Crystal Palace postcards stolen in the post . . . .

[tulse hill terry]

Was amused at a recent comment re lack of new material posted here.

Have the above pseudonyms [Steve Grindlay (remember him), Falkor, Tulse Hill Terry, etc, etc,] exhausted their knowledge of the area or do they bestow their historical virtues on other websites? . . . . . . . anything to liven up, what is becoming a very neglected and somewhat dreary category.

Crystal Palace is my area of interest if not expertise, but it's hidden on this forum just how stressful acquiring this stuff can be.

I have just had an empty envelope that was supposed to contain 16 postcards of Crystal Palace from the 1900's, in a plastic bag with "Sincere apologies from Royal Mail' printed on the outside.

I've been to the sorting office. They are obliged to deliver all items - however 'damaged". They kept insisting that they were 'damaged' despite having been STOLEN. I was directed to Customer services and their myriad of 'options.' All that concluded with was the advise to fill in a Lost Damaged or delayed form, which has to be completed by the SENDER. In my past experience this just leads to a refund and courtesy slip, and not any investigation.

I also visited the police station to be informed that it was a civil matter between myself and the Royal Mail. whereas if someone had come onto my porperty that would be theft.

I still haven't heard anything from the vendor.

My distress comes from the thought of this stuff having surved two world wars, etc, only to be discarded into a bin when it wasn't what the scrote who opened it, was hoping to steal.

I'll post the vendors scans of what has gone when I've calmed down. To be honest I could run a whole thread on the large amount of stuff I've bought online which has disappeared forever.

[leenewham]

I'm with you there. The Royal Mail is not what it was. Second class mail takes about 10 days, first class sometimes longer. Overseas mail is even worse and i've had some stuff go missing.

[tulse hill terry]

Too furious to concentrate on anything else . . . . . .



Used in Patrick Beaver's book.



Excel Series.



The North Tower, Crystal Palace. Judges Postcard.



Crystal Palace and Grounds from the air.



Crystal Palace 1919



The Rapids [North Tower Gardens] Russell & Sons ca 1900 - 1911



Interior Crystal Palace before the fire of 1936. Judges Postcard



Crystal Palace



View from the Royal Box. Festival of Empire 1911



Crystal Palace - seen from a Handley Page aeroplane.



6799 - 25 Festival of empire, Crystal Palace, 1911. Canadian Parliament House. Rotary Photo. Co.



6799 - 2 Festival of empire, Crystal Palace, 1911. Birds-eye View, South aspect. Rotary.



The Mourners by John Graham Lough.



Dinosaurs



Tudor village. Festival of Empire 1911



Festival of Empire 1911

[bigbadwolf]

Sorry about your loss, Terry. Especially considering the rarity of the images, not to mention your own personal attachment.

I've always struggled to comprehend the complacent attitude the Royal Mail takes on what is blatant theft. I don't care if the items weren't removed from your property, because the fact remains that you paid for the items, and the scum that was responsible for delivering what you own has willfully denied you the possession of said items.

That said, I honestly hope that you can find some consolation from the fact that the images you've lost can still be viewed online.

[tulse hill terry]

Thanks bigbadwolf, but the only reason I purchase this material is to re scan them in better quality.

As I say, if I hadn't bought them they probably wouldn't now have been discarded.

Chris Doran managed to get this one from the same vendor.



One of the volunteers that dressed up for the historical "Pageant Of London." Part of the Festival of Empire held at Crystal Palace in 1911. I can't read what his character is called "E. J. Green Esq. as Gurth. King . . . . ? "

Fancy posting it to the forum Chris?

[leenewham]

These are amazing images Terry. I went to Barcelona a few years ago and near the olympics village their world show was still on display with a mock village, the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe pavilion from 1929, the fountains that are lit at night and draw huge crowds.

Such a shame that here we just knock it down or ignore what was there before.

[MartinH]

Terry, I have a small collection of postcards, all original, of the Palace which I have collected over the last forty years which I would like you to see. If there are any, which you have not got in your collection, I will gladly let you have them. Your contribution to this website has been immense and I would like you to have them as a small token of appreciation. As I said previously you may already have copies but there might be one or two that you might find of interest. Please PM me to arrange a meeting.

[tulse hill terry]

Dear Martin,

I don't see why you should have to part with any of them, having had them for so long, unless you really want to. Though I really appreciate the generosity of your offer. I can advise you or help you with scanning them if you would like to post them on this forum and/or else where.

STILL no news from the vendor . . . . .

[Chris Doran]

Sympathies from me too. My cards came form te same seller in a new jiffy bag sealed with its own seal plus a piece of wide tape, and would not have fallen open, though I've had things before that clearly got jammed in a machine. If it was an accident, look out for reports in the press of "Royal Mail delivers postcard 100 years late."

That was some sale! I found it in the wee small hours and didn't get to bed until 8am, having spent all night checking and rechecking my collection -- and I still managed to buy two of something! Your lost cards were ones I already had and are not particularly scarce. The "rarities" I beat you to (fortunately it seems) were Gurth (King Harold's brother it says), a model of a Chinese Junk, rowers on the boating lake, an early version and/or location of Maxim's flying machine, the stone bridge over the lake, and CP Parade unusual mainly for being printed for some reason in red and black (but postmarked well before 1936). I'd probably have been outbid on all of them if it hadn't been a Buy-it-Now sale.