Thank you so much for your letter which came this afternoon. I wrote you a long one last week, but I don’t suppose you have got it yet, because when I went to post it on Wed. I found all the P.O.’s closed for Geo. Washington’s birthday so had to wait till Thurs.
Wed. now! We got your other lovely long letter all about Ruth’s party today & we’re so intrigued to read all about it. I am so glad that you enjoyed yourself & it sounds very nice indeed. We were amazed to hear that it was just a dozen or so- from the invitations, we imagined it must be practically a BALL with private room & all, but as it was it must have been fun. All the food sounds Gorgeous, especially the pineapple affair, & I would love to have seen what it looked like. We had ice cream with peaches tonight, but no exotic spun sugar! I think you must have looked very cute with your pale blue dress & pale blue hair & I am glad that the drunken gentleman appreciated you! I think the P.B. hair must be fun & you will match the general “decor” on board ship! I am sure it doesn’t make you look older! I went to town today & got Ruth 2 prs. nylon & a white blouse with lace insets & will send them off tomorrow. We waited to see how our finances were doing! I also got an Engagement card for Joan C. & a Silver Wedding card for Amy & will write.
You will be so glad to know that we are Economizing!! Until we know how things go, we are being ever so careful, & we sit home every evening & read (mags & books borrowed from Mrs. Kaufman) play cribbage (we are keeping score & Cec has won 15 times & I have won 11!) & write letters! On Sat. I made Cec take me up to the drug store & buy me a chocolate milkshake as a treat! It is still very cold & snowy – has been snowing all day today – & on Sun. afternoon Dr. Sutherland called with his 3 girls- Anne (12) Kirstin (10) Mary (6) & asked if we would like to go to a park called the Arboretum with them. So off we went & found the place full of winter sports & great fun to watch. Anne & Mary had toboggans & Kirstin & Dr. S. had skis. Kristin had only had her skis 2 days but was v. good & went down quite steep hills. I tobogganed with Anne a bit but the snow shushed up my skirt & froze my little(?) behind! It was great fun though. In the evening Dr. and Mrs. S drove us to visit Oliver & Joan Simpson, another English couple who came over in the summer with Dr. S & whose flat there was some talk of our getting. They now have a little house a few miles out of A. A. & they seem very nice.
It rained & sleeted so much yesterday I never went out, but spent the day washing & polishing all my wooden floors! The sitting & bedrooms have carpets, but I did the surrounds & a large expense of landing – I told Cec I had housemaid’s knee! Must stop now- will write again before you go- oh, I nearly forgot- what fun about Hugh being in the W. I.s- isn’t it fashionable this year?! Lots & lots of love from Cyn.
[Cec’s handwriting] Dear Mom – Just because you are away from our restraining influence, don’t get too rash. I’d love to see your blue hair. Bet it goes nice with pink.
Cyn says she is much more careful spending money when it’s mine & not hers, but I don’t suppose that will last long. We had one minor crisis & had 50¢ between us for a day, but some money arrived. And our credit is practically unlimited? Cigarettes are cheap 1/1 1/2 instead of 3/10.
My work is light (5 hrs/week) & hope to get going on research soon.
Cyn is having lots of fun shopping & drinking milkshakes. We are going to start doing exercises to reduce some bulges – I haven’t got a waist anymore.
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.
Here I am to finish off my letter with a second installment! We have had dinner & washed up & Cec is reading with Spiv on his knee, so we are very comfortable.
I had got as far as Sunday evening, so will carry on from there. On Monday morning we had breakfast & packed & got ourselves into town in a scramble to see Mr. Kirby at 11 o’clock. As a matter of fact, we were late & were so relieved when we got there & he was later still! I asked him all the questions you told me to, & you will probably have heard from him by now. He wrote out your cheque when we were there & said he would send it off straight away – he said it hadn’t been sent since the Accounts were done for the year to send to the Court. He also said that he had been signing the cheques for the Hospital & apparently they have been going regularly. In reply to your questions he said that he would go on looking after everything when you were away & with regard to the Receivership did we think we would like him to do it & would other relatives agree. I said I thought so. About paying your allowance into Martin’s I think that is O.K. but all these queries seem to have to be referred to the Court before he could give a definite answer. He said he’d see about the clothes at Mrs. Johnny’s & that you’re not to worry about his account, the court allowed him expenses etc. & he had sent his account to them. He also said that at the end of last year, there was a surplus of £80, & one reason he hadn’t sent your cheque was that he was considering applying for an increase in allowance for you & asked what you thought. I didn’t know what to say, so maybe he has written to you about it. I thought perhaps it may be a good thing to have some in hand in case of an emergency, but Cec said in that case they would probably be able to use capital. We were there nearly an hour, & old Kirby was quite nice to us, but he is a funny old man!
