The picture on the postcard shows the Wastwater Hotel at Wasdale Head. The message on the back tells us that this is where the senders stayed on Monday and that it is a remote place apart from some farms. It then talks about the weather today (Tuesday), a fairly typical postcard message. However the last line made me think. It states “We’ll be phoning this evening”. Why does this interest me? Well the card was posted from Keswick at 11:30am on the 19th October 1960 and was addressed to Southampton! So the senders were confident that the card would travel all the way from Keswick to Southampton in approximately five hours and get to its destination in time for the recipients to read it and be available to take that evening phone call. Just shows what a speedy and reliable postal service was available back then and all for 2 1/2D. First class post today only guarantees next day delivery.

Thank you to Tim Sankey for sharing his postcard collection with us.