Tuesday 29th January, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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.]

Sunday 27th January, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad ,

Thanks for another newsy letter. Thank goodness I can type this one back in the dining room in some semblance of warmth. When we can call 30 degrees warm, 40 degrees is like a heatwave*.

Troubles with frozen pipes, you have not heard the last of it. One day early in the week I was washing my hands at the hot tap downstairs (only cold water coming out as heating off) when I heard a rumbling sort of bang somewhere above. Popped upstairs and looked round but could find nothing wrong – loft included. Went back to complete wash thinking noise must have come from neighbours freeing their tank. As soon as I turned on the (same) tap, another bang, so back upstairs for another look round. Found the hot water tank which is supposed to be cylindrical had caved in quite considerably although the welding round top and bottom was a strong as ever. (Copper tank.) I realised that ice above the tank, and the withdrawal of some water, had created a partial vacuum in the tank, and air pressure from outside had pushed in the walls. Put an embargo on further use of the hot tap, and did best with hair dryer and heaters, but not much electric pressure, and no luck**. At this time inlet and outlet from cold water tank frozen solid, and inlet to all taps and outlet from bath and basin all frozen up. Also no water into toilet cistern so parade of buckets each time etc. etc. Situation stayed like this for a couple of days, but during the course of Tuesday and Wednesday the outlet from the toilet pan became partially obstructed, and only cleared slowly. Late on Wednesday this blocked up altogether. When I got home, June had put the oil stove in toilet and although this had sorted out the inlet to cistern, the outlet remained to be dealt with. (Sorry one day out this happened on Thursday). Got up the ladder on the outside of the house and poured a kettle of boiling water on to junction of pipes outside wall to no effect. Got through to Public Health Officer who recommended same course of action also blowlamp if available. Tried to borrow one from Webb across the road but neither of us knew how to use it so we settled for relays of hot water. He brought two over and we managed to get one boiled, and that luckily did the trick. Before ringing the health officer, I had tried the sewer hatch to see if there was a blockage there, and the cover slipped out of my hand and split across into two pieces. After I had gone to work the next day day, June nipped up the ladder (permanently in position) into loft with a kettle of boiling water, and succeeded in thawing out the cold tank to such effect that water flowed again from the hot tap in the kitchen, and was replaced in the hot and cold tanks by water from the cold tank and the mains respectively. In addition to this the hot tank was pushed out straight again. I was telephoned with this news and on the agreement that we kept a 150 watt bulb a light over tank, and frequent inspections, June went off to light the boiler. When I got home the children were shouting on the inside of the door that we had got a burst pipe, but neither of them could turn the latch to let me in, June being upstairs dealing with the matter at the time. Sure enough when I got in there was water dripping through the ceiling of the front room and assumed the worst. However it seems that with the thawing-out of supply pipes we had a minor Mrs Bush, because the washer of the cold tap came out and [d]ripped water, which could not run away due to the outlet still frozen up. As a result the basin had filled up and gone over the top. You will have realised that the water had gone somewhere under the floorboards as the bathroom is over the hall. a little later the fall from the ceiling started again, and we thought that we really had got a burst from under the bath somewhere. However I got outside on the ladder again with more buckets of hot water and slung them over the outlet pipes from bath and basin, and after about 15 minutes these were free again. By this time the drips of water stopped again, and can only think this must have been due to a small pocket of water from the previous dose, just finding its lowest level. The paraffin heater left in the bathroom – now – with doors closed eventually thawed out the taps in the bath as well so that all systems were again go. We left the 150 watt bulb on all Friday night to ensure that the cold water tank would continue to feed the hot as the fire was still well alight. Bulb would also ensure that the vent pipe would remain open and risk of explosion avoided. However at about four in the morning June said she could hear the sound of dripping water in our room. Could find nothing, so I went over the house including the loft but no luck. Got back to bed, but again later could hear this drip drip so up again and eventually put it down to our alarm clock which has a spring which jumps every now and then giving a slight thump like a drip of water. At this time I went down and made a cup of tea feeling thoroughly cold. Light at this time was flickering considerably. When we woke up eventually at about 8:45 a.m., found that all lights and power were off, and according to the electric clock had been off from 6:45 a.m.. So much for the precautions of the electric 150 watt bulb in the loft. Fortunately the thaw had arrived and all systems still at go.

