Postcards
of Sunderland Point
Gallery
This is our collection of postcards dating from the 1900s to the 1970s. Only cards created for writing and posting are included. They are arranged by date and by location at the Point to make the assembly and viewing of cards easier.
As we have received copies of the same card from different contributors, we have decided to list all those who generously shared cards rather than attribute individually.
Contributors: Dorothy Calverly, Alan Smith, the Gilchrist family, Robert Hall, Lynne Levey, and Stephen Loxam. Also from the collections of Harold Gardner, Hugh Cunliffe and Wilton Atkinson. Red Rose collection, Lancashire County Council, and Lancaster City Museums
Some of the cards may appear identical, but they are not - the differences will be accounted for in an accompanying text.
Dating the postcards is challenging. The date a card was sent is often later than its original publication date, in one case, twenty years later. For the gallery, we estimated the date by checking the postmark and examining features of the village, such as whether it predates or postdates the construction of Dolphin House. Sometimes, we recognise people in the photographs, which aids dating. Cards were often produced in series, with distinctive writing or type styles. When we identify a card from a series with a postmark, we can assign that date to the entire group.
Matthews of Bradford produced many Sunderland Point postcards, mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, sometimes ‘recycling’ older photographs onto newer cards.
We encourage any comments on our dating.
More importantly, if you have a card of Sunderland Point not shown in the gallery, we would be tremendously pleased to see a copy.
Hall End and Fishing Nets
1. Pre 1905. Suggested by the wavy cross to the 't' in the script. Another card with the same script is postmarked 1905.
2. c1916 distinctive script found on another card dated 1916. Note the wooden fence.
3. c1920 but before 1924 when the wooden rail around 21 and 22 was replaced by an ex-ships chain.
4. c1920 wooden rather than ship's rail. Early Matthews, Bradford card.
5. c1920s Matthews, Bradford card.
6. c1928 date stamped on rear. A card published by Arthur Palin of Overton.
7. c1930 dated by the script.
8. Same image as 7, but now with the white border and a change of script.
9. c1930 dated by script and growth on the Cotton Tree. Possibly Bert Smith's haaf net.
10. c1940s identified by the 'white edge' Matthews, Bradford series.
11. c1950s script suggests a date from this period.
12. c1950s, identified by script and clothing.
13. c1950s dated as card 12, photo taken at the same time.
14. c1920s fishermen at their nets.
15. Late 1950s, Bert Smith at nets.
16. c1950s, note the window above the doorway to the Reading Room has been removed.
17. c1950s. A slightly later version of the previous image.
Second Terrace
1. c1905 dated as neither Dolphin House nor the porch and bay window at house 14 are yet built. Later date stamped 1905. Distinctive crude script. Note the man sitting on the wall to the right of The Greens.
2. c1905 identical photo to 1, except the seated ladies and the man sitting on the stone wall have gone.
3. c1905. A coloured version of the same image, and a change of script.
4. c1905. Same photo, but another change of script.
5. Pre-1905. Note with wavy 't' in title. Known to date pre-1905 from another card.
6. Pre-1908 photo but with later title, exact date unknown.
7. c1914 dated by a distinctive script. Dolphin House appears newly built.
8. c1914. On the shore at Second Terrace, Dolphin House is newly built.
9. c1916 dated by the script, part of a set where another card with the same script has a 1916 postmark.
10. Circa late 1920s. An Arthur Palin of Overton card.
11. Late 1920s. An Arthur Palin of Overton card.
12. c1920s view of Second Terrace, Matthews, Bradford card with distinctive script.
13. c1920s same photo and script now with 'wavy' edging.
14. 1920s, same photo as the next card, but an earlier edition.
15. c1930s, probably early in the decade. Matthews, Bradford card.
16. c1927. Periot Players outside the Reading Room (Bert Smith bottom right).
17. 1920s Matthews, Bradford, one of a set of eight cards. Identified by the people shown on the card. Names all known.
18. c1920s dated by script.
19. c1920s, dated by script, the first of two images of the tide reaching The Greens.
20. Dated to the 1920s by script and sent by Bert Smith, then living in Multum. The second of the two 'flood' images.
21. 1920s, dated by script.
22. Early 1930s white edge card and Bert Smith on Multum steps.
23. Same photo as 22, but with a change of title and a clearer image. A girl can be seen standing in front of house 16 (just below Bert Smith).
24. 1930s white edged card. Matthews, Bradford card.
25. Date uncertain, but post 1914, perhaps early 1930s.
26. Date uncertain, but early 1930s suggested.
27. Date uncertain, but suggested 1930s as the window of the Big House is still visible.
28. Arnold Townley and Dorothy Townley, boy unknown, c1940s. The card may have been published by Arnold to sell in their shop (number 16).
29. Late 1950s script and growth of Cotton Tree.
30. Same style of script as previous card, bay window at the Big House now removed, date to the 1950s.
31. Late 1950s, the bay window at the Reading Room entrance has been removed.
32. c1960s. The bathhouse is now a garage.
Gravesite, the Lane and Dolphin House
1. Pre-1910, dated by a collector. The grave site.
2. c1914, dated by the printed script. Inside the Mission Church.
3. c1914. Dated by script and Dolphin House is newly built.
4. c1914, dated by script and newly built Dolphin House.
5. c1914 - date stamp on rear and Dolphin House is newly built.
6. c1920s. Dated by the water butts at Upsteps Cottage and the seat by the Temperance Hotel.
