Last week we reported that 123 year old graffiti was found inside a shop on Berriew Street, where Hughes Architects is moving in.
A County Times reader got in touch with us after seeing the article, telling us that he had found out who G A James is: ‘Grotius Alexandra James’.
He left his name alongside dates, such as June 1897, engraved on the stone wall inside the shop.
Reader George Hart said: “Hello, I read your article about graffiti found in shop in Welshpool.
“I looked it up while working on my family tree, he was Grotius Alexandra James, born 1883, his father had a hair dressing shop for many years in Welshpool, I suspect the one where graffiti was. They lived for a while at the back of 25 High Street.
“He went on to be a vicar in the army, then again in civvy street. His brother was a minister in Northampton, his sister was a professor of music; a very interesting family.
“I have got a photo of Grotius, I think the name is Dutch.”
Hughes Architects discovered the writing, carved into stone walls, as it renovated the building ready to move into at the end of the month.
The wall where the graffiti was found is to the rear of the property; which will become a conference room.
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