As the hackney cab of 1903 moves on and the clop of hooves fade into memory, Monsieur Meister’s new year good wishes track their recipient to Bois Colombes. The Tower of London in classic pose looks on, untroubled by such matters.
Postcard Dated
26 DEC 1903
Unfortunately, the removal of the stamp and initial post mark mean that we can only assume Monsieur Meister’s New Year’s greetings began their postal journey in London, but the Parisian and Bois-Colombes stamps suggest they arrived by Thursday December 31st.
The earliest photograph of the Tower so far identified also features this view from Tower Hill looking towards the west side of the Tower and snapped by Mr G Hilditch, a landscape painter. Popularly known as “The Richmond Painter” he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1823 until his death in 1857. The Tower view was one of his 13 architectural and landscape photographic views shown in the Society of Arts “Exhibition of Recent Specimens of Photography” 22 December 1852 – 29 January 1853.
This postcard image also featuring waiting hackney cabs was taken after 1854 when a clock was fitted into Flamstead Tower, the rounded NE tower of the White Tower. The addition was not universally popular. A letter to the 24 January 1854 edition of The Times denounced “the barbarous hands” that had been allowed to tamper with the building concluding “It will be tasteless and absurd, and render the White Tower what the National Gallery now is – an eyesore to the Metropolis”. The writer urged the authorities to “fill up the holes”. Almost 60 years passed before his wish was granted when the mechanism and clock face were removed in 1913 and the fabric restored. No longer would Joseph Fairer, Turret clock maker to HM War Department be able to claim “Maker of the Great Clock, Tower of London” in his adverts.
Albert Chambin, Parisian jeweller, specialised in enamels and chasing, working mainly on commission and exhibiting several pieces at the 1904 Paris Salon. He registered his mark in 1893 and it remained in use until 1922, working from 11 Rue de Turbigo, Paris. Courtesy of Google maps you can see number 11’s ornately elegant grey double doors today, set amid a branch of CIC bank. Monsieur Kootlooker’s role at Maison Chambin remains a mystery, but again, thanks to Google maps you can glance at the single wooden door to 38 Rue de Bourguignons where he welcomed in 1904.
And Ed. Meister? He too would appear to have been a jeweller. There is a famous firm of Zurich jewellers founded in 1881 and still in business today, but despite the common surname, I have been unable to find any further link.
Developed from a post originally created for the Royal Armouries’ website in 2021.
Recipient:
Monsieur Kotlooker, Mson. Chambin, joaillerie, rue de Turbigo, Paris forwarded to 98 Rue des Bourguignons, Bois-Colombes
Transcript:
Les meilleurs souhaits pour la nouvelle anée! Ed. Meister
[Best wishes for the new year.]
Postmark: 26 DEC 03,
PARIS 117 DES HALLES & BOIS COLOMBES SEINE
