Postcards from Aunty Cranky.: U.S.A. - Anchorage, Alaska

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

U.S.A. - Anchorage, Alaska - 2.8.1962

A native and his skinboat (Umiak) in Artic Alaska.

Photo by Helga Bading, Jones Bros., Anchorage.

Anchorage-Westward Hotel, Alaska - 2.8.1962

Dear Pen,

I am most disappointed to learn that I won't be able to ride in one of these Umiak's when I go to Pt. Barrow. The Arctic Sea is too chappy and too full of icebergs!

Love Nan

International Airport - Anchorage Alaska.

Stopping point on the international routes to the Orient and flights over North Pole to Europe.

Colour photo by Mac's Foto Shop.

Anchorage-Westward Hotel, Alaska - 2.8.1962

Dear Tim,

The Pacific Northern plane on the right is the kind we flew in today. Outside the Tourist Bureau here they have a copper nugget which weighs 5,455 lbs and a flag pole which measures 139 ft. Haven't seen anything else much yet but go on a tour around about tomorrow.

Love Nan

Fishing Through the Ice on Kobuk Lake - Kotzebue, Alaska.

Photo cridit to Jonas Bros.

Taxidermist and Furrier - Anchorage.

Anchorage-Westward Hotel, Alaska - 2.8.1962

Dear Mer,

I think I wouldn't go fishing if I had to do it this way! We had a wonderful trip on the Taku River yesterday and you just should have seen how I was dressed! I had a thick cardigan and fur lined parka and a great bulgy life jacket on top. Just too snazzy!

Love Nan

A native Alaskan Darling dressed in fur parka, trimmed with white fox and her best friend a Semoyian Puppy.

Color by Bud D. Nelson, Fairbanks.

Anchorage-Westward Hotel, Alaska - 2.8.1962

Dear Fish (Nick)

I think this pup must have lots of baths to keep him as white and clean looking. There was a black puppy at the place I was staying at yesterday and he would grab hold of my cardigan sleeve and swing on it.

Love Nan

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About these Postcards.

Meredith, Penelope and Timothy.

My Great Aunt Nancy enjoyed travelling the World during the years from 1957 to 1962. Nancy was my Grandmothers younger sister, she was a Nurse before she met John Watson who was a patient of hers, he thought she was a very cranky Nurse so from then on, into their marriage, he and those living at the 'Homestead' called her 'Cranky' so 'Cranky' she remained at 'Wollogorang', the Sheep Station they lived on.

My family called 'Cranky' by her given name of Nancy, Nan for short but I lived at 'Wollogorang' on and off during my late teens even working there for long periods so she became 'Aunty Cranky' to me.

Cranky and John had one daughter, Susan, my first cousin-once-removed who spent some time traveling with Cranky and some time, at what was called back then, 'Finishing' Schools.

I loved my Aunty Cranky very much, I could spend hours and hours just sitting and listening to her long stories of her travels, she also bought me most of my childhood books which along with these postcards introduced me to the Big Wide World which I have now seen much of myself, but never with her style.

These Postcards were sent to me, my brother Timothy, my sister Meredith and when he was born to my youngest brother Nicholas. When Mum and Dad moved to a smaller home, Mum was going to throw these Postcards out but I, being somewhat of a hoarder, couldn't bear to see that happen so I saved them.

My brothers and sisters can follow this Blog and remember along with me those wonderful postcards that arrived at regular intervals from places some of which we had never heard... Wonderful Memories!

There are 320 Postcards on this Blog, many are obviously missing and who knows how many never arrived, what a prolific Postcard sender our Great Aunt was.

Someone in our family decided that they were a Stamp Collector so almost none of the cards still have stamps on them which is a big pity... I wonder where those stamps are now! In some bin I suspect.

BTW Cranky was far from cranky to me, she was loving if a little strict on how I should behave, she had a desire to turn me into a 'Lady'... which she failed at I'm afraid although I remember a few do's and do nots.

Enjoy, along with me, this view of a world in the late 1950's

P.S. 2015.

I put all these postcards into a large folder, then when my sister Meredith lost everything and her home to savage bush fires in Perth I sent her the Postcards to keep.