Post boxes, flowers and chocolates

Happy Valentines Day, this blog will give you something red, a old story about flowers and chocolates!

There are currently over 85,000 letter boxes in England and 196 different designs. They were introduced after 1840 when pre paid post was made available. How often do we look at them in detail as we rush to catch the post? I will sometimes take a photo if one interests me.  Every post box has a symbol of the King or Queen reigning when the box was manufactured. I didn't realise until I was writing this that all of my photos are during the reign of George V (1910-1936).



My great granddad and great uncle were antique dealers in Park Street in Bristol in the period 1910-1930's.
My great uncle wrote a book about his experiences of being an antique dealer and give a insight into how life was for some during that time.

One of their clients a Mrs Butler a fashionable and beautiful woman had bought from them a five light Georgian chandelier for her home at Henbury Lodge  three miles outside Bristol (it is now a hotel.) My Great Uncle had the task of delivering and installing it. This extract is taken from the book.

Henbury Lodge

When we arrived my ring at the door was answered by a dignified butler. He told us that we were expected and everything was ready for us to fix the chandelier.
He took me to the hall and  I saw that a pair of tall steps were already in place, but I hardly saw the rose and hook in the ceiling so fascinated was I by the people in the room. On the right hand side against the wall was a large settee and, in the centre, sat a  young man flanked on either side by two extremely pretty girls dressed in dainty, summer frocks. 
But perhaps the thing that amazed me most was that  the whole of the floor of the 14 foot square room was covered by a mass of freshly cut roses! Their stems must have been 12 inches long and the blooms formed a perfect carpet. When the butler moved to place the steps in exactly the right spot for us, I started to push the roses aside with my foot to prevent them being crushed, but he said quickly, 'Please do not move them, they are here to be walked on.'

I searched the internet trying to find a photo that would help illustrate the story and Chris was very obliging and allowed me to use his beautiful picture above. Do look at his website and blog- there are some beautiful pictures.http://www.chrishanleyphotography.com/ . Thank you so much Chris.


And finally where would we be without chocolate I made this cake to celebrate St Valentines day.

Have a great day!

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