WWII-Era Love Letters, Artifacts Discovered Under English Hotel’s Wood Floors

Photos: Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society FacebookA trove of artifacts and love letters dating from World War II was discovered under an English hotel’s wood flooring, Smithsonian Magazine reports.

The hotel, located in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, was undergoing historic renovations when the discovery was made under the floorboards of a first-floor utility closet. Artifacts include 1940s cigarette packages, chocolate wrappers, toothpaste and cans of Vaseline and tobacco. But the most intriguing discovery was a series of unsigned wartime love letters describing daily life during the period.

“The letters are extremely evocative and bring home the personal emotions of people who experienced the traumas brought about as a result of war,” the Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society, which has been documenting the findings, said in a recent Facebook post.

The society has launched an investigation to uncover the fate of the writers of the letters. The letters can be read here.