Name/Title
Letters: Everett Danby and N. Bates to Margaret Stewart, 1918Entry/Object ID
2014.7.33.10a-cDescription
This object is an envelope and two letters of condolence that were contained within it. The first letter 2014.7.33.10b is dated November 3, 1918. It is from S.L. Everett Danby offering condolences to the parents of Sefton Stewart regarding their son's passing. The second letter 2014.7.33.10c is dated October 25. It is from an individual with the surname Bates. It offers condolences to Mrs. Stewart.
2014.7.33.10a, the envelope, is made of a piece of cream/tan colored paper that has been folded into shape. It is held together with an unknown adhesive. There is an inscription in a handwritten black ink, rendered in cursive, at the center which reads "Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Stewart, Richmond (West), Ontario Canada". Another inscription at the top is badly damaged by the torn support and is illegible. There are two, possibly three, rubber stamp imprints. The first occurs on the proper bottom right corner and is rendered in blue ink. This imprint presents as a rectangle in which the words "PASSED BY CENSOR" "INITIALS" AND NO" appear. The initials field has been filled in with a black handwritten medium which reads "E.D." A second rubber stamp imprint occurs at the top center and bears two lines reading "LONDON NOV 29, 8". A third rubber stamp imprint occurs in the proper top left quadrant and reads in part "RECIEVED FROM HMS" and "NO CHARGE TO BE RAISED". It is unknown whether the second and third stamp imprints are separate stamps or part of a single larger one. There is a single incomplete stamp imprint on the back of the envelope in the top proper left quadrant rendered in black ink. This imprint appears to be a line of characters, possibly in reverse, that has been bisected along the horizontal midpoint.
2014.7.33.10b is rendered on a single piece of cream colored paper. The medium is a black handwritten ink rendered in cursive. The phrase "H.M.S. GARDENIA" appears at the proper top left corner in a printed blue ink. The back is blank.
2014.7.33.10c is rendered on a single piece of cream/brown coloured lined paper; the horizontal lines are rendered in blue ink. The medium is a grey/black ink, handwritten, rendered in cursive. The front of this letter features the words "Crookston Oct 25th at the top". The text continues to its conclusion on the back of this page.Subject Person/Organization
Everett Danby, N. Bates, Margaret (Maggie) Stewart, Pte. Sefton Inglis StewartSubject Place
Country
France, CanadaCity
RichmondProvince
OntarioContext
This object is significant as it belongs to the Sefton Stewart Collection; a series of objects pertaining to Private Sefton Stewart of Richmond who fought, and was killed, in the First World War.Collection
Artefact Collection: PrimaryLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
LetterNomenclature Primary Object Term
CorrespondenceNomenclature Sub-Class
Other DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsSearch Terms
H.M.S. GardeniaTranscription
Transcription
[Envelope Front]
On [Active] Service
[Postal stamp] LONDON NOV [abbreviated: NOVEMBER] 28.6
[Postal Stemp] RESERVED FROM H.M.S [abbreviated: His Majesty's Service] [illegible] NO CHARGE TO BE RAISED
Mr & Mrs Jas [abbreviated: James] Stewart,
Richmond (West)
Ontario Canada
[Stamp] PASSED BY CENSOR Initials E.D. No [abbreviated: Number] [blank]
[Envelope back]
[blank with a few illegible words]
[Page 1 of 3]
H.M.S.GARDENIA. c/o [abbreviated: care of] G.P.O. [abbreviated: General Post Office] London Nov 3/18 [abbreviated: November 3, 1918] Dear Mr & Mrs Stewart: - It is with deepest regret that I learned, to-day in a letter from mother, of the Death of Sefton ""killed in action"". Allow me to condole with you in this hour of trial. I was indeed very much moved when I heard it. Yours sincerely S. L. Everett Danby
[Page 2 of 3]
Crookston Oct 25th [abbreviated: October 25] Dear Mrs Stewart, Rose has written me of your loss and I want to tell you how sorry I am for you. We Mother's who have Sons' in France can feel for each other for we do not know how soon we may be called upon to lose a dear Son. It is a life of anxiety for us all. I am almost afraid to look in our paper for fear I may see the name of Leslie among the Casualties. I am very thankful that he has escaped so far. He has been in France since in April and at the front since in
[Page 3 of 3]
June. Has been in the drives since in July. They are doing good work and I hope it goes on. I remember your Son very well. It is a Sad time for all but especially for Mother's. Here is some lines I think consoling. They never fail who die in a great cause. The block may Soak their gore; Their heads may Sodden in the Sun; their limbs be strung to city gates and castle walls. But still their Spirit walks abroad. Though years elapse and others share as dark a dorm; they but augment the deep and sweeping thoughts which overpower all others and conduct the [nulal], at last, to freedom. So our boys do not die in vain. It is a noble death but our hearts ache just the same. God help you dear friend. You have my Sympathy. N. Bates.Transcriber
Nancy DaleLanguage
EnglishDimensions
Height
12 cmWidth
10.3 cmDimension Notes
Envelope, measured on an unknown date by James Riley- 2014.7.33.10aHeight
22.2 cmWidth
17.7 cmDimension Notes
Danby Letter, measured on an unknown date by James Riley- 2014.7.33.10bHeight
20 cmWidth
12.2 cmDimension Notes
Bates Letter, measured on an unknown date by James Riley- 2014.7.33.10cRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Everett Danby, N. Bates, Pte. Sefton Inglis Stewart, Margaret (Maggie) Stewart, Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian Expeditionary ForceRelated Places
Place
Country
France, CanadaCity
RichmondProvince
Ontario
