Miss Newman's Postcard
Shortland Wharf is a busy place - with customers visiting the cafe and fish shop. Back in 1905 it was the base for a large number of fishing and leisure boats. While the marina is full today, much of it is hidden by mangroves! I love the view above that gives an unobstructed view looking out the Kauaeranga channel towards the Firth of Thames.
The postcard was franked at 8am 16 November 1905 at Thames. Written by 'Olive' and sent to Miss Annie Newman of Sealey Street, Thames. It was common for the residents of the town to send postcards to each other, after all phones were rare and travelling around town was not always easy.
There was an Annie Isabel Newman born 5 January 1893, daughter of William and Amelia. School records have her attending Kauaeranga Boys, then Thames High School in 1906. The records state the family home was in Queen Street.
In 1898, an Annie Newman was a flower girl at the wedding of Miss Elizabeth Billings to Henry Taylor. In 1905, the same year the postcard was sent - Annie Newman was in Standard Six and received a first class certificate for attendance.
Hopefully this was the right Annie, interestingly in 1905, a girl in her class was called Olive. So maybe it was her school friend Olive Wylie who was the poster of the card!
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| Kauaeranga School Prize List THAMES STAR, 14 DECEMBER 1905 |
