There is no letter from Alec to his parents on this date. As becomes apparent from Leonard’s reply of Tuesday 11th June, Alec seems to have been at Retford during the week – and may not have returned until some time on Saturday 8th – whilst Sunday was taken up with visiting Jim and Bessie Basham, June’s aunt and uncle, who had apparently recently moved house. The obvious conclusion is that June hand-wrote a letter in Alec’s absence, which has of course not survived.
Category: Uncategorized
Sunday 31st March, 1963
Leonard’s letter of 26/27 March, 1963, was misfiled and has been added retrospectively.
Alec to his parents:
Dear Mum and Dad
Thanks once more for a weekly letter, duly arrived on Friday. You will note change of paper in this one – back to quarto which I think is easier to handle in typewriter.
Not very odd really I suppose for the girls to follow one another with illnesses as they catch them from one another – and usually pass them on to us. Carol came into our room this morning and asked for two handkerchiefs so there are signs of yet another cold on the way. June has a sniff or two and feels she may have one also. Hope we can clear them all up before your visit.
Regarding Susan’s painting, she has been painting something or other ever since she went to school, but I do not think that she has got round to sending you any of them until now. I think the pictures which were hung up in school that we saw a year ago last October were painted – Susan says they were definitely painted.
Your Mothering Sunday service went the same way as ours, or almost. The drill is for the cards to be dished out to the children by classes, and then they go in search of their mothers in the church and hand them over. Of course there is a deal of peering around to find them and a push through the seats to get to mother. As we have two herbs, we had two visits – or June did. The usual practice was followed of fetching a child, with a birthday in the current week, out to blow out the same number of candles. The alternative is to strike a chord on the piano, but most electoral the candles.
Sounds as if Challicoms have been holding you up. What was the matter with them? Glad you like the effect of the room now that it is done. When I have had a go at any of ours I am always left very dissatisfied with the result. The best job we did was the hall and landing, with some slight assistance from the paper hanger.
Re: tooth, I think the drill (sorry about that word) is to hang onto teeth as long as possible, and every effort is made to restore a defective tooth. I must say he did a good job on mine, and I would not have thought it possible with so much gone. When he set eyes on it he said “Oh there is not much difficulty there” so every man to his trade. No that was none of June’s cake, but she says it was a piece of Hales’ bought at Fine Foods. We now issue a hacksaw as well as knives at tea table.
What hopes of getting the ground ready for sowing. We have again had a very wet weekend. It poured all yesterday. Had the car out morning and afternoon and it was windscreen-wipers all the way. I am very pleased with the way the whole of the back garden now drains. There is no trace of water on the surface. This applies to both sides of the path. If you recall – when we came here first we found some chives growing, and I pulled them up. When I got them out of the ground, the hole left promptly filled up with water. The water is still there of course, but is now at a lower level and does not break surface. I am planning to erect fence down the bottom of garden with prefabricated 6-ft sections. I gather this is not too much more expensive than buying the timber and constructing from scratch. It also cuts out the long-winded process of cressetting*. I shall need four such sections and of course five concrete posts and uprights. Doug was saying to me that he thought that he would also fence the section between us and would also consider this method. The rose is very nice but has got badly out of hand. It is so vigorous that it has broken down the chain link fence. Also with the rose it takes up a wide stretch of the garden that could be put to better use. Also as he says a wooden fence is a better windbreak and one can put a deckchair up alongside and catch what sun there is in any time one can find???? He says he will only make it about 4 feet high, where as I intend to have the one at the bottom 5 or 6 ft high. This will mean shifting again the three buddleia, the syringa, the beeches and one small rose. This quite apart from various plants in the square. With a small garden this process is going on all the time and nothing gets a chance to grow.
I thought you would say it was too early to go back on the Tuesday. We shall I expect you to be here at least till Wednesday to make a good week of it. There is no party in line for Carol on the Tuesday.
We went over to number 17 yesterday, but did not hear of any further move regarding the accident. it appears that the woman is alright but have heard nothing about the proceedings. We find out Peter and Margaret** have discontinued association. What happens now is anyone’s guess. There is still considerable indecision about the way ahead for all of them. It is a question of waiting for events to happen and then considering the position that results. It seems that all suggestions so far have snags and insurmountable drawbacks so that no firm decision can be reached.
By the way re: holiday, will you kindly let us know if you can get here for lunch. Also we have so far not had any contact with Geoff, and have neither given or received an invitation to visit. You will probably want to see them when you are up so we’ll leave you to sort that one out.
Good that your watch keeps time. Not much point in having one that did not.
We are not altogether sure that we have saved all the geranium cuttings as one or two have gone brown at the ends and leaves crumpled. However the parent plant is still going strong and we are pretty certain of having about five good cuttings. That will go a long way in our small front garden. Something you brought us up last time is growing like a weed in the front – could it have been a weed?
Yes can always do with A.A. handbook as each year something is added or at least brought up to date.
Bad luck for Mr Stevens. I am sorry to hear that bad news.
Well I suppose you have brought your copy of the Beeching plan price £1. I have a copy here lent to me by Cook who has one issued. It specifically mentioned the Clevedon branch as one of the two examples quoted from the Western Region. There is no doubt about it he has brought out into the open what many people have known for years and have been unable to exploit without risking their jobs. What Divisional Superintendent would have agreed to or even acknowledged a plan by one of his staff to close half of his Division down? The man would have been laughed out of court and put out to graze somewhere.
Fine business this second-hand car racket. Any chances of any snips, or are they a bit beyond it? I am glad Mr Cornish is able to get down to the dispensary now and then. It must be a comfort to him. Glad mother likes the room now it is finished. I suppose praise from the paper-hanger’s assistant – and teaboy? – is welcome.
Old Bushell is taking an awful chance driving tractors and things without a licence. He will catch it one day. Love from us all.
*The only definition I can find for cressets doesn’t seem to match the description, so I am going to assume that the reference is to some kind of capping – with metal or roofing felt – to protect the uprights.
**This is the first I have heard of Margaret. I remember Brenda – although now I learn that there were in fact two Brendas – and he eventually married a lady named Kay. Margaret does not seem to have made much of an impression on the family at all – which, probably, was all the better for her. In context, it seems likely that she wasn’t prepared to move in to 17 Eccleston Road with Peter and his mother and preferred to let the relationship end instead.