At this time by the way our television has been out of action – at first due to picture being reversed on screen, but sound o.k., then no picture but sound o.k., then no picture, and sound almost gone. We (June) fixed up for man to come on Saturday morning, but he arrived during the power-cut so could do nothing. Everybody else’s TV o.k. so we assume ours to be faulty. However power came back at 12:30 p.m. and with it the BBC programme on TV as normal, but ITV a bit of a mess. After about 15 minutes of this, that picture began to break up and eventually disintegrated into a white jumble. Tried again in the evening and found both programs normal, and remained so for as long as I looked so it seems the set is o.k. again now we are back to full power. Have plumber coming today to fix washers on all taps in bathroom so perhaps we can forget the plumbing for a bit.

Well to turn to other news, we went over to number 17 yesterday and more completed. The builder hopes to be out of there by next weekend. Three items of news there. One is that the gas cooker had been out of action while they mended something to wall behind. When again used, Mrs Baker set match to oven only for the thing to blow up in her face including singeing of eyebrows and hair. Someone must have left a tap on. Fortunately Mrs Baker was only shaken up, but a nasty thing to have happened. Item two – the dog which has been roaming around ever since the move – getting acclimatised – always gets as close to the fire as possible. He overdid it in the week by getting his haunches right in the grate, and leaning his back up against the gas fire. As a result his hair caught fire, and he now has a long brown mark from head to tail. He went off one day and fortunately was seen by one of the builder’s men who recognised the brown burn on his back. At that time he was going into the canal at Southall about two miles away. The third item of news is that Mr Baker is unwell with bronchitis. When we were there yesterday he was feeling poorly and had had the doctor. The latter has told him it is nothing to worry about.

Peter has a job now as storeman at a firm on the Perivale Estate. Put up a couple more curtain railways yesterday and June did the curtains. Plumbing is ok at number 17, and they seem to have had no trouble since moving in. I agree that now is the time when the colds start to resume. Always the same at a big thaw. We are all well, very warm in front of our gas fire, but latterly could not keep myself warm in bed. Friday night especially I do not remember when I have been so cold for so long.

Note your episode with the car. I had same trouble some time ago with loss of connection to battery.

Mrs Bush seems to be a bit of a nitwit. If outlet frozen or blocked it is only sense to turn off tap.

Note also your antics getting away from church. It could be very bad up there I should say.

Susan is good with her glasses. She is lazy when it comes to going into another room to get them to put on, but if to hand she remembers pretty well.

That re-rating of £35 to £90 a bit of a jolt. He can always pay by instalments if he insists. The council will not like it, but he can do it provided each instalment is paid in advance.

Christopher seems to like his school o.k. but he is still a bit difficult, and they have a deal of trouble with him.

The thaw continues, and yesterday we had a small pool of water at the intersection of the roads in front of the house. All the road edges are swimming in water and quite wide in places. Fortunately for that sort of thing we are on a hill so someone else has the pleasure further down.

The incident of the transplanting at Westbury occurred after you had done some dividing-up. I was seen doing the same, and stopped, but it transpired that it was the right time of year so everything in order.

I think the Parkestone Quay traffic is quite large, and should say it exceeds the Weymouth to Southampton trade. In the future it should be even greater if the Common Market business get anywhere.

I have little faith in lagging for pipes or tanks unless coupled with a separate source of generated heat. The water in the pipes does not generate heat so that there is nothing to oppose the cold from without. Lagging only provides a barrier which slows up the cold from getting through, it will not stop it. The best form of lagging is that which stops cold draughts from entering the loft; under such conditions a source of gentle heat should be sufficient. What do you say, physician heal thyself, well maybe we have now.

