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The Townend Family Letters

Correspondence from the 1930s - 1940s between members of the Townend family
HPV + LJT Letters 1933 to 1935

1934 November

From HPV to Annette

Calcutta
Nov 1st 1934

My dear Annette.

Hurried is no word for it. All my own fault. For I voluntarily omitted to write mail letters last night after dinner, being much wearied and generally slack.

In part the weather is to blame. It is sticky, muggy and irritable weather. Clouds drifting across and no breeze to speak of to freshen up the air. Without a fan one sweats a bit: and with one risks a chill. But in part the cause for my weariness is dislike of settling down to work. I find that it is very difficult to concentrate and my thoughts are not fluid.

At lunch yesterday a man told me that in a government report “cacoethes scribendi” is indexed under “Tea-diseases”: the reason was that the report said, “a perusal of the results of the tea-research work leads to the view that the worst blight is cacoethes scribendi.” A babu did the indexing and naturally was misled.

Most of my day is spent on listening to visitors who talk about the great possibilities of progress in Bengal if – if we assume that the Bengalis are progressive, educated, hard headed, generous, loyal to their fellows and generally everything other than Bengalis. The rest of my time goes on cleaning my false teeth and washing out the antrum. Any chinks left are filled in with a certain amount of gruntling and with exercises for the neck (in case these are good for the eyes, as a book says) and for the tummy. When the weather changes these last will have amazing results and like the Psalmist I shall bound like a goat.

Meanwhile I continue in a more prosaic manner.

Much love
Daddie.

From LJT to Annette

14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Nov. 8th 1934

My darling Annette,

Luckily I wrote my family letter while Dad was out at the Governor’s dinner last night, for half this morning has gone before I have been able to settle down to my mail letters, and I have the young Polwheles coming to lunch, and Mr Shebbeare coming in to see me afterwards. You remember Judy Polwhele’s wedding from our house in Jalpaigure, don’t you? She and her husband are just going off on leave to England.

Dad and I started the day by going to the Police Parade at 8 o’clock this morning, and did not get back to breakfast till past 9, which put the morning back a bit, and then every possible interruption has cropped up.

I like settling down to the regular routine of getting your letters. The long gaps are so tiresome when one is travelling out here, and make one conscious that one is a long way off, though I must say since this performance of getting to Australia in three days, or whatever it was nothing seems very far away.

I am very amused at your description of sitting next to Miss Capstick at meals. Its really very vivid, and I can see the poor children looking blank when their best remarks fall on deaf ears! It was something that you had a card like Marco Polo to play. Apropos of Marco Polo’s route across Asia, there is a book which it might interest you to have a look at, and read a chapter or two, if you could get hold of it, but I don’t suppose the school library is likely to have it and Boots in Chelmsford certainly would not. It is Sir Auriel Stein’s “Central Asian Tracks”, and is really a summing up of his life’s wonder-work of exploration and investigation in Central Asia. The first two chapters give a brief account of how the old trade routes between China and Europe grew up, and why they fell into disuse, and they are really fascinating.

I wonder how you liked “Dogs of War”, I have only read “Bengal Lancer” which I found extremely interesting. I wonder how you are getting on with Bentberg’s book. I should imagine it has rather a lot of unusal words connected with the Jungle in it. Mr Shebbeare says he lays it on very thick about the dangers and difficulties of getting the photos, but then what to Shebby is his everyday life, might strike other people less accustomed to jungle ways as being both full of hardships and risks.

Mr Gurner was here on Tuesday evening, and directly he arrived he asked about your’s and Rosemary’s letters. He takes the keenest interest in them, and loves to be allowed to read them, or hear bits that I read out. Apparantly Miss Mann writes very nicely to him to tell him about his family and this pleases him very much.

He-Ho! I must move on to Rosemary’s letter.

Best Love, my darling
From
Mum

From HPV to Annette

Calcutta
Nov 8th 1934

My dear Annette.

Weeks pass quickly. This none the less so because there have just been two days of holiday. The Dewali-puja: feast of lights: houses illuminated to attract the goddess of Luck – commemorating a time when lost in a forest she saw a light in a hut and so escaped unpleasantnesses such as tigers and bandits. Fireworks also: bangs under one’s nose: unpleasant to anyone who might have someone firing a revolver at him or his friends at any moment: but everyone is very happy about it.