We looked around town a bit – I sent roses to Irene & Dottie & carnations to Winnie on 2nd Nov.- then went up to Dottie’s for lunch at 1 o’clock. There was a great family – the three boys – Marjorie, Oliver, Dottie, Mr. Laing, Cec & I – and we had a great big meal too! Pete has been in bed, but was up again & at school on Monday. Geoffrey is 5, & going to school now & is just about as tall as Peter. Oliver has had bad rheumatism & arthritis, & has been finding it troublesome for quite a few months now.
In the afternoon I went to see my Father again, and he was much more cheerful, and quite interested in us going to Ann Arbor etc. & telling about people he knew from there. I took him a pipe & tobacco, & he seemed to be pleased with them. He was quite cheerful when I left, & we had a very nice letter from him today.
Marjorie & family left Dottie’s after tea & then we got ready for our night out at Tilley’s. I wore my grey & yellow dress, & Boy! was it tight!! Joan came down with us, & Pam & Sam were there, & Nan & Dick & Irene & Bill came soon after. We had a drink in the lounge & then went into dinner & had a very nice meal- the main course was venison steaks, & they were lovely. My old friend Max saw me & remembered & played my tune, & we sent up a great list of requests which he played for us. The restaurant was very quiet, being Monday, with only 3 other tables & by the end of the evening we had them all joining in “Blaydon Races” & having a good time. Everyone said they enjoyed it & thanked us for a nice time.
Next day Dottie had to go to work (she teaches at Rutherford on Tuesday, 1/2 day Wed. & 1/2 day Fri.) so she poked her head in & said goodbye to us and so did Pete, and we had breakfast later. Then we went down town & parked our bags at the Station, & I showed Cec the Castle & the bridges & Bessie Surtees house! We had lunch at the Station Hotel & caught the 1.20 train & had a really comfortable journey down – just walked from one train to another at York & March & had tea & dinner on the trains. It was nice to get home again though!
I must stop now as it is bedtime nearly & I shall make some cocoa. (No wonder we put on weight!) About coming to see us, how about coming for the weekend after next? Cec & I, after our travels have a couple of tickets from London to Cambridge & back again, left over, so we will send you one to use- but it has to be within the month! Let me know what you told Pam, & we’d love to have you before or after you go to her – just let us know & we’ll send a ticket.
[Cec’s handwriting: Sorry to report Spiv got all dirty while we were away – he must have been sleeping in the coal. He’s a mess, but very affectionate these days. But so am I. [Cyn: Me too!]
In Mother’s last letter she let us know indirectly that the wedding photo was in the paper, so it must have arrived and she forgot she hadn’t told us. It runs in the family.
See you soon
Love Cec]
Lots of love
from
Cyn
P.S. Forgot to tell you, Amy apparently wasn’t pleased because our visit was so short! Isn’t she an old so-&-so. Wonder if she’ll write and wail at you!
Here we are – back home again! And despite all the traveling, feeling quite rested and better for the change. We did dash about of course, as I always do in N/C, but having Cec with me made all the difference, and of course, both our hostesses were very good about letting us sleep late! I felt really tired last week- I think Bar was a bit of an effort- but I feel fine now.
After we left you on Friday – hope you got home quite safely – we went & got in our little sleepers & they were sweet. Two little cabins with a communicating door, and lots of cunning little gadgets- lights, ventilators, coat hangers, washbasin etc.- and very comfortable beds with linen sheets! We crawled in, & both slept like logs, & were awakened by the steward with cups of tea at 5:45. We dashed to get ready & when we ventured out onto N/C platform here was Bill waiting for us with the car. Irene had a lovely fire on, & breakfast all ready so we tucked in & were amazed to find ourselves sitting around the fire talking with the lights on at 7.0 a.m just as if it were 7.0 p.m.! We all chatted, then I washed my hair (!) and we seemed to have such a lot of time before we finally set out for town, where we had coffee with Dottie & Marjorie. We went back to Irene’s for lunch & in the afternoon Cec and I had been invited to Nan and Dick’s for tea. However, Bill was going to the Football Match- a big one, Arsenal & N/C United- & Cec was panting to go with him, so I let him go! I went down to Nan’s at about 3.15 & Cec came after the Match soon after 5. Mrs. Allen was at Nan’s as she has sprained her ankle, but none of them seemed to mind Cec’s late coming!
