Sunday 18th October, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Well nice to hear from you again after your return from here. Letter and paper duly received for which many thanks. Note you got the cutouts from the girls, and we are sorry that was all they could manage last time. Had intended for them to make up for a little lost time by getting something done on the Monday morning before they went to school, but unfortunately I failed to set alarm correctly and we all overslept, and that was that. They are by my side now busily spoiling paper on your behalf, so something will emerge this weekend*.

On Monday of last week, we had the underground strike, and what a mess it was. I travelled up somewhat later than usual, due to oversleeping, and got mixed up with the heavy crowd. Also only half the trains were running so we were jam-packed in the trains which is no joke down there as almost impossible to get out at required stations. I left early so that I might get home at a reasonable time, and went to Baker Street and walked to Marylebone where I got an L.M.R. train. Result home about a half hour earlier than usual. Tuesday I went via Marylebone and thence overland by bus and Shanks Pony, and arrived at 9:30 a.m.. I left at right time and went via Marylebone again, but got in quite late, it taking me just as long to get from West Ruislip station to home as it did from office to West Ruislip. On Wednesday I went the usual way, and although trains very full, ran fairly well to time, and strike ended that day.

We have had a lot of rain since last writing, but the end of the week has been very fine, and although cold early and late, the midday session is being most enjoyable. I think it was Monday or Tuesday that June brought her geraniums in, so activities at both ends seem to coincide.

Did not remember you having said you had been to Norwich. I know you went to Yarmouth and presumably branched off at Ipswich.

Talking of putting on your heater, we have had ours on quite a lot. Of course we have only to switch on the gas, and presumably on the colder days you have used your electric fire.

I am glad to say that both children seem to have recovered from their chills etc. June had her examination at Mount Vernon on Friday, and Mrs Baker came here to look after the children. June will be going into Harefield Hospital on 12th November. We do not know how long that will last, that should imagine it will be at least a week. The 12th is the first day so the weekend intervening may help us.

Yes a bit of a jaunt to get new receiver. Would not mind doing it again but would not want to do it every day. The new set is streets ahead of the old. I had to part-exchange the old one, and although it was in your price range, and I thought of you in connection with it, the defect that had arisen was not one that I had the equipment to deal with, so thought it right to pass on to the shop people, who are not concerned if it works as long as it is all there. The new set [has?] six degrees of selectivity for tuning out interfering signals. Much more sensitivity for bringing in weak signals, and a wave-change switch for changing from one band to another without the cumbersome changing of the big coil pack [illegible] quality of the reproduction on the broadcast band and the range of medium wave broadcast stations that come in is amazing, I have never heard another receiver like it for that stuff. I often listen to different musical programs on the medium wave as the tone is so good.

We have not seen the car since last weekend as Peter and Kaye have gone to South Wales in it this week. Mrs Baker has gone to Southend to see her mother whose birthday it was yesterday. We understand she was having a party. We took Mrs Baker over to Ealing in the car so that she could get onto the District line from there. Her journey is to Tower Hill, a walk to Fenchurch Street, and thence to Westcliff.

I do not know if June has mentioned the long sermon or not, but she is going again today. It is a service for the Young Wives. They have to read lessons etc. I expect they are all fighting to take up the collection.

The ceiling [illegible] very well indeed. I had to borrow a small backless saw from Doug to cut out the remainder of the hole to size, and then get the surform on the edges. The new piece went in without too much space left but the plastering was much more difficult. I mixed some up, enough to do the job, and at the right consistency, but by the time I was ready to put it on, it had hardened to solid lumps. Mixed some more, and that also hardened before I had finished. June was working with me all the time, and although we worked fast the stuff dried faster. Of course there was a lot of mess in the room after the rest of the ceiling came down, and what with the plaster powder all over the place it wanted some sorting out. The ceiling was left in a fairly rough state so that we could put some Polyfilla on top and sandpaper at all down. A job yet to be done.**

Sorry to hear about Mr Virgin. You told me he had paid you a visit last summer (I think).

Good luck you had choir practice on the day of the Hewitts’ visit or they would have been there the night.

The event with the Scouts was a bit of a waste of time. I had arrange to pick up another chap and take him down, but when I arrived he said he was going to mend his motorcycle and was not coming. I arrived at the Scout Hut at about 2:30 p.m., and found two other amateurs there and one or two non-licenced assistants, and one Scout. They had a very good aerial up (3 to be precise) and they were working two transmitters and three receivers. During the morning they had worked an American station, but there was not much about in the afternoon. Shortly after we arrived about half of the people that were there left including the one scout. Stuck this until about 5 pm and left myself. I think they might have saved a bit of their enthusiasm for whipping some of the Scouts in rather than seeking our assistance.

Your efforts with the SW set noted, but before you bore a hole in the panel you can if you like try out the effect of the additional condenser by fitting it to a piece of cardboard or plywood and attaching that to the panel by means of one of the holes in it. You could then link up the wires as I suggested (one must now go from the spindle to the casing of the set as it is insulated from it by the wood) putting the stator (non rotatable part) of the new condenser to each of the three similar parts of the three gang condenser in the set to see on which it has most effect for spreading the signals apart. Will be practically no advantage to you on 21 or 28 M/c, but should be invaluable on 14 M/c.

Glad you manage to find somewhere that makes the concrete posts like ours, but seems you had quite a job to get them. I should think that if you wanted to you could make a mould yourself and go into business in a small way. If Hobbs are the only people making them in your area you should clear the market.

