Kathryn Baird
@kathryn11baird.bsky.social
Transcribes Pitman Shorthand on postcards, in diaries, anywhere. Family history, Lancashire, typewriters, books, art, music, random things. Quite fond of an Oxford comma.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Not all #postboxes produced in Elizabeth II's reign were made of metal. Broadwater Mouldings produced these fibreglass boxes, installed in supermarkets and transport hubs across the UK. A few, installed in airports, have clear backs for security reasons.
November 12, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Not all #postboxes produced in Elizabeth II's reign were made of metal. Broadwater Mouldings produced these fibreglass boxes, installed in supermarkets and transport hubs across the UK. A few, installed in airports, have clear backs for security reasons.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Blah blah blah usual postcard stuff.
October 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Blah blah blah usual postcard stuff.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Happy World Pasta Day to all those who celebrate.
October 25, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Happy World Pasta Day to all those who celebrate.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Mum won on Bingo she won 1/2 dozen pirex plates I didn't win anything as usual.
October 10, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Mum won on Bingo she won 1/2 dozen pirex plates I didn't win anything as usual.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Here’s another poem for National Poetry Day. This one is called ‘A Brief History of Modern Art in Poetry’.
October 2, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Here’s another poem for National Poetry Day. This one is called ‘A Brief History of Modern Art in Poetry’.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
We have just come down from the top of the post office tower. It was very exciting being 499 feet up. The cars and buildings looked like dinky toys.
October 9, 2025 at 8:27 AM
We have just come down from the top of the post office tower. It was very exciting being 499 feet up. The cars and buildings looked like dinky toys.
A quiet start to Bank Holiday Monday. #Northamptonshire
August 25, 2025 at 7:07 AM
A quiet start to Bank Holiday Monday. #Northamptonshire
Act of remembrance today at Oundle and Ashton war memorial in the centre of Oundle, Northamptonshire.
August 15, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Act of remembrance today at Oundle and Ashton war memorial in the centre of Oundle, Northamptonshire.
Memorial in St Andrew's Church, Cotterstock to Lieut Kenneth Robert Dundas, who died #OTD 1915 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. 'This tablet is placed here in remembrance of all Kenneth's love and glorious fearlessness by his devoted wife Claudia 1919'
August 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Memorial in St Andrew's Church, Cotterstock to Lieut Kenneth Robert Dundas, who died #OTD 1915 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. 'This tablet is placed here in remembrance of all Kenneth's love and glorious fearlessness by his devoted wife Claudia 1919'
I’m encouraging the use of autograph books for summer 2025. Here’s mine, featuring Iris Murdoch’s autograph from 1969 when she came to my school, and Rev Richard Coles’ from 2017. In the background - a few drawings in a vintage autograph book.
July 22, 2025 at 7:47 AM
I’m encouraging the use of autograph books for summer 2025. Here’s mine, featuring Iris Murdoch’s autograph from 1969 when she came to my school, and Rev Richard Coles’ from 2017. In the background - a few drawings in a vintage autograph book.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Hello! 👋
I’m Gail, a one woman design studio, based in #Manchester
My online shop is full of bold & colourful prints, homewares, t-shirts and stationery.
Go on, have a nosy gailmyerscough.co.uk
I’m Gail, a one woman design studio, based in #Manchester
My online shop is full of bold & colourful prints, homewares, t-shirts and stationery.
Go on, have a nosy gailmyerscough.co.uk
July 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Hello! 👋
I’m Gail, a one woman design studio, based in #Manchester
My online shop is full of bold & colourful prints, homewares, t-shirts and stationery.
Go on, have a nosy gailmyerscough.co.uk
I’m Gail, a one woman design studio, based in #Manchester
My online shop is full of bold & colourful prints, homewares, t-shirts and stationery.
Go on, have a nosy gailmyerscough.co.uk
Harriet: Oh, ain’t it just lovely!
Bystander: I beg pardon, but I painted that picture, and I am truly pleased to find that it appeals to the people.
Harriet: I don’t mean the picture - it’s the frame as my young man here made!
Pitman’s Shorthand Weekly 1892
Bystander: I beg pardon, but I painted that picture, and I am truly pleased to find that it appeals to the people.
Harriet: I don’t mean the picture - it’s the frame as my young man here made!
Pitman’s Shorthand Weekly 1892
July 20, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Harriet: Oh, ain’t it just lovely!
Bystander: I beg pardon, but I painted that picture, and I am truly pleased to find that it appeals to the people.
Harriet: I don’t mean the picture - it’s the frame as my young man here made!
Pitman’s Shorthand Weekly 1892
Bystander: I beg pardon, but I painted that picture, and I am truly pleased to find that it appeals to the people.
Harriet: I don’t mean the picture - it’s the frame as my young man here made!
Pitman’s Shorthand Weekly 1892
Happy #PostboxSaturday from Blatherwycke in Northamptonshire.
