A dusty box of love letters bought for £25 in a Hainault auction house are shedding a romantic light on the 1930s.

The letters, written by a woman called Meg Smith to her fiancé Charles Jones were bought by Michael Harden from Plaistow Auctions in Fowler Road, Hainault, last year.

Working with South Woodford company Community Healthcare Innovations (CHI), who run a number of community projects in the area, Mr Harden and CHI founder Stephanie O'Leary secured a £10,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to find out more about the mysterious letters.

They have tracked down Meg’s family, transcribed all 175 letters and now an exhibition telling the story of the woman behind them is being held in South Woodford.

Mr Harden said: “Something drew me to the letters and going through them it became clear that they provided a fascinating look at private life in the 30s.

“The letters start in 1936 when Meg is in her early twenties and studying chemistry at Bedford College in London.

“They are full of Mills and Boon style romantic talk but there are also fascinating accounts of her everyday life.

“They reveal a young female scientist, which was quite unusual for the period. We read in detail of the experiments she was carrying out within the lab, often as they were taking place and what life was like in a 1930's college.”

Meg went on from Bedford College to teach in Edinburgh and Ashford in Kent, where the letters to Charles, who was living in Luton, continue.

Mr Harden said: “One or two of the letters in 1937 and 1938 make reference to the darkening scene in Europe.

“Meg also writes about Edward and Mrs Simpson and expresses a lot of sympathy for the couple.

"There are hints that her own family might not quite of approved of her relationship with Charles. He was a butcher and she was a young teacher. I think there may have been some social tension there.

“She also writes about trips to the cinema to see Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films, it’s a fascinating glimpse into everyday life.”

Through talking to the couple's family Mr Harden and Mrs O’Leary discovered that the couple married in 1938 but that Meg died of a brain haemorrhage at the age of just 54 in 1958.

Charles died in a Brentwood care home at the age of 79 in 1989, but his family knew nothing of the letters until Stephanie and Michael contacted them.

Mrs O’Leary said: “Nobody knows how the letters ended up in Hainault and the seller chose to remain anonymous.

“The couple had three children who live in New Zealand, Yorkshire and Surrey.

“They were shocked when we got in contact to tell them about the letters, because their father never told them they even existed.

“They are very excited about the find and are coming to our exhibition. We can’t wait to meet them.”

Mr Harden added: “It’s sad to say, but I believe the art of letter writing is dying.

“The text messages and emails of today will be lost forever. Here we have a unique look into the private life of a woman and the times she lived in. I hope people will come and enjoy our exhibition.”

Meg’s Love Letters, an exhibition, will be held at CHI’s headquarters in Station Estate, Eastwood Close, South Woodford, on May 29 from 10am-4pm and May 30 from 10am-8pm.

Some of the films mentioned in the letters will be screened at 7.30pm on May 29 and members of Meg and Charles’ family will be at the exhibition on May 30.

Entry is free. For more details contact Mrs O'Leary on 020 8989 0988.