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World War 1 Silk Embroideries
Alan Payne
August 2014
Postcards courtesy Stella Clarke and Rachel Keegan
World War 1 Silk Embroideries
Alan Payne
August 2014
Postcards courtesy Stella Clarke and Rachel Keegan
These first cards were sent from Flanders by Arthur Wilkins to his parents and his sister Ada, Stella's mother.
What were they?
The first embroidered postcards were shown at the Paris Exhibition in 1900 and immediately they touched people's imagination with their elegance and sincerity. During the Great War a whole industry grew up, at first supplying hand-embroidered cards made by French and Belgian women refugees in displacement camps and later cards mass produced in Parisian factories.
They were very popular with British and American soldiers. They cost only a few francs and could be mailed home postage-free in military mail pouches. For some, their popularity was that they limited the amount of writing that semi-literate servicemen had to add. For others they were a souvenir of their time overseas. It is estimated that ten million silk embroidered postcards were made.
Their appeal to the recipient was their sentimentality. Cards To My Dear Mother were treasured mementoes and were displayed for years afterwards, particularly for soldiers who had died in the war. They were very much of the moment and they ceased to be made after 1923.
The first embroidered postcards were shown at the Paris Exhibition in 1900 and immediately they touched people's imagination with their elegance and sincerity. During the Great War a whole industry grew up, at first supplying hand-embroidered cards made by French and Belgian women refugees in displacement camps and later cards mass produced in Parisian factories.
They were very popular with British and American soldiers. They cost only a few francs and could be mailed home postage-free in military mail pouches. For some, their popularity was that they limited the amount of writing that semi-literate servicemen had to add. For others they were a souvenir of their time overseas. It is estimated that ten million silk embroidered postcards were made.
Their appeal to the recipient was their sentimentality. Cards To My Dear Mother were treasured mementoes and were displayed for years afterwards, particularly for soldiers who had died in the war. They were very much of the moment and they ceased to be made after 1923.
Remembering Loved Ones
Their appeal was their beauty, totally contrary to the horrors that the servicemen experienced on a daily basis. Many showed images of wild flowers and birds and idyllic rural scenes and were a reassurance to fretting families and friends back home.
Their appeal was their beauty, totally contrary to the horrors that the servicemen experienced on a daily basis. Many showed images of wild flowers and birds and idyllic rural scenes and were a reassurance to fretting families and friends back home.
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Honouring Comrades
They were also a way of commemorating the role of British servicemen in the war. They often had patriotic messages, flags of the allies, and particularly the regimental crests and badges of the servicemen's affiliation.
They were also a way of commemorating the role of British servicemen in the war. They often had patriotic messages, flags of the allies, and particularly the regimental crests and badges of the servicemen's affiliation.
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Rachel Keegan has added Vic Southard's Silk Embroideries
These were all sent by my grandfather, Vic Southard, to his future wife, Evie, at Shockerwick House where she was in service. Number 8 has a pocket with a little card - the writing on the back says From your loving soldier sweetheart, somewhere in France. Most of the others have a similar message although a few have something longer. No 5 reads Wish I was about to meet you instead of writing this - it is a lovely afternoon for a stroll. They are all written in pencil in beautiful neat writing (Vic must have received a good education from Box village school and perhaps at home as well.) I imagine that choosing the cards to send back home must have given the boys a small amount of pleasure in horrible times.
You can read more of Vic and Evie Southard's story if you type his name into the search button on the People Index tab.
Below Silk 1: A desperate cry for help from the people of France
Silk 2 Silk 3
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Silk 4: Notice the Russian and Belgian Flags Silk 5
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Silk 6 Silk 7
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Silk 8: The words have been translated slightly incorrectly
Do you have any WW1 Silks? We would love to extend this article with your souvenir of your ancestors in the Great War.
Reference
This article is indebted to http://www.libraryofbirmingham.com/silkembroideredpostcards
Reference
This article is indebted to http://www.libraryofbirmingham.com/silkembroideredpostcards