Ken Wayman Posted 21 March , 2006 Share Posted 21 March , 2006 At present I'm transcribing and analysing a set of letters sent by a lad in the trenches with 7th Suffolk to his wife and children back home in Walsall. In one letter the following passage appears:- ‘I enjoyed the contents of your parcel immensely – you could not have sent me a better thing than Sheen’s; also the butter and cheese. (In future) please don’t waste your money on sweets or fruits of any kind; I would much rather have the same as you sent before if you can possibly get it. I know it’s difficult now the prices are so high but if it is only one now and again I should be quite satisfied. You know what I mean by Sheen’s, don’t you?' Is it anti-'chat' cream? Or pomade? Or waterproofing for feet? Or something totally different? I'm completely stumped. Can anyone out there shed some light for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) wrote more than 90 books, including Peace of Soul which rose to sixth place on the New York Times' bestseller list. Equally at home with scholars and the common man, Bishop Sheen won the hearts and minds of all those who came to know him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 The letter does not seem to be referring to a book and it would seem Sheen would have been in his early 20's during the great War - would he have writen any of his popular religious books by then and would a Tommy have been waxing lyrical about such a book ? I accept that our forefathers were typically more devout than ourselves but feel that Sheen's is more likely to be a hair tonic, plum pudding, treatment for piles etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharonWitherden Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 a "sheen" is a shoe up in in Scotland, however probably not that given the capital letter. Interesting that he doesn't actually say what he means by Sheen, a code word maybe for something they weren't meant to be sent - ?whiskey? or something??? Only guessing here. Do you have a date for the letter? If you find the answer, please post it. Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 sharons got a point,the mans saying "do you know what i mean",i think shes right,its booze,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Perhaps it's an anagram for something - can't think what though, or perhaps it's just something in the family dialogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshdoc Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 its just got to be posheen that dear old illicit brew! hic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 there was a baker's called t.c. sheen at 68, park st. walsall at the time, so likely he is refering to that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 scan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 That probably is the one! Nothing like a large slice of fruit cake to keep the chaps fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Perhaps a loaf or cake from Sheen's with a little something alcoholic inside it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 24 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Hi Thanks for the info. Jim Elwell, the lad who wrote the letters, was a devout Catholic - one of the items to survive his death was a holy picture. However, I feel that the average Tommy was more concerned with practical items in his parcels. I could be totally wrong (as usual!) Cheers Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 24 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2006 a "sheen" is a shoe up in in Scotland, however probably not that given the capital letter. Interesting that he doesn't actually say what he means by Sheen, a code word maybe for something they weren't meant to be sent - ?whiskey? or something??? Only guessing here. Do you have a date for the letter? If you find the answer, please post it. Sharon Hi Sharon Thanks for the info. The date atop the letter was Wednesday, 4th April 1917. I agree that in this context a shoe might not be answer. The idea of a code name is one I hadn't thought of, even though Jim and his wife had a system of writing an'x' on the envelope when the letter contained money. Thanks again Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 24 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Hi Bernard I know that Jim (the lad who wrote the letters) was a very devout man but he certainly enjoyed a tipple. In an earlier letter he complains about the extortionate cost of beer when out on rest. He also grouses that French beer 'is not as ggod as a pint of Butlers Best' (a good Midland brew!). You might well be right. Thanks for the idea Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 24 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2006 its just got to be posheen that dear old illicit brew! hic Hi Funnily enough, as I was working my way through the posts, I had the same idea but I was struggling with how to spell it!! It's the best bet yet, I reckon Cheers! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 24 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2006 there was a baker's called t.c. sheen at 68, park st. walsall at the time, so likely he is refering to that! Brilliant! How the heck did you know that? Kelly's Directory? Or local connections? I live in Walsall and frequently use the Local History Centre but I'd got nowhere near your solution. I know from many of his letters that Jim loved a bit of cake - it was his priority item when his wife was packing a parcel. That's made me a happy bunny - you'll get a mention in the book dedication! All the best Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 24 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Perhaps a loaf or cake from Sheen's with a little something alcoholic inside it. Hi All I do believe that the case is cracked! Many thanks to one and all, your help is much appreciated. One last poignant offering. The letter asking for Sheen's in future was written on 4/4/17. Jim died on 28/4/17 - he probably didn't receive any more Sheen's. I doubt if his close mates (about seven or eight were transferred to 7/Suffolk with Jim from 1/6 South Staffs) were able to enjoy it either as most of them were killed or wounded on 28/4/17. There were all too few happy endings. Thanks all round Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 24 March , 2006 Share Posted 24 March , 2006 Brilliant! How the heck did you know that? Kelly's Directory? Or local connections? I live in Walsall and frequently use the Local History Centre but I'd got nowhere near your solution. I know from many of his letters that Jim loved a bit of cake - it was his priority item when his wife was packing a parcel. That's made me a happy bunny - you'll get a mention in the book dedication! All the best Ken ken , i went on the historical directories site. www.historicaldirectories.org i found the staffordshire directories and did a search in bennetts business directory 1914 and found the bakers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 25 March , 2006 Share Posted 25 March , 2006 nice work enoch,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest f@man Posted 25 March , 2006 Share Posted 25 March , 2006 Been great following this topic, well done to all Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 4 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2006 Enoch Very grateful for the website - it's going in my 'favourites'! Many thanks for the help - it adds a lot to my writing of the (hopeful!) book. Cheers Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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