These letters, written by wives, siblings and parents, were meant for crew on a French warship - but never got there. More than 260 years later, they've been opened for the first time after a chance discovery.
Personal letters confiscated by Britain's Royal Navy 265 years ago before they could reach French sailors during the Seven Years' War have been read for the first time. Written between 1757 and 1758, the billet-doux were meant for the crew onboard the Galatee, a French warship captured by the British. The wives, fiances, siblings and parents who wrote the letters did not know the ship was taken when they sent them to the French postal administration for delivery.
' 'I cannot wait to possess you' One of the letters was addressed to the ship's first lieutenant, Louis Chambrelan, and was written by his wife Marie Dubosc. 'I could spend the night writing to you… I am your forever faithful wife,' she wrote. 'Good night, my dear friend. It is midnight. I think it is time for me to rest.' The pair never saw each other again after Dubosc died the following year in Le Havre, while Chambrelan remarried in France in 1761.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Love Island-style dating show sees ‘extrovert’ contestants strip totally nude in hunt for love...MTV is making a new Love Island-style dating show – minus clothes. Show bosses are on the lookout for “body-confident extroverts” who fancy spending three weeks in a tropical paradise mixing with o…
Read more »
Love Island legend strips down to lacy underwear six years after finding husband on the show...A LOVE Island legend has stripped down to her lacy underwear as she showed off her ‘date night outfit’. Jessica Rose shot to fame when she appeared on the third series of the ITV2 datin…
Read more »
British pension funds unpatriotically shunning UK companies - with those responsible for investments...An MoS investigation into these assets has revealed many of the UK's largest funds are investing as little as 0.3 per cent of their billions of pounds in British businesses.
Read more »
British pension funds unpatriotically shunning UK companies - with those responsible for investments...An MoS investigation into these assets has revealed many of the UK's largest funds are investing as little as 0.3 per cent of their billions of pounds in British businesses.
Read more »
EXCLUSIVE: British aid worker, 54, held captive by Taliban for nine months in Afghanistan before he...Kevin Cornwell, who was held captive by the Taliban for nine months and was finally released three weeks ago speaks up about this experience to the Mail on Sunday. He shares his haunting stories from inside the Taliban prison.
Read more »
EXCLUSIVE: British aid worker, 54, held captive by Taliban for nine months in Afghanistan before he...Kevin Cornwell, who was held captive by the Taliban for nine months and was finally released three weeks ago speaks up about this experience to the Mail on Sunday. He shares his haunting stories from inside the Taliban prison.
Read more »