The first view I had of the baby was in the pram, with Dick wheeling him down the road – proud Papa! He is not a pretty baby! But he is a big boy- tall, not fat, and looks definitely like Tom & Peter when he was a baby, I think. Mrs. Allen doesn’t see it, but he has a rather long thin face & head like theirs, not a chubby little round baby one. He was rather pale, although Nan said he was really a rosy baby, but he had no spots or anything. His hair is really red, but it is rubbing off, and the new lot looks browner. On the whole I thought he was a fine boy, but not being a chubby little thing, he doesn’t look so cute. My big surprise was Nan! Irene had warned me, but I suppose I just couldn’t visualize Nan as immense – but she is! When she opened the door, I actually had to look twice to be sure it really was Nan. Apart from her body, which is quite solid & stout – rather Mrs. Allen’s figure- her face has altered so. Instead of seeing Nan’s high cheekbones, as one used to do, it is completely fat & round & red! She is wearing her hair sort of skinned back & she reminds me a bit of Mrs. Scott. I was surprised!!
We had a nice tea, and Cec came in & we talked a bit & Nan took the baby and fed him & put him to bed. Then as Mrs. A. was spending the evening there, they came up to Killingworth with us just for a breath of fresh air. They didn’t come in & it was just as well, as Irene had cooked a dinner & we had a glass of sherry & then had a lovely meal. We were all tired, so I went & had a bath & Cec helped Bill & Irene wash up & we were all in bed in a short while.
I forgot to tell you that before I went to Nan’s I rang up the Hospital & Dr. Murphy was away, but I asked if there was a message, & the man said that my Father was very keen to see me, so I arranged to go on Sunday at 2:30. On the Sunday morning, we got up late & had breakfast then Bill drove us down to the coast. It was a lovely morning, & we drove down by Seaton Delaval & to St. Mary’s Island. We got out & walked round it- the first time since goodness knows when – and then drove to Tynemouth, to the Park Hotel for lunch.
Afterwards Bill drove us to the Hospital & left Cec and me there. As we didn’t know whether Cec should come in with me or not, he stayed in the waiting room, & when I saw my Father he said that he didn’t want to see a stranger, so I just left it at that. He was quite nice about Cec though, and didn’t say anything about the wedding. He was looking pretty much the same, in health, but was much quieter and more rational in his manner- not the incessant talking. He talked, of course, in the same strain, but in a more normal way and the decent man with specs in charge of the Ward (what is his name?) said that he was quieter and more rational now, and appreciated more what was being done for him. Mr.?? asked for you and said that if either of us wanted to know anything just to write to him direct. He has arranged for my Father to have a bigger room to himself & he says he passes his time playing chess & bagatelle & reading. I asked him if he thought my Father would remain rational if he did come out of Hospital as he keeps wanting to but he said that he was afraid not – it was the regular quiet life with no upsets that was what he needed. I talked to my father (or rather he talked to me) for about an hour, then he said not to keep Cec waiting any longer & I left & arranged to go back the next day.
We went back to Irene’s for tea, & then got ready straight away and went down to Walkerville. We dashed to Amy & Charlie’s first as we knew they would be going to Church, & talked for a little while before they went. Then we went on to little Mrs Johnny & she was very sweet to us both. To Dawson’s next, where we had a glass of wine! – and then to Sheedies. I may say that all your friends were enquiring for you very tenderly & saying you hadn’t written for a long time!
We enjoyed our evening at Sheedies & I liked Dorothy very much. I thought she & Denis were a very well matched couple & both Cec & I thought that they would be very happy together. We finally got back to Irene’s around 11 o’clock.
I’ve been writing this for 2 days now & will post it as I know you will be waiting for a letter. I’ll tell you the rest tonight & post it tomorrow – as you’ll gather this has been done at school!
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 allsortsofplans! 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!
Thank you so much for your letter which we received this morning. I meant to write yesterday, but what with unpacking & eating we didn’t seem to have a moment! Today has been busy too, but Cec is now doing the washing up for me while I write. Isn’t he nice?!
