Wrench London Checklist?

Welcome to the postcard.co.uk board, for discussion on all aspects of the hobby. You'll need to register to post but this only takes a few seconds and gives you access to more of the features and options available. Please read the the HOW to REGISTER article first. thanks

Moderator: MichaelDay

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

Sorry - missed one that is currently for sale on the Delcampe auction site:-

11342 Queen Victoria Street and Times Office London

Another gap filled!

Alan

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

And another

11355 St Pauls Churchyard Cheapside End London

Getting there!

Alan

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

And another:-

11359 Fleet Street London

Hope this is helping people.

Alan

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

And another:-

11356 St Pauls Churchyard Ludgate and London

Dave43
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 7:26 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by Dave43 »

Thanks!

cardman
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 5:37 pm

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by cardman »

Hi - just found this forum. I have been collecting Wrench cards for many years and have around 6000 listed. To fill in some blanks on Alans list from last April here are a few from the early part.

Rodney Knight UK


11221 London, Hyde Park
11222 Hyde Park, Rotten Row, London
11229 Whitehall Palace, London
11232 London, Government Buildings & Downing Street.
11234 London Cannon Street Railway Station

peternam
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:55 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by peternam »

I've just come across this forum and this thread

I am researching Evelyn Wrench and his postcard business. Although I am not a postcard collector per se, I have been starting to collect Wrench cards to support my research.

Evelyn Wrench set up the business in late 1900 and received his first cards (printed by Stengel of Dresden) on 29 November. He set up a partnership, E Wrench, in February 1901. This ran until September 1902 when the business was transformed into a limited company, Wrench Limited, which went into liquidation in July 1904. Evelyn Wrench was no longer associated with the postcard business from that point.

However, a successor company, Wench Postcards Limited was formed in January 1905 and liquidated in July 1907 but probably stopped trading in 1905 / 06.

I am primarily interested in the cards published up to July 1904. I have approximately 900 of these cards and I have logged a further 4,000 or so. I am trying to get to the bottom of how many cards were published up to July 1904.My researches indicate that the Wrench business that existed up to that time published about 10,000 cards. Although I would not say this is definitive, I think it’s fairly close to the truth

This number excludes cards published by Wench Postcards Limited (from January 1905) which include The Rambler Series and probably cards that started with a leading zero. I don’t think many cards were published by this business which seems to have relied on the stock left after the liquidation of Wrench Limited in July 1904. But I am not absolutely certain about this

As regards the earlier correspondence in this thread:

• Record keeping in the business was somewhat erratic – and caused immense stock keeping problems in 1903. For example: card numbers were duplicated, some cards were reprinted with numbers that did not correspond with the original etc.
• The numbering system started at 1 and was possibly complete up to 1,000. From then on, there are probably a number of gaps. The 25 cards in the Links of Empire Series (published in 1901) had a different numbering system
• The highest number I have is in the 50,000s but this may have been published by Wrench Postcards Limited rather than Wrench Limited.
• Cards up to number 10,000 were almost exclusively black and white – some were hand coloured in 1903. 10,000 to 11,000 included a whole range of different cards (cartoons, cards printed by photographic methods etc). From 11,000 to 16,000 cards were exclusively colour (or at least I haven’t found any monochrome). After 16,000 cards were predominantly monochrome but included a number of coloured cartoons
• I suspect that cards up to 16,000 were numbered in rolling order. Thereafter I think there is a mixture of early printed cards (perhaps published in 1902 and certainly 1903) and later printed cards

As I say, I’d be very interested in confirming the numbers of cards printed and it would appear that at least two of the earlier contributors have significant lists. I would be interested in adding my numbers to what has been collected to see what the whole scheme looks like

User avatar
eastlondonpostcard
Posts: 613
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: https://www.ebid.net/uk/users/20sent06/all-about-me/
Contact:

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by eastlondonpostcard »

Great contribution! Interesting to discover that there were two enterprises: Wrench Ltd and Wrench Postcards Limited.

