"That Underground Place"

As everyone knows, Nick and I enjoy a good mystery and we hope you can help us on this one.

Below is a postcard we acquired quite a few years ago.

The image on the front isn't too exciting, it's of Gorleston Harbour. As postcards go, this isn't a terribly good example. The photographic composition seems to lopsided in favour of the pier for instance.

Not as famous as the great British sea-side resorts of Brighton and Blackpool, Gorelston at Norfolk nonetheless still was a popular holiday spot in the late Victorian era.

We assume this postcard was printed and written prior to the World War One.

We base this on:
-- the side-wheel paddlesteamer in shot
-- the pagoda-like structure at the end of the pier which in fact was a lighthouse built in 1887
-- the postage prices (1/2d (halfpenny) for Inland, 1d for foreign postage).
-- the dynamic of the ink on the hand written message, which suggests a pen dip technique rather than fountain pen.

But that is not where the real mystery lies. It is in the message on the back of the card.


It's a hastily hand written affair, not of the 'having a lovely time, wish you were here' holiday boast, but instead hints of something more dark, less pleasant, an eclipse on a sunny seascape.

The writing is difficult to read but Nick and I have managed to glean the following, the sections in brackets are either illegible or we've taken a guess:

Dear Mother,
Dottie is better the others are alright. Have (I) heard from Fred (illegible) is out of the question will send you a 1/- next week and after that Alex doing very little now just our luck. Sorry about Nellie I told you what it would be going back there to that underground place have send you 6 (illegible) if won (?) love from all to all
Loving dau(ghter)
May

We'd love to hear from anyone who can help us shed some light on the rest of the text or has memories of Gorleston to share.