The position at Tiverton is noted and gather they will be coming to you in the Spring. Noted also that Don will again be coming to see you. He certainly seems a lot better now. Mrs Baker said how well he looked after what had gone before.

Well we know the result of the election. What a frost. They will do no good at all with that majority, and I can see another election coming in 18 months, that being as long as I give them***. Ron Brown got in by a reduced majority although his share of the poll was higher. He is in a fix now, as he is allowed to retain most of his railway privileges for his first term, but loses most of them if he is re-elected. If the government falls after a short period, and he is re-elected as he is almost bound to be, then he is robbed of his free travel etc. etc****. We estimate that he should make about £10,000 [£250,000 in 2024 money] per annum out of the deal***** so he can afford a bit of bad luck. His place is being taken by Davis, the redundant head of the Western Region Work Study School.

I learned something I did not know from him in the [illegible] remember that I applied for a job as lecturer at Paddington before [illegible] to the Eastern region. Did not get it of course, and all though I interviewed, heard no more. Davis was on the panel. While in [illegible] on Friday (Davis was there) Russell asked him ‘Do you know Mr Atkins?’ and the reply was ‘Yes I wanted him to be lecturer at my school but they preferred some flamboyant character’. You live and learn. The Western school is closed down now, and all the lecturers are redundant so I for one am not complaining.

Well must draw the line again as news drying up. Les next door had someone bash into his car when left outside his own house last Saturday. He did not know it had been done until midway through the Sunday. He thinks it must have been the builders’ lorry, but no one said anything. The offside front wing has been bashed in. There is paint off the other vehicle along the dent, and the builders’ lorry is that colour. Told him I had been expecting something like that for some time. Chap opposite opened his iron front gate yesterday and the brick pillar fell down. So there is they all have their troubles.

Hope you are both keeping well. Look forward to your next – heard Scott yesterday. Love from us all.

*”I apologise that my children are of an inferior species and at the ages of 8 and 6 can’t sit down and write a long, multi-paragraph letter, free of spelling mistakes, on a weekly basis, and that they would rather draw or cut out or do something creative with the paper which let’s face it I steal from the office anyway.”

**Alec’s DIY skills were rudimentary at best, and he hated decorating – in later years, leaving that all to June although they would easily afford to have someone come in to do the job.

***Not a bad shout. The following election took place on 31 March, 1966 – just seventeen and a half months later – and was again a victory for Labour.

****As he rightly should be, MPs having travel privileges of their own. I’m not surprised, but constantly disappointed, by exactly how small-minded Alec always shows himself to be in these letters. So desperate not to be deprived or cheated of any little thing. It’s a miserly mentality, IMHO.

*****”The basic annual salary of a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons is £91,346, plus expenses, from April 2024. In addition, MPs are able to claim allowances to cover the costs of running an office and employing staff, and maintaining a constituency residence or a residence in London. Additional salary is paid for appointments or additional duties, such as ministerial appointments, being a whip, chairing a select committee or chairing a Public Bill committee.” (Wikipedia)

Wednesday 14th October, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

[Continued from Tuesday 13th October, 1964]

A much milder morning and inclined to be wet but after midday it became sunny and very warm. Managed to cut hedge behind greenhouse and have made further progress with the plot between that point and the garage. Wonder how you have been getting on with the refusal of the Underground men to work the winter schedules? On TV last night one of the men out said they were sorry the public was inconvenienced but they were doing it for them – to increase the services – as much as for themselves. What cheek. Another case of ‘I’m all right Jack’.

A reply from Don this morning says they will come up on the 20th inst. as he has to go into Taunton for a check-up on the 22nd.

No more now. All the best June on Friday when you visit specialist. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Mum and Dad.

P.S. forgot Mercury so posting it Thursday with letter. 

Tuesday 13th October, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for letter and cut-out enclosures from the girls duly received first this morning. Very sorry to hear June has been feeling off colour and hope she is better or at least on the mend now. Carol too in the wars again but glad to hear not really serious and hope marks have gone by now.

Yes the fog was a surprise Alec and it was so prolonged. Even after leaving Chippenham on the Marshfield Road cars were approaching us with lights on and we soon found out why as it got thicker the further we travelled. I did not really see the last of it until we reached Keynsham. Clevedon had had no fog but after posting the letter to you saying we had arrived home safely I had hardly got back home when down came the rain and in no small measure either. Since then we have had heavy rain, thunder and lightning, but yesterday and today has seen a return to the Indian summer except for the sharp white frosts in the morning. It has really been glorious and I’ve been able to work outdoors without a coat. Mum has been busy too. Today she dug out all the geraniums in front garden and then dug over the whole plot.

Noted that you have you also have had a great deal of rain and cold weather. I must say your garden was looking very well and the superlap fencing at the bottom makes a wonderful improvement and gives you more ground for shrubs etc. and certainly a lot more privacy. Just as well to be able to get all grown stuff in position as soon as possible to enable it to take root before the winter sets in. Hope June did not catch the chill working in the garden.

Yes there were a few accidents on the road last Monday and I thought the safest place was on the M4. Kept to the slow lane and let all the fast merchants pass as they pleased. It was queer in High Street Langley though – had no idea where I was and had been looking out for the traffic lights for some time. One seems to lose all idea of distance in a fog.

Very interested in your short comment on the journeys to Norwich and Welwyn Garden City. If the opportunity occurs some time in the future should like to run over that section of line between Liverpool Street and Norwich again.

Glad to hear it was possible for you to take Susan to the Brownie sports events and that she took part in the wheelbarrow race. I suppose the change in the weather affected her a little causing the sore throat etc. We actually lit our Rayburn heater on Saturday evening it was so cold and each evening since Mum has lit up after tea. Have not kept it in all night as at present no need.

