4 September 1957. To go to St Malo or no? Farewell

Sadly I can’t find any letters from 23 March 1956 until now. During that time my father had another promotion and we moved from Whitley Bay to Oxford.

My dear Len and Margaret

At last we were very pleased to receive that promised letter from Len (although a little delayed). Well yes there is some truth in what Len says about me thinking that he was out most evenings. So long as you don’t overdo it Len. Margaret needs company in the evenings after being alone all day long. According to what you say you seem to be getting on alright with your golf, and also that you have had your golf stick repaired, will you use it in the proper way now so as not to break it again! You must throw an over strong drive to break it, whatever you do don’t throw the ball across anyone’s head. That would be a very bad throw wouldn’t it?

Susan, John, Paul, Roselle

I notice Mrs B[1] has now left you, that means your little pleasures are now over, still we are pleased you both enjoyed yourselves the time she was with you. We notice you are now preparing yourselves for some home games this winter. You say you have bought a table tennis table to put in the playroom. It is very nice for the children on rainy days and also to help keep Len home enjoying a game of tennis with Margaret. You will like that Margaret won’t you? I can imagine the answer by the happy smile on your face. I am quite right am I not?

Now then I must get on with something else, otherwise this letter will not grow, will it? Yes, that was very nice of Cyril to ask that young fellow to see you. It was really a pity you could not entertain him at home for one evening, but then I’m sure he quite understood the situation. We had a letter from Grace[2] today, she speaks about Cyril asking this young scout to ring you up. She says is a very nice lad and is of a good family.

I always mean to ask you if I should tell the boys in Canada (her sons Cyril and Snowdon) about your move to Scotland next year. I have not told them anything about it as you want things to be kept quiet. Perhaps you will write to them in the near future and would rather explain this to them yourself.

Why do you say it has been a difficult month at the office although you have reached your target. You mean this isn’t quite good enough is it? Well maybe with holidays and strikes this probably has something to do with it. All being well better times are ahead. You mention that you are this week showing an outstanding picture in your (office) window which is attracting a lot of attention to passers by, as it’s a picture of sailing ships in harbour. I imagine it’s a nice one, no doubt if Dad and I were passing your office it would certainly draw our attention.

Fancy poor Margaret knitting you a long sleeved pullover for when you go golfing. This is going to take her a time to knit it, the colours of it sound very good. Yes Len, when you wear it I quite believe you will look a ‘showpiece’. Never mind so long as it keeps you warm. Kay is going to start knitting a pullover for Arthur when he goes golfing, it’s to be royal blue, a showpiece is it?

Now Len, I have to correct you when you say that Father must not listen to me if I try for him not to continue in the Honorary Police after his time is up sometime in the New Year. Oh but my dear boy, he sure has to listen to me, because I will not hear of him taking on for another 3 years to complete his 50 years. You know there is no “Thanks or Gifts” attached to it. Maybe you are on the impression they would present him with a ‘Gold Watch’, even so, if they did what use would it be to him at the age of 80? Let Ray Benest come and speak to me about him keeping on, he will receive his right change. I had it a bit strong when he took it on again nearly three years ago, I don’t think he would dare approach me again. If he did, he might bring my blood pressure up, that must not happen!

I notice Len that you still speak at the Round Table, you will be speaking on Jersey this time. I wonder what you will tell them, I hope you will speak some Jersey French among other things. It’s a great pity you had not discovered long ago that it was not enough to write a letter, but it had to be put in the post too. You still have a lot to discover, Len. Now I have to stop I have some work to do, will continue after tea.

Here I am again, it’s just on 8 o’clock. Doreen is busy in the kitchen making cakes. It’s very rare you hear me say that Doreen is making cakes, but as you know our cook (Roselle) is away, she returns tomorrow. Therefore we thought she had to find cakes in the house.

