Uncategorized – Page 6 – A Family History in Letters

June 5 1929

This rather giddy letter shows that Cynthia has adjusted to her new school and is feeling happy! I think some of the things mentioned in the letter- the ring, the Exhibition her parents have gone to in Newcastle, and the suggestion that relatives will be visiting from overseas- are the factual events she based her story ‘Jack’s Visit’ on. (See earlier post.)

Just a note on the envelopes (which I include for the sake of veracity and postmarks): this letter and the previous one didn’t have envelopes, and the envelope June 12th has no letter, so I’ve combined them here.

June 5th 1929

Dearest of Mummies and Daddies,

The time has flown has’nt it? It seems just a little while since I came here yet a long while, I don’t know how. I got a letter from Marjorie on Monday and she told me about the book.

Oh mommy, I’d love a ring! Secially a blue butterfly wing one, it is a lovely of you and I would love one. Thank you so much. I would much rather have a ring then anything else. Isn’t Edgar sweet? I wonder if Dr. Ewing sat on the top of the funnel? Daddy, you are a naughty boy, fancy running away from Louie and Kate!

When you speak of salmon mayonnaise you make my mouth water. Mrs. P has just thought of a new idea for making us less hungrey when we went to bed (as we had told her we were hungrey) and now for tea we just get two half slices of bread and a cup of tea, and at supper we get something meaty and bread and jam. We are just trying it for a week to see how we like it, I don’t know if we do!

What did you get Daddy, when you shot? Was it a present or what? Oh, that’s a rhyme! I did’nt mean it to be. What was in the African village? You are going to the Ex heaps! I think your tickets will have a hole in & when I come home mine will be brand new! Have the L.N.E.R run a railway to the Ex?

Next time you go to Uncle Mac’s will you please give him and auntie my love & ask how Kathleen is getting on for me & if she will send me Kath’s address I’ll write to her. Please give everyone who askes about me my love and tell them I’m getting on ‘tophole’! The garden looks lovely Dadski, & my tulips are still going strong, some of the columbine have come out. The painting was lovely, too, darling.

I ‘spect Mrs. P will pay entrance to the Gala and I will draw 5/- out of the bank when the time comes. We’re going to a concert at school given by some of our girls in aid of the Poor Children. There’s to be a silver collection.

Mumsie, what do you think? I really forgot to wish for hares and rabbits! But I’ve wished now, such a nice wish! I haven’t got my ‘Hurricane’ essay back, but I’ve had an excellent for Geometry, and I’m so pleased! If you get 2 ex: running you go to Miss E. and sign the Honours Book. I’m going to try hard!

We went to swimming again on Tues: & it was raining & made the water gloriously warm. I enjoyed myself greatly. She said I was doing better. Jessie is bigger than me, a bit, I’m the smallest girl in B.G. & 3rd youngest. I call Jessie, Jenny, & Miss John, Johnny, she told us that when she was at school she was called Jucy Lohn instead of Lucy John! Mrs. P say’s that she and Johnny will run them up on the machine.

I’m so glad Granny is getting better Mum, & will Auntie Mill & Jack being staying at N/C when I am there, I do hope so for I’m longing to see them both. I’m longing for the parcel to-morrow!

Oh Mum I went to May’s on Sun: and she gave me strawberries Yum-yum & I’m to go there for half term. On Mon. Sir Alan Cobham came to York in his aeroplane & gave a display I saw him lots o times and waved & I’m sure he waved back!

We had a glorious gym lesson to-day all nice things & Miss Brooke said I did them well. We had a drawing exam to-day for the London Society you know, a pair of steps covered partly with a cloth (awful) our own selection (I did a buttercup) & snapshot. Some envelopes with a card of wool on top. I think I passed.

I think I’m getting on quite well here my darlings and I’m awfully happy, nearly everyone likes me I think & the mistresses are all jolly decent to me. Mrs. P and Miss J. are both golapious & I feel so happy, oh parents mine!

