A 'Swenglish' journey through family photos, notes and postcards
from the early 20th century.

2019-05-31

R.003.1, R.003.2 - New Year & Easter 1903, and Gerda's Whereabouts

From Gerda's postcard album:





Around New Year 1902/03, Gerda was living at:
6019 Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois

Godt Nytt År tillönskas af Elin o Oscar.
(Har du fått brefvet?)

Happy New Year from Elin & Oscar.
(Did you receive the letter?)




In April 1903, Gerda was living at: 
c/o Mrs Deutsche, 35 Elaine Street, Chicago
(or had perhaps already moved away from there?
but it seems the card reached her anyway!)





Nu har ni väl sommar i America? Tänker mig eljest vågade vi inte begifva oss iväg dit på velociped, som du ser. 


En glad Påsk! tillönskas dig hjärtligt från Elin! Hur snart får vi något fotografi från dig "såsom Americanare"? Jag väntar storligen! Tack för hälsningarna med Oscars bref. Helena bad mig åter hälsa dig så innerligt! Skrift snart igen.

I suppose you have summer in America now? Otherwise we would not dare go there by velocipede, like you see here. /  I wish you a Happy Easter! How soon will we get a photo of you as an "American"? I'm very much looking forward to that! Thanks for your greetings with Oscar's letter. Helena asked me again to send you her best wishes. Please write again soon. / Elin
[Elin is Gerda's sister-in-law, married to her brother Oscar]



When I read Elin's request for a photo of Gerda "as an American", the photo below comes to mind as one that may have been sent back to Sweden as reply. (I don't even remember just now where I have the original photo! but luckily it turns out I both scanned and edited it before.)

Found the original. That is printed as a postcard as well, and from Chicago. And I guess the odd position of the image on the card may be deliberate, to make room for Gerda's habit of scribbling her messages all around  it!




(Image edited by me back in 2013)

PS. I see now that I already posted about Elin's postcards as well as the car photo back in 2013, for two different Sepia Saturdays: March 22 (Painting A Bright Future) and April 14 (Destination Unknown). Never mind - that was a while ago now! :)

No comments:

Post a Comment