If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 364

It has been difficult to choose which one of the several postcards sent by son and his wife from their trip to Portugal and Spain earlier this summer. About a month ago I shared another of these art posters that had been made into a postcard.  That one was advertising Holy Week and a Spring festival in Seville, Spain.  As mentioned in that post, most of the posters carried religious themes, holidays and festivals, or bullfighting. 

The card above is advertising a bullfight.  Thanks to Google Translate, the text reads something like:  “Monumental bullring, monumental bullfight with 6 beautiful and brave bulls of the cattle ranch of d. Alvaro Deomecq de Jerez de la Frontera, for the famous swords:  J.A. Ruis Espartaco, Enrique Ponce, M. Diaz the cordobes with corresponding gangs.  A brilliant band of music will enlighten the show Sunday, June 9, at 5:30.”   The artist’s name, A. Vestar or A. Lestar, is found on the left side of the card just under the charging bull.  It is a more modern style of artwork but retains the bright colors and romantic feeling of the older posters.

Spanish bullfighting is a fight in which the bull is almost always killed.  Only on rare occasions has a very strong, valiant bull be pardoned by the president and audience to be sent into peaceful retirement.  The fight is highly ritualized and held in the same format each time, the only difference being in the performance of the matadors, the assistants and bulls.  In the bullfights there are three matadors or toreros, each fighting two bulls. 

The bulls must be at least 4 years old and weigh up to 1,300 lbs. or 600 kg., and no less than 1,010 lbs or 460 kg.  Each matador has 6 assistants, 2 mounted on horseback, picadores or lancers; three flagmen, banderilleros; plus a sword servant, mozo de espada.  There is a parade as the participants enter the arena with band music followed by three stages to the fight, each announced by a trumpet.  It is fatal to the bull and dangerous to the matador.  The three famous matadors named on the poster have each suffered serious goring during their careers. 

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_style_bullfighting

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 363

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Washington, ca 1924

Lantern Press of Seattle, Washington published this unused postcard featuring a picture of the lighthouse at Cape Disappointment.  The card estimated the date at 1924 and it is identified by image #2181.  It might have originally been a black & white photograph that has been color tinted.  The card itself looks to be a re-issue of an older postcard.  

Looking south toward the lighthouse from the visitor center

This was the first lighthouse in Washington State.  Funding was approved in 1852 but the lamp was not lit until 1856.  Besides the light it had a bell powered by a striking mechanism.  As mentioned in a previous post the bell was sometimes muffled by the roar of the sea and therefore ineffectual.  In 1881 the bell was moved to West Point Light in Seattle and still later to Warrior Rock Light near Portland, Oregon.  The keeper lived about ¼ mile from the lighthouse.  The lighthouse was electrified in 1937 and automated in 1973.  The visitor center and lighthouse are open to the public as part of Cape Disappointment State Park.

The exterior of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Fresnel lens

Early life-saving boat used by the Coast Guard

This is one of the lighthouses that we visited on the trip to the Redwood National and State Parks.  The card was purchased at the gift shop in the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment.  The visitor center had one level devoted to Lewis & Clark and another level with displays, photographs, and exhibits relating to the lighthouse and the Coast Guard.  The upper level and gift shop were free but the lower level containing the Lewis & Clark material had an entry fee. 



For more information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Disappointment_Light

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 362

Hot air balloons over the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, England

The world famous bridge seen on this postcard is the Clifton Suspension Bridge.  It spans the Avon Gorge and the River Avon linking Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset, England.  The bridge opened in 1864 and has been a toll bridge since that time.  The income from the tolls helps to maintain the bridge so (to make a pun) it is self-supporting.  The photograph on the card produced by Provincial Pictures, PP47, is credited to Philip Pierce.  There is a smudge on the card to the left of the center where it went through the cancelling machine and also at the lower right in the margin.

As early as 1753 there was a desire and idea to build a bridge across the Avon Gorge.  The original plans had the bridge constructed of stone, another version was made of wrought iron.  In 1831 an attempt to build the bridge was halted by the Bristol Riots and a later attempt in 1836 failed due to financial difficulties.  Even though the contractors went bankrupt the two towers of unfinished stones were built in 1837.  A design by the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), was the basis for the final design revisions by William Henry Barlow and John Hawkshaw.  The bridge was finally completed in 1864, five years after Brunel passed away.

The towers are about the same height but the designs are slightly different.  The postcard picture shows the Leigh side’s more pointed arches while the Clifton tower side cutouts are a little more difficult to see.  Wrought iron chains pass over roller-mounted saddles at the top of each tower that allows movement when loads pass over the bridge.  There are 81 matching vertical pairs of wrought-iron rods suspending the bridge deck from the big arc of six suspension chains.  The original bridge deck was wooden planking that was later covered with asphalt. 

