h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

hello, just thought i'd ask your advice.
i have some love letters (all numbered and the numbers go into the 200's) from a lt s c gomez (later on says cpt gomez) to a miss m a Ritchie (referred by him as hillary in the letters).
they are beautifully written and really tell a story of long distance love. I don't know if they ever ended up together and was wondering how on earth i try and trace either of these people. She is a nurse in cairo and he is a pathologist and in some letters from baghdad.
these letters should be returned to them or to their families, and i would love to do that.
also i have lots of things from ww2 i.e collapsible bed, jacket, trousers,various books,old notes etc.and don't know what to do with them.
ant suggestions greatly appreciated
kirsty

Hi kirsty

You should be able to tell from the paper, style, etc, whether these letters are copies made by Capt Gomez, or are the originals received by Miss Ritchie. My guess is that these are the originals retained by Miss Ritchie.

From the man's surname I would guess that he was an American officer (although service in India, mentioned on your Personal Page suggests British) - but surely in over 200 letters there is some reference to his backround.

I had to go to your Personal Page to get more information. There I see that you say that the letters were found by you in the loft of your house. That would seem to indicate that they were inadvertently left by a previous occupant of your house in Gillingham.

You say "I can't seem to trace this lady as the people who lived here before don't seem to match". This is not necessarily the case: a Miss Ritchie could easily be a Mrs Robinson in later life. You would expect to find the name Ritchie only if either her parents owned the house or if she bought it as a spinster. In the first instance, I would contact the people who sold the house to you.

For other earlier occupants, I suggest that you look at the deeds to your house. The deeds will give all previous owners. If your house is still mortgaged then the deeds will be with the bank (or building society). They will not release them until the loan is fully repaid, but you should be able to examine them at the bank for a small fee.

Best wishes,

Peter