Postcards from Europe, World War One

Letter from Ceylon, 2nd World War

This letter was sent from John Logan to his parents, from the naval base HMS Lanka, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Notification of the death of John Logan, 1944

Letter informing parents of John Logan's burial, 1944

Airgraph 1943

A forgotten form of communication, the airgraph was only used for a few years during the 1940s. Developed by Kodak in around the 1930s, airgraph wasn't accepted by most people until World War II.

Many of our troops were overseas, in the Middle East in particular, and the airgraph proved to be faster than letters. But also for the mail carriers, the airgraph was very lightweight. Because the aeroplanes of the time didn't have the power for long flights, they had to take short trips or light baggage. The original mailbags weighed a lot in those days (around 50 pound) so space and volume was the main problem.

To send an airgraph the sender would write their note onto a form or a special template. This was then photographed and sent on a film spool to the destination. Upon arrival the airgraph letter was then reproduced for the receiver.

Spools of 1600 airgraphs only weighed 5 half ounces. Very light indeed.

The airgraph didn't really survive as flight technology improved and it finished up in 1945.

(For more info, see ABC Gippsland Vic)

This is an airgraph sent by Bill Logan, b 1922, to his parents.

Travel Identity Card - early 1950s

 

Identity Card 1949

 

Ration books 1940s and 50s

We found a few ration books from the 2nd World War and beyond. The book on the left here contains coupons for clothing, with each page coloured differently. The book on the right had sections for meat, eggs, fats, cheese, bacon, sugar, tea and sweets. 

First Birthday greeting from Sunday School 1926

Birthday card to John Jaap b 1925 - it's worth actually reading the verse :-)

World War 2 Defence Medal

This medal was awarded, among others, to ARP wardens in the Second World War. It belonged either to George Logan b 1892 or his wife Margaret Ramage b 1898.
 

World War 2 medals

Medals awarded posthumously to John Logan b 1917. They are the War Medal and the 1939-45 Star. He died as a result of drowning, in Bombay Harbour en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

 

World War 1 medals

Medals awarded to Robert Jaap b 1893 - from left to right, the medals are 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19.

 

United States citizenship 1888

John Hotchkiss, b 1840, applied for citizenship in 1886, and was accepted in 1888. 

Church Certificate of Marriage 1863

This certificate was issued by the Independent Church, Airdrie to John Hotchkiss b 1840 and Mary Murrie b 1843 .
This was the first of 3 marriages for John Hotchkiss, who went on to have 17 children. He died in 1916 in West Virginia. 

1871 Census

Item 121 on the schedule details the family of George Jaap b 1834. They are Jean Armour, his 2nd wife, b 1841, and their 5 children including a son (George) from George's first marriage, and a daughter (Elizabeth) born to Jean before they were married.
The householder at the time was Jean's mother, Elizabeth Armour b 1798.

1861 Census

Item 67 on the schedule details the family of George Jaap b 1834. They are Margaret McWhinnie, his first wife, b about 1833, and their 2 children George and Helen.
There was also a boarder living at their address.

Deaths in 1856

This is an extract from the register of deaths, showing at the bottom, Elizabeth Buchanan (nee Jaap) b 1782 in Mauchline, Ayrshire.

Birth certificate of Hugh Hardie 1900

Hugh was born on 8th July, 1900. 

Marriage Banns 1895

John Hardie b 1873 and Margaret McFarlane b 1876. The banns were posted in both parishes of residence. 

Membership of the Baptist Church - 1890s

Margaret McFarlane, b 1876, joined the Kirkintilloch Baptist Church in 1891, at the age of 15. In 1894, John Hardie also joined. He was aged 20. They were to marry a year later.
These Membership Cards were also baptismal certificates. 

Birth Certificates from the 1870s

These are the birth certificates for John Hardie 1873-1962 and Margaret McFarlane 1876-1963. They later married in 1895.