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Post by librarylady on Apr 6, 2020 22:06:40 GMT
(inspired by a movie we recently viewed)
Have you ever received a telegram? Sent a telegram? Even seen a telegram outside of a museum display?
I have to say "no" to all of those questions.
Since the military uses telegrams to notify a family of death or MIA, then I am happy I have never received one.
Can one even send a telegram in the year 2020?
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Post by gillyp on Apr 6, 2020 22:20:06 GMT
Yes Yes Yes.  There is at least one in my house right now, possibly more, received on my wedding 45 odd years ago. I remember mom getting one from my brother saying his daughter had been born. I remember a couple of others too, in the 60s. I don’t think you can send one now but I could be wrong. |
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Post by Linda on Apr 6, 2020 22:21:09 GMT
no - the last telegrams were discontinued some years ago (I think India was the last)
I haven't received or sent one but I recently found the telegram my dad sent to my maternal grandparents when I was born in 1970 as well as the one my ex-BIL sent dad when my sister's first baby arrived in 1977.
The military sends special personnel in uniform to the notify in person nowadays.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Apr 6, 2020 22:34:39 GMT
I have one that my dad sent my mom when he got stateside after WWII.
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Post by Skellinton on Apr 6, 2020 22:37:08 GMT
I have one my brother sent me when I graduated HS as he was traveling over seas. It was awhile ago, but not THAT long ago! He sent it because he knew I would think it was cool, and it was.
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Post by Lexica on Apr 6, 2020 22:49:53 GMT
Yes, I have received one. My boyfriend (who became my husband) sent me a telegram and a box of chocolates. It was very sweet. That has been my only experience with telegrams. I don’t even recall why he chose to send it. He wasn’t out of town or anything. And we were only 12-year olds, so someone obviously had to have helped him with not only the idea but most likely in finding where to send it from.
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Post by andreasmom on Apr 6, 2020 22:50:53 GMT
Yes
No
Yes
My great aunt sent one for my birthday when I was 2? 3? . I’ll ask my mom for it.
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Post by compeateropeator on Apr 6, 2020 22:53:14 GMT
I have not received one or sent one.
But I do have one that is framed. My parents sent my grandparents one when I was born as they were in Florida for the winter. My grandmother saved it, framed it and gave it to me one Christmas.
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Post by katlady on Apr 6, 2020 23:06:55 GMT
All NO’s. And I am an older Pea too.
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basketdiva
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,699 
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Post by basketdiva on Apr 6, 2020 23:40:33 GMT
I have at least one my Dad sent my grandmother during WW2 as well a retirement congratulation one for my sent in the 1977
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Post by iteach3rdgrade on Apr 7, 2020 0:12:01 GMT
Western Union doesn't send them anymore.
I've never been sent one but it would be kind of neat to have.
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jayfab
Drama Llama
procastinating
Posts: 5,748
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Post by jayfab on Apr 7, 2020 1:28:59 GMT
Yes, I have my Aunties old trunk and in it is a telegram from a relative telling of a parent passing. My Auntie never had a phone til 1976.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:43:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2020 1:42:37 GMT
Never got one
But I found an entire roll of Christmas telegram paper ( western union). At brother in law’s house.
I am not sure what I will do with it.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Apr 7, 2020 1:52:18 GMT
Never sent one, never received one. Never seen one except on tv show or movies.
The closest I've come, is getting a note passed from one person, to the next, to the next, to me, while in elementary and/or middle School.
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Post by shelby on Apr 7, 2020 5:29:12 GMT
During WW11 we lived in government housing and because of my Dads job we were one of a handful of people who had a phone. My mom had the job to receive and then deliver the telegrams from the war department. I will never forget how heart breaking it was for her to have to deliver such tragic news to those poor families.
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Post by FrozenPea on Apr 7, 2020 5:58:36 GMT
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,493
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Apr 7, 2020 6:05:28 GMT
I have never received one or sent one, but my dad had a few in is collection of papers. One was informing a friend of his that his wife had been killed in a stage coach / train accident in New Mexico and they had her personal belongings and he could pick them up as a certain place.
I didn't think they were obsolete, so I googled.
Wiki says quite a few countries still have the service.
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hannahruth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,849
Location: Adelaide, Australia
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Post by hannahruth on Apr 7, 2020 14:54:31 GMT
DH and I received multiple telegrams for our wedding that were read out by the best man during his speech. Some were funny / smutty (sent by friends) and others more serious (sent by family/relatives) not attending the wedding.
I still have these along with wedding cards and today (08 April) is our 48th wedding anniversary! Maybe I will get them out and we can read them again and have a good laugh.
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artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,844
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Post by artbabe on Apr 7, 2020 16:25:56 GMT
I have the one my grandma was sent when her brother was killed on Okinawa in WWII.  |
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Post by Flowergirl on Apr 7, 2020 16:35:50 GMT
No never received one. Yes--sent one to my sister on the day of her wedding in 1985. I was in NY in college and she was married in CA before her DH deployed overseas. I think I said "It's a nice day for a white wedding" It was the 80's after all. Yes--I have seen one. I have some family papers and IIRC there was a telegram from my uncle to my grandparents when he was overseas in the Navy. |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 7, 2020 17:40:00 GMT
but most likely in finding where to send it from. I remember seeing the 'Western Union' signs all over. I have seen the one my grandparents got from the Army that my Uncle had been killed in New Guinea, WWII. It is now in a scrapbook my grandmother made and my cousin now has, or er son who was named after our uncle! |
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Post by yodutchess on Apr 7, 2020 18:33:47 GMT
I have some my great uncle sent home in WWII.
My friend’s mom was a typist for Western Union when we were in grade school.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:43:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2020 18:40:38 GMT
No, never sent or received one and can't remember hearing of any relatives having done so in my lifetime. And if I have seen one, it was a picture or in a museum.
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