Heaps and heaps of love from

Cynthia your own girlie

P.S. I have to get some more envelopes and pad soon.

May 11-15 1929

York College for Girls

This letter shows the connection between Cynthia’s schooling and that of her mother. Carol Hazell had been sent from the West Indies to school in England, to the Streatham College for Girls in London, in 1909. Her Headmistress had been Miss Amy Lefroy, who had become a friend over the three years Carol boarded there. When Carol and a four-year-old Cynthia arrived in England from St Vincent after World War I to join Gordon Ewing, they stayed with her in London before travelling north, and obviously the visiting continued.

The York College for Girls was founded in 1908 by the Church Schools Company, the same company involved in the Streatham College for Girls, and Miss Ellett was the first headmistress. Clearly, she still was 20 years later when Cynthia arrived! Miss Lefroy and her colleague Miss Ellett obviously knew each other and so I assume Cynthia had been sent to that school on Miss Lefroy’s recommendation. Since the school was in the middle of the city, the boarders live in another house, Burton Grange, and walk to school, the Baths, St. Olives, or the Minster for their various activities.

Transcript below: written in pencil after lights out!

May 11th 1929

My darlingest of Daddies and Mummies,

I hope you will excuse me writing in pencil but I’m writing this in bed after lights out as it’s still quite light, and I have no ink up here.

I got your letter all right this morning, Mumsie, and I’ll answer all your questions. The laundry here is awfully good and they do our jolly decently. Our vests don’t shrink in the least and we can send one cotton frock a week to it. I use my little red book as a laundry book, also I keep my accounts in it! We do darn our own things but I’ve only had one hole in my old stockings and that’s all, we do it after sewing on Sat: By the way I only have one more end to do of my embroidery but my silks are running short, also my dress is getting on nicely and please I only have three stamps left, one for this, one for Marjorie’s letter and one over, would you send me some more please?

The minister at Olives is quite decent, he’s middle-aged but doesn’t preach interesting sermons but we’ve just got a new curate he’s awfully nice, quite young and awfully tall with a bald head but he preached last Sun: and it was an awfully nice sermon.

Wed: morning.

Please ask Denis not to practice at tennis too much, for if there is a public exhibition it’ll be too bad if I’m squashed won’t it?

Oh Daddy and Mummy I am longing to see you again, it won’t interfere in the least with the Gala and I can miss swimming for that afternoon can’t I? Also I don’t think I’ll write on Sun: for then I’ll have more to talk to you about!

I am so sorry Miss Lefroy is going back to the College on Mon: evening, Miss Ellett saw me about it & I told her when she asked, that I did’nt think you could come on Mon. but she said she’d write & ask you. She has asked me to go to supper with her and Miss Lefroy on Thursday. Johnny is awfully strict and serious in lesson time but she’s awfully decent outside. She just water waves my hair with her fingers and a comb.

I went to the baths yesterday and what do you think I was trying to do? Swim on my back! It was awfully funny and I swallowed half the Baths but I got on quite well.

We had gym this afternoon and it was lovely, we did ‘Skin-a-cat’ and ‘Jack-in-the-Box’ and queer things. We had tea at school and stayed to a concert afterwards. Sylvia & Mary were playing & it was very nice, it was all on the piano and I got rather bored!

Darlings, I think I’ll have to stop now as I have some prep to do and I must hurry.

Heaps of love and kisses

Your own girlie

Cynthia

P.S. I’ve got a returned lesson for French.

May 11 1929

Yesterday was St Valentine’s Day, and this morning I heard a woman on the radio explaining that she sent Valentines to her friends’ children because they loved getting something in the mail with Their Own Names on, even in these days of social media. Some things don’t seem to have changed, as Cynthia is delighted to receive an answer to her letter sent to her former headmistress at the high school she had left. I didn’t provide a transcript of this letter since the typewriting was quite clear- even if the date was wrong!

I remember from her stories about boarding school that a friend or relative took her out on weekends, but I don’t know who May (or Jimmy or wee Margaret) were. It was kind of them, though, and much appreciated.

