Family solve mystery of 1955 letter under a tree in Wolverhampton

Family solve mystery of 1955 letter under a tree in Wolverhampton

In Wolverhampton, a 70-year-old mystery revolving around a letter found beneath a tree at a residence may have finally been resolved. The letter, dated January 1955, originated from a hotel in Torquay, Devon, and was addressed to a JR Gwilt at Stafford Road in Fordhouses. Recently discovered by a gardener undertaking some landscaping work nearby, the letter outlined room costs at the hotel and has since sparked intrigue.

Carole Griffiths, a niece of the intended recipient, Mr. Gwilt, noted that her uncle tied the knot in April of the same year the letter was written. Speculating that the letter likely pertained to his honeymoon plans, she expressed excitement at stumbling upon this piece of family history. It was revealed that Mr. Gwilt and his wife, Barbara, frequented Torquay, especially during Mr. Gwilt’s childhood, making the discovery all the more poignant.

Gardener Adam Elshaw stumbled upon the letter while tending to the garden a few weeks prior, with the current homeowners unaware of its existence. The letter, originating from Ashleigh Court in Torquay, detailed Mr. Gwilt’s inquiry about potential accommodation, revealing room rates and meal inclusions. Mrs. Griffiths surmised that the letter’s timing aligns with her relatives’ honeymoon plans due to their marriage in April of the same year.

Mr. Gwilt resided at Stafford Road, where his family operated a butchers shop, before relocating to Woodthorne Road in Tettenhall where the letter was eventually discovered. Mrs. Griffiths marveled at the serendipitous reunion with this relic of her family’s past and speculated about its journey to the tree where it was found. Following Mr. Gwilt’s passing a decade ago and Barbara’s demise three years prior, the family sold the residence within the past year. The Gwilt children, David and Jane, expressed gratitude to Mr. Elshaw for his attentiveness in uncovering this sentimental artifact

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