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"The Summer Girl"

An early "F S" Card?

  

The earliest signed "F S" cards appeared in 1906 and one of the best known set by "F S" is "The Summer Girl" which first appeared in 1907

   

THE SUMMER GIRL

 

I met her by the sandy shore,

I set her pretty head awhirl,

For I had flirted oft before,

Not so, I thought, my summer girl.

 

I sat with her upon the sand,

And charmingly she smiled on me,

And once or twice I pressed her hand,

When there was nobody to see.

 

And when at last the parting came,

I thought her tears began to flow,

And feeling I had been to blame

Rather rashly told her so.

 

"Yet now your love will make me blest."

I said, and paused for her reply,

"Oh come," said she, "I did but jest;

You're just the fifth since last July."

 

The Tatler, 23 August, 1906
   
   

While many of the early UK seaside post cards dealt with romance on the beach few specifically refer to the "Summer Girl" with the exception of "The Evolution of the Summer Girl.". This was published by the London View Co in 1905 and many of the "F S" cards were published by the London View Co. Ltd. in 1906/7.

This raises the very real possibility that this earlier unsigned card was by "F S."
 

A Post card by Fred Stone

circa 1905/8

The early card, and the later 1907 set, show the Summer Girl as an elegant well-dresses lady (at least initially) and relates to the question of whether "F S" and "F Stone" were the same person.

Outstanding Task: Try and find further examples of comic card published by the London View Co (not yet Ltd) in 1905 to see if any others could have been by "F S" and perhaps anticipate later sets.