Upon receiving their correspondence on Friday, the employees at a financial institution in Swansea were taken aback by an unexpected surprise.
Nestled among the usual assortment of documents regarding savings and mortgage affairs was a vintage postcard dating back over 120 years.
Although Swansea Building Society celebrated its centenary last year, this postcard predated the foundation of the society by several decades.
The society’s marketing and communications officer, Henry Darby, expressed his excitement at the unforeseen arrival.
“It’s a bit eerie – I’m not particularly keen on handling it as it exudes an antique aura. It almost feels like it should be encased in Perspex or something,” he remarked.
“Nevertheless, the social media platforms are abuzz with intriguing tales, and we are receiving numerous enthusiastic comments from individuals who evidently hold a deep fondness for the city and its rich history waiting to be unveiled.”
One of the individuals who reached out to the building society is a relative, believed to be the great niece of Miss Lydia Davies, the intended recipient of the postcard.
“We have yet to unravel the mystery of how it resurfaced in the Royal Mail system and ended up in our possession with a stamp that is nearly 125 years old, featuring King Edward [VII],” Mr. Darby elaborated.
“We are still captivated by the journey it took to reenter the system. Our speculation leans towards the possibility that someone clearing a house stumbled upon it, possibly still within the same residence, and assumed the proprietor would cherish it as a memento.”
“Now that it is under our ownership, we are committed to ensuring it finds its rightful place, whether in the local archives or ideally with Lydia’s surviving relatives.”
A grayscale depiction of Edwin Henry Landseer’s painting ‘The Challenge,’ the postcard is believed to have been dispatched by an individual named Ewart, originating from Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. He makes reference to two others known as Gilbert and John.
The postmark bears the inscription AU23 03, most likely corresponding to the date August 23, 1903.
Reacting to the picture the building society shared on Facebook, a genealogist informed them that they had located a 14-year-old Lydia residing at 11 Cradock Street during the 1901 census.
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A representative from the Royal Mail expressed that it is probable the postcard was “reintegrated into [its] system instead of being lost in the postal network for over a century.”
“Once an item is within our system, we are bound to deliver it to the correct address,” they affirmed.