After lying undiscovered in a church pew, for 125 year, an anonymous message from an orphanage choirboy asking not to be forgotten was found.
The letter by 13-year-old William Elliott was written on August 11 1897 on the back of a chorister’s order of service at Sunderland Parish Church.
The restoration of the Grade I Georgian listed building was completed during lockdown. Seventeen Nineteenteen was created as an event space. That’s when the note was found.
Tracey Mienie, Centre manager, at the spot where the letter was discovered (Seventeen Nineteen/PA).
Conservationists removed decades of grime, dirt and polish from the paper so that the words could be read.
William wrote in pencil “Dear friend, whoever finds this paper think of William Elliott who had two months and two weeks and four days on the 11 of August 1897.
“Whoever you are that finds this paper don’t tear it up or throw it away … keep it in remembrance of me, W Elliott … I was the leading boy of this choir …
“I love you if you love me.”
Research by Seventeen Nineteen volunteers revealed William’s father was chief officer Thomas Duncan Elliott who was sailing on the vessel Skyros when he was washed overboard in 1887.
The restoration of the Grade I Georgian-listed building was completed during lockdown (Mike Veitch/PA).
William’s mother Sarah Ann Elliott was left a widow with four children and, although the family had been fairly comfortable until then, by 1891 she was working as a dressmaker to keep the family afloat.
William was eligible for admittance to the orphanage after his father’s death and was ultimately accepted the following year.
He was discharged on October 29 1897, his 14th birthday – just weeks after he wrote his letter.
He avoided the sea unlike other orphanage boys and instead worked as a solicitor in his locality after leaving.
The trail becomes colder after 1901 and William is no more.
But next to the framed copy of his letter, which hangs in the church’s Lady Chapel next to the very seat in which the boy composed it, is a wooden plaque commemorating the dead of the Great War.
(William’s) letter touched all of us. His time in the orphanage and in the choir was coming to an end, and he was very conscious of that. I believe his fear about the future is evident in his words
Centre manager Tracey Mienie
And, listed among the dozens of names of the parish’s fallen men and boys, is an individual with the same name but different spelling – W Elliot.
Seventeen Nineteen, inspired by William’s plea for remembrance, launched The Dear Friend project. This invites anyone who would like to write a letter back at William.
Centre manager Tracey Mienie said: “His letter has touched us all.
“He was clearly very aware that his time at the orphanage, and in the choir, was ending and I think apprehension at what his future may hold comes across in his words.”