Sometimes when you come across a photo or a postcard you really like, you just have to add it to your collection.

Friend, Follower and Old Postcard seller Paul recently shared a few Old Postcards on Twitter that caught my eye. All posted to Annie and mostly from Ernest, they tell part of their love story and I enjoyed reading what he’d written to her.

Of course, I wanted to know a little more and when Paul @PaulSuttonKing (on Twitter) put some of them for sale on his site on eBay I bought them. I also started a small family tree for the couple on Ancestry.

Annie was born as Harriet Annie Bloomfield on 27 January 1890 in Stanway, Essex, her father was Henry Bloomfield (1868-1951) and her mother was Harriett Maria Howard (1868-1922) Annie’s family below. Henry Bloomfield Annie’s father was a Boilermaker Labourer. As parents Henry and Harriett lost two of their eight children as infants.

I think this particular old postcard below is very significant in the relationship between Ernest and Annie if you read what he wrote, it’s not all totally clear, but you get the gist that this is very early in their relationship, dated August 30 1911, Ernest also signs it E.Percival and no kisses…not yet!

Annie married Ernest Edward Percival on 7 June 1916 in St Botolph Church, Colchester, Essex. They had been courting for about five years according to the postcards.

From Find My Past: “First name(s) Ernest Edward
Father’s occupation Plate-layer, Deceased
Last name Percival
Spouse’s father’s first name(s) Henry
Marital status B
Spouse’s father’s last name Bloomfield
Residence: With H M Forces On Active Service
County Essex
Marriage year 1916
Country England
Marriage date 07 Jun 1916
Archive Essex Record Office
Place Colchester, St Botolph
Archive reference D/P 203/1/24
Spouse’s first name(s) Harriet Annie
Event type Marriages
Spouse’s last name Bloomfield
Page number 64
Spouse’s marital status S
Recordset: Essex Marriages And Banns 1537-1935
Spouse’s residence 73 Bourne Road
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Father’s first name(s) Edward
Subcategory Parish Marriages
Father’s last name Percival
Collections from England, Great Britain“

This is Ernest‘s parents and only sister Edith below on this family group sheet.

Ernest and his sister Edith lost their parents at such a young age that I just had to find out why? Their Mother Minnie died of Plithisis it seems likely that it was the old name for TB, Tuberculosis.

Then less than three years later their father died and I was shocked to see the cause of death. ‘Exhaustion due to Blood Poisoning and shock to the system arising from accidental injuries-Run over by Railway Train. Lived six days‘

To find out more I turned to the British Newspaper Archives, these are the two reports that give the most information.

A Strange Case, was Edward one of the Peculiar People?

On neither of these reports did it mention that he’d lost his wife and had two young children? I suspect that Ernest and Edith were already being looked after by their Grandfather Charles Percival (1938-1927) Edward‘s father, and his second wife Mary Ann Howard (1846-1918). I would think that Charles had been a great support to him as he lost his first wife Edith Ann Fisher (1840-1866) (she was Edward‘s mother) at the young age of 26 leaving him with four young children in 1866. Charles remarried Mary Ann Howard who became stepmother/mother to the four children, including Edward and went on to have three more children with Charles, incidentally, Daisy was their youngest daughter, and one of the postcards to Annie was from her.

Here’s Grandfather Charles below on the 1901 census with his wife Mary Ann, two of his children Charles and Daisy and his two grandchildren Edith and Ernest.

At the time of the 1911 census, Edith was in service as a Cook, living locally in Lexden. Ernest was still with his Grandparents working as a Plumber, Charles and Mary Ann and also Daisy who was now a Dressmaker was only nine years older than him, so I would think they were more like siblings.

Annie and Ernest had two children during their marriage, firstly Charles Edward Percival born 24 February 1919 in Newark on Trent, Nottinghamshire. Here’s the family on the 1921 census from Find My Past. Ernest is a Plumber and their son Charles was born in 1919.

Very sadly I found Charles died when he was just 29 years old. He died on 10 February 1949 at the Essex County Hospital. Cause of death: Acute Meningitis. Acute Mastoiditis. Digital death certificate below.

Their second-born child Myrtle Jean Percival was born on 3 August 1921 in Colchester, Essex, a few months after the 1921 census. Myrtle never married and here’s the family of four on the 1939 register. Ernest was a Plumber and in the right-hand column was also a Special Constable. Son Charles you can see was a Plumber and in the right-hand column was also in the Fire and Rescue Service.

