Love Letters from the past
05th February 2010
John Glasson Thomas was born in St Ives in 1889 and became a teacher at the Board School. He moved to London to continue his teaching career and volunteered to join the Army in 1915.
After some training at St Ives with the local Territorial Army he joined the 1/7th Company, Cornwall Garrison Artillery.
He was posted to Pendennis Castle where he stayed until October 1916, when he was sent to France.
The young man had met Gerty Brooks at the local Methodist Church in East London, and throughout his time in the Army they corresponded regularly.
John Glasson Thomas grew up in St Ives so the town's Archive Study Centre was contacted by the Archivist at Pendennis Castle who felt that the letters and accompanying photographs would have greater exposure if they could be held locally. The family, therefore, agreed that they be donated to the Archive Centre early in 2009.
Ted Lever from the centre says: "The letters were passed down through the family including some in Australia and eventually they were given to Pendennis Castle because Thomas spent a lot of time around the 1915 period at the castle which was then a training centre for the Royal Garrison Artillery.
"The interesting thing about the letters is that they are very formal. They started Dear Miss Brooks and they continue in that way for some time. Then after 8 months they meet up again and spend the weekend with a group of friends playing tennis. From then on the letters begin Dear Gerty. You can see the developing relationship between the two within the letters. "
"Of course we only have the one side of the relationship as we only have his letters. We have this man who was full of fun and a zest for life. Somebody that people can relate too. But his letters also tells the story of the war. He passed through the ranks very quickly. He was a man of all seasons. As time went on it became his turn to go to France. "
John Glasson Thomas died of wounds sustained in August 1917.
Gerty Brooks was never to marry and visited St Ives regularly in the following years to remain in touch with John Glasson Thomas' relatives. Her side of the correspondence remained with the Brooks family until it was donated to Pendennis Castle over 80 years later.
The new display not only reproduces some of John Glasson Thomas' poignant letters, it also provides information on his family background and Army career.
This has been put together as a result of new research undertaken by volunteers at the Archive Study Centre with the assistance of English Heritage and Jeannette Harris another family member.
The exhibition of letters can be seen through until Saturday 27 February 2010 at the Greta Williams Room in St Ives Library.
Source: BBC