MYSTERIOUS initials have been uncovered behind the walls of a historic library managed by the National Trust as sleuths try to uncover their secrets.
Conservation work at the National Trust's Croome has revealed two inscriptions that may help explain a little-documented period in Croome Court’s history.
The markings were found as modern plasterboard was carefully removed from the Robert Adam Library at the National Trust property in High Green, near Worcester.
Work is taking place before the room’s original Robert Adam bookcases are reinstated.
One inscription reads: “J.E.M. & ZEFF 29 April 1969”. The other says: “J.E.M. & A.C.B. 26 July 1973”.
Staff and volunteers believe the marks may have been left by people involved in removing the Library’s original bookcases. The fittings were sold to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1975.
However, the people represented by the initials have not been identified. Croome is now asking local residents, former employees, contractors, former residents and anyone with links to the estate to help identify the names. Information about the bookcases, the Library or Croome during the 1960s and 1970s could help explain when and why the inscriptions were made.
The appeal forms part of a wider community memory-sharing project. Croome is collecting personal stories, photographs, documents and memorabilia linked to the house, estate and parkland.
Memory Sharing Days will be held on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September. Visitors will be able to speak with members of the Croome team about their experiences and connections.
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Organisers are interested in memories from different periods. These could include childhood visits, family links, wartime experiences, community celebrations, work on the estate and more recent visits.
Former staff and volunteers are also being invited to take part. Croome hopes the recollections will help create a fuller record of the people who have shaped and enjoyed the estate over the years.
Jenine McGaughran, Visitor Experience Manager at Croome, said: “Every visitor has their own connection with Croome. By sharing memories, photographs and stories, we can build a deeper understanding of the people who have shaped and enjoyed this special place over the years.”
Anyone who recognises the initials J.E.M., ZEFF or A.C.B. is encouraged to contact the Croome team. The National Trust is also seeking information from anyone who remembers the removal or sale of the bookcases.
The discovery was made during work to restore the Library. Once completed, the project will support the return of the Robert Adam bookcases to their original setting.
Robert Adam was an influential 18th-century architect and designer. He worked with George William Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry, during the 1750s and 1760s to create interiors at Croome Court.
The Library formed part of those interiors. Its bookcases were removed while Croome Court was being used as a school, before being bought by the V&A in 1975.
Most of Croome’s original contents were sold before the property came into National Trust care in 2007. The V&A initially loaned the bookcases to the Trust. In 2025, it transferred ownership to the National Trust, meaning they will remain at Croome permanently.
Their planned reinstatement will restore an important part of the Library and help visitors understand the room’s history.
The newly found inscriptions provide a possible link to the years when the bookcases were removed. They may also point to people who worked at Croome or visited the building during that period.
Croome said every contribution could help unlock an undocumented chapter in the history of the house.
People with information are asked to bring photographs, papers or other material to the Memory Sharing Days, where possible. Memories may also be shared with the Croome team through the National Trust property.
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