Local resident Kate Thompson has already featured in Sunbury Matters as her house on Thames Street boasts a huge bread oven, used by villagers in the 18th-19th century (issue 87, May 2018).
Kate Thompson is now researching another interesting piece of history relating to her house. Her trusty postie pointed out to her that her very unusual letter box (see right) was in fact a ’love letter’ box and dates back to the 18th century when there was a craze for writing love letters, often delivered several times a day. The handle suggests two arms, hand meeting in a kind of heart. It is very beautiful, if rather impractical for larger letters we are used to today (not to mention Amazon parcels!). Kate was fascinated. She is keen to find out more, with a view to writ-ing a book. Do you know anything of the previous female occupants of 70 Thames Street? Says Kate “It’s got me thinking about the previous women occupants of the house and whether they found love or heart-break/sadness, or both. It’s really got under my skin thinking of all the women who must have lived here over the past 270 years through wars, and industrial revolution and pandemics”.
Apparently there was an old lady called Betty Barclay Miller who lived in the house 20 years ago, living to a grand old age. Appar-ently the house was virtually falling down around her ears. An owl used to roost in the top bedroom, the walls were crumbling and ivy smothered the windows. According to a local source, in her younger years Betty and her husband lived in fine style, surrounded by grand paintings and silver wear. After his death (his ashes were scattered under the tree in the back garden) it all fell apart. Betty end-ed up in a nursing home in Sunbury and sadly the house was plundered and all her silver-wear and paintings were stolen.
So can you help us find out more about Betty or any other women who lived at 70 Thames Street?
It would also be fascinating to know if any-one else in Sunbury has an unusual letterbox. Or maybe there may even be a letterbox aficionado out there who can help shed some light on the subject.
We hope the ladies of 70 Thames Street found the great love this letterbox seems to promise!
If you have any information on Betty or any of the other female residents of 70 Thames Street, or you have any information on love letter boxes please contact Kate Thompson on email
katherinethompson82@gmail.com.