Wednesday, July 15, 2009

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE: Visiting Canada 1939

NEW FEATURE!

As newspapers around the world continue to fold, one paper product for the most part resists being folded: the postcard! In the coming weeks, I'll be offering up a few for your greedy eyes.

First, the Queen. Not this queen. Her mum. The Queen Mum. From her pre-war visit of 1939 to Canada, here in a card mailed just under a month after the start of the war in Europe.

Visiting Canada - front

Postmarked 12 Oct 1939
Sent to Illinois

Visiting Canada - back

The message:

Well I suppose you'd begin to think I could not write but I'll be back in Dec. if I can make it.
Harlan


The innocuous image of His and Her Majesty's stately visit to Canada belies the story of a man named Harlan somehow detained in Canada a month after the start of the second World War. I found it at an antique shop in Tucson, Arizona. No word on what became of Harlan.

~ THE HEDGE