stanley64
Member 
Posts: 1,986
What I collect: Canada, USA, Netherlands, Portugal & Colonies, Antarctic Territories and anything that catches my eye...
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Post by stanley64 on Nov 23, 2024 19:36:25 GMT
The message is written in code ... one that I have not been able to break (at least not yet). I assume, since it was addressed to a Miss Shirley at 66 King William St., it is either a bit of fun between two young friends or perhaps a romantic message not to be read by others. 
Always up for a puzzle Hugh and this one has certainly caught my attention :-) If I am not mistaken the addressee's name, 'Shirley' is in the first line,
If it is a simple substitution or transposition cipher, it may be easy enough to crack with this little information...
Have fun and happy deciphering!
Indeed Hugh , your inclination that it may have been a romantic message not to be read by others was probably not too far off the mark :-) Over a cup of coffee, I think I broke the substitution cipher and the message reads: MY DEAR MISS SHIRLEY UNTIL I FIRST SAW YOU I HAD NO INTEREST IN ANYTHING BUT NOW THINGS ARE DIFFERENT THANKS TO YOU YOURS VERY SINCERELY HAROLD S__L_ING Thanks for the diversion and for now, we can only fancy what might have happened to Harold & Shirley ... Have fun and happy collecting! |
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Hugh
Member
Posts: 751
What I collect: Worldwide Occupation Stamps and Postal History; and, anything that looks interesting.
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Post by Hugh on Nov 23, 2024 19:49:27 GMT
Always up for a puzzle Hugh and this one has certainly caught my attention :-) If I am not mistaken the addressee's name, 'Shirley' is in the first line, Indeed Hugh , your inclination that it may have been a romantic message not to be read by others was probably not too far off the mark :-) Over a cup of coffee, I think I broke the substitution cipher and the message reads: MY DEAR MISS SHIRLEY UNTIL I FIRST SAW YOU I HAD NO INTEREST IN ANYTHING BUT NOW THINGS ARE DIFFERENT THANKS TO YOU YOURS VERY SINCERELY HAROLD S__L_ING Thanks for the diversion and for now, we can only fancy what might have happened to Harold & Shirley ... Have fun and happy collecting! Thanks … that’s wonderful! Obviously, it was a great blend of coffee (smile) … let’s hope it all worked out for them. They obviously had a few things in common. An interest in secret writing for one. Much appreciated. I can update my notes on this one. Cheers, |
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rod222
Member
Posts: 11,052 
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps, Ephemera and Catalogues
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Post by rod222 on Nov 24, 2024 0:53:11 GMT
Wow ! Great detective work in the deciphering, absolutely fascinating.
(PS on reading "Miss Shirley" my mind automatically pops to "Anne of Green Gables")
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gbcc
Member
Posts: 1,070
What I collect: GB First day covers, event covers and postmarks, GB Slogans
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Post by gbcc on Nov 24, 2024 7:27:34 GMT
Postmark/Cover of the day 24 November 1981 MSC Training Services Royal Opening Slough Skill Centre Berks Geoff (GBCC) www.gbcovercollector.co.uk  |
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Post by franoise on Nov 24, 2024 12:24:35 GMT
France,24 November 1955
Cover mailed from Hyères ("Hyères and its Golden Islands,under an oriental sky") to Paris Stamp : "Marianne de Muller" definitive (Michel # 1036)
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Hugh
Member
Posts: 751
What I collect: Worldwide Occupation Stamps and Postal History; and, anything that looks interesting.
