Commentary – Page 17 – A Family History in Letters

April 22-30 1950

When Carol Ewing, née Hazell, went home to St.Vincent after thirty years in England, she re-united with the whole widespread Hazell clan. First she stayed with the Otways in Trinidad- her sister Trix and then her nephew Bill and his wife Jane and their children- and from what Cyn says, seems to have seen her eldest sister Gee, Georgina Hutchinson, as well. (Cyn was surprised at how old she looked in the photograph Carol sent her of the sisters, but considering that Carol had just had her 56th birthday (and Cyn her 35th) which would make Gee 77 years old, an elderly appearance is not surprising.) Basil Hutchinson, Cyn’s cousin, who lived in Canada, seems to have been visiting his mother, met his aunt, and took Carol’s postcards and a birthday present for Cyn to mail in Canada as a surprise. Gossip over other relatives, Jack Otway, Uncle Fred, etc. are interesting to Cyn as Carol passes on what has been going on in the family.

I was interested in Cyn’s birthday presents, as I still have some of them in my library (5000 volumes and counting) and in the attention she has to pay to ironing, a thing I don’t think many of us worry about nowadays- I certainly don’t. And details of prices are also interesting, if a bit surprising.

Now that Carol is living in St. Vincent, Cyn’s letters follow the pattern we’ve just seen in the month of April 1950- short Air Mail letters attempted weekly to keep in touch, with one long one sent by sea, often covering the same topics, but out of step in time. This letter is the usual 15 pages, and repeats a few things mentioned in earlier letters, but includes the little diagrams that would waste too much space in an air letter!

Sat. 22nd April. 1950.

Dearest Little Mummy,

Happy Birthday! And many, many happy returns of the day! Cec and I have been thinking of you all day, and wondering what you were doing, and what fun you were having with Auntie Moo. We reckon that you will be about 2 hours ahead of us in time, so I expect that you will be beginning to think of bed, and I hope that you had such a happy day.

Cec and I were so delighted this morning because your letter written partly on the Lady boat and partly on your arrival in St. V. arrived, and it was so amusing & jolly and you sounded so happy that we were both tickled to bits and kept reading it over & giggling at bits! I am so glad that St. V. was just as lovely as you remembered & that everything was even nicer than you remembered. I am longing to hear all the details & want a plan of A. Moo’s house, so that I can picture it, – the garden sounds wonderful – you have me puzzled because you say it isn’t very big, then reel off at least a dozen trees which are in it so that it sounds like an estate! I do hope that you can get some pictures of you in the garden & the surrounding country & so on. I took a picture of this house today, so that you will be able to visualize us in our abode! I took it now, while the trees are still bare, & will take another when they are in leaf as it will look quite different. I’ll also try & take some inside, so that you will see what it looks like. I am trying to learn how to use Cec’s camera, so it will be fun to see what I do!

You certainly gave me a great surprise with your letter & cards from Canada! I think they arrived on Tues. morning & the first one I saw was your letter- stamp Canadian – postmark, Montreal! I gawped, then without looking at the pictures on the P.C.s I began reading the one you wrote Cec “Here I am in Canada” & nearly collapsed with amazement! I finally got it sorted out, but not before I began thinking that via Montreal was a roundabout way to St. V.!! How nice to see Basil though, and what fun to meet yet another relative! It was kind of him to take the letters & my birthday present, & I am looking forward to getting the earrings – they sound lovely. I loved getting the snaps of Janie & Billo & the kids & the three sisters! I think the one of Bill with the 2 boys is sweet & the one of little Johnny watering the garden, but I didn’t think either of the ones of Janie were very good. Both Cec and I thought your face looked quite plump in your picture, but it suits you! Auntie Trix looks just the same as ever, but I didn’t realize that Auntie Gee would be so old looking- I don’t really remember seeing a picture of her for ages. Auntie Trix’s house looks nice, but hot without trees to shade it – but Janie & Billo’s looks lovely & shady. We hope so much that you like the colour picture we sent you for your birthday. It is quite the nicest one of the colour pictures we took on our honeymoon. The one of me in my glamorous bathing suit was awful I looked like a camel & Cec let me tear it up! The others are quite nice – two lovely ones from the train window of the Corniche d’Or & the gorgeous blue sea, another of the cliffs which isn’t too good, then one of us together on the beach & one of me alone. Unfortunately the ones on the beach are not as good as they might have been as we were sitting under the umbrella so looks rather greeny & anæmic, whereas the people in the sunlight look lovely. The two we took at Avignon, have hardly any colour in at all – it must’ve been something to do with a hot hazy day, but it was a pity. The prints are so expensive that we decided not to get them all to send to you, but got you an enlargement of the one we thought you’d like best. I hope you notice the Rolls-Royce waiting for me in front of the hotel?!

I feel the honeymoon enlargement they sent Carol included Cec!

I have a whole stack of your letters here some of which I partly answered & some of which I haven’t, so I’m going to read through them as I go along. The first one I have is the long diary you wrote on the “Golfito”- I expect that seems ages ago to you now – and does England seem a dream, or do you still feel as if St. V. was a dream & that you will wake up some time? I think I answered everything in that letter, but I have been meaning to ask about the two girls you met on board – did you hear anything more of Mrs. Quinn in Trinidad? I expect that you will see Jeanette in St.V. now & will hear all about the wedding – you mustn’t forget to let me know. I liked hearing about the Hutchinson cousins- especially Sylvia, as she seems very nice & I would have loved to have seen her guest house. It sounds lovely & she must be really good at her job to have it looking so nice, and such good food etc. I’m sorry that you didn’t get a snap of her & the house, as I would like to see what they both are like, & I was interested in her romance, & hope it will eventually come right in the end.

By the way, I don’t believe I ever said thank you for the book you sent me for my birthday – or rather Sylvia sent for you. It was a little late in arriving, so that is why I forgot I hadn’t written about it, but thank you very very much now – I liked all the little articles & Cec did too- they were homey & nice, weren’t they? I did very well for books for my birthday because Nan sent me “Trouble in the Glen” by Maurice Walsh, & the 1st book from the Book Club I told you Dottie had given us the membership of, arrived last week. It is called “The Kon-Tiki Expedition” & sounded rather awful I thought, but Cec has read it & says it is very exciting & interesting. It is the true story of a group of young men who sail on a raft from Peru to some of the S. Sea Islands to prove that that was how they were originally populated. Amy sent me “Maxims & Reflections of Winston Churchill”- pst!!! Irene sent me two pretty hankies. I have joined the public library & I am enjoying it very much. They have all my old favourite authors like Elizabeth Gouge & Frances Parkinson Keyes & in fact many more British than US authors.

Talking of birthdays, I have just been packing your birthday parcel, late though it may be! We were keeping strictly to our budget this month, & until nearly the end we didn’t know how we were going to make out, but we did fine & bought (1) a carpet sweeper- beautiful, gorgeous thing, in comparison to that old Broom! and (2) an ironing board, as well as your present (the latter wasn’t such a very expensive item!!) Cec & I were so thrilled with the sweeper, that we rushed around the whole flat & swept everything, & as we bought it on Sat & had it delivered on Mon. I had let everything get dirty & we got a wonderful lot of dust & dirt! The ironing board I am very pleased about – I have been borrowing Mrs. K.’s & didn’t like to be always bothering, so we have been always behind with ironing. I got a nice metal board, as it’s a permanent possession as it were, and you also have to buy a pad and cover, as you just buy the structure by itself – cost us $9.00! It is being delivered tomorrow & I have a whole stack of ironing waiting! To go back to parcels, yours isn’t very much but Cec & I thought it was cute, & it is for you to do your chores in! I also packed a parcel for my Father – sweets, sugar, etc. and also a little package of candy & comic books for Peter, & some chocolate covered cherries for Dottie! Talking of Dottie, we had a letter from her last week with the rudest story, which made us laugh and laugh! Pity you’re not still with Auntie Trix – I expect she still likes a low joke!

I am making up a food parcel for Nan’s birthday with Fudge Mix, Coconut Pie Mix, Brownie Mix, Peppermint Frosting Mix etc. & will do something the same for Anne, although of course I’m late for her birthday, but I wrote & told her I was & sent a card.

To go back to your letter, I have been meaning to ask you how Jack was getting on, & then in one of your letters you say it doesn’t look as if Joan is coming back to him. What do you think is the trouble? They seemed very happy at one time – is it just his drinking do you think, or is it again a bit of mother-in-law trouble? Is she living at her home or what. I was so glad to know that Janie & Bill were so happy & had such a nice house and so many conveniences. It is grand that Bill is doing so well, because he is such a good boy & deserves to do well. I was surprised to hear about A. Trix being so interfering etc. but now I think about it I realize that she is inclined to be that way, & also of course, just as possessive as Winnie over her sons! However, I should’ve thought she would have had enough sense to be thankful that Bill has such a sweet wife without putting her big foot in it!