Just a reminder by the way, Woodward is reported to be finishing on March 1st, and so also is Crane of Southall. Woodward’s job has been advertised on this week’s list and is rated (now) at 1450 to 1750***. No doubt he was getting more than that. From my point of view, even for the money, it is not worth applying for, quite apart from what is involved in the job.

Well again we can report we are all well so far as colds etc. concerned but June has hurt her back somehow – maybe lumbago or sciatica as it pains her to bend. Nevertheless she has just completed a week’s washing which is now out on the line. Well I will close now and leave the rest for the kids to say. Love from us all once again. 

*This is of course Fahrenheit: the Celsius equivalents would be -1º and +4º.

**Ummm, he means the power was down, i.e. not quite a brownout but reduced capacity in the system probably as a result of demand elsewhere.

***£33,000 to £40,000 in 2023 currency.

Wednesday 23rd January, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

[Continued from Tuesday 22nd January, 1963]

A very bad night. Our hot water circulation is now out for the time being. I found the hall tap in tank under roof frozen up and released this but still no water would come through indicating pipes also frozen. Have had electric fire burning in bathroom all morning but it makes no difference. Now we hear the mains water pipes are frozen in parts of Clevedon and people are running around from house to house with buckets begging water. The South West Gas Board to are on the warpath cutting off the gas for many hours of the 24th. This does not of course affect us as we are all electric but power is reduced quite often. Harder frost forecast for tonight so look out. Not many houses now without some water trouble or another these days.

Had a most difficult job early on trying to start car and apparently another hazard is that even the antifreeze is freezing. I got ours going eventually and we went into Hill Road and the Library. Everybody looking fed up with themselves. The sun is shining lovely now at 2 p.m. and it is quite warm outdoors but it will only last for a few minutes. Has the gas cut made much difference to your gas fire in the front room?

Incidentally when in attic this morning I had a look at the insulating material a box about 3 in wider in every way than the tank surround the latter and the space is filled with small shavings or this is what it looks like. There is also a wooden cover which is covered again with asbestos sheeting. There was a very thin layer of ice and water in tank which is about half full. All pipes leading to the tank are lined with felting but even so the frost got in somewhere. Suppose we shall have to leave it now until the thaw sets in and hope for the best.

Well this is about the lot for another week – a pretty dismal picture I’m afraid but you are having your share at number 84 .

No more now. All my love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Mum and Dad.

P.S. Hot water system going again at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Tuesday 22nd January, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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]

Sunday 20th January, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Many thanks once again for weekly letter. I am afraid that the oil in this machine is frozen and I am having the most difficulty with sticking levers. Must reply to your comments first before putting in my own.

Your letter arrived on Friday O.K. this week. Our last to you went on Sunday as we collected the girls so that it would have gone away from the box on the first post at 8 a.m. on Monday. How your Council men can move the snow beats me. Ours this end is so hard packed, smooth, and frozen that it would be impossible to move it. Note the arrangements about temporary stabling of your car outside the shed and the difficulty you had in getting it out from garage. This machine is beginning to thaw out a little in the warm room and I am able to proceed a little faster. Have you been able to get any more coal yourselves? Another hurrah for the gas heater. Our thaw such as it is (or was) was about the same duration as yours; one hour daily. I think it did a little good, as those places which had been reduced to just a thin covering of ice on the pavement became clear, and there were a few rare occasions when I saw pools of water. If you have iced snow on your roof I think you may be lucky if the thaw, when it comes comes from above, and not from the heat of the house. I do not think iced snow will slide.

Your circumstances with the house plumbing noted. We have had a hard time of it here. This week when I got home I found water coming out of the hot tap in a trickle, and suspected the supply had frozen from upstairs cold water tank. Sure enough when I got up into loft (in about 5 seconds flat) I found not a drop of water in cold tank, the ball valve stuck again and no water moving in downpipe. We let the fire in boiler out instantly, and stopped trying to draw water from hot tap. I connected the hairdryer to a long length of flex, attached it to light socket in the toilet and took the free end into the loft*. For about twenty minutes I played the dryer on to water inlet pipe, the ball valve, the outlet pipe, and the elbow bend where it goes through the ceiling, and got it all sorted out. We had, all the time, the paraffin heater under the open loft hatch where it had been all day. Nevertheless, within 10 minutes of going downstairs for my meal, the whole lot was frozen solid again. Apart from leaving the hatch door open and heater burning continuously below night and day, the position remains the same today. The wind here has been been directly from the East, and a water tank is within two feet of the eaves on that side of the house. I have packed the gap between the eaves and the tank with old clothes, rags etc, put a piece of wood completely over the top of tank, and the rug you gave us over that, but still it remains frozen solid.**

