Sunday 1st October, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Dear Mr Coleman,

We are interested in having a radiator, located in the bathroom, fitted to our existing hot water supply, which is operated by a ‘Crane 20’ type boiler. If you can undertake this work, and can advise on radiators, cost, and fitting charges etc., would you be kind enough to call one evening soon to discuss the matter. It is desired that the radiator be operating before the colder weather sets in. 

Yours faithfully, 

[I have no recollection of a radiator ever being fitted in the bathroom, so maybe it didn’t happen. I’ll be looking out for any ensuing developments.]

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad, 

Thanks once again for weekly letter. Glad the drawings etc. still up to standard. I noticed from Mum’s drawing that you have horses in the garage. Carol has been doing little drawings, mostly of the straight-line variety, but sometimes in resemblance of a piece of string. We do not usually enclose those for you, but as soon as they have any definition I expect you will be getting her efforts as well. 

As I read your letter I see that last time we reported that Susan was poorly. We have almost forgotten that, as since then Carol has been well and truly out of sorts. She has had, and still has, heavy catarrh with an attendant perpetual cough. It gives her no rest, or us either. Have tried the very last drop of cherry wine, but there was not enough to make much difference. Will try to find another that has the same effect. The present working remedy is juice of lemon with honey or sugar. She had a fit of the miseries yesterday at lunchtime. Would not eat her dinner as she said it had cauliflower with it. (A few greens, but no cauliflower.) Did not fancy any pudding, so was taken to bed protesting. She dropped off almost immediately and slept until about 3:30 p.m. She is lively enough out in the garden today, but still has the cough.

Seems as though you had a fine time with Arthur. Have formed the impression that he is on the scrounge, and probably not very appreciative of what is done for him. Take all his stories with at least two pinches of snuff, and have very many doubts about Madge the Millionaire. I expect you gave a sigh or two of relief when you saw his train depart from Weston. I would not be surprised if his tale about the horsepower of the cars was not far out. I believe they have a different horsepower rating, and in any case the average car there is known to be extremely highly powered.

Sorry you do not take to Susan’s idea of a blackberry bush in your garden. I agree that if you have a thornless blackberry in a place that you can spare, it would prove a profitable line. I have in mind the fact that in succession it would come after the beans and tomatoes had declined.

Thursday 12th October will do us very well for your visit. If you are coming up in the morning, I will have half-day only off on Thursday and a day off with you on the Friday. All this subject to any crisis arising.

You are not alone in having a poor apple crop this year. I was talking to some people yesterday who were making the same point. I suppose the weather early in the year was the cause. Took off the polythene bags all together yesterday, and find that the cuttings are all in good order. On each however there was a deposit of mildew on the outside, and also on the woodly part of the stem of one. The new growth is not affected however and all look healthy enough. there is another flower bud on the rose you gave us, so you may see it in bloom. The leaves have been riddled with holes over the last few days – could it be slugs?

Nice to have increased your African violets. Will the new ones be the same colour, or is there a chance of variety? It looks as though you will finish up by having more tomatoes (by weight) than runner beans. a situation I would have thought improbable to say the least. The production of tomatoes seems to be rapidly overtaking the beans.

Odd that you should get another crop of broad beans. I have heard that broad beans planted in the spring are less resistant to blackfly than those planted in late autumn. You may have avoided much trouble with yours, as  I have not heard any mention of it from you.

It sounds to me as if the motorway will cross the main road near the Moor Road that passes Hollands’ Pottery. Too near for comfort, but all good for trade I suppose, and it will certainly be handy for you.

Re: the Yard Scheme, we have now got the reluctant agreement from local management to the proposals with the rider that they do not think it will work. We have tactfully leaked the details of the proposals to the staff side, and told them that local management says it cannot be done. That was good enough for them, just the opportunity for them to show management how wrong they are once again.