Trivia:  The total length of the bridge is 1,352 feet or 412 meters and it is 331 feet or 101 meters above the high water level.  The toll is £1.00, approximately 8,000 vehicles pass over the bridge each day.  There has been a tradition of lighting the bridge for events. Today the lighting is by LEDs but in 1864 for the ceremonial opening parade magnesium flares were used that were extinguished by the wind.  Later thousands of electric light bulbs were used.  Due to weight overloading concerns the bridge now closes for major events such as the annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta and the Ashton Court Festival.  The University of Oxford Dangerous Sports Club began bungee jumping from the bridge in 1979.

The Queen Elizabeth II profile stamp design has been used with variations since she became queen in 1952.  While not a complete set these were interesting because they are each a different value and a different color.  


As always my thanks to a friend who sends wonderful postcards from travels.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Suspension_Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel

Hans Christian Schrøder, part 2, his second family

Photograph of Hans Christian Schrøder taken by G. Stockel studio, Rønne, Bornholm, ca 1876



Here is a brief chronological recap of Hans Christian Schrøder’s two marriages and children as we can piece them together so far. 

The first family:

1.    Hans Christian Schrøder, born 1852 in Odense, Denmark, was married first to Hansine Margrethe Kjøller, born 1853 in Vestermarie, Bornholm, Denmark, on 30 June 1876 in Nexø, Borholm, Denmark. 
2.    They were still living in Nexø when their first child, Axel Villiam (William) was born 20 January 1877. 
3.    A few months following Axel’s birth the family moved to Vestermarie, Bornholm, where Hansine’s family lived. 
4.    When Axel was about 2 or 3 years old Hans and Hansine left him in the care of his grandparents, Jens Peter Kjøller and Ane Magdalene “Malene,” aunts, Ane Katrine* and Jane Caroline who was married to Hans Christian Skov and uncle, Hans Georg Kjøller, and moved to Helsingør north of København in the county of Frederiksborg. 
5.    Their second child, an unnamed girl, was born prematurely and died the same day 22 August 1880 while the couple was living in Helsingør. 
6.    During 1880 the census shows Hans and Hansine separated and living at different addresses but still married. 
7.    By 1885 Hansine had moved back to Bornholm and settled in the city of Rønne where her parents and brother had moved. Hansine’s two sisters and her brother-in-law remained at the farm estate in Vestermarie and Axel was living with them at that time.
8.   Hansine’s third child, a boy named Camillo Kjøller Schrøder, was born 13 June 1885 in Rønne, Bornholm, lived for one month and died 11 July 1885.  At the time that Camillo was christened in the church Hansine is listed as divorced.  Camillo’s father is not named in the church record so it is not known if he was the son of Hans Christian but is presumed to be so.
9.  Axel later moved to Rønne where his mother, his uncle Hans Georg, and his grandparents were living.  He was confirmed there in 1891.
10.    Hansine never remarried.  
11.  Axel joined the Danish navy at age 18 or 19, survived 2 shipwrecks, ended up in Chile, South America and eventually worked his way up the coasts of South and North America to land in Seattle around 1898 or 1899.
12.    Hansine moved to America, in 1903, following the deaths of her parents, and lived with her son, Axel and daughter-in-law, Anna.
13.    She died in Seattle, Washington on 9 May 1920.

The second family:

1.    During the separation or about the time of the divorce, Hans established a relationship with Ane Jensine Jensen who was born 1862 in Farum, Frederiksborg, not far from where Hans was living and working. 
2.    They had a daughter, Julie Katinka, 20 January 1882 and later that year move to København where Julie Katinka is christened at Skt. Stefan’s (Saint Stephen’s) church 10 September 1882.  That christening is also recorded in the Farum parish register with notations of the mother’s name, no father, but the child is given the surname of Schrøder, an illegitimate birth, and she was later christened in København in 1883.  The unmarried mother, Ane Jensine Jensen, was from or living in København in 1887. 
3.    On 2 January 1887 Hans and Ane Jensine, the daughter of Jens Rasumussen and Kirsten Jensdatter of Farum, are married in Skt. Johannes church, København.  At the time of their marriage Hans is listed as divorced (fraskilt) and Ane Jensine does not have a designation such as pige (maiden) or jomfrue (young woman) probably because they had had a what would be considered a common-law marriage before the event held in the church.