Now that you are in St.V. I expect you are all up to date with the Hazell gossip, & I am looking forward to hearing all about it. What about Auntie Mil & Uncle Fred’s divorce – are they really going to go through with it after all this time? It seems silly in a way, but I suppose it will be Mrs. Child’s doing – it must be the most peculiar situation – you must tell me what this Delilah Child’s like!

I wonder if you ever heard any more of the U.S. fleet or any more news of Hugh? I think I remember seeing something in the papers about the fleet returning from the Caribbean, so probably you didn’t. His letter was sweet, wasn’t it? I can’t imagine little J.P. growing up & being bigger than me- such a huge size! I must write to Hugh sometime- not only for the wedding present!! It’s a good job he hasn’t Jacob’s tastes or I could look forward to a tasty carved giraffe or hippopotamus!!

I have been writing this for a whole week now, & what do you think? Our boxes arrived on Friday- at last! We are so pleased & excited to have them all safely & to have everything with us again. We began unpacking straight away, & as Cec said it was just like Christmas!! We kept finding things we had forgotten all about, & we were amazed at how marvellously that old man did pack everything – there were only 3 casualties & none of them serious (1) a pyrex dish- that shallow square one- remember? (2) Mrs Parry’s blue Wedgewood jug- I never did like it anyway, but we won’t be able to sell it!! and (3) our big map got a bit jarred, so that the frame was loosened & there is a crack at one corner of the glass at the back, but nothing that we won’t be able to get mended quite easily. I’ve got all my cupboards in the kitchen full, but I haven’t washed the china yet, so next week I’ll do that and put paper on the shelves & it will look lovely! There isn’t room for the silver anywhere in the cupboard, & we haven’t any furniture we could put any of it on, so I am going to wrap it up & put it in one of the trucks. Anyway it tarnishes terribly quickly here with the heating. Talking of silver, makes me think of tea pots – well, I have plenty now! When we were at the Atkinson’s for that fateful weekend, Mrs. A. insisted on lending me the most atrocious thing you ever saw- thick, thick, white pottery with a little knobs all over (like warts!) and red & blue lines making a check on it – not to mention a yellow flower on top of the lid! It held about 8 cups of tea, so you can imagine how useful it was to us! However, as our boxes still hadn’t arrived I was in the grocers one day & here were the sweetest little brown pottery teapots (2 cuppers!) full of teabags for 49¢, so I got one, as I knew I hadn’t a tiny teapot anyway. It is so cute – made in England, & I am very pleased with it! By the way, had your boxes arrived in St. V. safely? And was everything all right? You would be just about as pleased to unpack everything & settle down as we are. Our Indian rug looks so nice in the sitting room. It has a navy blue carpet which showed every footprint, so the rug is fine on it, & as the walls are grey & the curtains plain yellow, it brightens it up & when we get our pictures hanging it will look very nice I think. We are going to try & get some bookshelves later- at the moment we have Cec’s books in the cupboard in the sitting room & have put all the story books back into one of the boxes in the attic. At the moment there is only the sofa & armchair- Cec’s desk, & two little occasional tables, in the sitting room, so there isn’t much space for bric-a-brac!!

I laughed over Janie dieting with things she doesn’t like! I’m just the same, but as I cook mostly things I like, I don’t get far! I am hoping that in the summer if it’s hot, the fat will just roll off me, without any effort! At the moment it doesn’t look as if summer will ever come here – there isn’t a sign of a bud on a tree or anything, but I expect it will arrive suddenly & we’ll swelter.

I was interested to hear of the prices of food in Trinidad & how Janie thought I wouldn’t be able to manage on my budget. Well, it is quite a struggle, although it seems a lot compared to what we’d spend in England, but of course it is all our meals, as Cec comes home to lunch every day & in England neither of us did. You said eggs were $1.26 in Trinidad – well they are low here at the moment- between 45¢ & 50¢ a doz. but as we use three for breakfast every morning (making up for lost time!) we get through them quickly. Vegetables I find very expensive- a little tiny cauliflower 35¢ & broccoli 39¢ & the only cabbage great huge ones at 9¢ a pound. I find the frozen veg cheaper, as corn & peas & beans are all under 30¢ a pkt & also I get little tins of veg (just enough for two) for as little as 2 for 15¢. Meat is high & bacon- also coffee. Each weekend our roast, which does us about 2 dinners & maybe 1 lunch is between $1.50 & $2.00 & of course our month’s milk bill is nearly $12, so it is no wonder that I am being careful! We had so many initial expenses with Cec’s college bill (which we’ll eventually get back from D.V.A.) & freight charges on our luggage & tea chests, that each month we’ve been panting for the next month’s cheque, but at last this month we have got straightened out & have even money left (not much) in the bank after paying our electric bill, (very pleased with ourselves- 2 month’s bill $10.00) so next month we will start out square.

I have been trying still to get a job, as we could use the money & I really haven’t much to do, but so far have no success as I don’t seem to be much good at anything! I wrote to the Gas & Electric Companies & the Electric doesn’t employ married women & the Gas said I could call sometime & fill in a form! I also went to a Book shop that wanted an assistant & the man was nice but turned me down as I had no experience & I went to a dress shop that wanted someone 1/2 time to sell hosiery & bags, but again I had no experience. Most annoying! However, I may get something – the last job would have suited me fine – afternoons & Saturdays & I am sure I could sell stockings very nicely, but I didn’t get the chance!

I was horror stricken at the size of the spider you drew that was at A. Trixie’s! We had a centipede in the bathroom yesterday & I yelled for Cec, we don’t know where it came from. The attic here is the worst place as it was just full of sick & dying flies & wasps & on a warm day they would all emerge from their crooks and nannies and creep around. I got a shoosher & have been spraying them all & collecting corpses & hope they are done now.

I was glad you had a nice time in Grenada & liked Mrs. Chandler so much. We were very amused at you & the café-au-lait gentlemen dashing out to the ship together! I am amazed at all the cousins you seem to be finding that I have never heard of before! Neither the Doreen on the Lady Rodney or the ones you met at Sylvia’s or with Marion, did I know existed – well, well!

I don’t know if I told you but the Sutherlands are going to build a house here. They have brought a “lot” & some weeks ago I think I told you they drove us to see it. It is in a very exclusive part a few miles out of A.A. by a lake & is very lovely & wooded. The site they have is on a hill, & they will have to have the house built in terraces as it were, but it should be very nice. The last Physics Wives Tea Party I went to about 10 days ago, was at a new house owned by a young couple with 3 little girls. It is most modern- built of wood- cedar, I think- & left brown, not painted, inside or out. It is built on the side of a hill and from the road looks a bit like Noah’s ark as only the top story shows & it has a wide overhanging roof & a sort of gangway or path all around.

The living room, kitchen etc. is all on the top floor, & you go downstairs to the bedrooms, & in addition to that, the whole of the living room floor has no inside walls except for a central cupboard, so-

It looks even more peculiar, as it is quite unfinished inside, as the husband is doing all the paddling & stairway & bedroom walls & closets etc. himself & it isn’t done yet, so all the walls are bare with aluminum insulating showing! It was very intriguing to see though!

I think I told you that we went down to the Kaufman’s to see the television & met their youngest daughter & son-in-law & I was very pleased! They were just married in Sept. & Mrs. K had told me so much about Fay, & how popular she was, with a smile for everyone & had shown me a newspaper photo (head & shoulder) of her as a bride, in which she looked lovely. However, she is small, about my size & fat– dumpy rather & a bit sulky looking! We liked her husband much better- he was a jolly young man. I was most amused, Mrs. K. kept telling Fay her hair didn’t look good, & Fay kept smarming it down with her hand, just like you wanting me to make a good impression & me not co-operating!

We haven’t seen any more of the Dockrills this week. They are the young couple just arrived from Cambridge – he is a Lab Technician & Dr. S. got him a job over here & they’ll stay if they like it. I just met him for a minute one day, but he reminds me of Claude & Brian- more of the latter in looks really, and the same way of talking. She looks a little bit like Joan Appleyard & seems quite nice. Talking about Joan & Ray, we wrote to them when we arrived, but haven’t heard anything. Did I ever tell you that we had had a note from Jim & Lee Gander near New York & they have a baby!

I have had letters from Nan & Irene lately & they tell me that the Egans are going out to Australia! Michael has a job as a radiologist at a hospital in Perth & they are to arrive there in August & Mary is having another baby in Sept. Brave girl! Poor Mrs. White will be sad at their going so far away though, but Irene says Mary is thrilled. I also heard from Ruth that she got her parcel safely & likes everything very much, & no word of duty!

