1934 December
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Dec 4th 1934
My darling Annette
This is the Christmas letter and takes you my Christmas greetings and good wishes. Its a great blessing to know that you are sure to have a happy Christmas and holidays full of things to do. I hope you will like my little gift.
I laughed a lot over your account of the body belt for the Mission to seamen and I hope in due time I shall hear what becomes of the elegant pink combinations. We were sorry not to see the poem and “the career and achievements of Colin Carbuncle” – etc – Perhaps it will survive and we shall have the pleasure of seeing it some day.
This week I am having to write my mail in odd scraps here and there where I can, oweing to a large amount of jobs that I have to do for the Girl Guide Rally and Sale. My companies had rather a good rehersal to-day – which went off much better than I had dared to hope. My 20 young recruits are getting into shape a bit, but find it very difficult to remain “standing at ease” – Directly they get that command the “stand easy” and bit their nails and generally amuse themselves in their various ways.
With more good sense than I usually show, I have made no social engagements to-day or for the next three days, because I have managed to remember how tiresome and exhausting it is when one is running any big show to have to dash home and change and rend ones thoughts from the job in hand to be pleasant and gay at some party.
By the way, did you ever complete your enterprise of reading the Bible right through? I seem to remember that you were having a race or competition with someone last year.
Was’nt it splendid Gavin doing so well in the scholarship exam. The next excitement in the family will be your School Certificate next year I suppose.
Do you remember poor Major Meade who was up in Jalpai the last cold weather we were there? In the family letter you will read how he crashed in an areoplane while doing his second solo flight – and was killed at once – We all feel horribly upset about it.
Dont forget to tell me how the blue evening frock looks and whether the coat-frock and coat that belonged to me are any use.
Sorry all news is exhausted in the family budget.
Best love
from
Mum
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
Dec 5th
My dear Annette.
I hope that you will get some present from me. Such accidents happen now and then. I believe Richard is getting a safety razor: (A bat has come into the room and has disturbed the flow of my imaginings) and Rosemary an improving book. As for you abstain from lipstick and nail polishes. It is improper to mention in a Christmas letter that red nails look like the fruit of unskilled nose-picking.
Incidentally, before you go further. A merry Christmas, my dear daughter. Samuel Barton says that to talk of “my child” is an outrage against modesty – a claim to the whole credit for a thing obviously beyond one’s unaided efforts.
He also says “No wonder the ancients attached heavy penalties to attacks on relatives: they are too tempting.” So now you’ll know why, if I catch you a crack when bending.
Have you been doing Hornibrook? how angry I become when I hear nothing of these or exercise 1100 or other good matters.
Today I was so angry with an old Bengali officer that he went all faint and had to have a glass of water. Relenting I comforted him by a recitation of the beatitudes, to wit with a description of the splendid irrigation works which I should put into Bengal if my Magnum Opus became a fact. If it does not, it is because I have not been able to persuade a Minister or a Member of Council to believe that he started the idea himself.
But this should be a Happy Christmas letter, not a recital of griefs or meditations as to lost chances.
The “quarium” next door is a huge success: the small boys are always being bully ragged for getting themselves drenched in it.
Much love
Yours
Daddie.
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
Dec 12th
My dear Annette
I can only suggest that you write to him in French. But all such experiments are for the good. Like Richard’s hand-writing – did he tell you? He has bought a book on the subject and tells me not to rest hand or wrist on the table. Hence the extreme illegibility of this: for I am observing his precept. The result, I feel is a worse scrawl than ever.
Legislative Council sittings are on. An unhealthy stuffy place. It gave me a head though luckily I had not to sit there long today, not having any work on. My Bill is not ready and shows few signs of ever being so. The more often I look at it the more imstakes and doubtful points I find in it. Not altogether my mistakes: the Secretary who drafted the Bill has tried to be clever with disastrous results. It is a mistake to attempt cleverness. The best type is that which attains simplicity without effort. Not so easy a feat.
