Tower Correspondents
Tower of London postcards and their messages
From the late 19th century postcards served the role of today’s texts and messaging apps. In a an age when private telephones were the preserve of the wealthy, and an inland letter cost a penny, the postcard at a half penny was a convenient way for ordinary folk to communicate. Although the middle classes bemoaned their lack of privacy – even resorting to writing the message upside down and in extremis in code – they were soon caught up in the accompanying collecting craze which swept Europe. Few self-respecting households were without their postcard album.
The Tower of London as an established visitor attraction and ever open to new revenue streams was not slow to capitalise on this trend. The images produced by commercial manufacturers and the Tower itself document the changing face of the site, while the messages provide a fascinating insight into peoples’ lives. However like the best of historical evidence they may not always be what they seem. The longevity of some images is impressive and neither manufacturers or punters appeared concerned by any inaccuracy.
