Unknown Family Portrait

This Beautiful family portrait sits in my Grandfather’s album.  It has nothing written on the back to identify anyone in the photo, which I find really sad.  I don’t know if the photo is of family members or just good friends of my grandparents.

If anyone can identify these people I would be most grateful to hear about it.  Please leave me a message and I will get back to you.

Christmas Past & Christmas Present

My, how the Christmas card has changed over the years!  Did you know that the sending of a Christmas Greeting via Christmas card started in 1843.  I found a fascinating History of Christmas Cards.  Please take time to check out the link, as it is well worth the effort

The first Christmas Card I chose from Edward & Ines Bailey’s collections was one sent to them by Ada, Will and Family.  Ada is actually Catherine Ada Smith, sister to Ines, but was always known as Ada.

The card itself shows the strong ties that Australia shared with England in the early years of the 1900.  The handwriting is crisp and clean, beautiful in it’s execution, which is to be expected of educated ladies of the period.

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The next card is a christmas wish which was sent to my Uncle, Clarence Edward Bailey, from Audrey.  I presume that, as it is only addressed to him and not his sister Madeleine as well, that the card was sent between November 1911 and December 1912.  Madeleine Bailey was born in September of 1913.  I have no idea who Audrey is, so if any of you know, please contact me.  Going by the other cards in the albumn, it is almost certainly a family member

The card has an embossed edge of roses on a vine, is delicately coloured in pink and lemon.  It was produced by Beagles’ Postcards – S.W. Series, Sydney and has the words “Guaranteed Real Photos” included on the back left hand edge. Beagles’ Postcards was a company run by John Beagles from the UK.  The above link provides great information on John Beagles himself, as well as the postcard company.

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Rememberance for Christmas

This is a lovey example of a truly Aussie christmas card from Edward Thomas Bailey to his beautiful wife Ines Maud.  There is no mention of greetings to their children so, once again, we are left to assume that this card was sent between December 1908 and December 1910 as their first child was born in November of 1911.  Ted tells Ines about the chaps that he was travelling with on the train and asks her to look for some paperwork which details the amount of money owed to him by another gentleman.  Ted wishes to be remembered to Will and Doll.  Will was Ted’s half brother Frederick William Thomsen.  He signs off “from your ever loving hubby, Ted”, with lots of kisses.