The other week I asked through this blog for help in tracing the embroiderer of this lovely panel. I knew from the stitcker on the back that the name was E Hornby Letts, but I could trace no other details relating to this person. Now thanks to some wizard sleuthing by Sherelyn in the USA - a professional genealogy researcher - I have learnt that she is Elizabeth Hornby Letts and she passed away on Christmas Eve in a care home in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. Sherelyn says : If I'm not mistaken, her maiden name was Alice Elizabeth Hornby and she was from originally from Salisbury, Wiltshire. It appears that her embroideries were passed to the charity store when she was moved from her home to the care home. Sherelyn went on to tell me that About 10 years ago, I found a woman's charming 1945 diary in an antique store here in Santa Cruz. In 2009, I finally got around to tracking down the woman's descendants. Her grandson, now in his late 70's, was so grateful . . . and I must tell you that the experience easily topped any of my work for paying clients. Since then, I've made it a practice to search for any family heirlooms (everything from photos to needlework to guns) that may have been sold or discarded by others who did not recognize the value of such family treasures Thank you so much Sherelyn!
What an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful! I would love to see it up close.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth would be so pleased that you chose to rescue one of her treasures and continue her enjoyment of needlework. We all hope to share that with others along the way.
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