Edinburgh postcard delivered 62 years late

Lynn Harter received a postcard through the letterbox earlier in the week which was sent in September 1955. Picture: SWNS

Lynn Harter was delighted to receive what she thought was a birthday postcard for her - only to realise it had a twopence (2d) stamp on and was date marked September 6, 1955.

Slightly dog-eared but in otherwise perfect condition, the postcard was sent from Edinburgh by Madge Johnson and features a picture of the landmark Edinburgh Castle.

It is addressed to the Philipson’s who previously lived at the Kepple Lane house in Garstang, Lanc. - the same house where Lynn and her husband Gordon have lived since 2003.

The postcard arrived 62 years late. Picture: SWNS

Former Garstang Town Councillor Lynn said at first she thought somebody had found it and dropped it through the letterbox.

But after checking with the postman she discovered he had been the one to deliver it.

She said, “It came through the door with the birthday cards, because it was my birthday, and when I came in I wasn’t sure if it was from the postman or a friend.

“Where has it been since 1955? One theory is that maybe it had been stuck in machinery that perhaps was being replaced?

Lynn Harter was delighted to receive a birthday postcard only to be left puzzled after discovering it was nearly 62 years late. Picture: SWNS

“Postage was 2d - I’m glad the post office didn’t charge us for under-postage costs!”

Lynn said that she has checked the deeds to her house and discovered Mr and Mrs William Philipson had brought the bungalow, then known as Armson, in 1943, and had changed the name to its current name, Bridgefield.

She said: “William was a retired police sergeant and died in 1961.

“Interestingly Mrs Helen Philipson died in 1951...so either the sender of the postcard, Madge Johnson, didn’t know she’d died, or William may have married again?”

The message on the post card reads: “I am having a great holiday here, staying with friends. The weather is good and doing lots of sight seeing.

“Trust you are both keeping well, my love and best wishes Madge Johnson.”

Lynn said she would be happy to reunite the postcard with either family if they were to get in touch.

“If not I will add it to my own postcard collection,” she said.

Morag Turnball, a spokeswoman for Royal Mail, said there was a chance the postcard could have been put back into the postal system by someone recently.

She said: “Royal Mail regularly checks all its delivery offices and clears its sorting machines daily.

“Once an item is in the postal system then it will be delivered to the address on the postcard.”