July 19, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Happy #PostboxSaturday from Blatherwycke in Northamptonshire.
‘Dear Martha. Just a few lines to ask you or perhaps to formally invite you to meet the other members of the proposed “speed class” in my study on Monday evening at 7 o’clock precisely’ #postcard #PitmanShorthand #50MysteriousPostcards
July 11, 2025 at 11:02 AM
‘Dear Martha. Just a few lines to ask you or perhaps to formally invite you to meet the other members of the proposed “speed class” in my study on Monday evening at 7 o’clock precisely’ #postcard #PitmanShorthand #50MysteriousPostcards
It was called Edge Hill College of Higher Education ‘in my day’ (1977-1980) and the degrees were conferred by Lancaster University.
Here's Edge Hill University, back in the day when it was a teacher training college
It's based in Ormskirk, but takes its name from the district of Liverpool where it was founded, moving out after WW2
If you like this #HigherEducationPostcard, please share it so that others can see it too
It's based in Ormskirk, but takes its name from the district of Liverpool where it was founded, moving out after WW2
If you like this #HigherEducationPostcard, please share it so that others can see it too
July 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
It was called Edge Hill College of Higher Education ‘in my day’ (1977-1980) and the degrees were conferred by Lancaster University.
My 1st postcard with message in Pitman Shorthand. It features in my book 50 Mysterious Postcards: Pitman Shorthand Messages from the Golden Age of the Postcard. ‘I am writing this in shorthand because they always read what is on postcards at the post office here.’
July 9, 2025 at 7:52 AM
My 1st postcard with message in Pitman Shorthand. It features in my book 50 Mysterious Postcards: Pitman Shorthand Messages from the Golden Age of the Postcard. ‘I am writing this in shorthand because they always read what is on postcards at the post office here.’
'I hope you are keeping up your Shorthand. How did you enjoy the holiday at Gorleston on Sea.’ Official Sir Isaac Pitman postcard, sent 1904. #PitmanShorthand
July 7, 2025 at 8:05 AM
'I hope you are keeping up your Shorthand. How did you enjoy the holiday at Gorleston on Sea.’ Official Sir Isaac Pitman postcard, sent 1904. #PitmanShorthand
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
A regular source of pleasure to dip into
I keep the 50 postcards which feature in my book in this album. Since publication in September 2022, I've collected more postcards with messages in Pitman Shorthand and now have about 500. Fifty Mysterious Postcards: Pitman Shorthand Messages from the Golden Age of the Postcard.
July 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
A regular source of pleasure to dip into
I keep the 50 postcards which feature in my book in this album. Since publication in September 2022, I've collected more postcards with messages in Pitman Shorthand and now have about 500. Fifty Mysterious Postcards: Pitman Shorthand Messages from the Golden Age of the Postcard.
July 6, 2025 at 7:55 AM
I keep the 50 postcards which feature in my book in this album. Since publication in September 2022, I've collected more postcards with messages in Pitman Shorthand and now have about 500. Fifty Mysterious Postcards: Pitman Shorthand Messages from the Golden Age of the Postcard.
Reposted by Kathryn Baird
Maybe London isn’t as exciting as Paris, but it’s a change any way.
June 24, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Maybe London isn’t as exciting as Paris, but it’s a change any way.
Marion’s diary #OTD 1943 ‘I stayed in all day. I didn’t go to work. My boil was very bad. Nothing happened.’ #PitmanShorthand
June 21, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Marion’s diary #OTD 1943 ‘I stayed in all day. I didn’t go to work. My boil was very bad. Nothing happened.’ #PitmanShorthand
'There are four cases of smallpox in Macclesfield. I hope you don't get it.' Postcard of Kingsway, Cleethorpes with message in Pitman Shorthand. 'How are you getting on with your camera? I have only took three snaps up to now.'
June 20, 2025 at 7:28 AM
'There are four cases of smallpox in Macclesfield. I hope you don't get it.' Postcard of Kingsway, Cleethorpes with message in Pitman Shorthand. 'How are you getting on with your camera? I have only took three snaps up to now.'
Preparing for a talk on Fifty Mysterious Postcards in a couple of weeks. There’ll be secrets, confessions, loans re-paid, German measles and Eric (‘He is the best ever!’) #PitmanShorthand #postcards
June 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Preparing for a talk on Fifty Mysterious Postcards in a couple of weeks. There’ll be secrets, confessions, loans re-paid, German measles and Eric (‘He is the best ever!’) #PitmanShorthand #postcards
'Everything is going on well just now with us here and the above youngster makes the house livelier than ever.' Real photographic postcard of 'The biggest rogue in North London' with message in Pitman Shorthand.
June 18, 2025 at 9:07 AM
'Everything is going on well just now with us here and the above youngster makes the house livelier than ever.' Real photographic postcard of 'The biggest rogue in North London' with message in Pitman Shorthand.