Kathryn Baird
@Kathryn11Baird
Transcribes Pitman shorthand: diaries, postcards, letters. Useful, beautiful, fascinating. Author - Fifty Mysterious Postcards, published by The History Press
A podcast about postcards, Pitman shorthand, swearing, my Auntie Barbara, and lots more. Thanks to @devlin_jp for the morning we spent having a chat and for featuring my unusual hobby. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lif…
Who was Mildred Minshall who painted this picture in an old autograph book in 1923? #AutographBookSummer 2025
Happy #FingerpostFriday from Dedham, with extra helpful sign.
Today, I am wearing the stripy T-shirt similar to Jane's in 1976.
Old Ladybird Books updated. (‘Play With Us’ 1964 and 1976) Jane gives up walking alone in the country Artist: Harry Wingfield
Sid James came to a Summer Gala in my village in 1969 #AutographBookSummer 2025
Wore my postcard necklace yesterday on a visit to @AlfredMunnings Today, I’ll be relaxing just like Violet, the artist’s wife, before writing postcards.
I'm very fond of this Alice in Wonderland illustration in another old autograph book. It's #AutographBookSummer 2025 - don't miss out!
Is this an example of a cat with a job? Rare sighting of an 'incidental cat in estate agent's particulars' guarding the stairs.
Written in my autograph book on the day I left primary school. (I should have posted this yesterday - 22 July) #AutographBookSummer 2025
Illustrating the need for a risk assessment before kissing in a hammock in 1923. #AutographBookSummer 2025
In an old autograph book. Signed M Marshall 1.1.24 #AutographBookSummer 2025
Lovely!
#AutographBookSummer My mother told her friends she would never marry but would live in a house with lots of cats
Another autograph from 1969 when Julian Mitchell, Iris Murdoch, Adrian Henri and Roy Fuller came to my school. 2025 #AutographBookSummer
Adrian Henri came to my school in 1969. I had my autograph book handy and he must have asked me how to spell my name. 2025 - #AutographBookSummer
In my bid to make 2025 ‘autograph book summer’ I share Iris Murdoch’s autograph from 1969 (when she came to my school with Adrian Henri) and Richard Coles’ autograph from 2017. @RevRichardColes (Also a few drawings by VTM in a much older autograph book)
Mr B is back from his walk. He took this photo of the River Nene (it’s pronounced Neen here) at Elton.
Two postcards today from W J Burford, sent with Pitman Shorthand message to his brother. He died 31 Oct 1918, aged 22. The inscription on his CWGC headstone in Barenthal Military Cemetery, Italy, is ‘We loved him in life, we love him in death’ @CWGC
A picture without words? From an old autograph book in my collection:
Monday morning The start of another week in the office, not much desk space, no computer screens but latest technology in a Rotary Neostyle duplicating machine #officeworkers #duplicatingmachine #technology #desksharing #postcard #oldpostcard