What a journey you had to pick up your new receiver. This is getting right into the thick of it and I should not like to attempt it. Presumably you part exchanged your old receiver. Obviously when you wrote you had not had a fair test of the new set but shall be pleased to have report in due course. Just as well Peter was about to give you a hand up the ladder with it.

Noted he has his new car and that it is a good one. Seems to have been fortunate in getting a good price for the old one. Let’s hope he does not have much trouble now as he was having with the ?Pathfinder. Very good of Kay to be making something for Carol. Perhaps we shall meet her next time we come to Ruislip.

By the way June I hope you had a dig at someone about that 31 minute sermon. It was our harvest festival last Sunday and I thought about it when our vicar was in the pulpit.

Noted Peter took back the white campanula roots last Saturday. They should keep in good condition as they were practically sealed in the polythene bag.

How did you get on repairing the ceiling? Was the beaver board satisfactory? You certainly put your foot well and truly into it.

Do you remember the Virgins who used to live next door to us at Westbury? We hear Mr Virgin died suddenly last week in Bristol where he and his wife were living in retirement. Only Edna the oldest daughter is living in England (Sheffield). The other two are abroad. All are married. Roy Hewitt came round this afternoon to tell us the news but I had already noted it in evening paper and assumed it was the Virgin we knew at Westbury. Roy is walking very badly again and has to see his specialist tomorrow in Bristol about a larger boot. In a week’s time he has to see another about his hip and the broken pin. Had then them to tea last Friday and it was such a shocking day that I had to fetch them and take them home later. Fortunately it was choir practice night (postponed from Thursday) so took them home about 7 pm. Strange to say it stopped raining about 7:30 p.m. and remained dry throughout the night.

Looks as if you are going to have an interesting time with the Scouts on Saturday but what if June happens to be in hospital? Shall be thinking of you on the 16th, June, and hope if hospital treatment is necessary you will not be there many days.

Well now I expect you would like to know how I have been getting on with the SW set. Fixed it up in garage on the day after our return and tuned in immediately. Everything satisfactory. As you say not much local reception but plenty of foreign although I have not identified any so far. One station – calling itself ‘the State of Israel‘ – is persistently asking for a long distance stations to identify themselves and report strength at position B. Heard a direct transmission from Prince Edward Island when the Queen actually landed there. Came through very clearly. The other set I have now fixed up in greenhouse and without aerial or earth can get many stations just as clearly as with aerial. Before I can move SW set into house I shall have to erect an aerial and provide an earth. Your suggestions for actual listening noted and I must have a go at the times given. So far I have not fixed up the loose condenser you gave me and require a
⅜” drill to pierce the case. Mr Palmer looked in this morning and when in garage spotted the set so I asked him about a suitable drill and he’s going to lend me one. More about this at the time.

Had quite a job trying to locate some concrete posts for the panel fencing. The day after we got home Mum and I went out to Counsells at Yatton but they had never heard of them and I suggested that two firms in Weston-super-Mare might have them but they said no as they knew all the products of these firms. Came back disappointed and mentioned it to Bushell who was then on the point of going out to nails to visit his father-in-law. He knocked on our door later at about 1:00 p.m. and said his father-in-law had seen them about and suggested he (Bushell) call up Hobbs at Flax Bourton there and then and enquire. They referred him to their Failand depot where all their concrete products were made. This he did and they said they knew what he was talking about but they did not make them unless specially ordered. With this information Mum and I went out to Failand at 2:00 p.m. and saw the person in charge. He took me out in the yard and showed me two such posts and I told him that was just what I wanted. He said a mould would have to be set up specially so I asked him the cost telling him what you gave for similar articles. Eventually he quoted me 22/6d [£28 in 2024 money] each with another 1/- [£1.25] for delivery each. (1/- each per post for delivery). The bottom two feet were solid so that the fencing would not slip below that level. In these circumstances I thought it would be a good idea to have them and so ordered 18 posts (the two ends can be fixed with two of the wooden posts already on hand). delivery will be effected in three weeks.*

in the meantime I am finishing off the rockery between the garage and greenhouse. Have also taken a lot of plants into the greenhouse out of the frosty elements.

A letter from Tiverton last Saturday says that Joe and Lydia will not be coming up this year and have suggested next spring. Actually Lydia has not yet finished with the shop as the closing date has been delayed until the end of this month and Joe has already resumed his job as bank guard. Both have to attend Exeter Hospital for treatment so reason for postponement of visit quite understood. Another letter from Don suggests he and Joan come up again on the 20th or 22nd inst. It says he is going on all right and has been doing some gardening and firewood cutting.

The unpaid foreman still in evidence but I have not contacted him to date. The building seems to be slowing up a bit but I cannot say why. The weather has had a bearing on progress as the ground has cut up badly with so much rain.

*Total cost in 2024 money £526.50. A similar item today would not be too much different in price, but with free delivery!

[Continued Wednesday 14th October, 1964]

Sunday 11th October, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Well here we go again with the weekly epistles. Thanks for yours of 29th September (last before your visit) and that of Monday 5th October* on your return. Sorry you had a foggy run home, and your remarks were quite unexpected as I saw no sign of fog on that day and did not hear any mention of it at the office. I am surprised you should have run into it so soon, especially as it was so close to us at Langley.** Well we hope you enjoyed your short stay with us, and have now recovered from the journey.

