The world’s oldest printed Valentine’s Day card, sent in 1797, now sits on public display in a museum in York. It is a strange fate for such a personal love note, originally intended for the eyes of only one man – a ‘Mr Brown’ of ‘Dover Place, Kent Road, London.’ Sent by a Miss Catherine Mossday, over 200 years ago, I can picture the shadowy recipient, Mr Brown, opening the envelope to find the charming card: an oval portrait of a lady in its centre surrounded by the now familiar and commonplace images of love – frolicking cupids, lovebirds and arrow-pierced hearts. But opening the card…whatever did he think of the more surprising message contained within?
“As I have repeatedly requested you to come, I think you must have some reason for not complying with my requests.
As I have something particular to say to you I could wish you make it all agreeable to come on Sunday next without fail and in doing you will oblige your well wisher”
Half love note, half reprimand!
Did the elusive Mr Brown come next Sunday? What was the very “particular” thing Miss Mossday wanted to say? These are questions now with no possibility of an answer. Yet, this fragment survives. For a moment, we seem to glimpse these two figures, as if moving across a lighted window.
From this very old and rather funny Valentine to the song ‘My Funny Valentine’ sung here by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. One of my favourites.
