Rhode Island Picture Post Cards
Girls Friendly Society - Holiday House - Saunderstown, RI - 1907
(Scroll Down for History and Background Information)

The postcard was sent to Miss Luella Mowry in Georgiaville, RI and has both a Saunderstown cancel and a Georgiaville receiver cancel dated on the same day. The address side also contains a rubber stamped notation, "From the collection of Frank C. Perreault." A small cross (X) at top right on the card's face marks Gertie's, (sender) room.

This is the first of two postcards showing the Girls Friendly Society - Holiday House at Plum Point in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. This one was sent on August 27, 1907 and the second was sent on July 5, 1957.

The Girls Friendly Society was founded in England by Mary Elizabeth Townsend in 1875. The society offered Christian fellowship to young female factory workers who were separated from their families. The first American branch was created in Lowell Massachusetts at St. Anne's Episcopal Church by Elizabeth Edson in 1877. Ten years later in 1887, the first Rhode Island branch was established by Mrs. Frank E. Richmond.

The Rhode Island Society was established to help integrate the young ladies more fully into the social, cultural and spiritual life of the community. The Girls Friendly Society sponsored dinners, lunches, fairs, and maintained this home at Plum Point for the ladies to take summer vacation. Of course times have changed and it has been many years since multitudes of young ladies worked in the mills and factories of Rhode Island. Due to dwindling membership the society voted to disband in June 1993. 

The message on the face of the card states, "I am having a fine time. It is beautiful down here. Hope to see you soon. The cross marks my room. Gertie"

See Also: Girls Friendly Society - Holiday House - Plum Beach - 1957