Miscellaneous documents
Reference: D/X 2194 Catalogue Title: Miscellaneous documents Area: Catalogue Category: Other Records Description: Hersom family of Wolsingham postcards and correspondence
Covering Dates: 1983-2006
Catalogue Index
Use and
to reveal/hide the structure of the catalogue index (requires Javascript to be enabled in your internet browser options). Click to jump directly to information at a specific level of the catalogue.
- Miscellaneous documents
- Hersom family of Wolsingham: Postcards and correspondence (Ref: D/X 2194)
- Correspondence from Donald Hersom (Ref: D/X 2194/1-3)
- Postcards from Donald and Kathleen Hersom to Herbert Hersom, 1996-1998 (Ref: D/X 2194/1/1-99)
- Postcards from Donald and Kathleen Hersom to Joan Hersom, 1998-2003 (Ref: D/X 2194/2/1-269)
- Postcards from Donald Hersom to Joan Hersom, 2003-2006 (Ref: D/X 2194/3/1-140)
- Correpondence to Donald Hersom (Ref: D/X 2194/4-7)
- Postcards from Herbert and Joan to Donald and Kathleen Hersom, 1983-1995 (Ref: D/X 2194/4/1-17)
- Letters from Joan Hersom to Donald and Kathleen, 1997-2003 (Ref: D/X 2194/5/1-26)
- Letters from Joan Hersom to Donald, 2003-2005 (Ref: D/X 2194/6/1-19)
- Undated letters to Donald and/or Kathleen from Joan (Ref: D/X 2194/7/1-2)
- Correspondence with Andrew (Ref: D/X 2194/8/1-4)
Catalogue Contents
Donald Henry Hersom (1914-2006) was born in Ilford, Essex, son of Henry Hersom and Mabel (nee Plummer)
Donald contributed to chess problem magazines in the 1930s, and qualified as a librarian (A.L.A.) during the Second World War.
After moving to Bishop Auckland, Donald married Kathleen ('K') in 1947 in the Bath district.
Kathleen Letitia Morley (1911-2003) was born in Nottingham to Arthur Morley and Catherine (nee Brown); Arthur Morley, from Cheshire, was a professor of engineering at Nottingham University. In 1939 she was a Nursery School Superintendent. Kathleen was later the author of children's books; her archives are held by Seven Stories in Newcastle.
Donald and Kathleen lived in Durham City where Donald was Durham County Council Schools Librarian. They had four children (John, Brenda, Helen and Mark), and lived in County Durham all their married life, retiring to Wolsingham.
Donald had one brother: Herbert William Hersom (1919-1998), who married Florence Joan Brighton ('Joan') (1919-2006) in 1945 in London. Herbert was a primary school teacher specialising in music, and Joan was a medical social worker. They lived in Hertfordshire and had two sons (Andrew and Simon).
In 1996 Herbert had a severe, disabling, stroke which left him bedridden and unable to say more than a few words. He went into a nursing home. His wife Joan would visit him most days and Donald thought a weekly picture postcard from him would help keep them in touch and give them something to talk about. Herbert died in 1998 but Donald continued to write weekly postcards to his sister-in-law until her death in 2006. Donald himself died in December 2006.
Funeral notice for Donald:
HERSOM - December 3, of Wolsingham. Donald Henry, aged 92 years, dearly loved husband of the late Kathleen Letitia and a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Will friends please meet for service in Durham Crematorium on Tuesday, December 12 at 1.30 p.m.
Mostly inscribed with date received
Ref: D/X 2194/5/1