Beeching has been to Paddington and Phillips has met him. I gather that in the G.M.’s office, they breathed a sigh of relief that he was a much more reasonable man than they had been led to believe. MacDonald had a meeting with Curry,  Beeching’s man seconded from the I.C.I. Work Study section, and McD came away in buoyant mood. It appears Curry thinks we are well ahead of the other regions, and his own ideas on the subject coincide with McD’s expressed views which have hitherto fallen on stony ground.

I think I told you that when we were on our car rally, we took a trip over the M4 motorway (as much of it as has been built) which bypasses Maidenhead. It makes for easier driving as there is plenty of room per car and nothing to stop forward progress at the speed you desire.

No slip of the typewriter. Peter’s new girlfriend, Pauline by name, did arrive as detailed in my last letter. Have not seen or heard of her since mind you, but I believe the earlier arrangement has finished. Yes you have got the right Hawkeswood. Mrs H said her husband knew you.

Grass growing on our lawns to such extent that I think we need a herd of goats to reduce it rather than a mower. It is all very wet and has not dried out for a long time now. This morning started wet but weather has improved a lot with sun and blue skies just now.

So Arthur took some pictures of Mogg’s place did he? Pity he had not come here some years ago when he could have taken a picture of Gull House along the seawall*. It has been pulled down now I believe, but it was inhabited in our time. The last person to live there was the eldest son (with beard) of the person who used to live in the left-hand bungalow situated across the river and lying between the picture house and Binding and Paynes garage. Almost opposite St John’s School in fact. I believe the old man’s name was Heaven, but I have forgotten the younger man’s name, but I know it was not the same. A bit religious, think they were mixed up with the Hessels.

Who are the newlyweds who are celebrating their first anniversary? Seems double Dutch to me. Perhaps it is the people next door or maybe Michael Ritchings?

June had her L-plates up this morning, and we went out on the first road lesson. quite a good start. It is all a matter of practice after all. Pauline is here for the weekend, and has taken the children out before a walk.

Ken Lay off sick this week and likely to be for a while. He has hypertension with palpitations. I am afraid he lets the job worry him.

Well there it is again. One more before you come up. Love from us all for the time being. 

*There is something that looks like demolition rubble visible on Google Earth on the edge of the Clevedon Golf Centre’s land at Gullhouse Point, south of Clevedon Pill and overlooking Blackstone Rocks, grid reference 51.42636, -2.880945; this area does not seem to be open to the public, although information is elusive. However the 1841 Census definitely shows a family named Hancock living nearby; in 1861 they are still there but the house is described at being ’41 Old Church Road’, which is a bit of a stretch but I can understand why. By 1911 it is ‘Island Cottage, 112 Old Church Road’. Demolition had clearly occurred, though, before the 1950 County Series OS Maps were prepared, so given both Alec’s and Leonard’s memories it must have been some time before or during the Second World War. Maybe its derelict remains were flattened to give effective sight-lines for coast-watchers?

Wednesday 27th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for your long and interesting letters and drawings from Susan. Thank you Susan they were very nice drawings – wonder if Carol helped? 

Sorry to hear Susan has been poorly and has had to miss school occasionally – hope she will soon be alright again. Expect she was surprised to see a policeman at school but I expect the children were all ears when he spoke to them about the use of the roads. Learning to write words too – how nice. Something to get their attention and start them off on their careers. Tell her I will give her an examination on the spelling of words when we come to Ruislip next. 

Well Arthur has come and gone and so far as we are concerned he will not come again. We put him on a train at Weston for Dawlish and that was that. Can tell you all about it when we meet. Said that when he returned to Twickenham he would like to call on you but we told him you were out of London quite a lot and did not give him your address. Apparently he will eventually return to Twickenham for a few nights prior to going to London airport for journey home – this will be sometime in early November. When talking about cars one day I asked him what horsepower his was and he said 120hp and when I said this was ridiculous he replied oh no my son-in-law has one 350hp. Pointing to the roof of the house he said they would go up slopes like that in top gear so I told him that if I had a car like that I should want it to go up the side of house in top gear – end of discussion.* 

The 1961 cherry wine is very immature as yet but will certainly bring along a supply. Have not been out gathering blackberries since I last wrote – think we have enough for this season. Quite a cheap wine as you remark seeing the berries can be had for the picking – some of them were almost the size of the cultivated variety. Susan had the right idea of growing some in garden to save walking so far to gather them, but you are also right inasmuch as it took years to destroy one in garden. There is a thornless variety available now and I may get one of these sometime and plant it alongside fence in field. Could be a profitable item. 

