Another special postcard on trade me auction site, with a letter note included.Written by?
Edith May of Thames, wrote a letter to her friend Annie.
"Dear Annie,
Just a card to wish you & Edwin the compliments of the season. I should have written long ago to you.
How are you all?
We all well. We expect Stanley home next week. He only gets a week.
We often think of the good jolly times we had with you all.
This view of Thames showing the water. Well ta ta with best wishes to you & Edwin.
From your old friend
Edith May."
Who was Edith May?
Rose Edith Cook was born in 1876 at Waimate North, and married William John May in 1904. Edith died at Thames in 1947, and is interred at Shortland Cemetery Thames. The Stanley mentioned in the letter is Edith and William's son, who was born 9 April 1906. In February 1920, Stanley started at Thames High School, having previously been at Waimate North School. Stanley left school in the middle of 1924, having passed the Public Service Entrance examination.
In the 1928 Thames Electoral Roll, the May family were living at Parawai in Bowen Street - now known as Rolleston Street
.
What photo was on the Postcard?
On the other side of the note was a postcard of the Queen Street area c1920s.
What buildings can you spot?
1. Thames.Public Swimming Baths. 2. Tennis Courts & Victoria Parks. 3, School of Mines. 4. Queen and Cochrane Street intersect. 5. Thames Public library. 6. E F Adams Offices. 7. Miners' Union Hall. 8. Queen's Hotel (corner Albert & Queen Streets). 9. Thames Police Station. 10. Thames Courthouse. 11. Post & Telegraph Offices and other Government Departments. 12 Kirkwood Street.
Who may have lived in the houses in the Queen Street block?
In the 1923 Queen Street Right side from Abraham St.
Albert St Intersect (looking a postcard from Right to Left - Top centre on water side)
Office Thames Miners’ Union (Wm H Lucas Secretary)
Miners’ Union Hall (Wm H Lucas Caretaker)
Adams, E F(Civil and mining engineer & surveyor)
Verran W & Sons (carrier) Private residence
Pearson, Edward (labourer)
Ingall, Barry Drew (insurance agent)
O’Meara, John Jas (ironmoulder)
Coombe, Arthur Harold (taxi propr)
Public Library (Philip Chas F Gooder, librarian)
McDonald, William B (painter)
Williams, Arthur (foundry hand)
Vedder, Francis Jacob (farmer)
Cochrane St intersect
…………………………………
1923 Queen Street Left side from Abraham St
Albert St Intersect (looking a postcard from Right to Left - lower centre)
Queen’s Hotel (Francis Grubb Publican)
Police Station (Andrew McDonnell, Sgt in charge sub
district)
Warden’s and Magistrate Office
Chief Post & Telegraph Office
Thames Harbour Board Office
Cartwright, Frederick (bootmaker)
Thomson, James (general store)
Woods, Alfred (baker & pastry cook)
Smith, Richard (butcher)
Smith, Richard (private residence)
Shand, John G (caretaker)
Masonic Hall
Day, Mrs Amy (draper)
Cochrane Street intersect
..................................................................
Thames Swimming Baths in Brown Street.
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MAY Family Photo.
Just when I thought this story was told! A photo of Edith and her family was available on Ancestry. Special thanks to the family for being able to share it and put a face to our 'special' letter writer.
Description: 210 Baillie St, Thames
May Family Group.
Back: Leslie, Stanley, (sons of William John); Rose Edith, (2nd wife of William John, mother of Stanley and Doreen), William John May.
Front: Muriel, (daughter of Emma and William John), Nellie (wife of Leslie, holding daughter Elsie), Mary Ann, (widow of John Kendall May), Doreen, Gladys (daughter of Emma and William John) .
