Catalogue

David Williams postcard collection

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• David Williams postcard collection
  • Album 3 (Ref: D/DW 1/3(1-97))
  • Miscellaneous postcards associated with Durham City (Ref: D/DW 1/3(1-15))
  • Postcards mostly of cinemas and other halls (Ref: D/DW 1/3(16-39))
  • Postcards showing the Sanctuary Knocker and other features of Durham Cathedral (Ref: D/DW 1/3(40-63))
  • Postcards of Prebends Bridge (Ref: D/DW 1/3(64-96))
  • Business postcard (Ref: D/DW 1/3(97))

Catalogue Description

These postcards were collected by the late David R. Williams, author of 'Cinema in a Cathedral City' (C53 in our library) and former head of Film and Television studies at Durham University's Bede College where he had lectured since 1964. His own arrangement of the postcard collection has been preserved, generally organised by topic and orientation. The majority of the 1200 cards in the collection have images of Durham City. Most of the photographically produced cards show some interesting detail of the Durham townscape, and some of the printed cards also stand out as being especially clear or showing unique detail; a separate list is available showing which are the clearest images of any particular common view.

Unless otherwise stated in their description the postcards have a portrait orientation, approximately 14 x 9 cm, with printed images of outdoor views derived from photographs and printed in monochrome. The description will indicate if the postcard has, instead: an image that is landscape orientation; an interior or aerial view; a sketch, painting or cartoon image (described as a drawing); false colour; photographic printing. There are also various novelty postcards, often featuring a strip with small images printed on it, multiple image cards, cards with false colour to represent night or snow scenes, and envelopes containing souvenir sets of cards.

Victorian postcards had space for a message on one side and for an address (sometimes pre-printed) on the other. The earliest postcards were pre-paid with a stamp printed on. The first picture postcards, prior to about 1903, had space for a message on the picture side; these are described as 'undivided' cards because the reverse side has space only for the address. The majority of the cards in this collection were made around 1905-1910, though it is possible that the image used on them is much older as card companies were happy to recycle good pictures for many years.

The majority of these cards are unused. If they have been posted then a note is given of the sender and recipient plus the place and year of the postmark, if legible. Generally the messages are of no great interest; the word 'commenting' is used in the description to indicate something more notable. The word 'description' appears in the description if there is a printed description of the postcard scene.

These are chiefly commercial souvenir postcards. Where it appears that the card is a personal photograph printed on a postcard, rather than a commercial postcard, it is described as either a 'postcard with a photograph' or 'photograph printed on a postcard'.

Many of the cards were produced by the major national companies: Hartmann (London, 1902-1909); Valentine's (Dundee, 1825-1963); Francis Frith (Reigate, 1890-1970); Raphael Tuck (London, 1866-1960); A&G Taylor (London, 1860-1918); Rapid (London, 1901-1910); Wrench (London, 1900-1906); Judges (Hastings, 1910-1984); Photochrom (London and Tunbridge Wells, 1896-); Walter Scott (Bradford); W.H. Smith - Kingsway (Newcastle, 1905-6); Hildesheimer (Manchester,1830-1920); Eyre and Spottiswoode - Woodbury Series (London, 1845-1970); ETW Dennis - Dainty Series (Scarborough,1901-); Salmon (Sevenoaks, 1880-); JW Ruddock - Artist Series (Lincoln, 1904-); Buchanan (Croydon ).
Others were produced by local printers: Bailes (Durham); Wilkinson (Durham); Auty (Tynemouth); Johnston - Monarch Series (Gateshead); Phillimore; Edis (Durham); Brittain and Wright (Stockton-on-Tees), Grant and Lewis (Newcastle); Ruddock (Newcastle); Lilywhite; Mason; P.T. series.

The manufacturer's name can help with dating where there is no postmark or stamp. Local stationers, printers and photographers are mentioned in Trade Directories and feature in this collection as printers, publishers or retailers: W. Wilkinson, M.A. Wilkinson, A. Bailes, G. Bailes, J.R. Edis, Andrews, Caldcleugh, J.Palmer, J.Slack, A.Rutherford, Cathedral View Shop, Fillingham, etc.

With no other indication an approximate date has been given as: 1900 for 'undivided' cards and those with space for a message on the picture side; 1905 for those with an explanation of where to put the message, address and stamp on the rear; 1910 for those with less of an explanation; later dates by the general style of the postcard. In some cases dating is by comparison with similar, dated cards, or by known dates for the subject matter.

Often one photograph will be used as the basis of a number of different postcards, sometimes by different publishers, and this has been indicated where it was noticed.

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