Midsummer Family Gatherings - Sepia Saturday 780

My grandfather Gustaf was born on Midsummer Eve, 23 June 1904.

Back in those days, Midsummer Day, also known as St John's Day, was always celebrated on the 24th - and Midsummer Eve thus always on the 23rd. Since 1952, however, St John's Day/Midsummer Day is always celebrated on a Saturday, and Midsummer Eve on a Friday. So during my own whole life, Midsummer Eve has always been a Friday, but the date shifting from one year to another.

But for my dad, back in his childhood, Midsummer always coincided with his dad's birthday - and my grandparents liked to make use of that for annual extended family gatherings. 

I've never had the impression that these parties involved any dancing and singing etc round a traditional Midsummer Pole (maypole), though. (I suspect my grandmother probably found those traditions "pagan", even if I can't actually recall anyone talking about that.) 

I just recently "re-found" a series of six  photos from family midsummer gatherings taking place between 1937-1948. (The years added on the back of them by my dad.) I remember using these for a display at my dad's funeral back in 2011, as his cousins, also included in these photos, were also among the guests attending.

1937

In this photo, my dad, Bertil, born 1931, had not yet turned 6 years old. He's the one furthest to the right of the three standing. The two to the left of him must be his cousins Sten (also born 1931), and Bernt (1932). Their father was my grandmother Sally's brother Nils, who is standing furthest to the left, holding yet another boy, who must be the third one in that family: Olof. The next year, those three brothers would also be getting a little sister, but she's not in the picture yet. Behind my father stands an old woman with head-scarf and glasses - that's my great-grandmother, Selma. I also recognise my grandmother Sally, her sister Hildur, and Hildur's husband. The rest of the people I can't identify, but they're probably "in-laws" from Nils' wife's family. 

1939

In the photo from 1939, my dad (soon to turn 8) is the boy with glasses, to the left. The baby girl, on her mother's arm, must be cousin Marianne - born 1938. A bit unusual is that for once, the "birthday boy" himself, Gustaf, is also included: standing furthest to the right. (Makes me wonder who was behind the camera!)

1940

In the photo from 1940, my dad is hiding behind a taller cousin...

1941

In 1941, my great-grandmother Selma is no longer in the picture. She died in March that year (five months before she would have turned 80). With the photo enlarged now, I notice that Gustaf is actually included in this photo, too - right in the middle in the back row.

1942

A smaller gathering in 1942, it seems - but all the boys present. My dad still the only one with glasses. I'm not sure who is who among the others, or who the fifth one is - but probably "a cousin of the cousins", on their mum's side. 

1948

Skipping forward to 1948, and who knows what the teenage boys were up to... The girl must be cousin Marianne, now 10 years old. My grandmother Sally behind her, holding a cat. The woman to the left of her I think I recognise as a "friend" rather than relation.

Happy Midsummer to all my fellow "Sepians"!

PS. After having finished this post, I find that I've used the same photos before on this blog, in a post from 2023, entitled Nils, the Bus Driver - for Sepia Saturday 681. (99 Sepia Saturdays ago!) 

Linking to Sepia Saturday 780

Uncertainty - Sepia Saturday 768

 In his introduction to Sepia Saturday 768, Alan Burnett writes: 

"Just as a good novel guarantees that you are never sure where the plot is going to take you next, a good collection of old photographs means that you are likely to be taken to the most unexpected places and unexpected times. It is this pleasure, this uncertainty, that we celebrate here on Sepia Saturday."

So I'm grabbing the opportunity to share four photos that still involve quite a bit of uncertainty.

The original photo prints are no larger than 6x8 cm. I  scanned them to enlarge them on my computer screen, which does help a little bit, though. One thing they have in common is that they probably include some people from the parish where my great-grandmother Selma came from (Tvärred). Whether these people were related to her or "just friends" is something I've never been sure of, though. 

In the first photo all but one of the six people are familiar to me, though. The boy at the front is my dad. He was born 1931 and I suppose he must be around 10-12 here (?)  Behind him to the left are his parents (my grandparents) Gustaf and Sally; and to the right his uncle and aunt - Sally's sister Hildur with husband Olle. The one I'm not certain about is the man in the middle. From somewhere at the back of my memory I seem to recall that there were two brothers (?) named Anders and Evert, living at Tvärred, whom I even met a few times in my own early childhood. Who of them is who in old photos, I no longer know, though. And if I ever knew their surname, I've forgotten.