I had written to Amy before & sent her a silver wedding card, even if it was late! I’ve never heard from my Father since leaving Cambridge, but write an A.M. every week. Anne wrote me that Tadek has got his Ph.D. Isn’t that grand? He is also a British citizen now & was trying for jobs, so I do hope he gets something really good – I haven’t heard from her for a little while.

Well honey – I think that is all the news! My pore arm is fair wore out! We are looking forward to a letter from you tomorrow perhaps telling all about St. V as we didn’t get one last week, but I know you would be having a busy time unpacking & gossiping & meeting people!

Cec is working very hard now & is giving a paper to the Physics Faculty at their weekly meeting on Thurs. so he’s preparing for that, then has another to give two weeks after. He sends his love & has been censoring this as I wrote it! Must stop now as it’s bedtime. Be good now!

Lots & lots of love from

Cyn

Finished Sunday 30th April.

April 10 1950

This Easter airmail may have been written on Easter Monday, but was postmarked April 13th, and sent to Trinidad. Carol had gone by the time it arrived and it had to be redirected to St.Vincent, where she was to settle down with her sister Muriel.

I thought it was funny that the colour photos of their honeymoon which she mentions are the ones that look worst 70 years later! The scrapbook has survived quite well, and the black & white snaps look quite normal, but the colour photos have yellowed badly and don’t look ‘lovely’. (And the ‘awful’ picture did not make it into the scrapbook of course!) The mention of their Saturday lunch is a pleasant reminder of the days before fast food restaurants, when drug stores and stores like Woolworth’s all had a counter with the food (or Cyn’s favourite treat, chocolate milkshakes) made right in front of you…

At the very top of the airmail letter is another tease in Cec’s handwriting:

No room for me per usual! We laughed about your comment on our bed, but are beginning to wonder if we brought you up right. Lots of love Cec

Monday 10th April. 1950

Dearest Mummy,

This is Easter Monday & although it isn’t a holiday here, Cec and I are being English & have declared a Bank holiday & are having a nice time! Actually Cec is working now, but isn’t going to the University, so it feels pleasant and lazy! I hope that you are having a very happy Easter, honey – we have thought about you a lot, and I sent you an Easter card little while ago, but it was by sea, so I doubt if it would arrive in time. Thank you so much for your A.M. written on my birthday – it was so nice to get it, and I also got the lovely English birthday card you sent me a little later in the week. It is so beautiful with all the flowers & made the room look quite springy.

We had quite fun for Easter, but first of all I’ll tell you our doings of last week. I think I told you that we were going out to dinner last Tues. to a Prof and Mrs. Cork’s. He is in Cec’s Dept. & I had met Mrs. Cork at the “Teas” I was at & she was very nice. Besides ourselves & the Simpsons, there were two other young couples (also Physics Dept.) & the Head of the Dept. Prof. Barker & his wife- as well as Mr. & Mrs. C. & their daughter & son-in-law. We had a lovely dinner, sitting at small tables & helping ourselves buffet style, then talked & the daughter and son-in-law showed us some beautiful colour pictures they had taken on a trip through the Rockies etc. last summer (honeymoon!) They had a screen & projector & the colours were really wonderful. We had our colour photos done by the way, & printed, & some of them are quite good- the 2 we took at Avignon are poor because it was hot, dull weather, but the ones along the Mediterranean are lovely, except the supposed glamour one of me which was awful! I looked like an elephant with its posterior (white satin!) in the air!

Mrs S. had done my washing on Tues & when I went to get it, she told me she was feeling so tired & thought she might be getting flu or something, so I suggested having the children to lunch next day so that she could rest. She was pleased & so were they, & they came straight from school & had chicken noodle soup, egg sandwiches & sardine sandwiches, chocolate milk & apples, then off they went again. Since then little Mary has hardly been off our doorstep & visits us 2 or 3 times a day!

On Friday evening we went down & saw Mr. & Mrs. Kaufman’s television set, which they have just got & are very proud of. Their youngest daughter & her husband were there too so I was pleased to have some more of my curiosity satisfied! She is a funny little fat thing – I’m getting that way too!!!

On Sat. I went to town & Cec met me for lunch. Our luncheon restaurant is Woolies, which have a very nice snack bar with lots of good sandwiches! I went & joined the Public Library, which will be nice & was surprised to find that it was crammed full of English authors! Cec & I also went to a shop which was having a sale & bought a carpet sweeper much to my joy & I am eagerly awaiting the delivery today, so that I can lay aside my old broom for a while! The living room carpet is plain navy blue, & a bedroom one plain dark green, so you can imagine how they show every piece of fluff & dust! We also got dear little Easter presents for the Sutherland kids – a plastic bunny on wheels with candy eggs in its arms for Mary, wheelbarrow with candy for Kirsten & a little basket with candy for Anne. I also got Cec a brown tie & had lots of fun dying h-boiled eggs (pink, green, blue, yellow, & purple) for a tiny Easter basket for us! It’s years since I coloured Easter eggs. I went to church yesterday at 11 o’clock & had quite a walk because the only Episcopal Church is quite a bit away & no buses on Sunday, but it was a nice service. Mary visited us most of the afternoon & the S.’s invited us to their house in the evening for a little party they had with other couples from the Physics Dept., so I felt I’d had a busy day! Will write my next letter to A. Muriel’s – hope you have a good trip whichever way you go & have a grand home–coming!!

With lots and lots of love from

Cyn

March 23 1950

Cyn’s letters seem to reach Trinidad quite quickly- this one was written on the 23rd, posted on the 24th, and stamped in various parts of Trinidad on the 27th and 28th, having been redirected by Auntie Trix to her son’s house where Carol must have moved to visit, but nothing from her is getting to Cyn and Cec in Ann Arbor! It is interesting, though, to hear about the visit to Toledo they had been reluctantly forced into, and to get Cyn’s take on Til’s son Bill’s second wife whom she had heard about, but not met, at the end of her year teaching there.

803 Granger

Thursday.

Dearest Mummy,

We have been dashing to the post all week to see if there was a letter from you, but so far it hasn’t arrived. We are panting to know how your trip was and how you’re getting on and all about everything, so it will be fun when it arrives – I’ll be interested to know too, how long letters take to get to the W. Indies.

I was so mad last week because I finished the great long A.M. I was writing to you, & on Sat. morning took it, and 4 bundles of magazines and 1 parcel all downtown in the bus to the Post Office. My arms were about breaking by the time I got there & I staggered in at 12:03, to find that P.O.s in America close at 12.0 on Saturday! I could have bitten someone, as I had quite a bit of shopping to do, & instead I just had to turn around & get the bus home again. Actually, I had to get a present for Mrs. Atkinson’s birthday, as they were coming up that afternoon, so I bought a pot of blue hyacinths, & really did totter under the weight of that as well! Anyway, it all meant that I had to keep your letter over the weekend and take it to the P.O. again as I knew it was overweight.

The Atkinson’s finally arrived on Sat. at about 3:15 p.m. and we sat & talked a while and then I got tea. They both kept up a constant stream of talk- Mrs. at me, & Mr. at poor Cec, who was ready to scream by about 4 o’clock! Our tea wasn’t very elegant with a makeshift tea pot etc., but I used Mrs. Chaple’s tea cosy which enlivened the proceedings! During the afternoon I gave Mrs. A. the flowers which she liked & Mr. A. suddenly suggested we come down with them & stay overnight, as if it were a sudden bright thought, and after a few hesitations Cec & I agreed, so we slung a few things in a bag & were off, arriving in Toledo about 8:15. Mrs A. went to the door first- the whole house in darkness – opened it, and just stepped in, when suddenly out of the darkness came the sound of voices singing “Happy Birthday”. Mrs. A. got quite a shock & it was a real surprise as she had no idea anything was going on. There were about 8 people there & they all gave Mrs. A silver salt & pepper shakers & Mr. A. gave her a corsage of red roses. We sat & had a drink & then split up & played cards- Cec & I played bridge & did quite well. Then we had sandwiches (brought by the visitors) & tea & coffee & birthday cake, made by Mrs. A’s sister-in-law. Everyone stayed till after 12 & it was quite late by the time we got to bed. We were exhausted! But we had been by the time we left A. Arbor, & the party was really much better than I expected & we liked the people. Next day we slept till 12, – nice way of passing time on an uncongenial visit! – & then got up & had a breakfast-lunch. Mr. A. took Cec a drive while Mrs. A. & I washed up, then I phoned Til & had a chat & found that Bill & Jan were there for the day. As I was longing to meet Jan, I asked Mr. A. & he took us over for a little visit & I had my curiosity satisfied!! I liked her – although I told Cec she reminded me very slightly of Jessie Fisher! Not her colouring- she’s dark & square kind of face & glasses that turn up at the corner, but just her mouth or something. However she seemed nice & Cec liked Bill. They are having a baby & are off to Panama for 2 years sometime next month- Bill is in the Army you know. I asked Til another time if she thought they were happy & had found the right person this time & Til said “Oh no- there’s been talk of separating & so on, but I hope it works out all right”. Bill seems to like the Army though, & Jan likes the life so I hope it is all right.

