Post dated: wartime letter en route
NEW GLASGOW — The stamp cost three cents. King George’s face is on it. It was placed 78 years ago on an envelope that has yellowed in the years that followed. The date stamped on it reads June 3, 1941, 11 PM, Halifax.
When Liz Koszkulics first held the envelope in her hand she noticed it was torn at the top like it had been opened. But the letter was never delivered — or at least it doesn’t appear to have been.
This mysterious missive from a bygone era somehow made it into the general mail that arrived at the New Glasgow post office earlier this year.
“It was among the mail we were sorting that came through from Halifax,” said Koszkulics, a Canada Post employee.
But everything else about it is unknown.
“Where it came from, where it went, I don’t know.”
It’s certainly the oldest piece of undelivered mail Koszkulics has ever come across.
Partly because it’s their job and partly because they wanted to solve the mystery, posties decided to try to deliver the timeworn envelope.
The letter was addressed to a Mr. Archie Hubley of Westville, N.S. There was no civic address and no postal code (Canada introduced the latter in 1971).
The sender was simply Canadian Legion War Services, Inc. But piecing together the fact that it was from the legion and was to be delivered to a man in Westville, Koszkulics was able to connect with the Royal Canadian Legion in Westville.
Legion president Michelle Macleod Stewart and her husband Joe Stewart, the vicepresident, took it upon themselves to try to track down the person. Macleod Stewart said it was pretty amazing that the letter was found. She and her husband found a relative of Archie Hubley and, with that person present, took a look at the letter.
It was from D.J. Bourque, district entertainment officer for the Canadian Legion War Services. Bourque was lining up entertainment for concert parties which would go to Debert, Mulgrave and Parkdale to perform for troops.
Bourque's letter to Hubley asked that he bring his daughters to Frank’s Restaurant so he could check out their act.
“Would you kindly come over with the girls and perform for me,” Bourque writes. “Not that I doubt your ability, but I want to see and hear all acts so that I can more easily arrange the programs.
“If you know any other performer in Westville, and they tell me that the town is full of it, get them to come over, too. Singers, dancers, fiddlers, any one who (does entertainment) in any form.”
Archie Hubley's relative confirmed that the man is long dead, but suggested the Stewarts might be able to find one of the daughters referenced in the letter. They have since tracked down one of them, who is in her 90s and living in a nursing home in New Glasgow. From what they’ve learned, the sisters were twins and step-dancers.
Stewart said for him, the letter paints a picture of how the community worked together during the war years, whether it was soldiers who went to fight or the people at home who supported them.
“It was a real big community thing,” he said.
Macleod Stewart said the Westville Legion hopes to be able to finally deliver the letter to Archie Hubley’s daughter and other relatives on Remembrance Day during a special event at the Westville Legion at 1 p.m. She encourages the public to attend.
The Stewarts hope it brings back good memories for the daughter and that perhaps they can find out more about what happened — like if the Hubleys ever made the appointment.
Coming across the wayward letter and learning more about it has been an enlightening experience for all involved.
“The stamp is only three cents,” said Macleod Stewart. “Pretty amazing.”