The Postcard
A Valentine's Series postcard that was posted in Southport using a ½d. stamp on Monday the 17th. August 1914 (13 days after Great Britain declared war on Germany).
The card was sent to:
Master C. Arthur,
47, Egginton Street,
Leicester.
The pencilled message on the divided back of the card was as follows:
"c/o Mrs. Hopkinson,
20a, Lord Street,
Southport.
Dear Cyril,
I am enjoying myself very
much here. Are you quite
well, and getting ready for
school?
Maude."
Southport
Southport is a large seaside town in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Southport lies on the Irish Sea coast and is fringed to the north by the Ribble estuary. The town is 16.7 miles (26.9 km) north of Liverpool and 14.8 miles (23.8 km) southwest of Preston.
The town was founded in 1792 when William Sutton, an innkeeper, built a bathing house at what is now the south end of Lord Street. At that time, the area, was sparsely populated and dominated by sand dunes.
At the turn of the 19th century, the area became popular with tourists due to the easy access from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The rapid growth of Southport largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era.
Town attractions include Southport Pier with its Southport Pier Tramway, the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles, and Lord Street, an elegant tree-lined shopping street, once home of Napoleon III of France.
Extensive sand dunes stretch for several miles from Woodvale to Birkdale, the south of the town. Local fauna include the Natterjack toad and the Sand lizard.
The town contains examples of Victorian architecture and town planning, on Lord Street and elsewhere. A particular feature of the town is the extensive tree planting. This was one of the conditions required by the Hesketh family when they made land available for development in the 19th century. Hesketh Park at the northern end of the town is named after them, having been built on land donated by Rev. Charles Hesketh. For interesting information about the park, please search for the tag 36HES75
Southport today is still one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK. It hosts various events, including an annual air show on and over the beach, the largest independent flower show in the UK (in Victoria Park) and the British Musical Fireworks Championship. The town is at the centre of England's Golf Coast and has hosted the Open Championship at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club.
'Hinemoa'
So what else happened on the day that Maude posted the card?
Well, on the 17th. August 1914, the first feature film produced in New Zealand, Hinemoa, debuted at the Lyric Theatre in Auckland.
Directed by George Tarr and featuring Māori actors, the film tells the Māori legend of lovers Hinemoa and Tutanekai.
The Battle of Stallupönen
Also on that day, the Russian First Army under General Paul von Rennenkampf invaded East Prussia.
The German First Corps under the command of General Hermann von François went against orders, and committed a frontal assault on Russian forces near Stallupönen, even though their forces were vastly outnumbered.
The bold German assault forced the Russians to retreat, with over 7,000 casualties, including nearly 5,000 prisoners.
The Germans sustained around 1,300 casualties, and continued to pursue the retreating army until Russian artillery forced them back.
The Battle of Lorraine
Also on the 17th. August 1914, after being delayed by German long-range artillery fire the day before, the French First Army reinforced the advancing line and took Sarrebourg.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.
The day also marked the birth of the American lawyer and politician Franklin Delano Roosevelt, son of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Franklin, who was born on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, died in 1988.