When we got back, Mrs. A. gave us tea & then drove us back home, and we were so glad to be in our own little place again! They are kind & mean so well, but they just get on our nerves until we practically pop! Poor Cec is nearly driven crazy by Mr. Atkinson’s pomposity & know-all cockiness, & Mrs. A. talks worse than Amy & has a loud shrill laugh! Aren’t I rude? But we had a good grumble together & got it out of our systems, & hope we won’t see them for quite a while!

Cec has been working hard this week, & I have done nothing unusual except help Mrs. Sutherland with her tea party. I made some little cookies at home, like so

with a recipe out of her Swedish cookery book. Then yesterday afternoon I went along & helped polish silver & get out tea cups etc. and also made about 40 little choux pastry cases. Then this morning I went & made sandwiches (egg & chives: tomato: date & orange juice) & put cream in the puffs & coffee icing on top. The tea was for 3:30, so I went at 2:30 & everything looked lovely – the sandwiches, cream puffs, lots of different cookies & slices of fruit cake- & the table decorated with pale green & yellow candles & napkins & a bowl of daffodils, irises & white snapdragons. Twenty-eight ladies arrived, & they all said they had a lovely time & thoroughly enjoyed the tea. I stayed & helped Mrs. S. (Gunborg to me now – but I daren’t pronounce it!) clear up & wash dishes & while we were busy Dr.S. arrived having just dropped Cec, so he went along and brought Cec back with him & we all had dinner together. Since then we have been writing letters & both feel very virtuous!

Cec is chasing me to bed as it is 12 o’clock, so I must go.

My love to Auntie Trix-

With lots and lots for my Mummy,

from

Cyn

March 15 1950

Mary Ewing, who was so kind to Carol, was from Gordon’s side of the family and lived in London. It was obviously hard on my grandmother leaving, after thirty years of her life in England, but she hadn’t seen her nephew Bill Otway and his wife Jane since they left after the war, nor met their babies, and the last time she saw her sister Trix was on their 1939 visit to New York, so she must have been looking forward to visits in Trinidad at the end of the voyage.

Wed. 15th March.1950.

Dearest Mummy,

Cec and I keep thinking about you in the middle of the Atlantic and wondering how you are getting on & whether you are enjoying yourself. We have decided that by now you will have made friends with people, and the weather will be good & you will be beginning to think that maybe things aren’t quite so bad after all! As a matter of fact, I can just imagine you sitting having a drink before dinner with some dashing caballero, feeling no end of a dog, and smoking a cigarette with a very superior and sophisticated (??) air!! Seriously though- we do hope that you are having fun and enjoying the trip because I think you would need a good rest and change after all the upheaving of the last few months. I know how sad you would feel at leaving Miss Lefroy, and having a cold too would make you feel miserable.

At the same time that we got your last A.M. letter (Monday), I also got one from Mary Ewing, and she told me how she & Gertrude had gone to see you off. I can’t get over how sweet & kind they have been to us- they have put themselves out time after time to be so good to us, and no one could have been nicer. I am so glad that Mary & Gertrude did go, because as Mary said in her letter, it would help a bit to lighten the atmosphere. She also told me how you got my card just as you & Miss Lefroy were leaving & I was so delighted because I was afraid it would be late. I hope our cable was waiting for you on the ship too, and that you have a nice cabin and a pleasant cabin mate.

You made Cec and I quite homesick for England in your last letter, telling us all about the snowdrops & almond blossom, because we are still in the midst of snow and winter here & there’s not even a sniff of a spring flower even in the florists. We were most enchanted to hear that you had been to see the dear little bear, and we want to hear ALL about it! There are a few cute little squirrels in the trees around here, but that’s the only wildlife we have! And by the time you are answering this anyway you will be telling us all about the monkeys & parrots & the beautiful orange blossom and other exotic blooms! It is so amazing to think that when you read this you will be with Auntie Trixie, and Janie & Billo & little John & my godson. Give them all my love & don’t forget to tell me all about them. I am writing a long letter and sending it off too but I didn’t realize the 19th was so close, so I am dashing to post this & will put all the gossip in the other. Will leave room for Cec to say a word- Lots and lots of love & a big hug from Cyn.

[Cec’s handwriting] Yes Cyn was a bit weepy thinking about you leaving, or else she had indigestion. But we feel you are much closer now.

We haven’t got our other stuff yet, but we have had word at last & should have it soon. We’ve almost forgotten what we own. Lots of love Cec

March 13 1950

Carol Ewing left England in March, and arrived in St. Vincent where she was to share a home with her sister Muriel in April, after having paid visits to other family members who lived on different islands. Cyn wrote this long letter and the airmail letter that followed, almost at the same time, and sent them to her aunt Trix, Carol’s older sister, in Trinidad, where her ship stopped.

I find Cyn’s scorn heaped on the humble broom as amusing as Cec did- I feel sure they existed in England or what was Hogwarts using?- but the broom I remember from my childhood was a push broom which I assume is the one she considered superior.

M0nday 13th March. 1950

Dearest Mummy,

When you are reading this you will be in the midst of the tropics, and here I have just been shovelling snow! Ever since we came it has been cold and snowy, sometimes a heavy fall, and sometimes just a little, but when ever it begins to melt away, there is another fall. There was one last night & it looked so bright & pretty outside then I went & asked Mrs. Kaufman if I could borrow their shovel, and I shovelled our little side path & Kaufman’s path and the sidewalk. While I was busy the postman brought your A.M. of the day before you left, and the one from Mary Ewing, and Mrs. K. told me to ring her bell when I was finished and she had something for me. She thinks I am crazy, I’m sure, & over the shovelling snow, she kept saying “My, but how unusual!”!! But both she & Mr. K. are very kind & will do anything to help us – they lend us books & magazines & an ironing board & iron, and the thing that Mrs. K had for me was a lovely yellow rosebud. She said her house is so upside down that it didn’t look right, so she’d like me to have it, & I was so pleased – the first flower I’ve had since the lovely ones I got on the ship. Poor Mr. & Mrs. K. are having such a time- they got our apartment done first, & are now in the middle of having theirs done & living all amongst it. They have had a beautiful new bathroom built, & all the kitchen remodelled & modernized & are having a new cooker & frig. & the stairs were moved when our place was made separate. They have the carpenter here for long enough, & tiler is coming off & on to put tiles in the kitchen & Mr. K. is painting doors & the decorators have yet to come. They have everything under dust sheets and no carpets & poor Mrs. K. just sits in a chair in the corner as the only comfortable place! She is little- about 50, but dark, while he is even smaller I think & grey & thin – but about 50 too. He has quite a sense of humour, but I don’t think she has as she doesn’t laugh at any of my remarks, but takes them quite seriously! However, we have a long chats when I go to borrow anything, & she was telling me that she came with her parents from Russia when she was a girl – Mr. K came from Manchester, I think I told you. They have 2 girls, both married- the eldest with 2 little boys & the youngest just married in Sept. & her husband doing medicine at the University – I haven’t seen any of them yet.

When I last wrote and told you of my doings, I think we were just about to go to Toledo for the weekend, and what a gay time we had! Til & Lois came up for us & arrived at about 5 o’clock on Friday. I had dinner ready- tomato juice, roast pork (by request of Cec!) baked potatoes succotash (little green beans & corn- frozen veg) apple sauce, then raspberries (frozen) & cream & coffee! Then we drove down to Toledo, which took about 1 1/2 hrs. I was quite excited to see the house & everything again, & we had my little room at the top of the house & everything looked just the same. Til & Lois have television & are crazy about it, but I don’t like it much although I wouldn’t tell them that! The programmes seem pretty poor although the pictures are mostly clear & good. We watched a bit, then went to bed & I said it seemed funny to have a MAN in my room! Next morning Cec & I slept late (of course!) & when we got up Lois had gone to the Airport – she only goes once or twice a week now – & Til was busy tidying up. We were to have dinner at about 1:30 because Marie Stoll had invited us all to a cocktail party for me to meet all my old friends in the afternoon, then Ruth (Lois’s sister) & family were coming over that evening to see us. However, during the morning Mrs. Atkinson phoned, and asked Cec and me to tea next day then Mr. A. talked & said that he wasn’t going to wait till next day to see me, but would come up right away. Mrs. A. was going to a meeting that afternoon to hear our old friend George Hammersmith speak, & when she went he would come up. Well, we waited a bit & he hadn’t come, so Til & I went out and shopped for groceries & when we got back, about 12-ish, here he was & Lois was back too. We all sat & talked & then Til & Lois were in the kitchen & he went out to his car & brought back a bottle of whiskey & insisted on us all having a drink! Til & Lois wouldn’t, but I had to have a little one & he & Cec had one, & he settled back and & kept filling up his & Cec’s glasses! We all giggled afterwards because Til said she tried to win the bottle for us – when he produced it first & handed it to me, Til said “But what a pity to open a new bottle- let’s have some of ours & then the kids can take the full bottle to Ann Arbor” but Mr. A. said “Oh no – this bottle isn’t going to Ann Arbor “& afterwards took the remains of the bottle away with him! Anyway amongst other things he told us that it was Mrs. A’s birthday on the 18th & he was giving her a surprise party & wanted to get her out of the way while it was being prepared. So we were to invite the two of them to A.A. to tea on the 18th (a Sat.) then drive back to Toledo with them, where the party would it, in the meanwhile, have been prepared by friends presumably. We were then to stay the night with them after staying to the party. So of course, we had to say we would, although we got very little choice in the matter!

