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This is great.


A friend of mine recently moved to the top of Crystal Palace Road (but shockingly not yet on the EDF) removed the 1950s panelling to the rear of his front door and discovered a letter saying 'Secret - open me'.


Inside he deiscovered a letter written in 1955 by a 7-year old girl called Miriam Horwood, who had lived at the same address. The letter had aaprently remained undiscovered all this time.


The big question is, does anyone know anything about her? She'll be in her early 60s by now, but could still be in the area. It would be great to put them in touch.

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https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/7973-secret-letter-in-the-panelling/
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I don't know about any Miriam Horwood but I usually leave a letter laminated in plastic in a place I know will be sealed for many years to come. In the new nursing quarters that have been built for the new St Thomas's hospital is a half bottle of Scotch (cheap) with a letter addressed to the next person who tears down the stud walling it says," You will find his when I'm an elderly man or even dead. My name is XXXXXXXX XXXXXX. Have a drink on me". I'm not the only person to do it but I think it's nice to leave a message that'll cross time after I'm gone. I copied this gesture from the jokers that pioneered the idea by leaving a bottle of wine or scotch in one of the Dinosaurs in Crystal Palace park with a letter addressed to the next maintenance crew.


I think Miriam has/had a healthy sense of humour, whoever she is or was. Leave her be.

Oh and some contractors will offer a local school the chance to leave a time capsule in a deep foundation pad in a galvanised steel pod. There's one in the foundations of the new build going on outside Victoria station where the old Abford house used to be.

mlteenie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This is great.

>

> A friend of mine recently moved to the top of

> Crystal Palace Road (but shockingly not yet on the

> EDF) removed the 1950s panelling to the rear of

> his front door and discovered a letter saying

> 'Secret - open me'.

>

> Inside he deiscovered a letter written in 1955 by

> a 7-year old girl called Miriam Horwood, who had

> lived at the same address. The letter had

> aaprently remained undiscovered all this time.

>

> The big question is, does anyone know anything

> about her? She'll be in her early 60s by now, but

> could still be in the area. It would be great to

> put them in touch.




Was the letter in any way interesting?


Did she predict England would win the world cup in just a decade's time and that Spurs would be the first team to win the Double?


Did she say what she thought of the schools?


Or did it say - why have you removed this panelling, it cost my Mum and Dad a lot of money and they thought it looked really nice.

Ker-smirk.


Sadly no predictions. The letter just said 'write to me', although the address was that very house....


The panelling was of the 1950s 'cover up those unsightly Victorian mouldings and get the modern smooth hardboard look' variety. Same went for the bannisters. Impressive.


I stuck a glossy property mag in the wall of my bathroom when I redid it so that someone may enjoy the styles and prices of the early 21stC. I like the boatly whisky (cheap) idea much better, tho.

When I was a little girl and being very unhappy, I wrote a letter to the older me, and I still have it in my diaries.

I sort of remember what I said, basically outlining why I was so unhappy and why I was so impatient to be out of there and to be treated fairly and so on. It would probably upset me very much to read it now, especially being as I am happy and in control and so on. Childhood can be so horrid - I do hope Miriam Horwood is happy and content.


Did you get any joy from Mr Beesley? He may write about it in the next Peckham Society Newsletter or if there is an East Dulwich equivalent. He lives in East Dulwich. Someone may know her from there.

  • 2 years later...

Hello - I am Miriam Horwood, now aged 63 and three quarters! I lived at 138 Crystal Palace Road from 1950-1961 in which time my dad, a fanatical DIYer did a huge amount of work to the house. As someone has said, it was all about covering up all the lovely original features including the door and banisters. He also painted the banisters bright red! In addition to the two letters found I think I also left one in the boarded over fire place, I believe, in the basement back room but I cannot be sure.

It is really interesting to hear that my letters were found as I have referred to them every now and again and wondered if or who might have discovered them. Alas, I am pretty sure no gold sovereigns were hidden!

We moved away to Kent, to a bungalow, and both my parents are now dead but they would have been really interested to know that my letters were found and that Dad's panelling had lasted all those years.

It was just a fluke that I googled my name and found this website. I note that it was in 2009 that all this interest was going on so hope I am not too late to get in touch.

I remember now that it was 318 and not 138 Crystal Palace Road that I lived. Our neighbours, attached, were the Gibbs, with a boy a little older than me called Ken. Further down the road lived the Halls with my friend, Jennifer who was my age and had a brother, Michael. There was also a family called 'Snell' and twin boys, David and Edwin but cannot remember their surnames. Do any of the above ring a bell?

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