After a break Phil is back with a query passed to me by Laurie Farrel concerning the postcard below. Laurie writes ‘Close examination shows it was posted at South Kensington on 10^th August 1896 to an address in Germany (Potsdam). It then bears a receiving mark of Potsdam 11^th August 1896 which seems to indicate that it went from England to Germany within 24 hours or so. This now raises the question is this possible because the mail must have been carried overland, because no aircraft were in operation at that time. It also means that it must have been transported part of the way by sea ie over the English Channel or North Sea. Such a fast delivery is I venture to suggest even in this day and age of advanced technology and air travel difficult to equal if at all.‘

Any opinions on this matter would be most welcome and I will forward them to Laurie.