An Old Postcard.

(A Hundred Years of Evolution).

This postcard was sent from Aberdeen in Scotland, on 29th May 1904.  The printing on the front on the card indicates this is one of a series of 'Prize Dogs' & that the dog is a Newfoundland called 'Merry Boy'.  It's interesting that the dog is named as a Newfie rather than a Landseer...

It struck me as quite a coincidence that the handwriting on the front reads 'I sent a Toby to Maggie...' almost as if I was meant to have the card!  Mind you, I have absolutely no idea to what the writer was referring, especially as the end of the sentence reads: 'So Jack I send you'.  The message on the back is just as intriguing, this is what it says:

"Dear M,

Looked for you all this afternoon, but not you.  Not coming back until see you over, so there.

We haena 'flitted' (which translates as we haven't moved, or left.  In this case I take it to mean leave on holiday) this year as we're in the way of doing.  So no excuse for not seeing you; you should, I fancy, know the way.

Ta-ta.xxx

It's addressed to a Miss Third.

It's all very cryptic but I guess we'll never know if the writer caught up with his Miss M!

And talking of Toby and Maggie, I was curious to see how they would compare to this distant relative, so I have coloured a couple of their photos in sepia tones; I couldn't find any photos of the exact pose, Toby and Mags are more likely to be sat with their tongues half way down their chests, but these are the next best thing!  Of course, both of them are wet, which is usual, and as my husband has just pointed out, they aren't exactly standing correctly (and they must have poor stance if a person who never goes to shows notices!!)  If I recall, Maggie was stalking Toby - she likes to play 'What's The Time Mr Wolf', and Toby was watching a cat on the other side of the fence.

Toby                                                     (photos © Liz Bradbury 2004)                                           Maggie

If anyone would like to add their photo to this page in comparison, please let me know and I'd be happy to put it up.  My email address is on my Home page;

click here to go back to it.

	This is beautiful boy is Windancers Bobby Shafto Gone to Sea and he is much loved by Julie
Julie's comment on the 100 years of 'evolution' is: Looks very much like a  present day Newf except for the dome of the head. Now they are much higher.