Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad.

Just a letter to tell you arrived back safely and Mum’s letter since received. We agree that the best date to come down will be on Thursday July 9th for the ceremony to be performed on Sunday July 12th, Perhaps you will be good enough to fix it up with the Vicar. We have asked Don and Joan but as yet have not heard from them. I expect they are waiting to hear the date. This week-end, I have fitted glass to the frame brought from Clevedon and have built staging immediately below the windows to hold seed boxes and pots. This will now hold eight seed boxes in a row and with the other shelf on the other side of the shed I can now house about sixteen boxes at once. Have patched the roof by inserting below the tarred felt the old lino we took up from our bedroom. A couple of roses have come out but the others are not far behind now. One of the Pinks is out, it is a pink one, and Allwoodi. with a ringed centre. No sign of any of the Dahlias Geoff gave me but I expect they will be through any day now. The Spirea you brought up and the two we transplanted are all alive but the latter suffered a severe check. Mother’s Dahlias are healthy but not growing very fast I expect they need some genuine rain. We have Eileen with us for this week-end and Susan of course has been quite excited. I am afraid Carol played up a bit to-day but as she did not get a sleep this morning I expect that was the cause. Grandma’s clock gaining now since I shortened the swing of the pendulum. If I release it a half turn I shall be about right. Carol not walking or even standing on her own yet apart from holding on to a chair or something. She is now walking along by hoisting herself onto hands and feet and going along with arched back. Have not replied to Don yet but must do so to-day or he will be wondering what has happened. There does not seem to be anything to beat the National Savings Certs for simplicity so will plump for that although I see today’s paper warns of a possible reduction in the rate of interest. It seems that Pauline* quite likes the idea of coming down to Clevedon for the week-end that the Christening is held and returning on the Monday morning. Have nearly drunk all the Elderberry Wine. You will have to make some more when the elderberries are next available, I don’t suppose there will be any about at this end. I have not made any more since I saw you last but have been accumulating empty bottles, I have so many now that I shall have to take the board up again and put some out of sight under the floor. Our neighbours just returned from a week’s holiday at the Isle of Wight. They say it is very nice there and nearly all of them are very sunburned. Well hope you are still as well as when I saw you last and not overdoing the gardening. Will close for now.

Alec

*June’s younger sister, at this time working in the shoe department of Peter Jones in Sloane Square and living in Battersea.

Dear Don and Joan

Thanks for circular letter of 25th May. Having ascertained that GWR Savings Bank however attractive is a “no go”, we are faced with the problem of finding an investment that is reasonably safe, reasonably simple in its operation ( from the point of view of the person making the investment,- presumably the Trustee) and having a reasonable rate of interest. The National Savings Certificates would seem to meet these requirements except in regard to simplicity of operation as when the period of the issue expires it will then be necessary to reinvest in the next or subsequent issues. From my point of view this method of investment is satisfactory but I am prepared to accept the decision of the Trustee as he has to carry the can back if things go awry. Nothing much to report from gardening front this end. Everything retarded by lack of rain. Grass which was in good condition early in year has withered already and there are many bare patches and cracks about 2 inches across. Have done a number of “Hatchet Carpentry” jobs lately and you may be interested to know that the spare window frame left over after Clevedon shed was built has this week been incorporated in the South Ruislip shed and glass fitted**. I have practically completely rebuilt shed since arriving here. No new timber has been used. There was quite a lot of poor quality second hand wood on hand when we got here but most of it was only suitable for the fire. However I was able to sort out enough to use. Apart from raising the level of one lawn about 9 inches to the level of the path thereby making the whole garden level, I have no major works to carry out now.

Susan and Carol still thriving, latter almost at walking stage. We have heard from Clevedon that Vicar is prepared to perform ceremony at Parish Church and we are going to ask him for Sunday 12th July.

Perhaps you will let us know if this date is convenient please. Grandma’s clock working well but gaining slightly, I hope to make the necessary adjustment this week-end when winding. Well hope you are both keeping as well as may be expected.

Alec

**One may ask how a window-frame (with or without glass) was transported from Clevedon to Ruislip. Two options occur: 1) it went by train as with all other parcels – entrusted to someone who passed it on to someone else etc. etc. etc. and then presumably brought home by Alec on the Tube, but I think this is unlikely. 2) Geoff – or someone else with a car – was able to deliver it. Other candidates are a) Peter, June’s brother – he was at the time working for a removal firm and may have been in the West Country on business; b) Doug Gray and c) Eric Benn, the other neighbour, who was employed by the BBC and ended up moving to Weston-super-Mare. This is the sort of extremely trivial question to which I would very much like to have an answer.