Nothing much has changed here except the weather. We have had plenty of rain in the last couple of days, and there was a white frost on the ground this morning. A frost was reported (in office) during the week, but we did not have any our way although it was very cold. Have not so far got round two creosoting the fence and of course the wood is now on the wet side. June has completed putting cuttings and things in the soil right alongside the fence, and the buddleias in particular seem to have taken. Have not cut the lawn, and by the look of things it has now had its last cut for the winter. Our apples are still on the trees except the odd one that has fallen off, and I suppose it is now about time we fetched them off.

Carol had a slight accident in the week. at school she got herself tangled up in her skipping rope and failed head first onto the concrete. I don’t know how it occurred, but she obviously landed on nose and upper lip simultaneously, and both were quite a site. Leg also came in for some scraping, but by the time I got home from work she was interested in other things so it could not have been lastingly painful.***

June has not been at all well in the week. She would seem to have had a severe chill, and was quite groggy on Thursday and Friday. She seems to be a little better now. Obviously the change in the weather is having its effect as I hear of similar cases elsewhere.

Note you say there were a few accidents about on the day of your return. I supposed they were accidents (pure) are not accidents (foolhardy). I think with the improvement of the roads, and the making of more and more motorways, there should be fewer of the former, but possibly more of the latter****. Also note that at the time of writing you had not taken out the radio. I expect that by now you have got it assembled somewhere and have tried the local conditions. There should be fewer local stations to be heard at your end, but I should have an occasional listen on a Saturday or Sunday morning (say 11 am to 1pm) on 28 M/c and occasionally in the evenings to see if there is anyone about.

Well I see that the sun has come out and is shining quite brightly. The children, all wrapped up, are out with their scooters. What a change from the time you were here – seems more than a week ago.

Had a couple of good trips in the week. The first to Norwich, and it was quite a good run through interesting country. The line turns north at Colchester, and actually passes an arm of the sea at Witham. We passed through Ipswich which is quite industrialised, and so on to Norwich which is just two hours run from Liverpool Street. Had a very short look at the town while waiting for the train back, and it seems pleasant enough. Welwyn Garden City of course is much smaller, and we did not get an opportunity to see much of the town as there is nothing much near the station. May have to go to both places occasionally.

Yesterday was the Brownie sports day, and Susan was supposed to take part in two races. We were in some doubt as to whether she should go as she had a sore throat and was obviously not 100%. June was unable to go as still feeling the effects of the chill so I accompanied her with the object of bringing her home after her races or if she felt not up to it. The afternoon promised rain, and dark clouds were gathering when we set out. Found the chosen sports field which was a pleasant place called Pinn Field alongside the river of that name. It is a part of Ruislip I had not visited (or known about) and ideal for their purpose. We arrived just as the first of the guides was arriving with a tent and pegs and things. For very short periods a hot sun burst through and it was fine, but it all seemed a bit precarious in regards to weather. However Susan told me she had been picked to take part in a wheelbarrow race as they were short, and racing began. When it was Susan’s race I noticed she was ‘the barrow’, and they had picked a hefty guide to wheel her along. However she was not strong enough to support Susan’s weight, and by halfway Susan was down on her elbows so that was that*****. Anyway they were not last so some improvement there.

Shortly after that they had a long-winded thing called ‘Throwing the Ball’. Most of the girls threw the ball about 20 yards or less, and the spectators gathered at that spot until one stronger than the others sent the ball sailing past their ears, when they retreated. Whilst this was going on (it was quite cold standing about) the rain came, and turned into quite a downpour causing us all to run for the trees at the side of the field. After about a quarter of an hour of this Susan said take me home so we made our apologies and our exit.

Peter arrived last evening with Kay, who is making something for Carol (and wanted some measurements) and asked me to pop outside for a minute. He has his new car, and it was standing outside. It is a grey Rover 3 litre****** in immaculate condition 1959. He sold his other for about twice the current market price.

As I told you, I had decided to change my receiver, and had been on the lookout for an SX28. Found a shop that had got one so decided to go and get it yesterday morning. The shop is in Lisle Street (off Charing Cross Road). Could not carry either set far so had to take car up. Went along Western Avenue, into Bayswater Road, past Marble Arch into Oxford Street. into Regent Street through Piccadilly into Shaftesbury Avenue, into Cambridge Circus, thence into Charing Cross Road and into Lisle Street. This took about an hour from home. Coming back I ran out of the other end of Lisle Street in to Wardour Street, and after that I couldn’t tell you where I went to except that by devious means I found myself on the Great West Road A4 after passing along the Cromwell Road. Turned right at Boston Manor Road and home via Hanwell. Peter was around last night as I said, so he was able to give me a heave with the SX28 and it is now in position.

June has brought a square of beaver board for the ceiling******* so looks as if we shall do that job this afternoon, or start it.

The cuttings you brought up from Mrs Baker were taken back by Peter last evening. We had not taken them out of the bag and they were looking quite moist and fresh. I see our ice plants are now in flower.

Not much else to report this time. Had another visit from the Boy Scouts yesterday to make sure I would be helping next Saturday. Looks as if I shall have a couple of hours there. I shall have to report what happens.

So for now then must close. Love from us all. 

*Absent from the archive, but was probably only a very short note or card.

**According to online information the average height above sea level of Ruislip is 54 metres/177 feet, and the average height of Langley (near Slough) is 0 metres/0 feet, which is a considerable difference in elevation. Fog tends to settle in low areas near bodies of water – Langley is in the Thames Valley and surrounded by reservoirs; Ruislip isn’t – so on the whole Alec’s surprise is, in itself, surprising.

