“Went and saw a mutual friend of ours last night, Mr Max Linder. Jim”

James - Jim to his family - is working out of San Francisco, and his first postcard to his mother shows the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake and fire that had destroyed 80 per cent of the city four years earlier. (Postcards were often used to depict news events since newspapers didn’t carry photographs.) Rebuilding went on until 1915. But cinemas must be functioning because the ‘mutual friend’ he refers to is the silent movie star whose routines were an inspiration to Charlie Chaplin.

“Have just read about the great battle of London. Must be rotten to have to live in such an uncivilised part of the world. If you have not yet sent the pies put a nice big scotch shortbread in with them. Jim”

This postcard is part of a set produced by the Southern Pacific Railroad company to advertise its coastal route from Los Angeles to Portland.

Jim is joking about an astonishing six-hour gun fight that took place in East London that week involving murderous Latvian ‘anarchists’, Winston Churchill and a detachment of Scots Guards from the Tower of London!

“Should be pleased if you will send out Lloyds every week as the fellow that used to get it has left us. Think the boat leaves Liverpool on Wednesdays so that if you post it Monday night or Tuesday morning it will catch the boat. If the paper with the particulars of the Great Battle of London is still around please send that as well. Jim”

The seaside town of Carpinteria in Santa Barbara had just a sprinkling of surfers in 1910, and was better known as the home of the world’s largest grapevine.

Lloyds List is a weekly journal of shipping news.

“On my way here the train stopped at this place for the passengers to take the waters. Jim”.

Shasta Springs was a popular holiday resort in 1911, with an appealing situation on the Sacramento river. It later bottled its water for sale but closed down altogether in the 1950s.

“Don’t try and pick me out amongst the crowd as I was not there. Jim”

Italian soprano Luisa Tetrazzini famously sang to mass crowds in San Francisco after winning a court battle against impresario Oscar Hammerstein, who tried to force her to remain in New York. She had told a press conference: “I will sing in San Francisco if I have to sing there in the streets, for I know the streets of San Francisco are free.”

“Have just eaten some of the mince pies - swell. Jim”

Herbert Latham was the first person to attempt to fly across the English Channel, in 1909. His monoplane flight over SF shown in the postcard was part of an air show. He died the following year in what was then the French Congo, apparently gored to death by a water buffalo.

“Have just received the links. They would have cost a dollar out here. Another fellow out here has take a fancy to them so I offered to have a pair sent out. No hurry, any time will do. Couldn’t you put a little cotton wool around the studs then paper and put them in an envelope. I think they would reach me all right. Jim”

Yosemite Valley in California’s Sierra Nevada had been a tourist attraction since 1856.

“It is rumoured but not yet confirmed that I sail for China next Wednesday. Jim”

The postcard shows President Taft launching preparations for the World’s Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, a world fair to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal which would also become a showcase for a largely rebuilt San Francisco.

“Expect to reach Shanghai early tomorrow. Weather rather cold but expect to be roasted in Manila. Jim”

This gruesome card, which we’ve blurred, must have caused a sensation in the Bailey household. Titled ‘Chinese Deathcages’, it shows a mass execution of pirates and participants in the Boxer Rebellion, which was an attempt to drive all foreigners out of China in the early 1900s. The previous year, revolution had overthrown the Qing dynasty in China, after which the Republic of China was declared on January 1 1912 - less than four weeks before Jim’s postcard was sent.

“Have an admiral and a general on board so if the USA fleet is still at Honolulu expect to receive a royal welcome. We shall leave here at 3pm on the 21s which will be on time so expect to reach Rizhao? Surigao? on March 8. Jim”

Yokohama was of the first Japanese cities to open up to foreign trade via its port, and was a thriving, forward-looking place in 1912. The postcard shows Isezakicho Dori - Theatre Street.

“Arrived at Hong Kong today and we stay 10 days with very little to do. Shall be able to get ashore nearly every day. Jim”

The March of the Revolutionaries Cavaliers of Hankow 1911, reads the card, showing some of the forces that launched the uprising against the Qing Dynasty.

“Very hot here but I find extreme heat does not affect me at all. Jim”

This postcard is titled The Fighting in Hankow City Nov 12th 1911.

“About 100 yards from us is the wreck of the British SS Dacre Castle wrecked a few days ago in a terrible typhoon that did an enormous amount of damage in Japan. She has broken completely in halves and they are trying to save some of the cargo. Jim.”

The island of Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule when this postcard showing Samurai warriors was sent.

“We are one day late owing to the children in Nagasaki being too tired to coal the ship. They had been working for from 48 to 60 hours and were falling asleep in the coal barges. Jim”

“The round the world steamship “Cleveland” passed us coming out of Nagasaki harbour and the German band played that soul stirring tune “The Star Spangled Banner”. Jim”

The SS Cleveland was a German steamship that made six round-the-world voyages as well as Translantlantic voyages between Hamburg and New York.

“One of the Chinese steerage passengers went mad coming out and hanged himself with his undershirt although he was locked up. Jim”

“Have a couple of professional tangoists on board. They are holding a dancing class and have offered to teach any of the officers free of charge. So far I have not taken advantage of the offer. Jim”

“Has been very hot this trip so far. We are just passing over the black hole and it is very rough. Expect to reach Yokohama Sunday afternoon and we have very little cargo. Will have the rest of the day off. I think I will have a cup of tea with the Geisha girls. Jim”

“Has been pouring of rain all day and the little girls that coal the boats have been very wet. Jim”

In the final postcard from Jim he writes to his mother: “Have received all the letters you addressed to the old address including the initials. We are now 300 miles from “home” and expect to arrive at 10am tomorrow morning. Jim”

Documents on familysearch.org, shown above, tell us that Jim became a citizen of the USA in 1919. In 1921 he visited his parents in Stoke Newington, North London, appearing at their address on the 1921 census. In 1924 he renewed his US passport, and resumed working as a purser.