I had a long conversation with the Governor on Monday with some plain speaking about this and that: but he was most helpful, gracious (or whatever be a good word): and I shall resume my efforts. The fact is that I have scared the Government: they made my appointment expecting to be served up eyewash: and my suggestions for something workable have put the wind up them. Frankenstein’s monster was not in it with me*: yet they stand to lose less really by showing guts than by ambling along in a weak kneed way. I found myself doing a sort of spoonerism the other day – talking of weak feet or cold knees – I forget which: not both. Very expressive? either of them.
I forget what you said in your letter so do not comment upon it. Do not think for that, my dear, that the letter was not interesting
Much love
Dad.
*except in the matter of looks.
Re line. 1. Explanation. write to Richard of course when he writes Latin.
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Dec 13th 1934
My darling Annette,
You manage to make very amusing letters out of the school doings and Dad and I generally have a good laugh over them. I have been in rather a “school” atmosphere this last week what with the guide Rally and all these prize-givings. I enjoy it as a change from the social round of the cold weather season in Calcutta.
If Dad were not working so hard he would probably begin corresponding with you in Latin too. Its rather a good idea because it must familiarize you with the words even if you make mistakes.
I have a lot of things trying to crowd in upon me this morning such as my Himalayan Club Report( which Mr Gourlay has had typed for me and which I have to correct), and sending invitations out to some parties, and working out prices and quantities of food for the guide Training Week, and lots of other things, but I have firmly pushed them all away to arms length and told them that they have got to wait till I have finished off my mail. If one is busy and has a lot of different things to get done the only thing is to be very firm with them, and make them wait their turn.
Council has started again and Dad came home very tired yesterday evening. The “potted” atmosphere of the artificially cooled Council Chamber is not so bad when the colling performance is going on in the Hot weather, but it is very trying now. Fresh air is supposed to be pumped constantly through, but it does not seem to work very satisfactorily.
I am sorry to hear about the accident to your pen. Did that come under the insurance scheme which I think you were all talking about when I was at home.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Here was a long pause while the carpenter and the electric mistri came and had to be attended to. That sort of thing always seems to take up such a lot of time.
We have had rather funny weather over the week-end, with clouds and stuffy sort of days on Thursday and Friday, heavy rain on Friday night, and a tremendously heavy thunder-storm on Sunday morning about 11 o’clock. We expect a little rain early in the New Year, but this is quite the wrong time for it. The weather has got colder again, and has that nice crisp feeling in it now. We had our electric heater on for the first time last night.
My dear, I am being very dull, so I will stop
Best love from
Mum
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Dec 20th 1934
My darling Annette
I have almost no time to write personal letters this week. I was tired last night after rather a long day out with the Bhutan people, followed by being hostess at my own “cocktail” party – and I did not get any of my mail letters written after dinner. That being so, of course this morning has been nothing but a series of interruptions – first of all something went wrong in the gear box of the car last night, and I have had two long conversations with the Motor shop about it. Then the dhirzie – then the electric light mistri – then the carpenter mistri – and more telephone calls – and a visitor who said she would only keep me a moment, and stayed half an hour and so on!
Thank you for an entertaining letter from you about the house-mistress’ birthday and the variety show by “Athens” – The Autumn term seems to have been a very gay one.
I had a long talk about daughters and education with another woman last night – She has a daughter who is set on being a doctor, but apparantly has neither the brains to pass the exams, or the phisique to stand the work – and yet cant put her mind to anything else – pathetic and rather stupid it seems, does’nt it?
Must scribble a line to each of the others
Best love
Mum
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
Dec 20th 1934
My dear Annette
One omen is good. I awake earlyish these days. But maybe it is not so good that I awake with a jerk thinking of this bit of work or that. “The Sword, the sword, nought but the Sword” – but I dont say that: “the Bill the Bill and nothing but the Bill” – yet it goes badly. Vote for Dr Sachavarell. (Is that it?) Why do things become an obsession? It is because there is opposition or apathy. Where my losses are most cruel, I charge in most hotly. Execrable has been my temper: I believe that it has helped to get a move on: but it is like Galileo’s: so small a move that one mentions it only under one’s breath.
