With these photos, we have come to the end of Cyn’s year of adventure as an Exchange Teacher. She had worked hard in a different country, both at her teaching and her speaking engagements, had made friends and had travelled and seen more of America. She had made a success of her position as somewhat of a local celebrity, and was returning home with more self-confidence, and a lot of new clothes! She sailed for England in August 1947 on the Queen Elizabeth, (apparently with Rex Harrison on board?), but no letters exist telling us about her arrival back; her attempts to be 1/2 way honest with the Customs; her speech to the Gosforth audience at home, her father’s opinion of his delayed Christmas present- the magazine subscription to ‘Holiday’; or her managing to find a place to live in Cambridge before the new school year started.
Having missed two important weddings while in America, those of her friends Irene and Nan, the next letter surviving describes the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, in November 1947, which Cyn had said she was determined not to miss! This public event was the start of a few years of private change for Cynthia and her mother, with her own wedding in the offing…
Long Beach July 1947
A Family History in Letters 