Michael Archer was gutting the last unrenovated closet in his London, Ontario, house when the dust cleared and he saw something on the floor.

“When the dust settled, I looked down and there was a yellow letter laying in the rubble,” he told CTV London.

It was dated August 13, 1929, and signed by a man named Charles Slater. Slater worked on Great Lakes freighters and had written to his father from Port Arthur or Fort William, the twin cities that later became Thunder Bay. In it, he explained why he didn’t know when he’d be home.

How a 97 year old letter found in a London, Ontario home reached its author's family. ​I am absolutely thrilled to have personally tracked down the living family and reunited them with this incredible piece of their history. ❤️ CBC link in reply. pic.twitter.com/FgAroHA7Vj— Marisa Cooper (@EMC2Marisa) May 31, 2026

How a 97 year old letter found in a London, Ontario home........

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