Well we have not yet heard from Tiverton re: proposed visit there and to Exmouth so Mum and I think we had better agree a weekend to come up and see you and the Exmouth trip must take second place or not at all. We are wondering if Thursday 12th October would be alright for you, to return on the following Monday the 16th October. The next weekend is out because mum has the most important engagement – the chimney sweep is coming on the 23rd. You must let us know if suggested date is satisfactory to you all and if not perhaps a later date can be arranged. 

You mentioned blackberry and apple wine but I am afraid this possibility is out for 1961. Have never had so few apples since our trees first started to bear, it has been a disastrous year in that respect. Could be a good wine though so perhaps another year etc. 

The point about turning the polythene bags occasionally is to avoid seedlings damping off. Note good growth being shown by yours. Mum put two leaves of the South African violet in water and both have roots forming from the stem – these must be potted up now. We shall be picking broad beans again in a few days. Several beans from crop in May fell to ground and these took root and have now matured. Total runner beans now 285lbs and tomatoes 205lbs. Latter still turning in fast. 

The proposed new motorway will cross the main Clevedon to Tickenham Road about three quarters of a mile from the East Clevedon triangle which point is near what is known as the Waterworks House. Incidentally I don’t think we have mentioned the project before as until we read about it in Mercury recently had no idea it would be so close to Clevedon. Will be a few years yet before road is available. 

Sorry my mistake about Pauline and Spain must have latter on brain following Geoff’s description of his holiday there. I told him in my last letter you are now off phone. 

Yes the millionaire ancestor was the husband of your Great-grandmother Fewings’ sister – surname Madge. 

Very interested in your account of meeting with Bryant et cetera. This individual at one time was assistant Goods Agent at Bristol and later agent at Brentford. Pity about the chief inspector retiring 2 months early – what a sacrifice. Anyhow it looks as if you had your way with meeting for the proposals to be passed on to next stage. Did I hear somewhere that Beeching had been prowling around Paddington Station? 

Thanks for information re road route. It will be a good thing when the bypass roads skirt Slough as well as Maidenhead – I saw some weeks ago latter had been opened. 

Will leave Mum to reply about edible hats and boots etc., she started that one. 

Was it a slip of the typewriter when you said Peter was bringing his new girlfriend? Or did Peter and Brenda call followed by Mrs Hawkeswood and daughter.** Is this Hawkeswood of Exeter formerly of Chief Goods Managers Office? I knew him well at Freight Train meetings.

Note battery down flat – why was this? Query a leakage in circuit somewhere. 

Not much local news this week but notice painters and carpenters are busy on numbers 1 and 2 Tennyson Avenue this week. Ted Caple has to appear in court as a witness against the motorcyclist who ran into his car. Cut grass on all lawns last Friday but I’m afraid it is growing fast nowadays and will want one or two more trims before closing down for the winter. Note your dahlias getting fewer now – the first frost will finish them unfortunately. They are very tender plants. Cannot get my chrysants in greenhouse because of occupation by tomato plants and it’s a pity to take those out as long as they are fruiting. We have had a few early morning fog and some days the old foghorn in the Channel has been sounding for hours during the day as well as the night but as you say we should not expect anything serious for a week or two yet.

Slugs – yes we have some and I generally catch one or two  when going down to greenhouse before breakfast.

Tennyson House – thatched roof – now up for sale at £5,500 [£130,000 in 2021 money] but cannot see anyone paying that price for it. Arthur took a photograph of Moggs thatched house said he thought it was very picturesque and his grandchildren would be most interested in it. Fortunately Moggs were not aware of photograph being taken or might have wanted to cash in on it. 

