'Postcards from the Front'

Date(s): 2020

Creator(s): Long, Christopher David

Scope & Content: Copies of used and unused wartime postcards sent by the transcriber's grandfather Willaim Laurence Long to his fiancee Edith Annie Shimmin at the Oban Hotel, Douglas, Isle of Man between 1915 and 1916. With accompanying transcriptions and introductory and supplementary text. This text includes transcribed articles written by Long in the April 1915 edition of the Cushag magazine, 'A Recruit's Life in Kitchener's Army' and April 1916, 'French as she is spoke' and updates on his progress as appeared in Cushag; also reflections by Long on the content of his grandfather's postcards, his entry in the Archibald Knox Book of Remembrance for Douglas High School tutors and pupils and his war medals.

Administration / Biographical History: William Laurence Long was born at New Road Side in Rawdon, near Leeds in Yorkshire on 26 September 1888. He was the eldest of the three children of John William Laurence and Bessie Long. By the time of the 1891 census the family had moved from Yorkshire and was living in Swaine Street, Nelson. After general schooling in Nelson, William Laurence entered Manchester University as a Lancashire County Scholar in 1907. He studied physics under Lord Rutherford from 1910, graduated with a second class BSc honours degree. It is not known how it came about but, in a change of direction following graduation, the story moves to Douglas on the Isle of Man. By the time of the 1911 census, William Laurence is recorded as being: single, aged 22 years, an assistant teacher at the secondary school, living as a boarder at 24 Woodside Square in Douglas, Isle of Man. During this period William Laurence met Edith Annie Shimmin, a red-headed vivacious teacher, presumably in Douglas. The years teaching at Douglas High School came to an abrupt end with the start of the First World War.

Long enlisted in the Kings Liverpool Regiment Army Reserve and was posted to the 4th Battalion on 13 November 1914. He transferred to the Royal Engineers in July 1915, was promoted to Corporal in September of that year, transferred to the Reserve on 8 March 1917 and discharged in December 1918.

He started sending postcards from the front to his fiancé, Edith Annie Shimmin. In 1917 Long returned to the Island to marry Edith.

The Liverpool Pals regiment was started by Lord Derby at the beginning of the First World War and attracted volunteers from Liverpool and surrounding areas, including the Isle of Man.

Language: English

Extent: 1 folder

Collection: Manuscript Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: MS 14918

Record class: Private

Access conditions: No regulations or restrictions are implemented on this material. Viewable by request during library opening hours at the Manx National Heritage Library and Archives, Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man. Advance notification of a research visit is advisable by emailing library@mnh.im

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