May 11th 1929

My dearest Daddy and Mummy,

You see even going to May’s on Sunday does not stop me from writing to my wee Dad and Mum! I hope you wo’nt mind me writing to you both at once but I think I will always as it is nicest to write all I have to say and make it nice and fat and interesting for you!

I got your little parcel this morning Daddy, and thank you ever so much, I love getting parcels and seeing what is inside, I’ve eaten the six chocolates, I shared them with Jessie, I like her best, I think, she and Sylvia, the girl from Benwell. I got your letter too Mumsie, and it was awfully nice, the girls always envy me because I get something in the post nearly every morning. It’s lovely, I love getting letters! I am longing to see my room and the bathroom, I think you must have made it lovely Daddy darling, and I am full of curiosity as to my room, Mother mine.

I had a glorious time on Thursday. The ones that were confirmed went to early service but Phyllis and Marsha and I had a nice long stay in bed then we got up and after breakfast went to town, and I got 1/- out of bank and got a pretty green hankie for Nancy and a pink one for Mashy, for their birthdays you know and Mumsie have you got Mashy’s yet? I put on my white frock with red on it was nice and not very long. We drew for partners and I got a rotten player really, we were second bottom, wasn’t that awful?

Do you know Daddy, Miss Hiley has answered my letter! A typewritten note. I shall enclose it and the receipt that I got a school. It was nice of Miss H. to answer wasn’t it?

It will be lovely now that the N.E.E. is going to be opened on 14th. You will go to the opening wo’nt you? And write and tell me all about it.

May telephoned to Mrs. P on Thur: and said that Jimmy would come for me on Sun: before on after lunch, she was’nt sure. Wo’nt that be lovely? I’ll wear my tussore and belt and blue bow. Posh! I’ll be sure and kiss wee Margaret & give your love to M & J Mums. Was’nt it kind of her to send the hankies, there is a blue & green one. Will you ask Patty to ask her when her birthday is? And will you send her a hankie or something for me.

It must have been lovely at the pics. We all wanted to go and see Revenge this week with Dolores Del Rio in but we didn’t.

Jessie & I went to town this morning & I got a 2/- book of stamps & a pkt of postcards we then went to a café and she got coffee & I chocolate and choc: biscuits. Lovely! Somebody said we were to have our hair washed to-night but Miss John has’nt said anything so I do’nt know. I’d love to have a tussore belt mumsie, so will you and get some, you are a dear!

Mummy I think it’s you that are misunderstood me for I do’nt go to school in my best shoes. I meant that they were too good to have at a boarding school. We have drill three mornings in a week so I do’nt get much chance to wear my school shoes but I wore them on Friday. The gym shoes are quite all right & I’m not turning into a little nigger around the feet yet! The bruises I got in drill are quite better now thank you they were’nt bad.

I know what you mean about my spelling Mum and when I was writing I knew that “their” was wrong only I was in a hurry and did’nt bother to change it!

I find the lessons quite easy Daddy and I am getting on well in French and Maths on Friday I was top of the class in English it was questions & I got one wrong out of ten.

OK my darling Daddy and Mummy I do so love you and I’m longing for the summer holidays to see you again, with heaps of love and kisses your own doggy Cynthia.

P.S. Please give my love to Cilla and Dickie.

May 8 1929

Although Cynthia is reassuring her parents that she is becoming less homesick and is ‘feeling quite at home’ at school, I think these letters are revealing how close she was, as an only child, to her parents, and probably sending her to boarding school at the age of 14 was a sensible choice. (Although why in the middle of the year? As she tells her parents, she’s excluded from the gym display because the other girls know the routines, and I’m sure it made fitting in to lessons harder too.)

This is the letter where the 21st century reader is amazed to learn that the boarders get their hair washed every three weeks, which means she is due the next Saturday I presume. Also amazing is the way letters arrive the day after they are written! In the transcript I am trying to remain true to Cynthia’s misspellings of ‘their’ and eccentric contractions but autocorrect sometimes gets the better of me. I’m afraid I know nothing about the kind friend May who is to invite Cynthia to visit on Sundays, but she does appear in later letters.

