Source link : https://london-news.net/unearthed-ww1-letters-illuminate-the-heart-of-a-london-clubs-heroic-legacy-and-its-mysterious-secretary/
During renovation efforts at a social club in London, a collection of letters has come to light, highlighting the support the Mildmay Club offered to its members called to duty during World War One.
Approximately 500 individuals from Hackney’s Mildmay Club enlisted in the Great War, with around 90 not returning.
“About four years ago, we initiated major renovation work that uncovered several attic spaces filled with a wealth of archival materials and letters dating back to 1888,” shared Jon Riley, a member of the committee.
“The archive team discovered how significant the club was during the First World War, along with the history of some individuals in leadership roles at that time.”
At the time, the club’s secretary was surprisingly named Ralph Manley, and the vast majority of the letters were directed to him.
He sent the Mildmay members care packages containing cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, and food to the front lines, along with regular updates, which the newly conscripted soldiers appreciated immensely.
However, Manley remains an enigmatic figure.
When the Mildmay Club sought to trace his descendants and those of the letter-writers via the genealogical website Ancestry, they found no trace of Ralph Manley in the records.
It was as if he had vanished.
“The Mildmay Club reached out to us because they were eager to learn more about him,” said Grace Tabern from Ancestry. “They had these remarkable letters, and while he was deeply involved with the club,…
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Publish date : 2025-10-31 15:54:00
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