Tomorrow is the last weekday excursion to St Malo. I had made up my mind that we take the trip instead of going on a Sunday, the weather is not over good this evening. Other times Dad would say it’s not too bad, but today he does not seem interested, it does not quite suit please him to go tomorrow. I know what it is although he does not say it, it’s that Captain Picot is on holiday and another Captain is taking his place. I think Captain Picot will be back on Sunday, that is what Dad is waiting for, the present Captain does not suit Pa. Margaret and Charles (now married) were coming with us, they have their tickets. Margaret phoned a little while ago, to see if we had quite decided to go tomorrow. Pa answered the phone and told her the weather was not promising, at the same time he was putting the blame on me. Doreen also spoke to Margaret and gave her to understand that I was not at fault. Anyway I doubt if it will be fine to go tomorrow, the forecast is not good. I will be very pleased when these trips are finished, I am thoroughly tired to hear about them. I’m not sure whether M and C will go.

Miss Penney has gone in Millbrook Nursing Home today. She is to undergo an operation tomorrow for the removal of the gall bladder and she is very nervous about it, she has not been well for a long time. the district nurse who lives with Miss Penney is rather upset and worried about her. Doreen has asked the nurse to come to lunch with us tomorrow, so as to cheer her up, otherwise she would be thinking who the operation has gone and what would be the outcome of it.

We are wondering if you found Roselle alright yesterday, I guess you had a good chat about things.[3] We are also wondering how you found Auntie Flo, we are given to understand that she looks very bad, is terribly thin. I think she was supposed to go back home today. If so she will need some looking after. It’s a pity for Auntie to be in such a bad state of health, it is to be hoped she does not suffer. We are looking forward to seeing Roselle tomorrow to see what she has to say.

Last Friday eve Eddie Syvret and Gladys turned up, also Kay and Arthur. I think Eddie is here for a month. He is looking fairly well, his hair is quite white, he is also thinner, but is still Captain Syvret, or should I say Commodore. Anyway he and Arthur had big discussions, Eddie kept on saying he knew what he was talking about, he had been around the world and met different people etc. etc. he goes on pension next June, that will come very quickly now. I’m sure I don’t know how he will use his retirement, he is so restless. Gladys says he will have to find some work and occupy himself, unless he does like Father – go to town every morning meeting his friends and have ‘one’. Dad maintains this is what is keeping him alive, that’s his way of looking at it.

On Monday K and A took us to see the bungalow. The roof is tiled, the windows are in, they are now getting on with the inside work. On our way back they took us to their flat to see the wallpapers they have chosen, also the samples for the carpets, after that they brought us home and remained until 11 o’clock.

I have been potting some geranium cuttings that I have had given me. I have also taken slips from my own. I expect more from Mr Lucas (next door) on of these days. Arthur brought me some soil yesterday from the cotils where Brian lives (his son from his first marriage, cotils near Corbiere).

We have a rather big invitation to a dinner on the last Saturday of this month, also M&C are invited. Arthur is giving a farewell party to Brian and Jean before their departure for Canada. Arthur has invited us all, this dinner party will take place at ‘The Moorings’ in Gorey. I don’t really know why we are all invited to this affair. Of course Brian will go on to Canada alone. Jean and the little one will remain in England with her mother until Brian is fixed up. I think he is to be in Montreal on 16 October, just for a few hours, he has written to Snowdon asking him to meet him when he arrives there then he will be taking the plane for Vancouver. That is the place he will be living. I will leave this little ending for tomorrow.

This is now Thursday eve. Roselle is now back, had a good trip over. She said she had a pleasant eve with you on Tuesday. She was hoping you had not missed your train back home. Rose tells me you had taken auntie Flo out on Monday. How did you find her looking? Roselle says when Auntie got home on Wednesday she looked terrible, she had trouble to look at her, says she’s very frail. Dad and I met Rose at the airport, although we should have gone to St Malo. M&C have taken the trip, they were not going to wait for us any longer. I should think they had a nice day there, but I doubt if they had a good trip over, weather was bad this AM raining and blowing.

Lots of love from us all

Mother xxxx

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[1] Probably Mrs Booth, my maternal grandmother who must have been baby-sitting for us.

[2] Cyril’s wife

[3] Roselle had gone to Bournemouth to see her Auntie Flo and Dad must have joined her