Holidays usually mean working quietly in office: but on these two I stayed at home and worked here. Not so quietly. There were interruptions. One day calculating what would be the loss on a canal even if people paid for the water from it: and one day reading up about the water hyacinth. It is like a vegetable rabbit: multiplies beyond all check – and poisoning (weed killer) is far too expensive. Not a thing about which I have bright ideas: but I have been told to tackle it.

Yesterday was notable. I went out to a dinner. One in honour of the acting Governor. Pleasant enough: a long table across the top of the room held the Governor, hosts and certain selected great folk: the rest of us were at small tables (round) – eight at each. But we had to stay around till the Governor left: which meant till midnight. I am weary. But I turned out to attend as a spectator, the police parade this morning: left here at 7.30 and got back soon after nine: distribution of medals to men who had done brave things against terrorists. Most debilitating to be so active before breakfast when I am not accustomed to such things.

Incidentally I went out to dinner and to movies on Saturday. Treasure Island – not bad but why do the alter the book in details which would make no difference to the screening? I am no enthurisast for the pictures.

And on Monday I ran the gramophone: 6 French records – La Famille and so so.

Much love
Daddie.

From LJT to Annette

14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
14.11.34

My darling Annette

We were a bit short of letters last mail day for Auntie had sent hers by Air Mail and Richard either did not write or the letter did not turn up and no one else happened to write, so we just got letters from you and Rosemary. Luckily there was quite a lot of amusing stuff in yours. I liked your account of the League of Nations Meeting and all the old gentlemen who kept getting on their feet and then could not stick to the point of what they wanted to say. I feel very strongly that if the World and the League of Nations did a little less talking and encouraged people to do as Rothschilds are said to have done – and that is “mind their own business.” – we should all get on very much better.

I’d have liked to have heard the lecture on Prehistoric Animals – They always fascinate me, though they are all said to be, like Pooh – “bears of very little brain”. I read that book – “The Proselyte” recently and I agree with you that it is dismal, but it did give me some idea about the Mormons – of whose history and habits I knew nothing before except the plurality of wives. It does not sound an entrancing life, they led, does it. The description of that appaling voyage and the trek across America must have been vividly done, for they have stayed clearly in my mind.

My enormous batch of 21 Recruits in the Guide Company are shaping well and are full of enthusiasm – Its rather fun being able to do all sorts of old games and stunts without feeling that anyone is tired of them. I am making a note of the new game you tell me about and shall try it on them soon.

Uncle Harry and Auntie Winsome arrived out this morning and when meeting them at Howrah I ran into an old friend of yours at Howrah – Mr. Tocher, who was Mr Allan’s assistant at Danguaghar (Jalpai). I also met Mrs. Jones and am lunching with both of them at Firpo’s to-morrow. Mr. Tocher is married and has a family now.

I am just finishing Francis Hackett’s “Henry VIII” – which I have had in the house for years and never tackled before. Once I got into it, I found it interesting, especially the rather personal part – but I think Hackett’s style of writing about politics is tiresome and difficult to follow. There’s a certain straining to avoid the obvious straight forward way of saying things which makes, I think, for confusion of understanding. Mr. Gurner has the same trick in his letters.

Dad has already gone off to bed – so I think I shall follow. I was awake very early this morning – for fear of being late to meet the train –

Best love, my darling
Mum

From HPV to Annette

Calcutta
Nov 14th 1934

My dear Annette.

I am weary and a bit depressed: but they are the same thing, almost. The chief cause is the jeopardy in which my scheme stands. It was to have been the subject of a Bill which would have been considered at the next session of the Legislative Council, starting on December 10th. I have just discovered that practically nothing has been done since I left India. A Bill has been drafted but with gaps which would be filled when decisions were reached on this point and that: no decisions have been reached however: and now there is very little time for this to be done before the fixed date. For the sanction of the Government of India is needed to legislation and it is not easy to get that sort of thing through in a hurry. So it looks as if the Bill would not be ready: and if it misses this chance it will be months and months before it could be taken up. Hence my annoyance: and hence my great activity, making a last effort to avert the woe. Other work has been heavy too. However I have been out three times to bathe at Tollygunge: very short bathes, because I fear chills: also being flabby still I do not like to try diving very strenuously. On the other hand I have been doing culture physique – chiefly Hornibrook. With you how goes it? do you poise gracefully, stretching this way and that way like one playing with the rubber ring? Do you take part vigorously in lacrosse?

