Tuesday 13th February, 1917

On By Sue JenkinsIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

A day off. Had a good look round. The French are still here but we take over the railway from them on 20th February. A cigarette will work wonders with them, and we usually cadge bread.

The following additional information is from Martin Farebrother:

Froissy [is] now the museum and yard area of the Froissy-Cappy-Dompierre Heritage railway (Chemin de Fer Cappy Dompierre, CFDS, or Petit train de la haute Somme). At this time the line had been built by the French along the Somme canal to Frise, and probably then across the Somme to the lines west of Cléry. The lines also went north through Bray to Plateau, and back south-west to Proyart, La Flaque and Wiencourt. A pre-WW1 metre gauge line (Albert to Montdidier) also ran north-south through Froissy providing military traffic, and by later 1917 was also providing a civilian service as far as Bray. By this time or very soon after a standard gauge French/British army line was built south-north from Wiencourt to Plateau, joining the west-east line from Albert towards Péronne. So Froissy was a very important railway yard and transhipment.

Monday 12th February, 1917

On By Sue JenkinsIn First World WarLeave a comment

Another move to Bray South. The river Somme runs through the camp. Thousands of German bodies underneath the ice. In afternoon we move to Froissy, our final depot.

[N.B. it has been plausibly suggested that ‘thousands’ may be an exaggeration, but clearly it was an impressive number and probably a very shocking sight.]

Sunday 11th February, 1962

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1962 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Many thanks for latest letter which arrived in time to be taken out on our shopping-cum-haircutting expedition on Saturday morning. While the girls and June were having their haircut I had a wander round the shops at Eastcote, then returned to the car and had a read of the letter and the paper (Mercury) – what more could you want from a Saturday morning?* I doubt if there will be any delays now that the G.P.O. is functioning normally. 

You seem to be having a deal of trouble with these Fortifone people, and it will be interesting to hear what their local agent says and does. 

I have not heard that the girls have broken any crocks in their endeavours at the sink, but it is significant that two more cups are now without handles. I am aware that little girls want to help, at least that is what they call it, but as you know it is not always for the best. This morning Carol was practically in tears when she was not allowed to carry in the fried breakfast on plates that were red hot. She said she only wanted to help. The issues in the garden are clear enough, they can have the lion’s share of it to do more or less what they like, and there is a small part where they can do nothing at all. The latter is essential if one is to produce anything at all.** 

Re: the Benns’ proposed move, they were again at Clevedon this weekend, with the intention of visiting the Council and making enquiries about the school situation. They had intended to return today, but late last night Eric appeared and asked if he could leave his car in the sideway. He did not volunteer any information and I did not ask. It seems they all like the site, and the question resolved itself on the school position. What the ultimate decision is I do not know. we had already given them our brochure on Clevedon including the streetmap, and of course the one you got them to send is now a spare. I gather from June that Mrs Benn had said that the builder in question was named Venn, only one letter changed from their own. This confirms your findings.***

Had no idea that Bush was so ill. He was a man that I never had any dealings with. Apart from recognising him, and passing the time of day I never had any sort of conversation with him as far as I can recall. They must have been in the Avenue since the Joneses left and that I think was well before the war. 

It is not difficult to hear voices through the wall of the house. I think ours must have been thrown up or blown up. 

The Reading Shunters took a vote last Sunday and again rejected Work Study investigations. The Goods Guards however were favourably disposed and will probably ask us to do them. This presents its own problems of course, because no one has done schemes for Goods Guards yet. 

Good to know what you are paying rates for. You could probably have calculated your share of the council offices. 

Yes the thing to do when strikes occur is not to travel in the area affected – if possible go the other way – as demonstrated. There may or may not be another 1926, but there is no doubt that government is turning the screw ever more tightly, and although we are among the strata affected by the pause, feel it is the right and only course. After all it is the duty of the government to govern, and not let someone else to do it by pressure. 

