Mystery photo

Kate Gibson sent me this photo:

Could it John? It looks a bit like John to me. It doesn't look like Alberta to me though. From the fashion, I guess the photo was taken in the 1920's when John was around 70 years old. What do you think?

Atmospheric Aluminium Sign

John Alcock wrote many patents. Here's a letter about an Atmospheric Aluminium Sign sent to me by Kate Gibson. That sounds like an intriguing invention but I can't find any more about it. 

John's great granddaughter Pam said that he also invented wire cutters to be attached to bayonets, which were used in WW1 to save the lives of soldiers who would cut through barbed wire and escape. This invention was probably inspired by his sons who were fighting in World War One. His twin sons Harold and Edwin were both injured during the war but luckily survived and lived to have children and grandchildren of their own, including me!

Business Cards

 

Thanks to Kate Gibson for sending me these business cards of John and Alberta Alcock. I never realised that Alberta was a certified midwife. 

It says that John had over 30 years experience and they moved to Woodhouse Street between 1901 and 1911 so the card is probably early 20th Century.

A New Year's Wish for 1905

 

Quick roll away the circling years

Bringing new hopes and calming fears

May the glad year which now does live

Bring thee all pleasures life can give

Health, strength, and joy place on your way

Happiness spread from day to day

Yet even to thy God give praise

For all the blessings of thy days

Thanks to Kate Gibson for this

From Wikipedia about 1905: "As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia (Shostakovich's 11th Symphony is subtitled The Year 1905 to commemorate this) and the start of Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland. Canada and the U.S. expand west, with the Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces and the founding of Las Vegas. 1905 is also the year in which Albert Einstein, at this time resident in Bern, publishes his four Annus Mirabilis papers in Annalen der Physik (Leipzig) (March 18, May 11, June 30 and September 27), laying the foundations for more than a century's study of theoretical physics."

Fidelity

FIDELITY

As clings the fog to the tree

So cleave I my love to thee

As clings the fog to the wall

I cleave thee my love through all

And storms may come, and storms may go

And winter's frost, and ice, and snow

Yet to thee I still fondly cling

And o'er thee throw a shelt'ring wing

HORTON YARDLEY

Thanks to Kate Gibson again for this one

 

April Fool's Day

APRIL FOOL'S DAY

The one who picketh up this card

May think the case extremely hard

But this card makes an April fool

So please accept the ancient rule

Horton Yardley

Thanks again to Kate Gibson for this

 

Table Manners

TABLE MANNERS

In silence I must take my seat

And give God thanks before I eat

And for my food in patience wait

Till I am asked to hand my plate

I must not frown and must not pout

Nor move my chair "or plate" about

I must not shout nor must I talk

Or play about with knife and fork

I must not folk about my food

Nor fret if I don't think it good

The tablecloth I must not spoil

Nor with my food my fingers soil

I must not play nor must I sing

Nor must I move my napkin ring

And when I'm done give to God praise

For all the blessings of my days

HORTON YARDLEY

This was written by John Alcock for his 9 children around 1880. His daughter Ursula passed her copy to her son John Rigby who wrote this copy out in 1983. John's granddaughter Kate Gibson passed it on to me. Thanks!

I must say that mealtimes didn't seem like much fun in those days but I suppose with so many children it would have been chaos if they were all doing what they liked.

 

MY WISH - poem

 MY WISH

A simple card my love is this
That bears to thee my loving wish
That God may guide thy path thro' life
And shield thee from all earthly strife
Prosper thy course that all may run
As smooth and brightly as the sun
Shed o'er thy ways a perfume sweet
And guide to Him at last thy feet

HORTON YARDLEY

Thanks to Kate Gibson for this

To My Sweetheart (poem)

 

TO MY SWEETHEART

I am thine and thou are mine

Thus our hearts together twine

In sweet loves mysterious Knot

True as the bright "Forget-me-not"

Horton Yardley

Sent in by Kate Gibson - thanks for that

Friendship and a Birthday Greeting

 Here are a couple of poems sent to me by Kate Gibson - thanks for those.

The first about Friendship is marked with John Alcock's pseudonym Horton Yardely. The second is a birthday greeting but has no name on it.

FRIENDSHIP

If all my friends stuck fast to me,

As fast as I do stick to thee,

No other wealth would I aspire,

For I should have all I desire,

So here's my hand and here's my heart,

God grant that we may never part.

A BIRTHDAY GREETING

Now once again upon the earth,

Dawns unto thee thy day of birth,

Fast as the circling years roll round.

God has thee with another crown'd,

Thy children mingle in thy praise,

And unto thee thy voices raise,

Congratulate thee on this day,

"God give thee blessing" that we pray,

And when the fleeting years have cast,

Thy days unto those that are past,

And unto thee earth shall not dawn,

_ thou awake in heavenly morn.