Jersey’s Battle of Flowers was first held on 9 August 1902 to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.  Originally the event consisted of a parade of floats decorated with fresh flowers, mainly hydrangeas (Hydrangea marophylla), but more recently artificial, paper flowers have been increasingly used.  In earlier times it was usual for participants to throw flowers at each other at the end of the parade, hence the name ‘battle’.  However, violent hooliganism in 1960 brought this to an end.  Traditionally the event is held on the second Thursday in August, but the date can vary (in 2025 there will be an afternoon parade on Friday 8, and a ‘moonlight’ parade on Saturday 9 August).

The card here was posted by ‘A.C.’ from Jersey on 11 September 1905 to Mr C.W. Pickering in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and is evidently one of a series which A.C. sent, as it is marked 2, and s/he explains ‘At the right of this one is a big waggonette with some milkmaids.  In front of it was a very large milk can.  The girls had sun bonnets.’