***Notice the developing narrative: Carol has occasional little accidents, Susan is just clumsy.

****Figures posted on Wikipedia and admitted to be incomplete do not distinguish between ‘pure accidents’ and ‘foolhardy’ ones, but suggest that in the short term at least Alec was wrong. There were 6970 recorded fatalities on UK roads in 1960 and 7985 in 1966, suggesting that at the time the number was trending upwards – probably due to the lack of seatbelts and the ‘ton-up kids‘ who saw new motorways as race-tracks and couldn’t wait to put their feet down/twist their throttles and show the rest of the world just what their particular shiny new toy could do.

*****Arf arf, my child is so heavy she’ll never be any good at sports! The fact that I’d never attempted this particular feat before is of course utterly irrelevant.

******Similar to this one, although I seem to remember the colour being a bit darker.

*******Ummm, yes, following on from the ‘Woburn Abbey picnic’, here’s another of my most vivid childhood memories! Carol and I were still in our beds one morning – we shared a room at that stage, but that ended soon afterwards – when all of a sudden Alec’s foot appeared through the ceiling. He was up in the loft and had stepped off a beam and onto the plasterboard at a point just inside our bedroom door. The image of that solitary right foot dangling down will stay with me forever! I hadn’t realised, however, that Leonard and Eva must have been staying with us at the time, and no doubt Leonard was also up in the loft with Alec looking at the radio equipment when the incident happened. To be clear, the radio set-up was located directly above June and Alec’s bedroom, with the loft hatch out on the landing outside the toilet door, so Alec was nowhere near the boarded-out portion of the loft when he missed his footing and fell through the ceiling.

Tuesday 29th September, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Just a quick line to thank you very much for your letter received this morning and to confirm our journey to Ruislip on Thursday the 1st prox. to arrive during the early afternoon. You evidently had a busy weekend with the fencing and this will be one item to inspect when we arrive. Have not done anything to the main fence here to date and shall start next week weather permitting. The detached house is being completed and it will be necessary to have fence in position as quickly as possible although I am not aware if the place has been sold.

Noted you were off duty yesterday in order to take Susan out to Mount Vernon and good to know she will not be wanted there again for a twelvemonth. Does she have to continue to wear glasses?

By this time you will have heard from Mrs Baker of her holiday here. We hope she reached home safely and not too tired after such a long journey. I was going to get a couple of records for the girls this morning but as they did not let us know this item must be dealt with after our arrival that possibly on Friday or Saturday. If it is your night for Radio Club on Friday Alec please do not put it off because we are coming up. Have only just thought about this.

Have been busy here yesterday and today in trying to set out the shape of proposed rockery. Looks a bit flat but when soil put in the spaces the picture improves a little. Paving slabs all down now and I must say it looks a nice job and will ensure a clean walk to garage and greenhouse. Have cleaned car this afternoon but not polished it.

Peter’s car still out of commission then apparently. Mrs Baker tells us he uses a bicycle in these circumstances to get to and from work. Bad luck you could not have his assistance on the holes again.

No more just now. Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad.

P.S. Have it in mind to return to Clevedon on Monday 5th October. 

Monday 28th September, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Many thanks for your letter and paper received earlier. Letter from this end this week a bit brief I am afraid, but we are just a little bit disorganised at the moment. Had a long session with Doug and Ronnie this weekend and managed to get most of his fencing done as well as completing our own. We were at it morning and night and did not attempt the letter yesterday. Home today from work to take Susan to Mount Vernon again for eye test. Ran her up there first thing this morning and now after lunch have a chance to write. A different doctor this time said she was okay for the next 12 months whatever that is supposed to mean. However to your letter.

Sorry the girls did not manage a letter last week, and I am afraid it is the same tale this week as we have had them at it with us on the fencing lark. Best place for them was where we could see them rather than that they should be indoors going through all the cupboards. I must admit they were a darned nuisance as they would not stop on our side of the fence, and had to be yanked back on many occasions. Susan has just this minute gone off to school for the afternoon session.

Hope you have had a good week with Mrs Baker. If the weather this end is anything to go by, you have had good sunshine at your end. It could not have been better here these last few days. Glad your trip to Burnham and Lyng went off o.k. Glad too to learn that Don’s improvement still maintained.

Sorry about your fencing, but you need it strong your end, and just as well that the defect occurred at a time when you could deal with it, and not at a time of high gales.

Our whole digging operations were extended to cover the holes for the posts for Doug’s fencing, and we found the same trouble in digging them throughout. No need to put water on that stuff as it would only make matters worse. All right to put water on hard topsoil, but if you can put it on the clay it makes it bind more. When it is dry you can crack it and chip it like concrete. Peter volunteered to do the heavy work on Doug’s job, and in fact was ‘engaged’ for the job, but he had a lot of trouble with his car* and could not make it, so we did it all ourselves. However when over at Ealing on the Saturday afternoon (appointment for a new glasses) Doug and Ronnie put in the posts alongside our plot, and they must have been drunk as the line is most decidedly not straight. However too late to join anything about it when I got back so will have to put up with a scenic railway type of fence.

I can’t remember all the points not strictly correct in the write-up on Scott’s place, but one bit was the statement that there was some five thousand amateurs in the country whereas there are over 10,000 licenses currently in use in the UK.

I gave you the details of the problem with car as I thought you would mention it to Bushell. He says more or less the same as I had already inferred. There is just the outside chance that the circuit breaker [illegible] need renewing, but it looks like the dynamo. Car is giving going in on Wednesday.

Did not discuss the matter of the extra few inches with neighbour next door, and went on with the job. Now have fence in one piece. Will tell you the details on that one when you get here.