This photo is from earlier in my dad's early childhood. (Does he look 3 or 4 years old to you?) The old woman to the left is my great-grandmother Selma. (She died long before I was born, but I recognise her from many photos.) To the right of the boy who became my dad (Bertil) is my grandmother. The woman with curly hair behind him is her sister Hildur; and behind her, her husband Olle. I suppose the two men to the left must be be the afore-mentioned brothers. As for the third man and the other two women, I have no idea, though. 

 
Judging by their clothes, I'd say this photo must be from the same occasion.

And this photo must be even earlier. 1932 or possibly 33, but no later (my grandmother in the middle, holding a very young version of my dad). Again I'm not sure about where the photo was taken, but it strikes me that this one might be from the farm where my grandmother was born and grew up (and remained living until she got married in 1930). 

I know that besides the farm house (the "big" house), there was also a smaller cottage on the grounds there, which remained my great-grandmother Selma's property until she died. Although the farm was sold after 1930, and Selma too moved in with her daughters and their husbands in the new house that my grandfather built, I recall having been told that the small cottage was still hers, and she liked to spend the summers there. (It was not very far from the new house that my grandfather built.)

It was a common arrangement in old times that when an old farmer retired and let his oldest son take over the running of it, a small cottage + a small piece of land was set aside for the parents, and remained theirs for life. My great grandfather Samuel did let his oldest son (Carl) take over the running of the farm a few years before he died; but remained living on the property with his 2nd wife and three young children. Samuel died in 1907 (when my grandmother was 7, and her younger brother Nils 5).  Carl was a bachelor and never married and had no children himself; and my impression is that he and his step-mum Selma joined forces best they could to make the best of the situation. They probably even all lived together in the main house (or if anyone lived in the small cottage, it was probably Carl). Later on, periodically, Carl's younger brother Gustav (who emigrated to America in 1902, but later returned) also lived on the farm and helped out. 

Carl died in 1928. I've not seen the estate inventory, but I suspect that as he did not have any children of his own, the estate was then inherited by all seven of his siblings and half-siblings still living; and that this led to the farm (except the small cottage belonging to Selma) being sold in 1930/31 - after all three of Selma's children (Nils, Sally and Hildur) had got married and moved out during 1930. 

PS.  /2025-03-31/ A comment from La Nightingale below made me remember where I might find the answer to who's who of the two brothers in the photos above. Some years before my dad died, I sat down with him and went through an envelope of photos that had belonged to Hildur and Olle, my grandmother's sister and brother-in-law. I then put those photos in a special album, with some notes added. And among those is another photo including both brothers from Tvärred. Their surname was Andersson, and from my dad I got the impression they were "friends" rather than relations. The man in the middle in the top photo here is Anders; and second from the left in the 2nd photo is Evert.

(I may be adding a Swedish version of all this below later.)

Family Portraits - Sepia Saturday 694

This portrait of  my great grandfather Samuel, born 1835, is the only one of him that exists. The sign he is holding says "Lord, increase our faith". Back in childhood I always wondered why, and I can't recall anyone ever explaining. (Possibly they did not know either.) He was a farmer and a merchant; not a clergyman. However (thanks to research done by one of my dad's cousins), much later I learned that Samuel was involved in the founding of a local free church in 1884. Then he was 49 years old, which seems to fit with this photo.

Back then, he was still married to his first wife, Anna Sophia. She died in 1894. (There is no photo of her.) Together they had 9 children, born between 1866-84. Two died in childhood, and another (at age 31) in 1899, before my own grandmother was born.

In 1898, Samuel got remarried to my great grandmother, Selma (born 1861);  she also a widow, with a young daughter. There is no wedding photo or other portrait of Samuel and Selma together either.

This photo of Selma is probably from her first marriage - or even earlier. Her first husband was younger than her; but died when their daughter Hildur was only two years old.

Together, Samuel and Selma got two more children: my grandmother Sally (born 1900) and her brother Nils (born 1902). Samuel died in 1907 (72 years old) and then Selma was a widow again, now with three young children. She did not get married again, but remained living on the farm with her step-son Carl (single), who had taken over the running of the farm already around 1903/4.  

In the census of 1910, two separate households are listed for the farm: Selma and her children (probably at the time living in a separate cottage) counted as one family; and Carl, his brother Gustaf (recently returned from eight years in America) and their sister Ester (housekeeping for them) as another. Later on, it seems that Carl, his stepmother and her children all lived together in the farmhouse, though. 

