South Yorkshire Times October 7, 1950
2,000 “Dropped a Card” to Conisbrough Collector
When any of her friends are on holiday, Mrs. Eva Cooke, of 14, Hamelin Road, Conisbrough, asks them to send her a card. Collecting post-cards—her hobby—is a full-time job for the postman, for she has over 2,000. Among them, over 400 feature churches or chapels.
Mrs. Cooke has been fascinated by- postcards since her ‘teens. She has a cupboard filled with them. They include “series ‘ cards, printed during the first war and just after, which illustrate popular songs in four parts. ” Tipperary,” “The Lost Chord,” and “I Love a Lassie” are among them.
Just before the last war, Mrs. Cooke bought another album for her cards. In it were many church views. So she decided that she would begin to collect “churches” Some she got herself, others were brought to her. She has received 60 this year.
In spite of their number, Mrs. Cooke knows, without looking, each one she has. She can tell from memory whether or not she has a “church ” from any town mentioned. And in many instances she can give a brief history of the church recalled.
She even has one from Russia!
” I’ve always been a collector,” says Mrs. Cooke, and that is evident, for one of the most noticeable features of her dining room is a cupboard containing china ornaments. The link with towns is maintained, for each small ornament bears the crest of the town from which it was bought. There are well over 200 of these. Mrs. Cooke knows the origin of each one and who gave it to her.