Can’t think of anything special for you to bring up this time, you gave me the hose to bring back when I was down with you, and I now have all I want. Okay to come up as you said on 1st October, we have been so busy that the date has crept up on us. Will rush out and get the posts so that you get this rather abbreviated edition for Tuesday morning, and will hold over anything else until Thursday. Love from us all. 

*Or ‘he changed his mind and dumped us in it’, to be more accurate.

Thursday 24 September, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

[Continued from Tuesday 22nd September, 1964]

(7 a.m.)

Well we had a lovely day yesterday – the weather was perfect and we had no sand in the sandwiches at Burnham. Left here at 9:40 a.m. and arrived Burnham at 10:48 a.m. then a cup of tea at Fortes and looked around the shops to get the food for picnic etc. Left Burnham about 1.50 p.m. and at Highbridge turned left by the clock and ran through Mark to Wedmore thence via West Hay to Lyng thus reversing the actual run between Wedmore and Highbridge we did when you were with us. Found Don and Joan getting on very well and Don has been doing a bit of sewing (machine) and chopping wood for the winter. Not a lot at a time but taking things easy. He seems to have maintained the condition he was in when they came to Clevedon last week and is taking much more interest in things in general. Can only hope now he will get through the winter satisfactorily. Have made a tentative arrangement for them to run up to Clevedon again soon after we get back from number 84. So far this week we have had grand weather and it looks like another good day today. Shall have the morning laying more paving stones. No more this time so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Mum and Dad.

P.S. bought another bag of peat coming home at 4/- [£5 in 2024 money] this time – quite good. 

Tuesday 22nd September, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for the usual budget of news duly to hand this morning but no enclosures from the girls this time. Perhaps with your weekend operations of one sort and another they could not manage a line.

You will be pleased to hear Mrs Baker arrived on Monday evening but coach was later this year not reaching Weston until 8.5 p.m. However we went into Weston in the early afternoon and had a good look round before sitting in car waiting for the coach. It was a glorious day and there were crowds of people about in Weston but after the sun went down it turned cold very quickly. We got home at about 8:45 p.m. and had supper and a bit of a talk and so to bed. This morning Mrs Baker and Mum walked to Hill Road and back to see the shops whilst I got on with some outdoor work. This afternoon we went to Portishead and parked car near the swimming pool and walked up over Battery Point etc. Another very hot day. Too hot in fact for Mum to stop on the coast road coming home. Tomorrow we go to Lyng and may call at Burnham in the morning and have picnic lunch there. Hhope we shall not have sand in the sandwiches this time.

Yes we think the Taunton doctor at the hospital has made a big improvement with Don and we shall see tomorrow if what we saw last week has been maintained. Will try and comment in this letter before posting.

Well following up last week’s letter that the gale on Wednesday upset some of the fencing put up a few days previously I strengthened the one upright that was the weakest the following morning and so far as these five panels are concerned I think it will be satisfactory in future. Have had to think again though about the long fence which will be put up at bottom of garden as the force of wind there is terrific. Fortunately when talking to Bushell about it he said I could have all the sleeper lengths from the bottom of the floor of old garage and as these are about 5½ feet long I think I can use them for sloping supports to the fence. He had enough of them to ensure each of the posts supplied by Coates being separately supported and they are now with the others on our side of fence waiting attention.

Noted you have trouble in digging out the holes for your posts. Query if you have flooded the holes with the hose pipe perhaps this would have softened soil at bottom and enabled you to get more earth out. I have a grave suspicion that I shall not be able to use post hole digger here as the swing of the handle will fell the chain link fence already there. The holes will have to be made very close to the fence. However nothing will be done in regard to this until we have been to Ruislip meanwhile I am fully occupied – at odd intervals this week – in trying to lay the paving stones for path. Have completed the distance between greenhouse and garage and now levelling out the soil between garage and end of shed nearest to house to take further paving stones.

To get back to your letter. Noted you think the chap we saw on Church Hill was Scott – maybe. What are the points not strictly correct in regard to his history as given by the Mercury? Did you notice enclosure in this week’s paper of the presentation to Charlie Rust? Should have included it the previous week but overlooked it.

So your neighbours are still away. Having their money’s worth by the sound of it.

Note reason for changing toilet. This is quite a common occurrence and most pipes have to be attended to at some time or another. We had the trouble many years ago. New model wood [be] sure to be different. Everything is when you want to replace it. All makes work for someone you know. Closed shop and for putting in hatches – who holds the hammer?

What a caper you had on your proposed journey to Woburn Abbey. Told Bushell this morning when helping him on a little job and without examination he suggested it might mean the dynamo brushes need renewing otherwise the dynamo replaced. Anyhow I hope it will not be too costly a job. Always something.

So far as the sets are concerned I can only give you the measurements of the set I brought back last year but I can quite appreciate it will be better to leave the big case off altogether and if possible rig up a temporary one. Cannot think of some of the points needing clarification in the radio book just now but will bring it along. Shall have to tighten up the aerial too as I see it is sagging a bit and now touching the tops of the bushes. The gale may have been responsible for some of this.

Glad to hear you were able to get on with the fencing last weekend and even with only eighteen inches of post in the ground I think you will find it sufficient situated where you are. It would not do here though. Mr Gray was soon on the job then when he saw what you were up to and as you have cleared the side hedges – Roses etc. – we shall see a big difference. You have already noticed you have extra room to play with and I am sure you will agree it is a much needed job.

