Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Once again many thanks for a long and interesting letter with enclosure from the children received second post (11:30 am) today. Your postmark was the usual one of 6:45 p.m. so Post Office people lost a point somewhere.

First of all the weather. After a night of heavy storms continuing up to 10:15 a.m. this morning, delaying us getting out to Library, the sun broke through and we have had a glorious day really hot and sunny. Could do no work on garden of course because the ground was soaked but it was nice to be outdoors. Hope you had a change for the better too. Can understand Susan being off-colour after such a cold week – hope she is better now and that you are alright including the neck. Shall be pleased to know what doctor says when you next see him. Oh yes the parcel arrived safely, many thanks, and as previously mentioned suits me A1. I like your remark about the suit. It is the first suit I’ve been able to starve long enough for since the one I got when you were married.* I wonder you had not noticed how thin I had got!

Went into hospital again last night to see Mr Palmer and whilst he is progressing a little authorities say he must go away for a rest and change before returning for second part of operation. So far he has not been out of bed – operation a fortnight ago today – and before he is allowed to leave he will have to be on his feet for a day or two. He and Mrs Palmer are talking of going down to Paignton for a fortnight as soon as he can get away. There is no doubt the first operation has shaken him up and it will be a long time before he is back to normal. I told him last night you were inquiring about him and he was pleased to hear you were going on alright. Have you got rid of your catarrh yet?

Note no more news of your neighbours’ move to this part of the country. Sounds like a very big place they have in mind. Kind of Mrs Benn to hand over some articles of clothing for the girls.

More trouble then with your private workmen. that fellow who was to do your kitchen seems a wrong ‘un but hope you get money back. A surprise  for June when paper-hanger turned up and one for Alec to when he got home that night. Still it was soon over as you say. I’m sure the place looks much better and by the time the kitchen is done we shall have a lot to see in a few weeks from now, especially with your own efforts in the painting line. We have not proceeded any further yet with our bedroom but shall be doing it shortly. (More starvation to raise the money). By the way what was the pattern of your paper?

Yes I did begrudge the 11/5d per week for Insurance stamp especially as it was only 6/6d when I retired**. Note possibility of you taking up more shares in Wilts Club. Very nice if you can manage it. In my time when I joined a medical exam was required for anyone taking up three or more shares and I duly passed the doctor for my three and I think this may have been the reason why Don did not have more than two, feeling doctor would not passed him and then he would not have been accepted at all.

So you have not seen Geoff lately, perhaps he is still travelling. He said in a recent letter that it would be strange if he was was on a committee which done away with his own job [sic].

Mr and Mrs Stacey called on us unexpectedly Saturday evening and he could tell me that the Divisional and District people have been instructed to reduce their staff by one-third as quickly as possible as a first stage to further reduction. Looks like a lot of redundancy in the offing. Don’t use this information unless you can confirm it as Stacey’s source may not be too good but he was full of it himself. I thought I had seen a lot of alterations in my time on the railway but you will see a complete transformation. I see Beeching had a trip on the Bluebell Line last Sunday.

Fancy giving your visitor a bottle of Jungle Juice query to get rid of him. Was it the Acton Yardmaster? I know it is very good so do not get rid of all of it before I’ve had a chance to taste it. I’m now sampling a bottle of parsnip – not too bad but it makes one a little sleepy especially if I have a drop at dinner times. Have you tasted the bottle I gave you?

Note the Acton Station scheme going on better and that you have had a session with the Yardmaster. Who is he? Do I know him? Where has Smallbone been working recently? Is he not the one you succeeded on the Traffic Analysis Staff in 1942?

Hope June’s mother has a satisfactory interview with the specialist on the 9th inst. Note you have no further information of the other invalids to date.

Quite an idea to turn bookie for Mum’s racing episodes. about the only way I might get a bit of spare cash – the meditate Mediterranean cruise is off again for at least another month no luck on ERNIE.

I’m afraid my tomatoes are a write-off due to the persistent cold weather and the low temperature at which I have the thermostat in the greenhouse. Anyhow I should buy some plants from Weirs of Tickenham later this month and perhaps next winter I can set the thermostat at a higher level during the severe weather. Had we had a mild winter I should have been well away with the plants.

Can quite appreciate you have no room for vegetables but you are making the most of the place by turfing it down – somewhere to walk around even if only for a little fresh air and the children have more room to run round. Since last writing have managed to put in, in the plot beyond hedge, one row dwarf beans (bit early but worth the risk), two rows peas and two rows onion seed. Most of the potatoes are in and the first dry spell will see the remainder in.