We have stopped using our dining room, and disconnected the fridge in the kitchen as being a waste of time and money. We now put meat, eggs, butter lard etc. on the table in the dining room and run for it. Things were better on the roads at all last night. It started snowing again at about 4 p.m. and seems to have done so for quite some time as there is a substantial fresh deposit over everything. All reasonably well this end, but could do with the bath.

We have no news of the effect of the new rating yet on our property or on 155. Doubt we shall hear of the latter at all now. Move went fairly well on Wednesday. At number 17, the removal men arrived at 1.00 p.m. and were gone by 3.00 p.m.. Peter must have been a tower of strength at the West Drayton end and I think it must have knocked him up as after he brought Mr and Mrs Baker over at about 5.00 p.m. he retired to his room feeling quite sick and queer. However he is as right as a trivet now. Managed to get a few plugs on electrical gadgets for them on Wednesday, and we all went over on Saturday (yesterday) and today they’re putting up curtain railways and runners, and putting a few more plugs on etc. We did our shopping after we got back at approximately 4.00 p.m., and June popped into the local Do-It-Yourself shop and ordered £5 [about £114 in 2023 currency] worth of Cosywrap, the fibreglass rolls that you lay in the loft. You get five roles for that sum and should cover most of the loft. Have put the rolls up there already, and shall lay them in position after finishing this letter. The idea of course is to keep the house heat below the layers of fibreglass so that careful siting is required to include as much of the plumbing as possible yet leave good access in case of bursts etc.

Thanks for the Mercury again and picture. The winter of 1927 I would have been four, and some time early in in 1928 before going to Clevedon I went to Cross Keys for a short while. I do not think the Tiverton snow which I remember could have been 1928 as I was six then and would have remembered it more clearly. I think it must have been winter of 1926 when I was four. I seem to remember snow at Westbury so it would have been the same here. (Query the same year as doing the transplanting in the front garden?)

Yes these boilers keep on exploding, and each day there is a new report about them in papers.

Paddington shed is still set the same way as you say about Bristol. All the shed roads have an allocation and are drawn and amalgamated into complete outgoing trains by the capstans.

Yes I could have done with a sausage on a stick, for all we saw were two very sticky, gooey looking cakes that we could not bear to rob the children of.

Our primulas still O.K. but as very dry this morning I took them out into kitchen and gave them a bath. Will bring them back in here when some of the surplus water has gone. Yes we had snow on Wednesday but it held off while I was driving to and from number 17. Car still going quite well and if anything since the antifreeze the starting behaviour has improved. I wanted to send mag and letter together, but did not have an envelope big enough. The office issue too are too small so have got a supply from stationers.

When we were around at 17 yesterday, Roy arrived with Christopher. He said he had spent the morning in his loft assisted by his neighbour attending to a burst pipe. Snowing again now as I look through the window. This machine has spent the week in the cold dining room and has taken an awful long time to de-freeze. Your flagons of cider would freeze as the alcohol content is only at about 7%. The wine at anything from 14 to 25% alcohol according to whether a wine yeast or bakers yeast was used should not freeze.

On Friday we took Susan back to Mount Vernon to have her appointed check-up on her eyes. I did not see specialist but according to my reporter he said she should be able to see better than she does. Another visit booked for three months’ time.