But this time it was getting on for 2 & he was still sitting there, so we thought we would get him to go by saying that Cec had to get his hair cut. Lois said she would take us in her little car, so we all got up, but Mr. A. sat tight & I said “Well I don’t suppose you’ll be here when we get back, Mr. Atkinson” and he said “Oh I probably will!” So we had to leave him with poor Til! Lois’ new little car is the cutest tiny thing you ever saw. When I stand beside it, it comes up to my chin and I can see right over it! It is about 1/2 the length of an ordinary English car & inside it has four seats & four little doors! I fit it in the back all right, & Cec sat beside Lois- his head touched the roof & his legs were scrunched up, but he got in!!

When we got back, here was Mr. A. still sitting drinking, & poor Til in desperation had set the table & got the dinner all ready. Finally, as he made no move, she asked him if he would have dinner with us, but he said no, & when we sat down to dinner at 3:30 he left at last! We nearly died laughing!!!

We had a great rush then & ate & washed up & got ready as we were supposed to be at Marie’s between 4 & 4:30, but it was near 5 when we got there. She looked just the same as ever & Mary Bargman, who lives with her was there, & dear Mrs. Pasquier, & Mr. & Mrs. Nauts (the Principal) & Mrs. Pasch (the Dean of Girls) & two other teachers, Miss Johnson & Mrs. Bacchus. Some of them were just about leaving by then, but most stayed & everyone talked. I had a little chat with Mrs. Pasquier who wants us to come & stay with her in our new house & Marie came & asked about Anne & Howlett & so on. After a while George Hammersmith appeared from his meeting & seemed very pleased to see us & was asking for you. Mrs. A. told us the next day that he had been panting to get away from the meeting & finally told them he was off to meet the finest little Englishwoman he knew! And that he was absolutely charmed with you!! At last everyone began to go & we stayed & chatted a little longer & then went too. I forgot to tell you that besides drinking Manhattans they had all sorts of gorgeous snacks & we were so stuffed with dinner we could hardly eat a thing! Also Marie & Mary gave me the cutest little present- three glass bowls- thick glass – like so

Carefully added to Cyn’s wedding present list!

The two small ones, one has HE on, & the other SHE, & the big one has SHELLS, & there are 2 colourless plastic spoons. They are for eating boiled eggs “turned out” & I think they are rather sweet & awfully nice of them to give me a present.

That evening Ruth & Ernie & David & Mary L. came over & we just sat around & talked & the kids played their pieces on the piano & Til played a bit. The kids look very much the same, but a bit longer in the leg, – I was telling Cec, I never took to them very much, but it’s probably because they never take any notice of me! He thinks they are nice kids!

Next day we slept late again, & had dinner in the middle of the day, then about 3:30-ish Lois took us to the Atkinson ‘s. We talked or golly- I should say, they talked! They practically told Cec all about Canada because they go there for holidays each year so know much more than him! He took it all quite calmly, but now & then said flatly “I don’t agree with you”! I went with Mrs. A. into the kitchen when she got tea ready – it turned out to be high tea- cold meat & salad & then tinned pineapple & pieces of cake, & we didn’t eat till about 6, but it was just as well, as I was still full from our huge dinner. Mrs. A. talked all the time in the kitchen & I said yes & no, & finally at tea we asked them to come to tea with us on the 18th as arranged & so did our dooty. They took us to Til’s about 7:30 and we were exhausted! Cec thinks he’s a pompous little man!

We spent the evening watching television & then next day, of course, Til & Lois had to go to school. Til came back at 11:30 & we had lunch with her & then she took us to the bus depot & we took a bus to Detroit. We wanted to enquire about our 3 trunks – the 2 wardrobe trunks & Cec’s tin trunk of books- which we had had sent by freight from Halifax as we had excess luggage. We had filled in the customs forms for them when we went thro’ Detroit in Feb. but had heard nothing, so we went & enquired at the Customs & C.P.R. offices. No one knew anything but we got the name & address of the C.P.R. man in charge of freight & wrote to him when we got home. We have had a reply now & Cec has to go to Detroit again tomorrow (it is Thursday now!) & take the keys & clear the customs, & he will also go across the river to Windsor (in Canada) & see about our 8 boxes. It will be nice to get all our things again, as we are just managing along on china. We have bought quite a few pans & kitchen stuff (cute white & red enamel pans!) as we needed it anyway, but we only got the bare necessities in china. Also Cec needs his books & I’m sick of wearing the same clothes!

Since our Toledo weekend we have been very quiet – it was nice to get home again too! We spend our evenings playing cribbage, reading, (we’ve joined a detective book club, & got 6 new books FREE on a bonus! We then get a book of 3 stories each month, but need take only 4 during the year if we want!!), writing & and you will be glad to know that I am at last sewing up Cec’s grey pullover! I find it quite strange to be just a housewife now, & realize it much more than I ever did in Cambridge – I seem to have nothing to do, & yet always doing something! I clean & cook & shop – it is quite a walk to the nearest shops, so I only do small things during the week & on Fri. afternoon, I go to Mrs. Sutherland’s & we drive to the big super market & have a real “do”, then she drives me home with all my purchases! Twice now, I have gone back & had a cup of tea with her & a chat, & last week she told me I could use her washing machine instead of going to the Laundrymat, so I took my case & we had tea while my washing wooshed around! We like the Sutherlands so much, & they are very nice & friendly. Mrs. S is about your height & slim & fair, with a thin face, & she is just as English as Swedish now. She has a little accent, but loves England & says she’s more at home there than Sweden now. Dr. S. is middle height, dark, slightly curly hair & wears glasses. He is jolly & when he laughs reminds me so much of Len Burton & the way he looked when he laughed. The girls are all sweet too- Ann is dark & like her father, while Kirstin is more like her mother, & the little one Mary is just like herself – she has a fringe & two pigtails & is cute. They are always full of enthusiasm- one time we went, they were cutting out little houses & churches & colouring them & sticking them up & making villages, & last time they were going to do a play of the “Three Bears” & were all typing & learning parts! We went & sat with them last Sunday evening, as Dr and & Mrs. S. were going out & they get lonely. So we went about 8, & I typed Anne’s part for her, & we listened to the radio, then we saw them in bed & read them a story! We just sat downstairs & read our own books then till Dr. & Mrs. S. came back & then we all drank milk.

We went to the pictures for the first time last week & saw “Jolson Sings Again” & the cutest cartoon about a little duck & a little mouse! Then we went to a drugstore & had a chocolate milk shake & I had a nice time! I enjoyed the picture very much, & we saw the cartoon over twice. Cec wants to go this week & see “Twelve O’Clock High” a war picture with Gregory Peck that is supposed to be very good, but his classes had little exams this week & he has to mark them, so we’ll wait & see if he gets them done by tomorrow evening. This Sat. is the one the Atkinson’s are coming up to tea (not looking forward to it much) & it will be a funny tea party with only 2 cup & saucers & no teapot! Cec & I will have to use the plastic cups & saucers from Bar’s picnic case, & the only thing I can think of is to use the coffee pot as a teapot! We have just been using teabags in cups so far, & haven’t bothered to get a tea pot- anyway all the ones in shops here are horrid! I am having a nice “cuppa” and a choc. biscuit now, as a matter of fact & writing this on the kitchen table! We have changed our times of meals a bit now, & eat at American times as it is more convenient. We have breakfast about 8:30- 9.0, then Cec either goes to the Lab or to take his class on Tues. & Thurs.. He comes home for lunch about 12:30, back at about 1:45 and home again at 6,- I also have my cup of tea about 3:30, & we have a glass of milk & a piece of cake or whatever there is before we go to bed. Cec had to have a medical for the Univ. & the Dr. said he was OVER weight! Goodness knows what he’d say about me!! I don’t think we’re putting on weight here tho’ – just about the same. Cec keeps saying we must do exercises & does one or two every 3 or 4 days!!!

