Date: 29th December 1917
Address: The Villas, Thornley, Durham
From: J.& H.J.Wilkinson and family
To: Tom
My Dear Tom
We received your letter and I can assure you of my heartfelt sympathy on your sad loss.
Your Tom was an extraordinary fine fellow and I am certain if he had been spared he would have made a name for himself but we have to bow to the Divine Will and these things are beyond our ken but we have the assurance that now he is in the presence of God who will value his sacrifice and manhood at their true value as He alone can know "the spirits strong deep longings".
The pains of death are past
Labour and sorrows cease
And life's long warfare closed at last
His soul is found in peace
I pray that God in His great Goodness may be your support in your sad bereavement and that you may realise that He alone is your refuge.
Give our kindest regards to Mrs.Gray and family
Yours in deepest sympathy
J.& H.J.Wilkinson and family
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Notes
1 The quote "the pains of death are past..." is from "on the death of an aged minister" by James Montgomery printed in a number of sources including "A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship" compiled by Francis William Pitt Greenwood, 1835.
2 J.Wilkinson of The Villas is listed as lodge secretary for Thornley in the Durham Mining Museum archives: http://www.dmm.org.uk/dmaarchv/1915addr.htm
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