The following images are all picture post-cards dating from about 1900 to 1910, the high water mark of post-card traffic, when it is said 3 million post cards were sent every DAY in the United Kingdom!  Some might ask the question “Why?”  The reason is simple, very few had access to telephones, and a post card could, and often did arrive at its destination on the same day it was posted. 

These post cards all belong to Chris. Ketchell, The Local History Unit, Hull, to whom go my sincere thanks for his kind permission to display them here.  They are but a fraction of his vast post-card collection, but here the emphasis has been to display only those depicting East and North Yorkshire villages and scenes largely located on or near the North Sea coast.

As with the Photo Memories section of this web site, they are representative of the many towns, villages, and hamlets of the East and North Ridings in an era before both World Wars changed forever the psyche of the people and the social order within the nation.  They depict those halcyon days of long hot summers and the relaxation of the Edwardian times after the more restrictive Victorian era, but before the speed seeking, jazz and jitterbugging times after the First World War when George V was king.  Travel by train was commonplace, and allowed people access to coastal resorts such as Scarborough, Bridlington, Filey, and Hornsea from the industrial heartland of the county and beyond.  One or two might depict activities, such as the Holderness Hunt at Burton Constable Hall, that today are considered by many to be incorrect, and by others as the way of the countryside, dare one say, they are contentious.  However, in this context their inclusion is seen as a necessity because that is how life and society were a hundred and more years ago.  Of interest to some will be the mode of dress, typically Edwardian, with full-length skirts for the women and the ubiquitous “flat ‘ats” for the gents.  There is a lack of motorised transport too, while horse drawn vehicles can be seen in their stead.  In some cases, the primary scene may have changed little, but that does not demean their importance as a historical reference.  Those post cards rendered in colour were created by a method of producing coloured images before colour photography was invented.  The original monochrome photographic image was hand tinted with a selection of coloured inks, before going to the printers.  I can remember my own father in the early 1950’s tinkering about with family photographs in a similar manner.  

The written messages on the reverse of some cards indicate that people even then were buying them for their pictorial content as much as they were as a means of communication, two such state: “Father is wondering if Ada is poorly, thought it strange not hearing from you.  Lily has had a dose of influenza.  I have two of Beverley Minster, H. bought me a lot. Best love, Alice.” [postmarked “Lockington Station 6.15PM JA 25 05” meaning January 25^th 1905]; and another “Thanks very much for the pretty P.C. [post card], which I received this morning, hope you will like this one, with best love..” [post-marked “Hessle 1PM MR 1 04” meaning March 1^st 1904].  We, as people with an interest in things historical, should be thankful that such a popular means of communication was partnered by photographed scenes that would not otherwise have been so widely preserved.  Scenes and circumstances that reflected, or were often intended to reflect the tranquillity and ease of Edwardian Britain, scenes that within a few short years would hide the sadness, sorrow, and loss of the bereaved of the Great War (1914 to 1918).

Each image is here represented by a thumbnail, which, when activated will reveal a new window showing a larger image.  Each thumbnail is accompanied by a brief description.  

Beverley, Saturday Market Place depicting the Market Cross and the tower of St. Mary’s church. 1904
Beverley Minster, an unhindered aspect no longer available to be viewed due to modern housing developments, 1905
Beverley, North Bar Within, note only horse drawn vehicles, 1905
Bridlington Quay, Bridlington, depicting two pleasure boats and a rank of moored fishing cobbles.  Note the massed ranks of holidaymakers lining the railings above, undated
Burton Constable Hall with the Holderness Hunt mustered outside, undated
Brantingham church, 1907
Atwick’s medieval cross (north of Hornsea), of which this is but the stump, undated
Hallgate, Cottingham, near Hull, 1911
Hessle railway station, west of Hull, still in operation today, but here can be seen the old method of semaphore signals and a gas lamp, 1904
Kirkella school, a village scene not greatly altered today, other than the changes in road transport and additional dwellings, 1905
The village of Roos, note the wideness of the street, necessary for turning horse drawn vehicles and farm carts, undated
Aldbrough, south of Hornsea, 1913
Cloughton, north of Scarborough, Edwardian
Easington, near Spurn, in Holderness, undated
Goodmanham, near Market Weighton, undated
Howsham, between York and Malton, undated
Hunmanby, south of Filey, George V
Keyingham, in Holderness, Edward VII
Middleton, near Pickering, undated
Ottringham, in Holderness, undated
Reighton, between Bridlington and Filey, George V
Rise, between Hull and Hornsea, Edward VII
Scarborough, south sands, undated
Swanland, west of Hull, Edward VII
Whitby harbour, undated
ADDENDUM Bridlington Wesleyan Chapel, a Grade 2 Listed building that, on the 13th October 2004, had to be demolished after a roof collapse made the building unsafe, and impossible to save.  It is by pure coincidence that this image was part of the consignment lent to me by Chris Ketchell, thereby allowing it’s inclusion here at the very time Bridlington lost one of its landmark buildings.  The building shown to the rear of the chapel was the associated Wesleyan Chapel Sunday School