We were expecting Mr and Mrs Newman down from Bristol on Wednesday but he is still suffering from bronchitis and confined to the house. We also hear he now has to have a wheelchair for getting about because arthritis is affecting his legs although he can still drive his car. Not much fun in life when one is affected like this. Roy Hewitt had an operation for this trouble and as you know he can get about very well with the aid of one stick. He and Bill Aston look in once or twice a week for a chat, usually in the greenhouse where it is warmer. Mr Palmer to has been in the habit of looking in occasionally.

Saw George Hunt last night and just as well I did for he could tell me that he had that day shifted his home to 88 Westbourne Avenue Clevedon.  (A council house just off Strode Road). You must alter address in your address book. He is now a driver on the London and Bristol Freight Services.

I planted the three dahlia roots you gave me in greenhouse several weeks ago but so far not a sign of any shoots so this afternoon I moved a little of the soil around one of them and found shoots about an inch and a half underground. Hope to get a few rooted cuttings later. The Primrose mum mentioned was one she found flowering in the field and dug it up and divided it into three pieces and planted them in front garden – hoping for the best. Did you have many snowdrops? Our early spring flowers were poor due entirely to the bitter winds and cold rain. The whole season is at least three weeks late so far but if we can continue with what we had today things will soon pick up although I guess there will be no plums, the buds having been nipped by the frost.

Mum was very pleased with her card on Saturday and will mention it herself in her letter presently.

Our young neighbours went out for a walk with their new baby last Friday and arrived home about 5 p.m. and found they had locked themselves out. We got our extension ladder up to their bedroom window and soon put things right. Never a dull moment!

Yes Mum has her own pension book and will draw her own share. Our first visit to Post Office will be on Monday 16th April – Carol’s fourth birthday. When does Susan break up for Easter? She will soon have had a 12 months at school – how time flies. Must soon have a look round the garden and field to see if I can find find any birds nests to show the girls when they come down. Blackbirds and thrushes seem to be plentiful.

Now I must close once more with all my love to you and lots of kisses for Susan and Carol.

Mum and Dad.

*This would have been eight years earlier.

**This translates to just less than £7.50 in 2022 parlance.

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you both very much for all letters and enclosures. Glad to know that the parcel arrived safe and sound and that the contents were to your liking. New suit eh!, how the rich live. Time of writing here now is 9:50 a.m. with a weak sun trying to warm things up outside. The children are in the garden well dressed up as they still need to be.

No more news about neck as I do not see the surgeon until Tuesday. Re Mount Vernon, I really cannot say if it is a General Hospital, but they treat cancer there, and Matthews had appendix out there some years ago. I believe they have some costly equipment there, but the wards were poorly constructed probably of wartime timber. I am a very sorry to learn that Mr Palmer had such a rough time with his first operation. They are very careful not to admit to hospital any patient who is to undergo an operation, but who has any trace of a cold. It was touch and go with me as I had heavy catarrh from my last cold still hanging around. I persuaded them that I was never any different, and that if they waited for that to clear up, I would never have the operation. It so happened there were no complications. I am sure you will give him our kind regards, when you see him, and we hope to hear soon that he is out and about again. What price a further visiting foreman to your gardening activities when he is convalescing?

No more news about the neighbours going to Weston, or much about the bungalow. We gather that it is a very large one, and has four bedrooms. Yesterday Dorothy gave June a lot of the things back that we let her have when Michael arrived, and also about eight dresses that Janet had outgrown. They are all very nice, and very welcome for our two. Also there was a nice overcoat, so the children are in luck. This weekend Janet and Dorothy have been down there and are expected back today – assume Eric is coming with them.

No sign so far this weekend of the man to do our kitchen. will now have to take steps to get our money back. In the early part of the week week, we painted the ceiling in our room, and did most of the woodwork. June did the windows and gave second coats in various places, also the skirting board. We had expected to size the walls on the Friday night ready for the paper hanger on Saturday morning, but he arrived unexpectedly at 3:30 p.m. on the Friday, cussing about someone who had let him down, and slapped the paper on in an hour or so, and by the time I got home it was all done. I must say it looks very nice, and the carpet back in place after its cleaning, altogether has put that room right for the time being.

I am sure the wet weather we have had recently has done our new lawn work good. We have sown no seeds yet, but natural grass should start to grow soon.

I take your point that I must look forward to date early in July 1987* to pop round and collect my pension. When you consider it, a man on retirement having to pay 11/5d per week in National Insurance – it is a bit steep. Apart from the return you will get from the pension itself, you will be automatically some 45/-** per month better off for not having to pay it. I may well have some more shares in the Wilts Club later on, but to have more than six one must have a medical examination. It is a bit of a bother, but worth it I suppose.