On the back, neatly printed: I’ve got 5 stamps left

May 8, 1928

Darlingest Daddy and Mummy,

Thank you so much for your letters, I love getting letters so much, I feel so disappointed when their isn’t one for me and the other girls get some.

They give us our letters as soon as they come Mumsie, I got yours this morning and one from Marjorie and one from Peggy Lawrenson and she sent me two pretty little hankies, wasn’t that kind?

I got three cakes of lux toilet soap on Sat: for 1/-. Phyllis says they wash our hair every three weeks, Miss John does, with ‘dog soap’ as she calls it, so I wo’nt have to get any. Our hair is washed on Sat: morning, I haven’t had it done yet.

Dearest of Daddies and Mummys I’m feeling much happier than I did before, this is my 3rd Wed. now and I’m feeling quite at home. I am still longing for the hols. and the lovely times we’ll have, just my Mum and Dad and me. I write to you when we used to have our reading Mummy so I don’t feel so lonely, I love writing home now dearests and the girls are all amazed at the length of my letters but I just love trying to talk to Mummy and Daddy on paper. It’s not as satisfying as seeing and being with them of course, but it’s next best.

We did not go to the Military Service on Sunday, Mrs. P. would’ve let us go at once only Miss Ellett said it was just a spectacular affair and she did’nt think it right to go.

I wore my best hat and shoes on Sunday but not my tussore dress it was too cold, I sha’nt be able to wear that belt Mums, I’ll have to go without. I think my best shoes are much too good for school Mums they are too nice I think, they’ll just get spoilt.

I am so sorry dear old Granny is so ill, Mumzie dear, I know what it will be like for you to have your Mummy ill, for I know what I’d be like if either my Daddy or Mummy were ill.

The pink is quite a nice length now but the girls think it is short but they are all tall and wear dresses at their knees. We are having a holiday for Ascension Day tomorrow. In the afternoon we are having a tennis tournament with the day girls, I shall wear my new frock then, I shall be smart! Mommy, thank you so much for the promise of more goodies, my cuboard is quite bare now, but on Friday I am getting some home-made toffee from a girl at school who is collecting for a fund. I found out about “my friend” at the pictures, I think that was what made me not enjoy “the talkies” they were awfully silly, one was of an old negro man singing plantation songs and the song stopped off in the middle and he went on opening and shutting his mouth and gesticulating! I think, Daddy I shall write and ask May if she would mind coming and taking me home on Sunday as I would feel a bit “fed up” as I always do on Sundays the morning I always had in your bed. I shall stay at school for Whit: week-end I think Dads, as some of the other girls are, but I shall ask May if I can stay with her for half-term when it comes. And oh, daddy, I am not starting Guiding until next term as I don’t know the school and things yet. We had gym this afternoon, we were jumping over the ropes and somersaulting, I am in the middle class now, I was in the senior last week and made an idiot of myself, truly, but I am all right now. The girls are all getting ready for a gym display but I sha’nt be in as I haven’t practiced. On Monday in drill I fell down and got bruised but I’m all right now. On Monday as I was coming back about 10 minutes past 4 o’clock I saw a Baby Austin and in it a person exactly like May sitting beside the lady driver, I wonder if it was her. We have prep at B.G. now and I only have to go to school on Monday for French at 2:30 and Wed: for Geog at 2:30 and gym at 3 so I all right. In the third form at school their is a little girl exactly like Kathleen Smyth, Macon: you know, except her hair is darker, her name is Demarice Cavers I think, and in the Minister their is a curate just like Marjorie’s cousin Arnold, Mr. Dippie, I wonder if Arnold has become one!

I must stop now as I want to write to May and Peggy and Dot, I shall write to Nancy on Sunday for her birthday. Please give my love to Cilla and tell her I’d love to hear from her. With heaps and tons of love and kisses to my own darlings and dearest Daddy and Mummy from your little Doggy.