Tuesday 26th March, 1963
This letter was originally misfiled and has been added retrospectively.
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec June Susan and Carol,
Well here we are again with many thanks for your usual newsy letter to hand this morning first post. Just fancy those girls getting bilious attacks one after the other – must be jealousy, if one has a turn the other must follow*. Glad they are all right again now.
Must thank them for the paintings enclosed with yours. Is this a first effort at painting? It is very good as it is not nearly so easy to paint as draw with a pencil.
Noted you have not seen Mrs Baker recently but expecting her on the day you wrote and that you all hope to go along to the Mothering Service in the afternoon. I went to the one here because of ringing and choir and the Vicar was really good with the children. The latter had all to go up to the altar at the close and receive a Mothering Sunday card from the Vicar which they had to give their mothers. There was a stream of children some of whom could not get up the steps and had to be helped.
So Tony and Lillian have good decor thanks to the handyman about the house – would be a bit different if there were a couple of children present and moreover he would not have the time to devote to the decorations. It is very nice though if you can get interested in such work. Unfortunately I am not one of those and I’m only too glad when I have finished a room and can get outside again. We actually finished off the front room yesterday after arrival of the felting which we used as a surround to the carpet. This only arrived Saturday morning after we had read the Riot Act to Challicoms on Friday afternoon when in town. Anyhow the room looks very nice once more. You have nothing to worry about with your house having regard to the fact two young children with plenty of life in them help occupy the premises.
I hesitate to ask but did June make the cake on which your tooth was wrecked? Sounds like a shop one if you had at the tree with it. You soon had the dentist on the job and back to normal. Should think it would be strong enough to bite on otherwise not much good having it treated. Might as well have the thing out all together.
Yes I agree about driving in the rain but when you cannot gauge the depth of the potholes which you have to pass over then it is not so good.
I do not think Don’s breathing will improve much with the coming of the warmer weather – the answer in his case is not to exert himself so much. He has always been a very hard worker manually and it is reacting on him now unfortunately.
Yes you must get the ground ready for the seed sowing please. I can see it is going to be the big thing for Susan and Carol assuming they are both interested.
Re: holiday it seems a pity to come back on the Tuesday considering it is Carol’s birthday but we imagined you might be having a bit of a children’s party and would require all the room available. If this is not so and you have nothing else in mind for that day we could return on the Wednesday but we will leave the decision entirely to you. Noted you will be getting a bit of leave and we shall look forward to a nice time.
So there is no further news of the accident there yet. These things take their course and the police are never in a hurry once the cases are on the files pending. Hope you found Mrs Baker improving when you saw her last Sunday and that she was able to go to the service. No doubt we shall see her again when we are with you at Easter.
Regarding eyesight, I had a suspicion they might be deteriorating a little hence was very pleased to have opticians report to the contrary. Have my new glasses now and they fit much better and as mentioned in previous letter the lenses for the the “distance” pair are bigger and more convenient. How is Susan getting on with hers?
I think you must have had vinegar for breakfast last Sunday by the suggestion that with a couple of new chairs and another watch we could sleep by the hour – not bad. The chairs are not yet here and it will be another 5 or 6 weeks before delivery is effected. The watch keeps excellent time as I have been checking it regularly with the BBC to make sure it is doing so. Told the shops people if it did not keep time they would have it back quick.
Glad to hear your one geranium plant is proving profitable by the number of cuttings June has been able to take. If you would like some more we have plenty but we do not want to overdo your stock. Let us know please. Also while I think of it I have now received the 1963 copy of the A.A. Members’ Handbook and if you would like the 1962 copy which is still in very good condition I will bring it along. I won’t forget the flagon of cider.
Yes I’m afraid the horse’s visit this time was a dead loss to Norman Baker but it was just one of those things. In any case he was saved the trouble of looking after him and this was no soft job with the snow deep in the drive and the water in bucket frozen every morning for several weeks.
Thought you would be interested in the newspaper cuttings. C.R. Clinker is in the news again. He is noted to have travelled over every part of British Railways at some time or other. He left the railway long ago as I expect you can recall. Quite a nice chap but railway mad.
So you have two little girls making and bringing in the tea – very nice too. Has June restarted the driving lessons yet? Perhaps she is waiting to get Carol away to school to have a little more time.
Mum was clearing out the larder this morning preparatory to whitening the place and found a half bottle of 1960 elderberry wine which I promptly tasted at dinner time – quite good and very much mellowed. Have racked off the blackberry and the elderberry brandy and have earmarked two bottles of each to bring up. I’m afraid there will be no greenstuff June this time as we are right out and the new season’s planting is not yet ready. It has been a most disastrous winter for everybody around here and elsewhere for cabbage and broccoli. Since writing last week I have managed to get in a few hours on the garden and in addition to peas and shallots have now got in three rows of onions and another row of broad beans. Am now anxious to put in the parsnip and some early potatoes. In the greenhouse I have potted up 36 tomato plants raised from seed and sown a box of Brussels Sprout seed. The recent heavy rains however have stopped work outdoors for a day or two and the gullies in the field are again full of water.
Do you remember me talking about a Mr Stephens of Jonathan Hill and Co timber merchants of Bristol? He moved to Hereford a few years ago and we now hear he has had a severe stroke and even if he recovers will never work again. It is a very bad case and he is several years younger than me. We had a letter yesterday morning from Mrs Stephens to tell us all about it – apparently it happened about six weeks ago when the weather was at its worst. He collapsed when going to work one morning.
Bushell – our next door neighbour – is busy in his spare time preparing cars for his uncle who brings them along one at a time for him to do. The uncle actually is a farmer at Yatton at doubles in second hand cars putting them right when necessary and then selling at a profit. He buys a fair number of second-hand cars from Binding and Paynes (these people accept them from customers as part exchange and only too glad to get rid of them to anyone) and Bushell overhauls them and as I say repairs as necessary and then his uncle sells them. Not a bad idea for getting some easy and quick money.