The children of Hans Christian Schrøder and his second wife, Ane Jensine Jensen:

1.    Julie Katinka*, sometimes uses the name Cathe, born 20 January 1882, Farum, Frederiksborg, Denmark.  Her first name is a female version of her grandfather’s, Julius Schrøder.  She was christened at Saint Stefan’s, København.
2.    Octavia (sometimes written as Oktavia or Oklavia) Eleanora Christine Marie, born 12 August 1883.  She is also listed as illegitimate but the father’s name is provided as …F (divorced) journeyman baker, Hans Christian Schrøder and a note that Hans and Ane Jensine were married in the same church, Saint Johannes, 1887.
3.    Alexia Elvira Sofie Magdalene, born 17 July 1885, died 25 April 1888, age 2 years and 9 months.  Her birth and christening are recorded at Saint Johannes.
4.    Ellen Maud Louise, born 26 September 1887, died 7 November 1887, age 6 weeks.  Her parents are not named on Skt. Stefan’s death record but the street address is provided and it is the same address as found for the christening of child #5.
5.    Alexia Elvira Sofie Magdaline, born 13 October 1889. This is a different child than #3.  It was not uncommon to give another child of the same sex the same name as a deceased sibling. Birth and Christening recorded at Saint Stefan’s.
6.    Carl Frederik Andreas, born 13 May 1891.  He is named for his uncle Carl Frederik Andreas Schrøder the older brother of Hans Christian.  Birth and Christening recorded at Saint Jakob’s. 
7.    Louise Elna Edith Agnes, born 13 September 1892.  Her name sometimes appears as Edith or Agnes.  Her birth date was taken from the 1901 & 1906 census.
8.    Hans Christian, born 9 July 1895.  His birth date was taken from the 1901 & 1906 census.

Carl Frederik Andreas Schrøder, an older brother of Hans, is listed as a witness or bondsman on the marriage record of Hans and Ane Jensine.  His occupation is given as barber.  He appears several times as a witness for christenings and is often identified as the barber Andreas Schrøder.  A sister, Elise Cathinka Schrøder* sometimes shown as Lise, also appears as a witness to several of the christenings of the children of this second marriage. 


Hans Christian and Ane Jensine together with some of their children appear on census records 1901, 1906, 1911, 1921, and 1925.  Hans Christian and his daughter, Octavia are found on the 1930 census where he is listed as widowed.  That helps date Ane Jensine’s death to between 1925 and 1930 in København, living at Amagertorv. 

The 1933, 1935, and 1940 census records are available through FamilySearch.org and the Danish digital archives but not indexed so it will be necessary to use the 1930 street address on Amagertorv and hope they didn’t move to see if we narrow the time of death for Hans Christian.  

Identified descendants from second family so far:

Julie Katinka Schrøder married Carl Didriksen, born 2 October 1875, on 7 August 1903 in København, Denmark.  They moved to Rønne, Bornholm, Denmark around 1906.  Carl was a telegraph operator in Rønne, Bornholm. 
They had five children:
1.  Ingeborg Didriksen, born 22 June 1901 in København
2.  Poul Erik Thor Didriksen, born 20 November 1904 in København
3.  Thora Esther Didriksen, born 11 June 1908 in Rønne, Bornholm
4.  Aase Wilhelmina Didriksen, born 27 February 1910, Rønne, Bornholm  [twin]
5.  Else Kristine Didriksen, born 27 February 1910, Rønne, Bornholm [twin]

Carl Frederik Andreas Schrøder married Betty Marie Axelsen, born 9 April 1893, from Norway in 1917 in Denmark. 
They had three children: 
1.    Hulda Jensine Schrøder, born 21 October 1918 in Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway
2.    Olga Schrøder, born 30 April 1920, Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway
3.    Carl Bernhardt Schrøder, born 10 October 1922, Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway


*  Axel Schroder corresponded with a Cathe Schrøder who identified herself as aunt to his children, Bill and Betty Schrøder.  Both Axel’s aunt, Ane Katrine Kjøller and his half sister, Julie Katinka sometimes used the name Cathe.  Elise Cathinka Schrøder is a less likely possibility since she tended to use the name Lise not Cathe.

The watercolor painting attributed to Hans Christian Schrøder shows a scene in København that would have been near to where the family lived.

Note:  Please see the original post about Hans Christian Schrøder for additional information.  Updates will be posted when/if new information is uncovered.

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 361

Alcalá Gate, Madrid, Spain

This postcard was one several that my son and his wife sent to me from their recent trip to Portugal and Spain.  The photograph was taken by Miguel Corazón and shows the Alcalá Gate in Madrid.  The card was printed in Spain by Producido por Grupo LK of Madrid. 