This is about the lot for another week – hope the girls are better again now and that you are both fit and well. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for Susan and Carol. Mum and Dad 

*Well, according to something I found online, Arthur’s expectations were not entirely ridiculous:  “… with mainstream American cars, the average vehicle can usually be expected to be 180-200 horsepower. Large SUVs often have engines that exceed 300 horsepower, while small car engines can only have about 100 horsepower. Full-size pickup trucks often have 300-400 horsepower, and luxury SUVs and large luxury sedans also have 300-400 horsepower.”  Given that ratings apparently differ from country to country, and that technology has improved considerably in the past sixty years, Leonard’s reaction to Arthur’s claims may have been somewhat exaggerated.  Nonetheless Arthur seems to have made a bit of a nuisance of himself, so his irritation is no doubt justified.  Guests and fish begin to stink after three days, after all…

**Peter and Brenda did indeed break up, which was a shame as we all liked Brenda. Whether the ‘new girlfriend’ is the one he married a few years later, though, is impossible to tell from this letter. Hopefully more information will gradually become available.

Eva to the family on the remaining half-sheet of Leonard’s paper:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for letting and drawings from the children. I liked the high hats I suppose they are still the latest fashion for the winter.  Will have to see about one. 

We are looking forward to coming up for a few days’ change. We don’t hear from Tiverton so have written that one off. 

Harvest Festival on Sunday but no apples from us this year, the first ever. We have a couple of trees ripening but no good standbys. I expect the children will have their Harvest at the Sunday school soon. The kids here bring whopping great marrows enough to last anyone a year. 

The newlyweds celebrate their first anniversary on Saturday, have invited thirteen, but we go in one night next week to see the projector on the wedding etc. Lots of love from Mum and Dad. 

Drawings at the bottom labelled ‘in the garage now’: grapes, tomatoes, pumpkin, parsnip, cat with donkey’s ears, a rat, a bird and a sunflower.  The bird has four legs .

Sunday 24th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you once again for a very interesting letter. No hold up with post this week. I must say we were looking forward to hearing of the doings of Uncle Arthur plus your reactions etc. 

I did not think you would have been able to save much of 1960 cherry wine for long. Of course the 1961 lot is fairly new, and it would be a pity to use it up before it has had time to mature. Nevertheless we are quite prepared for some of it to mature at this end if you have any to spare. 

Pity you have not heard from Tiverton about the proposed visit to Exmouth, but shall I expect you to make up your mind about us at short notice anyway so don’t worry about it. There are a few mists about early these days but they do not develop into much, and clear well before midday. I think it is still a bit too early to start thinking about fogs. The weather will have to be much colder for the really bad fogs to form. I think you are fairly safe to travel up till about mid-November and would be extremely unlucky to come unstuck. 

Glad you were able to write to Mrs Godfrey, I thought you would want to do that. 

So you had another trip to Kingston on the blackberry lark. I thought that Friday was the day you had to pick up Arthur at Weston, did he not want to come with you. I am not a bit surprised that there are thousands of berries to be taken. It will probably be the cheapest way you can make even including the elderberry. At this time of year too, apples should be plentiful, particularly the windfalls, and imperfect ones. I believe you had a go at some on a previous occasion, but you may think to try some more. As an idea, blackberry and apple, as in the pie, might make a good combination. 

Yes still slugs and more slugs. I saw the paper-boy put his heel on one about 6 inches long on the front path this morning. It is quite risky walking down the hill some mornings as they come out of the grass and cross the path (for some reason query same as the chickens) to the hazard of all passers by. 

I do not think that Susan has seen the comic Wonderland yet. She was off-colour last Wednesday and stayed home from school. I brought a couple of comics home in addition to the two they normally have, but did not see the one you mentioned. There are lots of comics for all ages these days and it is a job to get the right age group now. 