As you will see, we are returning Cliff’s snaps to you and are sending Cec’s for you to see. We went to see Edward this afternoon, and he is doing us some prints and enlarging some, so we will let you have some later. We also ordered our pictures & the ones for N/C & some for Cec’s people, but decided we would order what we wanted for relatives etc. later, & might even send some at Christmas as Ray suggested. We weren’t sure of what size the N/C ones were to be, so we ordered postcard size, Edward said that he had sent you yours yesterday, so you will have them to show Mary. He had a big picture of the group with you & Charlie in, & a little one of the kids throwing confetti, in his window. I have just been telling Cec that you & Charlie look like the little man & woman on the weather gauge- like little Noah’s Ark-y people, & he thinks it is rude, but I mean it nicely! Edward said that he had sent you a different picture of you & Joan where you look nice, & that he could cut off Joan, so let us know if you like it & we’ll have some done that way.
This was Cyn and Cec’s wedding present to themselves. It seems to have fallen, but was fixed.
It was quite all right about our picture, by the way. We noticed it after a while & looked all about, for it, but more or less guessed what happened, as Cec had his doubts about the plaster at the time. We will go into the shop this week & see about it – we would like to get it done again I think, & Cec is going to fix rawlplugs for it & the mirror in the bedroom. We did see Joan, but it was before we noticed it had gone, so we were quite puzzled for a while, but I thought maybe you had forgotten to tell us! I’m glad it came to you in a flash, though!
Receipt for the wedding present map.
Since we saw you on Friday, we seem to have done such a lot, but really we haven’t done much at all. We went & got the snaps on Sat. A.M. & went to the Shipping Co. & took Cec’s watch to be mended, then back to the Gr. Eastern for lunch & caught the 2:15 train. We were home by 4 o’clock & found Gwen & Jerome still here to our surprise, & the new people in too. We dumped our things- found bread & veg. from Joan & lovely, beautiful gladiolas from Mrs. Ewing – thank you very, very much, Mummy. I looked up as I got out of a taxi & saw them & knew you had asked someone to get them for us. We went shopping straight away & Claude greeted us with great joy & quite compared notes on married life with us! Also gave me all my back rations, so we got masses of nice frying steak! On our way back we called in & said thank you to Joan & Ray & have invited them to dinner on Friday as it isn’t long before they go now.
We had Gwen & Jerome up for a drink of Cherry Brandy that evening as they were leaving next day. Joan is going on to them for a week when she returns and in the meanwhile the man downstairs is looking after Tilly & we are looking after Spiv!
Spiv
Sunday we slept late – despite the bed which is rather hard & lumpy & very small! In Cannes we had 2 big divan beds pushed together to make one – here it is so small & the sides slope so that we roll into the middle. Sat night Cec won and got in the middle first, but last night I did! We didn’t seem to do anything except unpack & sort dirty clothes & cook & eat meals & take Tillie a walk, but we were busy all day! I forgot to say that Gwen has brought us the dearest kitchen cabinet. It is not very big, but so nice & neat & useful- I am delighted with it & don’t know how we would have managed without it. Also Jerome stained the other floors for us & they look very nice.
Today I sent off the cake & a note to Bebe. We decided not to send the other one to Canada, but if it is still OK by the time we go we will take it with us & deliver it ourselves. I think it should keep till Feb if Dottie says we should keep it for the christening! Cec did up the laundry & we had lunch & then went down to the Bank, Food Office, etc. & then on to Edward & Mr. Ward & home for tea. I also shopped this a.m. & washed my hair & so was busy again! Mr. Ward gave me all my back rations too, so we are wallowing! I talked to Mrs. Lock this p.m. & did the kitchen fire out & now I am going to have my bath & go to bed. The Locks are coming up for a drink tomorrow evening – they seem nice.
I forgot to say thank you too, Mummy, for my dear little stool – it is cute & so useful – thank you very much. By the way, let us know which day next week you will come- any will suit suit us, & stay overnight too if it is convenient. We will have a gossip!
Must stop now – love to AGL & thank her for her letter.
With lots & lots of love
from Cyn
[Cec’s handwriting] Dear Mum,
We are settling in and it is really beginning to feel like home – it’s a wonderful feeling. See you next week.
Since we got down here we have been as lazy as can be & have done nothing except sleep, eat, drink & totter down to the beach to bathe! We have a ground-floor room in an annex of the hotel, which is quite comfortable, but it is warmer than the weather we’re used to!
It is gloriously sunny, but we burn so easily that we are trying to keep out of it as much as possible & sit under umbrellas on the beach etc. The sea is lovely & we bathe twice usually & Cec ducks me regularly & says that as we sweat so much, swallowing salt water is good for me! We bought me a snappy white satin bathing suit with a strapless top. After various adventures in the water with the top practically around my waist, I have decided that it must be for glamorous sunbathing only!
