Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for the budget of news and drawing from Carol duly received this morning by first post. Am again starting to reply on the same day to make sure letter will be finished in time for posting on Thursday. Getting a bit hectic down here at the moment as will appreciate as you read on. First your letter.

Expect you saw a report of adventure with the catamaran in the local paper (sorry it is this week’s copy to you). They must have had a pretty rough passage and a bit hair-raising. Lucky to get away with it.

Note the visit to specialist at Mount Vernon was a somewhat phoney one but no doubt a proper inspection will be made next time. Can understand your pessimism that it may be possible to dispense with glasses later on but I think it may be so. Actually although I wore glasses at school when I went into army in 1916 I left them off and it was at least two or three years after I returned to railway work that I found it necessary to take to them again. Anyhow one can only hope for the best and we sincerely hope the early use of glasses by Susan will improve the vision to such an extent that she may be able to do without them later. Moreover let’s hope Carol will escape the use of them.

So you were able to have a look round number 17 when in Ealing and found things progressing fairly satisfactorily. Fluorescent lighting is in fashion now and I believe it is costlier to install but cheaper to use than ordinary types of electricity. Is any date fixed for Mr and Mrs Baker to move out of 155?

Yes Don and Joan arrived about 11 a.m. Sunday and departed about 3:45 p.m. having made sure of the usual after-dinner nap. Both appeared to be keeping very well but Don said he had a job to get going mornings and he says he does not do very much hard work. Finds it too much nowadays. He had three days (including 3rd October) leave for apple-picking. Wonder how he will get on if another strike is called?

You were a bit out in the identity of the doctors. It is Dr George McLeod who died last week and was buried yesterday. He was 78 and you and I saw him together many years ago following a bout of flu. Alistair, his son, is now our doctor and quite a good one too. To my knowledge he never had polio. Are you thinking of Houghtons’ son – he had polio and eventually died from the complaint.

What a pity we are not with you this weekend with all that money in the bank. So your old job not advertised yet. It will be interesting to hear exactly what they do i.e. if it is eventually posted or if it is filled by a redundant unit.

As you may guess the church was practically full for the funeral service of Dr McLeod. Today I have been to Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, for the funeral services for Sydney Wilkins, one of my old colleagues in the control office. I do not think you would remember him. He was formerly Yardmaster’s Clerk at East Depot. Apparently he did his early turn of duty last Thursday but late that night collapsed and died of thrombosis. Was 55 years of age. Of course it was a gathering of the clans and quite a lot asked after you and wished to be remembered to you you including Griffith, Bill Williams, Vic Cox, Underwood, Doswell, Stairmand etc. I gather they are all fed up and in a state of “don’t care”, waiting for something to turn up. I did not go to the station – travelled up by bus and returned by the same means after Griffiths had taken me to the bus station.

Your E.R. magazine is now with Don who seemed very interested in same. Like you I wonder where it will go now. If you get an October issue keep it by you till we come up – save postage and in any case we shall be seeing you all in a few days time.

Yes Mr Aston and I had a morning on the sea wall last Wednesday picking blackberries. It was grand and the tide full in. Did not see a soul all the time we were out. managed to get about 10lbs of blackberries some of which I used for a brew of wine and Mum made jam and tarts with the rest. The elderberry brandy through is coming along nicely but will not be ready to bring up. it is still under fermentation lock and next week shall have to similarly treat the Blackberry. Later on must have a go at some apple. Plenty of this kind of fruit this season.

The trip out on the Old Coach Road the other day was only to make a change from Tennyson Avenue for an hour or do. The weather however has been very good recently and we have had some lovely afternoons although cold and dull in the mornings. Heavy dews and frosts have made the garden and grass very wet and no grass cutting has been done for a fortnight or more. Glad your tomatoes continue to form – they will turn red if you keep them warm. Mum must comment on the cacti.

Understand the new division at Plymouth is necessary to utilise up the new offices which were built over the new station. The Division will take the present Exeter and Plymouth District but will also include the line right up to and including Lavington*. The London division is to come to to Lavington so the Bristol division is shut right out of this section of line. Bristol division is so far as I can ascertain to take over the Gloucester and Worcester Districts which the break-up of the Birmingham division leaves stranded. The Chester area and Birmingham area apparently goes over to the L.M.R. What a carve-up.

Note Peter was with you again on Sunday – hope he survived the grape wine. I still have some of your apricot here. Too good to drink all at once. I offered Don his bottle of three-year-old cider when he was here but he was not very keen to take it away so it remains in the cupboard for the time when I have nothing else.

Sorry the girls have had such bad colds and coughs again. I seem to  have a a prolonged dose of catarrh on me – just cannot understand it. Perhaps a change of air at Tiverton and Exmouth may help matters. We shall go down to Tiverton Friday and on to Exmouth Saturday. Home again either on Monday or Tuesday. Will remember you all to them as we go the rounds. Note you are thinking of Exmouth as a holiday resort again. It is a nice place but not if it is cold as you experienced last year.

Where did Susan get her bread and cheese from? Did she help herself? You will have to tie a rope on her.**

Have written to Geoff and told him we will go over and fetch them on the Sunday and take them back again in the evening. Hope this arrangement is alright with you.

Marples put up a very poor show on TV but all the same the strike was crazy. At about 3:30 that day a knock on the door found Mr and Mrs Stacey outside. Told him I thought he would have been busy in office rearranging the coach working for the next day. Was very surprised to hear him say he was out and that all the Chief Inspectors were out and Charlie Rust on leave and not returning. I told you I did not think  much about that lot. I think it was a disgraceful show.

Heels are still away – a month tomorrow. Cornish has cut down the trees that formed the fence between his ground and Heels near the gates. Heel has been after this for years but Cornish would not do it. Now he has cut them down. How contrary can one get? Bushells went to Burnham-on-Sea (to friends) last Sunday and stopping until Thursday. His long weekend and a couple of extra days.

Yes the harvest supper was not a bad affair but something strong in a bottle would have gone down better although the coffee was excellent.

Roy and Mrs Hewitt are off to South Wales tomorrow for a week or so query their autumn holiday.

Incidentally how do you go about getting new spectacles nowadays? Have you to get a form from doctor before you are entitled to them on the National Health? Or what is the practice? I’m afraid I shall have to pay another visit to Pictons of Bristol as it is several years since I last had eyes tested and I know they want attention.

How do you like your salary paid into the bank direct? I thought it most convenient. What bank did you favour?

[Letter continues on Wednesday 10th October, 1962.]

*Assume the reference is to Market Lavington near Devizes.

**Yes, far easier than either watching or – heaven forbid! – interacting with an intelligent and resourceful child.