Methodist Central Hall, Roof view looking East, with Westminster Cathedral & Abbey on the right. Courtesy Mpilcher84, Wikimedia
Author of Letter: Noah C Draper, 29 yrs old
Dated: Mar 4, 1917 (shows Feb 4, but should be March based on content)
Mailed from: London, England
Attached to: HMS Bacchante
Profession: Farmer, Temporary Sailor
Rank: Ordinary Seaman, Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve
Addressed to: Mrs. N.C. Draper, Keswick, Ont.
Relationship: Wife
Writing instrument: Fountain Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: 8"x10" medium weight, written on both sides of one sheet with letterhead from the King George and Queen Mary Victoria League Club, for Men of the Oversea Forces, 1a, Dover Street, Piccadilly, Westminster.
People mentioned in this letter:
Ethel* - Ethel Isabel Nelson Draper, 27 yrs old, Noah's wife of 6 yrs
The kiddies -
- Mildred* aka Midge, 3 yrs old
- James David* aka Jay, 9 months old (later called JD)
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- London* - Capital city of England
- Buckingham Palace
- Westminster Cathedral & Abbey
- YMCA*
- Methodist church aka Wesleyan Central Hall**
- Post Office Savings Bank
- Toronto*, Ontario, Canada (where Noah enlisted)
- pound - British monetary unit
Word or Phrase Use:
- hubby
- kiddies
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing, or use the search box in the header at the top of this page
** see History Notes below
Dated: Mar 4, 1917 (shows Feb 4, but should be March based on content)
Mailed from: London, England
Attached to: HMS Bacchante
Profession: Farmer, Temporary Sailor
Rank: Ordinary Seaman, Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve
Addressed to: Mrs. N.C. Draper, Keswick, Ont.
Relationship: Wife
Writing instrument: Fountain Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: 8"x10" medium weight, written on both sides of one sheet with letterhead from the King George and Queen Mary Victoria League Club, for Men of the Oversea Forces, 1a, Dover Street, Piccadilly, Westminster.
People mentioned in this letter:
Ethel* - Ethel Isabel Nelson Draper, 27 yrs old, Noah's wife of 6 yrs
The kiddies -
- Mildred* aka Midge, 3 yrs old
- James David* aka Jay, 9 months old (later called JD)
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- London* - Capital city of England
- Buckingham Palace
- Westminster Cathedral & Abbey
- YMCA*
- Methodist church aka Wesleyan Central Hall**
- Post Office Savings Bank
- Toronto*, Ontario, Canada (where Noah enlisted)
- pound - British monetary unit
Word or Phrase Use:
- hubby
- kiddies
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing, or use the search box in the header at the top of this page
** see History Notes below
| February 4, 1917 Mrs. N.C. Draper Keswick Ont. My Dear Ethel;- Well I have been seeing London met a man from Toronto who is also here on leave so have been with him yesteraday & today so far, yesteraday we went through the Westminister cathedral & abby in the forenoon saw where the kings & Queens were buried for the last 1000 years & all the great men think I could sleep just as well in any old place as there but it is very interesting seeing the old monuments, then in the afternoon we went to a theather & saw a good play then went to the Y.M.C.A. for supper then to another show at night. & back to the YM.C.A. for the night. then this morning we went to the Methodist church we could have went to the cathedral but it is the English church & we are both fed up on that. HaHa back to the Y.M.C.A. for dinner then out to see the Buckingham Palace where the King lives when in London, of course we just saw that |
| from the outside. then came up here to the club. & thot we would write some letters. I am enclosing the order of service of the church also you can see what it looks like and it is nicer inside than it is out. so you can see it is some place. eh. Well Ethel I hope you are all as well as this leaves me also I have a good appetite & can eat as much as I can get which isnt a great deal just at present as I put my money in the Post Office saving bank all but 1 pound & you have to give 4 days notice before you can draw out, more than a pound & your book has to go to London to be balanced before you can draw the second pound, we only had 3 days notice so I came up to London on 2 pounds Ha Ha. that has to last 3 days & we dont know when we will get a chance on shore again. Say Ethel there was a sailors wife on the train I came up on & I heard her make a very sensible remark, her husband is on the Bacchante & has been a sailor for years. she said she never frets about her hubby, because she knows if his boat was sunk it would be reported at once even if she did not hear from him. dont you think she is very wise to think of such a thing & it is absolutely true, Well I guess I will close for this time write often & good long letters. kiss the kiddies for me Bye Bye. from your loving hsbnad. N.C. Draper x x x x x x |
History Notes
There is 1 History note for this letter of Feb 4 (Mar 4), 1917:
History Note 1 - Methodist Church Order of Services Bulletin
Noah mentions touring Westminster Cathedral and Abbey, and then chooses to attend the Methodist church the following morning. In this case, the Methodist church he attended in 1917 was called the Wesleyan Central Hall. Canadian census records in the decades before show members as Canadian Methodist, Wesleyan Methodist, or simply Methodist. From the posting here of Noah and Ethel's courtship letters, these WW1 letters, and census and marriage records, we know that Noah simply refers to it as a Methodist church.
History Note 1 - Methodist Church Order of Services Bulletin
Noah mentions touring Westminster Cathedral and Abbey, and then chooses to attend the Methodist church the following morning. In this case, the Methodist church he attended in 1917 was called the Wesleyan Central Hall. Canadian census records in the decades before show members as Canadian Methodist, Wesleyan Methodist, or simply Methodist. From the posting here of Noah and Ethel's courtship letters, these WW1 letters, and census and marriage records, we know that Noah simply refers to it as a Methodist church.
Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. Courtesy of Gt-man, Wikimedia
Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, interior with pipe organ. Courtesy of Colin, Wikimedia
