Collecting local publishers
One aspect of postcard collecting that is popular and can lead to years of searching for the complete number, is collecting local publishers of cards where you live.
I am fortunate to live in Selsey, a lovely seaside town in West Sussex. In the golden age of postcards we had a number of locals who published postcards.
One of these was E.Gardner,High Street,Selsey.
Mrs.Elizabeth Gardner was the Proprietor of Selsey Drapery Stores in the High Street,near The Neptune pub.Established in 1895 she was quite an enterprising lady who also ran from the premises a newsagent,stationers,fancy goods supply and even a lending library. She gave it up when she retired in the 1930s.
Her cards first appeared in 1903 and she was a real publisher and photographer as she advertised that she could take any local views!
She was a prolific photographer and some of hers were used by Valentines.
Wife of a merchant seaman she was born in Bristol in about 1860.
