This is a bit of a change, because after Linda’s Birthday Parcel arrived a month early from St. Vincent, both the children wrote to Grannie and their letters were included in Cyn’s next. The book that she sent is a guess on my part, but ‘Black Beauty’ seems to fit, the sort of English classic that Grannie might have been able to get in St. Vincent, and certainly guaranteed to make me cry, even though I was not a mad-about-horses girl reader. I’m not sure I ever re-read it, which was not the usual pattern, but the 1957 edition I have could easily have been with me for 60 years!
Dear Grannie,
We went to swimming lessons all last week and the week before, I didn’t learn to swim but I got the idea.
Daddy went away on a trip as you probably know. He brought me home a Royal Mail coach for my train. You should see it. You put the mail bag on a hook. The mail coach comes along, picks it up and throws it out again in a little box.
The other thing I want to tell you is that I won a prize at Sunday School. It was a picture to hang on the wall.
And thanks for the shirt you sent me.
Love from Charles
XXXXXX
Dearest Grannie,
I am writing to tell you that we received your birthday parcel and opened it right away. Mummy took one parcel but I opened the one with the book and doll skirt in. It’s very cute. All the afternoon I was crying over the book but I like it in spite of that!
Now that I have finished swimming lessons I can swim. I can swim beautifully on my back but I don’t do half so well on my front which is rather a pity I think! We go to the cottage next week and I hope I learn to swim well there.
Love
Linda
P.S. Say hello to Doris and Luenda do for me.
L.C.
A Family History in Letters 