I cannot say if Geoff has been to any meetings at Bristol. I do not recall seeing him since around the time of Sara’s birthday.

Regarding the health of the two girls, I am sorry to say that Susan was again under the weather yesterday. After lunch she seemed listless and gave indications that she wanted to sleep. We let her stay on the studio couch in the front room, but she did not stop there long. Late in the afternoon she became ill, and was so intermittently until well after going to bed. She woke up twice in the night and again very early this morning, but was very hungry and thirsty this morning. She had a good breakfast, and although not a hundred percent is making quite the usual nuisance of herself outside now.***

I agree about the clock going back instead of on dash no benefit, except for the lighter evenings.

Fancy Stone’s Ginger Wine for Don’s elevenses. I could have named hundreds of drinks that he might have had, but not that one. What is the reason for that choice?

Had a visitor round to see me last Saturday, and gave him a bottle of my Jungle Juice to go away with. It was voted very good, and I must say I like the taste, but not quite up to the standard of the apricot which seems to be my best so far. Have not tasted an awful lot lately. Did not make any in March, but have now got some rice so will have a go at some sake.

The Acton station scheme, subject to some slight alterations to meet the wishes of staff, has now completed its first fortnight, and I must say it seems to be going very well now. Murmurings against it have now subsided, and we wait the next crisis. So far as the yard scheme is concerned, I had the Yardmaster up to a meeting on Thursday. Asked him if his letter represented his total criticism of the report, and proceeded to deal with each item he raised. I got him to admit that he would never accept any proposals that had not been proved in practice. As there was no point in continuing the meeting under the circumstances, I offered to close it, but gave him three alternative choices: 1) accept as printed, 2) accept subject to experimental period of six weeks proving satisfactory, 3) reject the scheme, but produce factual evidence to substantiate the rejection. He elected for the second course, and said he wanted no part of it. We thus have his agreement to pass on to the next stage of discussion with staff representative who he has said will reject it out of hand. Have proposed to Mr Phillips that he be sent on a Work Study course.

I note with interest your gardening activities, and hope we shall enjoy the fruits (or should it be vegetables) of your labours later on. As you know I have contracted out of the vegetable field as this plot is too small for that sort of thing and lawn and flowers. Sorry about your tomatoes though,  were they are special sort, and have you managed to retain any?

Good about the ginger wine, although I am not all that partial to ginger, I must make some for the addicts.

There is more than a rumour about Divisional and District offices being merged. What is in mind is for the other Divisions to be on the same lines as the London Division. In other words Birmingham Division and District will be identical as well Cardiff and Bristol. It is only a short step from there to close the outlying District offices altogether. We are then back where we started before the war less places like Exeter and Plymouth, Shrewsbury, Worcester and Gloucester, Newport and Swansea. In view of the reduction of the services, and elimination of some of the lines, this is only to be expected.

Now that Mum has taken up the Sport of Kings, I suppose you will be setting up as a bookie. Should think you could afford to give her generous odds even in a two horse race.

If the grass on our lawn is anything to go by, Joey should have a meal or two waiting for him in your orchard. All very healthy looking – but long.

I have no recent news about June’s aunt and uncle, and her mother is just about the same. She will see the specialist on the 9th. We hope she may be able to come over to see us later today, but it is not certain.

Yes tea on the west lawn for Whitsun – seems a long way off to those days still. If the wind would only drop or get warmer things would not look so bad, but meanwhile there is little joy in being outdoors.

No news as you say about Notley’s successor. I gather promotions are going to be a bit difficult for a long time as a number of redundant staff have to be placed. They have got to find a home for Smallbone (redundant A) and I have told McD I am not keen on having him. Nothing heard of Woodward and his Merry Men. I would not know half of them now anyway. Perhaps I ought to go and see him occasionally, but have not done so recently.

Sorry about Norman, what caused that I wonder?

Glad to see mother has had another go at machine. Practice makes perfect, and there is no doubt it makes the job easier and clearer to read. I expect Mum will be on hand to pick up the ‘loot’ – very necessary to carry it home no doubt. Nice about the plants you have put in. Would like a Primrose if you can manage one later on. We had no luck with the ones you brought up several years ago.

Well I see we are getting near to the bottom of this page, so will close up now. Love to you both from us all here, and hope you are both well.

*As it turned out, this didn’t happen. Alec was in fact offered early retirement some time in the mid-1970s and grabbed at it with both hands; there was of course a considerable ‘golden handshake’ involved.

**In 2022 currency these sums would be roughly £13 and a little over £51 respectively.

***Translation: we can’t be bothered to interact with our kids so we’ll just complain about them – okay?