Another side effect of the freeze-up is the ritual of thawing the false teeth out of the cup each morning.***

Doug next door fell down in the week, and in putting hand out to save himself, dislocated his wrist and broke a small bone into the bargain. I must say people are adapting themselves well to the cold. The only time I feel really cold is going to and getting up from bed. It is also a job keeping warm in bed, at other times I do not notice the cold much even though there is frost inside the house in the form of ice in bottom of bath and hand basin.

Well there it is again for another week. I gather you are both pretty well apart from the cold. Now we are at the end of January it cannot be long before we get some better weather.

Sad about Gaitskell, I think he was the pick of the bunch. He should have been a Liberal. Probably would have been if they have been more prospect in the party when he started up. Well best of luck from us all, roll on April.

Love from us all, Alec

*For younger readers – yes, this dangerous-sounding practice was perfectly possible back then: there were connectors which would plug into a light-socket if you took the bulb out. (See https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=99598 for a discussions of these.)

**It’s difficult to remember that in those days there was really no such thing as insulation in houses, either under roofs or on pipes. You just ordered more coal and made the best of it.

***This was a time when people had their teeth removed, even when there was nothing wrong with them, and got false teeth, because it would be cheaper in the long run. Benevolent parents sometimes used to pay for their offspring to have all their teeth removed for their 21st birthday or similar milestones. Bearing in mind that dentistry in those days was often painful and unpleasant – even more so than it is today – there is a certain logic to it, but it’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater, or taking a sledge-hammer to crack a nut. If my personal experience is anything to go by, Alec’s own teeth should have been absolutely fine until his seventies at least, whereas they’d all gone long before his fortieth birthday. The very definition of a false economy IMHO, paying to replace something you got free of charge in the first place which wasn’t giving you any trouble!

Wednesday 16th January, 1963 

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

[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

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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.

[Continued on Wednesday 16th January, 1963]

Sunday 13th January, 1963

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Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad,

Thank you for letters received and thawed out. My golly you must be having it bad at your end. The effect of our lot is diminished (fortunately) by the numbers of pedestrians and vehicles passing over it, coupled with the efforts of various official bodies in clearing it. More of that later, but first to the points raised in your letters. 

Sorry about the late arrival of the letter this last week’s. It was due to late posting, that was all. June did not go out on the Monday and I had intended to take letter to Liverpool Street and post, but forgot it. It got posted on Tuesday afternoon when June went down to the shops. Not bad to arrive first post Wednesday, after all. 

Difficulty in getting about this end is mainly confined to the side streets. Our hill is still bad, but most of us have cleared our front paths so that there is a fairly continuous walkway for pedestrians. The road is very bad – apart from the width of a single track in the middle, which is flattened to the consistency of glass and looks like it – the edges on either side are still piled high with hard snow. If you get the car straddled across one of these it is extremely difficult to extricate yourself. The only way is to get the car moving forward and backwards like a pendulum with longer strokes each time until the front wheels climb back out over the heap. I have had to do this a couple of times, and believe me you have to be very slippy with clutch and gear changes when the initial moves in either direction are only about 6 inches. I have been caught like this when trying to turn in the road. The real answer is to carry on to a side road that has been flattened and turn there. 

I do not recall the Avenue being covered to the depth of snow you mentioned. I should imagine the countryside looks very pretty with all the snow despite its unwelcome arrival. I do not think we have had any weather that could rightfully be called blizzards. High winds without snow, and snow without wind, but fortunately we have not had both together. 

Some time for the mechanical shovel to arrive – at 4 a.m.. Still better late than never. 

I have been able to start the car – eventually – each time I go out. We went out on Saturday 5th and again I took car out this Friday. It started both times after a struggle. Again yesterday the same performance, but we made it. 

Have not heard of any guttering breaking this end. Some game for poor old Bushell. On top of all this he of course has the worry of not having a licence. 

I heard of a case of the Hoddesdon Town Council (Essex I think) who hired a mechanical shovel to clear the snow. This thing was progressing along a road digging into the drifts and chucking the snow over the hedge. At one point it dug into the drift and before anyone knew what was happening picked up an Austin Mini and threw it over the hedge. Latter a write-off.

