A Happy New Year

Greetings card published by A D Willis. Written on the reverse: "With love. This is where Bessie lives. E.C."

Pauline

Written on the reverse: "Pauline in the garden at Streatham".

Mowing the lawn

Slightly startled

Compliments of the Season

Christmas Day

Victorian Christmas Cards

This week's Victorian Christmas cards are from a falling-to-bits scrap book I've had for years; so long that I can't remember exactly where it came from.

The book is dirty, battered and water damaged but the images it contains are interesting. There's a mixture of photographs dated between 1869 and 1873 - British churches and castles, houses, pagodas and foreign scenes, a few unidentified family groups - plus pages of Christmas, Easter and birthday cards, many of them with religious themes.

The festive season is almost upon us and I'd like to wish all my fellow Sepia Saturday participants a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2012.

Dear Friend

Victorian Christmas card published by Marcus Ward & Co.

Christmas Wish

Victorian Christmas Card published by Marcus Ward & Co.

Mistletoe

Wishing you a Happy Christmas

Victorian Christmas card published by Herman Rothe.

Christmas

Victorian Christmas card published by Marcus Ward & Co.

Four girls and a boy

Christmas pudding

This week's Sepia Saturday theme is about extravagant food ornately presented. As an antidote to conspicuous consumption now the festive season is almost upon us, I've chosen to show a couple of recipe books published in wartime Britain when many everyday foods including sugar, butter, eggs and meat were strictly rationed.

Here's the recipe for Christmas pudding from Food Facts for the Kitchen Front. I can't say that it sounds particularly appetising!

War and Peace Christmas Pudding

Mix together 1 cupful of flour, 1 cupful of breadcrumbs, half a cupful of suet, half a cupful of mixed dried fruit, and, if you like, a teaspoonful of mixed sweet spice. Then add a cupful of grated raw potato, a cupful of grated carrot, and finally a level teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of hot water. Mix all together, turn into a well-greased pudding bowl. The bowl should be not more than two-thirds full. Boil or steam for at least 2 hours.

Jack and his train

Written on the reverse: "Jack on the front verandah with the train Daddy bought at Woolworths".

Newspaper hats

Tartan bows

Violets

Postmarked Birmingham, July 17, 1909. On the reverse: E. S. London No 131.

Best mates

Written on the reverse: "You're my best mates, you are".

Birthday Thoughts and Best Wishes

On the reverse: Rotary Photographic Series. Printed in Britain. This is a Real Photograph.

Reading with mother

For more vintage photographs, visit Sepia Saturday 104.

Greetings on your Birthday

Serious expressions

Hop pickers

Written on the reverse: " Gordon, Billy Funnell & Charlie Ingerfield - 1938".

Arthur

Written on the reverse: "Arthur, The Graduate".

Bonnet

Postmarked Blackpool, July 2, 1907.

Squinting at the sun

You're making me giggle

For more vintage photographs, visit Sepia Saturday.

With Love and Best Wishes

On the reverse: W & K, London, EC. British Manufacture.

A Heart Full of Affection

Postmarked Colchester, 1910. On the reverse: The HART Publishing Co., London, E.C. Real Photograph - Printed in Great Britain.

Brotherly Love

On the reverse: The "Alpha" Postcard, The "Alphasa" Publishing Co Ltd, 2 & 4 Scrutton Street, London EC2, Printed in Sweden, No. 155.

The best of Wishes for your Birthday

Postmarked Market Harborough, January 7, 1913.

Pebbledash

Bike

Alice

Postmarked 1907.

Plus fours and a pipe

Charlie

Another photograph of Charlie. Written on the reverse: "With love from Charlie xxx".

Advance

Ja-Ja Heraldic Series, issued by Stoddart & Co, Halifax, West Yorkshire, 1905-1917. This card has the Type 1 front and Type 3 reverse.

Family portrait

Photographer: H M Veale & Co, 98 Victoria Street, Bristol.

Written on the reverse: "Doris Mary Metivier Lee Age 11 yrs 8 months, Thomas Clement Metivier Lee Age 9 yrs 4 months, Alfred John Metivier Lee Age 7 yrs 2 months, Gladys Elizabeth Metivier Lee Age 4 yrs 10 months".

Gladys Elizabeth's birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1906 - this dates the photograph to 1911.

Greatcoat

Royalty

The unmistakeable face of Edward VIII.

Bride and groom 1928