Letter posted to Essex address in 1960 finally arrives

The small letter-sized package was covered with sticky tape and “looked rather frail.”

Mr Candler said: “It was addressed to a Mr and Mrs Witney, but I don’t know anyone of that name, so at first I thought it must be junk mail.”

On closer inspection, he noticed the postage stamps.

He said: “Initially I thought they must be foreign but were, in fact, two British stamps worth 3d in old money.”

The package has a postmark from Chelmsford dated 6.30pm 22 July 1960 and two one-and-a-half old pence stamps.

Mr Candler has lived at the house in Pembroke Road, Chelmsford, for 15 years but has never heard of the Witneys.

Wondering if there were any more clues to the whereabouts of the package’s owners, he thought he’d better open it and have a look.

He found a collection of school reports handwritten in fountain pen relating to a Madeleine Witney who attended Broomfield Primary School from ages seven to 11.

The package has a postmark from Chelmsford, Essex dated 6:30pm 22 July 1960 and two one-and-a-half old pence stamps.

“She was evidently a good pupil and clearly worked really hard,” he said.

“Along with the numerous reports was an acceptance form for a place at Braintree High School. The form had to be filled in by Mr and Mrs Witney, in order for Madeleine to take up the place.”

Braintree High School no longer exists and has been turned into a block of flats.

Picture of Madeline Witney after she attended Braintree County High school, with her brother Philip. Madeline now lives in California eagerly awaiting the reunion with her school reports.

“I wondered if the young Madeleine, who would today be in her seventies, had taken up her place at the school or not,” he added.

Mr Candler decided to try finding Madeleine or any of her relatives, so posted some details of the package, mailed on July 22 1960, on social media and discovered she had a younger brother called Philip.

Philip Witney is pictured outside the house he grew up in that the package arrived at 62 years later. Philip will now post the package to his sister Madeline Witney now 72 and living in California, USA.

Philip Witney, a 58-year-old nurse from Battlesbridge, was shocked and bemused at the news his sister’s school reports had turned up six decades later.

Mr Witney said: “It’s remarkable, I wonder where on Earth they’ve been all this time. I was born in that house and we moved out when my sister was about 13.”

He added: “I think it’s wonderful that Ian took the trouble to trace me and return Madeleine’s school reports. I’m going to have to send them on another postal journey to Palm Beach in California, where she now lives.”

Retired mechanic, disabled Ian Cander, age 62 (in bed) who received the small package - nearly 62 years after it was posted, at his address in Chelmsford, Essex.

Madeleine did take up her place at Braintree County High School and today the 72-year-old lives in a retirement condominium overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

“I’ve had an interesting life designing jewellery,” she said.

“I travelled all over Europe and Mexico before ending up in the USA, but it seems my school reports have had quite a journey of their own.

“I was so astonished when Ian called me. The reports are going to make one final journey back to me and they will always be a great memory of happy school days, as well as a great talking point about their remarkable 62 year voyage.”