Friday 23 September 2016

Fall Colors (Autumn Colours to me!)

I've joined Maria's Linky of 'Postcards for The Weekend' at Connections to the World - an invitation to all postcard lovers to share their cards - this week's theme is - Fall Colours.  Next weekend's will be Domesticated Animals.  For details of the launch see this page on Maria's blog.  All postcard bloggers are invited to join.
4145 from Danielle.

Tuesday 20 September 2016

Sanquhar







Apologies if you have already seen this on my Rambles blog but I thought I should put it here as well.

While in Scotland last week we called at Sanquhar (pronounced SANK-er) Post Office, in Dumfries and Galloway  Established in 1712 it is said to be the oldest continuously operating post office in the world. 


Dr Manzoor Alam, 73, a postal historian and stamp collector from Birmingham, took over as postmaster in July 2015 when the post office came up for sale.





We went inside and chatted to the postmaster’s very pleasant wife and daughter.


The post office was refurbished in 1997.  To celebrate the fact the Royal Mail presented it with a replica Victorian Penfold pillar box.


'...The 1711 Act also empowered the establishment of Cross Posts, services between various towns, not on the main route to Edinburgh or London, and Bye Posts, which served as feeders to and from the Post Towns.
The men who carried the mail on foot were known as runners and they received fixed payments that, in many cases, were substantially greater than the salaries of the postmasters – an interesting reflection of relative values.
One of the earliest Cross Posts that was established was between Dumfries and Ayr, up the Nith Valley via Sanquhar ( pronunciation : SANK-er) and Cumnock.
This service was apparently established in 1712 and it would have been at this time that the present post office in Sanquhar started its long career as a change-house, where the runners rested and were refreshed, and exchanged mailbags before starting on their respective return journeys back to Dumfries or on to the next stage at Cumnock.'

Source: "Sanquhar Post Office, The Oldest Working Post Office in the World" (2005) by Ken Thompson, owner and manager of the Sanquhar post office for 17 years.  I bought a copy of this book at the Post Office and it is quite fascinating.


Near the post office is this blue plaque.


 This is Sanquhar’s 18th Century Tolbooth, now a museum. 


Saturday 17 September 2016

Postcards for the Weekend - Flowers


4095 - From Tina, Madz and Oskar in Canada.

And one of this pc's stamps.

4111 - Another card from Tina, Madz and Oskar.  Saskatchewan's floral emblem - the Western Red Lily or Prairie Lily.


I've joined Maria's Linky of 'Postcards for The Weekend' at Connections to the World - an invitation to all postcard lovers to share their cards - this week's theme is - Flowers.  Next weekend's will be Fall colours.  For details of the launch see this page on Maria's blog.  All postcard bloggers are invited to join.

Saturday 10 September 2016

'Postcards for the Weekend - Bright Colours'


4066 - From Tina in Canada.

I've joined Maria's Linky of 'Postcards for The Weekend' at Connections to the World - an invitation to all postcard lovers to share their cards - this week's theme is - Bright Colours.  Next weekend's will be Flowers.  For details of the launch see this page on Maria's blog.  All postcard bloggers are invited to join.

Sunday 4 September 2016

Maria's Linky Launch of 'Postcards for The Weekend'

4100 - I chose this monochrome example, sent to me by Danielle in Nebraska, because it has two of my favourite themes in one- books and cats.  My only problem is where do I file it - with my books postcards or my cats ones???  The cat looks just like a stray which adopted my Mum (and Dad but I;m not sure how much say he had in it).  In fact, my Mum didn't have much say either - the cat just came into the house and never left!  She (the cat, not my lovely mum) was a really bad-tempered creature and any close approach resulted in hissing and outstretched claws.  My Aunt's poodle which made the mistake of investigating this black blob on the cushions got a battered nose for his pains.


4118- My brother, GB, recently sent me this black and white photo of the Paddle Steamer 'Ivanhoe' taken in 1912 at it left the Broomielaw.   The Broomielaw is most famous as the place where thousands of Glaswegians boarded steamers to go 'doon the watter' for a day trip or seaside holiday.  Passengers boarded one of the elegant paddle steamers heading for coastal resorts such as Largs or Dunoon, and Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. The number of steamer routes meant affluent business people could commute, working in Glasgow during the week and joining their families at their country villas for the weekend.


I'm joining Maria's Linky Launch of 'Postcards for The Weekend' at Connections to the World - an invitation to all postcard lovers to share their cards - this week's theme is - Monochrome.  Next weekend's will be Bright Colours.  For details of the launch see this page on Maria's blog.  All postcard bloggers are invited to join.