Pen pals: Letters Sugarloaf Twp. woman, British friend connected for 70 years

Apr. 19—Helen Roth of Sugarloaf Twp. has shared all of her joys, sorrows, love, loss, life and world events, and the mediocrity in between, with her friend of 70 years, Margaret.

Roth remembers little things, like the taste of her friend's wedding cake in 1960, and many gifts, cards and other mementos that mark the many years of their shared lives.

And the women, separated by the Atlantic Ocean, have never met.

Roth and her friend, Margaret Overett Anderson of North Harrows, Middlesex, England, have been pen pals since their late teens.

Roth saw a notice in the newspaper in early April 1951 about a girl from England who wanted an "American pen friend." She was 18, almost 19, and the girl, Jean Wright, was 15, she said.

"I thought, 'That would be cool,'" she recalled. "So, I wrote to Jean Wright at her address."

But Jean didn't write back. Margaret did.

The letter, which Roth has kept for 70 years, arrived April 25.

Margaret explained that her friend, Jean, found another pen pal from America and gave her Roth's letter, as four people from the area wrote to her.

"I hope you will not be disappointed when you find that another English girl is writing to you instead of Jean Wright, to whom you wrote," the letter opened.

Margaret went on to tell Roth about herself. She was nearly 17 — two years younger, and liked photography, horses, knitting and dancing. She did not like to swim, as she was afraid of drowning.

Roth had similar likes and dislikes. She also loved photography, dancing and embroidery — and was also afraid of water.

Margaret promised to be as good a friend as Jean would have, she wrote in her letter.

She was as good as her word — both women were. It was the start of a friendship that has endured seven decades.

Come for the coronation

Roth replied to her new friend, but didn't hear back until the end of June. Margaret had gone on "holiday," she explained, which was the same as summer vacation in America.

Margaret and her family went on numerous coach, or bus, tours, including one to see the French coastline. Roth also had vacation and drove to Florida with her girlfriends, she responded.

"She could not imagine driving that far in an automobile, as they only take coach trips," Roth recalled. "Her father had a car, but sold it."

Margaret's father's name was George, and her mother was Elizabeth. She told her friend to think of the England's royal family to remember the names, King George, and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, Roth said, noting she had a good sense of humor.

Margaret's father died in March 1952 — a month after the British monarch, King George, passed away and his daughter, Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne. Her coronation was set for June 2, 1953.

Margaret suggested that Roth come to England for the coronation, which was the day after her 21st birthday, but she didn't have the money with work being slow and having just purchased a car, she said.

Margaret also wanted to visit America, especially after Roth sent her color photographs of the Hazleton area and Conyngham Valley.

"She was amazed at the beautiful countryside, and said she would love to come and see the countryside around where I live," Roth recalled.

Invitations to visit were many between the women, but opportunities to steal away from their separate but linked lives were not, Roth said.

Something always kept them apart even in their later years, when many feel free to travel. Roth wouldn't leave her mother to travel, and then, wouldn't travel alone to another country, she said.

242 post cards

In the spring of 1960, Margaret became engaged and married a few months later. Roth received a wedding photo and a piece of wedding cake.

"The cake was wonderful," she said, but never did know how her friend managed to send the cake.

Over the years, they sent each other many things. Besides letters and cards, there were photographs, postcards, newspaper clippings, magazines, stamps, books, calendars, souvenirs and trinkets.

"With newspaper clippings she sent, I made up a 2 1/2 -inch notebook and put them in plastic sleeves," Roth said. "I recently counted over 242 post cards and none are duplicates.

"I guess you could say I was able to see the scenery of England without traveling," she said.

They also shared heartfelt gifts for birthdays and Christmas, Roth said, noting that she was wearing a necklace her friend sent her, and pulled out a photograph of Margaret wearing a top she bought for her.

This past Christmas was the first they hadn't exchanged gifts in 69 years, Roth said. They decided it was best for them to forgo shopping and risking an exposure with the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

"We only sent Christmas cards this year," Roth said, pulling out a large, lovely red Christmas card with fine glitter accents.

One of Roth's favorite collectibles from her friend is a small doll of a guard with a drum resembling those from Buckingham Palace that she received in 1952.

"I was thrilled when I got it," she said. "I collect dolls. This is my No. 1 doll."

Every time a great affair took place, Roth received something from her friend. She has stacks of magazines, tabloids and binders with clippings from the royal weddings — Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, Prince William and Kate Middleton and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Roth doesn't know how her friend feels about the Oprah Winfrey interview with the youngest of the royal couples, and the death of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been too recent for them to converse.

A world record?

They still write to each other the old fashioned way — pen and paper — and place the letters in the mail.

Well, almost. Roth has taken to the computer to type out her correspondence, but Margaret still writes in a small script.

Margaret, who is two years younger at 86, doesn't have a computer.

They write about eight times a year — always sending letters or cards during the holidays and at birthdays, and filling in the gaps in between, Roth said.

She believes the key to such a lasting friendship has been sincerity.

"We're very sincere about everything that we write to each other," Roth said.

They're hoping to break the Guinness Book of World Records with their pen pal friendship, currently 78 years and 160 days — a little more than eight years away.

"Helen is a great pen-friend and all her letters mean so much to me, plus all the newspaper clippings, etc.," Margaret wrote in a note for this story, which came in Roth's Easter card. "I really could not wish for anyone better."

Roth spent some time going through old letters recently, but there are so many it's staggering, she said.

"I can't remember everything we went through in 70 years, but we went through it together," Roth said. "I could have never asked or had a better pen pal, or a best friend, than Margaret Anderson."

And they are best of friends — signing each letter the same way.

With love,

Your best friend.

Contact the writer: kmonitz@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3589