From my London Art collection I discover there are a number produced/published by Wrench:
  • nos. 1398 to 1403 dated between 1902 and 1907 : all undivided back postcards by Frank Scallon featuring London scenes
    Series 069 by H Montague Love - a set of six (?) unused, but not individually numbered
    Series 070 by LEN - one of my favourites - entitled 'London & Londoners' - I have 9 of these, one posted in 1907 and one in 1908
    - I now conclude that these last two series were produced by Wrench Postcards Limited - the back merely states Wrench Series and the number with a symbol consisting of an oval with a wrench inside...
    I also have a number by M Zeno Diemer numbered 4513 to 4518 and 4787, 4788, 4790 and 5212 - two are postally used, one in 1906 and in 1908
    I have one comic postcard by Phil May series 2631 used 1904 entitled 'Overheard in Bond Street'
I have referred back to my bible 'Picture Postcards and Their Publishers' by Anthony Byatt and discover that Wrench published an autobiagraphy which records the story of his Postcard Publishing: Uphill, The First Stage in a Strenuous Life.

The Links of Empire series comprised of two sets of ten and a further set of just four according to Byatt. The first set of ten was produced to record the cruise of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York to Australia on the 'Ophir' - each one intended to be posted at each port of call, but many recieved London postmarks as they were transferred to another ship withut passing through the local post offices. A second set of ten was produced to record the homeward journey via Canada.

A third set of just four postcards was produced to record Scott's first Antartic Expidition, carrying special postmarks and the SS Discovery cachet; these are now highly sought after and expensive! There was friendship between Scott and Wrench that included a tale of Wrench giving Scott a handkerchief when he sailed from Tilbury after confessing that he had forgotten his!

According to Byatt too, the most outstanding set consisted of 96 postcards entitled 'Pictures from Punch' - one illustrated in his book is no. 10063

Further research today shows that Wikipedia gives a very good account of Evelyn Wrench's distinguished life, of which his Postcard enterprise played a small early part. I also note that there will be a talk in November at the Camden History Society about Evelyn Wrench's Postcard life - that should reveal a lot!

Best luck with the research, I will keep my eye out for other numbers and postal dates meantime.
~ send it on a Postcard please ~

peternam
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:55 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by peternam »

All you say is correct. And since I am giving the talk at the Camden History Society I can agree with you about it revealing a lot!

It may be of interest that Wrench hosted an Exhibition at the Grafton Galleries (off Bond Street) in October 1903 to coincide with his Coming of Age. The Exhibition - Art in Picture Postcards - featured about 150 postcards (or possibly the original artwork and photographs). These included some striking pictures of children - The Worlds Children - by Mortimer Menpes

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

Sorry for being tardy in responding to some of the updates on this thread. Just to update my own research on Wrench cards, I now have almost 11,000 cards listed in my database of which about 10,000 I also have images for. My research currently indicates there were around 18,300 different cards produced by Wrench and their successors.

I can only echo the frustration for Wrench collectors/researchers with the vagaries and errors of their numbering system although I think I have managed to work out most of the problems (but many still remain!). I estimate it will probably take me about another 3 years (at least) to get my database completed as much as possible.

I actually collect Wrench cards with a railway theme (locomotives, stations, bridges etc) and have about 300 of these stored away in albums.

I will try to contribute more to this thread over coming months but just to remind everyone I live in Canada and there is an 8 hour time difference.

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

Had a few spare moments so have set out below my current listing of the London colour cards in the 11000 series. Of course there are many, many other Wrench cards with various aspects of London illustrated but will save those for another day!

Hope this is of help.