We understand customers have already been found for the two houses which are to be erected in the quarry at the bottom of the Avenue. Not much of an outlook from the back of the premises – straight into the face of the quarry.
*What a charmingly generous interpretation of childhood illness. If this is supposed to be funny, I’m afraid I fail to see the humour.
Lewis Carroll“Speak roughly to your little boy,
And beat him when he sneezes;
He only does it to annoy,
Because he knows it teases.”
Continued on Wednesday 27th March, 1963
Wednesday 27th February and Sunday 3rd March, 1963
There is a gap of ten days in the correspondence at this point due to Frank Baker’s death on 22 February and subsequent funeral on 4 March.
Frank Edward Baker 1892-1963
Frank Baker was June’s father. He married Edith Nellie Louise Mullinger (1895-1987) in 1919 and they had four children – William Edward Frank (‘Teddy’), June Edith, Pauline Mary, and Peter Neville Macord.* Frank was excluded both from working with the GWR and also from active military duty in the First World War as the result of a childhood accident which left him with only one eye. He did, however, go to France as an ambulance driver.
Frank had a glass eye, and is reputed to have entertained guests by taking it out and polishing it at the dinner table – but this story seems to have circulated about everyone who ever had a glass eye, and should probably be taken with a pinch of salt! He was variously in the licensed trade, a cinema manager (in Southend), and the proprietor of a tobacconist and sweet shop. He was also apparently a Freemason.
At the time of writing this I do not have Frank’s birth or death certificates so I can neither confirm nor refute the assertion by his brother Robert that he was born and died in the same house, but it is very likely as it was certainly owned by his family in the 1891 census. I also have no definitive information about Frank’s cause of death but my impression over the years is that he had some kind of smoking-related complaint: in those days smoking was allowed in cinemas and was of course also prevalent in pubs and other establishments and on public transport so he would have had difficulty escaping it in everyday life. When the late Roy Castle died from the effects of passive smoking in 1994 it became clear to everyone that Frank had probably suffered in a similar way, although he was also known to smoke a very occasional cigar in social settings: being a tobacconist, he probably felt it was one of the requirements of his job.
For more information about the Baker family as a whole, follow this link.
Wednesday 13th February, 1963
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec June Susan and Carol
Once again many thanks for your newsy letter received this morning. First of all we are very sorry to hear Mr Baker is so poorly and hope the better weather which should be just round the corner – as it were – will help him to get back to normal. The present conditions are very oppressive and no encouragement to anyone feeling a little off-colour. We are sorry to hear that Mrs Baker still does not care for the move – perhaps as she gets more settled in she will think better of it. It does seem that all possible has been done at number 17 to improve its former condition and I’m sure it must be a relief to get away from the shop.
Now back to the beginning of your letter. Did you get any snow last Sunday (10th February)? It started here about 9:30 a.m. and kept on until about 4:30 p.m. sometimes and sometimes very heavy. I swept the snow off path between back door and front gate at about 5.0 p.m. but when we got up on Monday morning there was another lot about an inch deep. This weeks too we have had several flurries necessitating use of broom to clear pathways. It is lovely today though – sun shining strongly and it is quite warm sitting here in living room. We did catch sight of some grass before last weekend’s snow and again now the thaw is making a big difference. May it continue with the good work.
Noted your plumbing now in order and no further alarms alarms. Sorry the girls have been suffering from colds and coughs again – as I said before what else can one expect this weather. Mum and I keep going but it is a job at times and I’m really thankful I have not to make the journey to Bristol anymore. The operating side must be having a very worrying time of it. I see Marples was at Bristol last Monday blowing his top.
Your colleague has something to grouse about – no water since 26th January. The neighbours on either side of Aston are still without water waiting for plumber to attend burst pipes. Glad to hear June managing to keep well – good job somebody in the house can keep going but with your house without the necessary heating it must have been rough on all of you while it lasted. You would be surprised what a good slide the children made of the church pathway with so much snow to make a bed with and believe me it was pretty treacherous to step on last Sunday even with fresh snow on top. Wanted Jim White back again to chase the kiddies off. We had already suggested to Aston he should charge for water service to get back a little of what it cost him to keep going. Now we hear of another ceiling down as a result of snow accumulating under tiles. We have a lot to be thankful for here as had practically no inconvenience throughout.
Glad to hear car going alright. I did not keep ours out more than three nights the weather was so severe I put car back into garage even if it meant stopping there for a few weeks which fortunately was not the case.
Incidentally has Mr Baker had to change his doctor since they have moved over to Ealing? This is always a nuisance as you get used to one individual and he or she gets used to you. Mum’s hearing aid still going well and we heard from Fortiphones this morning that cost of repairing her original set will be £2.10s6d [roughly £57.50 in 2023 money] so I have now send off checque for this to be done. I believe mum has a very old set laying about here somewhere but whether she can spare it will be up to her to say. It has not been used for years and was I think her original set when she first started using aids. The cost of phoning London during the day is 2d [19p] for ten seconds i.e. 3/- [£3.42] for three minutes which is not at all bad. After 6 p.m. there as a reduction of course.
Mum went with the T.G. to Yatton Monday to look over the Avalon furniture factory (Wake and Deans in your time). Incidentally Ray Mogg who has been with the firm as their representative in the Manchester area for a long time now returns to headquarters at Yatton as their Sales Manager. Mum was not impressed with the furniture she saw – most of it was foreign wood veneered over.
Yes I expect the cost of clearing snow from the roads will run the rates up nicely but we are all in the same boat with this. What about the lottery for the proposed Lido in Clevedon? I like the story of the footballer and his ‘bonus’. Must pass this one on in due course. Pity the programme ‘That Was The Week That Was’ is so late on Saturdays but some of it is worth listening to especially Bernard Levin who is one of the regulars and comes on towards the end. Whatever was the matter with the girls on Saturday then – could they not get outdoors at all and felt fed up with themselves.
Noted your wine sinking fast in more ways than one. I have now started to sample the first of this last season’s blackberry – very nice too. Not properly racked off yet, still in the sweet jars.
You will see in ‘Mercury’ enclosed at Mrs Yandell (formerly of Clevedon Lodge) has died and also old man Gulliford. The Yandells have been living near the East Clevedon Triangle for several years since their return to Clevedon after leaving the Burden Estate after Mrs Burden died. Mr Yandell still does a bit of horticultural judging at shows.
