used, as e.g. the poem sent from Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, which made light of the obviously appalling conditions.
Between the wars the production of postcards declined because of the doubling of the postage and the development of telephone systems. However since the 1970s the postcard industry has become huge, and the buying and sending of picture postcards has now become a typical feature of a person’s holiday.
All the postcards on display were posted between 1914 and 1918.
1. Territorials leaving Egham August 1914
2. 13th Battalion London Regiment Officers Mess October 1914
3. Egham Station, 3rd October 1914
4. German prisoners marching from Frimley Station. Posted October 11,1914
5. Mobilisation of the Croydon Territorials August 1914
6. Recruiting parade June 1915. 4000 troops took part
7. Deepcut Camp, October 1915
8. Entrance to the Canadian Forestry Corps Camp at Egham Wick 1918
9. Egham 11th platoon, 1915-16
10. Smith's Lawn, Windsor Great Park
11. Red Cross Hospital, Englefield Green. 1917
12. Instructions to men of the 3rd Battalion Surrey Volunteer Regiment 1917
September 2005
JoanWintour
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