Who do you think we had a letter from yesterday? Lee & Jim Gander – forwarded from England. They are near New York & had a baby boy in Jan. – isn’t that nice? I also had a letter from Dottie this week & one from Anne a little while ago. I have written to my father twice & have a parcel ready to send him- choc. biscuits, sugar lumps, chocolate etc.

This letter is turning into a book, but I might as well go the whole hog & answer your letters before I close- mostly, I’ve answered them as I went along, but just in case I missed anything. Thank you for Denis’ letter & photo – Cec & I couldn’t help giggling at some of Denis’ high flown language, but he’s sweet just the same. I’m glad they’re having a baby & hope it will be a boy as I am sure both he & Winnie would like a little Bobby & I think it would be nice. In one of your other letters you mention our rent & AGL saying it was about £35 pounds- at the old rate of exchange $4 to £1, it is £20- just the same as Connie & Len’s other flat was- at the present rate it is nearly £30, but the old rate gives you a better idea of the value of things here, & as we get Can. & Am. dollars the devaluation doesn’t affect us in that way. After our first months expenditure we have some idea of what it is going to cost us to live & we are trying a budget! I am given $20.00 housekeeping money each week- or rather $80 a month, & must buy food, laundry, papers, etc. – and I want to try & save out of it to buy all the household things we still need! I told Cec I’d be feeding him very economically for a while, but it is quite difficult as butter is nearly a dollar a pound & vegetables seem very expensive to me – as well as meat of course. Hamburger – which is about the cheapest thing is about 60¢ a lb. & all the fish is frozen of course. I am saving up for 1. a mop. 2. a carpet sweeper 3. an ironing board 4. a kitchen stool and steps – not to mention all sorts of other little items! My cleaning utensils at the moment are a brush, handbrush & dustpan & duster – I call the brush all sorts of horrible names – it is like this

& I say it is most inefficient. I use it for carpets & for sweeping the floors, but tell Cec it does neither properly and that the English have much nicer brushes!! He was most amused in the shop when we got it, because I acted so amazed at such a thing, that he said the man would think I was some poor little rich girl, who’d never seen such a thing as a broom in her life!

To go back to your letters, I wonder so much if you will really see Hugh in Trinidad. I do hope so, as I know you would both get a big kick out of it, and I would love to hear all the news. You’ll have to tell him where we are & that it would be fun if he could drop in & see us some time. Til was asking for him too, when we were in Toledo.

I am so glad that the Solicitor at the Courts of Justice was nice & kind – I know you would be dreading seeing him rather, & it is such a relief to know that he is someone whom you can write to, & who will do the best for us all. I think I told you I had a letter here from the Lord Chancellor’s Clerk in reply to the one I wrote & it was very nice too. I have just been re-reading your account of your present to Ruth & the party & all, & your rug sounds very nice. It reminded me of a remark in Dottie’s letter which made Cec & me roar with laughter – she said she hoped you got Ruth a handsome present & left the price on!! The blouse I sent Ruth was pretty – I hope she likes it- white with lace insertions-

Actually there were 3 or 4 bands of lace, & the material between was sort of ruched. I enjoyed your letter all about the party at the Savoy so much, & was very glad you told me all about the clothes & food & celebrities & everything. It sounded as if it must have been really nice & I am awfully glad that you went, even if you did have misgivings beforehand!

You asked in one letter what the furniture is like – well, it is quite nice, & the bedroom has a double bed (!!) which is comfy but creaks & groans & makes the most awful noises if you just sit on it! Anytime Cec gets in you’d think the whole thing was going to collapse so you can imagine his remarks! There is also a dressing table & stool, & a chest of drawers, & a big closet with room enough for all our clothes to hang. In the sitting room there is a big day couch (navy blue & navy cover, yellow curtains) which will turn into a double bed, an arm chair (dark brown), a desk & upright chair, a little side table beside the armchair, & a little stand on which we have books. We are to get another arm chair when the Kaufmans get some new furniture, & we think we might get some bookshelves later on. There isn’t much place to put things in the sitting room, but there is a big built-in cupboard where I put my work basket etc. On the landing there is a linen cupboard with shelves, & at the top of the stairs another cupboard for coats, boots etc. In the kitchen is a little table- about 2’ wide &3 1/2’ long – it has a flap which goes up & makes it square. I have it covered with a red check oilcloth & as we only have 1 tablecloth anyway at the moment, we don’t bother to use it! There are 3 chairs, & another cupboard for brushes etc. – plenty of cupboards anyway- also the door to the attic is in the kitchen, & we put our trunks up there & I hang socks & stockings to dry on a string.

I was most excited about the Election of course & interested now to know what is going on. The A. Arbor paper isn’t much good, but Til & Lois have lent us a little radio, so we can listen to the news now. I wonder if there will be another election soon- anyway their plans will be curbed a bit. I have just discovered the picture of the dear little bear in your envelope, & think it is so sweet. Cec will love to see it when he comes home. We often talk about poor Spivvy & wonder how he is getting on. There is a white cat lives across the street & he reminds us of him, but it is so cold he isn’t out much. I wrote to Joan & sent her an engagement card, so I hope she will write and tell us about Spiv. I wonder if Jean Lock has her baby & what kind it is.

I can’t think of a single other thing to say, so I had better stop before I do, & go onto 6 more pages! I have to wash the lunch things still, & get dinner & finish the ironing. I must write to Dottie & a few of the N/C people too as I haven’t done so yet. I wonder if you got many letters written on board, or if you were just lazy and let the time slip by as I usually do. I hope that by the time you landed you were feeling fine and well again – what did you wear & tell me all about it? I want to know all about the trip & the people & everything. Don’t forget to tell me too, if there is anything you find you need out there & haven’t got- or anything you are short of.

It has begun to snow again so it looks as if I’ll have to be unusual and shovel again!!

My love to everyone, but most of all to my little Mama –

from Cyn

February 21 1950

Not all the letters to Carol, still in Hampstead, have survived, but this one sums up the journey to the States and puts the couple in their new apartment and new life. And on the way there, Cyn meets some of her new relatives, and Cec’s friends. Lea and Wendy are Cec’s second sister Lena and her husband, Wendell Atchison, a United Church minister. Pete and Lu Forsythe are friends from Saskatoon from Cec’s university days, now at McGill doing graduate work. In Toronto lived Cec’s uncle and aunt, Milton and Lily Costain. Later in the letter we learn that Cyn’s uncle, her father’s older brother, John Ewing, has died, and that Cyn will write to her relatives in Ireland.

It is fun to read Cyn’s excitement at big grocery stores after England’s rationing, and her pleasure at baking her first ham! And she continues the misspelling of ‘hungry’, which we first read in her school letters, and is the only word she consistently gets wrong…

803 Granger Ave.

Ann Arbor, Mich.

21st Feb. 1950.

Dearest Mummy,

Thank you so much for your letter of the 16th which we got yesterday. I was so glad to know that you got my letter from the ship and knew that we were both quite safe and sound – the crossing wasn’t really dreadful, just uncomfortable and boring!! However, as you say the Queen’s were even worse, we didn’t do so badly. About Revelle’s I hardly think they are worth it – they didn’t stop me feeling ill & the steward said they actually made people sick! And as soon as I got used to it, I was o.k. without anything.

I told you all about our travels in Canada in my last letter, and we were very pleased to have got in all our visits, despite the fact that we both found all the travelling very tiring. I expect our sea trip didn’t leave us feeling too strong either, but we are both fine now after having a good rest in our apartment!

This plan of their apartment is hard to read in the letter too- thin air mail paper, dying pen & pencil!

The business of getting off the ship in Halifax and spending the night in the Customs shed was the worst of all- standing and waiting to get off the boat for hours, and then waiting and waiting in a packed mass of people to get into the shed to claim your luggage – then waiting for Customs men & railway men & goodness knows what. We were exhausted and practically nervous wrecks, but there were mothers with tiny children and an old lady all by herself, and how they managed at all I don’t know. I think you must have got muddled with our dates, Mummy, because all along we were supposed to dock on the 7th and had to be in A. A. on 13th as Cec began work that day. With the ship being late and not docking till the night of the 8th, our plans had to be changed a bit, but as we got our US currency problems settled so quickly in Ottawa, we caught up time there, and were able to get back to Montreal the same day. We didn’t really see very much of Ottawa, as we dashed about so, but it was a glorious bright sunny day, with fresh snow, so everything looked very sparkling and clean. The whole countryside was snow-covered of course, right from Halifax, but when we got to Toronto there was none. Then on our way to Detroit there was quite a blizzard, & it has been snowy here ever since, with quite a big fall today. The night before last the temp. was down to zero but the flat is nice & warm and outside it was sunny & clear, so wasn’t at all alarming!