Good picture of the dumping of the snow onto the beach. Thanks for all the cuttings and the paper. You talk about the frost freezing the ridged up snow. The words ‘deep and crisp and even’ begin to make sense now. I could never understand where the ‘crisp’ bit came in before. 

I think I remember the winter of 1927, if I recollect aright we went to Tiverton for the Christmas and I do remember walking out in the snow from the house in Barton Rd over the fields towards Norwood Rd. That is straight out of the end of the garden. This has all been built in and on now. 1947 of course was mainly spent at number 17 Eccleston Road so I know all about that one.

You say you have a chill each which I am sorry to hear. As a matter of fact I had one on Friday 4th. Was alright when I got home from work, but as the evening wore on it began to take effect and it kept me awake all night with the usual trimmings. Oddly enough although I had no breakfast I felt quite O.K. next day with not even a headache. This however was followed by a slight cold which I have just shaken off. June and the girls continued with their catarrh etc. and all went to the doctor yesterday morning. He said they were all getting better now but gave them all penicillin syrup (tablets for June) to the tune of ten shillings worth of prescriptions. [Roughly £11.40 in 2023 money.] The children are bearing their coughs and colds much better now. Being a bit older makes a difference. Sorry to hear about your colds. We have little worries on that score as you know. 

We have got a clean glow for the boiler, but supplies are satisfactory as we do not run the boiler every day. Hope you can get your extra coal through all right. Our gas fire – wonderful. Even in the coldest weather we have no need to have the fire on full except for a few minutes. Occasionally the room temperature seems to drop a bit, and turning up the fire and soon put that right and we turn it down again. It is a much more reliable and satisfactory instrument than the electric one although it may work out a little expensive. We have had one heavy gas bill in, but we have to remember that it contains costs which would formerly have been set against electricity and coal. No turning out in the cold for coal now. Of course this winter’s working results and costs are truly not representative. 

Good joke about the standing passengers on the trains from Clevedon. I would not be surprised if they have not the cheek to claim that they are entitled to seats and that the railways should put on more coaches etc etc.[sic] 

I have not worn the Wellingtons for some time now, preferring to wear the overshoes. The latter can be slipped off at the office leaving the feet and shoes still fairly warm. Sorry you had to turn out in a blizzard to post the letter. If those circs. arise again, stay indoors, we can wait for the letter. We do look forward to it, but not at the cost of health. 

Re: move from West Drayton, we went over to number 17 yesterday while the girls were at their party. We took over Hoover and sewing machine and my box of bits and pieces for any odd jobs. We found the builders still there (all five of them) and what with Peter and Pauline and ourselves we had a house full. All we were able to achieve was to get some temporary lace curtains up. We left the other things there as June will go over there on Wednesday to assist with the move. Ethel is having Susan for meals and Carol is going with Auntie Delph. I am having a half day to pick them all up. 

Thought you would like the comment about the rent man. Latest funny this end is the parting greeting “cheerio, mind how you trip”. 

Despite Susan’s preference for flats etc for parties, she enjoyed yesterday’s all right. Carol said she enjoyed herself, she said Mrs Pearse said we could help ourselves, and Susan joined in by saying “Yes we were allowed to start with the fancies”. She also said “What I liked best was the small sausages on cocktail sticks”. None for dad though. 

We used to have a very good toboggan run down Church Hill immediately behind Hack’s house. Do they still use that one? 

No snow in our attic, we have had the outlets from our bath and hand basin freeze up all the week. The early part of the week they un-freeze during the day but latterly they have not. Yesterday we found no water coming down from the cold water tank (although boiler on) so I went up smartly to see what had happened and found that the inlet and outlet to the cold water tank had frozen solid. There was also a quarter inch of ice on tank. The remedy (before the boiler blew up) was to open trap in loft and station two convector heaters underneath, one electric and one paraffin. I put the former on a chair to get it nearer the trap door. We turned the fire right down and went out shopping. After about an hour or so we got back and I was then able to work the ball valve up and down a little which released a trickle of water. A few minutes later and all was right again. Last night we left the trap door open, and as we always have a paraffin heater on the landing, some of the heat went up into loft and kept the tank from again freezing. 