The journey from Paris to Avignon took 10 hours & was very hot & dirty, so we were very glad to stay there for 2 nights & recover. Then we travelled down here on Sunday, which took 5 hours & was nice as we arrived about 4 o’clock & felt fine. We don’t eat in the hotel, except breakfast, so have fun choosing a different place each day – Cec laughs because whatever I order turns out to be the hugest helping of anyone in the restaurant & I have a struggle to eat it – but usually manage!
We leave here on 16th & travel overnight & have decided to stay a day or so in Paris. We expect to be in London on the night of the 19th & will ring you, but know no times yet. I wonder if you would write Mrs. Thompson, Mummy & ask her to get milk & bread for us on Saturday 20th- we hope to get back in time for me to go shopping otherwise.
[In Cec’s handwriting:] The suit is actually transparent when wet, I’m surprised at her – but not much.
There were friends who could not come to the wedding, and who had sent wedding presents and telegrams of good wishes. This letter from Irene Mitchell in Newcastle is one of these, and she refers to others who wanted to hear all about it. Cyn’s oldest childhood friend, Nancy, and her husband Dick were about to have their first baby. Irene, who had married Bill three years before while Cyn was in America, had not been well, and was taking it easy after being on holiday with her husband. So Dottie went home to Newcastle after helping Carol with the wedding clean-up, and gave all the wedding details to their friends!
5 Harriot Drive,
Killingworth Station,
5th August. 49.
Dearest Aunt Carol,
I have wanted to write to you for several days because you have been so much in my mind but as Bill has had a week’s holiday, we have been away each day and I have never had a second, however, he is painting the house today so as I dusted the office the urge to write could not be denied so here I go…
You will be feeling sad without dear Cyn I am so sorry and would love to pop in so that we could have a good old chat about her and the wedding, which, Dottie and Mary say, was absolutely marvellous. They say Cyn looked the prettiest bride they have ever seen and as for you, well you would get a swollen head if I told you all- and your hat would never fit! I have ordered a full set of photos and if there are any you think I should like, please get them and I shall settle with you.
Cec looks a dear from his photo’s in fact they look a perfect couple. The girls say that Ruth and the little bridesmaid were very sweet and that Ruth has become a most charming young lady. I made Dottie start at the very beginning and tell me every detail, I think I have a very good mind picture of what happened on the GREAT DAY – I know what you all ate and what you wore and the best of all, I know that Happiness was as bright as the sunshine.
Thank you for writing me such a sweet letter Aunt Carol about me being unable to come it helped a great deal and I want you to know that Bill and I will really be THRILLED if you find you can come and stay with us. You are welcome anytime, you need only phone or wire and we shall be down at the station to welcome you with open arms. I do not know what your future plans are, but I know you are staying in England as long as Cyn stays and I shall never be the same if I do not see you all again before you leave, so there!
Mam and Dad have just returned from holiday and Mam looks much better so I hope the good work continues. Bill took a week off as he was a bit fed up. He has had to train a new representative who seems to have been rather heavy going. We have been away each day and I am feeling much better but I think I must have caught a chill sitting on the deck chairs at the Beach as I feel rather queer today. I shall not do much work and will soon be fit again.
I have not seen or heard anything from Nan lately but Her baby is not born yet, she really is radiant about the Babe and she has not made any grumbles even though the hot weather must’ve been a great strain. We all wish the baby would come and Nan be fine.
Mary & Bill are coming for supper next Saturday, I like them both very much. Mary does not alter and looks just as nice as ever. Barbara & Grace were at Dottie’s Bee on Tuesday Bar looks awfully thin and Grace was tired but as she has two-year-old twins one cannot really wonder at it.
Well Darling I really think I must make the bed now but I feel so much happier having talked to you. Cyn will be fine don’t you worry and don’t forget you are welcome here whenever you want to come it really would be fun for us to have you.
As Carol said, Cec and Cyn rushed off on their honeymoon, presumably because they didn’t want to miss their train, but didn’t get farther than London for a few days. They went to a Skating Show, perhaps the first of many they would see throughout the years!
Cyn says in her letter that crossing the Channel was fine and they enjoy Paris. They plan to go south, Avignon, Le Corniche D’Or, Cannes- some of the same places that Cec had been the summer before on his bicycling trip, but with a lot more luxury. But nowhere does Cyn give her mother an address, although Cec had carefully booked in advance.
