Greetings from the Past: Värmlands Nysäter

Showing posts with label Värmlands Nysäter. Show all posts

2021-11-20

G.064.01 - G.064.02 Postcards from Gerda in London and Paris, November 1913 / Sepia Saturday 597

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Speked, Värmlands Nysäter, Sweden
From: Gerda - sent from London, 14 Nov 1913; arrived Värml Nysäter 17 Nov.

London d. 14.11.13

Resan har gått ---, reser till Frankrike i morgon. Skall skrifva sedan. Hälsningar, syster Gerda. - Här är lifligt må du tro ----- (resten oläsbart)

London 14.11.13
The journey has gone [well so far], leaving for France tomorrow. Will write later. Greetings from sister Gerda. - It's very lively here ---- (the rest unreadable)

Fleur d'hiver (Winter flower)

To: Gustaf Ekman, Speked, Värmlands Nysäter, Sweden
From: Gerda - sent from Paris, 18 Nov 1913; arrived V. Nysäter 21.11 1913

Paris d. 17.11.13

Hälsningar från Parisemode. Hvad tycks? /Gerda

Paris 17.11.13

Greetings from Paris fashion. What do you think? /Gerda

I found some more examples of Paris winter fashion 1913 here:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O536464/hiver-1913-fashion-design-jeanne-paquin/

November 1913:

Since February or March 1913, Gustaf has been living in Värmlands Nysäter (in the province of Värmland, Sweden), probably working with felling/transporting timber. (Cf. the recent post Gustaf moves to Värmland) From these cards sent to him by Gerda in November, I learn that he is still there.

According to information from a relative (BW) some years ago*, between October 1912 and April 1913, Gerda was employed as lady's maid to a Swedish countess, Adèle de la Gardie (born Jacquier), at Sörby Ringstorp, Östergötland. According to BW, that employment ended when Adele went abroad.

I haven't yet searched for more info about Adèle, but I found a photo at https://swedishportraits.com/.

However, from the postcards above, sent by Gerda to Gustaf from London and Paris in November 1913, I can only conclude that Gerda must soon have found similar employment with some other lady, who also did want her as travel companion for journeys abroad.

Linking to: Sepia Saturday 597

- - -

*/ Gerdas yrkesbeteckning i hennes flerspråkiga betyg 1912-1928 var kammarjungfru, Lady's maid, femme de chambre.

1/10 1912 till 15/4 1913 i Sörby Ringstorp (Östergötland) kammarjungfru hos Adele de la Gardie (f Jacquier Frankrike gift 1911). Anställningen upphör när Adele reser utomlands. Gerda är skicklig i sömnad, hårskötsel, servering, talar engelska fullkomligt och har "some knowledge of dressmaking".

Nästa betyg är utfärdat i Lyon, France 28/9 1919. Gerda har arbetat som Lady's Maid o är en "excellent packer and hairdresser and a neat needlewoman".

Ur email från Bengt W (april 2013)

- - -

Gerda kom att arbeta som sällskapsdam åt rika engelska ladies som reste runt i Samväldet o USA. Hon skötte kläder o packade, biljetter mm. --- När första världskriget bröt ut var hon i Frankrike med en lady som reste till England medan Gerda fastnade vid fronten o blev där flera år.

Ur email från Bengt W (nov 2012)

2021-11-19

G.061.01 - G.063.03 / Gustaf-dagen 6 juni 1913

Postcards sent to Gustaf Ekman at Värmlands Nysäter in June 1913,
to celebrate his Name Day (6 June). (Cf similar post for June 1912.)

Heartfelt congratulations on Gustaf's Day 6/6 1913, from Edla Jansson.

Heatfelt congratulations on Gustaf's Day 6/6 1913 from Sally Emanuelsson
(Gustaf's younger half-sister = my grandmother, 13 years old in 1913)

Heartfelt congratulations on your Name Day 6/6 1913, from Selma Emanuelsson.
Much love from all of us.

(Selma was Gustaf's step-mother, and my great grandmother.)

