Historic letter that marked Margaret Thatcher's rise to power discovered hidden in garage

A 50-year-old document that marked Margaret Thatcher's rise to power was recently uncovered in a garage in the United Kingdom.

The discovery was announced by Deep South Media on Oct. 13 - what would have been Thatcher's 100th birthday. 

The item is part of a lot that will be auctioned by Duke's of Dorchester on Jan. 29, 2026, where it's expected to fetch as much as £100,000, or approximately $125,000 USD.

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The letter, which was found in a cardboard box in a garage in Somerset, once belonged to Sir Edward du Cann, KBE, a member of the Conservative Party.

The 50-year-old document was a nomination paper, signed by Thatcher herself, in which she agreed to run for the Tory leadership.

The letter, dated Feb. 11, 1975, featured these words at the top: "Election of a leader of the Conservative Party."

"I consent to be nominated," Thatcher wrote, signing her name on Jan. 27, 1975.

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The document signaled the start of her ascent to power. She became the leader of the Conservative Party that year and, from there, prime minister in 1979.

Another record in the lot shows that Thatcher won by 146 votes, while second-place candidate William Whitelaw received 79.

The cache also includes notes and records from du Cann and other correspondence from the leadership election, including the former Prime Minister Edward Heath and then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

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"This period of huge importance is all covered with the documents that detail the beginning of Thatcher's rise to party leader and from there prime minister, an office she held for more than 11 years, winning three general elections," the release noted.

Guy Schwinge, an auctioneer and art consultant, said the collection was "of great historical importance."

"Margaret Thatcher was a trailblazer in every sense," Schwinge told Deep South Media.

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"Her philosophy - Thatcherism - changed the United Kingdom forever and the great personal 'chemistry' she enjoyed with Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev contributed to the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War," he added.

"Interest in the papers is expected from collectors and institutions in the U.K. and globally."

An anonymous expert told Deep South Media that the discovery was "utterly sensational [and] without precedent."

The publication reported that auction watchers predict the final sale could "significantly outstrip" the estimated price of £100,000.