Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Waterloo Region Museum |
Object ID |
2011.083.004.004 |
Object Name |
Postcard |
Title |
Happy Birthday |
Description |
Cream coloured paper postcard with a silk embroidered envelope attached to the centre of the front of the card. The border is embossed with a floral decoration. The envelope is embroidered with flowers and a butterfly with the Union Jack for its' wings. Colours are purple, green, red, blue, and yellow. The saying is embroidered in the lower left corner. Inside the envelope is a small paper card. On the left side of the card is a colour image of a thistle; on the right is "To my dear Wife". Printed on the reverse of the postcard is "H.S. - (Modele depose)". The postcard is addressed to "Tillie Schneider/102 Wilmot St/Kitchener/Ont/Canada" and it is from "L/e G Schneider/751503 A Coy Trans Sec/10 Battalion CRT/REF/France". The message reads "I am OK XXXXXX". There is no postage stamp. |
Date |
1916 |
Date |
1918 |
History |
Embroidered postcards from the First World War were produced from 1914 through 1918, declining substantially in 1919. These cards were hand embroidered on strips of silk mesh, and were mostly produced by French and Belgian women who worked in their homes. They would send the finished strips to factories for cutting and mounting onto the postcards. These postcards were very popular with British and American servicemen on duty in France, and most of the themes for the cards are patriotic with British, French, and American flags and symbols. Most cards do not have postage stamps as they were mailed home at no charge to the sender in military mail pouches. It is estimated that as many as 10 million cards were produced during the wartime period. George Henry Schneider (1896-1979) and Ottilia (Tillie) Schneider (1900-1966) were the youngest children of Anthony Schneider (1856-1937) and Magdalena Haller (1861-?) of Kitchener, ON. George enlisted with the 118th Battalion on March 21, 1916. The postcards sent home to his family indicate that George received several promotions and became a part of the 10th Battalion. He survived the war and returned home to Kitchener, ON. George married Eleanora Fischer (1900-1986) on December 29, 1921. On their marriage certificate, George is listed as a carpenter and Eleanora is listed as a rubber worker. Together they had six children - Barbara, Mary, Rita, David, Elizabeth, and Eileen. Tillie Schneider married Henry John Haus (1900-1974) from Louisville, Kentucky on April 20, 1920. On their marriage certificate Henry is listed as a tire finisher, and presumably worked at Dominion Tire. They lived in Waterloo Township. |
Search Terms |
First World War |
People |
Haus, Ottilia Schneider Schneider, George |