19 Warkworth St.
Cambridge.
1st Dec. 1947.
Dearest little Mummy,
Thank you so much for your letter which I got this morning, and for enclosing Miss Lefroy’s. I am so glad that she wrote you such a sweet letter, and will give you such a welcome, because this bed sitting room I am in, wouldn’t be at all nice for you to come to, and now you will be able to stay there while we make some plans and get organized. I am sure that she and Chris will be very glad to have you and you will be able to help them too, so you won’t feel that you are not doing your share.
I am glad that you have had a talk with my Father without his getting in a rage again, and although I am sorry he will not give in about an allowance, I think too that it is better to settle things peacefully than to have a great row in Court about it. We will manage all right without anything from him, and it will make a lot of difference if you can get all your things and a fair share without any unpleasantness. I was wondering if you could settle with him about what furniture, china, silver, linen etc. you were to have, & then if you could go to Bevans or Bainbridges or one of these & ask about whether they would store them. If they would, you could perhaps ask them if they had packing cases for books etc. & if so, they could take all my books & the other things and store them. Then I thought if you could get all your clothes & all the personal things belonging to both of us together, I could either get the L.N.E.R. to send my trunks to you by passenger train; or if you could take the things to Maud’s, I could go up during the Christmas holidays & take the trunks with me, & pack up what you had left over.
I think if you could arrange about storing things in N/C and get that done, it would be a beginning, & would make less for you to worry about than if you took all the stuff to Miss Lefroy’s, and we could leave it there, till we got some place to live. I think it is important for you to see that you have all our Saving Certs & papers about our shares etc. and also before you leave to write to the P.O. about re-directing our letters. I know this seems like looking forward a lot, honey, but now that you have decided to leave, I think you had better get it over and done with. Christmas is not so far off, and I think it would be best if you plan to leave before then if you can. Perhaps Maud would go with you to see about storing the furniture etc. and once you’ve got that arranged, the rest won’t be so bad. I don’t know if you would like me to come up before you leave. I hesitated to ask, because I have a feeling that my presence will only enrage my Father more, but if you would like me to come, I will do so, either for a weekend now, or at the beginning of my holiday.
I did not go to London this weekend- it was last weekend I went, & friend Roland bored me to tears! This weekend I rushed around & got my Xmas things off to America – I sent silk squares with hunting scenes on- one grey, one blue, to Til & Lois – books to Ruth’s children, & a calendar to her & Ernie (I had a letter from Ruth that she has sent me a parcel by the way), I sent a calendar to Mr. & Mrs. Atkinson, & one to C’Zelma, Em & Grandma. I sent books to Hugh, Monie & Allan- & what do you think to the girls- traycloths! So A. Ettie & they will not be jealous of each other! I must write to U. Artie & send him a card, & I am sending a calendar to A. Muriel. At long last I got written to A. Trix, & sent her & Bill & Jane cards.
I was very upset to hear the news about Irene. I had such a cute letter from her last week, telling me all about it, & in such high spirits, & I felt so glad, as I thought she and Bill would make sweet parents. I do hope that it isn’t so serious as it sounds, and that after the baby has dropped or whatever it is, that she will be better. I have just written her a great immense letter, & one to Dottie too, as I am in disgrace again for missing Peter’s birthday once more. I told her vaguely that you were leaving, but said I would be up sometime during my Xmas holidays to see them.
It is after 10 o’clock now, so I better stop & see you to my bottle & Bovril & bed. I am in the midst of Xmas cakes at school – about 100 of the wretched things! I am making one for us,– & by the way, when you leave don’t forget & leave all of the tins of food behind! I sent them to you not him!
Let me know how things are going, & don’t worry too much. If you want me to, I’ll come up –
Lots & lots of love-
Cyn
A Family History in Letters 