A letter from Don this week indicates they have not had it quite so bad as we have but plenty bad enough for getting to and fro the station. He has not been out to his ‘local’ for many weeks. This place is right out in the country away from houses. I wonder how they manage to keep going for profit. The publican happens to be a smallholder as well so I suppose this helps.
Yes June we are both looking forward to being with you at Easter – won’t be long now. It will be eight months since we last saw you and the girls. Alec of course was down in December for a couple of nights. We shall also be pleased to go and see Mr and Mrs Baker and hope by that time things will have improved in many ways including the health of them both. Presumably Peter is living there but we guess Pauline maintains her flat in London and gets home as often as possible. Hope they both are keeping free of colds along now.
Noted you do not see much of your new neighbours. Like you we close the shutters early in the evening and stoke up the fire. No gardening as you may imagine but I did see a couple of broad beans poking through the snow today and hope the rest are safe. Another wood pigeon on the lawn requires cremation and I shall have to deal with it. Looks as if a cat had this one by the number of feathers scattered all over the place.* I spent a couple of hours in greenhouses this morning, temperature up to 70 degrees, sorting through the runner bean seeds. About 2% had to be discarded because of mildew but there are still hundreds left. Sowed the tomato seed in a box but shall have to bring it indoors or will they will never come up – temperature much too low (30) at night.
Had a letter from income tax people this morning to say my code number will be altered from 12 to 1 starting next 6 April so have written to ask them why seeing the position will be identical then as it is now. So far I’ve not heard from railway regarding increased percentage of pension but even that should not mean such a big difference in coding. They might as well have the lot and we can starve. Now we are waiting to know what the Council are going to do about the rates for this half year. Do you yet know how you have been re-rated? Thanks in anticipation for the E.R. Mag, always interesting.
We still have Joey the horse with us but he has been fed on hay for many weeks now. Today I noticed he has been scratching about in the patches free of snow but not much there – all dried up.
Mutt and Jeff still at it – they have been very busy brushing up with so much snow about and the handles are quite suitable for leaning on. It looks as if we have saved a number of geraniums and our primulas are still in full flower. How about yours? This means that ours have been in flower continuously since last October and giving quite a nice splash of colour.
The water cart still going its rounds and must continue so long as people are cut off from the main. I’m surprised it has not been necessary for similar arrangements to have been operated at your end. The plumbers must be getting towards this end of the town now as mum saw one lot at Tom Garland’s bungalow this morning. This place is opposite Mrs Marshall’s field. Have ordered from Smiths of Bristol (big wholesale ironmongers) a pair of steps (8 tread), two dozen pea guards, some netting 25 + 2 yd, and some wire for tying things up. This firm advertises quite a lot in gardening and ordinary newspapers and prices fairly reasonable. Our existing pair of steps (5 tread) have had their day. Your grandfather Fewings had them for many years before they came up here and they have given us good service. Now I have to get a dozen angle iron stakes for holding up some more raspberry canes. In this case Smiths’ price was higher than a firm at Wolverhampton latter being actual makers thereby the difference.
We hear the Hewitts I having a cruise for their holiday this year. Hope sea keeps calm and nobody rocks the boat.
Apart from the odds and ends already mentioned there is no local news again this week – everybody keeping in out of trouble. The Salthouse Pavilion is now being dismantled and one of our neighbours has got hold of a lot of the rotten timber and is making the best use of it. It was free to anybody who fetched it. Just as well – nobody would have bought it.
No more this time. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Mum and Dad.
*I suspect it may have been a bird of prey: a cat would not have made its meal in such a public place, but a bird would.
Tuesday 5th February, 1963
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec June Susan and Carol
Many thanks for another newsy letter received this morning first post and we are glad to know you have had a fairly comfortable week in respect of frozen pipes and blockages. We continue to be free of these troubles but a number of the people in Old Church Road at this end of the town are still short of water until the plumbers have attended the bursts etc. There is still time for more trouble of course as the winter is by no means over. Yesterday for example we had a good fall of snow continuing from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. necessitating the bass broom being used later in the evening to clear the stuff away from the pathway. Sunday was a nice sunny day here too but it was so cold. Today although sunny there is a bitter East wind blowing making things most unpleasant outdoors.
Glad to hear June’s back is a bit better and hope it will continue to improve. What was Susan up to to be late home*? Query kept in at school for some misdemeanour. Not surprised to hear she had another cold and hope well again now. There are a lot of coughs and colds about – what else can one expect with such contrary weather.
Sorry you slipped down again – under car this time. We have to move about very carefully here especially when there is a fresh fall of snow on top of frozen ice. Mum delivered the magazines one day last week and just after she left the house down came the snow quite thick. I expected her home again quick but she went on and completed the job. Last Sunday the road leading from church house to the church was like a skating rink and no wonder – the children had discovered another place for their toboggans right down the roadway.
Yes one may well ask what about next Winter. What with the multitude of electrical gadgets on the market and a severe spell of weather there is bound to be a repetition of this winter’s shortage of power. We shall get in a stock of coal and a good load of wood to try and cover ourselves and of course something else will have to be done about the storage of potatoes and apples etc. even if this means bringing them indoors. It seems we never finish learning. I think you are right in assuming that anything left in your garage must be dead by now. There will be quite a lot of plant life to be replaced this spring.
Noted your plumber has been in and renewed all washers etc. and reported copper tank in order again. You had an amazing experience this time and no doubt will be on the alert in future as soon as bad weather commences. You could of course have had a very serious mess up in more ways than one. Talking about the cost of keeping the electric lighting and firing going to keep pipes working Mr Aston came over last Friday and said the electrical man had called to read meter and found that they had used over 4000 units during the quarter; this works out to about £25. [£570 in 2023 money.] Our meter has also been read and reading was 1975 working out to about £13. [£295 or thereabouts.] I think the Astons must have been having electricity to eat for breakfast. Anyhow they have a nice sum of money to find this time although they have the satisfaction that all their plumbing functioned throughout the bad period.
