Old Postcard of Eyam - Plague Service August 30th 1914

On the back of this postcard is written:

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“Dear Polly,

I am sending you this view with you and the children on and myself. I thought you would like it.

Your loving aunt.”

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“Polly” was Andrew's grandmother, Mary Elizabeth McCann (née Bamford). This postcard, and others in this collection were sent to her by friends and relatives in Eyam, after her marriage to Thomas McCann on 10th June 1897. They were kept by her family, and have been recently forwarded to Andrew from his aunt Eunice, the widow of Andrew's cousin Eric, son of Mary Elizabeth's elder son. Aunt Eunice has written some additional comments on the back which say:

“Polly” is your grandmother, who is holding the hands of Ron and Dolly (all in white). Cast your eyes behind and to the right of the lady with the rolled umbrella.

“Ron and Dolly” are Andrew's father and his sister Dorothy. Eunice doesn't know where Mary Elizabeth's aunt was standing, and we do not know which of Mary Elizabeth's father's sisters she might have been for sure, but one possibility is “Aunt Brushfield” - Ann Bamford, born in 1855, who later married Joseph Brushfield and lived in Water Lane in Eyam.

An enlarged version (383K) of this photograph is available for those who would like a closer look.

(Information provided by Andrew McCann/Rosemary Lockie)

This is one of a series of postcards sent to Mary Elizabeth McCann (née Bamford) by friends and relatives living in Eyam, after she went to live in Romiley in Cheshire. She was the submitter, Andrew's grandmother.