11218 Kensington Gardens. The Broad Walk. London.
11219 Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace. London.
11220 Kensington Gardens. Speke Memorial. London.
11221 Hyde Park. The Serpentine. Feeding the Ducks. London.
11222 Hyde Park. Rotten Row. London.
11223 Hyde Park. Coach Meet, London.
11224 Hyde Park. The Serpentine, London.
11225 Hyde Park. Looking towards the Marble Arch. London.
11226 Hyde Park. Church Parade, London.
11227 Hyde Park. The Serpentine Bridge, London.
11228 Hyde Park, The Dell, London.
11229 Whitehall Palace, London.
11230 Cannon Street Railway Bridge, London.
11231 Unknown London card
11232 Government Buildings and Downing Street. London.
11233 Albert Bridge, London.
11234 Cannon Street. Railway Station. London.
11235 London Bridge Railway Station.
11236 Blackfriars Bridge, London.
11237 Waterloo Station, London.
11238 Lambeth Palace. London.
11239 Unknown London card
11240 Victoria Station, London.
11241 Unknown London card
11242 Marlborough House. London.
11243 St. Stephen's Hall, Westminster, London.
11338 No. 10 Downing Street, London.
11339 Triumphal Arch, London.
11340 Westminster Bridge, London.
11341 Hyde Park Corner, London.
11342 Queen Victoria Street. Times Office, London.
11343 Holborn Circus. London.
11344 Leicester Square. London.
11345 Oxford Street from Regent Circus, London
11346 Regent Circus, London.
11347 Old Bond Street, London.
11348 Natural History Museum. London.
11349 Hotels Cecil & Savoy. London.
11350 Battersea Bridge. London.
11351 Peoples Palace. London.
11352v1 The Langham Hotel. London.
11352v2 Langham Hotel Portland Place London W
11353 Holborn Viaduct, London.
11354 Farringdon Street, Memorial Hall. London.
11355 St. Paul's Churchyard, Cheapside end. London.
11356 St. Paul's Churchyard. Ludgate end. London.
11357 Cheapside. St. Paul's End. London.
11358 Newgate Street. London.
11359 Newgate Street. London.
11359 Fleet Street. London.
11360 Grays Inn Road & Holborn Town Hall, London.
11361 Unknown London card
11362 Regent Street. London.
11363 Leadenhall Street. London.
11364 St. Clement Danes Church. London.
11365 Bishopsgate Street Within. London.
11366 Unknown London card
11367 Thames Embankment. London.
11368 Thames Embankment. London.
11369 Thames Embankment, London.
11370 Carlton House Terrace. London.
11371 Marylebone Road. London.
11372 Hotel Metropole. London.
11373 St. Ermins Hotel. London.
11374 Spurgeons Tabernacle. London.
11375 Unknown London card
11376 Tottenham Court Road, London.
11377 Tottenham Court Road, London.
11378 Charing Cross Road & Garrick Theatre. London.
11379 Gracechurch Street. London.
11380 King William Street. London.
11381 Fenchurch Street London.
11430 Liverpool Street. London.
11431 Liverpool Street Station. London.
11432 Statue of the Duke of Wellington. London.
11433 St. James Park, Constitution Hill. London.
11434 Victoria Street. London.
11435 Unknown London card
11436 General Post Office, London.

davidnugget
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:05 pm

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by davidnugget »

Hi Alan
just to mention 2 cards in your 14569 to 14582 range:
14574 Richmond Park
14578 The Museum, Kew Gardens
which are now in London but weren't then!

Someone else listed 14573 London Bridge (which I haven't seen) so maybe this was a mixed bunch.

alanwarren.18
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:26 am

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by alanwarren.18 »

Thanks Dave

Just for completeness, this is my current listings of London (area) cards in the 14xxx Series

14568 Albert Hall, London.
14569 Brompton Oratory, London.
14570 The Horse Guards, London.
14571 London, from the Monument.
14572 St. Paul's Cathedral, London.
14573 London Bridge.
14574 Richmond Park.
14575 Richmond Bridge.
14576 View from Richmond Bridge.
14577 Unknown card
14578 The Museum, Kew Gardens.
14579 The New Bridge, Kew.
14580 Palm House, Kew Gardens.
14581 Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
14582 Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.
14583 Public Library, Woolwich.
14584 Crystal Palace.
14585 Unknown card
14586 Unknown card
14587 Southwark Cathedral.
14588 The Nave, Southwark Cathedral.

CollectIreland
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:17 pm

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by CollectIreland »

I also collect Wrench cards but only started in the last couple of months. I only collect Irish cards, and only the early ones at that, i.e nothing coloured is of interest. So far I have identified 128 individual cards but I'm sure that it's only the tip of the iceberg as Evelyn Wrench was originally from Ireland. I'm doing my own database of all Irish Wrench's, even those of no interest to me, and will post the details here in due course. The early vignette type cards have a real charm, whether unused or crammed with tiny writing, that all later cards with divided backs lack. It was the one below of the Custom House in Dublin that hooked me on collecting Wrench cards.

Image

CollectIreland
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:17 pm

Re: Wrench London Checklist?

Post by CollectIreland »

Up to 166 Irish Wrench's identified now and I've stepped up my purchasing too! I picked up the ten cards -pictured below - for less than €1 each including p+p on Delcampe's German site. All unposted and in mint condition. Just as well they were so cheap as I had to pay over £11.00 for the 'must have' Letterfrack card also shown below.

Image

Image

Post Reply