Sunderland church choirboy's 'remember me' plea found 125 years on
- Published
The note has inspired the "Dear Friend" project, inviting people to reply to William
An orphanage choirboy's plea not to be forgotten has been unearthed 125 years after it was written.
Workmen restoring Sunderland Parish Church discovered the note, addressed to a "Dear Friend" stuffed down the side of one of the pews.
It was written by William Elliot on the back of a chorister's order of service sheet dated 11 August 1897.
The 13-year-old asks whoever finds it not to throw it away but "keep it in remembrance of me".
The note has been described as "deeply touching"
It was found while the church, also known as Holy Trinity, was being converted into a performance, celebration and event space.
Research by volunteers at Seventeen Nineteen, which runs the Grade I listed Georgian building, established that William was housed at the nearby Sunderland Orphan Asylum.
He was admitted after his father, chief officer Thomas Duncan Elliott, was washed overboard while sailing on the vessel Skyros in 1887.
Conservationists removed decades of dirt, dust and layers of wax polish to reveal William's words, written in pencil.
The church has now been turned into a performance and event space
They read: "Dear friend, whoever finds this paper think of William Elliott who had 2 months and 2 weeks and 4 days on the 11 of August 1897.
"Whoever you are that finds this paper don't tear it up or throw it away... keep it in remembrance of me, W. Elliott... I was the leading boy of this choir... I love you if you love me…"
On 29 October 1897, just weeks after he wrote them and on his 14th birthday, he was discharged from the orphanage.
Tracey Mienie, Seventeen Nineteen's centre manager, said: "His letter has touched us all.
"He was clearly very aware that his time at the orphanage - and in the choir - was ending and I think apprehension at what his future may hold comes across in his words."
The find has inspired the Dear Friend project which is inviting people to write a letter back to William.
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