P.S. Sylvia Pallister has come back, she came back yesterday she is nice. I like her. Girlie

York May 5th 1929

Just a few notes on some of the friends and relations Cynthia is writing to her mother about. Baby Ruth refers to Ruth Stainthorpe, daughter of family friends, Dr. Charles Stainthorpe and his wife. Twenty years later, Ruth would be Cynthia’s sole bridesmaid, and Dr. Stainthorpe would give her away! Denis and Bobby Sheedy lived next door to the Ewings in Newcastle and had been friends since childhood, playing together with Cynthia and Nancy. I assume Edgar is the son, younger than Cynthia, of Chris and Katie Cooper. Granny Hazell’s will was written in 1927 (already posted) but I am not sure when she died. She seems to have recovered here. On the back of the envelope is Cynthia’s postscript: P.S. I’m writing to Granny H.

The ‘friend’ mentioned in the first paragraph is, of course, her period, a better euphemism than some she used later with me…

May 5th 1929

Dearest Mumsie,

I am so glad you like my letters, you may be sure I love writing them ever so, I did’nt feel so sad this morning as last week because I suppose I’m getting used to it. Mummy darling, I got ‘my friend’ yesterday when I was at the pictures I got a scare I can tell you, but I don’t think it’s very bad this time.

I have worn my blue coat every day this week as it is rather cold but it is much warmer today. I scrub my teeth always night and morning with the paste Mummy, as I ca’nt get the powder tin open but my teeth are getting nice and white and none of them are hurting now.

We have quite nice meals at B.G. now there are some things I don’t like, cheese and onions and things like that.

I am very sorry to hear about Dr. S’s accident it will be horrid, please give my love to Baby Ruth and Mrs. S. went you see them won’t you? I didn’t get your first letter till theirs and Mummy, I got this pad at Woolworths specially to write to you as it is thin and here it is now I don’t seem to be able to write much.

I like the frocks ever so Dearest they are lovely and the girls like them too, I wore the pink (which looks lovely with short sleeves) yesterday and my silk stockings you gave me and my pearls. The new frock is sweet Mumsie, I haven’t tried it on but it looks lovely. Thanks awfully for the chocs, Mummy mine, I’ve finished the little ones and all but two of the big one’s I shared them with the girls of course, and also the ones I brought, I’ve only Bobbie’s left now. Thank Guilly very much too dearie, and we do have jam at school only its nicer to have our own the little pots are sweet.

Sylvia has’nt come yet and the girls do not know if she is coming back at all. She is not a new girl but has been here a long time I think. I haven’t a special chum yet but Jessie takes me around and looks after me. Two other girls go up N/C way at end of term though neither there, Phyllis and Gertrude.

Please tell Dennis and Nan and Dot when I come back I’ll be a champion tennis player (I must say) and shall (not) win every set. Tell Dennis also that I am haveing a very enjoyable time and the air of York agrees with me greatly!

I haven’t been at all to the Baths yet as they are open air and Mrs. Palmer won’t let us go till it is warmer.

The Pics were glorious yesterday and Matheson Lang took the part of Sir Percy Blakeney, it was lovely there was a talkie film as well only it was rotten.

We don’t have to pay ourselves at all Miss John pays. Poor little Edgar, please give him & Chris & Mrs.C my love.

Oh Mummy Miss Ellet read out that last week, Miss Dart would have an eloqution class if there were enough wanted to learn, Miss Dart isn’t that thrilling.

Today is Military Sunday in York Mums and after church we saw all the soldiers coming back from the Minster, it was lovely, at church, Mummy, none of the girls or Mrs. Palmer sing the hymns and psalms and responses, they are quiet the whole time.

It was so exciting getting a parcel from home, please send one again soon, with cake please cause we do’nt get cake every day.

I wore my patent leather shoes today and it’s so sad that all the newness is worn off, won’t we be lovely when we are home. “Rob Roy” will be lovely for Nan she likes Scott’s and has read this one. Please get Marny a Collins book too, will you Mummy? She collects them.

