Home > Local History > Richard L. Frost Postcards
“hope this finds you well” – greetings from Peel CountyPostcards were the Edwardian equivalent of email. Messages were written quickly, and thanks to the efficiency of the postal system, often delivered the same day. People used postcards to announce safe arrivals, passing of exams, family events and just to say hello.
Although the postcard as such was invented in 1869, most were printed by the post office and used for business messages. Around the turn of the 19th century, the post office monopoly was lifted, and printers who were already making high quality lithographed advertisements, began to produce postcards. Immediately people began to send, and collect, postcards. By 1913, over 60 million cards circulated through the Canadian postal system.
As for the images on the cards – most popular were coloured litho views of towns and villages, often sent to family members to show where one was residing. Parks, prominent buildings, tree-lined streets, and pastoral country scenes sold in the thousands. Local photographers also captured the same views, and reproduced their work as black and white photographic postcards. Amateur photographers could purchase a mail order kit enabling them to print their own photos on pre-printed postcards. Novelty cards, with humourous sketches and sentimental designs often embellished with glitter were also popular.
The postcards in this exhibit were collected by Richard L. Frost, former Chief Administrative Officer for the Region of Peel. In 1991 Mr. Frost donated his collection to the Region of Peel Archives.
Please visit www.region.peel.on.ca/heritage for more information on the Archives.
Captions reflect the information on the postcard. The abbreviation c. stands for circa and gives the approximate date of the image.
View the Frost postcard collection
Imaging of the Richard
Postcard Collection by staff and volunteers of the Region
of Peel Archives.
Last updated: 30-Oct-2002