Year = 1904

My first Newfoundland card. I thought these were very evocative images. The card is by the Newfoundland Pictorial Post Card Co. and is dated 1904. It is unused.

On a Canadian Postal Card undivided back, addressed to Miss Daisy Scott, 1 Bredeaux Rd., Clapham Rd., London, Eng. and postmarked November 20, 1904 at Toronto. Bert, the writer, was living at 521 Parliament Street at the time. Even at this early stage, University College is having trouble keeping the grass on the Front Campus growing, as the little sign urges people to "Keep to Roadway" (or something like that). No indication of the manufacturer.

Posted October 4, 1904 at Truro, N.S., showing the Intercolonial Railway station Warwick Bros. & Rutter no. 192, a very early undivided back. Message: "We arrived all Right on the 15th at Mtl (?) and 20th at Truro."

Posted at Victoria, B.C., October 7, 1904 to Miss Elsie Sharp, 29 Winifred Grove, Clapham Common, London, England: "Just got hold of some new Postcards + do not think I have sent you one like this before. How is Auntie. I hope she is better. With love to all. J. S. P."

A new example in Russell, Lang & Co.'s "Beautiful Manitoba Series" -- this shows the YMCA Building at Portage and Smith, which shortly thereafter was purchased by Birks Jewellers and extensively altered to become their Winnipeg store. The Birks Building remains in this location in almost unchanged form 100 years later. While the c. 1912 renovation from YMCA (above) to Birks made major changes to the exterior of the building, the window pattern is mostly recognizable and one of the peaked towers (the one around the side) was retained. In this version, the central window on the uppermost floor (which window was removed during the renovation) has the name "Young Men's Christian Association" carved around the semi-circular arch that encloses it. The letter, addressed to "Miss Gilbert, Coventry Road, Hinckley, England", has a Fort William & Winnipeg RPO cancel. It reads: "6/7/04 Dear Minnie, Altho I am here in Winnipeg, I can make no advance in seeing George. I have been to the Emirgration office + the C. P. Railway but they are much too busy to answer inquiries -- they are swarmed with new arrivals. This is a most wonderful town, better laid out than any I have ever seen + with better warehouses + business places than anything in England. Streets 44 + 60 feet wide - avenues of trees - Beautiful lawn mown grass 10 feet wide in the centre + on either side between the roadway + causeway. It is marvellous. Both well. Hope you all are. Frank."

New Brunswick patriotic. On the reverse is the notation "Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada in the year 1904 by the New Brunswick Tourist Association at the Department of Agriculture, Ottawa."

T. N. Hibben & Co. no. 13, posted at Napanee, Ontario in December 1904. A rather early appearance of a divided back card. Mailed to Miss Jessie Wright, Sandhurst, Ont., with a brief message.

Early card from Rossville, Keewatin Dist. (near Norway House). See separate image of reverse. Posted Sept. 16, 1904 at Selkirk.

Posted July 11, 1904 at Winnipeg to Miss E. J. Sherwin, Llanpayst, Marrickville Bright Street, Sydney N.S.W. Australia, with a great message: "Dear Evie, You will see we are still in Canada but leave for home very soon now. The summers here are very pleasant + remind me of our Australian climate. It is nice to see bright sunshine every morning after the gloom + wet of Ireland. Winnipeg is a fine growing City of 70,000 inhabitants + then people we have met are hospitable + kind, but of course as Florie + Percy are not remaining here we shall likely never see any of them again, but one never knows. Marnie had Florrie's letter this morning. We are sorry to hear of poor old Aunt. Glad you are all well. Yours ever. I. Cockerill [???]" It appears to be dated June 11th, Wellington Crescent but I'm not sure. This image also appears, cropped slightly but also as an oval, in Illustrated Souvenir of Winnipeg (the smaller view book that is probably by Martel".