Undivided back, used postcard. Postmarked September 20, 1905, Chicago, Illinois. Publisher unknown.

Availability Status:  SOLD

Here’s the third postcard in the Dr. Oswald Henning Collection. We may come across more, you never know! The caption for this one is:   Steamer Northumberland Going Out Of Summerside Harbor, P.E.I.”  and shows an old photo of S.S. Northumberland, in an oval setting bordered with laurel leaves, and ribbon and with what appears to be a simplified drawing or painting for the Canadian flag at that time.

According to an article in the blog Sailstrait, the 2,500 horsepower steamer was the  “pride of the fleet”  for the Charlottetown Steam Navigation Company; was built in Great Britain at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1891; and for two and a half decades ran between Charlottetown and Pictou, and Summerside and Pointe du Chene.  (See first source below for a more detailed description.) The vessel was later moved to Lake Ontario for the Port Dalhousie to Toronto service and refitted as an excursion steamer. She operated till she was (sadly) destroyed by fire in 1949.  The following photo (now in the public domain) is from about 1940, and was found on the website Maritime History of the Great Lakes, and shows S.S. Northumberland as she enters Port Dalhousie.

However, since this postcard is from 1905, the sender would have boarded S.S. Northumberland as she first appeared in the top image. Our 1905 traveler wrote,  “Monday morning: – Will leave on the boat Tuesday morning. and will arrive in Chicago, Thursday at 10:02 a.m. if I make connections.   Helen.”

The card is addressed to:   “Dr. Oswald F. Henning. Bethesda Home. 30 Belden Court. Chicago, Ill. U.S.A.” 

Per the prior post, Dr. Oswald Henning, along with brother Otto, was on the board of directors for Bethesda Home which was initially a training facility for nurses, and afterward a home for the elderly. His father, Frank Henning was president of the Home.

Sources:  “The S.S. Northumberland of Northumberland Straight.” Sailstrait, Feb. 2, 2014. Web accessed Sep. 19, 2014. [http://sailstrait.wordpress.com/2014/02/02/the-s-s-northumberland-of-northmberland-strait/]

“S.S. Northumberland.”  Maritime History of the Great Lakes, n.d. Web accessed Sep. 19, 2014. [http://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/1659/data]

“Red Ensign vs Union Jack.” Canadiansoldiers.com (CSC), Nov. 10, 2007. Web accessed Sep. 20, 2014. [http://www.network54.com/Forum/28173/thread/1194727342/Red+Ensign+vs+Union+Jack]