A Junk shop · Carmarthenshire · Discovered in 2026

Who was Linda?

Inside an old suitcase — bought for five pounds because nobody else wanted it — were approximately twenty letters, some photographs, and a few small, ordinary things that once belonged to someone. Every letter is addressed from 'Cwm Cothi'. Every one is signed simply "J."

↓ read what we found
An open suitcase containing bundles of old letters tied with string, and a scattering of black and white photographs.

THE CONTENTS, AS FOUND

The first letter from the bundle, handwritten and addressed from Cwm Cothi.

THE FIRST OF THE LETTERS — AS WE FOUND IT

Nobody at the junk shop knew where the case had come from. A house clearance, probably — the kind of lot that gets sold together because separating it out isn't worth anyone's time.

On top of a scarf, a chipped blue mug, and a handful of unlabelled photographs, we found the letters themselves — all sent from a place called Cwm Cothi, which is a valley in Carmarthenshire, Wales. They were all addressed to Linda. No surname. No return address. Just a first name on every envelope, and a single initial signing off each one.

They read like a man writing to his wife long after she's gone. Grief at first — raw, unfinished sentences, two mugs put out from habit. Then, slowly, across what looks like years, something steadier. A last letter that reads like a goodbye of a different kind.

We don't know who Linda and 'J' are. Nor do we know their story, We are hoping, between us, we can find out. Can you help us?

— still yours, J.
The evidence, such as it is

Twenty letters. In order, as they were tied.

Each one is being read, transcribed, and shared here exactly as written. Some are ready now. The rest are still being worked through — check back, or follow along, as more are uncovered.

FRAGMENT 01 "Two mugs, one habit" FRAGMENT 02 "I found one of your lists" FRAGMENT 03 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 04 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 05 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 06 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 07 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 08 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 09 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 10 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 11 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 12 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 13 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 14 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 15 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 16 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 17 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 18 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 19 Not yet transcribed 🔒 FRAGMENT 20 Not yet transcribed 🔒
Does any of this means anything to you?

Do you know who J. and Linda were?

Cwm Cothi is a remote valley in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Someone, somewhere, might recognise the handwriting, the names, or the small details tucked between the lines. If anything here rings a bell — or if it simply moved you and you'd like to follow where it leads — We'd like to hear from you.

Get in touch Read the letters