General News
11 February, 2026
Historical postcards on display
THE Cobden and District Historical Society is putting on a display of postcards throughout history, including very unique silk postcards from the First World War era.
They have 14 total with silk embroidery on the front with a message on the back, sent from 1914 to 1918 to a woman named Rebecca Vagg who lived at Hillside Cobden.
“The silk postcards were donated to us by Judy Cameron and these were her mother-in-law’s postcards,” Cobden and District Historical Society secretary Delia Kerr said.
“Judy lives near Winchelsea and rang me to see if I wanted them and said she was pleased they were going home.
“She felt these belonged in Cobden so she’s donated them to us.”
Mrs Kerr said the silk postcard industry was popular during World War I.
“They were sent from the front, from France, in the First World War,” she said.
“Silk postcards was a French and Belgium cottage industry for women and they would get a sheet of silk netting and they would do this in their homes mostly.
“Later on they did actually get machines to do it but earlier on it was by hand.
“They would do about 25 then the silk would be sent off to the postcard makers and they would cut it to size.
“During wartime, the women were innovative and got a bit of pin money to do them.”
Each postcard is unique and has defining features.
“Some had a silk flap on the front to put a little message inside – such as Christmas greetings,” Mrs Kerr said.
“They were sold with an envelope, these didn’t really go through the post – they came in an envelope, like how you get a letter in the mail.
“That’s why they’re in such good condition, considering how old they are.
“Some of them were embellished on the edges, they’re got this embossing on the edges.
“Apparently, they were quite expensive, but I guess the soldiers had nothing to spend money on anyway – the army supplied their smokes and everything.”
There are a variety of other postcards from all over the world from different points in history currently on display at the Old Chocolyn Hall, which will be open this Sunday, February 15.
Mrs Kerr said the silk postcards were a fraction of the history to discover in the array of postcards showcased.
“They’ve come from France and they’ve been sitting in a box all these years and they’re still treasured and they’re in amazing condition,” she said.
“These are in really good, top condition.
“The War Memorial have a collection of over 1000 of them.”
In addition to the silk postcards, the society also has an even older postcard framed for viewing, which comes from the society’s researcher Donna Edge’s family.
“The oldest postcard here was posted in about 1904,” Ms Edge said.
“It’s 120 years old so that’s kind of cool too.”
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