Researching the period of the First World War and the lives of the people of Sevenoaks has led me to wondering what the town looked like at the time. Local postcards from the early 1900s show many local scenes, from the High Street to images of the Vine before there was any need for a war memorial, to early photographs of the memorial itself. The St John’s area of the town was also a popular subject.

Many of these postcards were printed by the local firm, J Salmon, founded in 1880 and the oldest postcard and calendar publisher in the country. Joseph Salmon had been a bookseller in London but started his business at 85, High Street. His son took over before the turn of the century and the business is still owned and run by the family today.