So far, although I was aware that the polythene bags should be turned every couple of days, I have not done so.  The bags are in position as I placed them over a week ago. I see there is moisture on the inside and in all three pots the plant is throwing out leaf buds. I cut one right back if you remember and took off all the green leaf but the other two retained varying amounts of leaf.  It seems to make no difference as all the old leaves are still full of life, and the cutting without leaves is also throwing leaf buds. The pots are out in the garage right up to the glass level at the bench end. I expect it is a bit early to hope that they have rooted?

Sorry to say I was not aware that there would be any motorway anywhere near Clevedon. Something must have been said at some time or other, but I cannot recollect it. I cannot picture the Water Station at Twickenham or the football ground. Is it at the bottom by the star or even back in the direction where we saw the dahlias, or is it further on where the road divides for Failand and Nailsea. Perhaps it is a little way along either of the last named roads. Fancy it going through Kingston Seymour. It looks as if this road will provide the route that has been wanted for so long, one direct from Clevedon to Weston along the coast. 

The trouble with motorways is that they limit the number of access roads, and you may find that although it passes through Kingston, there may not be a roundabout or slip road which will enable you to get on it. However it is bound to cut the running time and possibly petrol consumption if you can get on one as near as Congresbury. Shall be interested to learn more of this project. 

Pauline went to Italy not Spain. Language, climate and food very similar, but not the direction. 

Not surprised that Geoff has not been lucky in contacting us by phone are you? 

You should remember that in America everything is done on the “grand scale” and a mere weekend assumes the proportions of a week. Nice to hear that some distant connection of ours strike it rich, but it won’t do him much good now poor chap. Presumably the party mentioned must have been an elder sister to Great-grandmother Fewings unless her son came to an untimely end in 1912. The sons and daughters of Grandmother Fewings mostly lived another thirty years, and several are still alive. 

Re: Paddington Yard report, had a meeting with Bryant on Friday (Goods Agent).  He had some of his inspectors present and NH. Bryant sent his District inspector. It was very fiery for about two hours, they called it all things under the sun, including murder, – and said it could not be done, – the drivers would not have it, the shunters would not have it, – the L.D.C. would not have it, etc. The chief inspector with two months to go offered to resign on the spot etc etc. Told him I could not comment on that one as it was a matter between him and Mr Bryant. Once we had sorted out all the issues raised that were the prerogative of other people to raise, they were left with the straight issue, – could all the work be done with one engine? They agreed, but said that insufficient staff had been provided to do the work. That of course is a matter for the L.D.C. staff side to comment on, so in the end subject to one minor provision, Bryant will recommend the report is passed onto the next stage. 

Regarding your query about the route, I believe the route you describe is the right one, but I cannot remember how we came back. I think we got a little lost in that area, and we wandered about in the outskirts of Windsor before getting back on the trail. I think that when you travel the layout of the roads will be a little different from those which we travelled on, as the M4 motorway has since been opened. This road bypasses Maidenhead, and will eventually pass Slough, but at the moment it stops short on the west side of Slough and you have to go on the A4 to proceed. Coming from the A303 through Englefield Green you will have to cross the A4 to get on the Iver Heath side and I am pretty certain you do it at the lights you suggest, also crossing the railway line by Dolphin Junction signal box. 

Susan suggested that perhaps Grandfy might like to grow a few blackberry bushes in his garden, but I told her you had spent the last thirty years trying to keep them out. I do not think my reply was understood or appreciated.*

You query what happened on the day of the school strike – Susan was sick as I said earlier but there was no strike at her school although some of the others in the area did close. I gathered that the parents had received letters informing them of the intention to strike. 

So sales have increased since dad join the choir. all good for trade apparently. 

Nice to know that Michael Richings has passed his B.A. At one time it looked as if he would not I think. 

Should have thought you could have made an edible hat, but after all you have prepared a few edible boots in the past. (reply awaited). 

So Arthur has gone on his way rejoicing by now. Hope the visit was a success for all concerned. After all they do live and act differently in America, and I suppose we should not judge them by our standards, or by any other for that matter. It is just a question of finding out how much one has in common apart from the language. 

