I got a letter today. A proper letter, handwritten, on paper and from a stranger. I felt like Jane Austen until I e-mailed in reply. Until the 1970's most undergraduate students had to spend their second and third years in lodgings in the town (within 3 miles of Great St Mary's church) and our letter writer had spent his two years lodging with a young family in our house in the 1950's. It's not the sort of living arrangements our current students would expect but he clearly enjoyed his time with them and is trying to find them again. We have no information about our predecessors that far back but I will call in on a few of our elderly neighbours and see if they can help out.
Three good things:
1. A little bit of detective work
2. I'm not outside in this totally hideous weather (just wondering if I can talk Nigel into going out to shut the hens in)
3. Lots of lovely comments. I know I don't do general thanks in reply to comments but I really do appreciate them.
Wonderful composition Judith, very Jane Austen and such lovely handwriting. Very sad that it is so uncommon to receive a proper handwritten letter like this. I hope you manage to help him, Perhaps the census?
A proper letter how exciting & even more the reason why. A little project for tomorrow & a chance to visit your neighbours.........might be lots of tea & cake!!
I like the sepia & his letter behind those pretty Cambridge spires, wonder what he would make of his hand writing going all over the world!!
@fueast I spent half the afternoon working out people's ages and where they would fit in. I think he must be about 75. My old next door neighbour would have remembered them (but she died :0( ) so I'm trying her son. ALso my attached neighbour would have been here then but he is Greek and deaf so I'll have to try and catch his daughters when they visit. As it happens a policeman who does karate with Nigel told us that he used to snog his girlfriend in our porch (she lived here!) and I think it's very probably that her parents bough t the house from the target family so hopefully somebody will at least get closer to finding them.
My husband came home early today and put all of the animals away for me tonight - such a treat! I love that feeling when you have done it all and know you don't have to go out again when the weather is cold.
National disgrace that you emailed your reply but as this is such a glorious pic and because of such well documented detective work you will be forgiven!!! Come on Nigel, out to see the chookies.....
@happypat He would have done tonight if I'd looked a bit more pathetic but he was standing around in a T-shirt and I already had umpteen layers on - I couldn't stand the thought of him going out in the T-shirt!
a great little story judoth and a clever shot to go with it. The big question that nobody has asked you is which 'detective' will you model yourself on / aspire to be ? I know it's Cambridge rather than Oxford but you could be a lady Lewis...northern roots , well thought of in the community, using good old detective work , sounding out your friends for the best way to prgress :)
Lovely picture, your story reminds me of the time I found 2 Australians on my doorstep, their uncle use to live in my house a long time ago so I invited them in to have a look around as they'd co.e such a long way!
Lovely photograph, beautiful tones and contrasts. I hope the writer finds the family. I grew up in a college town and we had several student roomers of whom I have fond memories, especially Johnny who helped me with math!
What a creatively composed shot, Judith! And what a great sleuthing opportunity. The photo is a fav but only if you promise to keep us updated on your detective work.
This is so lovely and truly fitting the tremendous occasion of receiving a letter. I really liked the story of this shot, too. I hope the guy finds his "family" - keep us updated, will you :)? Fav, by the way.
Another fav. Love the story and the illustration. A letter from a stranger is so inherently romantic. A friend of mine had something a bit similar recently - he was contacted by a man who'd been going through his family's wartime diaries, and his (now deceased) aunt had looked after my friend's dad as a little boy, during the kindertransport.
I always meant to try and trace the descendants of the (huge) family that we found out from the census lived in our two-up two-down in the late 1800's. Never did though.
Such a wonderful story and a spot-on perfect photo interpretation! I wish you luck in tracking down the former occupants of your house...and please keep us posted. I'm hooked. :)
Ooooooo clever you what a fabulous edit, really eye catching and encompasses the whole story......how fascinating, I have had complete strangers knock on my door wanting to tell me their parents/grandparents lived here, even had them staying, love a bit of history!! Best of luck with your challenge
Love the image with the use of a real letter. And a great story - not sure I'd have liked to lodged liked this as a student - certainly would have had less beers though.
@jewelsandbinoculars Oooh I bet that was an emotional event - the kinder transport story is simultaneously fantastic and incredibly tragic. Can't imagine making that decision.
Love the composition of this Judith.....Ooooh a letter I haven't had one of those for ages, well I can't remember the last time!!! you could tag this for the mundane challenge (Language) fav
That is great! Wonderful idea. Good work!
Favorite for me.
I like the sepia & his letter behind those pretty Cambridge spires, wonder what he would make of his hand writing going all over the world!!
My husband came home early today and put all of the animals away for me tonight - such a treat! I love that feeling when you have done it all and know you don't have to go out again when the weather is cold.
I'll be in Cambridge tomorrow and again on Saturday, so if you're out and about I might bump into you!
I hope he finds them.
I always meant to try and trace the descendants of the (huge) family that we found out from the census lived in our two-up two-down in the late 1800's. Never did though.
http://365project.org/tags/mundane-language