Postcard mailed 121 years ago finally makes it to its destination ‘out of the blue’
by Brittany Kasko · Fox NewsA piece of mail finally made it to the intended location — almost 121 years to the day after someone put a stamp on it and sent it off.
The Swansea Building Society, a mortgage loan business in Swansea, Wales, received a very old piece of mail earlier this month that took staff members by surprise.
Henry Darby, marketing and communications officer for the company, told SWNS, the British news service, that the piece of mail turned up "completely out of the blue."
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The postcard was addressed to a Miss Lydia Davies and dated Aug. 3, 1903, making it almost 121 years old.
Darby said the postcard came with the day's normal mail delivery and had a stamp with 1903 King Edward VII on it. He added that one could tell the postcard was from that time period due to the style of writing.
"This is more than a once-in-a-lifetime event — it’s a true anomaly," he told Fox News Digital.
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"This postcard has uncovered a forgotten piece of our local history," he added, "offering a rare glimpse into life in Swansea 121 years ago."
Darby said that the note on the postcard reads, "Dear L. I could not, it was impossible to get the pair of these. I am so sorry, but I hope you are enjoying yourself at home. I have got now about 10 (unreadable) pocket money, not counting the train fare, so I’m doing alright. Remember me to Miss Gilbert + John with love to all from (unreadable)."
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The postcard’s original location appears to be Pembrokeshire, Wales, which is about 62 miles west of the intended delivery address.
Darby said his company’s building occupies the space where traditional homes once stood — noting that the Swansea Building Society was created 20 years after the postcard was sent.
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"The address is correct — we are still 11 (and 12) Cradock Street, but it’s 121 years later than expected," he said to SWNS.
"We know it’s quite a long time ago, but it would be fascinating to uncover what life was like on Cradock Street 121 years ago."
Today, the society has taken to social media to ask for help in identifying any family members of Miss Lydia Davies in hopes of putting together a connection.
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Darby told Fox News Digital, "If all goes well, we may even connect distant relatives who never knew of each other’s existence and return to them a family artifact that can be passed down for generations to come."
Brittany Kasko is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital.