Couple hoping to trace rightful owner of letters

APPEAL: Envelope containing postcards, photographs and a will found at boot sale

A Perth couple are hoping to find the rightful owner of letters and postcards from the First World War, discovered in a car boot sale haul.

Ann and James Doig found the envelope, which includes photographs and a will, when looking through a box of second-hand items they planned to sell .

They are all addressed to Mary Murphy, 12 Station Road, Cowdenbeath. Most are from a soldier named Willie Mccormick, sometimes referred to as Willie Mack, but some were sent by a Michael Murphy.

Ann said they found the brightlycoloured envelope three years ago but were unsure how best to track down Mary’s descendants.

“I’m not sure how long we’ve had it but I came across it about three years ago,” she said.

“With the 100th anniversary and Remembrance Sunday I thought now is the time to do it because people will be talking about relatives from that time and it might jog someone’s memory.”

James used to be a frequent visitor to local car boot sales and Ann thinks the envelope may have come from a sale at Mcdiarmid Park.

She hopes someone will recognise Mary in the photo, which was taken outside a house in Cowdenbeath. On the back it reads “59 Foulford Street”.

Ann said: “I hope someone recognises the name or even the address.”

The postcards signed by Willie Mack were pre-written, with various phrases to score out and leave the ones most applicable. They were dated between March and August 2018 and read “I am quite well”. There are similar postcards from Michael Murphy, sent between December 1915 and February 1916.

One letter from Willie to Mary, dated 16 August 1918 said: “Dear Mary, I am on my way home and will probably be seeing you about the 23rd or 24th, but I will write from home when I arrive there.

“I intend seeing John [illegible] in the infirmary if possible.

“Best regards, Willie Mack.” There is also a will for Michael Murphy, referring to him as a retired miner of Refectory Road, Cowdenbeath. His sons, Archibald and William, are mentioned.

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Letters from the First World War which were picked up at a car boot sale.