Sunderland orphanage choirboy letter inspires quilt of memories

24 September 2022

News image — William Elliot joined the US Navy shortly after arriving in the country in 1903

Archive William Elliot — William Elliot joined the US Navy shortly after arriving in the country in 1903

An orphanage choirboy who hid a letter in a church pew asking not to be forgotten has inspired an art project in Sunderland.

Workmen redeveloping Holy Trinity Church discovered the letter written in 1897 by 13-year-old William Elliott.

In it he had asked whoever found it to "keep it in remembrance of me" - a copy is now on display in the new community venue Seventeen Nineteen.

Now visitors are being invited to create a memory quilt out of paper.

Seventeen Nineteen The note on the back of an order of service — The note was written on the back of a chorister's order of service by William at Sunderland Orphanage Asylum

Researchers found William Elliott moved to the US when he was 19 and joined the US Navy, and was later buried a hero at Arlington Cemetery.

He had been put in Sunderland Orphanage Asylum as an eight-year-old after his father, a chief officer in the forerunner to the Merchant Navy, drowned in a storm in 1897.

He stayed in the orphanage for the next six years, and during that time wrote the note.

His letter said: "Dear friend, whoever finds this paper think of William Elliott, who had two months, two weeks and four days on 11 of August 1897.

"Whoever you are that finds this paper, don't tear it up or throw it away, keep it in remembrance of me, W. Elliott. I was the leading boy of this choir. I love you if you love me."

Seventeen Nineteen Quilt — The Remember Me project will see a quilt created, fittingly, out of paper

Now Seventeen Nineteen's artist-in-residence, paper artist Ellie Clewlow is inviting visitors to share their memories of friendship and to join with her in folding them into a paper origami memory quilt, drawing on traditions of communal making.

The finished quilt will be displayed in the library of Seventeen Nineteen in late November.