Do.

It would be for your good.

As for me I practise also the South Sea hip waggling exercises to a degree astonishing.

French reading? No.
English reading? nix.

In fact not a profitable existence.

Much love
Daddy.

From LJT to Annette

14/1 Rowland Rd
Calcutta
Nov. 21st 1934

My darling Annette

We were all much entertained by your account of the bench-mark craze. All that sort of thing makes geography much more fun – and the ability to read maps properly is a thing that comes in useful all your life – at least if you are fond of maps and finding your way about as I am.

I am very glad you heard from Paulette – Dad was overcome with a desire to see her letter. He says that sort of direct translation from French into English, is a great help in learning French, because it teaches one the “French usage” in a way that makes it stick in one’s mind.

I wish I could make myself set aside half an hour a day to listen to the French gramaphone – but there always seem more important things to do. Its such a pity to keep on forgetting a language and getting more and more rusty.

I was lunching with two “Smogas” to-day – Mrs. Marr (who was Hilda Cameron – Secretary for the Overseas branch of the O.G.A.) and a friend who has just come out to stay with her – Helen Morison. They are both very nice and were fond of St. Monica’s –

Its so beautifully quiet and peaceful at the moment. Dad has had to go out to dinner with one of the Indian ministers. The servants have shut up and gone to bed and I am writing by the light of a small reading lamp on my writing table. The beautiful embroidered Budha above my writing table is looking down at me out of the dimness in a benign and mysterious way – his lovely golds and blues dimmed to the merest shadows.

Dad has been over-working pretty badly lately. He has been splitting himself to get his Irrigation Bill drafted, printed and circulated to the various persons concerned before Council meets on Dec. 10th. It has meant going from one person and one department to another, and, at a time when they are all very busy, pushing them to get on with the special bit of work he wanted. Thank goodness the Bill is being printed to-day, so I hope the worst is over – but I expect Dad will find something fresh to go all out at! Its a pity he cant be just a little more lazy and phlegmatic. He sill be like a cat on hot bricks when his bill comes before Council. I know he will strain every nerve to get it through. I only hope he wont crack himself up over it. He “minds” everything so much and gets so depressed if things go wrong or if he thinks he has made the smallest mistake. Its a good thing to grow a bit of a shell to protect you from the blows that life is sure to give you every now and again, so long as it is not so thick as to make you quite insensative.

Best love, my darling
From
Mum

From HPV to Annette

Calcutta
Nov 21st 1934

My dear Annette

I have almost decided that French is a coarse language and renounced it: because I read this in a magazine,
Salesman at Paris motor show:-
“At least take a catalogue.”
Englishman. “non: je préfère soulemong papier hygiènique.
Yet there is an explosive robustness about it which amused.

In a way I have been very busy: lots of work of a not very satisfactory kind: and much entertaining. Two holidays spent by me in working furiously, (but I went out to Tollygunge for tea): one half holiday which was taken up by a three-hour meeting. A dinner at Government House which ended at 11.30 but had me beat because I slept badly the night before – yet in itself quite a good specimen with plenty of people known to me and not much formality except round the Governor. Lunch on Sunday: four guests, or six? I forget: two were Indians.

Dinner that night. four guests: two were Brother Hal and Winsome, and one was uninvited but came because he has a bad memory and suddenly thought that he might have been invited and forgetten it. On this argument I do not know why he doesnt come in every night. People in before dinner on Monday – and really very amusing. People in before dinner yesterday: and not amusing nearly or otherwise, but from Jalpaiguri and so we liked seeing them. Col and Mrs Alexander the Doctor there in our latter days – do you remember? and Dr and Mrs McCutcheon parents of Peggy whom surely you have not forgotten. Before this there had been a Durbar where I had been in gold lace and wearing a sword: the only person who has ever had a political uniform and not been photoed in it.

Enough. Enough. Is it not amazing how one’s writing imitates itself?

Much love
Daddie

Family letter

14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
November 22nd 1934.

My dears,

Now that we are well settled into our Calcutta regime, the weeks seem to fly. It seems scarcely a day since I had to hurry to finish my mail letters in time to go out to lunch with Bry Jones at Firpo’s. It was fun meeting some of our old friends from Jalpaiguri who were passing through on their way out from leave.

