Kosminski Letter

[Sam Flynn]

Not quite sure whether it eant one or two weeks ago, though.

Exactly. It seems a bloody cryptic and convoluted way of tracking time!

[R. J. Palmer]

Well done on having the stamina to check all those, RJ. I gave up early doors noting that the seller must be a green fingered wine lover size 16/18 who picks up Salvation Army lots.

And a fondness for rubber bracelets made in China. If you don't mind, I sent you a pm.

[Debra Arif]

And, over a year ago, bought something from this seller:

Well done on having the stamina to check all those, RJ. I gave up early doors noting that the seller must be a green fingered wine lover size 16/18 who picks up Salvation Army lots.

[Robert Linford]

Hi Anna


It's at the start of the next page and I think all it means is 'continued.'

[Anna Morris]

The thing I think is important in the letter is the abbreviation "ctd.", just before describing the frightening attack. What does this mean? I think it might be important one way or another.

[Gary Barnett]

Hi Gary - in the context of "Wednesday week past", I'd take it to mean "not last Wednesday, but the Wednesday before..." you generally wouldn't say it on a Wednesday - because then you'd just say "a fortnight back"...

Some old folk certainly used the phrase from time to time when I was a youngster...

Dave

My mistake, I searched for Wednesday week last. That’s very common.

Yes, that seems right, Dave.

[Cogidubnus]

It was used all across the UK, it seems. Not quite sure whether it
meant one or two weeks ago, though.

Hi Gary - in the context of "Wednesday week past", I'd take it to mean "not last Wednesday, but the Wednesday before..." you generally wouldn't say it on a Wednesday - because then you'd just say "a fortnight back"...

Some old folk certainly used the phrase from time to time when I was a youngster...

Dave

[Gary Barnett]

What does "Wednesday week past" mean? If there is some regional dialect where this rather unusual construction is/was used, it might help us pinpoint where Dott came from.

It was used all across the UK, it seems. Not quite sure whether it
meant one or two weeks ago, though.

[Chris G.]

That is relevant.

C

[R. J. Palmer]

I also noticed that he sold a bulk lot of assorted Salvation army biros over a year ago.

And, over a year ago, bought something from this seller:

[Karsten Giese]

Hi at all!

To Dott:

As a German, when I was a child, I remember that some people named women with the name "Edith" Dott or Dotty. Also people who "held the reins" were often called Dot or Dotty. Probably inspired by Western Movies but I´m not sure.

Btw.: The name of the sister of the composer Edward Elgar was (Ellen) Helen Agnes Elgar, called Dott or Dot. I have no idea why...

Karsten.

[Paul Butler]

Hi All

I have been looking at the pictures of this letter and would like to offer my thoughts on the paper rather than what is written upon it.

First of all Chris George has suggested in an earlier post that the ruling on the paper indicates that it would have been intended for accounting work. On this I agree, however the quality of the paper is much lower than would be normally used by companies, accountants etc.

The paper used here looks to be made of mechanical wood pulp which is a low quality cheap paper used for the production of newspapers, it tends to contain impurities which cause the paper to discolor and decompose much quicker than higher quality papers. This mechanical paper was also used to make cheap note books ( I recall reporters note books of this quality as late as the 1980's)

I also note that the paper is cut with straight (probably guillotine) edges on three sides whilst the bottom edge appears to have a torn edge; this suggests that the original sheet was larger and the bottom part has been torn off.

A little more information here on mechanical wood papers:

Agreed. In earlier times paper was a much more expensive commodity than it has become, and its re-use was probably widespread.


Nothing about this letter seems out of place for a late Victorian letter between family members/acquaintances, either in the materials or the content.


I think it is still an intriguing find.

[John Savage]

Hi All

I have been looking at the pictures of this letter and would like to offer my thoughts on the paper rather than what is written upon it.

First of all Chris George has suggested in an earlier post that the ruling on the paper indicates that it would have been intended for accounting work. On this I agree, however the quality of the paper is much lower than would be normally used by companies, accountants etc.

The paper used here looks to be made of mechanical wood pulp which is a low quality cheap paper used for the production of newspapers, it tends to contain impurities which cause the paper to discolor and decompose much quicker than higher quality papers. This mechanical paper was also used to make cheap note books ( I recall reporters note books of this quality as late as the 1980's)

I also note that the paper is cut with straight (probably guillotine) edges on three sides whilst the bottom edge appears to have a torn edge; this suggests that the original sheet was larger and the bottom part has been torn off.

A little more information here on mechanical wood papers:

[Robert Linford]

Barnett's 'last Easter twelvemonth' sounds very trim, almost poetic.

[Sam Flynn]

"Wednesday week past" or alternatively "last Wednesday week" were expressions I recall being used by my west country grandparents, victorians all of them, meaning "a week ago last Wednesday".

Perhaps modern West Country people use it, too. It's evidently still being used in Ireland - I've done a few more searches since Chris pointed that out, and I've found loads more examples.

Incidentally, while I've heard "last Wednesday week", "Wednesday week past" was a new one on me.