Year = 1904

Very early real photo postcard posted at Winnipeg on December 14, 1904 and received on December 29 by the addressee, Mrs Ball, 4 Manor Street, Nottingham, England. There is no indication of the exact location but it is likely near to Winnipeg. The image is very clear and shows the machinery quite nicely. The card is on the usual early Canadian Velox back. 1904 is the year in which RPPC begin to appear in southern Manitoba. The earliest image that I can date on such a postcard in my collection is around the beginning of May 1904. This one would have been taken in September or October of that year. It's quite a good image for the 1904-06 period -- many of the cards from that era have condition problems, primarily fading and silvering.

Another in the "Beautiful Manitoba Series" published by Russell, Lang & Co. of Winnipeg, this time showing championship rowers out on the Red River. The message is amusing: "Oct. 22nd/04 Poplar Point / Dear Ethel, How did you enjoy yourself at the fair. I should like to know how many different young men you had to take you home. I like to keep up with the times. Fred" Referring to the image of the young oarsmen, he adds, mischievously, "Pick which you like, four for a Dime (5d)." This is addressed to Miss E. Stokes, 4 Poplar Grove, Narnabell St., Holderness Rd, Hull, Yorkshire, England. The postmark on the undivided back card appears to be October 25, 1904.

This is quite an early card on a CANADA POST CARD undivided back that is a little unusual. It is one of those with multiple dotted lines provided to write the address on. In this case, "Lovie" was Miss Flo Morehen of 6 Oak Villas, Archway Road, Highgate, London. The card was posted by "Frank" on August 29, 1904 at Morden. The street shown there is Railway Street. Behind that you can see some buildings on Stephen Street, which is the main street today in this very attractive southern Manitoba town (now a "city").

MacFarlane no. 119, showing the Parliament Building at Victoria, B.C. with a message dated May 17, 1904: "Dearest E--- where I am now staying is just by the Parliament buildings where the X is. I have only heard from you once since I have been back. Have you addressed your letters properly? Am sending letter tomorrow. Best wishes and love, T. S. (?) P." Nice example of the first numbered series by W. G. MacFarlane of Toronto.

Showing the backs of the MacFarlane first series (that I've been collecting ... slowly). This is an undivided back, mailed May 18, 1904 to Miss Elsie Shark (?), 29 Winifred Grove, Clapham Common, London.

MacFarlane no. 115. Undivided back postmarked August 17, 1904 and sent to Miss Lida Browne c/o M. R. A. Ltd., King Street, St. John, New Brunswick. While the postmark reads simply "Bowden, Alta.", the sender has added "N. W. T." as would have been accurate until the next September when Alberta became a province.

Number 260 in the MacFarlane series, this undivided Private Mailing Card was postmarked at Macleod (?), Alberta on February 25, 1904 and mailed to Mrs. R. W. Young, Dumgree, Blenheim, New Zealand. "Would it hurt you to write a *little oftener*"?

Postmarked at Cranbrook, B.C. on May 2, 1904, this undivided back "Canadian Souvenir Post Card" (unusual back design featuring a drawing of a beaver) was addressed to Mr. H. Bushel, 26 Berryfield Road, Manor Place, Walworth, London.

MacFarlane card no. 453 -- "25 - 11 - 04 Dear F + M Guess the garden looks somewhat bleak now. Write next week. Love +c. Yours +c. George." Postmarked November 28, 1904 at Grand View, Man. to Mrs Gilbert, 26 Coventry Road, Hinckley, England.