Their daughter Myrtle Jean Percival never married and lived to the age of 100. This was published on 17/03/2022 in the Essex Standard.PERCIVAL Myrtle Joan Passed away peacefully at New Copford Place on Wednesday 23rd February 2022 aged 100. Funeral service is to take place at the Stanway Evangelical Church on Friday 1st April at 11am, followed by a burial at St Albright’s Churchyard at Midday. Family flowers only. Donations should you wish in lieu of flowers. Collection box for the Stanway Evangelical Church at the service or c/o East of England Co-op Funeral Services, 98 The Commons, Prettygate, CO3 4N.

Annie died on 19 November 1964 in Copford, Essex, at the age of 74. Ernest died at the beginning of 1971 also in Essex, he was 80 years old.

Above dated Mar 1914, sent from Southampton ‘Arrived safely this morning (Thursday) will write later I am off to Gosport. Yours Ernest‘ no kisses still yet, were they in the letter though?

Above dated Jan 27 1915. ‘Dear Annie. Just a line wishing you many happy returns of the day and I will drop you a line as soon as I arrive home. Much Love E XXXX‘ She was born on the 27 Jan.

Above is another Birthday greeting from Annie’s sister Ida, Victoria Ida Bloomfield was born on 18 May 1908, she never married and died 24 June 1994 at 73 Bourne Rd, Colchester, Essex.

Who are these two ladies, both photos were by Colchester photographers, on the left G A Lucas (Late Stringer & Co) Colchester and on the right by E. Dennison Binns. From what I’ve found about the photographer, George Stringer ran the business from about 1888 to 1902 from North Street, Colchester. Then Gilbert, his son ran the business from 1902-1917. It was then at Chapel Street, Colchester.

I have transcribed the following few Postcards but as you can see from the writing at the beginning and end there are some missing but nevertheless, they make nice reading.

Above Postcard: My Darling Annie. I am now taking the pleasure of writing you a few lines in answer to your nice letter which I was pleased to receive, I am sending you a few more P.Cards of the place, there are not many nice ones of the place. This one is also just outside our Barracks and near the sea but it does not show much of it or the river that flows at the far end marked X The next one is the Theatre, it is a large place but I have not been inside it yet. The other one is Union Street it is about one of the busiest streets in the town. Yes Darling I saw it in the paper too, about Fat Pitt Hospital it can do with 

Above Postcard: occasions to know where I am going or what I shall do, I hope I shall be lucky enough to get nearer home. I had a letter from home this morning darling and mothers arm is rather better and I hope it will soon be well altogether, perk up darling you would be able to give her a look during the Easter Holidays as I believe she would be pleased to see you and I am glad darling to hear that Kate’s hand is getting on so nicely and as for Joe and Flo, darling we must class them as very un lucky but never mind my darling the course of true love never runs smooth and we shall appreciate it more when we have the pleasure of each other’s company again. So now my darling girl I must close with heaps of love and kisses and hoping you will enjoy yourself as best as you can at Easter my darling. I remain your very and ever loving and affectionate sweetheart Ernest xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Above Postcard: My Darling Annie. Many thanks for nice letter and also for the paper which I was pleased to receive, but I was so sorry Darling to hear about Kate’s hand and I hope it will soon be better, so I suppose she is on compensation now and having a bit of a holiday. Yes Darling we are not chased for haircuts like they are at Chatham, I have got yards of it in my head now and as for the moustache it has grown, so I have as much now as I had 

Above Postcard: I suppose it will pour again before long. I had another letter from Edith yesterday and she seems quite alright and she did not mention anything about you, I also had a nice letter from the boys at Chatham they all wished to be remembered to me including Cleary the Irishman in E/C? Company. My sworn pal one Govan the Irishman got the medal off field works and that Ipswich chap that I told you about that I used to call McTibbit got the stripe, so I suppose he has to get up earlier in the morning now. McFarlane has got the Cooks job in A Company and the rest are in general duties awaiting transfer. I should not like to be at Chatham now, a few mornings 

Above Postcard: pass on the way to my Barracks, The finish of Course of Engine Driving this week, so we have been to some more forts lately, last week on Thursday we went to Eastern Kings (a Battery at Plymouth), on Friday Drakes Island and today we have been to Breakwater Fort, it’s almost like a lighthouse but much larger and it holds about a 100 men in time of war not there are none there now only 13 of us men stationed there for a week at a time, and we have the largest search light in the world fixed there

