A SERIES of world-famous saucy seaside postcards
images were re-launched last year to mark their
100th anniversary.
Businessman Ian Wallace said he is hoping the
classic cheeky cartoons, which could soon be
appearing on everything from mouse mats to boxer
shorts, will give everyone a light-hearted boost in
times of economic gloom.
Mr Wallace, aged 63, bought the firm Bamforth & Co
nine years ago and now owns the rights to more than
50,000 of the postcard images with their pneumatic
women, henpecked husbands and voluptuous nurses.
In 1870 James Bamforth began his business in
Holmfirth, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire - a
village now most famous for being the setting of the
long running BBC comedy ‘Last Of The Summer Wine’.
He was a portrait photographer who later specialised
in lantern slides.
But it was the saucy postcards, launched in 1910,
which sealed his firm's reputation.
Mr Wallace said, "They always look good and they
always make people smile. Maybe they're not to
everyone's taste but if you can't laugh at Bamforth
postcards what can you laugh at? They are classic
images which have really stood the test of time."
