SUCHÝ MLÝN (UNHOŠŤ) – In the history of emancipation in the Bohemian lands, Ludmila Bozděchová — a member of Náprstek's American Ladies' Club — plays a significant role as the first female postal official in Austria-Hungary. Women were not permitted to work in post offices at the time, and it was precisely this that Ludmila resolved to change.
She wrote a letter to the Emperor:
"My intention is to request some position at the Imperial and Royal State Telegraph in Prague, which, according to the enclosed certificates, could be granted; yet the goal of my endeavours and aspirations can only be achieved if Your Imperial and Royal Majesty most graciously sees fit to declare that: 'Women may be employed at state telegraphs and post offices as officials.'"
She subsequently arranged an audience with Emperor Franz Joseph I and presented him with statistics demonstrating that the monarchy contained more women than men, and that a poor woman without a dowry had no chance of succeeding; the only option was therefore to find employment.
The Emperor granted her request: from 1 January 1872 he permitted the employment of women in post offices, and Ludmila thus became the first Czech female postal official and the first female telegraphist.
What connection does this have with Unhošť and specifically with this postcard? Suchý Mlýn belonged to the Bozděch family — Ludmila's uncle lived there. Ludmila sent the postcard to California with greetings from her summer stay at her uncle's home. She was around 60 years old at the time, and still bore her maiden name, as female telegraphists were required to remain celibate, much like female teachers.
Postcard from the collections of the Muzeum Kladenska.