Above Postcard: hear that they are all well at your home. We are all at home here this last few days on account of the strikes in London etc we are what they term (standing by) ready to go if necessary and we are not allowed to Barracks so we have all been at home at nights. The Irishmen are a bit jolly tonight as it is fag night and they are betting each other (holy shillings) about different things. Before I forget it dearest will you ask mother for my club number she knows where I have wrote it down on the back of the picture of Lexden Church in the Kitchen. You are sending me some very flash seals on my letters dearest they are

Above Postcard: very pretty the boys say they are quite flash. I am sending a post card to George Johnson dearest I thought I would let you see it so you can drop it in a pillar box when you have looked at it. I suppose dearest I shall go to Chapel on Sunday morning I have had the brasses put on my war bonnet (helmet) So now darling I think this is all for the present hoping you are well as this leaves me so with heaps of love I remain Your Ever Loving and affectionate sweetheart Ernest.X Love to Mother and Father X I shall think about you on Tuesday XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Above dated 1912 from Ernest to let her know that he ‘arrived safely from Paddington and would write later but he wanted to catch the post tonight‘

Above Birthday Wishes from Emily to Annie, her Birthday was 27 Jan 1890.

Above: Dated 1911 From Daisy, with Ernest’s new address at Shornemead Fort. Wikipedia: ‘The barrack accommodation of Shornemead Fort was used for many years by soldiers training on the nearby Milton rifle range. A permanent staff was based at the fort, and the barracks included lecture rooms, staff accommodation and even a swimming pool built to the east of the fort‘. I was really pleased to find out who Daisy was as I filled out the family tree. Technically his Aunt but more like a sister.

Above is the only one written to Mrs Percival in 1917, Annie and Ernest were married on the 7 June 1916.

Followers of Paul on Twitter found some family history details about Annie and Ernest‘s possible military career, unfortunately, some of these details were incorrect.

I found these two records that match what we know from the postcards, on Find My Past with more of Ernest’s Military details:

First name(s) Ernest E
Second service record Soldier Number: 21761, Rank: Acting Corporal 2nd, Corps: Royal Engineers
Last name: Percival. National Archives. Year 1914-20
Service number 21761
Medal type British Army Medal Index Cards, 1914-1920
Second service number 21761
Archive reference WO372/15
Rank Sapper, Acting Corporal 2nd
Archive reference description Campaign Medal Index Cards and Silver War Badge Cards
Second rank Acting Corporal 2nd
Record set: Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards. Regiment Royal Engineers
Second corps: Royal Engineers
Subcategory Medal Rolls and Honours
Service record Soldier Number: 21761, Rank: Sapper, Corps: Royal Engineers.

First name(s) Ernest E
Medals awarded British War Medal And Victory Medal
Last name Percival
Archive series WO 329
Archive reference WO 329/0328
Rank Acting Corporal
Record set: Britain, First World War Campaign Medals
Rank as transcribed A/Cpl.
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Service number 21761
First World War
Regiment Corps Of Royal Engineers
Previous unit R.E. 21761 A/2/Cpl.

There are a few other old postcards sent to Annie that I don’t have in this little collection and not all from Ernest. There was a Christmas greeting from Jenny living at ‘St Albans’ Wyndham Rd, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales. Jenny said ‘Many thanks for her nice card, trusting you will spend a jolly Xmas‘.
One from Kate (Likely Annie’s sister Beatrice Kate Bloomfield) of the Colchester Carnival saying ‘thanks for the flowers and that she was just home from the hospital and now an outpatient again and she will write again during the week‘ on this particular one, dated 1909, Annie was living at ‘Eastcliff’ Russell Rd, Clacton on Sea, Essex and not Colchester.
Another from Ernest saying he’d ‘arrived safely this evening at about 7 o’clock at Plymouth after having to wait till 2.20 at Waterloo and that he’d write later‘.
The ones sent from Ernest often displayed the Secret Language of Stamps too, used for many years. Here’s an example of the meaning of a tilting stamp from the Postal Museum Website.

Here’s the small family tree that I’ve compiled on Ancestry for them: Bloomfield and Percival Family Tree

Till next time then………