A warm letter written by Charles Rennie Mackintosh to a young friend is among a new collection of books donated to the Glasgow School of Art.

The letter, penned by the artist and architect in 1898, has been donated for the art school (GSA) along with a collection of around 30 books from a school in Birmingham.

The letter was written by Mackintosh, architect of the world famous Mackintosh Building at the GSA which was ravaged by a disastrous fire last May, to Cameron Davidson, the young son of a friend who was in France and recovering from an illness.

The warm letter to Cameron, son of William Davidson, who commissioned the Windyhill house in Kilmacolm, accompanied a book of animals sent as a Christmas gift by Mackintosh.

It is signed by "Uncle Tosh".

The books have been donated by King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham.

The donation is part of an extensive library which was gifted to the Birmingham school by a former headmistress, Jean Wilks, last year.

The library and its thousands of books at the GSA were destroyed in the fire.

Ms Wilks had for many years cared for her friend and colleague Maggie Davidson - a grand-daughter of the Glasgow merchant William Davidson, who had commissioned Mackintosh to build the family home of Windyhill in 1900.

David Buri, librarian at the GSA, said: "This is an incredibly generous gift from the King Edward VI High School for Girls.

"Among the books are many on the life and work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh as well as books with a direct link to Mackintosh and the Davidsons.

"Particularly interesting is a late 19th century book on the Japanese artist and printmaker Katsushika Hokusai with an inscription to the Davidsons from Mackintosh.

"As is well-known Mackintosh was very interested in Japanese design and Japanese influences can been seen in his designs for the Glasgow School of Art library.

"The dedication suggests that the book was a Christmas gift to the Davidsons in 1899. We like to think that this was Mackintosh sharing his passion for Japanese design with one of his friends and patrons."

The letter which Mackintosh sent to Cameron Davidson to wish him "a jolly Christmas and a very happy new year" also included his hopes that the youngster would "soon be well enough to come back and tell us all about your adventures in a foreign land".

Buri added: "There's something quite poignant about the letter, given that Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald never had children of their own."

The donation was made to the GSA following a call for help in replacing books lost in the fire.

It was delivered from Birmingham by Findlay Mackinnon, English master at King Edward VI High School for Girls who hails from Ardrossan and was instrumental in arranging for GSA to be the recipients of this Mackintosh material.

He said: "It was wonderful to find so many books about Charles Rennie Mackintosh among Jean Wilks' collection and I'm delighted they'll be such a benefit to The Glasgow School of Art.

"Losing so many books in the fire was a real blow to them, but everyone's rallying round to try to provide replacements. Jean would have been delighted to know that her books would go to such a good home."

The full letter reads:

140 Bath Street

Glasgow

24th Dec 1898

My Dear Cameron

I am sending you this little book of animals which has been illustrated by a young friend of mine in Glasgow, to wish you a jolly Christmas and a very happy new year. I hope you will soon be well enough to come back and tell us all about your adventures in a foreign land. You will write to me and tell me if you get the book safely and what you think of it. You will let Mrs Davidson see it - and tell her that I also send her my very best wishes.

Your friend

Uncle Tosh