Selma (born 1861) and her sister Ida (born 1865). Not sure which year, but my guess is c. 1917. 

Ida and her husband Gustav  in 1908
(the year actually printed on the photo!)

 

My grandmother Sally (born 1900) and her half-sister Hildur (born 1892 in Selma's first marriage). Same studio background as in the photo of Selma and Ida. Could be from the same occasion.

Hildur, Selma and Sally, around the same time as well. (Compare Hildur's bow tie here to the one Ida is wearing in the first portrait.)

Another studio portrait of Sally and Hildur
 - a few years later, I think.

Sally's half sisters on her father's side, Ester (born 1876) and Gerda (born 1881). Must be from before Gerda emigrated to America - 1902 or earlier.

Ester, a bit later in life (year unknown)

▲Gerda with a friend, from Chicago (1902-1910)▼
LEFT: Gerda to the right - RIGHT: Gerda to the left

Gerda returned to Sweden in 1910/11, but soon went abroad again.

Gerda in Lyon, France, 1913 (or 15?)

Hildur, Gerda and Sally. My guess is that this was taken on Gerda's return from France in 1919 - after the end of WWII.

Gustaf, born 1878, also emigrated to America in 1902, and returned in 1910. The portrait above is from Port Allegany, probably 1903. The photo below is one I just recently found and realised that it must be Gustaf to the right. It's printed on American postcard paper (but not written on) so I'm guessing that it must be from his later years in America. I don't know who the other two men are.

Once back in Sweden, Gustaf did not go abroad again. He helped out on the family farm for a while; then moved away to work elsewhere in Sweden (also with farm work); then returned again to help out at the family farm - and took over when his older brother Carl died in 1928. But I think the farm was sold after Sally, Nils and Hildur all got married and moved away - to do with distribution of inheritance.

Carl, Selma, Hildur and Sally 

Hildur, Selma and Sally, probably summer 1930

Nils, Sally and Selma

("when big hats were the fashion")

Linking to Sepia Saturday 694 - Portraits

Nils the Bus Driver - Sepia Saturday 681

 

I recently found (or re-found) this photo of my grandmother Sally's younger brother Nils as a bus driver. I recall being told in the past that he worked both as a bus driver and a taxi driver. I don't know the exact year when this photo was taken, but I'd say around 1930 (give or take a few years). From the text on the bus I can see that it ran between the centre of the town of Borås and one of its outskirts (Hestra) - which in those days must have been more of a rural area than it is today.  

Last year in my online searches I found a population census from 1930. It must have been carried out in the month of December that year, as it has my newly-wed (since September 1930) grandparents Gustaf and Sally settled in their new house, Nils and his Carin (married 30 November) at another address, but their older sister Hildur still living at the farm, listed as unmarried (she and her fiancé Olle got married on 30 December that year, and then moved into the upstairs flat in my grandparents' new house). 

Nils was born in 1902, and lived on the family farm until he got married (28 years old). In the 1930 census, his profession is listed as "driver" (not specified whether taxi or bus, so it may have been both), and on the side also working at a driving school, teaching others to drive. The same census also contains the information that back in 1925 his main occupation was farm work. So evidently it was between then and 1930 that he sought a new career. I've also already concluded from Sally's letters that in 1930, he must have had a car (or at least access to one). 

Nils' wife Carin was born in 1903, in the province of Småland. How or where she and Nils first met, I don't think I've ever heard,  but I think she probably moved to Borås to work in one of its many textile factories. According to the church record of their wedding, she was a seamstress. Oddly the 1930 census does not mention her occupation, even though it does state an annual income - it just has her down as "married" and "wife".  I don't know if she gave up her job already in connection with her marriage; but about a year later, their first son was born, and followed by two more sons and one daughter over the next few years - so from then on I guess she was probably busy enough "just" being a housewife. 

Their oldest son (Sten) was born only a couple of months after my dad, towards the end of 1931; and their next son only a year after that. I've been told that in their childhood, Sten periodically stayed with my grandparents and my dad (who was an only child), to ease the situation for his own parents a bit during the years when they had three or four young ones. Sally and Gustaf did not get any more children; but my dad and Sten remained rather close throughout life, and he was also almost like an uncle to my brother and me. He was a journalist, and when I've thought about it in later years, I guess he may have been influenced by my grandfather in that choice of career. He did not have any children of his own, but several nieces and nephews (the children of his younger brothers), and also still kept in touch with me even after my dad died. And when Sten died in 2016, I attended his funeral.