Our primulas still going strong. Not a lot of flower, but plenty of growth. Sorry to hear yours and the other plants suffered in the frost. What is condition of greenhouse or do you not go down there? 

Glad Mrs Cornish like the Apricot, but it must be past its best by now. 

Have not heard from the Benns for some time. I expect they know all about this type of weather having lived in Yorkshire. 

Well hope you are both better now, and no more chills or ills. Love from us all.

Wednesday 9th January, 1963

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Continued from Tuesday 8th January, 1963:

Many thanks for letter received first post this morning – very sorry to hear June has some throat trouble and Carol another touch of catarrh. It is a wonder anybody can keep going these days, the weather is terrible. Anyhow we hope they will soon shake it off.

I’m surprised to hear the Wellingtons rub the skin of the feet – perhaps they are a size too large? You too have had some very bad weather but I think on balance it has been more severe around here. Noted you have been able to use car – this is more than we have been able to do for more reasons than one as previously stated.

So letter only turned up on Saturday. I struggled down to Post Box in the blizzard in time to catch the 1:15 p.m. collection on Thursday but like everything else the Post Office people were out of gear.

Yes a week today the move from West Drayton will be well under way and once again we hope everything proceeds satisfactorily and that the weather is much improved by then.

No we do not help Mrs Marshall go her rounds of the poultry yard – Bissix who lives opposite her goes across sometimes.

Your delivery of papers worse than ours. Our man only missed one day but has been very late on many others. The milkman missed us one day and delivered only one pint each on another day otherwise normal in this respect. So you had the Fine Food shop to yourselves then. A good one about the rent man having to take it out of the knocker at some houses following the lay-in of food.

So the girls enjoyed their party last Saturday. The young idea to only want the good parties at Sunday Schools or flats – Susan’s brain working it all out again?

I suppose I should have said that everything at Lyng must be new except the house. Cannot see them ever shifting from there although at the moment he cannot get in or out with car because of the slippery slope.

Sorry to hear Peter out of the job again – is he looking for anything in particular? Particular nice of him to help clear the snow from drive – most welcome in fact as you could not have tackled it very well. Yes we thought of Christopher on Tuesday and also of Susan as we imagined she would be returning to school. Not very nice walking to and fro. Carol will soon be off as well – my word how they are growing up. The holiday here this time has been a great one for the children who have been tobogganing down the side of Church Hill. I also noticed they had a go on Wains’ Hill.

We hear Les Garland’s wife – now in Frenchay Hospital in Bristol – is improving slightly but it will be another fortnight before can think of getting her home again. We also hear that Sheila their younger daughter has taken over the ladies’ hairdressing business of Hamblin’s at Six Ways (near Babyland). She has been with this firm ever since she left school.

By the way did you find any snow in the attic? A lot of reports around here indicate this trouble but we seem to be free.

Poor old Joey has been on short rations for a couple of days this week. I told Norman Baker Sunday night that we had given the horse the last of the bale of hay at 1 p.m. that day and he would not have any for breakfast until he (Norman) brought him some. We actually fed him on bread etc. but no hay arrived on Monday and at 11 a.m. Tuesday I phoned Norman’s house only to find he has gone to Winford market. However Mrs Baker said she would tell him when he arrived home. At 5:30 p.m. Mrs Baker arrived with two bales of hay – said Norman had had an awful job getting to and from Winford and had only just got home. She (Mrs Baker) carried the bales in one by one before I could stop her. Apparently she is used to it. Joey quite happy again now but he still cannot see or get any grass.

I like the idea of a St. Bernard dog for mother – puzzle find the dog first, let alone the brandy.

Meant to have told you last week Mrs Cornish has now had a taste of the apricot wine and says it is excellent. Have still a small drop left.

Yes we will keep the W.R. December mag for you.

