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Image Source: Swansea Building Society via BBC.
On August 16, 2024, the UK’s Swansea Building Society received a postcard more than a century after it was originally sent, according to PA Media. Less than two weeks later, the postcard reunited long-lost family members.
The postcard dates back to 1903. It highlights a stag in front of snowy mountains, with black, cursive text and a green halfpenny stamp featuring the portrait of Edward VII, who served as king from 1901 to 1910.
Henry Darby, Marketing and Communications Officer at the Swansea Building Society, noted that he had “no concept of how (the postcard) actually ended up back here.” He said the postcard did not arrive in an envelope or with a note attached to it. It was addressed to “Miss Lydia Davis” and sent by “Ewart.”
The BBC reported that after the Swansea Building Society released information about the postcard, two families came forward and discovered that they were related.
Research revealed Ewart (the sender) and Lydia (the recipient) were brother and sister, the BBC indicated. They were two of six children living at 11 Cradock Street, the Swansea Building Society’s current address. Their parents were John F. Davies, who worked as a tailor from this address, and Maria Davies.
Helen Roberts and Margaret Spooner, Lydia’s great nieces, recognized her in the postcard. Meanwhile, Nick Davies, Ewart’s grandson, and Faith Reynolds, Lydia’s great-granddaughter, also saw the story about the postcard. On August 28, these four distant family members met for the first time at the West Glamorgan Archives in Swansea.
Spooner said the postcard may have ended up at 11 Cradock Street after it fell out of a Bible sent to auction after a house clearance. She noted someone may have bought the Bible and “decided to put (the postcard) back into the postal system.”
As of now, the postcard will stay at the West Glamorgan Archives. It is likely to remain “Swansea’s most famous postcard,” Darby said.
Those who want to view other postcards from the 1900s can see over 117,000 in our WorthPoint Price Guide.
Dan Kobialka is a self-employed content writer and editor with about a decade of experience. He produces content across a wide range of industries, including antiques, insurance, and real estate. To learn more about Dan, please visit his website.
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