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I received an unexpected but very welcome gift today from a friend which I grasped with eager hands. Maureen is a flea market/boot sale/art in the park fanatic who knows of my fixation regarding things long past.

It was a copy of the London Times dated 29 November 1919 ... like nearly 99 years old!

So awesome ... and I have been paging thru all twenty six pages of it ... Price 4d!

Unlike today's tabloids/newspapers which feature the latest bad news on the front page, The Times of this era has the classifieds on the outside! Wow... far out!

Decided to take a look at the "Personal" column first and found these.

"Percy - Are the vases suitable?" - Emily.

"Gerald - Write to me; regret that your're unhappy and homeless." - F

Canadian gentleman is desirous of joining a Jolly House Party, temperate, in country for Christian holidays; paying guest of private family preferred; has large motor-car to contribute to enjoyment; references exchanged. (Hmmmmm!)

"Fleetwood what you require may be found in 1879-4th-11th-D" (Maybe Stevie Nicks Granny?)

"Elaine-in thunder, lightning or in rain" Arthur.

Batchelor 38 retired. Regular officer wishes to "UNCLE" jolly (gentlemans) children; girls, 6-13. Christmas holidays onwards. London district- pantomimes, shops etc -Confidential. (Yeah right you ****ing perve!)

Post more later.

A few years ago I sent my dad an old Chicago newspaper I found on E-bay dated around the time of his birth in Chicago. (1927)

jones jones;1374427 wrote: It was a copy of the London Times dated 29 November 1919 ... like nearly 99 years old!I'm rather startled. Out of interest, does the paper have a number on the top left of Page 1?

I can't wait to see it and read it!

Thank goodness Maureen held onto it for You!

Great find Baby!

Lady J

spot;1374483 wrote: I'm rather startled. Out of interest, does the paper have a number on the top left of Page 1?


Dear John Spotty;

I was so startled by your startling admission that you were "rather startled" that I forgot to reply to your question. Do forgive this lapse on my part as I do not wish to give the impression that I am ignoring you.

Anyway, as a result of your startling admission that you were startled, my early warning system set off so many alarms, I was at first too startled to react. The reasons for the sirens/alarms is that when you are startled, I too immediately become startled due to the fact that you are very seldom startled. When this happens I fear the worst and begin wondering what you have in store for me.

So in order to set my mind at rest, would you kindly complete the following short questionaire so I can provide you with the information you requested.

I was startled because:

a) I have the only surviving copy of The Times newspaper of this date.

b) The Times was not published on this particular date.

c) The Times did not have a Personal Column on this date.

d) Percy and Gerald are my twin brothers.

e) Your copy of The Times is a fake/replica.

d) None of the above.

If (d) is chosen then kindly state the reason why you were startled.

Thank you for your co-operation.

You're really odd sometimes.

I looked on The Times Digital Archive, it only being a couple of clicks away, in order to add interesting comment to the thread and couldn't find those personals on that date. I'm not doubting you have a copy of the London Times dated Saturday 29 November 1919 but its content differs from that in the archive. I pulled pages 1 2 and 3 onto my hard drive as PDF files just to check it wasn't a transcribing error. The archive copy is issue number 42,270. I thought perhaps if you had a foreign copy then the dating and numbering might indicate it but I'm clutching at straws, I'm sure the whole world production in 1919 ran off the same presses in Fleet Street.

The personals were still on the front page of The Times when I started taking the paper, they switched some time after. I recall being annoyed when they did it.

spot;1374632 wrote: You're really odd sometimes.

I looked on The Times Digital Archive, it only being a couple of clicks away, in order to add interesting comment to the thread and couldn't find those personals on that date. I'm not doubting you have a copy of the London Times dated Saturday 29 November 1919 but its content differs from that in the archive. I pulled pages 1 2 and 3 onto my hard drive as PDF files just to check it wasn't a transcribing error. The archive copy is issue number 42,270. I thought perhaps if you had a foreign copy then the dating and numbering might indicate it but I'm clutching at straws, I'm sure the whole world production in 1919 ran off the same presses in Fleet Street.

The personals were still on the front page of The Times when I started taking the paper, they switched some time after. I recall being annoyed when they did it.




That I am ... however I much prefer to be called eccentric.

I have only now at this precise moment found the reason why I startled you and I must apologise. My copy is actually dated 25 November 1919 and not as I originally said 29 November 1919 My error entirely.

It is numbered 42,266 which would be quite correct as your digital copy of 29 November is No 42,270.

So please do read thru it and comment as I have not progressed past page 1 of 26 as

I am really engrossed in a book I am reading at this time called ...

Apartheid's Friends.

The Rise And Fall Of South Africa's Secret Service.

By James Sanders.

The book is one I'll look out for, it sounds informative.

The personal which stands out, as far as obscurity goes, has to be "RAY. - Y.M.C.A. - Beam." There are so many possible uses for that last word...

I'm equally impressed by the entry beginning LOST, BLACK FRENCH POODLE, unclipped. Answers to "Foche." - Lady Colquhoun's domestic staff wandering the streets shouting "Foche!" at random intervals must have raised eyebrows.

Yeah I read the one about the poodle named Foche ... Must have gone done a treat a mere year after the end of the war!

The English Upper Classes knew a good insult when they saw one.

Yeah, especially where the French were concerned!