Most of our pot plants have had a rough time recently and some of them have flopped altogether. The primulas were all frosted one morning but mum gave them some warm water and they revived alright. I’m afraid some of the others are gone all together now and even indoors the tradescantia have heeled over. Some of the potatoes now seem to have taken some of the frost but still are usable. It just does not seem possible to counteract such severe weather and I suppose we must put up with it. Yet how do they get on in Norway and Sweden?

Have you heard from the Benns over this period as to how they are getting on? Wonder how he has got his car in and out?

No more this time. I hope you will soon be better and that road conditions improve quickly. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Mum and dad

P.S. Guttering on next two houses to us (Bushells and Mrs Drewett’s old house) crashed down under weight of snow and broke glass in verandas underneath.

Tuesday 8th January, 1963

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Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec, June, Susan and Carol

No letter today so thought I would start one for you in anticipation of yours turning up tomorrow. if the weather is anything like what we have been having this last week you must be having real difficulty in getting about. Last Thursday the 3rd inst was about the limit. It raged a blizzard here all the previous night and all day Thursday until about 3:30 p.m. and afterwards you never saw such a mess in your life. I certainly have not. Where I had previously cleared the snow from front path it was all covered up and more so. There were and still are drifts in the drive about 5 to 6 feet high and Tennyson Avenue was almost covered to a depth of 3 ft with drifting well up over the front garden walls. It remained in this state until 4 a.m. this morning when we were awakened by a mechanical shovel pushing its way down the Avenue, having just reached us after doing Old Church Road. Still impossible to get car out and this morning I could not even start it and it appears the battery is right out. Must see Bushell for next move. He had been on nights at Portishead and had to start on the night I mentioned above. Heel and I had to help take his car out from the side of house and he left it in the middle of the road ready to start off at 9 p.m. backing out to the main road. Took his spade and shovel with him. This journey he has done nightly since but I’ve not seen him to know how he has managed it. 

On the roof of house there is no accumulation of snow on side where the netting has been fixed but of course outside on French windows side there is at least a foot depth of snow on roof and this has been easing towards edge daily during the few hours of thaw so that I have had to stand on a chair in back bedroom and knock off the overhanging quietly to prevent breakage of top glass in veranda. Mr Heel told me just now he went over to Churchill today and found about 18 inches of snow on the ground right through Yatton and just beyond to the level crossing at Congresbury a narrow road had been cut through the snow and it was piled up on either side to a height of 15 to 16 ft leaving room for single line working only.

Reports are coming in of guttering breaking under weight of snow and falling down through conservatories causing more damage to glass. All lorries have been pressed into service by the Council to cart the snow to the beach where it is dumped into sea. The frost these last few mornings has frozen the ridged-up snow into a really dangerous menace for road traffic. Needless to say apart from going down to feed horse and mum struggling down to Elford’s we have not been out except on Sunday and again yesterday when we managed to walk up to library in our Wellingtons. We have a drift between shed and kitchen of about 3 feet high and I’ve cut the path through it to reach garden. Except for the tops of a few of the tallest sprouts and the raspberry and currant bushes the garden looks like one large sheet of snow. 1927 and 1947 were bad winters but this one easily beats them both. The east wind too being so continuous has made things much worse for getting about. 

I wonder how you have fared at Ruislip and for getting to station and shops? Most of the schools have announced later opening dates on the radio and TV and what about the football last Saturday? 

Both mum and I have had chills in our stomachs resulting no doubt from the cold atmosphere. With all what I have mentioned above I think we have escaped the worst of the trouble. You have heard and read about the state of the weather throughout the country. No letter from Lyng this week so have no information from Don. Our coal is going down so fast that I have had to order another 10 cwt this morning or we shall be right out in about six weeks. We started the winter with about 27 cwt. How about your gas fire in front room? You have found the benefit of that one many times over by now. 

Have you been able to get enough vegetables this week? We are all right for potatoes and mum has got tinned carrots and steak and sausages from Elford’s which has obviated going into the village or up Hill Road. The bus service has been upset of course and I believe one day they did not reach Clevedon. On the branch train service it is standing room only mornings and evenings. What will they do if the service is discontinued? 

Continued Wednesday 9th January, 1963