Leonard to the family (on reverse of Table 58: Cholsey & Moulsford and Wallingford, Week days only (second class only)):

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for the letter received on Tuesday with all the news and enclosures – quite a budget but very interesting. Glad to hear the young ladies escaped serious mischief during the past week but sorry you have had another lot of colds. It is very boisterous here today but a nice sun makes things fairly pleasant outdoors – have been quite busy one way and another but rain during night kept me from digging.

Yes you are right about the allotments behind Moggs – expect you remember getting on to the hill that way – short cut. Sorry Miss Baker not making much progress – the end of Winter usually has its effect on the older people but Spring is not far away now and already there are numerous signs that it is approaching. Yes Randle lived in Neweys house on the corner of this avenue opposite side to where Cummings now live. The chrysanths cuttings I’ve taken are of the indoor varieties only but you are certainly welcome to a few of these if any good to you.

Will one window frame be enough? Can supply a couple if desired but think could only manage one at a time. I remember talking about rose cuttings but we have not taken any this time and our new bushes – planted last year – are not in full growth yet – anyhow will keep this item in mind.

Am returning the show and price lists as desired – many thanks for sight of same. According to the monthly bulletin not many take a real interest in the affairs of the Society.

Norman did not hear any more about his applications for W/S* – seems to be really up against it at the moment. Expect you have heard that Leslie Edwards died this morning at 9.0 a.m. in St. Mary’s Hospital following a stroke in the Refreshment Rooms at Temple Meads on Tuesday. It is a real tragedy and his second wife whom he married last March is expecting a baby this month. Without doubt his fondness for intoxicants hastened his end which some of us at Bristol foretold long ago. All the same it is a tragedy. He would have been sixty next November I think. Now there will be another dogfight for his job.

Note your forecast of Guillebaude report but you say ‘out of category’ is not covered – this will of course automatically follow.

Understand Soole, Pierce & Griffiths all up to London recently for interview for Soole’s job which is being redesignated. None of them got it – an outsider and much younger man (former trainee) from Gloucester name of Dent got it, resulting in a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth at Bristol.

Had a letter from Geoff this morning and reading between the lines as it were it looks as if he has not got any of the jobs for which he applied. At any rate some of them have been filled but he has heard nothing.

Your garden must look a bit of a wreck with Susan & Carol using it for a playground but after all there is not too much room for them especially when they start scrapping for the various toys.

I put in a long row of peas on Monday but it was a sticky job – ground still very wet. Today have been busy putting some edging boards between path and garden across bottom of middle piece of ground. Am anxious now to get a seed bed made and one or two lots of small seeds in.

We went to Bristol yesterday afternoon to visit Mr & Mrs Newman. He is still troubled with arthritis but having some special treatment which must continue for two or three more weeks. Not much if any improvement noticeable in him at the moment.

This coming Saturday we are hoping the Staceys will come down for the evening. On Monday 14th Mum and I hope to go to Exeter by train for the day to visit Heavitree.**

The rating authorities put up our rateable value by £1 in consequence of improvements to kitchen and incidentally our rates are now 22/6d to the pound. The improvement was well worth doing and we cannot grumble at £1 increase.

The lorrying of hard core to the sea wall has now ceased and a levelling machine has been busy this week. Understand the top and sides will be concreted when the hard core has settled down.

Mum wrote you a letter in the week which no doubt you duly received. Mrs Heel & Mrs Cornish with other members of Tickenham Women’s Institute went on the evening excursion from Bristol yesterday to see “My Fair Lady”. Heard this morning they all had a good time.

Assuming Pauline now recovered normal health by this time and hope Mr & Mrs Baker both keeping well.

Note possibility of W/S going to divisions – presumably this would come under development department in each area.

Will sort out some more string to bring up but it is in somewhat short supply at the moment.

No more now – hope you are all keeping well.

Lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.

Dad & Mum.

*Work study

**Leonard was actually born in Swindon and baptised in Weston-super-Mare but spent much of his childhood at Heavitree near Exeter.