I cannot explain it all. Meir is Meir Heath on the edge of the
Staffordshire pottery towns of which Hanley is one. I would suggest this
was an elaborate way of seeking to persuade some children that Father
Christmas was real and did come from the North, in this case Iceland,
rather than Lapland (the usual suggestion). I would guess that some
children were taken to the airfield to see Father Christmas apparently
getting off a plane, but it is perhaps more likely that the plane had in
fact taken off from there or nearby shortly before. However a telegram
from Reykjavik (however spurious) would no doubt add apparent authenticity.
Peter King
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 04 December 2000 09:50
Subject: Father Christmas in Hanleystaffs?
> A member of this list might be better able to answer the question
> below, posted to the <[log in to unmask]> list.
>
> Please send a copy of any reply direct to Ms Bogadottir, who is
> unlikely to be a member of this list.
>
> Stephen Benham
>
>
> ------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
> Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 20:35:32 GMT
> From: Svanhildur Bogadottir <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Father Christmas in Hanleystaffs?
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Hello colleagues in UK.
>
> I want to ask if anyone can solve a bit a mystery for us at the Reykjavik
> City Archives.
>
> We are preparing exhibition related to Christmas, mostly with old
Christmas
> cards and essays written by children about what they did during Christmas
> vacation. But we also have some official documents from the city. One
> folder from the mayors office is marked "Christmas" in Icelandic. In it
is
> the following telegram sent from the mayors office in Reykjavik:
>
> "Telegram to Hanleystaffs (Stokeontrent) from Reykjavik, 4/11 1938.
Please
> send the following wire to Hope Lewiss, Hanleystaffs, England. Leaving
> Iceland by aeroplane saturday arrive meir aerodrome 10.20 Lewiss 11 oclock
> tell all boys and girls to meet me. Father Christmas."
>
> We don't find any documents around this telegram. It is a mystery to us,
> why the City of Reykjavik is sending Father Christmas to England. Had
> there been a disaster in the area at this time? We could like to hear all
> theories.
>
> Thank you in advance,
>
> Svanhildur Bogadottir
> City archivist
> Reykjavik City Archives
>
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