A volunteer from the charity shop in Glenfield, Leicester, uncovered an envelope containing World War Two letters sent to a prisoner of war (POW) held in Thailand.
All that is known about how the envelope ended up at the LOROS shop is that someone had donated a set of curtains, and the letters were found tucked inside them.
The envelope which has been unspoiled is date stamped 20th January 1944, the same day Winston Churchill met with representatives of the Polish government-in-exile in an effort to break the diplomatic standoff with the Soviets.
The handwritten letters were signed by a woman called Dolly Lowe from Cuddington, a rural village about 4 miles west of Northwich, and were written to a British POW named Billy.
Sarah Forryan, area manager said: “What a wonderful find. They’ve been so well preserved, and Dolly’s writing is really clear. Wouldn’t it be lovely to find the descendants of the couple to be able to give the letters back to the family to keep as a lasting memento?
“We have an address for where Dolly once lived, so if anyone believes they have a family link, we’d love to hear from you.”
If you believe you have a family connection and want to find out more, please contact LOROS Marketing Department, Groby Road, Leicester, LE3 9QE.