My real excitement this week is that I have been lent a horse for two or three months, by which time the season for picking up horses cheap will be here. Its an animal that has been a very good paper-chaser, and has done well in amature races at Tollygunge, but is getting a little too old for these things now. He is just a bit of a handfull when he is fresh as he has been these last two mornings, in fact when we got to the right of way across Tollygunge Royal golf-course, which is about a mile from the Regent’s Park chummery, where the horse is living at present, I made GB go on home by himself, and I brought my horse, “Tip it Up” in at a walk, or rather, what tirned out to be a dance! The sight of a big open space of grass had flown to his head. Unfortunately there is no room for him in the Chummery stables after this week-end, but I have been lucky in getting the loan of a stable in the house next door to us in the compound, and from here I can get out fairly easily to the riding country, and shant have to ride round the big Maidan and the race-course every morning. You can imagine how pleased I am to have a horse again.

Last Thursday was a holiday and we had the last day of the Tollygunge Autumn Races, to which I went with Dr Richter, and had a very amusing time, as there were suchf a lot of people there, who had just come out from home. Richter and I went to the United Service Club later to meet the geologist-man who was out with G.B. for a month’s climbing in October. His photos were perfectly fascinating, and I found it immensely interesting hearing something about the geology of the mountains among which I have wandered. I am getting quite a lot of stuff from Mr Auden (this man) for the Himalayan Journal.

Government House have started their winter entertaining, and we were at a huge dinner there on Friday night, which was quite good fun. They must be deadly functions if you don’t know many people, but you know practically every-one there, they are rather amusing. I have begun my own entertaining too, and had a lunch-party for two of the Indian ministers and a few other people on Sunday, and a biggish Cocktail Party on Monday evening. Harry and Winsome and a couple of other friends dined here on Sunday, but that I don’t count as entertaining, only friendliness, nor do I count haveing G.B. and the head man of the Public Works Department to dinner on Monday, to work on the plans of the Sikkim Hut. There is a good deal of diversity of opinion as to the design and what each hut should cost, and actually nothing has been done all the time I have been away. I am very anxious to get everything settled so that work can begin the moment the snow will allow of it in the spring.

I have done a good deal of work for the Himalayan Club this week, as well as for the Girl Guides. I have a dhirzie busy making things for the Girl Guide Sale of Work, to help out what the children are able to do themselves. I have been begging “bits” from all my friends, and thinking of things to make. Dhirzies rather enjoy this sort of thing as a change from mending and making clothes.

Herbert has been frightfully busy getting his Irrigation bill drafted, printed and circulated to the people who must see it before it can go up to Council on December 10th. It has been tiring work, for he has been pushing people who are not specially interested to work at high pressure, and he has been coming home much more tired than I like to see him in the evenings. The Bill was printed yesterday, so I am hooping the worse rush is over, but I suppose now the business of canvassing (sorry I have run off the paper) – for it will begin. No more news – so good-bye and best love to all
LJT


From LJT to Annette

14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Nov. 28th 1934

My darling Annette

This letter will catch you at School I presume – anyway – I hope so! Thanks for yours – not only we but many of our friends have had a good laugh over the All Hallow Een entertainment at St. Monica’s. The Scotch girls always used to give a party when we were there – and we had the Gym lighted with turnip lanterns and indulged in such sports as bobbing for apples – treacle buns and so on – but we never had anything to come up to the different bits of the dismembered man being passed round in the dark.

A marvellous thing has happened to-day. I have had a whole day in the house and I have enjoyed it and I cant tell you what a lot of jobs I have got through. I was lunching out with Veronica Lloyd (whose daughter is or was at South Hall) but the lunch was put off and so was a golf engagement. It was a great boon as I have been rushing about over Guide work and different things and Friday, Sat. Sun. and Monday I was scarcely in my own house at all – and though I was in yesterday, I was doing Guide work all morning and after lunch till I went out to my Rally

I have just been reading a thing in Hooker’s Himalayan Journals which intrigued me very much – He is talking about the wonderful variety of the Flora in north Sikkim and points out that in the distance of about 9 miles one passes through a belt, the mean temperatures of which are from 53° to 43° and that the same isothermal lines in Europe comprise a belt which extends from Stockholm and the Shetlands to Paris – so its no wonder that on these Himalayan treks we are almost dumbfounded at the immense variety of plants that we see. This is the first time in my life that I have taken a personal interest in isothermal lines.