In my dad's and his cousins' childhood, the extended family had a tradition of coming together most years at midsummer at my grandparents' house and garden. Midsummer Eve (back then always on 23 June) also happened to be my grandfather Gustaf's birthday. There are quite a few photos in the old albums to confirm that these family gatherings were a recurring tradition. Most of those also include some people I can't identify - but I think they were Carin's siblings, with spouses and children.  

In this photo from 1937 we have Nils on the left, probably holding his youngest son Olof. (The daughter Marianne was not born yet.) I suppose it must be Carin to the right of them, even if I can't say I quite recognise her here. Of the three boys standing in front it's my dad (Bertil) to the right, probably Sten in the middle and his younger brother Bernt to the left. Behind my dad is their grandmother Selma; on her left her daughter Hildur; and behind Hildur to the left her husband Olle. Behind Selma to the right is my grandmother Sally. The rest of the faces unknown to me. My grandfather Gustaf is not in the picture - I assume he was behind the camera.

This one is from 1939. Here my grandfather Gustaf is in the picture, on the far right, next to Nils. Hildur in front of them, and her husband Olle on the far left. In front of him my dad - wearing glasses now. Probably Sten next to him and Bernt behind (one step up?) - not all easy to tell them apart at that age, though! The woman standing with a baby on her arm is Carin, with daughter Marianne. Sally's face in the middle of the back row; and Selma in the row below, wearing glasses. 

Collage of three more similar photos from 1940, 1941 and 1942, just to show that the summer reunion  tradition continued. (In the top one my dad is half hidden behind one of the other boys.)

Linking to Sepia Saturday 681

SVENSKA

Det första fotot är av min farmor Sallys yngre bror Nils som busschaufför, ca 1930. Bussen  gick mellan Borås centrum och området Hestra (som på den tiden måste ha varit ganska lantligt). 

Den svenska folkräkningen från 1930 måste i den här delen av landet måste ha utförts i december månad, ty av densamma framgår att Gustaf och Sally (som gifte sig i september) nu var bosatta på Nysäter, medan Nils och Carin (som gifte sig 30 november) var registrerade på adress Öreberg, men Hildur fortfarande bor kvar på Storegården. (Hon och Olle gifte sig 30 december 1930, och flyttade då in på övervåningen i mina farföräldrars hus.) 

Nils var född 1902 och bodde på Storegården tills han gifte sig vid 28 års ålder. I folkräkningen 1930 anges hans yrke som chaufför, med bisyssla “bilskola”. (Jag tror att han förutom buss även körde taxi.) Samma folkräkning innehåller också uppgiften att han 1925 var "jordbruksarbetare".

Nils hustru Carin var född 1903 i Lenhovda i Kronobergs län. Var och hur hon och Nils träffades vet jag inte, men antagligen flyttade hon till Borås för att arbeta på någon av textilfabrikerna. I vigselregistret anges att hon var sömmerska. I folkräkningen 1930 står hon bara som "gift", och “mor/fru”. Om hon fortsatte att arbeta under första året som gift vet jag inte. Deras förste son föddes i slutet av 1931 och sedan fick de ytterligare tre barn (totalt tre söner och en dotter) ganska tätt, så snart lär hon i alla fall ha haft fullt upp som hemmafru.

Äldste sonen Sten föddes bara ett par månader efter min pappa (Bertil). De två kom att stå varandra ganska nära under hela livet. Efter vad jag hört berättas, så bodde Sten periodvis hos mina farföräldrar i barndomen, som avlastning för Carin och Nils. (Min pappa var enda barnet.) Sten blev till yrket journalist, och jag tänker att han kanske påverkades i sitt yrkesval av Gustaf (min farfar).

I min pappas och hans kusiners barndom var det tradition att familjerna/släkten samlades hos mina farföräldrar vid midsommar. (Midsommarafton, som på den tiden alltid firades den 23 juni, var också min farfars födelsedag.) Ett antal gruppfoton bekräftar denna tradition. Med på dessa är också en del personer som jag inte kan identifiera – antagligen Carins syskon med familjer.

New House, New Life - Sepia Saturday 670

In last week's post, I showed a photo of my grandparents (Sally & Gustaf) at the well on the property where they were going to build their house. My grandfather purchased the plot in March, and the well was finished towards the end of April. A few months later (late summer or early autumn) the house was "taking shape". I'm guessing that this photo was taken as part of celebrating having got the roof in place. It was probably my grandfather who took the photo, as he's not in the picture himself.