I like your suggestion about paying surtax. I went down to Roy Hewitt’s this morning and told him he would get no increase in pension as he retired after July 1958. Noted you have not joined B.R.O.G.. Maybe as the years go on some of your fellow workers will rope you in. The Guild is still only in its infancy but as time goes on it is possible they will accomplish more for the higher rated staff than the T.S.S.A..
Your car starts up very well considering you only use it at weekends. I have had no further difficulty with mine and I let her run over daily whether we go out or not. The trickle charger not yet available but I think it will be one that will charge quickly.
Had a letter from Mr Baker this morning to thank Mum for cream which apparently arrived last Saturday in good order. At the time of writing he said they had not yet one room completely finished but were very grateful with the assistance you had given with electrical jobs and curtain making etc. Mentioned that it was their 14th move. When we came to Clevedon it was our third move. Anyhow we hope they are settling in now and able to enjoy some of the leisure they have missed at the shop. Wonder if you saw them over the weekend.
So you are on the round of the Esso Blue Man then. Pity you could not store some but this would be very dangerous at your place.
Must now tell you of the trouble we have had this week with Mum’s hearing aid. Last Wednesday the appliance conked out all together and mum was cut off from all sound. Could not get set to work no matter what she did with it. There was nothing for it but to phone Fortiphones direct at their Regent Street office and this I did from Mrs Marshall’s house at 11 a.m.. They had no solution other than the set must be returned to them for repairs etc. but said they would do best possible to get it back in time for you over weekend. When I got back home mum had made some impression on set and was getting some slight measure of sound out of it – sufficient in fact to carry on for a while. I wrote Fortiphones that night and explained circumstances and asked how much a reconditioned set would cost as we had it in mind to have a spare set on hand in case of future trouble and also that present sent could be sent in for attention. Had reply Friday to say they could supply such a set for £25 so we sent off for one immediately and this turned up with your letter this morning. Now we have to turn the TV down instead of up. The new set has made a tremendous difference to Mum. Have now packed up the set she has been using for six years and sent it off today to Fortiphones for overhaul. Who said we could do with a pension rise?
Have not heard of any new law governing the erection of building annexes with glass roofs but it is quite possible and really seems a reasonable requirement. Perspex is the ideal material to have but again this is more expensive than ‘wire impregnated glass’.
Mum and I continue to keep about the premises except when we have to go out for this or that but neither of us likes the cold weather and the sooner the thaw sets in for good the better we shall be pleased. Heard of one house that has had no water at all since Boxing Day. Back to primitive Britain**. The water cart was still going its rounds up to last Saturday but I have not heard about this week so far.
Yes Cornish and Heel still do plenty of talking over their front gates and I suggested to them the other day they might find their feet frozen to the ground if they stopped there much longer. Heel also said he saw two rabbits on our garden other day but I’m afraid they will not find much now after the pigeons have had their share. Three foxes were seen recently on Durdham Down (Clifton, Bristol)*** and I am rather surprised they have not visited Cornish’s and Heel’s poultry.
*I think that may have been the memorable day I joined in a snowball fight on my way home. I was SIX, for crying out loud. You’d have thought I was selling myself on street corners, the way they carry on.
**Maybe, but ‘primitive Britain’ didn’t think it was primitive – it thought it was doing better than the generation before because the Black Death was over and the cow was still alive and there was porridge for tea…
***Urban foxes are a much more recognised phenomenon these days. When we lived in Bristol we knew precisely when and where we could see them, and once had the honour of seeing a vixen and about four or five kits.
[Continued Wednesday 6th February, 1963]
Tuesday 29th January, 1963
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec June Susan and Carol,
What a terrible week you have had at number 84. We had to read your letter – to hand first post this morning dash two or 3 times to get hold of all the details. We have had nothing like this here at Clevedon and I expect you are all glad the thaw has set in. We do hope things are alright now after visit of the plumber. Looks as if you had one or two narrow squeaks from serious trouble with frozen pipes and caved-in copper tank. The question arises what can be done to prevent repetition if weather conditions such as those obtaining during the past few weeks return either this or future winters. So far you have the fibreglass packing but is that going to be enough? Seems to me some emergency heating is required for switching on at a moment’s notice to keep plumbing arrangements working. No doubt you have given that considerable thought already.
Sorry to hear about your back, June. Query have you strained it by going up ladder etc. or have you slipped on ice without actually falling down? It is so easily done. Mrs Cummings here fell down twice this week and on one occasion broke (I think) bone in wrist and we hear that Mrs Pearson (opposite) fell full length and had to have some time in bed. Several houses in this area still without water and the council have water carts going about the place with water for those without. Have never seen this before in Clevedon or elsewhere. It became so cold this week that we kept the electric fire on all night in bathroom to avoid further trouble and in this we have succeeded. Cannot quite understand though why you feel cold in bed. With us this is the warmest place in house.
What a greeting to receive from the two girls when you got home to be told through letterbox that there was a burst in water pipe. That must have cheered you up a lot. June seems to have been busy in your absence in freeing some of the pipes. Yes it is all very well to have the various electronic gadgets, clocks, TV, radio, cookers and lighting but when there is a power cut the whole lot is off. This time gas was in trouble to especially in the South West area where it was cut off altogether for many hours per day. But what is the answer to all this? Next winter we could have the same difficulties. Years ago when severe weather was an annual occurrence there was practically no electricity and very little gas, people relying on coal for heating and cooking and oil for lighting. Wonder how they got on – must have been pretty bad sometimes.
Our TV was very poor. Like you we had sound but little or no picture for several nights until about news time. Our milk has been frozen when delivered many times and about an inch of solid cream has been sticking up through the paper top. I liked the story in Sunday paper about the man who went to pick up the milk from the front doorstep and found no bottle round it. The bottle was lying in pieces beside the frozen milk.
Bad luck about the inspection cover – no doubt your hands were cold and the iron slipped. Suppose these can be replaced though – have never had to buy one myself. What a lot of fatalities now happening because of gas leakages. I see one case where three people died – they themselves were “all-electric” but the leakage was in adjoining house and gas escaped into the house occupied by the three people concerned. You were fortunate to get plumber into your house so quickly – here there is a long waiting list for attention. Our stop tap in hot water system dribbled after I forced it and I got Stan James to look at it but all that was necessary was the tightening of the nut.