I am just drawing up my annual report for the Himalayan Club and it is quite a long one this year, for we have been doing a good deal in our Eastern Section. It takes a good deal of time verifying all the facts from my files.

Some people are coming in for cocktails in a few minutes, and later a party come to dine before the Symphony Orchestra concert so I must finish this off.

Best love, my darling, from
Mum


Family letter

14.1 Rowland Road.
Calcutta
November 29th 1934.

My Dears,

There is very little to make an interesting letter this week. Almost all my time has been taken up with either Girl Guide or Himalayan Club work. Our big Girl Guide Rally is a week to-day, and I have a good deal to do with the general arrangements for it, as well as getting my companies into shape, and collecting goods for our stall. Yesterday was the first morning since last Thursday that I seem to have had time to attend to my own affairs. Its most tiresome of Lady Willingdon to have chosen the day on which the Christmas Mail leaves, for the Rally. I shall have to start writing my Christmas letters as soon as I have got the mail off to-day.

“Tip-it-up”, the horse, came into his new quarters in this compound on Friday, and I find it is quite easy for him to walk up to a place, from which I can get into the nice riding country almost at once. I have been riding him regularly every morning, and as long as he is by himself he behaves beautifully and does not try to race in the least. He is a wise beast too, and knows a lot about things. It is amusing to see him feeling with his hoof to see if mud is safe to go over. He knows exactly! Its lovely having him to ride.

We were at rather a nice little wedding on Saturday. One of the girls who stayed with me in Darjeeling in 1929, was married to Mr Shebbeare’s nephew, who is a young tea-planter. As they both belong to the Duars (Jalpaiguri) we saw a lot of old friends who had come down for the wedding, and I took a party of them to listen to the Sunday morning concert and drink beer at the Saturday Club on Sunday morning.

We had a big cocktail party of about 24 people on Saturday evening, and it seemed to go off alright. I had two lively couples, one French and one American, who were a great help in making it “go”. I had a few Indians, one of whom, who has just been acting as head the Education Service, arrived at 6 o’clock, having been asked for 6.30 and stayed till the last possible moment. He is one of those Indians educated in England who has become frightfully hearty, and he almost with excitement in his anxiety to get out all that he has to say. He is an interesting and amusing talker, so it is a pity he is not a little more controlled. He turned out to be an expert cocktail-shaker so I turned the “bar” over to him. Our French friends made us laugh by a most dramatic account of their new French Consul-General who has a German wife who cannot speak French!

Calcutta’s musical season started last night with the first of the Symphony Orchestra concerts. It was a great success. The orchestra which is almost entirely amature seems to improve every year. I had a dinner-party before it, and we left Herbert and one of the men to talk and go early to bed (as they said, but it seems they sat talking to-gether till 11.30)

The nights are getting quite chilly now and the dew is tremendous. Its still too warm in the day to wear woollens, I think, though some of the men have gone into Europe suits.

I have had a couple of afternoons golf since I last wrote, but most afternoons I have been round seeing that the different Guide Companies in my district are ready for the rally.

Herbert is pretty well. He was depressed over the week-end at his inability to get a move on people about his Bill, but he seems to have cheered up again now.

Sorry its such a dull letter this week.

Best love to you all
LJT

From HPV to Annette

Calcutta
Nov 29th 1934

My dear Annette.

The event of the week is that the Collector of Burdwan who had declared stoutly that my figures about possible yield of paddy with irrigation in his district were much too high, has after inspection in the irrigated areas eaten his words. This may seen to you of little importance: but it ought to make it easier for me to get my proposals through because ultimately they depend on the figures being more or less right. Moreover I prefer to be right.

Another event: the man next door has cured bad sight by doing exercises and has given up spectacles. All within the last few weeks. Really most interesting. But I spare you the details. Moreover I suspect that your mother will write about this: because she said How magnificent if Joey could give up glasses.

And what about me? I might also. But can I give up the time? The exercises are lengthy.

Peggie McCutcheon’s wedding on Saturday last. A pleasant little affair. How solemn for the bride and bridegroom, and how otherwise for everyone else! I had a headache and suspected that I was getting flu. But now I suspect that it was liver.

A lot of work and little leisure: but as I dont know how to use any leisure that I have it doesn’t matter. I told your mother that the only time when my thoughts do not run on work is when I am working. A sad state. Also a symptom of liver, probably

Much love
Daddy