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Post by Hugh on Nov 24, 2024 14:03:21 GMT
November 24, 1916 ... and a double ring CDS was applied in [GO]DALMING, Surrey to a patriotic postcard sent by 'Billy' with love to Miss Pearl Overholt in St. Catherines, Ontario in Canada. Gadalming is a market town about 50KM southwest of central London. During WW1 soldiers were billeted at nearby Witley Military Camp -- one of three camps used by the Canadian Army. It seems reasonable to conclude that Billy was one of the soldiers in the camp. According to Ancestery.com there was a Pearl Overholt, who was 22 at the time this card was sent, living in that part of Canada. Note: A useful resource if you can't make out all the letters in a UK cancel is the Gazetteer of British Place Names. It will search on a partial text string. gazetteer.org.uk/searchStamp:UK Definitive George V Issued in January 1913 1/2d, Green SG 351 PostcardPatriotic: German View of Treaties "A Scrap of Paper" British Manufacture B.B., London, UK Series No. R. Published by Birn Brothers, 67-70 Bunhill Row, London, England. Before the war many of their cards were printed in Germany. The brothers started producing postcards in 1903. They formed a limited company in 1915 and after the war concentrated on book production.   A photo of Wiley Camp in the University of Victoria Library. Victoria, BC, Canada (public domain)  |
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doug534
Member
A new enthusiast leaning to pre-1957 Aden, New Zealand, Switzerland, great designers & engravers
Posts: 169
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Post by doug534 on Nov 24, 2024 16:08:43 GMT
24 November 1947. The stamps on this First Day Cover were issued to honor the Conference of the United Nation's Economic Commission in Asia and the Far East, which was held in Baguio. According to Wikipedia, the city is know as the "City of Pines" because of its relatively cool climate. The stamps are Scott Philippines #516-518. The Scott digital worldwide catalogue states all three stamps are Perf. 12 1/2; there is no listing for these imperforate varieties. On this date, the Republic of the Philippines was a bit over a year old, having gained its full independence from the United States on 4 July 1946.  |
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REL1948
Member
Posts: 799
What I collect: 1840-Pre-Decimal, GB and Colonies, 1840 1 penny reds, British Empire Postal History, Switzerland Postal History
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Post by REL1948 on Nov 24, 2024 17:13:43 GMT
Switzerland, Numeral series, 1882 - 1889 (granite paper) Scott Number 73, cancelled on November 24th 1882 in Neuchâtel, a town, a municipality, and the capital of the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel. The city is sometimes referred to historically by the German name Neuenburg; both the French and German names mean "New Castle".
Edited from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rob
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REL1948
Member
Posts: 799
What I collect: 1840-Pre-Decimal, GB and Colonies, 1840 1 penny reds, British Empire Postal History, Switzerland Postal History
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Post by REL1948 on Nov 24, 2024 17:18:29 GMT
Switzerland, Scott number 158 (granite paper) from the 1911 - 1930 series. Cancelled November 24th, 1923 in Ebnet, a place in the region of Saint Gallen in Switzerland found midway between Wald and Eschenbach.
Edited from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rob
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gbcc
Member
Posts: 1,070
What I collect: GB First day covers, event covers and postmarks, GB Slogans
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Post by gbcc on Nov 25, 2024 5:30:03 GMT
Postmark/Cover of the day 25 November 1982 Official-Naming-Enwi-Swyddogol-RNLB-Princess-of-Wales-Barmouth-Gwynedd Geoff (GBCC) www.gbcovercollector.co.uk  |
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REL1948
Member
Posts: 799
What I collect: 1840-Pre-Decimal, GB and Colonies, 1840 1 penny reds, British Empire Postal History, Switzerland Postal History
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Post by REL1948 on Nov 25, 2024 5:52:14 GMT
Switzerland 1941 Scott number 271 'William Tell'. cancelled on November 25th 1943 in Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich.
Edited from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rob
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REL1948
Member
Posts: 799
What I collect: 1840-Pre-Decimal, GB and Colonies, 1840 1 penny reds, British Empire Postal History, Switzerland Postal History
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Post by REL1948 on Nov 25, 2024 5:59:20 GMT
Switzerland, Scott number 245 (granite paper) from the 1938 series, cancelled November 25th 1946 in Geneva, the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous of the French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it's the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva.
Edited from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rob
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REL1948
Member
Posts: 799
What I collect: 1840-Pre-Decimal, GB and Colonies, 1840 1 penny reds, British Empire Postal History, Switzerland Postal History
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Post by REL1948 on Nov 25, 2024 6:09:50 GMT
Switzerland 1936, Scott number 236 (ordinary paper) from the 1936 -1942 series. Cancelled on November 25th 1947 in Aarau, a town, a municipality, and the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The town is also the capital of the district of Aarau.
Edited from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rob
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Post by franoise on Nov 25, 2024 12:52:43 GMT
France,25 November 1953
Stationery postcard ("Marianne de Gandon",Michel # P114B) mailed from Nancy to Saint-Etienne
Slogan cancel : "French Army,youthful spirit,modern technology"
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