When a member of staff bought a Singer sewing machine from a Norwich charity shop, she discovered a love letter that has remained hidden for the best part of 50 years.

Karen explains…

While shopping in Norwich, I noticed a fantastic Singer sewing machine with a Lotus flower design, in the window of the Oxfam shop. I went in and bought it, but then there was the problem of getting it home. With my son’s help we managed to get it as far as Tombland before giving up and getting a taxi home. Hidden in the base we discovered a folded letter. It seemed to be a love letter from an injured husband (Harry) to his wife (Jess) dated 31 July 1946.  Unfortunately no surnames or location are mentioned.

Below is the full transcript of the letter

No 9 Ward
You know where
31.7.46

Dear Jess
Many thanks for letter
though I did not mention it
when you were up wed:
I see you write that many
Thoughts have passed through
your mind since I have
been gone. Well since I
have been here I have
done the same thing but
possibly my thoughts have
not run in exactly the same way.
What changes in me you will
find I don’t know, maybe
the old husband you knew
or maybe a better one.
Shall I say it has taken
something more than our usual

routine life to bring us
closer together and let
us hope that it will
remain so, so long as
we live.
Really speaking the loss
of one eye is not such
a handicap as you might
think, so please when I
come home don’t make
me think I’ve only brought
half a body home.
You see what I want to
do is forget I ever lost it
though I don’t suppose
our Scamp will let me
for a little while, still
I shant mind: you know
that.

I know from your letter
that you are really waiting
for me to come home and
believe me I am just waiting for that day.
Well love perhaps I have
written a lot and said
nothing but I know you will understand.
Love from
Harry xxxxxx

Here in the Norfolk Record Office this moving letter can be preserved and cared for, allowing future generations to look back in time and rediscover this period of our history. Everyone at the Norfolk Record Office would love to know more about the circumstances surrounding the letter and even the identity of the couple.  Do you have any ideas?