Leonard to the family [continued from Tuesday 9th October]

Continued from yesterday – Have been in Garden most of day, dull and cold early but nice and sunny after midday. Started to clear out more of the tomato plants and then weeded and hoed the plot on which the broad beans had been grown.

I’m enclosing a pamphlet Don brought up on Sunday about Continuous Progress Control at Cardiff. Expect you have heard something about it long ago. Hope it does not work out as badly as one Bill Williams suggested will happen in the future i.e. that Bristol control will have to call up Plymouth control for permission to work a special train of coal from Radstock to Frome. Also understand all arrangements made for transfer of Westbury Control Section to transfer to Bristol and tables being prepared – now will all be superseded by the latest idea to open a Plymouth Division. Griffith also said that Woodward was finishing in February or March next.

How is the driving going June? Alec did not mention it in letter but I expect you have one or two outings with him. Our neighbour, Bushell, takes another test later this month.

I see the pond level of water is still dropping and the raised edge round the deep part is now high and dry. I’m going to let it fall as far as it will and then try and locate the trouble. May not be very much but I do not like to leave it as it is although I am pretty certain the flow from garage roof would keep level up to requirements most of the year.

Have you had any more trips out on the er since the first one to Retford?

Hope those two little girls have got rid of their colds etc. by now.

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

Mum and Dad

Wednesday 10th October 1962

Eva to the family – a very rare example of a typed letter from her, on a half sheet of foolscap:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Thank you for the nice long letter. We are having lovely weather now and I hope it will last till we come to see you.

About watering the plants I cannot think it would be a cactus which had drooped. More like a succulent. The book says that conditions in homes are not the same, what would suit your plants would not necessarily be right for ours. You have to judge for yourself. I would try one of the drooping plants with a good drink and see what happens. Dad brought me a plant last week which I put in the bay window, but yesterday I found it all drooping and thought it had been frosted, but not to worry it only needed watering the comma it is a pilea, a Rochford plant and variegated.

Chrysanths are coming out fast now and should make a good show.

Did you have to get June to help you carry your salary last week?

Hope we shall not have too much fog on Friday for our trip to Tiverton. 

Have made plenty of mistakes this week, no more now, lots of love Mum and Dad.