Noted Peter will give Mr Gray a hand with his side of the work. Hope your other neighbour agrees to your suggestion to save cutting off a piece of the panel. This would somewhat spoil the frame and weaken it.

Could not quite understand why the people at the bottom had to bring a van round for the old fence. Could not they have had it over the bottom of garden? We much appreciate your writing us after such a hard day’s work – expect you were all tired out.

Yes visit to Tiverton off for the time being and we have not yet had a reply to our suggestion that they come up here later on for a few days rest.

Fancy taking the water for the dolls picnic to top up the battery – don’t expect that was very much appreciated. How did the dolls manage?

Understand Rebecca likes her job and is settling down to it.

We think Mrs Baker looks much better this year and certainly she seems brighter. Hope the change here will do her more good. She said the journey down was very hot at times. I should think so too for it was a real scorcher at Weston in the afternoon. Heels came back yesterday after about nine days at Derby. They brought back an elderly couple with them to stay for a short time.

I mentioned helping Bushell just now. It was to help carry a bath from the garden at back of houses to the front of house where in his front lawn he had dug a big hole. The bath was to be dropped into said hole and the surrounding filled in again. He intends to use it for fish and lilies. He has already covered it with wire netting to keep the children from falling into it.

There has been no further move regarding our pond so far but I can afford to wait for the time being as am busy on other matters.

Have to start collecting the items to bring up such as peat, hose pipe etc. and if there is anything else you can think of please let us know next letter. Assume June will be all right for us to come up on Thursday October 1st to arrive after lunch. Probably call on route for a meal as we did last year. Hope I have not a cold this time too. If you remember we had to return a day early and go to bed. Today I feel fine and possibly the extra work here has had something to do with this as there is no time to be ill.

Bushell has used some Aquaseal for his guttering and it has done the trick. He needs a downpipe now or the water will still be blown over our side by the wind.

What an amazing spell of weather we are having. Never thought it would hold out for Mrs Baker’s visit but glass is well up and with a bit of luck it will remain fine all the week. The nights get very cold quickly after sundown. Slight frosts in the morning too. Will break off now and continue tomorrow evening with an account of our day out on Wednesday and visit to Lyng.

[Continues Thursday 24th September, 1964]

Sunday 20th September, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for weekly letter and paper. I have a feeling that the chap we saw on Old Church Hill was the same man as in the photo, but I could be mistaken, it was only a second or two that we saw him. It was an interesting comment on his history with radio, but one or two of the facts were not true.

No sign yet of our next door neighbours. We do not know how long they are supposed to be away for, and they have had at least three weeks so far. No card of course ‘wishing you were here’. As you say the milk would not have been much good for anyone, and it appears we did not get it as ours seemed okay.

Plumber came and did the job for us. Toilet leaked at the back some years ago and I fixed it with Sylglas. It held fine, but June fancied the crockery was a little discoloured so we had a new one fitted. Plumber found that the new model was a little different from the old one, and the inlet pipe would not fit, so he had to come back again and put in a new extension there. He was looking out for a man to do the serving hatch, but so far no luck. We cannot get anyone lined up for the job. It appears it is a combined job for bricklayer and joiner. The joiner makes the thing and the bricky puts it in place. Our plumber friend says he can find a chap to make the frame, but not put it in place.

So far no attempt to carry out any interior decoration. June has some paper for the toilet which will be put up in due course. We await the work on the hatch (if it gets done bracket) before tackling the dining room.

We are all very pleased indeed to hear how well Don now is. It really seems as if the doctor has done the trick this time. The most important part of it all is that he now feels better within himself. The fact that he wanted to have a walk around the beach is astonishing, but in the circumstances of the strong wind he was well advised not to take on too much.

I think there must be some mistake in your comparison between the two sets. I would have said the new one is vastly larger than the old combo but we shall see. I still think the best thing is to keep the new one out of its case which is useless really. A simple wooden framework will do the trick. What are the bits and pieces that you do not follow in the book you got from Sealeys? Perhaps you could say what they are, and I will do best to answer.

We ordered our posts and fencing on Saturday last, and the whole lot were delivered on Monday. This is good business. Needless to say we spent the whole of this weekend at it and have done an immense amount. June did the shopping on Friday to leave a free morning for it, and by Saturday night we had got three posts in and two sections of fence up. Had a bit of assistance from Ronnie next door with the concrete mixing, and with the erection. 7 ft posts are supposed to go two feet into the ground, but try as we might with all the tools as our disposal we could not get hole any deeper than about 18 inches into the hard dry soil. The sites for the posts were all fairly inaccessible and could not let a good swing at them so finished up using the axe to try to break up the clay at the bottom of the holes but even that would not penetrate. However by mixing about thirteen good spadefuls of sand with four of cement and putting the lot round the post in one hole we managed to get a firm enough base. Today I used the last of the sand and cement to put in the next post, and we now have four posts in and three of the four lots of fencing in place. Unfortunately the next lot of fencing reaches right to Les’s post without the concrete post being in place, and I cannot do much about that until he comes home. If he is agreeable for the post to lie on his land (he can use it for any fence he likes to put up) then I shall remove the iron post and put up my last length of the fence. If he does not agree, I shall have to saw off a few inches of the fence and then put the concrete post on my side of fence. In any case I am out of material for the time being. The fence that is up looks quite good and very much neater than what was there before. I saw the lady down the bottom and offered our old asbestos fencing to them together with wire mesh as she had no fence on one side. They accepted and brought a van round in the afternoon and took it all away very gratefully, and he now has a really good fence installed down one side. When Doug saw the goings-on he promptly ordered posts and fencing for our common fence, and then proceeded to fell all his trees at the bottom of the garden. Today I fetched out all of the rose-hedge wire and all and burned the lot on a bonfire. Doug sawed up and later burned the trees and the neighbourhood now looks like a desert. The effect is to give the appearance of bigger gardens and much cleaner lines. We have removed a number of bushes and heeled some in for later replanting, and since we have put up some of the fence some of the bushes have been replaced in position. Have been at it all day, and now I have just got round to the letter at 6.30 p.m. as the last of the bonfire smoke dies away. Doug cannot take on the heavy work as a result of his operation, so we have fixed up for Peter to come over and do it for him. This will give him a bit of pocket money.

