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Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:05 am
by Pegasusflesk
Hi,

in addition to being a huge fan of Glasgow, spending two weeks there every summer I work at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. And one of these days we got a call from a lady telling she found a postcard in a London antique shop sent from the Viking Ship Museum in 1932. This postcard was sent to Glasgow, as far as we are able to see, a Mrs. Rennie.

We were hoping maybe you guys could provide us with any more information or maybe a hint of who to contact to find out who this Mrs. Rennie was/is. I had high hopes of her being the spouse of Charles Rennie Mackintosh when I first saw the postcard, but then remembered his date of death...

We are not able to read the entire letter, but believe it says something like:

"Thursday 10.30
Dear wife. Just about to leave. *unable to interpret* Wealth good and very warm. Hope all well at home feel OK. Tell the gang to *unable to inerpret* . *Sign unable to interpret*."

I've attatched the postcard as well. Any information will be appreciated.

Kind regards, Martin, Oslo.

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:36 pm
by Dexter St. Clair
Dear Wife, just about to leave here for Sk****
Weather good and very warm.
Hope all well at home
Feel OK

Hubby


Someone else can interpret the last line

This is 58 Marlborough avenue

Image

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:57 pm
by Lucky Poet
'Tell the gang to...' something?

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:05 pm
by Bridie
Lucky Poet wrote:'Tell the gang to...' something?


"Hope all well at home" ......"something OK"
Last word
"le....."

Could it be a Norwegian word?
Maybe more than just a holiday to Oslo - possibly business/family trip?
Long shot but maybe there's still a family connection at the property - grandchildren - owners?

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:19 pm
by ibtg
I have sent a PM offering to check the Voters Roll for that address in 1932 which ought to at least give the name of 'hubby'.

Hopefully also, the PO Directory or Kelly's Directory may then give a clue to Mr Rennie's occupation - and maybe that will explain why he was in Oslo.

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:11 pm
by Bridie
Maybe they wouldn't have said "OK" could that bit be his signature?
"Jack O. Rennie"
The "K" looks like the "R" in his surname
and then he put hubby underneath as part of the joke of the card?

and the last word is underlined with a piece missing from the top of one of the letters - could it have been "behave" ?


Miss Marple

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:11 pm
by MacotheIsles
Lucky Poet wrote:'Tell the gang to...' something?


'Tell the gang to beware.' Dots underneath the words and final underline for emphasis.

And could also read 'At home Jul (y).

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:16 pm
by Bridie
MacotheIsles wrote:
Lucky Poet wrote:'Tell the gang to...' something?


'Tell the gang to beware.' Dots underneath the words and final underline for emphasis.

And could also read 'At home Jul (y).

"Beware" it is - there's no piece missing - that line is part of the postmark. :)

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:17 pm
by Bridie
Beware of what? ................ 8O

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:39 pm
by ibtg
Looks like he was going to Skien.

According to Wikipedia:-

"Skien was historically Norway's most important port town for shipping timber."

I don't know what that last word is, but I don't think it is 'beware'.

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:43 pm
by Bingo Bango
Are we sure the word is 'gang'? The first letter could as easily be an 'S' if you compare them in the address label for Glasgow and Scotland....

Agree that it's not 'behave' either. Exciting!

Edit - 'behave' first letter is 'L'

Edit again - sorry Bridie I see you got there before me!

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:07 pm
by Dexter St. Clair
Five found out in Norway.

Image

I'm not quite sure that's the convent colours.

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:55 pm
by Bridie
Dexter St. Clair wrote:Five found out in Norway.

Image

I'm not quite sure that's the convent colours.


Near enough. I say,well done Dexter :wink:

I now think that the last word starts with a "l" and not a "b" and I'm wavering on the marks above the word as being part of the postmark, perhaps they're accents or apostrophes as noticed in "Hubby"? He was probably rushing, especially on the last part of the postcard.

Was there a shipping connection in the 30's with Glasgow and Skien?



Chips for tea and lashings of ginger beer.

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:54 pm
by yoker brian
Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1931/32

http://archive.org/stream/postofficeann ... 5/mode/1up

No-one listed by surname of Rennie at 58 Marlborough Avenue, Broomhill

1933/34 Directory shows a W Rennie at this address along with 2 others P.G. Clark & W. Walker

http://archive.org/stream/postofficeann ... 5/mode/1up

Re: Postcard dated November 1st. 1932

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:12 pm
by MacotheIsles
I bet if you held it over a candle the lemon-juice invisible ink would reveal all.

Sincerely...

UncleQuentin