Postcard History

“Gaun yersel hen!”

Arthur Moreland, one of Britain’s best-known political cartoonists presents this humorous representation of “Queen Boadicea Leading Her Troops Into Battle, A.D. 61.” The image is likely from Moreland’s 1905 book Humours of History, which is comprised of 160 illustrations that may well be cartoons of his that were previously featured elsewhere.

A philatelic vandal has removed the postage stamp and most of the postmark has gone with it, however it was probably postmarked in Govan near Glasgow. Govan has been described as a “riverside district with a laid-back village vibe.” It is also the part of the city where Ibrox Stadium (the home of Glasgow Rangers Football Club) is located.

The relevance of Govan to this post is that the sender of the card, who does not identify him or herself, may well have uttered the Scottish phrase as the ‘La Belle Suffragette” graffiti was being scribbled on the face of the card.

I know that many collectors shun cards with graffiti, although personally I don’t mind because it can add interest to an otherwise drab card. On this occasion, the addition of the graffiti influenced the purchase as I liked its link to Boudica – as she now appears to be called – and I was curious as to who was being referred to as the beautiful suffragette.

The illustration is full of action and gives the viewer a real feeling of impetus. Boudica – who looks more like television’s 1985 Scottish character ‘Super Gran’ – is heading towards the Roman army with some determination and when she catches up with them, she is going to ‘gie them laldy’ (Scots: Give them a thrashing, a punishment, a drubbing.).

With this in mind, I thought the added title on this post was quite apt and a Scottish bystander may well have shouted the encouraging phrase “Gaun yersel hen!” which translates as ‘Go on yourself’ with ‘hen’ being a word used by some Scots as a term of endearment for a girl or woman.

The fact that Boudica is unlikely to have travelled as far north as Scotland, and that there was then no such place named Scotland, shouldn’t be allowed to spoil my post. Any Scottish bystander was likely on his way to a field in the northeast of London in search of turf for his garden.

The card is addressed to Miss A Atkinson at Dan’s Castle, Tow Law, Durham. Since we cannot comment on either her beauty or her suffrage activities, it can be said that she was Angelina Atkinson who was born in Tow Law, circa 1880. She was one of eleven children.

Angelina can be found on the census returns through to 1911; she is recorded as living with her parents at 129 Dans Castle, Tow Law, County Durham. She was 31 years of age and a grocer’s assistant. It is easy to suggest that she worked in her father’s shop.

Today, there is still a semi-detached property with a 129 Dan’s Castle address. It, again can be suggested that this was the Atkinson’s families shop and the property in which Angelina worked from 1901 to, at least, 1939. Other than noting that Angelina died in 1965, there are no later references to her.

It is certainly strange to imagine this woman getting up every morning for nearly 40 years and simply walking a few yards to the counter of her family’s business. She may have been quite busy, especially since the family was well known in a village where her father was a grocer, Justice of the Peace, and a bank agent.

Surely Angelina’s life was what she chose it to be, but under her circumstances could she have been worthy of a title like, “La Belle Suffragette?”

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