
Double sided aluminium record with a personal message on one side and an advertising message for Harrods Department store on the other side. Record came in a branded 'A Voice Record' brown paper envelope with a handwritten message 'To Melda Happpy Birthday from Grandma 1935' on it. Recording was made in London, most likely in Harrods Department store, for Melda who was turning 3. Melda Ottigen was born in Birmingham and at the time of the recording, her grandmother Marie Rowbottom lived in London. In the recording Marie, sends her wishes and apologises to Melda that she can't come to her birthday party as 'she can't get on the puffer train today'. 'Puffer train' was a term used to describe steam trains to children at this time. Melda moved to Australia in the early 1950s. Recording made in automatic booth in the United Kingdom. Voice Records booths were introduced into the United Kingdom and placed in tourist destinations where people could record personal messages.
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