|
New Year Greetings
Picture 1 shows a printed matter with a St. Andrew's Cross on the front, sent from Bruchem to Nederhorst Den Berg and postmarked 1914, December 29.
Nowadays sending a New Year's card from A to B can often take a week or more. Weeks before Christmas the public is encouraged to post their mail as early as possible.
At the beginning of the last century the public worried their New Year's wishes would be delivered too early ! At the time the best wishes had to be delivered on New Year's day, so on January 1 - not later, not earlier !
But how to recognize New Year's wishes when sent in an (open) envelope as happened with the exhibited item ? Examination was strictly forbidden. Discretion and secrecy were still sacred at a time when postal workers still had to take the oath before they were allowed to enter upon their duties.
A simple solution was found. All letters, cards and printed matters which had to be delivered on January 1 exactly had to be marked with a Saint Andrew's Cross on the front. This regulation was official and was announced on placards.
Picture 2 shows a reduced copy of such a placard. In translation the text reads:
The Post Office. . New Year
In view of the large supply of mail at the turn of the year the public are invited to mark inland letters, postcards, picture post cards, visiting cards and circulars, which have to be delivered preferably on January 1, with two diagonal strokes on the front and to hand them in at the post office on December 26, 27 or 28. In that case they are made ready for delivery, they will be held at the offices till January 1 and will be delivered that day if possible.
I wish all readers of the pages "Letters of the Month" a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed it and will come back often in 2001. Yours, Wim J. Bongers.
|