Toujours gai Archie. To wit I have the bellyache most times. It is consoling to know as the assurance of the doctors that there is nothing wrong with me: and if you ask, why then bellyaches?, I shall tell you – bad temper and living on one’s nerves. Trying to work the machine faster than it will go. Which reminds me that the car broke down yesterday while your mother was in north Calcutta. This is always bad for my digestion: like the princes in fairy tales who kept their lives locked up in boxes (under the form of bees) I in some way keep my good health somewhere about the car. Less so now than when I essayed myself to keep the car in running order.
The Black Prince and his lady came to dinner. I repeat my comment because I can do no better. Straight out from a picture (all moving, all smiling) of the Middle Ages, vivid simple and impressive there stepped into our dining room that independent King the Maharaja of Bhutan! Courteous attentive and handsome. Moreover he was young. The Maharani’s hair was, is, short straight and not particularly well combed: she bows her shoulders too – as I trust you do not. Alas that my daughters should in spite of exhortations bend the back as the Israelites the knee to Baal. Worshipping of heathen gods, no less. I feel quite hot with indignation that this may be so: and that you may be thrusting out your stomachs. Dont: remember Captains Courageous: and how Harve was told that his was full of vittles.
A newspaper has asked, who I am and what I know about Bengal. To this the enlightened one made answer Nix and nix.
Much love
Dad
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
Dec 27th
My dear Annette.
Many happy returns of your mother’s birthday. She has just returned from a ride and has had a happy time. Her days are full. Even mine have been full lately: full of something other than work which doesn’t count for the purposes of the metaphor. Going backwards is easier than starting from some date in the past. Last night the pictures: I trailed along with your mother, H.D.T. and Mrs., because it is dreary staying at home when everyone else in Calcutta is leaping about. Nell Gwynne: not so good as some: “no deeper than the plaster”. In the evening we had been to a party at the Bhutan Maharaja’s: dancing round a fire by Bhutanese – with singing: quite unlike the Tibetan dancing except for two dances: and the singing quite unlike anything Indian. A good show. Earlier: tea at Tollygunge after a bathe: earlier, work: and earlier a visit to the motor works to see about the car – repairs finished and the car back.
On Christmas day: a visit to Uncle Harry’s in the morning to give the reconstructed farmhouse to John. It has been a portentous labour getting it together again and making it look decent: I should have made a new one from the beginning if I had had sense – or refused to touch the thing. Lunch there after a run round to see various friends. Then Polo: and a very good afternoon excitement: that took my mind off work all right. Dinner at the Carey Morgans: and, alas, silly games afterwards. How dismal are amusing games unless one is feeling fit and energetic.
Christmas Eve: work in the morning at office: to the flying ground in the afternoon when the Bhutan Maharaja and his crowd went out to fly – I didn’t get a flight though your mother did. On the way back we all stopped at one of the fire stations and Captain Westbrooke who was with us turned out the engines and later made them give a show at the practice place behind. That night your mother went out to dinner: I didn’t – and ended by working rather dismally. The evening before we had been to the pictures: “Camels are coming” – laughable but sill.
Was there more? I can’t remember.
Much love
Dad.
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
(undated letter stacked with 1934 letters)
My darling Annette
Just a tiny line for yourself – and say that we are very pleased with your report. Your French “place” always amused me – “2nd in division of 2”!!
The Guide Training Week has been rather fun – but I will be quite glad when it is over to-morrow and I have time to attend to my own affairs –
I have got a holiday from mid-day to-day, because I had to make preparations for the Himalayan Club dinner to-night and also to go to the Government House Garden Party this afternoon. I am just snatching a few moments before I have to go and dress for the garden-party – to write to you
Best love, my darling
from
Mum