Old postcards bring back Tavistock of yesteryear

Old postcards have always held a fascination for us English, writes John Powell.

A century or more ago they were almost like email is today. You could post the message: "Come for tea this afternoon" in the morning in the sure and certain knowledge that the person invited would have the postcard delivered and show up a few hours later.

And the scenes depicted show a past long gone and sometimes the almost unbelievable changes that have occurred in some places. Then again, many of the postcards in ‘Old Postcards of Tavistock 1900-1930’ show how little has changed, particularly in the centre of Tavistock.

They say the past is a foreign country and postcards stand in mute confirmation of that.

So it is a delight that Roderick Martin, for many years the manager of Tavistock Museum, has compiled a collection of these postal delights in his new book.

In his foreword Mr Martin pays tribute to Robin Fenner, a former town mayor whose booklet on Tavistock's old postcards was published in 1985 with many being sold by Mr Fenner, an auctioneer, a decade or so later.

Mr Martin says that the booklet and later sales catalogues gave him the idea for his book but with an emphasis on the publishers and photographers responsible for the postcards.

For, as well as a fascinating collection of postcards with captions showing town events, the topography of Tavistock and the town during the First World War, he has also identified many of the local photographers involved to add to this social history of Tavistock in the early years of the last century.

So, along with famous postcard names such as Francis Frith and Co of Reigate and Raphael Tuck and Sons, of London, we have Tavistock photographers including Henry Creber, Thomas Vanstone and Thomas Greenfield as well as Thomas Pearce and his sons Arthur and Sydney with Samuel Gimblett – the latter four also appearing in the book.

There are more than 160 postcards illustrated in the 134-page soft back book, a tribute to Mr Martin’s collecting abilities over the years.

Old Postcards of Tavistock 1900-1930 is published by Roderick Martin with print and design by Dartprint, Tavistock and can be found on sale at the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre and at Richard Jones' bottle stall in the pannier market, Tavistock.