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Travel tales of an empty nester
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Home  >  Blog  >  Christmas Card, 1949: The King’s School, Peterborough

Christmas Card, 1949: The King’s School, Peterborough

Trish Burgess Posted on08/12/201107/04/2016 Lucky Dip 21 Comments
Christmas card from King's School, Peterborough, 1949

In 1949, when my dad was 15, he designed the card above which was selected by his school, The King’s School, Peterborough, for their Christmas card that year.

I remember seeing the card quite often over the years, as it lay amongst old letters and photos at my parents’ house. When Dad died in February and I began to write up his memoirs as a blog, Memoirs of John Michael Grinsell, I hunted it out again. It always fascinated me how intricate a design this was, presumably using scratch art technique to carve the picture into the card, picking up the white background underneath? [although from comments below it would seem it’s more likely a lino cut]

I could spend hours looking at the detail in the card: the curve of the chair, the architectural precision of the school building and the three little children playing in the snow. Hard to believe a young lad, the same age as Rory is now, laboriously etching out the scene.

Mum and I decided we would both like to use the card for our own Christmas card this year so she had them re-printed locally. I now have a large box of them to send out to friends.

I think writing my cards this year is going to be rather special.

Friday, 9 December: I think I have an answer as to how the card was created. My father’s sister, Betty, was speaking to my mum earlier and she remembers Dad working on the card at home: it was a linocut. She remembers him sitting working on the design for many hours to create the detail you see above.

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21 Comments

  1. Funky Wellies Reply
    08/12/2011 at 9:19 am

    What a special Xmas card indeed… It is amazing, your Dad was a man of many talents! xx

  2. Fiona Reply
    08/12/2011 at 9:51 am

    It's a really lovely image Trish, love the school cap and scarf. It looks a lot like a wood cut print, certainly the style of art my grandfather was teaching at about the same time. Maybe the woodblock is still out there somewhere…..

  3. MsCaroline Reply
    08/12/2011 at 10:26 am

    Oh, I love, love, love this card! Have you ever thought of having it framed? It really is a work of art. What a beautiful card and lovely tribute to your Dad.

  4. Sarah Reply
    08/12/2011 at 10:33 am

    Wow, only 15 and he created that lovely card? What a talented young man he was.

    You're right, the detail is amazing, and execution so precise. Beautiful.

  5. TheMadHouse Reply
    08/12/2011 at 11:00 am

    You dad was such a talented man, you are blessed to have all these things to remember him by

  6. Trish @ Mum's Gone To ... Reply
    08/12/2011 at 4:46 pm

    Funky W – its's lovely, isn't it?

    Fiona – Thanks so much for that info. I wasn't sure how it was created so this is great to know. I should probably amend the post.

    Ms Caroline – glad you like it!

    sarah – I should have it framed. It's quite small but you're right, it needs to be shown off.

    Mum at the mad house – when I come across things like this it makes me wonder why I didn't ask him more about them at the time. But thank goodness I have them!

  7. Jen Reply
    08/12/2011 at 4:48 pm

    That is a gorgeous card, I think like Fiona said it might be a wood print, or possibly a lino print, we made those at school and the results were of a similar style.

  8. Trish @ Mum's Gone To ... Reply
    08/12/2011 at 6:10 pm

    Jen – the idea of it being a linocut does ring a bell. I wish I knew more about the techniques to decide.

  9. Steve Reply
    08/12/2011 at 6:14 pm

    That is an immensely skilful and beautiful piece of work. What a talent he had!

  10. blurofwoodsmoke Reply
    08/12/2011 at 6:36 pm

    Oh, that's beautiful!

  11. Trish @ Mum's Gone To ... Reply
    08/12/2011 at 6:49 pm

    Steve – so pleased you agree. I think it's exquisite but, of course, I'm biased.

    Blurofwoodsmoke – thank you so much x

  12. Macy Reply
    08/12/2011 at 8:50 pm

    What a fantastic idea to re-use the card design. It's going to be really special, really personal, and look really great.

  13. libby Reply
    08/12/2011 at 8:56 pm

    That is so wonderful and you must be so proud…..it does look a little like a lino cut, and your idea to use it this year is smashing.

  14. Being Me Reply
    08/12/2011 at 10:19 pm

    My word, that is a fascinating piece of work! Thanks for posting it. What a natural eye your father had. I LOVE seeing this sort of thing (coincidentally, I actually recently posted about my 15 year-old self's artistic talent…. did you see it?)

  15. Trish @ Mum's Gone To ... Reply
    08/12/2011 at 10:23 pm

    Macy – I was very pleased with the re-print, especially as the old one we had was very yellowed and a bit marked. The new card is much brighter.

    Libby – We have had discussions about this at home. I originally said lino cut and Dougie wasn't sure so then I wondered about it just being scratch art. As I've said above, it would help if I knew what was involved in the processes.

  16. Trish @ Mum's Gone To ... Reply
    08/12/2011 at 10:25 pm

    Being Me – Thanks for that lovely comment. I didn't see the post you mentioned. I shall pop over to have a look x

  17. jfb57 Reply
    09/12/2011 at 5:25 pm

    They will certainly be special for those lucky folks receiving them too. I remember a lino cut I did at school so I know how special they can be. So glad you decided to 'use' it.

  18. About Last Weekend Reply
    09/12/2011 at 9:08 pm

    That's really neat. It does look like a lino cut. He has very clever perspective and perfect for a cut. What a great thing for your cards, looks like we won't be doing any this year, too disorganised…

  19. BavarianSojourn Reply
    10/12/2011 at 12:43 pm

    I can't believe he was 15 when he did this, it's amazing! I think it's a gorgeous card! Emma 🙂 xx

  20. Trish @ Mum's Gone To ... Reply
    11/12/2011 at 1:13 pm

    Jfb57 – Dougie was convinced it couldn't be a linocut because he remembered his own butchered attempts at school! Seems husband was just not very good at it! Unlike my dad.

    About last weekend – I think it was obvious then he would become an architect.

    Bavarian sojourn – Me too! X

  21. Curry Queen Reply
    11/12/2011 at 6:33 pm

    What a lovely thing to do! You must be very proud of your dad.

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