This month Barry Cuff has chosen a couple of postcards of East Stour:
Sent in 1909 to Miss Wood, c/o Lady D’Oyly of Newlands Manor in Blandford – the house was built in 1884 by Sir Charles Walters D’Oyly after distinguished military service in India:
‘This is the school where I used to get a caning regularly every day, “pleasant memories”. Lovely weather today, just going visiting etc. Yours G.E.T
Sent to Percy Perrett, Leading Stoker on HMS Canopus, which was on a short deployment to the Mediterranean in 1908–1909. It appears it was a rubbish summer, and it’s clear Percy’s mother disapproved of Percy’s loving sender…
‘(The Dairy House, July 6th 1909) Dear Percy, Thank you so much for the C [card?] from Oban, I like it very much. I thought you would be interested to know I met your mother last Saturday afternoon. I was going up Ada’s & met her with her sister Emily. I suppose they were coming down to the churchyard, to see their father’s grave. She took no notice of me, but your aunt spoke. Thought to myself, I wish you had been here.
People are busy here now with the hay, when the weather permits, but it is very stormy still. We do not seem to have had any summer at all as yet. I hope we shall soon get it better. Hope this will find you quite well as I am pleased to say we are. With love, believe me ever yours, sincerely J.T.M.
