Have you ever felt grateful to somebody, but not quite been sure how to fully express your gratitude? Well, here’s one extreme option: the remarkable story of the world’s longest thank you note. When fully unrolled, it is about the same height as the Empire State Building.
Known as the Morpeth Roll, this remarkable letter dates back to 1841 and has turned into a very valuable historical record.
It was presented to Lord Viscount Morpeth, when he retired from his position as Chief Secretary for Ireland. The thank you note was from the people of Ireland, thanking him for his service in the role.
Combining thousands of pages of paper, the Morpeth Roll was signed by an estimated 270,000 people. When fully extended, it measures 1,377 feet (420 meters). That’s over three and a half football fields, and just shy of the height of the Empire State Building.
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In 1841, the letter came just before the devastating Great Famine, which began in 1845. Most records of 19th century Ireland were lost, and its population plummeted, meaning the Morpeth Roll became an invaluable account of the country’s population beforehand.
It was taken back to Castle Howard in York, where Viscount Mopreth lived. It is still there to this day, though it caught the attention of the Ancestry World Archives Project, who are preserving it for generations to come.