I enjoyed our stay in Montreal, and liked both Lea and Wendy and Lu and Pete. I see quite a family resemblance between Lea and Cec and Wendy reminded me quite a bit of Bob Mills – not so much in appearance, as in manner & way of talking. They live at a small place a bit out of Montreal- about 1/2 hr in the train- which Lea says is quite a summer resort. Wendy has a small Church there, and the house goes with the living – it has no running water, but a pump in the kitchen, so Lea is delighted at the prospect of moving into a new house which the Church is getting next month. She has taken on another job for a few weeks – night nursing a lady who has had a nervous breakdown- but she got a substitute while we were there. Lu & Pete live out the other side of Montreal in what were RAF married quarters which have now been taken over by the Univ. (McGill) for married students. We spent an hour or so there, chatting & seeing the baby who is cute, & then all went into town and had dinner before they saw us off on the train. Next day we spent with Cec’s Uncle and Aunt in Toronto & they were both very sweet & kind. Cec rang up his home from there & had quite a chat with the family which was nice too.

Since we got settled in Ann Arbor, we have led a very placid restful life for a change! The very first evening we were here, I telephoned Til & Lois and we had a great gossip and I squealed with excitement at them! As we didn’t feel like any more travelling for a while, we arranged for them to come up on Saturday afternoon, which they did. They are just the same as ever, & liked Cec (of course!) & Til thought he was so cute she would like to take him home with her! We had tea (!) here & talked & talked & a drink & talked some more and then went out for dinner. Then Til & Lois left around 8–8:30 & we will go & see them probably a week on Friday. We don’t want to make any plans for just now, as we are waiting for our 8 crates, 2 wardrobe trunks & 2 tin trunks which we sent by freight from Halifax as it was much cheaper. Cec will have to go & see them through the Customs at Detroit when we get word that they have arrived, so we are just hanging on. We have bought all the necessities, but I find that my cooking must be simplified, as we have so few dishes! Our flat is our pride & joy & we do like it. I keep opening & shutting the refrigerator & I’m getting used to the electric stove. Cec & I did quite a big grocery shopping on Wed. as well as getting pans etc. Then on Friday Mrs. Sutherland took me in their car to a big grocery store with her because it is quite a distance away & with big bundles it is too far to walk. She says that I may come with her each Friday so it will be a big help as she & Dr. S. only live in the next street. I just love going around the big grocery stores – I have to keep turning away from temptation & not buying everything I see, because our bills are quite big enough! We don’t think food is quite as expensive as we’d thought it would be, but of course with buying staples & a few tins we have spent more than usual this week. The Sutherlands had a most wonderful baked ham the night we went to dinner, & they said it really wasn’t extravagant, as beef or mutton roast cost just as much or more, & it lasted for so many meals, so as a treat we got one for ourselves last weekend! It was a shoulder ham & weighed 4 3/4 lbs, so Fri. night I cut two big slices off & fried them, & on Sun. baked the rest & it was gorgeous! The first time I ever baked ham! We had corn, & creamed potatoes & apple sauce with it- hungrey?! Next night we had it cold with salad, lunch today we had a little in our Rice Pilaff, & tonight we had it scalloped with hard-boiled egg so it is lasting us well & still some left- also the hambone in the stock pot!

I have been doing various small washings here, but there is no place to dry things & we had a mass of stuff accumulated, so today I took it all to a Laundrymat! That is, I spent 65¢ for the use of a Bendix washing machine & got all the clothes washed, rinsed & dried. Actually, I could have had it done 10¢ cheaper if I’d stayed & put the things through the dryer etc. myself, but it takes 1 1/2 hrs so I paid the extra & just left it & collected it later. Isn’t it all clever? There are about 20 machines in this place & it is only 5 or 10 minutes walk away, so it is well worth my going- they charge by weight, so if you have only a little you pay less. Mrs. Kaufman has loaned me her iron & board, so I will iron tomorrow – they are both being very kind & have given us lifts in the car & lent us books & magazines as well. They are still in the middle of having their kitchen & new bathroom etc. fixed, so are in a great muddle. [Changed to writing in pencil, hard to read on onionskin paper.]

Yesterday evening Cec & I went to a Basketball Game! The University v. the State College. All the Sports Fields, Gyms, Stadium etc. are just a block away from us, so it is very convenient, & Cec thought it would be fun to see some basketball games, then Dr. S. gave him 2 complimentary tickets to this one. It is the same sort of thing as netball, but played with men & much faster – I enjoyed it – & the Univ. won!

Tomorrow Mrs. S. is taking me to a Tea Party given by the wife of one of the Profs for the “Physics Wives” so I must behave myself. As you can see, the ink situation is bad – both of our pens dry so I must stop soon.

We were so sorry to hear about Uncle John’s death, and I will write to the Ewings this week – they will all feel it a big break in their family circle & I wonder if poor Auntie Annie will last long now. I was interested to hear about Pam & George & Nikki being to see you & looking forward hugely to hearing all about Ruth’s party. My goodness, their expense over my wedding will be just a spit in the eye compared to this! I am sure you will enjoy it when you get there & will look much nicer than Amy! We are sending Ruth a cable tomorrow & will send the nylons when our finances are a little more settled! I am just going to send them & let her pay the duty, because I don’t want to risk losing them if we pay a lot of money for them.

I was most interested to hear Denis & Dorothy’s news & look forward to getting the letter. I am glad you got your trunk safely to London at last, but sorry to hear about the poor little puppy. It was rather a horrid little thing but kind of cute. I do think Joan was unkind to them & I hate to think of the time poor Spivvy is having.

By the time you get this the Election will be over and I wonder what will have happened. Til & Lois & everyone we talk to here are very Conservative-minded!

I simply must stop now. Will write soon again. Don’t begin & get agitated about your trip now – just think how nice it will be when you get to see Jane & Bill & A. Trix & A. Moo – & how much nearer you’ll be to us. I’m so glad you had a nice letter from A.Ettie & that she seems better.

With love to AGL & Chris &

lots & lots for you

from

Cyn

[Cec’s handwrting] She didn’t leave me any room so lots of love

Cec P.T.O.

[Cyn’s handwriting] P. S. I always meant to say Thank You for your photo in the dear little frame. It is sweet & is on our dressing table.

January 1950

Cec and Cyn left Cambridge in January 1950 and sailed for Canada, this time on a Canadian Pacific ship. It was the sixth time Cyn had crossed the Atlantic but January is perhaps not the best time to do it. Cec, of course, had had far more harrowing journeys in his navy days.

In spite of Cyn’s initial queasiness, she, of course, preserved the menu of the last dinner on board.

CP’s Menu advertised their hotel chain of course.

Their plans to visit Cec’s family in the west were changed by the news of Cec’s getting a job at the University of Michigan starting in February, so they travelled from Halifax to Michigan on the train, stopping to see only family and friends who lived on their way.

It was an exciting time for both of them, at the start of a new life!

Christmas 1949

As Cyn told her Mother, she and Cec had plans for Christmas! Their Goodbye Cambridge Party was postponed until January, but I’m sure they had Carol to stay and fed Cec’s hungry friends on Christmas Day. And Cyn’s Christmas card list was colossal- 127 names listed! As it appeared Cec had done in the past, they sent a card with a photograph- his had been scenes of Cambridge, but this year, they sent their wedding photo. To Cyn’s list of relatives in Ireland, America, England, and the West Indies and her friends in England and America, was added all Cec’s friends and relations in Canada and England, their wedding guests, plus ‘professional’ names- professors, and Admiralty contacts. Some they were saying goodbye to, some they would be seeing in the new year.

Cyn’s teaching career was ending, with the usual Christmas task for the Cookery teacher, her student’s decorated Christmas cakes.

And, as with schools everywhere, there was the Christmas Concert, with musical numbers and what seems to be a Nativity Scene. I’m sure there was also a farewell tea for Cynthia, with good wishes from her colleagues.

And at home there was a happy domestic Christmas, with a tree, presents, Cyn’s lists, a good dinner with friends, and, of course, a cat.

