Search for ‘Little Dorothy’ of Sheffield after student finds 100-year-old postcard in Cairo flea market

Alastair Ulke
By Alastair Ulke
Published 25th Jul 2023, 16:01 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
In 1927, Dorothy Parkinson’s grandad sent her a postcard from London to Sheffield. Somehow, 100 years later, it ended up in an Egyptian flea market.

”Dear Little Dorothy,

“Grandpa and Grandma are now playing with Auntie La La in this big house. When you get a weeney bit older perhaps you will come to London where the King lives and see all the big places. Send our love to you and to mother and father... Grandpa”

In September 1927, this was the message an unnamed ‘grandpa’ sent to ‘Little’ Dorothy Parkinson of 28 Seabrook Road, Sheffield, from the Kingsley Hotel in London, wishing his granddaughter all the best in the world.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
In 1927, a doting grandpa sent a postcard from London to his granddaughter ‘Little’ Dorothy Parkinson in Sheffield. Nearly 100 years later, it ended up in a flea market in Cairo.In 1927, a doting grandpa sent a postcard from London to his granddaughter ‘Little’ Dorothy Parkinson in Sheffield. Nearly 100 years later, it ended up in a flea market in Cairo.
In 1927, a doting grandpa sent a postcard from London to his granddaughter ‘Little’ Dorothy Parkinson in Sheffield. Nearly 100 years later, it ended up in a flea market in Cairo.

So how it found its way into a flea market in downtown Cairo nearly 100 years later is a mystery. But that’s what a finance student from Loughborough has set to discover.

Ahmed Waleed, 21, was visiting family in Egypt this July when he found the charming postcard in a stack on sale outside the famous Cinema Diana. Now, he hopes to find Dorothy’s family and return it to them.

The budding photographer said: “Visiting the flea market on Street Diana in Cairo really feels like you’ve gone back in time. It feels like nothing has changed in decades.

Ahmed Waleed, 21, a student from Loughborough, found the charming historic postcard in a flea market in Cairo while visiting family. Now, he wants to find ‘Little’ Dorothy’s family and return it.Ahmed Waleed, 21, a student from Loughborough, found the charming historic postcard in a flea market in Cairo while visiting family. Now, he wants to find ‘Little’ Dorothy’s family and return it.
Ahmed Waleed, 21, a student from Loughborough, found the charming historic postcard in a flea market in Cairo while visiting family. Now, he wants to find ‘Little’ Dorothy’s family and return it.

“I found this box of postcards and all of them were addressed to Egypt - except for this one.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I just thought, ‘This has to have a really nice story behind it’.”

Ahmed bought the 100-year-old postcard for 100 Egyptian pounds - around £2.50 - and has been sharing the find with the Steel City’s community history Facebook groups like Sheffield Family History and asked residents for their help - and he’s already found some interesting clues.

The postcard was sent in September 1927 from the Kingsley Hotel in London to Seabrook Road in Sheffield. The postcard was sent in September 1927 from the Kingsley Hotel in London to Seabrook Road in Sheffield.
The postcard was sent in September 1927 from the Kingsley Hotel in London to Seabrook Road in Sheffield.

Ahmed said: “There’s been immense support from the Facebook groups already, but no luck tracking her or her family down yet.

“Some have said they knew her and she might have moved to California and passed away in 2003.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Ahmed took these photos of the flea market in downtown Cairo outside the Cinema Diana where he found the postcard and bought it for around £2.50.Ahmed took these photos of the flea market in downtown Cairo outside the Cinema Diana where he found the postcard and bought it for around £2.50.
Ahmed took these photos of the flea market in downtown Cairo outside the Cinema Diana where he found the postcard and bought it for around £2.50.

“I just hope I can find maybe her family and return the postcard to them. It’s travelled so far but there’s no sense or logic why it would end up in Cairo.

“I’ve been reading the postcard over and over, how it says how they hope Dorothy will come visit. It’s really lovely.”

Anyone who feels they can help find ‘Little’ Dorothy Parkinson’s family, who used to live at 28 Seabrook Road, Sheffield, can email Ahmed on [email protected].

Related topics:SheffieldLondon

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.