Letters from families hosting evacuated children in Pendeen "I wish you all the best & trust that you will be safe & may the war end soon so that you may all be reunited" Sent from: Pendeen, Cornwall
George Adams to his parents about leave "And so my holiday started. As you can guess I spent most of my time dancing. It was smashing" Sent from: North of England
Henry Pleming to his younger brother John "We grumble and carry on as best we can, which, I suppose, is how wars are won, and at long last it looks as if we are going to win this war someday" Sent from: Ramsgate Date of letter: 3 October 1943
William Twitty to Bill Ridgwell "I will get into touch with your Commanding Officer and if that way will not stop this sordid business, then I will go to the Police" Sent from: Windsor Date of letter: 9 June 1945
Sylvia Goldstein to her fiancé Mick "I felt myself very light-hearted and content, but oh, darling, how I missed you. I almost felt myself turning round at times expecting to find you there to share something amusing with me." Sent from: London Date of letter: 15 August 1945
Raymond Cosson to his daughter Nellie and family "The sky was overhung with a huge pall of smoke hiding the sun, and it was raining cinders and burnt material." Sent from: London Date of letter: 17 May 1941
Hilda Drury to her daughter Joan "I only hope we get through alright, our home is still safe, we had it terrible on Saturday night we all thought our house had got it but only dust and dirt everywhere. I was up out of the shelter at 6.30 on Sunday morning and soon had it all cleaned up." Sent from: Lewisham, London Date of letter: 11 July 1944
David Mitchell to his daughter Ivy “Bear up for your children’s sake which we all must try and do although it’s very hard after being bombed out of 2 homes and losing one of your dear ones” Sent from: Dagenham, Essex Date of letter: 27 April 1941
Billy Bond to his mother "My pipe is going fine. I only finish early enough to go out about twice a week and I suppose that sitting in the mess watching the other chaps smoking pipes made me take it up." Sent from: RAF Bicester Date of letter: 11 February 1941
Gladys Jackson to her brother Wallie "We’re all longing for that day Wallie, when you’re sitting here having a cup of Mum’s tea, still chin up, it can’t be much longer now" Sent from: Willesden, London Date of letter: 4 September 1945
Veronica Jewell to her fiancé John Moverley "All the afternoon we were in and out of the house all day watching everyone get ready for the street tea parties, and of course had to join in the fun, dancing and singing." Sent from: Cardiff
Kathleen Jenkins to her husband Geoffrey "Colin quite enjoyed seeing all the flags etc but didn’t know what it was all about. I pray God he will never have to see another war but I don’t feel absolutely certain of it and I’ve got an idea who we shall be fighting too." Date of letter: 10 May 1945
Lillian Smith to Albert Edward Lane "Starting today there is a twenty per cent tax on all luxuries, such as cosmetics, hand creams, nail polish." Sent from: Watford Herts Date of letter: 1 April 1944
Stanley Poulton to his son Peter "Great news since I wrote last, isn’t it. I went and got very drunk on V.E. night. I didn’t intend to but the pubs kept open till 12 and we kept celebrating till they shut." Sent from: Hungerford, Berkshire Date of letter: 12 May 1945
Herbert Reed to his wife Hilda "Less than eight weeks to wait for leave - assuming that fate is kind - and why shouldn't she be? We're an awfully nice couple!" Sent from: Wadebridge Cornwall Date of letter: 15 April 1944
Inez Richardson to her husband Richard "I have a lot of jobs waiting for you when you come home. I know you will enjoy doing them for me" Sent from: Irlam, Manchester Date of letter: 21 January 1944
Harry Woolacott’s letters to his family “I have had quite enough of seeing the great big world, I can assure you and am looking forward very much to getting back to Vera and Tessa” Date of letter: 26 August 1940
Joan Parsons to Uncle Frank about the blitz in Coventry "Coventry is not the old Coventry any more. The centre of the town is wiped out and every street has, it seems, received heavy damage." Sent from: Kenilworth Road, Coventry Date of letter: 4 December 1940
Emily Ann Hope to her son Leslie "I am keeping quite well, but oh the standing at the shops. hours of it makes me so tired." Sent from: Eccles, Manchester Date of letter: 6 June 1944
John Sparkes to his brother Bill in Coventry "It seems as though we people who have got to do the fighting have got to sit back and watch you poor devils fight with your backs to the wall, but Bill we all admire you for it, keep it up" Sent from: HMS Newcastle Date of letter: 26 October 1940
Monty Northorpe to his family "Keep these dance tickets as souveniers of V day please. I danced from 8 till 12 continuous" Sent from: Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales Date of letter: 9 May 1945
To my grandfather Albert from his mother "Soon as I finished this letter we had 3 hours warning and they was dropping flares. I believe it was Bristol that was getting it hot" Sent from: Cwmbach, Aberdare
Julia Adams to her son Frank "Cheerio and all the best and a speedy return home" Sent from: Manchester Date of letter: 22 November 1944
Edmund Anderson to his parents "The Russians are doing well, aren’t they?" Sent from: East Kirkby Date of letter: 31 July 1944
Victor Townsend to his sister Grace and Arthur Portman "Give me Yorkshire any time" Sent from: Preston-on-Wye, Herefordshire
William Manson to his son Daniel Manson "I had no sooner left the house when word came over the wireless that the war in Europe was finished and that Tuesday was to be VE Day and Wednesday VE plus 1 day" Sent from: Glasgow Date of letter: 7 May 1945
Jean Crawley’s diary of VE Day "VE Day. No school. Hooray. Went up to London again. Saw Churchill at Whitehall on Ministry of Health Building. All the H.o.P. was floodlit. Didn't get in till 1.30am" Sent from: South London
Edward James McLeay to his mother Elizabeth Mary Alice McLeay "I know you think Hilda is a nice girl and I am sure you will agree she is the right girl for me"
Mrs Vera Guest to her husband Sgt Douglas Guest "You can imagine me sitting at the bureau in the dining room, with Dash asleep beside me, Elizabeth asleep in her cot. I cannot go out to celebrate and don’t feel I want to without you, but at the same time I feel a little forlorn, and no doubt you can understand it." Sent from: Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk Date of letter: 8 May 1945
English (UK)English (UK)