October 1949

Throughout their final term in England, Cyn and Cec were planning and preparing for their move to the University of Michigan. This included lots of paperwork, booking passage across the Atlantic for themselves, packing and arranging for the transport of their belongings, and, in Cyn’s case, saying goodbye to her life in England and her family and friends there. I think it must have been during her half-term holiday that they are planning in this letter to go north to Newcastle to say goodbye to her father and her friends, with their husbands, wives, and new babies! Business was also necessary: as Carol Ewing was also leaving England, Cyn was going to see her lawyer, Mr Kirby, and sort out her money for the future. And she was taking up what seems to be a wedding present for her friend Joan. Included in the envelope was a note that accompanied the parcel of clothes Carol had left behind and Cyn has found and sent to her on the next day.

37, de Freville Ave.

Cambridge.

Monday

Dearest Mummy,

I was going to get this written last night, but I went & had my bath & washed my hair first, then who should arrive but Frank & Al! I think every man I’ve ever met has seen me with my hair wet! So I didn’t get anything done at all.

Thank you so much for both your letters – I will begin & answer them first, then tell you our doings. I was silly not to think of paying the cheque straight into your account, but maybe you would have to endorse it anyway. I will put it in, & ask about that. I will keep all the questions you want me to ask Kirby & will go and see him on Mon. or Tues, morning- anytime between 10.30 & 12.0. Will you write & make the appointment for me? We will go up to N/C overnight on Friday (28th Oct) & will try & get sleepers, so as not to be too worn out on Sat. Then I have suggested to Dottie & Irene that we spend Sat. & Sun. with Dottie & Mon & Tue. with Irene. We will be travelling back Tues. but we won’t have to leave till the afternoon. I had meant to stay this time with Dottie & maybe later with Irene, but she seems so keen to have us, & Cec is very doubtful whether he will have time to go up later on, so I thought we had better split our visit & make sure this time. We are going to have a party at Tilleys when we are up! We have written to Tilley’s & booked a table for Sat. evening, & I have asked Dottie to invite herself, Nan & Dick, Irene & Bill, Joan, Pam & Sam. We thought it would be fun, & a good way of seeing everyone while we were there. I will drop a line to Denis and Dorothy & try to see them Sun. evening. I wrote to Joan Turnbull & I have got her two little maps (like my little ones) of Durham & Westmoreland, & am getting them framed & will take them up when I go.

About seeing my Father, I think I will wait & ring up when I get there & ask again. Do you think I should write to him & ask him if he wants to see me? I could tell him if he doesn’t want to write to tell Dr. Murphy to let me know when I phone. It may be that he has told the Drs he doesn’t want to see us again, & if so I will leave it. It is a pity that Bar is coming so close to when we go up to N/C because it would be nice for you to come through for the day, but if we get sleepers we will go to N/C via London & will maybe have time for you to have dinner with us. Cec is thinking of going up earlier in the day & I will come straight from school, so we could all meet. Anyway, you can come & see us after we get back.

Cec & I were talking about Christmas the other day & we have all sorts of plans! First of all, we want you to come here – say on Wednesday 21st or 22nd. I finish on 16th, so have a nice long time beforehand & we plan to have a Christmas party- probably on 21st, so it would be nice if you could come for that! Then we have asked Frank & Al to come for Christmas dinner, as they both think they will be in Cambridge. On 27th, we thought we would come to London & if Miss Lefroy wouldn’t mind having us, then we would love to stay with you. We would stay until the Thurs. or Fri. & plan to book seats for us all to go to the Ice Show (let me know if AGL & Chris will be there & would like to go) & to take you to the Ballet “Sleeping Beauty”! Then we will come back to Cambridge for New Year! After that, will start a round of goodbye parties, because not only us but Al & Frank & maybe George are all going, but we reckon our Christmas party will be our contribution! Then packing of course!

I’m glad you & Ruth had a nice tea together. I had a letter from her & one from Amy, but of course haven’t got anywhere near answering them yet! I am glad that you enjoyed “Hamlet” again, but can just imagine how Chris and AGL would discuss it, and I can imagine that they would find it tiring. I am enclosing 2 W. Present Lists- I haven’t sent anyone except Cec’s mother, but thought I might take one to N/C if Irene or Nan wanted to see. I laughed & laughed about Irene’s remarks re. Sandy! I gathered from her letter to me that she didn’t think he was anything much! I will have to give you my opinion!

I haven’t excavated the things out of the trunk yet, but will do so tomorrow & send the dress & skirt to you. I laughed at your suddenly remembering your dress, but I haven’t the faintest idea of what it looks like! Far from not buying any more clothes, Cec is encouraging me to buy more! He says clothes (woollen particularly) in US & Canada, are so dear that we had better get them here, & also we will probably be hard up in Ann Arbor! So I have got some grey & pink woollen material for Beryl to make me a dress & some cheap silk jersey too! I think I might get a tweed suit too before I go!!

Thank you for Bella’s money. I have written to A. Moo & to A. Mil as well & thanked them for the nighties. I was sorry about poor Aunt Ettie. I have finished my Thank You Letters! Cec told me not to breathe a word to you & see if you asked again!

We had quite a quiet week last week until Friday when I had a nice day. Sheila & I took 60 kids to a Food Hygiene Exhibition at the Guildhall (very boring!) had lunch in town, went back to school for 1 hour, & then to a D.S. course which turned out to be a flower arranging demonstration!

On Sat. I had coffee with Rosemary & lunch with Cec, then home. Anne had been absent from school for two days, so I was going to see her, & had a card from Len cancelling our date for that evening as Connie wasn’t well, so I visited both. They both seemed to have the same type of thing- livery, gastric flu type. Anne was still in bed, but is at school today, but Connie was up & feeling much better & decided she could go out all night. So we all met at the Union at 7.0 o’clock & had dinner & then went & played bridge at Connie’s. Sunday was a horrid day, & Cec had been kept awake with Connie’s coffee so I let him sleep & I got up & fed Spiv & did some chores & went back to bed again! We had a cup of coffee at about 12 o’clock & breakfast about 1.0! Then we cycled into town in the rain as Cec had to go & leave a message about Canada Club with Dr. Grace, then we went on to Bob & Veronica’s & invited them to tea next Sunday. Then we had a cup of tea when we got home & our dinner at 6:30! (Veal stuffed!) (With trifle with sherry in!)

Next weekend we have a proper do! Rosemary and “her” John come to dinner on Sat. & Bar to stay on Monday. I have invited George & your friend Charlie to dinner while Bar is here, so that she can help me cook & they can entertain her! Cec said the boys were very pleased- he was having tea with them at the time- & George was just going to have another cake when he drew back his hand & said “No- I’m going to start saving up right now!”

I must stop- I finished this at school dinnertime (Tues) & the girls will be here in a min.

Lots & lots of love

from

Cyn

Dearest Mummy,

Here is your parcel of Ole Clo’se! I was most disappointed to find it was that blue dress – I thought it was a new one I’d forgotten about! The skirt wasn’t in the trunk- it was in an old box in Cec’s room & I had quite a search for it – I also found the blouse etc. & I am enclosing them. There are 1 or 2 old aprons & bed jackets & your fur coat still here – and your feather hat of course! I am enclosing a piece of wool from Cec’s sweater if you could get it matched for me (4 ozs). Also I have been meaning to ask you- would you like me to send you on any of McCalls? It seems a pity that you shouldn’t see them.

Must stop now & go to bed – I made tea for 60 for one of Howlett’s do’s & am fair wore out!

Lots & lots of love

from

Cyn

August 1949: Meanwhile, back at the the ranch..

While the newlyweds had their honeymoon, life went on among their friends and relations. Carol, the mother of the bride, had sent her choice of wedding photos to the groom’s family in Canada the week after the wedding. The Costains in Saskatoon made sure the news was spread, with quite a lot of biographical detail!

The Anglican Church at Chesterton, England, was the scene of a pretty wedding July 26 when Cynthia Hazell Ewing, daughter of Mrs. J. M. Ewing of Cambridge, England, became the bride of Lt.-Cmdr. Cecil Clifford Costain of Sutherland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Costain. A reception was held in the Dorothy Cafe at Cambridge, the young couple leaving later for a honeymoon in Paris and Cannes. They will reside at 37 Freville Avenue, Cambridge.

The groom is a distinguished graduate in physics from the University of Saskatchewan, winner of an Empire scholarship and is now attending the University of Cambridge, England. For three and a half years during the war he served in the British Navy with the rank of lieutenant-commander and was in command of the radar squad on The Indomitable, winning the Distinguished Service Cross.

The bride was born in the West Indies, of English parents, and spent most of her life in England, with a year in Toledo, Ohio, as an exchange teacher.

They will return to Canada early in 1950, afterwards going to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for further graduate studies.

Cyn’s close childhood friend Denis was preoccupied with his own wedding two weeks after hers, and none of those invited above were able to attend, Cec and Cyn being in France and Carol packing up for London. But wedding presents and photographs were exchanged.

And a week after that, in Newcastle, Cyn’s other childhood friend, Nan, had her baby and sent an announcement.