Curators Choice – Bill’s Letters to Home

William ‘Bill’ Smith lived on Cottage Beck Road in Scunthorpe. His fiancé Evelyn Goodacre lived with her parents in Messingham. Bill wrote over 100 letters home to Evelyn whilst serving in the Navy.

Most of the letters were written after the end of the Second World War. Bill is waiting to be demobbed so he can return home and marry Evelyn. Though we only have Bill’s letters, the story told is one of longing to be home and the boredom of waiting around as wartime transitions to peace.

In this video, Collections Officer Rebecca Lucas takes a closer look at the love story portrayed in the letters.

Focus On

Curators Choice – Airgraphs

A closer look at two Airgraphs from the collection.

Watch the film

Curators Choice – Atkinson’s Illustrations

A closer look at the drawings of Alfred Atkinson for the Brigg Court of Sewers.

Watch the film

Curators Choice – Fowler’s Mosaics

A closer look at William Fowler of Winterton’s engravings of mosaics.

Watch the film

Curators Choice – Riley’s Crisp Factory

A closer look at Scunthorpe’s Riley’s Crisp Factory.

Watch the film

Curators Choice – Stukeley’s Itinerarium Curiosum

A closer look at William Stukeley’s book, the Itinerarium Curiosum.

Watch the film

Curators Choice – The Wroot Axe

A closer look at the Neolithic Wroot Axe.

Watch the film