Sorry your visit to Tiverton is off for a while, but looks as though you may see rather more of them now if the job Lydia does is coming to an end. As you say you will have Mrs Baker with you for a week now, and hope the weather holds up and that you can get about. It would be most unlucky if the weather broke now. These last two days we have had outdoors have been really fine.

Bushell will have to try the Sylglas trick for his gutters.

Brown will almost certainly get into the next Parliament as Labour have a 10,000 majority at Shoreditch. He is about 12 feet high at the moment.

Our trip to Woburn Abbey was a washout. I know my dynamo although working is not charging the battery, and in fact when the speed of car was fast enough for the dynamo to cut in it promptly shorted the battery at the cutout. I had it in mind to get this sorted out in October when due for test, but thought I had enough in battery for our trip for stock. However we started out, and got through Rickmansworth and Watford and made for the M1. Just short of the M1 I had to consult map for route, and stop the car at the side of road. I could not restart for some time, but after messing around for about 10 minutes up she came on battery with no trouble. With this we carried on and got onto the M1. Kept at a steady 35 miles per hour – the speed at which the ammeter registered zero – and got past the Teddington service station. Our turning. Got about one mile off the M1 and within five miles of our destination when the engine cut out. Try as we might we could not get it to go, and made up our minds that if we could restart we could make for home at a gentle speed and hope to goodness that we could get there before lights were necessary. I suppose we stopped there for about half an hour waiting for battery to recover. I topped up the plates with some water the girls had brought for the dolls picnic, and there seemed some life in the cells*. Had another swing with the handle and up she came, so we all piled in and steamed off up the A5. Kept going at a gentle 30 through Dunstable and St Alban’s with the car still going, and made for Watford and then Rickmansworth and we were still going well. Decided to stop on the grass verge of the Denham Bypass and have our picnic and we stayed there for an hour. Had a job to start car again, but eventually it came to life, and with that we got home. The M1 is a good road – what we saw of it – and feels better than the M4.

Borrowed Doug’s charger and put 24 hours worth in cells and we are O.K. again for a bit. Charged up both batteries so have one in reserve.

A lot of people are looking over the property in this road, but I think they have all been sold long ago.

Pity we could not have had the gadget for making holes at this end this weekend.

To repeat about Don, his present condition is remarkable and a welcome change from that which we saw him in when last with you. Can only hope this will continue as will help to [illegible] the winter.

Well I see him to have nattered on about nothing in particular and now near the bottom of page again. Carol has a slight cold but otherwise we are fit and well. It was the girls’ Sunday School outing to Gunnersbury Park yesterday, and I was roped in for taxi service from church to South Harrow station in afternoon and evening. Got eight of us in our car for the return journey.**

Well will close now with love from us all, and look forward to your next.

*I have a very clear recollection of this day and had been looking forward to reading Alec’s account to see how he would describe it. In fact, what happened was that when we stopped the second time there was consternation in the car because we weren’t near any houses, and the parents were muttering about not having any water on board. I piped up that I had some in my ‘Dolls’ Picnic Set’, which was similar to the one shown below and contained two little white and red flasks. [N.B. it wasn’t ‘the girls’, it was me.] At first he said he didn’t think it would be enough, but was somehow convinced it would be better than nothing – it would have been at least a pint/half a litre as they were both full. Rather ungraciously he accepted my offer eventually and went off and poured the water into the battery, and returned my two flasks. I suspect the reason this has stayed in my mind for so long is that (a) it was reluctantly conceded that I had actually done something useful for once, and (b) Alec left an oily thumbprint on one of the flasks which was never possible to remove thereafter, and the poor things were very nearly new. No good deed ever goes unpunished, FFS!

**Yeah, and not a seatbelt between them! It was a short run and he would have been going slowly, but in retrospect this sounds extremely scary!

Wednesday 16th September, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

[Continued from Tuesday 15th September, 1964]

What a day – it has rained on and off for most of the time and the wind has been terrific. The Overlap fencing has had a severe shaking and I shall have to strengthen same as soon as possible.

Don and Joan arrived about 11:15 a.m. and we are surprised to note the improvement in Don. He seemed full of life and was not distressed in his breathing. In spite of rain and wind he had a look around garden etc. and even suggested a walk on front after dinner. Told him wind too much and storms come on so quickly that we had better go by car so got ours out and off we went about 2 pm. Went along the front and onto Portishead by the lower road and back coast road stopping at one or two places to enjoy the scenery. He thoroughly enjoyed the trip. He is eating better and has put on seven or eight lbs in weight already. Doctor has him on drugs which will be reduced shortly but he is much brighter and, Joan says, wants to be on the go all the time. They left here at 4:30 p.m. to go home Joan driving but Don drove up this morning a thing he would not undertake last time they came up. We hope to take Mrs Baker down to Lyng next Wednesday afternoon but also hope the weather will improve in the meantime.

Well I think we have exhausted the news for another week so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad