Absence makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

 



It's Valentine's Day. Unlikely that any of us has been out for a meal or a romantic weekend away this year. Scanning the collections to support today's blog post, I decided to incorporate a photograph of the wonderful First World War sweetheart pin cushion. The intricate work undertaken by recuperating soldiers. But last week, I was sorting out some boxes in the Museum and came across some letters written in June 1916. 

We hold many letters in the collections. Some are donated as part of a larger collection of objects. I carefully opened one archive box and came across a collection of letters written during the First World War. I gently took the letters out of the box to have a closer look. Written by a soldier to his Workington wife, they are chatty and warm and start with an affectionate greeting which highlights their relationship. 'Dearest Sweetheart' starts much of the correspondance but the last part of one of the letters shows the tenderness between the couple and I couldn't resist photographing it for the purpose of this valentine blog post. 


Soldiers wrote letters in their spare time although censorship restricted what they were allowed to include in their letters. Receiving letters also boosted soldier's morale and kept them connected with home. This letter is written by a soldier to his wife and shows his deep affection for her. Preserved in a protective sleeve, the letter is fragile but even after a hundred years the words still stand out from the paper. It seems appropriate to share these sentiments with everyone today.

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