Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec, June, Susan and Carol,

Thank you very much for your letter of the 20th inst. [missing from archive] – no need to say how glad we were to hear you had reached home safely with such a heavy load on top of car. Pity about the traffic jam but I should have thought you would have been a bit early for anything like that. Strange you should have ‘lost’ yourselves near Slough. We entered Slough and turned off left at some Traffic Lights which gave us entry into a road labelled “Stoke Poges Road” and it proved a short cut really to Ruislip. Glad you all enjoyed yourselves when with us. We ourselves had a lovely time with you all and the time went all too quickly but all good things must come to an end. Now we can look forward a couple of months to our visit to you.

We have some heavy storms here this week but also long sunny periods and both yesterday and today were very much different to the corresponding days last week.

Noted Christine duly received her birthday present as per note left in door. Expect you have since seen your new neighbours and handed over the photographs. I put the new lock on kitchen door on Monday afternoon – good job I did not tackle it whilst you were here for it took me the whole of the afternoon, The main trouble was getting the old catch off the side fixture, It had originally been put on before the top strip had been fixed and I had to use cold chisel to cut through the screws. Anyhow it is alright now and works and looks much better than the old lock and the colour of the handles matches the colour of the paint on the Hall side of door, Thank you both very much for it.

Have since ascertained that the St. Nicholas Church on the hill at Uphill is the one in which I was christened*. The tower and bells are sound but there is no roof on the church hence its closure for general use apart from one service a year ? Harvest.

A little more water has gone into the pond and I shall maintain the arrangement in order to ascertain that the pond is waterproof right to the top. Have now started to clean up the garden starting from the bottom end where I have taken out all the old logan­bergy canes and tied in the new growth ready for next year’s crop. Have at last put in another upright and wired up the three posts for the boysenberry which has been lying on the ground ever since we bought it. Next job to clean up between the ourrant bushes but this afternoon after some rain this morning I have cut the front-side of hedge alongside Heels fence – this took an hour and a half without any break and as I cut the last few clippings Cornish arrived to see what I was doing, Told him that, as usual, he had come when the work was completed.

Needless to say Mum has been busy this week but she will tell you all about it herself. How are Susan and Carol ? and did they stand up to the return journey as they did coming down? Has Daddy found a small plot where Susan can use trowel and fork? or have these articles been confiscated? Inspite of the weather I’m sure they both had a jolly good time, what with donkey rides, Mobo Toys, Model Train, the Swings and the Fair they have a lot to talk about and to remember.

It was very quiet here after you had gone on Sunday but in the evening we both went over to Church. Am afraid I do not like work vary much after practically a fortnight off, There is plenty of work waiting though and this is the time of year to get on with it so must make an effort. Did you put in the buddleias and did the move upset them much? This morning I potted up some Cinerarias that Bill Hawkins brought round yesterday and repotted the Primulas from 3″ pots to 5″ pots, Also sowed another box of Parsley seed – this should be ready, by the time vie come up, for planting out.

No more this time. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad

*Leonard always claimed this, but since the church was closed for regular worship fifty years before he was born this seems unlikely; he was probably baptised at the new St Nicholas Church instead.