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Charles Lane

postcard

Multi-view greetings card designed for soldiers of the Middlesex Regiment. Modified versions were sold to soldiers in other regiments

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Photographer who sold multi-view cards that soldiers based at Crowborough and Maresfield Army camps could send to family and friends. The miniature pictures, which provide glimpses of both the camps and their surroundings, have humorous annotations, such as "Beacon Road. We go up this road when on leave. What hopes!", or "Beacon Hotel. We don't live here now. Never did." or "Why is Crowborough Cross?"

When Lane started producing cards is uncertain, but postmarks show he was in business by 1917. He remained active until after the war came to an end, issuing a New Year's Greetings Card for Crowborough camp in 1919 and a "Lest Ye Forget" card for Maresfield camp later in the same year. The Crowborough cards are labelled at the base "Chas. Lane, Crowborough Camp" and the Maresfield cards "Chas. Lane, Photographer, Maresfield Camp".

Lane does not appear to be listed in Crowborough or Sussex Directories, and his identity is a little uncertain. Quite possibly he was the same Charles Lane (born 1856, died c. 1922), who lived in Brighton and had previously helped publish Mezzotint cards.

Design: Lucid Design
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