Now over to number 17 Eccleston Road. What a fright for Mrs Baker when she tried to light gas stove. Glad to know it was no worse than stated but it could have been. Sorry to hear Mr Baker has a touch of bronchitis and hope this will soon clear up. The very cold weather played me up a bit but I kept indoors out of the worst of it. Mr Baker will now be able to take things more easy without the worry of the shop. no doubt they both felt a bit strange without the comings and goings of the customers. Glad to hear Peter fixed up again. Sounds quite an interesting job and query an indoor one. What about the dog? Did he come back to number 17? Nothing like getting on top of fire for a warm-up.
Did you have any lessening of gas in your heater in front room? As I mentioned above it was cut off altogether here for several hours per day. Our neighbour (Bushell) is still unable to get any coal but has some on order.
Pleased to hear Susan has got used to her glasses and takes to them automatically – as it were – now. Does she keep her head away from the writing or reading matter now i.e. getting a better focus? Noted Christopher finding it difficult to settle down in school.
Yes the re-rating of property has caused some heartache everywhere but I’m afraid in has to be faced. Had a letter from the B.R.O.G. last Saturday with a circular giving particulars of increases in railway pensions. I get a 4% increase but had the date of retirement been March 31st 1957 instead of the 27th of April 1957 I should have got 8%. Just my luck again. Anyhow the National Health pension will go up from May 27th to 10/- a week for myself and 6/6d a week for Mum. [Equivalent of £11.40 and £7.40 in 2023 currency.] Anything to come glad of it.
Note Woodward packing up on March 1st. He has stopped to the bitter end then for he is now 65. That is one job you must let go. No good to anyone. Freight train working is in for some drastic overhaul and those connected with it going to have a very worrying time. Crane too giving up. I do not think he is 65 yet.
A letter from Geoff this morning says Hallett of Bristol was given a post under the reorganisation but told the G.M. he did not agree with the reorganisation and offered his retirement notice which was probably accepted. And so it goes on.
Not a lot to report from this end again. Found a dead pigeon on lawn one morning. It had apparently dropped there from one of the fir trees during the night. Plenty of live wild ones descend on garden everyday for anything they can get. Cornish says they have the rabbits over his side again and one morning I even saw a moorhen running down our garden.
Have now been through our potatoes/apples. All the latter are frosted and all except about a quarter cwt. of potatoes. We are using the frosted apples and potatoes as far as possible but it has been necessary to throw away any amount. A really disastrous winter. Onions came through all right but we do not have many of these. No further trouble with car – I start her up every day whether we go out or not. Our new neighbour (Hoile) in bungalow at bottom of our field is getting me a trickle-charger at trade price so should not have any more trouble with battery when can put that one on in garage. There have been a lot of collisions on the roads around here, buses with buses, cars with cars, and cars with lorries. Parking more difficult to because of the piles of snow stacked alongside the road has narrowed the width of the latter. Yesterday I saw one of our neighbours running about with his drainage rods and ascertained there was a block somewhere above us in the Avenue. Fortunately we were clear and not affected but I think normal working was resumed later in day. If it is not one thing it is another. In fact during the past few weeks I would say we have had the lot.
I saw Aston this morning and he is still supplying water to five houses around him and also for a pony grazing in a field near the church. One neighbour could not get gas last Sunday and found all her neighbours were. She called up the Gas Board who told her to apply some heat to the gas pipe which rises from the ground up the wall all outside of her house for about 8 feet as it was anticipated the pipe had frozen. This was done and within a few minutes gas supply was normal again.
What a lucky thing it is that the plumbing at number 17 stood up to the weather for stop. Had it failed it would have been the limit for Mr and Mrs Baker after all they have been through lately.
[Continued Wednesday 30th January, 1963.]
Tuesday 22nd January, 1963
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec June Susan and Carol
Once again many thanks for all your letters received first post this morning but we are very sorry to hear of your troubles with frozen pipes etc. Until you can remedy matters it will be difficult to keep the house sufficiently warm to prevent recurrence but heating throughout is the answer to the problem – or so we find it. It is going to cost us a lot of fuel and lighting this quarter but in the end it will be cheaper than plumbers bills. You are certainly having a rough time and unfortunately your plumbing arrangements are mostly on the east side of the house catching the worst of the weather. Hope you will soon be able to put things right.
So far we have had no further difficulty and as you know our plumbing is on the southwest side of house and escapes the keen easterly winds. We keep fire in all night still and put a sixty watt lamp under sink in kitchen. Naturally we do not venture further than is necessary by day but a visit to Elfords must be made occasionally otherwise no food. I went down to Roy Hewitt’s house yesterday morning as it is impossible for him to get about just to see how they were getting on.
Glad to hear the move from 155 to 17 was successfully made last Wednesday but you did not say how Mr and Mrs Baker liked the decorations etc. Perhaps it was a bit early for them to comment. Sorry Peter overdid things but expect he worked like a navvy when on the job and ran himself down. Noted he is alright again now. You have all been busy at number 17 and every little helps nowadays. How about the plumbing there?
If you can eventually get the fibreglass into position under your roof it is bound to make a difference in the long run but you still have to sort out your tank and pipes to start with and until there’s a break in the weather I’m afraid you have a job on. It is good to hear you are keeping very well – the colds will start with the thaw. (Jobs Comforter did you say?) Actually mum and I are warmer in bed than sitting in front of fire but it is a job to break away from fire at bedtime.
Our neighbour Bushell is now push cycling to Portishead to arrive there at 6 a.m. this week facing due east and on a very bad road. Reminds me of the winter of 1915 when I cycled 5½ miles each way daily between Long Sutton and Martock station arriving 6:30 a.m. one week and leaving there 10 p.m. the other in all winds and weathers including snow. Could not do it today.