Fancy my mummy in a mauve silk nightie how posh!

I am very sorry to here how ill poor Granny is, I hope she will get better soon. With heaps of love and kisses to my best of little Mummies from Your own Girlie

York, May 1 1929

Cynthia is now at school, a bit homesick and having trouble fitting in since she’s changed schools in the middle of the year. She refers to Miss Hiley, who was her former headmistress in Newcastle, and says she’ll write to her- you will see her reply to this letter when I post May 11th’s letter. Mrs Palmer, either her present headmistress or the head of the boarding part of the school, gives the girls treats by taking them to a silent film on the weekend!

May 1, 1929

Darlingest of Daddies and Dearest of Mummies,

It does seem so strange to be writing to you, I feel lonely and sad and homesick in the morning but it wears off during the day, I never, never, knew how much I loved you dearest until I came here so that is one thing I learnt!

I have just had a letter from Nancy by this evening post and I had letters from Dot and Marjorie before, I wrote to them on Sunday.

I got the blue coat a few days ago, Mummy and the snowfire, I don’t mind in the least if you and Daddy read or fill in my diary, it hasn’t anything silly in.

We all went to church in the rain on Sunday, it was horrid, to St Olive’s in the morning and the Minster in the afternoon. I didn’t wear my best shoes or panama hat as it was so wet but my black hat and school shoes. I have been thinking Daddy, if ever York Minster’s afternoon service is broadcasted you will be able to listen in and know I am listening too, won’t that be nice.

I do wish I had seen Mr. Collins, I think he might take the job in N/C because I’ll never see him if I don’t and I do want to see him again.

Mrs. Mummy Ewing, if you end again saying a long letter will bother me I do’nt know what I’ll do to you, a long letter is what I want and please send a great fat one.

Daddy, dearie I shall write to Miss Hiley on Sunday and thank you for your letter, you most likely have seen that I wasn’t feeling happy last Sunday but I’m all right now.

Shall I tell you now about myself? Well, at school there are 11 in our form Me, Jessie, two Phyllises, Millicent, Dot, Kitty, Sybil, Barbara, Joan and Hilda. Jessie and I and Phyllis are boarders, the other Phyllis and Barbara are very kind to me, some of them talk rather Yorkshire and it is very funny. I had gym this afternoon and was put in the senior class, it was horrid, I couldn’t do any of the things, I going to be in the middle next week. I seem to be a shining light at French, but I’ve done it all before. In maths I’m ahead too. For algebra homework we had three sums I got them all right and got honours. Not an excellent though, if you get 2 exc. you have to sign the honours book. For history we are just doing early Britons so I’m lots past. For needlework at B.G. the girls are making tennis frocks I did embroidery last week but Miss John is getting me cloth. We had to bring soap with us only a girl lent me a piece and I’ll get some on Saturday. Mrs. Palmer is going to take us to see the film “The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel” on Sat. it will be lovely. She has given me a cheque book to draw money out of the bank each week, a real cheque book for me!

There are 7 girls at Burton Grange 1weekly border Marsha Murray and then Mary Gilberton who is head girl of the boarding house and nice, Gertrude Williams a senior nice too, Eleanor somebody who is kind and gave me some of her own jam at tea and yesterday a piece of her cake, Phyllis Piercy who is kind too and gave me cake and kissed me goodnight one night and Jessie Muir who is very kind and kissed me last night, it makes me feel happy to be liked!

Mary’s nickname is Gilbie, Gertrudes Tishi, as she’s very tall, Eleanor’s ‘It’ and Phyllis’ Phyll or Pip.

I have played lots of tennis since I came, nearly every fine day. I use Daddy’s pretty pencil every day at school and Mummy’s box of things, are use Mrs. Allan’s pencil for my diary at night.

