My grandmother married Thomas Butler in 1920. He had fought in the First World War, been captured by the Germans, endured great hardship in a prisoner of war camp, but come home in one piece. They went to live in Alvechurch near Bidford on Avon in Warwickshire and we know that Thomas was a grocer's assistant. I hope they had four happy years together because by spring of 1924, Thomas was dead from TB, a disease which according the the death certificate had killed him in 2 and a half years. They had no children, so he is not a blood relation of mine, but in different circumstances he could have been, so I feel an affinity for him. It was only by chance that my mother discovered this photograph tucked behind a photo of my grandmother. In its original condition, the photo was stained and someone had carelessly placed a cup on Thomas and left a mark around his neck. He wasn't rich and he didn't achieve a great deal - but he could have been my grandfather and that's what makes him special...
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