an illustrated guide to the county of Caithness we publish for the first time the messages contained on the reverse side of the postcards which present the reader with a fascinating insight into days gone by.

The humble postcard has carried news and images of great events, disasters, wars and coronations to every corner of the globe. It has entertained, amused and kept loved ones in touch. Even in today's 'global village' with instantaneous communications across thousands of miles, just how you are seeing these pages now, the postcard still has a role in recording the thoughts and feelings across the miles.

By it's very nature the postcard provides us with a permanent and unique insight into history, technology and the everyday lives of people. It will continue to do so in a way as fascinating to future historians as the first postcards are to us now.

Maybe in another 100 years your postcard will appear in a book just like this one. Unlikely? How many messages in this book were written by people who thought they were just sending a postcard - when they were actually making history?