Baby Elephants and Keepers,
Clifton Zoo,
Bristol
Naturally, the appealing picture makes you think of people skidding on shit in the 'Blue Peter' studio, but the most extraordinary aspect of the postcard is that it got to its destination at all given how muddled the address is. It would be in the bin as soon as it got to the sorting office these days. Ah, 1964, when postmen would salute passers-by and never, ever nick your birthday money.
My favourite bit in the message is 'We have nearly finished hay making. Good luck with exams. I hope you go right to the top.' Nice sentiment, Julia, I hope Susan did exactly that.
In keeping with the {pleasantly] horrifying tone of your spledid blog, allow me to add a greeting card from Germany c.1900.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Krampus-Postkarte_um_1900.jpg
The translation is literally "Greeting from Krampus", an avenging demon which would come 'round on Christmas as the malign counterpart to Saint Nicholas. As you can see, it had monstrous features (including one humanoid foot and one hoof) and it would beat naughty children...if they were lucky. Otherwise, their punishments at its hands could vary from being taken away in its napsack and "merely" drowned to being eaten or, for the worst children, delivered directly to Hell.
You've got to admit it: When it comes to frightening kids (like the naughty child in the sailor costume in that picture) with the potential consequences of their bad actions, the Germanic cultures take the prize. This image still gives the willies to a couple of German women I know who grew up in the middle of the 20th Century.
BTW, chief: Have you started putting names on YOUR "Krampus greeting card list" yet?