7. 1930s, early Matthews, Bradford, card identified by script. Hugh Cunliffe is on top of the steps. Note the seat by the Temperance Hotel is now gone.
8. 1920s, dated by script.
9. c1930 part of a Matthews, Bradford group of eight. The Summer House and piggery.
10. 1930s, part of the Matthews, Bradford group of eight.
11. 1930s Dated by script. Looking up the Lane from the west towards the Summer House and Mission Church.
12. Gravesite, c1930s. The photo appears to be a close-up from card 6. Possibly later published, with a white edge and printed script.
13. c1960s. The Summer House.
First Terrace
1. c1905 dated by script. Note spelling mistake in Sund(e)rland, possible John Walker photograph.
2. c1905 Variant of 1. The script is very crude.
3. 1905. Third variant of the same photo. It appears each card was written individually.
4. Pre-1905, Temperance Hotel, dated by script in a series (wavy cross to 't') with another card postmarked 1905.
5. c1914, dated by script 'The Moorings' (number 3) is prominent, the railings on the garden wall are still evident.
6. c1916. Temperance Hotel, dated by script with a postmark in the series.
7. c1916 dated by script. But it could be an older photo. Possible John Walker. The flag flying suggests the 1911 coronation of George V.
8. c1930, dated by script.
9. c1930s, same photo as 8, but now with a white edge. Possibly continually published through the 1940s into the 1950s. One of the most common SP cards.
10. Same photo, change of script, published later.
11. c1920s, dated by script.
12. 1920s, dated by script. The Temperance Hotel.
13. c1930, part of the Mathews, Bradford group of eight. Perhaps the Edmondson family at number 10.
14. Early 1930s, Arthur Palin of Overton card.
15. In the 1940s, Arthur Palin of Overton card, the railings at The Moorings have been removed.
16. Later 1930s or early 1940s.
17.c1930s/1940s. Same photo 'zoomed in' from 16.
18. c1940s, similar photo to 16 and 17, but slightly later due to tree growth.
19. c1940s unusual handpainted card, perhaps a keepsake rather than for sending.
20. 1940s, dated by the script.
21. 1970s, Hugh Cunliffe photograph. Gardner's pilot boat. The telephone box is seen on the First Terrace.
22. 1970s, Hugh Cunliffe photograph, set of two with previous card.
Gravel Cottage and the Causeway
1. Pre-1905 dated by script.
2. c1910. A visiting char-a-banc?
3. c1914 dated by script.
4. Same photo as 3, but now with a white edge.
5. c1920s is a best guess - dated by dress.
6. Early 1930s dated by script and condition of road! A card published by 'Judges', a major producer of postcards based in Hastings, Sussex.
7. c1937 (road has the new metalled surface).
8. Same photo and date, c1937, as number 7. Change of printed title and white edge.
9. c1920s postmarked and part of the Matthews, Bradford group of eight.
10. c1932 dated by postmark.
11. Later 1920s, the Anchorage is now built. Part of the Matthews, Bradford group of eight.
12. Dated to 1923 by Wilton Atkinson, who also named the children on the road. In two groups here.
13. Variant of 12, now a group of eight children, dated by Wilton Atkinson to 1923.
14. 1923. Same as 13, now coloured.
15. Early 1930s. A card published by 'Judges' a major producer of postcards based in Hastings, Sussex.
16. Early 1930s, Bert Smith (left) and Arnold Townley, part of the Matthews, Bradford group of 8.
17. 1930s dated by the script. Tide on the road at Lades Bridge.
18. c1930s, dated by script. On the causeway, looking towards Overton.
19. 1930s dated by script. Looking from Overton to SP.
20. Later 1930s, Matthews, Bradford card with white edge.
21. Late 1930s dated by script and white edge.
22. c1940s dated by script.
23. c1940s dated by script.
24. 1940s dated by script. An ex-lifeboat (Child of Hale?). A Matthews, Bradford card.
25. Early 1940s, possibly 'Child of Hale'.
26. Early 1940s, again possibly 'Child of Hale'.
27. c1940s, wreck of the barge 'Rambler'. 'Sue' in the background.
27. c1955, 'Gardner's pier', built by Robert Gardner when he was at the Anchorage (Peggy on the river).
28. c1970s poor quality card. Pilot boat 'Peggy.'
29. 1970s, same script and quality as 28.
From a distance, multi-views and others
1. c1900s. View from Crook Farm, not clear enough to be certain, but no Dolphin House.
2. c1910 dated by script.
3. Sunderland Brows farm buildings, dated by unclear writing on the back to probably 1929.
4. Later 1930s, script and white edge to card. Matthews, Bradford card.
5. 1920s, almost identical to the next card, 6, but here, these photographs feature the earlier script, Matthews, Bradford card.
6. 1930s Matthews, Bradford, the group of eight 'multi-view', with later script.
7. 1930s dated by script. Matthews, Bradford card.
8. 1930s 'Sue' at the Isle of Man. This yacht was owned by Arthur Mansergh and was kept at SP for many years. Not an SP postcard, but of interest. The yacht was visiting when the photograph was taken. Also, the card was sent to Jessie Townley on Second Terrace (number 16).
9. 1930s Plover Scar Lighthouse dated by script.
10. 1950s multi-view dated by Second Terrace image.
11. Late 1980s/early 1990s, multi-view dated by First Terrace photograph - the telephone box has been removed. On Second Terrace, Cotton Tree barn has been renovated (1987/7).
12. c1980s same photo as 10, but with village name inserted at centre.
13. 1980s multi-view of locality. SP in the bottom right corner.