Family gathered at the New House (in progress), late summer 1930. Standing: Olle (engaged to Sally's sister Hildur), Sally, Mother Selma, Carin & Nils (Sally's brother and his fiancée). Sitting: Gustav (older half-brother to Sally and Nils), Hildur - and I think probably a brother of Carin's to the right (he looks vaguely familiar to me).

(Unless, possibly the unknown man is the builder? I know they had one, by name of Richard Andersson, as I have his bill, or receipt, for the finished work...)

The finished house (year unknown) 

Olle, Hildur's fiancé, may have helped with details on the house too, I suppose, as he was a carpenter by trade - and for the first few years, he and Hildur would be living there too. From what my father told me in the past, I know that originally, the house had two flats: One room + kitchen downstairs and the same (somewhat smaller) upstairs. Sally and Gustaf (who got married towards the end of September 1930) moved into the downstairs flat. (From about a year after their wedding also shared by baby Bertil, my father.) And a few months later, newly wed Hildur and Olle moved into the upstairs flat, together with Mother Selma (who slept in the upstairs kitchen). 

I'm not sure exactly how long they all continued to live together in the same house - maybe a few years. Olle and Hildur then built their own house only a few minutes walk away; so the two families always remained very close. (Hildur and Olle never had children of their own.) Selma I think alternated between living with her daughters in winter, and spending the summers in the small cottage on the farm (which I think was hers for the duration of her life). She lived until 1941 so was very much part of the household during my dad's early childhood. After Hildur and Olle moved to their own house, Sally and Gustaf made the upstairs room their bedroom; and later, the upstairs kitchen was converted to a bedroom for my dad.

Below is the last letter in my collection of letters written from Sally to Gustaf in 1929/30, between their engagement and wedding. It has no date, so I've been hesitating about exactly where it belongs in the chronology. But most likely it was written while it was still wintry; as gloves, socks and firewood are mentioned. The most interesting part is that it shows some of Sally's "mixed feelings" about the upcoming changes in her life after their marriage. She realises that in his career as a journalist, Gustaf has to meet and mix with "all sorts" of people - and is sometimes also expected to socialise in contexts in which she herself will feel timid and not quite comfortable...

Storegården, Thursday night

Darling!

Now you'll be getting a letter anyway, but it won't be a long one this time either. And please excuse me for writing in pencil. As you know, I have no ink here in our room, and I don't want to go into the men's room tonight, so I use what I have. It's past 9:30 pm and I'm rather tired. I've had a busy day, sewing gloves and also on that dress I was working on last night.

Olle is here working tonight and Hildur has gone down to him, so Mum and I are alone at the moment, and I'm grabbing the opportunity to write to you.

Have you heard anything more about Mr & Mrs K's party? I've been contemplating today whether I should come with you or not. I guess we'll talk more about it on Sunday. Of course I'd like to accompany you for your sake, and perhaps in a way it would be good for me as well. I suppose I must try to overcome my shyness at least to some degree. I guess sooner or later I'll have to get used to meeting ”society” ladies and gentlemen, even if the thought of it intimidates me a little.

I too am looking forward to the day we'll be united; but my joy is also mixed with some apprehension at the thought of my responsibility to be a good wife to you. With the help of God I still want to get started, and if I can only trust in that, I know I shall succeed. I'll leave both of us in his hands.

I would have written more, but I can't tonight, I'm so tired.

Lots of love from your Sally 

PS. Gustav won't be going into town until Tuesday or Wednesday next week, Miss L does not want any potatoes until then. I hope you'll be all right for firewood until then.

Mum sends her love. It's now past 11 but she is still knitting away at her socks. The sound of the spinning wheel has stopped for tonight.

Linking to Sepia Saturday 670 

(because sometimes you feel like crawling into a corner and hide - but you know you can't...!)

Storegården torsdag kväll

Älskade!

Nu får Du allt brev ändå. Men det blir inte långt denna gången heller. Och så får Du vara snäll och förlåta att jag skriver med blyerts. Jag har, som du vet, inget bläck här inne i vårt rum, och jag vill inte gå in åt herrummet i kväll, utan då tog jag vad jag hade. --- Kl är ju också redan över ½ 10 och jag börjar vara en smula trött. Jag har haft så bråttom i dag. Har sytt dels på vantarna och dels på den där klädningen jag höll på med i går kväll.