Note the position with your seedlings. Talking of shallots, we have been having pickled onions for several months now. They were your shallots originally, and very nice and mild they are. 

Wail from the sideway where Susan has fallen over and grazed her hands, she had only been out there for about thirty seconds. Carol being dressed up to go out there – and do the same no doubt.****

Some weeks ago I tasted my February 1959 Parsnip (Bravery) and decided I ought to do something to improve the taste? I added a few teaspoonfuls of sugar to one bottle, and put it back in the cupboard. Since then it has restarted to ferment, and every now and then we get a minor explosion from the cupboard – have to search for the cork, and replace. 

Two ivies which were left out of doors seem to be in good order, but I have not seen the one we took indoors lately. 

Sorry about your Mediterranean cruise. If you rely on the P.B.s you will get it some day. Just about as reliable as the football pools. 

All the electrical improvements mean bigger electricity bills of course, but again, the more electricity we use, the less coal is required. 

Could not say what the drawings are meant to be, your guess is as good as mine. By the way the biro marks were on the paper, and not on the letter. Probably nothing to do with you, but put on idly by the children.*****

Did not know Gordon Cleverly had a house out that way at all. Last I heard of him, he was in Gardens Road. Just as well that the plot overlooks the Swiss Valley and not the sea. It is a mixed blessing facing the sea. Probably the best view around your way is of the Swiss Valley from any angle. 

When you get to Smith’s Crisps factory make sure you ask them to get the paper which surrounds the salt coloured with luminous paint for the benefit of people eating crisps in the pictures. Always a job to find the salt.******

Have seen no crocuses out this way yet. The weather today is good, as was yesterday, and no doubt will get things moving. 

Fetched some more stones of the field yesterday, with three helpers. The underlayer is now moving appreciably towards the house, but we have run out of ash so the bulk of the stones remain uncovered. Shall have to start getting earth from somewhere to cover them up. Could get some grass seeds sown next month if it is ready. I think I shall have to square off the parts so far treated, and get it covered with earth and sown. The remainder can then wait till next year. Got four barrow loads of stones from a field that I had scoured only a few weeks ago.******* 

Thanks again for the paper. Hope you are both keeping well, as we seem to be again. If you do not want to have all the cider, why not turn some of it into apple cider wine (Bravery). Might be an idea. 

The indoor chrysanths which you gave me have remained outdoors all the winter, and apart from a couple that I lost (through drought) early on, they are all throwing up cuttings. I think there must have been some outdoor varieties among them. I will try planting them out in the garden this year. 

June has just finished a pixie hood for Carol. It is very nice and she likes it. Looks like Joseph’s coat.******** Could do with one myself as a balaclava. 

Car still going well now. Coming up to the three thousand miles since we had it. How many miles did you do in it? Gave it a good clean last week, but it is as bad as ever again now.

Well there it is again for another week, will close and try and cope with the washers-up. 

Love from us all. 

*In this letter Alec emerges as clearly as ever as a man who did not want children and wanted nothing to do with them when he had them; he could never understand why they weren’t perfect little mini-adults with a sense of responsibility, a desire to learn, and the ability to be quiet and stay out of his way at all times. Someone once described Alec as ‘a selfish man’ and indeed it is difficult to think of one unselfish thing he did – before 1974 at least. You will notice that he refused to get involved with the grocery shopping, and that was a lifelong tradition; he was quite prepared to do the driving, but he waited outside in the car and let everyone else do the heavy lifting. Literally.

**See above. They were appalling parents, both of them.

***It occurs to me that maybe the Benns decided against Clevedon simply because Leonard and Eva were just too handy and too interested in their lives…

****Falling over and getting hurt at the ripe old age of five-and-a-half? Must be either deliberate or just clumsiness, and in either case it was further evidence of a flawed character.

*****And these are also idle children who draw things badly, how shocking! They should be studying calculus and reading Shakespeare at that age, surely?