Hotel Messina
Rue Trouchet
Paris
Monday.
Dearest Mummy,
We sent you a P. C. from the top of the Eiffel Tower today, but I am drying my hair while to Cec snoozes so I thought I’d tell you our doings. I hope that you haven’t had the horridest time getting everything fixed & that you are all packed up & ready to go to Miss Lefroy’s now. We can hardly believe that it is Bank Holiday today & that we haven’t been married a week yet. Tomorrow, for our anniversary, we are going to a night club!
We had a nice time in London, & a very pleasant crossing. The French train was hot, but as we crossed Newhaven– Dieppe it was a longer sea & shorter rail journey. Our Paris hotel is cute. We have a nice room & bathroom & the chambermaid looks on us as being a great joke & speaks very simple French at us! The weather has been wonderful, but rather too hot at times for sightseeing. We seem to have walked miles, but we are getting a bit better on the Metro, so have saved our feet a bit today.
The hotel is just by the Madeleine, so we have seen that & have walked down the Rue de la Paix & the Champs Élysées. We went & saw Notre Dame & the Louvre & the Jardin des Tuileries & the Arc de Triomphe & today went up the Tower & then to Les Invalides. Our first morning we window shopped & went through the Galleries Lafayette & gazed at all the lovely things. My husband bought me a darling little evening bag & I was pleased!
We are having a wonderful time eating & drinking! We have breakfast brought to our room in the hotel- tea & rolls. Then we have a huge lunch about 12, then we either have tea or lemonade in a café, or we buy gorgeous cakes & eat them in our room & finally have a huge dinner with wine in the evening. It’s wonderful! We have weighed ourselves & are going to do it again on the way home!
I will stop now as I want to try & get some more of my thank-yous written – still trying!
Cec and I think married life is nice– we like it!
With lots & lots of love
from
Cyn
&
Cec
P.S. Love to Miss Lefroy & Miss Hall.
P.P.S. You have a wonderful daughter, Mum.
Cec.
Paris.Cyn’s menus!
Halfway through Carol’s unsent letter, she started responding to this letter from Cyn, which was posted the day after the British Bank Holiday, on Tuesday August 2, 1949. There were machines at railway stations, and perhaps on the Metro, where you could put in a coin, stand on the machine, and get a printout of your weight. Cyn and Cec did this, at the beginning and end of their honeymoon, and Cyn carefully saved the evidence and pasted it into her scrapbook. Both of them definitely gained weight!
River Cruise.
I remember meeting my father in Paris at Eastertime when I was 22: he had a conference there, and I was spending a year at a university in England. I agreed with my mother, the hotel was cute- open elevators with doors you had to shut, such as I had seen in movies- I did some sight seeing and went to the Paris Opera, but what I most clearly remember and enjoyed, was the food! I ate Sole Meuniere in every restaurant, and his French colleagues were happy I appreciated it, even though I preferred tea to coffee. I did not, however, get to any night clubs with bare-breasted ladies or can-can dancers- Cec had done that with better company…
After the wedding comes the honeymoon, where the bride and groom are off together, and life goes on for those left behind. This letter is written by the mother of the bride to Cyn and Cec on their honeymoon, but was never sent since Carol had no address for the travelling pair. She gives details of the aftermath of the celebration, but what she is most concerned with is packing. Cyn and Cec are on their summer holiday and then they have one more term of school in Cambridge. Their address will stay the same, but they are moving to the top flat in the building, and Carol is packing up and moving out of the flat downstairs that she and Cyn shared. She will have a holiday in London with Miss Lefroy, her friend and former headmistress, and then stay in England until the new year, when changes are due for all of them.
In Cec’s letter to Cyn in March, he mentioned the dinner in honour of his professor, Dr. Gordon Sutherland, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society. Cec’s studies in physics in Cambridge with Dr. Sutherland had led to his specializing in spectroscopy, but Dr Sutherland had accepted a professorship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. So Cec was going to continue his PhD with Dr Sutherland there, moving with Cyn to the U.S.A. in 1950, which meant Cyn would teach only until Christmas. Carol, on the other hand, planned to go home to St Vincent, and live with her unmarried sister Muriel, so her packing involved sending the heavy remnants of her thirty years in England off by ship to the West Indies, and putting the rest of her goods into suitcases for the remaining months in England.
