CODED letters and a replica enigma machine have been rousing interest at a local museum.

The Codes, Secrets and Communications exhibition at Saltash Heritage Museum was inspired by some coded letters found in an attic in the town, by Stephen Pryor, who passed them to the award-winning museum for safe keeping.

Honorary Secretary, Lizzy Sharpe-Asprey, said: “The excitement in this office, at that point, was so overwhelming we felt we had to deal with them straight away. We just had to put them on show!”

The 21 letters were sent by Stephen’s father, Lt. John Pryor RN, who had been taught coding before serving in WWII. During the war he had been captured not far from Dunkirk and sent to a Prisoner of War camp near Breman in Germany.

It was here he was contacted by Julius Green, a dentist, who had also been apprehended by the Germans and was seeking out codebreakers for MI9.

Lt. John Pryor RN, who had been taught coding before serving in WWII
Lt. John Pryor RN, who had been taught coding before serving in WWII (Stephen Pryor)

As Lt Pryor was able to write home, he sent two types of coded messages within his letters, which were checked by German and English security systems, before being intercepted by MI9, decoded, and finally reaching his parents’ home in Saltash. His parents had no knowledge of the importance these letters had.

The heritage team set about preparing the exhibition which also has a replica of an enigma machine, made by Saltash resident, James Thompson, who created it from photos and plans.

Many forms of code are on display from morse and semaphore codes to Braille, with several coding activities for children to have fun deciphering, as well as many other historical pieces.

Lizzy said: “The exhibition has only been running a few weeks, and the number of visitors so far has been amazing. There are young people coming in, too, who are absolutely fascinated with breaking these codes.”

The museum is open to the general public every Wednesday afternoon from 2-4pm and all day Saturday from 10am-4pm, until the second week of December this year.

Private parties, from nursing homes to children’s groups, are encouraged to book visits out of hours by emailing: [email protected]