I kväll är Olle här och arbetar. Hildur har gått ner till honom nu så mamma och jag äro ensamma för tillfället, och därför skulle jag passa på och skriva till Dig.

Har Du hört något närmare sedan om Herrskapet K---'s förestående bjudning? Vet du, jag har tänkt mycket på det i dag om jag skall följa med Dig dit eller ej. Vi få väl tala mera om det på söndag. --- Nog skulle jag gärna vilja gå med för Din skull, och kanske vore det bra för mig också på sätt och vis. Jag måste väl försöka att övervinna blygheten åtminstone i någon mån. Och jag måste väl också en gång för eller senare sammanträffa med respektive societetsdamer och dito herrar, kan jag tro, fastän jag bävar en smula vid blotta tanken därpå.

--- Jag emotser, även jag, med glädje den dag då vi skola förenas. Dock är ju glädjen blandad med en viss bävan vid tanke på det ansvar som vilar på mig som en god maka åt Dig. Med Guds hjälp vill jag likväl börja och kan jag blott fullt och fast lita därpå, vet jag också att jag skall lyckas. I hans händer vill jag lämna oss båda.

Jag skulle skrivit mera men det går inte i kväll, jag är så trött nu.

Hjärtevarma hälsningar, Din Sally

Gustav reser inte till stan förrän på tisdag eller onsdag i nästa vecka. Fröken Larsson vill ingen potatis ha förr. Hoppas att Du klarar Dig med ved till dess.

Mamma hälsar. Kl är över 11 nu men mamma stickar lika flitigt på sina strumpor. Spolrocken har tystnat för i kväll. 

A Winter Walk - Sepia Saturday 668

 

When I saw that this week's Sepia Saturday theme was WALK, this photo from my grandmother Sally's albums came to mind for me. One thing that has struck me when reading her old letters is that they walked a lot back in those days (and as I know the neighbourhood a bit, I also have some sense of the distances). This photo is a bit blurry, but I'm pretty certain that the man with his back to the camera is Sally's brother Nils; and in the trio of young women, it's Sally to the right. I also guess it's probably their sister Hildur to the left; while the one in the middle I suppose must be a neighbour or guest.

The image stands out from most photos in the old albums in that they're actually "on the move" and not standing still, posing. I think the photographer is probably my grandfather Gustaf, and the time might well be that last winter when they still lived at the farm (1929/30).

I'll let this photo be my only contribution this week, as I'm in the process of setting up a new computer, getting acquainted with Windows 11, and reorganizing my archives...

Linking to Sepia Saturday 668

Train Station and Post Office - Sepia Saturday 656

 

For this week's Sepia Saturday I'm reposting a photo I've posted before - as far back as ten years ago, for Sepia Saturday 182. I'm also reusing my text from back then, with a few minor adjustments.

The building is the railway station at Fristad (where my grandparents grew up and also lived the rest of their lives). In the early years (not sure for how long) it also served as post office, from where postmen and postcoaches delivered the post around the village and surrounding countryside. 

My great grandfather Samuel (while also being a farmer) used to drive a postal coach between the railway station and a country store in a smaller village. According to family stories, that's where he, as 60+ year old widower and father of nine (two of whom had died at a young age), in the late 1890's,  met his second wife – my great-grandmother Selma (then a young widow with one young daughter, Hildur). Together, the two of them had two more children: My grandmother Sally, born 1900 (the same year the "new" station house in the photo was built) and her brother Nils, born 1902.

Samuel retired in 1903, and then his oldest son Carl took over the task of driving the post as well as the running of the farm. (I know this from an article that my father's cousin once wrote for the local history society's annual magazine.) I think it may be Carl on the wagon to the right (not in a uniform), but I'm not sure. (He died in 1928.) I also think that if this photo is from the mid 1920s, the photographer may have been my grandfather, for some newspaper article. (Just a guess, though.)

Anyway, the photo shows a time when postal service was taken seriously!

This postcard from the same station may also have been included in some previous post, but I'm including it again, as it also shows a train, and people.  It's a reprint of an old postcard, for a railway jubilée (150 years) in 2013.

My father, a railway enthusiast who even published books on local railways, died in 2011; but in 2013, my brother and I had not yet sold the house in the village (where our grandparents lived, and then our parents in their retirement years), and in honour of our dad, we attended that railway jubilée. So here are some photos from that occasion:

 

Linking to Sepia Saturday 656 - Trains