******When crisps were first available, they came with a little blue paper twist in each packet which contained the salt so that you could add it yourself. IIRC this later became a sachet, but that phase didn’t last long before the companies began marketing ‘Ready Salted‘ crisps to which the salt had already been added. Now that people are slightly more aware of the effects of salt in their food, we now again have the option of buying crisps which have a sachet of salt included in the packet. What goes around comes around.

*******If it’s not free or cheap I don’t want it, and if I have to have it I will complain about the price.

********I can only imagine that he means ‘of many colours’ here, which seems unnecessarily mean and dismissive. June was a decent plain knitter and no kid of three-and-a-half cares whether they are wearing something perfect as long as it’s warm and comfortable. Alec just liked to be rude about females and children, and female children most of all. I think he was terrified of having anything like empathy towards any human female except his mother, and there wasn’t a great deal about for her either. What that says about his psychological make-up, I will happily leave to you.

Wednesday 7th February, 1962

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1962 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for another budget of news and some nice drawings (from the girls) received as usual yesterday morning – presumably no likelihood of delays now the Post Office back to normal working. 

So glad to hear you are pulling out of your various upsets and hope you can continue in good health for rest of wintry weather. 

The end of January batteries arrived but no reply yet from Fortiphones to our letters – must now wait I suppose and see if they debit the account for the lot that failed at end of December. They seem to be a very poor business firm and want waking up. I’m wondering if their local representatives – there is one at Weston we think – may call on us one day. I hope I’m at home if he does. 

Two helpers now then with the washing up but not doing it quickly enough for Mummy apparently – what about breakages? Note position re cupboards and hope men make a good job of it for you. Incidentally I take your point that my assistants in garden do not undo the work already done – but even little girls want to help you know.

I saw Bell (TV man) this morning and asked him if there were any plots on the road on which he lives and he said no. I told him someone I knew was enquiring and had in mind a plot about 200 feet long and he said it must be further over on Strawberry Hill. He also said a new cut-in had been made from Walton Road – just past the Old Inn – so Mum and I went along to see for ourselves. Sure enough there is a new road – leading to a dead-end – cut in and properly surfaced with tarmac and signposted ‘Strawberry Hill’ and we think this must be the site your neighbour has in mind*. Alternatively right on the top of Strawberry Hill we found a builder named Venn was building a new housing estate with access from Thackeray Road – well past the turning down to Bell’s house. Mum will comment on position of schools but none of them are far away and as you know a new Secondary Modern School is nearing completion at the bottom of Holly Lane. 

It was wet here most of saturday – dull Sunday morning but rain in afternoon and evening. Not a very nice time to be looking at housing sites. 

I’m sorry to tell you that since our last letter Mr Bush (next beyond Mrs Drewitt’s old house) has died and been buried aged 56 or 57. Apparently he had only been absent from work since just before Christmas and even on Tuesday 30th of January drove his car to Cottage Hospital for himself to have an x-ray. Died on the Friday morning and buried in churchyard Monday last. Trouble was cancer. I went over to the service but mum had already promised to attend a T.G. meeting. There are three girls in the family one of whom is married and living at Folkestone, the other two working in Clevedon and living at home.

So you had young Michael in to play with Susan and Carol and then he did not want to go home. Fancy hearing him through the walls of house – must have been in full song.

Yes Alec we hope budget will stretch to the 6d stamp but if it does not must ask for a sub. By the way I cannot account for any biro marks on our letters other than the actual writing. Before we saw Bell today we called in at Council Offices for up-to-date information re schools and this is what Mum will write about, but I did get them to promise to send on a Clevedon brochure to 82 Queens Walk and it should have been received before you get this. It was the first time I had ever been in the Council offices – quite a palatial building in Highdale Road close to Christ church.

You don’t seem to be getting very far with your Work Study projects. Bad luck on the chap at Morris Cowley – work studied him out of existence! 

We wondered how you got on with travel on the Monday of the unofficial strike but somehow guessed you would solve that one fairly easily. Some people must have had a terrible time. Very glad it was not repeated this week. Engineers had a go instead. The whole country seems to be in a turmoil again and if someone does not take a firm hand they will have another 1926 on their hands.