Madrid was a walled city and as the city population grew and the city expanded newer walls became necessary.  The walls were not for the defense of the city but more to control trade in and out of the city, to ensure collection of taxes and to monitor who went in and out of the city.  The Walls of Philip IV replaced the Walls of Philip II and surrounded Madrid from 1625 to 1868.  The walls were built of brick, mortar and compacted earth.  Persons exiting the city would have to pass through gates where taxes were paid.  There were five royal gates that would stay open until 10 pm in the winter and 11 pm in the winter.   People entering or leaving the city after hours through a royal  gate would have to be admitted through a checkpoint.  The fourteen smaller gates or portillos opened at dawn, closed at sunset and remained closed overnight. 

Charles III commissioned the gate shown on the card in 1774 and Francesco Sabatini the Italian (1721-1797) architect was selected to design it.  Older than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin the Alcalá Gate is regarded as the first modern post-Roman triumphal arch built in Europe.  The gate was built in 1778.  Before this magnificent arch was built the city is said to have looked like a drab borough surrounded by medieval walls. 

Today remnants of the old walls can be seen in a couple of places, the retaining wall of the Jardine de Las Vistillas and near the fire station of Ronda de Segovia by the Puerta de Toledo roundabout.  Neither is in good condition but there is a commemorative plaque by the Ronda de Segovia. 

In 2001 Madrid was named the World Book Capital.  In honor of the event the monument gardens were added near the gate and night-lights were installed. 


For more information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerta_de_Alcalá
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walls_of_Philip_IV
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Sabatini

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 360

Art Deco style travel poster by Francisco de Paula Hohenleiter de Castro, 1941

Here is another travel poster made into a postcard.  The card shared today is one of several cards in a packet sent to me by my son and his wife who just returned from a trip to Portugal and Spain.  The style is Art Deco a movement that ended with the beginning of World War II making this poster one of the last to be made in that style.  Both Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles were popular in advertising poster art. 

The artist is identified as Franscisco Hohenleiter de Castro.  He was born in Cadiz, Spain in 1889 and died in Seville in 1968.  Several travel posters are attributed to him but this one often appears when searching his name so I think it must be quite well known.  In addition to his travel posters he is also known for more traditional fine art paintings featuring Spanish subjects. 

Spanish poster art was influenced by the travel posters of France, Germany and Italy but uses its own cultural themes and colors.  Many of the vintage travel posters were done in Art Nouveau, Art Deco or late Art Deco style.  As mentioned in previous Thursday postcard posts, Art Nouveau used more rounded shapes, curves and floral designs and patterns.  That movement started around 1880 and ended with World War I.  Art Deco was influenced by cubism and used more straight lines and geometric shapes.  It began following World War I and ended with World War II.  Works done in the late 1930s up to the beginning of the war are sometimes referred to as Late Art Deco. 

Spanish travel posters use bright colors and tend to feature religious holidays, festivals and bullfighting.  This one is advertising a religious holiday and festival held in Seville in April 1941.  This one offers a scenic view of the city of Seville and features two ladies in traditional costumes. 

For additional information, see:

http://www.callihan.com/art/vintage/artists-spain-portugal.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Deco

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 359

Paradise Glacier, Rainier National Park, ca late 1920s

It is hard to imagine that in less than 100 years the Paradise Glacier has retreated from the massive example in the picture to almost all gone today.  The photograph on this vintage postcard dates from the late 1920s or early 1930s and shows 3 people standing on the then immense glacier.  There are no credits to the photographer or the publisher on this card but there is a number at the right of the writing at the lower left.  The number is difficult to read but looks like 255.  The picture below from Wikipedia.org shows approximately the same location as it is today.

Paradise Glacier, ca 2017

[Wikipedia.org]

Located on Mount Rainier’s southeast flank today the glacier covers 0.4 square miles or 1.0 km.  The Muir Snowfield, Anvil Rock and McClure Rock form the boundaries.  A section of the main lobe connected to the larger Cowlitz Glacier and to the south there was a smaller portion near The Cowlitz Rocks and a much smaller glacier called Williwakas Glacier.  The smaller lobe melted between 2004 and 2006.  

The Paradise Glacier had ice caves that Bopa and I hiked up to in the mid 1960s.  First discovered in 1908 the ice caves have disappeared due to glacial recessions. They did not exist in the 1940s and the 1990s and do not exist today.  In 1978 the ice caves at Paradise were the longest mapped system of glacier caves in the world.
 

Yesterday Bob and I hiked to Glacier Basin on the opposite side of the mountain from the Paradise Glacier where there also used to be a large glacier.  The photo shows a similar retreat of snow and ice.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Ice_Caves
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Glacier