Have not cut grass and may now leave it for the winter. We go out to tea this afternoon so it will be all rush and tear soon. Last Sunday we went over to West Drayton, Peter dropped the first bomb by bringing in his new girlfriend, and soon after the second one exploded when Mrs Hawkeswood and daughter walked in.

Tried to start the car yesterday to go shopping in the morning only to find that the battery was down flat. Borrowed Eric’s charger and in about half an hour had it on the road again. Doug was in bed with a heavy cold otherwise we could have pushed it into the road and tried coasting down the hill to start. Could not manage it on my own. Getting fewer and fewer dahlias now which is a pity as I had hoped you might be here to see them. We may have one or two left if your visit is not long delayed. Well there it is for this week once again, no doubt the girls will contribute a drawing or two. Love from us all for now. 

*Ya think?  After all, by the age of five a child really ought to be able to identify an invasive species.  /sarcasm.

Wednesday 20th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for the weekly budget which duly arrived yesterday. Glad to hear children on the mend again and hope you too will soon get rid of colds. 

Post your end a bit awry then as it was dispatched by usual collection here. 

Have no more of last year’s cherry wine on hand but will include a couple of bottles of this season’s brew in the boot of car when we come up. By the way no further news of proposed visit to Tiverton and Exmouth and time is going on. don’t want to leave our visit to you too late or shall be in too foggy weather for the journeys. Thanks re: tip about Staines and I must look up alternative route. 

It was very nice of you to drop me a special line re: Mr Godfrey death – it was first intimation I had had and I promptly wrote Mrs Godfrey and had a reply on Monday. The news came as a bit of a shock as although he was not in full health I thought – when we saw him in April last – he would be able to last several years yet. 

Tell Susan that we only see a few donkeys on Saturdays now because like her all the boys and girls have gone back to school. The beach of course is very much quieter now, only a few visitors about. 

Talking about blackberries – Bill Aston and I went out towards Kingston Seymour again last Friday morning and got home about 12:30 p.m. with 11 lbs and as he did not want any I brought them all here. Consequently I made another gallon of wine and Mum turned a lot into blackberry jelly. There are literally thousands of berries to be had for the picking. I think it will make a very nice wine. 

Note you are having trouble with slugs etc again after recent rain and that the dahlias are suffering. 

So you have a little girl up there who calls herself Robin Hood. Has she seen the new children’s comic Wonderland yet? 

Noted position re: honeysuckle cuttings – those in the polythene bags should be given some air when they have actually rooted – the purpose of sealing in the polythene bags is to encourage a humid atmosphere which assists rooting and whilst thus confined the bags should be turned inside out every two or 3 days to get rid of the moisture which lies in droplets on the inside of the bag. You may know all this of course. 

According to this last week’s Mercury the proposed new motorway for the West of England linking up the existing Birmingham and Ross motorway will come through the hill by the Water Station at Tickenham and cross the road by the Tickenham football ground then cut right through Kingston Seymour and on. Looks to me as if it will obviate having to run through Yatton and Congresbury as at present. 

Have ordered the two photographs of Susan on Mobo toy and expected delivery early now.

So Pauline is back from Spain – pity about her friend as it must have spoilt holiday for both of them. Geoff says they enjoyed themselves and that since their return he has tried to get you on phone but gathered from exchange your “number temporarily out of order” so he is going to ring you again – probably has done so by now and unable to understand why phone phone “still out of order”. Well Arthur duly arrived at Weston at 9:30 a.m. on Friday last and having said on phone we would meet him there we were there on time. But can you tell me how long an American weekend is for he is still here, no sign of moving on? 

He brought one piece of disturbing news and that was a distant relative of hours died out in America in 1912 a millionaire. Apparently this man by name of Madge, a son of a sister to your Great-grandmother Fewings, took part in the Gold Rush to Sacramento in the 1880s and struck lucky then bought a ranch and settled down as a rancher. But he had two sons who shared the fortune after the old man’s death. How about that? Could have done with a bit of that money myself.** 

So you are having some fun with your Paddington Yard report. Can understand Bryant – it is first line of defence to say a thing cannot be done and of course the scheme may have to be trimmed a little as a bit of a sop for him. 

