This series of patriotic postcards shown below is from British publisher E Wrench. Evelyn Wrench set up his business in late 1900 and received his first cards (printed by Stengel of Dresden) on 29 November. He set up a partnership, E Wrench, in February 1901. This ran until September 1902 when the business was transformed into a limited company, Wrench Limited, which went into liquidation in July 1904.
In 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (the future King George V and Queen Mary) boarded RMS Ophir for their tour of the British Empire. The visit included Gibraltar, Malta, Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and Colony of Newfoundland. The primary goal of the tour was to reward the dominions for their participation in the South African War of 1899–1902.
In 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (the future King George V and Queen Mary) boarded RMS Ophir for their tour of the British Empire. The visit included Gibraltar, Malta, Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and Colony of Newfoundland. The primary goal of the tour was to reward the dominions for their participation in the South African War of 1899–1902.
The “Links of Empire” series feature the cities & scenes on the tour, and is comprised of two sets of ten and a further set of just four (according to Anthony Byatt in his book “Picture Postcards and Their Publisher”).
The first set of ten was produced to record the cruise of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York to Australia on the 'Ophir’, and bears Wrench’s logo. The cards also bear text on the reverse, covered over by a pasted on blank piece of paper in Australia.
A second set of ten was produced to record the homeward journey via Canada, and lacks the logo, as well as the text on the reverse. These 2 sets are numbered consecutively from 1 to 20.
The final four cards were produced to record Scott's first Antarctic Expedition, and labelled as Series 3, and are numbered from 1 to 4.
The first set of ten was produced to record the cruise of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York to Australia on the 'Ophir’, and bears Wrench’s logo. The cards also bear text on the reverse, covered over by a pasted on blank piece of paper in Australia.
A second set of ten was produced to record the homeward journey via Canada, and lacks the logo, as well as the text on the reverse. These 2 sets are numbered consecutively from 1 to 20.
The final four cards were produced to record Scott's first Antarctic Expedition, and labelled as Series 3, and are numbered from 1 to 4.
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York
“Posted at Portsmouth on the day the Duke and Duchess left for Australia”, although, in this case, postally unused.
The Entrance to the Suez Canal
“Posted at Port Said during the visit of the Duke and Duchess en route to Australia”, although, in this case, posted in London, April 6, 1901. I’ve read that many of the cards were returned to London before being put into the mail.
The Ophir arrived at Port Said at 3 o'clock March 30, 1901, and the Royal couple landed. The Duke exchanged visits with Prince Mohammed Ali, the Khediva's brother, and afterwards visited Lady Strangford's hospital. The Ophir started on her journey through the Suez Canal the next morning.
Map Showing Route Pursued by the Royal Party from England to Australia
“Posted at Colombo during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall en route to Australia”, although, in this case, posted in London, May 7, 1901. I’ve read that many of the cards were returned to London before being put into the mail.
Sydney Harbour
Card no. 8, posted at Sidney (sic) during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York.
Below, cancelled in Sydney, June 1, 1901, mailed to Belgium.
Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne
Card no. 10, posted at Melbourne, Australia during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York.
Below, cancelled in 1901, mailed to Belgium to the same recipient as card 8, and received June 16, 1901.
Ascension, A view from the interior
Card is number 13 in the series, postally used 7 years after the tour. The card has been printed with “Post Card” and “The Address Only to be Written on This Side”. Some other cards in the first series also bears a similar printing on the card, but on some cards, like nos. 8 and 10, this printing has been covered over by a pasted-on blank piece of paper, presumably to abide by local postal regulations in Australia. By the next series, this printing was not added to avoid the need for the pasted-on follow-up.
Halifax, From the Citadel
While this card is number 14 in the series, after the cards were printed, the Royal Tour added South Africa to the stops, resulting in a change of itinerary, with Halifax becoming the port of departure from rather than arrival in Canada. The Royal Tour rejoined the HMS Ophir in Halifax on October 19, 1901, the day this card was postmarked.
Quebec from Levis
This card is postmarked Quebec, September 16, but the indicia for the year appear reversed, and should read 1901, the day that the Royal Visit arrived in Canada at Quebec City. Mailed to H.C. Price Esq, Pay Office, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand W.C., England
Montreal from Mount Royal
Postally used in Montreal on Sept 18, 1901 on the occasion of the Royal visit, mailed to London, England.
Ottawa from Riddeau Falls
Postally used in Ottawa on Sept 20, 1901 on the occasion of the Royal visit.
Toronto From Parliament Buildings
“Posted at Toronto during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York.”
The Harbour of St. John’s, Newfoundland
“Posted at St. John’s the day the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York left Canada for Home.”
Home Again!
This card is postmarked in Portsmouth, Nov 1, 1901, the day the HMS Ophir returned to Portsmouth, and was mailed to Calais, France.
Wrench had a very large number of postcards to the company’s credit before the enterprise failed, with numbered cards extending into the 10’s of thousands.
The card image to the right is card no. 30 in The Wrench Series, with the notation, Printed in Saxony.
The card image to the right is card no. 30 in The Wrench Series, with the notation, Printed in Saxony.
