Sandy Hobbs & David Cornwell | Dear Mister Thoms # 10, 1989

1. Bill Ellis noticed the following item in a local newspaper and passed it on to Sandy Hobbs, who works in Paisley:

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Hazleton Standard-Speaker, Thursday, March 12, 1987

‘Little Buddy’ hoax draws 4 million postcards

BETHLEHEM (AP) – Sometimes urban myths take on international proportions.

Take the case of Little Buddy. a Scottish youngster said to be dying of leukaemia. who bas just one last wish: to see his name listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for collecting the most postcards.

Thanks to word-of-mouth advertising. Little Buddy’s story bas been circulated the world over, and millions of people have sent postcards to a post office box in his hometown of Paisley, a small town near Glasgow.

Little Buddy is said to have received more than 4 million postcards. Postal workers in Paisley say they aren’t sure bow many cards Little Buddy has gotten; they stopped counting long ago because they have been piling up for more than four years.

Little Buddy never comes to pick them up, because Little Buddy doesn’t exist.

Informed that the Little Buddy myth has been circulating again in the United States. and in particular the Lehigh Valley. a supervisor in the Paisley post office heaved an exasperated sigh.

“What has happened,” he explained. “is that about four years ago a guy started a campaign. asking people to send postcards to Little Buddy. But no one was ever able to find out who Little Buddy was.”

He said the cards have been arriving steadily since 1983. when the rumour began. but “it does seem like we’ve been getting more from the United States in the last four or five months.”

Jane Pulley of Bethlehem beard about the legendary Little Buddy from a Lehigh Valley Bank employee whose child, a pupil at William Penn School, Bethlehem, brought home a copy of the school’s newsletter, which included an appeal for more postcards.

Pulley offered to ship her collection of more than 800 cards to the little boy. She’d spent most of her life gathering the cards. but was willing to part with them to help Buddy reach his Guinness World Record goal.

Pulley, according to Gary Kimball of Lehigh Valley Bank. which had offered to pay postage to mail the six pounds of postcards to Scotland. said she hasn’t sent them yet.

“Wow!” said a surprised Kimball. when informed the whole thing is just a long-running hoax.

Collection of postcards at William Penn School began about a month or more ago, after pupils began circulating the story of Little Buddy.

Informed Tuesday that Little Buddy doesn’t exist, third-grade teacher Mary Moukoulls said. “It’s one of those things. What can you do? When people hear they can do something nice for someone. they tend to believe it. But you think, is this correct?”

She said she has heard that pupils at other schools “have picked it up and are doing the same thing.”

The Little Buddy story dates at least to 1983.

Washington Post writer Bob Levey published an item in May about Little Buddy and his desire to get into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Several days later, Levey explained in an article that began. “I’m afraid it was all a hoax,” that Little Buddy does not exist and that Levey was taken in like radio and television announcers and newspaper columnists the world over by reports spread by well-meaning Scottish citizens-band radio operators.

2. Sandy Hobbs got the following reply when he wrote to Paisley Post Office:

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Dear Mr Hobbs

Thank you for your letter dated 23rd March 1987 relating to ‘Little Buddy’.

A copy of a standard reply which we use to let enquirers know the current situation is enclosed. This may be of use to you.

We believe that mail addressed to ‘Little Buddy’ started to arrive in 1982 and is still arriving, although the appeal was closed in June 1983. ,

We believe that mail addressed to ‘Little Buddy’. started to arrive in 1982 and is still arriving, although the appeal was closed in June 1983.

It is not possible for me to confirm the accuracy of the press cutting and regulations do not permit us to allow you to examine this mail.

You may if you wish, telephone Mr McNab our Assistant Head Postmaster who is at Extension 26 and will arrange an appointment with you to discuss this further, if you so wish.

(The enclosed letter…)

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Dear _________

Thank you for your letter of _________ regarding items of correspondence addressed to ‘Little Buddy’ PO Box 76, Paisley, Renfrewshire.

Some time ago such an appeal vas made. The response exceeded the organisers expectations and the appeal was closed in June 1983.

The organisers, whilst expressing their appreciation to all correspondents, made it very clear through the media that they were unable to accept further donations.

Since that time correspondence coming to hand has received normal Returned Letter Branch treatment.

To our knowledge it was never established that the original appeal was a hoax. However, I must emphasise that the appeal is now closed.

I trust this information will be of assistance.

On the phone he was told that all mail for Box 76 had been either destroyed or returned to sender. The Post Office was anxious to debunk the whole business,

3. David Cornwell came across these items in the January 1988 and March 1988 issues of Stamp Bug News:

January 1988:

An 8-year-old boy is dying of cancer and wants to be in the Guinness Book of Records for the most printed postcards. Please send him one, everybody. Little Buddy. PO Box 76. PAISLEY: Renfrewshlre.

March 1988:

Finally, in the last Issue of Swap Special an entry from ‘Little Buddy’ was printed. There is no such person so please don’t send any stamps.

Stamp Bug.

Stamp Bug News is published by – The Post Office.

4. To be Continued?