Whatever was Carol referring to when she said there was tortoise for dinner or was she just having a game with you? 

Typewriter still not in evidence as you see but matter well in hand – have not seen my contact for some days – he is ill – but I know Houghton is dealing with the matter. By the way his son is marrying a girl who lives at Harrow-on-the-Hill shortly. 

I lost the lettuce seedlings – damped off. But have some more showing through soil. Have about 28 – so far – tomato seedlings up and potted off into 3-inch pots. Hope they survive. It’s cold in greenhouse at night about 40 degrees but day temperature goes up to 80 and over. Last Friday I planted out three rows of shallots (210 shallots altogether) so was just a day or two earlier than last year. 

Yes I hope Don likes the grape wine. My blackberry is excellent – one of the best. The bottle of liquid yeast I brought back in October is still working and every now and then cork is expelled with force. I still have the 1959 elderflower but have not tried it lately. 

The Vicar is still absent on sick leave and now waiting another specialist examination of his knees – previous reports have been negative. 

Glad to hear your honeysuckles getting on alright. What happened to the ivies? Have they survived? The African violet I’m afraid is finished but it certainly gave us a good show since you gave it to Mum. Broad beans in garden now recovered from effects of frost but a number of people around here have lost them all together – my theory is that they were not planted deep enough in first place and severe frost got right down to the bean in the ground. I always put mine in at least 4 inches deep. 

Both Roy Hewitt and Mr Aston called on Friday morning whilst I was putting in shallots – shook them to see what I was at. 

We did not come up on Premium Bonds and Mum very disappointed again as it means putting off our Mediterranean cruise. 

You are making a lot of improvements with electric lighting around the house. Nice to be able to plug in here and there just as you wish. no more this time Python all our love to you both and lots of kisses for two little washers-up.

Mum and Dad

*So, this is where it gets bizarre – in a ‘small world’ way. Twenty-something years later, Alec and June – who had Leonard living with them at the time, Eva having died in 1979 – bought a house on Strawberry Hill which would be next-door-but-one to the site the Benns were considering. After Leonard’s death in 1986 they left there and returned to live in Exmouth. Alec and June never stayed in any house for an especially long time, unlike Leonard and Eva who were in the same house at Clevedon for 48 years..

Eva to the family on the remaining three quarters of a sheet of Leonard’s paper:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for your letters also the two drawings by the artists. I suppose one is a drawing of the sun and the other seems to be two girls in a goldfish bowl. The other was easy with flowers growing from a mound of earth and madam walking along in her best hat. 

If your neighbours do eventually have a house built on Strawberry Hill they will be luckier than most in regard to schools. The lane up to where they intend to live goes up almost opposite All Saints Lane where the old light railway line used to run across and where I believe you said G. Cleverley had a house built.  These All Saints schools are infants and Junior, then the new modern secondary school is nearly finished at Holly Lane in corner of a field the front of which faces Walton Road. At present the need is filled by the school at Fire Station and St John’s which I think are going to be done away with. That spot seems to be very good, high up but it would seem to be overlooking the Swiss Valley not the seaside as too far over. There is a narrow road cut on the top but I don’t think you can get right through yet.** There may be one or two private schools on Dial Hill but don’t know of any. 

Mrs Hewitt is toying with the idea of taking us when she can arrange it to Smiths Potato Crisps factory at Brislington and Wall’s Ice Cream somewhere near Gloucester. The snag with these places you have to book months ahead.

We have two snowdrops of those you gave us in the summer don’t know what has happened to the rest. I see some of the crocuses are out too. Well no more now. Lots of love from Mum and Dad.

PS There is also the Secondary Modern in Highdale Avenue off Old Street. 

Eva’s drawings are labelled flag, wine bottle, ice lolly, and candy floss.

**You still can’t, and Strawberry Hill is narrow and only roughly paved.