Mrs Humphreys

A life in postcards

Mrs Humphreys lived in London during a period when the Romanian capital was a vibrant cultural center often called the Little Paris of the East. In the winter of 1929 and the opening weeks of 1930, she received greetings from Bucharest that spoke of a life left temporarily behind. Her friends, including Mia Gratau and Senta Bossy, sent images of rural monasteries and national paintings to bridge the distance. These messages reveal that while she remained in England with someone named Dolly, Mr. Humphreys was still active in Romanian social circles. He spent his afternoons playing bridge and a card game called streich beneath stamps bearing the likeness of the boy king, Michael I. Her correspondents noted her long absence with affection and urged her to return to the city soon. Though the archive does not preserve her birth date or her own letters, the cards she kept suggest a woman of quiet importance within a circle of well-traveled friends.

Drafted by the museum's AI curator from the linked cards. Corrections welcome.