A valuable letter signed by King George V was unearthed by a charity shop manager as he rifled through a bag full of donations.
It is believed a mystery benefactor deliberately left the historic letter in the bag of bric-a-brac as a kind-hearted gesture.
The anonymous donor dropped off the bag at the Little Haven Children's Hospice shop but the store's manager Ken Coley had no idea what he would find.
As he rummaged through the bag in the Chelmsford shop, he came across a letter signed by King George V to a soldier on his return from the First World War.
He also found a turn of the century pocket watch.
Mr Coley decided to have the unusual artefacts valued and was told the watch was worth £100 and the letter £50 to £100.
The letter is written on Buckingham Palace headed note paper, dated 1918, and is addressed to Private Cree, although it is not known if he was a local man, and is one of a number of letters written to troops returning from the First World War.
"It's a pity that we didn't see who brought them in so we could thank whoever it was."
The antiques are now set to go on display at the charity's Moulsham Street furniture shop.
Anyone interested in buying the items can contact Mr Coley at the shop on 01245 492662 and if you can help shed some light on the mystery benefactor, or our sister paper the Chelmsford Weekly News on 01245 493444.
Published Friday, January 3, 2003
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