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Writer's picturePeter Berthoud

A Love Letter from Edwardian London in 36 Views



36 postcards on a doorstep

On November 18th 1904 Miss Gwen James of Glamorganshire received an unusually large quantity of post.


Through her door at 22, Regent Street, Holton Road, Barry Dock tumbled 36 postcards of London, each bearing just a word or two and a number.


She must have recognised the hand writing as that of her sweetheart and realised, that once put in order, a love letter from Edwardian London would be revealed.


The Royal Exchange, Edwardian London postcard

The first card, No 1, showed the Royal Exchange and bore just four words.


1. Dear G I am

Below are the other 35 images with the words written on the back of each card in order.




Tower Bridge, Edwardian London postcard
2. sending you a

London Bridge after the 1904 widening postcard
3. few postcards

Bank of England, London Edwardian postcard
4. for your collection

St Paul's Cathedral, Nelson Monument, London
5. hoping you will

6. like them

The Admiralty, Whitehall London postcard
7. s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ t [sweetheart]

Horseguards from St James' Park postcard
8. Don't get

Buckingham Palace, London postcard
9. worried in

Northumberland Avenue, Charing Cross, London postcard
10. reading these

Kensington Palace and Queen Victoria Statue London postcard
11. few postcards.

St James Palace, London postcard
12. These cards only

London Law Courts postcard
13. cost 6 1/2d the

London Imperial Institute postcard
14. lot at Plumstead

Crystal Palace Sydenham London postcard
15. there are

London Albert Hall postcard
16. thirty six.

London British Museum postcard
17. You will

London Piccadilly Circus postcard
18. find

London Rotten Row Hyde Park postcard
19. that

London Kensington Gardens Flower Walk postcard
20. I have

London Trafalgar Square and Nelson Monument postcard
21. numbered

London Hyde Park view from Serpentine Bridge postcard
22. all the

London Thames Embankment showing Cleopatra's Needle postcard
23. cards

London National Gallery & Gordon's Statue, Trafalgar Square postcard
24. on the

Tower of London Crown Jewels postcard
25. back.

Tower of London postcard
26. I am feeling

Kew Gardens, the Pagoda postcard
27. better this

London Mansion House and Cheapside postcard
28. week.
I have

View of Thames from Richmond Hill postcard
29. received your

London Kew Gardens the Rockery postcard
30. second letter.

London River Thames showing Houses of Parliament and St Thomas Hospital postcard
31. Now Dr G

London Houses of Parliament postcard
32. I must

London House of Commons postcard
33. conclude

London House of Lords postcard
34. from

London Westminster Abbey interior with Coronation Chairs postcard
35. yours

London Westminster Abbey and Big Ben postcard
36. B.W.

"B.W." was a Mr Basil Woodward, he and Gwen James, the recipient of this 36 part love letter, later married. It's good to write.

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