40 Elsworthy Rd.
Hampstead NW3,
Monday, August 8th 49.
My darlings Cyn & Cec!
We managed things very badly you dashed away & never gave me any address to write to- & I have your letter from London & your card & letter from Paris- & yet I can’t thank you for them, as I don’t know the name of your Cannes hotel. I am hoping I may yet hear it, & get this to you before you leave – not that I suppose that you’ll miss a letter from me much, at this blissful time! I didn’t come to AGL’s until Friday 6th & I never intended to, as I knew I wouldn’t get through before then– but I also knew that if you thought I was staying alone there so long, you would make a fuss – so I just was vague!! It wasn’t a day too long, as I was busy up to the last. It wasn’t all work & no play though- as you will hear – Dotty was a wonderful help, & we laboured hard on the Wednesday getting all the china & glass etc. up – so much so that Dotty had to lie down & rest in the afternoon & in the evening- who should appear but Mr. Cooper and Edgar- I had completely forgotten they were coming on the Wed. so in my surprise I embraced them both warmly – much to Chris’s surprise & embarrassment I am sure! We sat & chatted & then Bob & Lee came in to see your presents, I saw them earlier & told them to come. Dotty & I decided to leave out your presents in the sitting room for a day or 2 in case your friends came along. So I took Edgar & Chris up to see them too. Bob & Lee had just gone- when Edward appeared with the proofs of the wedding pictures – wasn’t he quick? They are all very good- some better than others– so much so I had such a job choosing one to send to your people Cec- in the end I picked one of just the two of you alone, although I thought some of you in the groups were better. Edward brought more than a dozen different proofs even one of you in the church– I think you will be pleased with them– he did a finished picture & brought it along Sat early- & I wrote a note to Mrs. Costain (senior!) & sent it off by air at once– so I do hope she got it in good time- I didn’t know what to do about ordering anymore, so I told Edward I w’d wait till you returned.
Thursday. Dotty & I worked away again, but she went to town shopping in the a.m. first, then we had lunch & lugged pots & pans etc. etc up When Joan came in she suggested the Pictures- & Dotty said yes she w’d treat us to dinner first. So we went to the Corner House & had a very good meal. I was certainly leading the High Life- as I forgot to tell you I had dinner at the University Arms with Charlie & Amy on the night of the wedding. We went to see “Passport to Pimlico” really very funny – & we enjoyed it – Then of course Dotty went next day early- & I went to town to the Bank & to pay numerous bills etc – & back home to do a bit more shifting & to begin my packing which was a big job but Connie came in so I got little done!
I did a little more on Sat a.m., but not much as Chris was calling for me at 12 to go to the ‘Garden House’ for lunch with him & onto the Senate House to see Edgar receive his doctorate-more High Life! It was a lovely day – so Chris & I sat in the Garden & chatted (poor fellow he has had a sad & trying time with Katie) had lunch, & then walked up to the Senate House– & I found the whole ceremony most interesting. Chris wanted me to come & have tea, but I had to get back- as I had Mrs. T. coming to clean the downstairs flat that afternoon. Sunday I packed & packed & on Tuesday I had to go out & buy a large suitcase & even so I couldn’t get everything in – & I expect you will curse & swear when you find a few odd things of mine lying about! By this time I was sleeping up in your flat, yes I went up there while Dotty was still there. Joan expected the couple in on Monday but they didn’t come until Tuesday, & then only left a few things & went off for a weeks hols- Joan gave me a hand on the Monday, & we shifted the old washstand, & I got up to the loft & packed away numerous pictures & books etc. that couldn’t be used. All your groceries etc. I just had to pack in a big box- Gwen & Jerome came before I left, & I showed them how there was just nowhere to put groceries – & Gwen is going to see what she can get. I think she will still be there on your return so that’s a good job. To return to my doings Chris & Edgar came in on the Monday evening & I gave them tea etc. – They left Camb: on Tuesday. That evening Pam phoned up that they w’d come thro’ Wednesday p.m. to see me, & later Joan A. came & asked me to supper on Wed. I said I would if Pam & George weren’t too late. I did a big wash one of those days, & was busy ironing up to the last! It was lovely seeing Pam again, just the same dear old Pam, & what do you think? When George saw you had gotten new fuel for the gas fires, he insisted that they should pay the bill which had just come in for 11/6- as a matter of fact in the end it was Pam who really paid it!! They were charmed with the flat & all your lovely presents – and so was Gwen who came on the Thurs. The two were most awfully decent