The beauty of a postcard collection lies in its ability to transport us through time and space with just a flip of a card. My latest acquisition does exactly that, moving from the sun-drenched ruins of Sicily to the rugged, mist-swirled coastline of North Wales. This particular gem is a classic Valentine’s "Gravuretype" postcard featuring the majestic Menai Suspension Bridge.
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| Menai Suspension Bridge, Anglesey |
A Masterpiece of the Industrial Age
The front of the postcard presents a striking view of Thomas Telford’s engineering masterpiece, the Menai Suspension Bridge, which spans the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and mainland Wales. Completed in 1826, it was the first modern suspension bridge in the world, designed to carry the heavy Irish Mail coaches safely across the treacherous waters.
In this specific "Gravuretype" print, the bridge’s massive stone arches and elegant iron chains are captured with wonderful depth and texture. A paddle steamer chugs along the water below, its smokestacks trailing dark plumes into the sky, perfectly illustrating the bustling maritime life of the Menai Strait during the early 20th century. The foreground shows a stone-walled embankment, perhaps a small pier or garden, adding a sense of human scale to the towering structure.
A Personal Connection: The Message from Colwyn Bay
While the front celebrates a triumph of engineering, the reverse side provides a charmingly human perspective. Postmarked in Colwyn Bay at 8:30 PM on August 27, 1929, the card was sent to a Miss F. Rothera at Prospect House in Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire.
The handwritten message is a warm, informal dispatch that perfectly captures the spirit of a 1920s summer holiday:
"Dear June, How are you? We are having a lovely time, the sea is gorgeous. Remember me to your mother and dad. Love from Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Jeremy."
It is a lovely reminder that for many, these postcards weren't just about the landmarks; they were a way to share a moment of joy with family back home. Dorothy and Jeremy were enjoying the "gorgeous" Welsh sea and wanted to send a little piece of that experience to June in Yorkshire.
The Era of the "Gravuretype"
This card is part of the famous Valentine’s Series, a powerhouse in the postcard industry during this era. The "Gravuretype" process used here was a high-quality printing method that produced rich, detailed images resembling photographs but with the soft, artistic quality of an engraving. By 1929, the postcard boom was still in full swing, though it was evolving from the frantic "text messages" of the Edwardian era into a more leisure-focused tradition of holiday greetings.
Why This Card Matters
Holding this piece of history, I am struck by the layers of time it represents. There is the ancient geological power of the Menai Strait, the 19th-century innovation of Telford’s bridge, the 1920s leisure culture of Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Jeremy, and finally, its place in my own collection nearly a century later.
It reminds us that even as technology changes—from paddle steamers to modern cars, and from handwritten cards to instant digital photos—our desire to reach out to loved ones and say "wish you were here" remains unchanged.