Last Saturday Bushel and I went down to sawmills in car and picked up two bags each of firewood logs (at 2/6d per bag) [roughly £2.85 in 2023 money]. These were very useful for making up fire in evening. Last Friday morning the coal man arrived with ten hundred weight of coal – really good stuff – that so we are right for the rest of the winter. Plenty of power cuts here and in some parts of Clevedon they have actual blackouts – the top part of town have had several. Our T.V. picture has been almost nil at times but that is the worst we have suffered. Gas has come into its own once again and you are fortunate to have your gas fire and cooker. We have not had to go without a cooked meal or the power down in cooker around dinner times.
Heard that Mrs Bush (number 11 in the Avenue) was frozen up last Saturday but put stopper in wash basin upstairs and turned tap on then went to Bristol at 11 a.m. and return very late at night only to find water cascading down the stairs and upstairs flooded out. The pipes had thawed out in her absence with disastrous result. Had to call out next door neighbour (already gone to bed) for help. What a life. Late last week with car stabled outside back door I could not start her up again one morning and had to call Bushell who soon found that when I put battery back in I had not tightly screwed on the connection. This in spite of the fact I had on two or three previous occasions started car up since I restored battery. One lives and learns. They (Bushells) have been frozen up once or twice but managed to get things going during the day.
Very serious troubles have occurred at various places in Clevedon and plumbers are worked putting things right. We had another fall of snow last Saturday night – the same as you but it did not last long. Just enough to be a further nuisance but on Sunday it was most treacherous for getting about – soft snow on top of frozen ice and previous snow. I nearly slipped up myself coming home from church in the morning on the slope just outside the Lych Gate*. Managed to recover in time and the next trip saw me wearing Wellingtons. All cars have to get up to the church by the direct route near the Church Cottage – it is impossible to go via the road near the cemetery.
The wood pigeons are now a menace, they descend on the gardens in batches and pick off all the green stuff they can see. Yesterday morning a flight of about forty wild geese went over inland from the sea. It is possible they come from Peter Scott’s place at Slimbridge which is situated between Avonmouth and Gloucester. Have never seen so many geese on the wing before.
Yes we thought you would be interested in the picture of Holly Lane in the Mercury – just shows the depth of the snow.
Noted Susan has had another visit to Mount Vernon. Does she use her glasses regularly now? Funny remark that she should be able to see better than she does. Wonder what is behind this. The next visit will be about Easter then.
Sorry to hear Mr Gray has broken a bone in his wrist that it is so easily done. Hope you have felt nothing more of your fall a week or two ago.
Yes it was sad news of Gaitskell – only 56. According to some papers this week he was suffering from some disease that would have killed him in two or three years’ time but the virus infection accelerated death. There will be a bit of squabbling in the party now before things settle down again.
I have just heard that the bungalow at the far end of St Andrews Drive on the right hand side has been re-rated from £35 to £90 per annum. This is the place a man named Pope lives in – just retired from accountancy section at Temple Meads. Noted primulas still alright hours are too but the Christmas cactus are now dying off. They have been a very nice sight.
Gave engine of car a run in garage this morning – no difficulty. I’m glad I had antifreeze put in last month. Should have been in a mess now without it.
How does Christopher like school? Noted you saw them at Eccleston road last Saturday. If I remember rightly Roy and family live not so very far from there. In spite of the cold you are experiencing we had to laugh about putting the butter, milk etc. on dining room table and then running for it. Obviously you are living in front room as we are living in our dining room – these being the warmer places in each house.
The horse still with us. Plenty of hay for him now and he seems to be in very good condition. Norman said if he rolls in the snow there is not much the matter with him and he certainly does this at times. Flattens it out into ice. No more snow has been moved from the roads here and the position in Tennyson Avenue is as mentioned last week. At last grit has been put down Old Church Road from the corner by Wilcocks Garage. Formerly this section had been left out. Generally speaking the main roads in Clevedon are now in good order but the exception is over that part referred to above.
We have forgotten the incident about the front garden in 1926 or thereabouts – you must remind us please.
Have now read Mag and passed it onto Roy Hewitt for perusal. The articles on the various stretches of line I find very interesting and of course it is all fresh reading. The Parkeston Quay Harwich and cross Channel service boats to the continent must be a big job. Query more so than the Channel Islands services from Southampton and Weymouth.
*Not surprising as there are slopes at each entrance to the churchyard and IIRC nothing much to hold onto.
[continues on Wednesday 23rd January, 1963]
Wednesday 16th January, 1963
[Continued from Tuesday 15th January, 1963]
Well I suppose it is a sort of D-Day at West Drayton today and we are thinking of you all in the removal to Eccleston Road. We do hope things are proceeding satisfactorily and that the job will be completed before dark. Not quite so cold perhaps but still cold enough for such a job just now (before lunch) we had a few flakes of snow and forecasts for this area give us some more later on.
Went downtown this morning re: coal ordered last week and find orders are taking a month to deliver. Can possibly hang out till then but hope we get a delivery earlier than anticipated.
Thanks for the magazine to hand this morning Alec – must browse tonight. It is the night of the parish church party at Sunhill but mum and I long since decided we should stop home and keep the fire company. There is no sign of the snow disappearing and it is still as hard as ever on the ground in spite of the slight thaw yesterday.
Saw Hankey (local stationmaster) who lives on Strawberry Hill* and he said several of the places there had had frozen pipes and one or two bursts. They are in the right place for any trouble of this kind.
Just heard on TV news 1:25 p.m. that the West Country has had more snow and that more is coming up. Hope it misses Clevedon.
Two of the four flagons of cider I brought back from Lyng at Christmas have burst in the garage and of course are now written off as a total loss. None of the wine has been affected for which many thanks. I’m still enjoying a glass or two lunch times. The cherry with orange is now almost non-existent.
I see Heel has put up some sort of scarecrow arrangement to keep the birds off the greenstuff but it looks as if they take it as a sign to come along in their hundreds. It is a good job the birds do not eat hay or the horse would lose his rations very quickly.
Not much to tell you of gardening exploits here – ground completely covered – wonder how the broad beans and spring cabbage plants are getting on underneath the snow? Should be alright eventually. Time now to get in the shallots. Have not yet ordered the seeds for 1963 – cannot bring one’s mind to gardening these days.
It’s 2-0p.m. now and started to snow in earnest and sky looks full of it. And keeping car near house so shall be almost sure of being able to use it as required. Hope you get everything in at number 17 before snow reaches you and that you all get back to number 84 safely. No more now – all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.
