Warkworth House
Thursday
Dearest Mummy and Daddy,,
We had our first experience of a real Cambridge fog today and it was really amazing. When we woke up this morning, we couldn’t see a thing out of the windows at all – neither across the street, nor even could we see the pavement when we looked down. I didn’t know whether to go on my bicycle or not, but eventually we heard that the buses weren’t running, so I went on it slowly & it was quite all right, because there were no cars about & all the people & cyclists were just creeping along. At school we arrived to find all our faces & hair which hadn’t been covered all bedewed with beads of dirty water – we did look funny! All the children arrived late of course, but by dinner time it was a lovely sunny day & has been all right ever since.
Thank you so much for your letters & the parcel, Mummy. The things in the parcel will be most useful, and I have the cushion all sewed up & in use & we are using the knives & forks with our fish for tea today. Jessie is delighted with the shoes which fit her beautifully & I said £1.1s & not coupons – was that all right? And she asked would you mind waiting until the end of the month as she is broke! I had a letter from the Savings Certificate people this week, by the way, enclosing a new Savings Book & Holder’s card, and the certificates in it, so that is all settled, thank goodness. Nan also sent me the things I asked her to type for me, and I had the other Polish letter, so I’ve had quite a mail this week. The Polish letter was for Ludwik though, so I sent it on.
We had quite an exciting time yesterday at school, because practically the whole school went to the Arts Theatre here to see Ann Casson in ‘Saint Joan’ by Bernard Shaw. We Cookery people don’t usually get out to these shows, but both Jessie and I went, and were very pleased to see it. It lasted from 2.30– 5.45, so it was a very long play, with only one 10 minute interval, but on the whole the girls were quite good except one scene where 3 men sat & talked for about half an hour, & they fidgeted a bit then. Of course they roared with mirth at anything slightly funny & regarded the French king as the chief comedian. I got in front of the 3 giggliest girls in the school, and they nearly drove me wild at times- they needed one of Daddy’s quelling stares & cutting remarks, but mine hadn’t the same power!
We are having some changes at Warkworth House this week, as Joan Walsh has left, and Joan Greenwood can’t keep the rooms on by herself, so she is leaving too & has got a nice room right in the centre of the town. It sounds very good with modern furniture & even a little kitchen attached, but I haven’t seen it yet.
I am enclosing one of the photos, Ann & I had taken at the little place on Mill Road. I don’t think that it is too bad, but I can hear you both making remarks about my large mouth!
I must stop now as Jessie has just come in from Guides and we are going to have tea now – ( smoked fish cooked in milk!) I hope that you are both well.
Much love from
Cynthia
P.S. I’ve just heard that my holidays are from the 19th Dec. to 9th Jan. Isn’t that a nice long time?
A Family History in Letters 