Reverting to alternative routes for the Ruislip journey I take it we come out at the London end of Slough and at traffic lights cross right over main London road into the Iver Heath Road? 

Arthur has seen the wine making arrangements here but I’ve not offered him any yet. Says he has made it by gallons over there and it seems everything is done better or that everything is twice as large there – getting a bit fed up with it really. Apparently he once had hundreds of tomato plants fruiting (funny he does not eat any here) in the States but eventually sold the place for $14,000 having only given $4,000 for it himself. I wonder. 

Yes it was quite nice to be in choir again but have already told them I shall be missing for two consecutive weekends in near future. The old ones in are Mr Palmer – Ern Cole – Tom and Les Garland and Norman Baker. It was very familiar as you suggest – there was nothing I was not conversant with but they badly need treble voices – that line is terribly weak. I think the vicar is aware of position and is doing what he can personally and also keeps prodding the organist and choirmaster into action. 

Yes I think both Susan and Carol would have been delighted to have gone blackberrying with us. it was just a little too early when Susan was with us but she did have the odd one occasionally off the bushes by the side of the path around the hill. Latest figures for runner beans 280 lbs and tomatoes 192½ lbs, latter still going well and plenty on plants to come.

Obviously I’ve not done much since Uncle Sam (pardon Arthur) arrived. His place at home Daly City has a population of 55000 but he gets lost here with a population of about 10000. Managed to cut all lawns this morning whilst Arthur was out losing himself in The Triangle thinking he was in Hill Road, for which place he set out. 

Glad Susan likes her school dinners. I wonder what happened at her school today? Did she have a day off because of the teachers? I see the pupils of one school at Swindon had a meeting to decide what they would do when their teachers were out. Results was they also decided to strike. 

No more now hope you are feeling better. all our love to you both and once again lots of kisses for Susan and Carol. See you all soon. Mum and Dad 

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 welcome letter and glad you liked my drawings for Susan. We are having our harvest at church on October 1st but dad says he doesn’t want to be here especially as they have not practiced the Anthem enough. 

We have been selling tomatoes today like hotcakes. I don’t know if it’s something to do with Dad joining the choir but the ladies have been down, I will have to keep my eyes on Dad. We have a few pounds left to ripen anyway. Thank goodness the beans have finished. 

The people are fast going away from here and we shall settle down for the winter soon.

Michael Richings has passed his BA but is doing another year at university to make up for the year he missed. 

Have the children being sent home from schools up your way? T

They have in Bristol and Weston in some of the schools. 

We had a good day at T.G. yesterday. The competition was for an edible hat. Only one entrant but it was very good. It was a sailor hat made of sponge coated with pink icing and trimmed with striped ribbon and a few roses – made of marzipan I suppose. 

Well I think this is all so will close with best love from us both. Arthur goes on Friday morning to Dawlish. Mum and Dad 

*Never mind the ‘Willow Man’, described in the linked Wikipedia article; to a true local the most famous landmark on the road is Humphrey the camel.

**Well, this is a new one.  Alec did a lot of family history research into the Fewings line, but unfortunately all his research – although shared with others during his lifetime – died with him.  The disks he left behind are no longer possible to read, and the paper files are too numerous and disorganised to consult for the time being.  However it will be straightforward enough to trace back the family tree and see if a marriage to someone named Madge surfaces; it just requires time that isn’t actually available to me at the moment.

Sunday 17th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you once again for weekly letter, arrived this time after some delay. Instead of arriving at 8 a.m. or thereabouts it did not turn up until about 9:30 a.m., well after breakfast was over. Cannot think what caused the delay as I do not think there is a normal post at that time. Perhaps it went into someone else’s box, or maybe the post itself was late.*

The children do not seem too bad at the moment, Carol is getting over her cold and Susan has not had it so far. Yesterday Carol dropped off in the afternoon, obviously flaked out, and although she woke some half hour later went back to sleep again and much resented the final coming round. Must admit I could have done with a sleep at the time what with a good dinner in the recent past, and Carol’s cold which she has kindly passed on. By the way I find your cherry wine excellent for it. If it does not do you any good, at least it makes you feel better, and I am afraid the cherry wine has had a bit of a bashing over the last few days, and I see there is only about one-third of a pint left. If you have any going begging, will gladly accept some more when you come up. It is very good stuff. 