to me, had me into lunch on the Friday before I left & we had goose! Then they drove me down to the station & Jerome came too, & they gave me quite a send off! I hated leaving Cambridge, I have grown so fond of the place – however that’s life – I sent my trunk in advance but I still had 4 suitcases, a hat box & a poke, but Jerome was most good-natured over them- & then I got a taxi this end. As usual I got a nice warm welcome from AGL & Chris- and on Sat. Bebe phoned me up & Miss Lefroy said to ask her to tea on Sunday & I invited her friend too- who turned out to be a very nice little person. Bebe has improved in looks and has a fine figure. AGL said we were to have tea alone in the dr-room– but later I took her in to meet them– & they were charmed with her & seemed to enjoy their afternoon. Then I went to tea with them this afternoon at The Piccadilly Hotel where they’re staying. Then tomorrow I am meeting them at 10:30 a.m. and taking them a trip up the river. They have seen a great deal in the short time they have been here– Poor dears– they crossed the Channel on 2 August: & they had the most terrible crossing. The papers next day said it was the roughest crossing of the year– & they had to cut it out & send it home– as they knew no one in the U.S.A. would believe them when they told them how bad it was. I hope you to have better luck. Unfortunately you & Bebe are following one another round- & will just miss seeing one another by a week or so– they were in Paris & Cannes & now this week they go for a day to Cambridge- then on Sat: they leave for Scotland, return down the West Coast, & sail from S’hampton on 24th Aug-
Wed. Here I am again- No further word from you from the South of France so it looks as if this letter will never be posted. I had hoped you would send me a card from there with the name of your hotel – but no such luck. I wonder when you’ll be arriving back, I would love to be at Victoria to meet you- but there again I am all in the dark.
I went up the River with the girls yesterday, a trip I have often longed to take, it was a glorious day- & we went as far as Richmond- it was beautiful out there, & we had lunch at The Castle Restaurant right overlooking the river- & then we went up the hill & had a grand view– both of the river & park. We all enjoyed it & got back at about 7 p.m.
Today I did some washing & then AGL took me to the Horticultural Show– the most gorgeous show of Gladiolas & dear little Rockeries- & rock plants – I got AGL a sweet wee rock garden in a plant pot – & we had tea at the Army and Navy Stores. When we got home we did quite a bit of gardening, so my dogs are killing me & I am glad to be in bed! I wonder is it very hot with you & are you getting lots of sea-bathing? When I was recounting my doings while still at Cambridge– I forgot to tell you Joan & Ray had me to supper, and gave me the most luscious meal of real ham and green peas and new pots: & Peaches and cream- finishing off with large beakers of coffee. I really did well with meals after you left didn’t I? And now I am doing very well here too – so I’ll soon have to be getting weighed too! I wonder will you to really put on any weight on your honeymoon!? I doubt it – too much sightseeing & love-making does not tend to fatten one!! in spite of the extra food eaten!!
I also forgot to tell you how, after the wedding & you 2 had rushed off in a huge hurry– we all got back to the house– but very soon after AGL & Chris had to leave, then Mary & Dorothy & Jessie and Zinnia, but Stainthorpes & Bella & les girls (Dotty, Mary, Joan & Ruth) were still there– then les boys arrived full of champagne & apologies that there was no champagne left! but they got the cake there intact- They were naturally all very happy- & Charlie Barnes made love to me in the most blatant way!! but of course I liked it!! We then left les boys & girls to amuse themselves – & from all I gathered Al spent most of the evening in the bath-room recovering from the champagne-! Serves him right not even leaving a bottle for you – what?
Carol’s letter ends there at the very bottom of the 4th page with no room for a signature, which doesn’t matter since she had resigned herself, not without protests, to the fact that she was not going to be able to post it. I’m sure Cyn enjoyed it when she read it, even if it was forty years later.
Explanations of people in the letter: AGL is Miss Lefroy, who had attended the wedding with her partner Miss Hull, and then returned to Hampstead, where Carol would go for a visit after clearing up and packing. Dotty, one of Cyn’s closest friends, was helping Carol, as were other friends (les girls) clear up; Cec’s friends (les boys) were available for the heavy lifting; and Carol’s friends from Newcastle were popping in as well, looking at the wedding presents, and taking her out for meals! Once Carol gets to London, her niece Bebe from New York (in her mid 20s I think) calls her up and Carol contributes to Bebe’s whirlwind tour of Europe with a river tour up the Thames.
A Family History in Letters 