County of Brant Public Library Digital Collections

Postcard, Margaret Jones to Stewart Jones, 9 June 1943

Description
Creators
Jones, Margaret, Author
Jones, Stewart
, Recipient
Media Type
Image
Text
Item Type
Postcards
Description
A postcard sent from London by Margaret Jones to her son Stewart. The front displays a photograph of The Old Curiosity Shop, a building located on Portsmouth street dating from the 16th century named after the 1841 novel by Charles Dickons1. On the reverse, there is a quote from the Prime Minister stating: “Let us all strive without failing in faith or duty” and a message from Margaret letting her son know that she saw the Queen and planning for a future when Stewart will be a sea captain and they will “parade Picadilly” together.

1. Atlas Obscura. The Old Curiosity Shop.

The postcard was provided by E. Ann McRae.
Notes
The Pate-Jones Collection consists of some photographs of the family members and a large group of letters. The majority of the letters are written by Margaret nee Wilson, and some by her husband Howard Jones, to their sons Barry and Stewart Jones, or to Mr. and Mrs. Pate. From 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, Barry and Stewart lived with Margaret’s second cousin Andrew Wilson Pate and his wife Mary Herron nee McClure at the Brantwood Farm. The original farm was founded by Andrew’s father James Pate, and was situated on the south side of Powerline Road and Gretzky Parkway, which at that time, was considered part of the County of Brant.

The correspondences cover from detail Margaret Jones’ dilemma in settling her boys with virtual strangers, her return trip to England to rejoin the war effort there, news of farm life in England, the concern that England might lose the war, and the anguish of both families when Andrew Pate died in 1944, leaving his teenage son to run Brantwood Farms. These letters are therefore a fascinating way to conceptualize how the war affected daily life in Canada locally, and in England.

In recent decades, the original Brantwood Farm that was situated on the south side of Powerline Road was sold by the Pate family for development. The farms are now located on the north side of Powerline Road, and consist of several farms belonging to several Pate families, mostly within the County of Brant, remaining a thriving local establishment to this day.
Inscriptions
S.8700.

OLD CURIOSITY SHOP, LONDON, W.C.2.

(REVERSE)

P.S. I saw the Queen Yesterday.

9/6/43.
Hullo Stewart - - I think we’ve enjoyed our London visit more than ever - + I know Mr. + Mrs. Burton have loved it all ---
And when you are a sea captain + on leave you can bring me to London + we’ll parade Picadilly showing off your blue + gold! –
At the moment in London there is no room to move for Americans! –

Master Stewart JONES
o/o A.W. Pate ESP.
R.R.6
BRANTFORD
ONTARIO
Canada.
Date of Original
June 9, 1943
Subject(s)
Personal Name(s)
Jones, Margaret ; Jones, Stewart
Local identifier
2017AM001.077
Collection
E. Ann McRae Personal Collection
Language of Item
English
Geographic Coverage
  • Ontario, Canada
    Latitude: 43.1334 Longitude: -80.26636
  • England, United Kingdom
    Latitude: 51.51279 Longitude: -0.09184
Copyright Statement
Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
Recommended Citation
Postcard, Margaret Jones to Stewart Jones, 9 June 1943. E. Ann McRae Personal Collection, Item No. 2017AM001.077
Terms of Use
The information and images provided are for personal research only and are not to be used for commercial purposes. Use of this information should include the credit "provided by Ann McRae"
Contact
County of Brant Public Library
Email:digitalhistory@brant.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:
County of Brant Public Library (Paris Branch)
12 William Street
Paris, ON
N3L 1K7 | @brantlibrary
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