I must stop now as Phyllis has just nearly had a fit at all my pages, you please write some letters as long to me I love getting letter, Dearest of Daddies and Mummies I am trying in every way to please you and do what you told me, I am ever your lovingest of little daughter your own Cynthia

The Letters Begin 1929

In the summer term of 1929, Cynthia Ewing, who had just turned 14, was sent to boarding school in York. This is when her letters home to her parents in Newcastle began. Her mother saved only the letters from her first term, but she stayed at this school for the next few years, as she met new friends, had new experiences, in fact, grew up. I remember her complaining that changing schools affected her knowledge of English history, as she repeated lessons on the Tudors several times, but never did deal with the eighteenth century. Her handwriting also changed over the years at boarding school, from the script you see in these letters to what she used as an adult.

To share the letters, I will post the images of the pages, faded ink and all, but will also transcribe them because I am none too confident in my photographic abilities and the clarification might be helpful.

c/o Mrs Palmer

Burton Grange

York

27th April 1929

Dear Daddy,

Thank you very much for your letter, I was very glad to get it yesterday evening, I get on quite well and all the girls are very kind and nice to me. This morning I went to town with two other girls I got a black bow and then we went and looked round Woolworths, we did not get any lunch as we were not hungry. I think I shall send back all of the photos, daddy dear, as I should not like to loose any of them as they are so nice. I started this letter yesterday evening only I haven’t finished it yet. I played tennis yesterday afternoon and had a lovely time, I think that if I go on playing as much as I did yesterday I may get quite good. At school I get on quite well, at geometry on Friday I could do the things better than the other girls. There are only eight girls at the boarding house now, Jessie Muir and Phyllis who are in the fourth form with me, Gertrude, Eleanor and Mary and Marsha and a girl Sylvia who lives in Benwell and hasn’t come yet. I had a little weep in bed this morning Daddy, I felt so lonely but I am trying to be good and read my Bible every night and say my prayers. I had a bath last night, it is the second one I’ve had, I like having baths. We are going to church this morning and it is horrible and wet, I am not putting on my panama hat or best shoes but school shoes and my black hat without the school band. There is a new matron come this term called Miss John, she is very nice and quite young, she is a glorious tennis player for she played with us yesterday. I shall write again on Wed: please give my love to Dickie and Dot and Nancy and I still love you with heaps and heaps of love and I’m longing for the holidays to come so that I can see you and Mummy again, please write again soon to your loving little girl Cynthia.

Dear Muzie,

You know all my news so all I have to send you is my best love and kisses and darling, please don’t forget to buy a birthday present for Nancy on 14th and Marjorie on 29th May so I am ever your loving little girlie who is trying her best to please you and Daddy with heaps of love your own Cynthia.

It reads like a different era, doesn’t it? Her childhood friend Nancy Allen was presumably the one with the birthday, and Jessie Muir became a lifelong friend as well.

Will 1927

This is the draft of a will of my great-grandmother Marion Hazell. I enjoy the feminist touches, when she leaves money clearly to the women of the family first, and I also appreciate the silver bonbon dishes and vase which have been handed down to me.

Jack’s Visit

by Cynthia Costain

I was very excited. My cousin Jack was coming to spend a week with us. Since coming to England at the age of four, only two of my mother’s sisters had come from the West Indies to stay with us, but the whole saga of my mother’s family “back home” was part of the fabric of my childhood. Although I had very little recollection of these relatives, they were entirely familiar.

Jack, I knew, was the older son of my Aunt Trixie and Uncle John. Aunt Trixie in the family photograph album looked to be a little fat jolly woman and Uncle John was a tall pleasant looking man, and I also knew that Aunt Trixie was very bossy and managing while Uncle John calmly went his own way. My mother told of their ongoing disagreement of how rice should be cooked. At dinner Aunt Trixie would look at the rice and start to scold the servant. “Luenda, you’ve cooked the rice too much again! It’s all sticking together. You know I like rice cooked just enough so that the kernels are separate.”

Uncle John, helping himself, “Very nice rice today, Luenda,” he would say.

