The humble picture postcard came into being in this country in 1894. They soon became popular and were collected as a hobby, usually by the young ladies of the family. Many beautiful cards were produced in the first 20 years (1894-1914), this period being known as the “Golden Age”. I have been collecting cards for over 25 years and, thanks to several acquaintances giving me their family albums, I now have a large and varied collection.

Meetings are held at my home in Fairford and consist of a short presentation followed by questions and general discussion (usually very lively!). Members are asked at each meeting to bring along a number of cards (maximum six) themed on a letter of the alphabet or asubject (this is not compulsory!) and these are displayed and talked about generally – followed by a welcome cup of tea and biscuits.

Members have various interests such as how the cards were produced, messages on the backs, local history, social history, artists, transport and many other subjects.

In future we will explore the production of postcards, look at some of the major publishers and the intricacies of postmarks. We may also perhaps visit postcard fairs in search of new cards but some members already ferret around charity shops and flea markets and look for cards on e-bay.

The old saying “Every picture tells a story” is certainly true with the picture postcard!