1937 September
From LJT to Romey
Sept 22nd, 1937
(short note handwritten on The Corner House Hotel Stationery)
My darling Rosemary,
It was very hard to say goodbye to you yesterday--harder, somehow, than it has ever been before. Perhaps we have got to know one another better this leave. I wondered later, whether it was a mistake to say goodbye to you and leave you at a new school at the same time, but I don’t think it really makes a great deal of difference and I do think it is a help to have to buckle down to attending to lots of ordinary things at once.
I had hoped that I should have been able to catch a post here, so that you would have got this this morning, but the last post had gone before we arrived. Mrs. Petrie suggested telephoning, but I thought that would be like saying goodbye all over again.
Mrs. Petrie says she will love to have you for your exeat from Nov 5th to 8th. Will you write to her about 10 days before? She says she is the world’s worst letter writer, but she wants you to know that she will always love to have you here and you are to write and say so any time you would like to come. I know she really means this.
The funny little dog, Pan, greeted me with such joy yesterday that I think she really must have remembered me. I do so hope you will like Headington. It will be interesting to hear how you think it compares with St Monica’s.
I will send you a list of addresses and times of posting before we leave England. Shall I be able to get home to see you in 1939, I wonder!? If Dad keeps fit, I hope I shall be able to.
Best love my darling and bless you,
Mum
From LJT to Romey
Highways
Great Leighs
Sept 23, 1937
My darling Rosemary,
We really had a lovely drive home yesterday though the morning started by being so cold and grey. We went out of our way to visit Fairford Church and look at its beautiful stained glass windows, which I had seen once years ago when Richard was at Arencester, but which I wanted to see again after looking at so much beautiful glass in France. Sad to say I was a little disappointed at Fairford, which did not quite come up to my memory of it--beautiful though it is. It was in Fairford that I posted my letter to you. It seemed a bit tantalizing driving within a few miles of the school and not coming to see you and all the way home it seemed a bit blank looking at all the places we had looked at together.
We had lunch at some nice tea-rooms in Thame. There were very few people there. We were served quickly and the food was beautifully hot. We passed Aunt and Gavin just the Leighs side of Dunmow, but there was a press of traffic on the road at that moment and we only could catch a glance as they passed.
Toots is evidently puzzled by your absence. She is sitting at my feet now, as I sit on one of the seats in the garden. It is almost summer again today. I hope it well be like this for Aunt’s 25 anniversary party on Saturday. She has been icing the cake today and it looks so lovely. I wish you could have been here for the celebrations.
Perkins kittens are live and lively. I half thought of running to get my camera and take a photo of aunt with all the animals round her.
Annette and Richard enjoyed the Claytons dance very much and Dickie Clayton took Anne in to supper, which I think was rather an honour from the host, don’t you?
Work is going on apace in the new annex. There must be ten men or more here today. One party are laying the new drain and another party are building the fireplace and chimney. If they go on at this pace they’ll get the place done in no time.
I am putting our addresses on a separate piece of paper for you. I have to write to Mrs. Petrie now, and then go and pack various things in a wooden case I have had made to take out to India. I have been thinking so much of you and wondering how you are getting on.
My best love and blessings on you,
Mum
From HPV to Romey
Highways
Sept 28th, 1937
My dear Rosemary,
I have neglected you. It is not really that I have had no time but I have felt as if I had none. One thing after another has cropped up, and there would have been plenty of time for everything if I had abstained from doing any virtuous works in the garden, such as weeding and leaf sweeping. Our stay with Mrs. Petrie was pleasant; it amounted to hardly more than an evening before the fire in the drawing room, but she seemed to appreciate the compliment of our having gone so far in order to have a glimpse of her. We didn’t pass through Oxford on our return, starting late, turning aside to Fairford church to see again the stained glass windows and running out of petrol on the road a few miles from home. The whole of next morning went in a trip into Chelmsford and then to Felstead and the afternoon, I think, saw us at tea at Leonard’s. On Friday we went up to town, lunch with Keith Jameson who had with him a man, late ICS, known to me in my first year at Oxford. Tea at the royal Empire Society to see the Bentleys (who were late in turning up) and others.
Saturday was the silver wedding for Aunt and Uncle, too wet to allow doing as I had intended, that is sweeping the leaves off the lawn, but there were plenty of preparations to occupy the morning and from 2:30 onwards the afternoon gave us no rest. Going to the station, picking up people, taking people back again. Everybody cheerful and happy.
Sunday filled with odd jobs, lunch with Arla and all sorts of people for tea. We had asked brother Roy to have dinner with us, but other people stayed on, so we had to ask them also--all rather a scramble and by the time we got home at 10: or so, I was dead beat.
Yesterday Annette had to take the passports to London for us to get them visa-ed for Egypt, I did the last packing of my boxes (bots and morning coat were not available before) and your mother went to Chelmsford for hair waving and dentist. In the evening to Witham for farewell to the “aunts”.
Goodbye my dear and bless you. It was a great pleasure to see how well you were doing and how well your were turning out.
Much love,
Dad
From LJT to Romey
Highways
Sept 29th, 1937
My darling Rosemary,
Owing to a bit of stupidity on my part, we have to go up to London today. I quite forgot that Egypt is no longer a part of the British Empire and that therefore, we have to have a special visa for our passports --- so Annette had to take them up to town for us yesterday and we have to go this afternoon, instead of tomorrow morning, because we have to pick them up.
Packing is all done and I have a little spare time in which to write to you, but must be brief. Thanks for the letter and postcard -- now for your questions!
I really don’t know whether you can get tonsillitis, but I suppose not! Unless indeed your tonsils have grown again. Name tapes have not arrived yet, but I am asking Auntie to send you a few when they do.
I think it would be best to ask Miss Pierce (Headmistress at Davenport) to order a birthday cake for you and ask her advice about which day it would be best to have it. Richard and or Annette will probably like to have you out on the Saturday or Sunday nearest your birthday.
Quite right to put down for getting as many books as you can second-hand. I have written to Miss Moller to ask her to send you to see the school oculist in case there should be anything to be done about your left eye. Very likely eye exercises would strengthen it.
The laundry, by the way, is included in the £50 a term inclusive school fees - and does not come out of the £3 with Miss Pierce. That is purely for personal things like bus fares, concert tickets or anything of that sort. I think, by the way, if Miss Pierce would like the money in advance for your cake, will you write to auntie for it? If it is customary to have a sort of birthday tea-party, I am willing to go 1 pound for you -- but I should not try to start it, if it is not already done.
I’ve, or rather Annette has posted you my copy of St. Monica’s magazine. We thought you might like to see it. I have read it and don’t want it back.
I had my hair permed and went to the dentist yesterday, and then after tea, Dad and Aunt and I went over to say goodbye to the Aunts. Aunt has gone to Auntie Hilda’s sale this morning, but will be back for lunch. The photos I took of you are so good. I have asked Aunt to get copies done for you.
We leave Victoria at 11 am tomorrow for Marseilles. I hope it will be a nice day for crossing the Channel.
Best love my darling,
Mum