A World War II memorial plaque commemorating Post Office employees has finally been located at the Royal Mail sorting office on Priestley Road, following weeks of speculation about its whereabouts.
The plaque, once kept in the Post Office building at Basingstoke's Top of Town, sparked interest during the planning application process for the recently opened Post Box Sports Bar, located in the same unit at 5-7 London Street.
Commenting on the planning application, Basingstoke Heritage Society's Debbie Reavell asked Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council if a planning condition could be added to protect this object.
However, curiously, the plaque was not in the building when the new owners took over the property.
The bar's owners also clarified that they had never seen the plaque during their time at the property.
"I have been involved in 5-7 London Street for the last two years, and I can confirm that in this time I never once saw any such commemorative plaque," a spokesperson for the business said.
"It was certainly not on-site when the strip-out works were completed by the landlord. My best guess is that it was removed by the Post Office when they vacated."
Wayne Lee-Buckland, one of the owners, confirmed that the unit was an empty shell and the plaque wasn't present when his team gained access to the building.
"We’d love to proudly display the plaque in The Post Box to honour the building’s heritage. If you could initiate a search for it, that would be fantastic," said Mr Lee-Buckland, when the Gazette contacted the business for a comment.
"As a last resort, if we’re unable to find the original plaque, perhaps a photo of it could help us commission a replica. While it wouldn’t carry the same historical significance, it would still acknowledge the building’s past."
However, the mystery became thicker when both Royal Mail and Post Office said they didn't know about the plaque.
A spokesperson for Royal Mail confirmed that the plaque is not under their care, as it was stationed in a Post Office building.
Meanwhile, a Post Office spokesperson said Royal Mail owned the Post Office until their separation in 2012 and they had no information of the plaque.
Ultimately, it was Basingstoke Heritage Society that solved the mystery, when its committee member Cathy Williams tracked the WWII plaque down at its new location.
The plaque, a varnished board with uppercase writing carved in it, can now be found at Royal Mail sorting office on Priestley Road, which the society believes is its right place.
The memorial, however, has had quite a journey around the town since it was created. It started off in the old Post Office in New Street (now New Road), then moved to London Street on Top of Town, before finding its place at the sorting centre.