[Editor: This postcard, which incorporates a drawing of a tree with the words “Advance Australia”, along with a Southern Cross Shield and a poem, is from the early 20th Century. The postcard is undated.]
Advance Australia
[Front of postcard]
Advance Australia
A Token let this BLUE GUM be
That you, Old Friend, will STICK to me;
Should you, perchance, find things look BLUE,
By GUM, Old Friend, I’ll STICK to you.
[Description: A tree with the words “Advance Australia”, along with a Southern Cross Shield and a poem.]
[Reverse of postcard]
[Handwritten text, in italics]
Sent in the best Australian “Slangwidge”
Them’s my sentiments
Ev.
[Manufacturer’s information:]
B.B. London Series No A.58. Printed in Germany.
Source:
Original document
Editor’s notes:
Dimensions (approximate): 89 mm. (width), 140 mm. (height).
The signature on this postcard is somewhat unclear; however, for lack of any further information, it has been transcribed as “Ev”.
This postcard is undated. It is estimated that it was printed in the early 20th Century, possibly around 1900-1914. As the postcard was printed in Germany, it can be reasonably assumed that it was printed prior to August 1914, as the British Empire and the German Empire were enemies during the First World War (August 1914 to November 1918).
slangwidge = slang; slang language (also spelt: slanguage)
[Editor: For ease of reading, punctuation has been inserted as deemed appropriate.]
Dear Ed.
Thank you yet again for a great card.
I do not clearly see the final sign-off as being from “Ed”, as you have transcribed it.
But nor can I be dogmatic about a possible re-reading of it either.
However, my best guess is that it might instead be rendered as:
“Ev.” — perhaps short/abbreviated for “Evelyn” if from a female, or “Evan” if from a male; as guesses.
I did toy with the idea that it might be construed instead as E.V.; but there is no full-stop after the “E”, as there is after the proposed “V”.
Thanks once more. Raymond
Thank you for your comment.
The signature on the card is problematic. Your interpretation of it as “Ev” is likely to be more accurate than “Ed”, so it has been changed it to that.
It is possible that is El, Eu, or Ev; or, if the capital letter is not an E, but a stylised G, then it could be Gl, Gu, or Gv (although E seems more likely than G).
If only people were more careful and clear with their handwriting.
Thank you once again for your contribution.