Mum and Dad.
P.S. Thursday – snow soon ceased but we have a bitterly cold East wind now and still freezing at 10 a.m.. Dad.
*Many years later Alec, June and Leonard would also end up living on Strawberry Hill.
Tuesday 15th January, 1963
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec, June Susan and Carol once again many thanks for letters received this morning – second post. Most of our long-distance letters seem to be arriving second post lately including that from Lyng yesterday*. Yes we could see last week’s letter was posted on the Tuesday and guessed weather conditions had delayed dispatch.
The position re snow etc. at your end noted and I cannot report much if any improvement this end. It is a fact the Council men have been clearing the snow from the main roads and dumping it in the sea but the side roads are ghastly. With the help of Bushell I got our car out of garage on Monday (yesterday) and down the drive to the asphalt section but it was a real effort and the spade had to be used continuously. He (Bushell) was anxious to get some coal and I drove him down to his coal dealer only to find the place under lock and key. We then went on to Yeates in Meadow Street who let us have three bags which we brought back in boot of car. They were right out of coal and we have already let them have a few bucketfuls from our decreasing stock. Later Mum and I went to library and I left car in drive with nose up against shed outside back door. Last Friday I got Bushell to take my battery down to garage for charging and Mr Heel fetched it on Saturday so will soon able to get car underway again. We have had some exceptionally sharp frosts and any thaw is restricted to about an hour daily whilst sun is out so very little improvement is being made.
As mentioned in last letter in P.S. Bushell’s guttering came down one night last week and fell through his glass veranda. It also came down on the house next to him and between them they have a pretty good mess. So far we have escaped that trouble but there is still a lot of iced snow on our roof to come down so I’m watching this closely. Indoors our water system has not been too bad. Last Sunday the downstairs cold water tap over sink was frozen until 3:30 p.m. and we eventually thawed it out by placing a 150 watt lamp under sink for two or three hours. No trouble since but we keep fire in living room burning day and night and we find it helps considerably. In garage both the fermentation locks were frozen solid this morning but I put them in greenhouse and noticed they were all right again just now. Potatoes unfortunately have taken the frost and Mum has to be careful when preparing them for dinner – a lot of waste.
Noted your difficulty in negotiating road with car. It is the same here especially on the side roads. The main roads are more flattened out by the traffic but when frosty are very treacherous to those walking. Have just taken Mum down to hairdressers and now parked car in position for the night. This week’s Mercury enclosed gives a lovely picture of Holly Lane taken from the Portishead Road and it is typical of what we have had round about. Your comment last week Re: the rent is ideally depicted in cartoon in Sunday paper which I have cut out and enclosed herewith. Must get a laugh out of it somehow.
We too have felt the power cuts in electricity supply and the people who have all electric fires are suffering most. To us there is nothing like a coal fire but I think you were very fortunate to get your gas fire fitted in October and it is obvious you have not suffered from the cuts insofar as heating of room is concerned.
We are sorry to hear you are all still under the weather in respect of cold etc. but I’m afraid only the warmer weather will help matters now. It is surprising you can all keep going. I’m very thankful I have not to go to Bristol nowadays. Shall be thinking of you tomorrow moving into number 17 Eccleston road but what good news June that there has been such an improvement in the decor of the house. Let us hope both your mum and dad will like what they see and enjoy the comfort of retirement together.
Incidentally how did the new rating affect the premises at number 155? We have gone up from £33 to £79 rateable value. What about number 84? Must wait and see now how much in the pound to the actual rate will be.
Some mini car at Hoddesdon than. Shows how snow can drift. Back in the 1880s your great grandfather Beacham who was a Goods Guard at Exeter worked a double home train from Exeter to Rogerstone and was snowed up for a week. The winter of 1927 you were in hospital at Trowbridge over the Christmas and Mum there too. I was on my own and worked 16 hours per day in Westbury Control to enable others to have the time off. I went back to my old lodge and when later I opened up house for you and mum to come back to found I had a burst pipe and was there a mess. It was a very severe winter and we sent snow ploughs up the M. & S.W. line to clear a path right through from Chiseldon to Andover Junction. I remember a winter at Tiverton something like this but cannot say the year.**
You had a nasty job with your boiler – could have caused a lot of trouble if you had not dealt with it promptly. Expect you have read of one or two explosions of boilers fitted at back of fireplaces. I never liked these and would never have one fitted in any house I occupied.
Yes it is amazing how the public drift back to rail when they cannot use road services when at other times they have not a good word for them. I see the powers that be are going to try and arrange through train loads from one point to another. I hope someone tells them this is not a new idea by any means but in my opinion they will not get very far with it. Some places like Bristol shed and Paddington shed yes, but where do they think they will get other through loads? Bristol shed used to be set up so that no shunting was necessary when the wagons were drawn out. The shed portion was backed on to the non-vacuum rear portion on the higher level and the train was away. Cannot see them improving on the freight train service the Great Western railway had in operation at the outbreak of the Second World War.
Back to your letter again. Yes the toboggan run at the back of Hack’s house is still the number one attraction for the boys and girls of today but the very bad spell of weather has enabled other runs to be made. Glad to hear Susan and Carol both enjoyed the party on Saturday. We do like the one about the sausages on cocktail sticks. – the young idea. I’m sure Dad could have done with a few.
Noted the arrangements for the girls tomorrow. Carol will wonder where Christopher is. Susan manages to get to and from school alright then.
The wood pigeons are being a nuisance now visiting the gardens to pick off what bit of greenstuff is showing above the snow. The horse is still with us and he is being fed on hay now. These last two mornings he has been covered with the hoar frost. Glad your primulas are alright – they are in a nice warm room. Ours recovered after their treatment with the warm water and are still in flower. I’m afraid a lot of things have gone west again this time because of such sharp frost.
*’long distance’ in this case being 35 miles from Lyng to Clevedon.
**Alec had a story about a heavy winter closing the lines to regular railway traffic and also blocking the roads. When a railwayman died at a remote location a platelayer’s trolley had to be sent out to retrieve his body for burial. This would have been in the Templecombe area of Somerset.
On The Track 