It was accepted that of her two sons Aunt Trixie favoured the younger one, Bill. In any boyish mischief, Jack was blamed. The story in the family was that one night there was an earthquake not severe, but enough to shake the house and make everything rattle. Aunt Trixie, waking up suddenly in the dark, immediately called out “Jack! Jack! What are you doing now?” Fortunately Jack inherited his father’s good nature.

This was the cousin who was coming to visit. I was maybe twelve or thirteen and Jack was perhaps nineteen or twenty, not merely a Big Boy, but grown up. He had been very active in the Boy Scouts Movement and was coming to England to attend a large Scouts Jamboree as a representative from Grenada. This was Jack’s first time in England, in fact the first time he had left the islands so it must have been a great adventure for him. He came to us after he had been to the Jamboree, a tall goodlooking young man, with an easy casual West Indian manner. Of course I was shy, but Jack didn’t seem to notice and treated me like a younger sister at once. I was not used to the easy affection of West Indians, with an arm over my shoulder as we sat on the sofa, or around my waist as we walked to the store, but it was very thrilling!

My mother and father took him to see the sights, and for drives in the country, but there was a big exhibition in the city that summer, the North East Coast Exhibition, and one morning Jack and I spent the day there. It was a beautiful sunny day, although it was never really hot in our part of the country, and the grounds were colourful with flowers and gardens. The white buildings showing displays of trade, industries etc. turned out to be rather dull, but we dutifully toured each one. Jack was interested in buying a few small gifts to take home and in one of the buildings was a stall with a selection of jewelry made to display brilliantly blue butterfly wings set in silver. They were pretty and not expensive so Jack did some shopping. We strolled out and sat on a bench in the sun to enjoy ice cream cones and Jack took his package out of his pocket and presented me with a small silver ring set with an oval of glorious blue. I was quite speechless with gratitude and joy. I think my daughter still has that little ring.

One day my mother suggested we go down to the sea for a picnic and a swim, so she and Jack and I took the electric train the nine miles to the coast. There were three small seaside towns; Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, and Cullercoats. The latter was mainly a fishing village but at Whitley Bay there was a beautiful stretch of golden sand and lovely blue sea and white waves, so we went there and settled down on the sand. My mother and I, knowing that on the northeast coast of England there was always a chilly wind blowing across the North Sea, had come prepared with sweaters as well as swimsuits but Jack seemed impervious to the less than balmy breeze.

I have a theory that when a person moves to another country or another climate they bring with them an internal thermostat set at the temperature of their homeland. Leaving England for the U.S.A., my husband and I happily lived one winter in an upstairs apartment where our guests refused to remove their coats, but by the next winter we had to beg the landlord to put up the heat. Similarly, Jack did not seem to feel the sun any less warming than in Trinidad or Grenada and the wind not much cooler than a tropical breeze.

My mother decided not to swim so Jack and I retired decorously to the bathing huts to change into swim suits; then we strolled over the sand to the beautiful blue sea with little waves curling gently onto the shore. Knowing the ordeal ahead of me, I hung back, ready to edge into the icy water as slowly as possible, practice my breast stroke for as long as I could bear it, and then rush back to swathe myself in a warm towel.

Bathing Beauties, Cynthia a bit older, with bathing huts in the background.

Jack had no such fears. Used as he was to warm seductive tropical waters all his life, he ran happily into the water and made a long shallow dive through the waves. I watched him in amazement. I don’t think anyone had ever dived into the North Sea with such careless abandon before. It seemed a long time until he surfaced and slowly he stood up and crept towards me. He moved like an aged man and his face was pale and gaunt. Quickly my mother wrapped him in towels and tried to rub some feeling into his shivering body.

I can’t remember if I even went into the water. My mother and I were so occupied in giving Jack hot tea from the thermos: I’m sure it must have been hot sweet tea for the treatment of shock.

Cynthia in the 20s

This is a collection of photos of her daughter that Carol saved, showing her as she grew older in the 1920s in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

These next ones Cyn remembered going to the photographer’s to have taken, even though she was only 5, because she had to take off her clothes and clutch these cold damp flowers to her chest…