View from Mullsjö

Heartfelt congratulations on your Name Day, with love from your sister Ester.
As you can see, I'm now in Mullsjö. Write some time soon, please.

Greetings on Gustaf's Day from Lydia, Oscar, Anna

Heartfelt congratulations on your Name Day 6/6 1913 from Carl. Gerda also sends her love. I will write a letter soon. Heard from Gerda that you didn't get my letter.

(Carl was Gustaf's older brother at the family farm, Storegården in Fristad)

Heartfelt Congratulations on Gustaf's Day from (Emma?)

Heartfelt Congratulations on Gustaf's Day from Edla

The illustration on this card was made by Jenny Nyström, a famous Swedish illustrator. The verse rhymes in Swedish; the meaning is something like: "You may be as sly as a snake, but you have managed to win my affection"

The card was sent anonymously - but comparing the handwriting to the previous card, I'd say Edla sent it... Was there a romance going on between them?

Hjularöds slott

From: E Osbeck (11 July 1913)

Best wishes from Storegården (Fristad). A G and E Osbeck.

G.060.02 - G.060-03 Glad Påsk 1913

Easter Cards from 1913, sent to Gustaf Ekman at Speked, Värmlands Nysäter.

One from a Mrs Jansson*, the other from an Emma Johnsson.

*/ Mrs Jansson is probably the Edla Jansson who wrote to him earlier in the year and wanted him to come and work in Värmlands Nysäter. (G.059.02).

2021-11-08

G.059.02 - G.060.01 Gustaf moves to Värmland (1913)

After the excursion to 1932 in the previous post (with Gerda to Egypt), we're back in 1913, and with her brother Gustaf. He's been back from America for a couple of years, staying at the family farm in the province of Västergötland. But a change is coming up...

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Storegården, Fristad (Västergötland)
From: Edla Jansson (or Johnsson?), Speked, Värmlands Nysäter (Värmland)

Speked den 5/2 1913 (?)

Jag skulle skriva till dig. Jag undra om du ente har [fått] brevet samt kort som jag sände dig för en tid [sedan]. Ja nu är det vintern och före så nu är det körning i skogarna om dagarna. Jag hoppas att Gustaf skriver snart. Hälsningar från oss alla. Tecknar Edla Jansson (Johnsson?)

I was to write to you. I wonder if you haven't got the letter and card that I sent you some time ago. It is winter now and they are driving timber on sleighs in the woods in the daytime. I hope Gustaf will write soon. Greetings from us all, through Edla Jansson (Johnsson?).

Edla's handwriting is not all easy to interpret, and the date of the card had me puzzled. At first I read it as 5/9 1912, but that seemed not to fit with it being winter. I think it must be 5/2 1913.

Whatever the date, the card probably gives a clue to why - as will be seen from cards to come - some time between New Year and Easter 1913, Gustaf moved to Speked, Värmlands Nysäter (in the province of Värmland). He seems to have stayed there for about a year ; and from the message on this card we can guess what kind of work he was doing. I don't know who Edla was, or how they knew each other. But in America, Gustaf had worked at a sawmill and lumber yard (in Galteton, Pennsylvania), and so was well qualified for working with timber.

Edlas handstil är inte helt lätt att tyda, och speciellt datumet vållade mig huvudbry. Jag läste det först som 5/9 1912 - men det verkade inte riktigt stämma med texten, som talade om vinter. 5/2 1913 verkar passa bättre.

Oavsett datum, så ger det här kortet en ledtråd till varför Gustaf (som följande kort kommer att visa), någon gång mellan nyår och påsk 1913 flyttade upp till Speked, Värmlands Nysäter. Han tycks ha blivit kvar där ca ett år, och från meddelandet på det här kortet gissar jag att det arbete han utförde där hade koppling till skogsbruk och timmerkörning. Jag vet inte vem Edla var, eller hur de kände varandra. Men i Amerika hade ju Gustaf arbetat på sågverk/brädgård (i Galeton, Pennsylvania), så var van vid den typen av arbete.