I told Susan that has all the boys and girls had gone back to school, the donkeys had no one to ride them so she said she would write a letter to Punch. Have not seen it yet. Susan has had the best part of a week back at school and so far no incidents. She seems to like school dinners and tells us she eats them all up. No second helpings of pudding apparently. 

Glad you were able to get a good supply of blackberries. I have no idea what blackberry wine tastes like, but I should be very surprised if it was not a good one. One thing about it, the fruit comes free, and the cost per bottle is that much reduced. Note the weather was fine for that jaunt, but at the moment it is pouring here. I am afraid we have had a lot of rain over the last week or so, and the slugs are here again in force. They are playing havoc with my dahlias. A small plant with about eight heads in bloom is now just a mass of slime and broken stems. The same applies to most of the others, but as I have so many this year, we are still able to get all the blooms we want. 

Susan just arrived in shorts, coloured top, and small bow and arrow and announces she is Robin Hood. 

I do not think I told you but last week I took several cuttings of the honeysuckle, potted three in those fibre pots you gave me, watered them, and placed them in the polythene bags you brought the rose cuttings up in. The rest of the cuttings, of somewhat lesser standard, June planted in the ground outdoors. I am not able to see any apparent progress in the outdoor cuttings, although they still remain green, but the ones put in the pots are throwing out young buds. I shall keep them there for a little while, then if they are still satisfactory I shall put them along the wire where the other honeysuckle used to be before it died. 

Glad the ivy is growing. Should think most things ought to in this sort of weather. I should add that it has been very warm and far too muggy both yesterday and today. Yesterday fortunately was dry and sunny with it. 

Your figures for the beans and tomatoes are truly astronomical. Have you yet worked out the relative cost per pound and receipts per pound to show you which is the more profitable to grow? 

Still nothing on the Pools. As far as I can see there were few draws this week but I did manage to get one. Not nearly enough I fancy. 

Westgate is near Margate and the whole of the Kent area (Isle of Thanet) is very pretty country. Unfortunately it is very overcrowded and it is a somewhat long-range dormitory for London. I do not know the distance from London to Westgate, but I would say that it is very considerably further than Ruislip. I doubt whether anyone would want to travel from Westgate to London to work for more than a few months. 

I note your route as supplied from the AA but I would avoid Staines like the plague if I were you. There is a turning off the A30 to the north before you get to Staines (left-hand fork) which takes you through a village called Englefield Green. If I recollect this should take you into Datchet, and you should also be able to avoid most of Slough, and run out via Iver Heath. Have not looked at the chimney since writing, hope it is alright as plenty of rain to test it now. 

I did not know what Bert Pearce was getting and I am rather surprised they are paying him so highly. I suppose he is getting more now than before he retired. Which brings me to the question of Godfrey. I had not heard that he had died, until last week. The following day John Lewin brought up the cutting. I suppose if he did not live at Maidenhead, and had not known him, I should not have heard by now. It is a funny thing, he used to be such a known person only a few years ago, but I find now that there are few in the D.T.M.O. who have ever heard of him. I gather you had not heard otherwise you would have mentioned it in your letter of 13th which presumably was despatched before you got my extra one.

Note Uncle Arthur spending this weekend with you. I hope your weather better than ours, otherwise you will have had difficulty in entertaining. By the way, I think you meant a ten-gallon hat. No doubt you will have more to say about his visit next time. I expect he will have been asked to try the wine. 

Glad you have been able to consider going back into the choir. I expect it was all very familiar, but several faces missing. I believe old Les Garland still takes part. Who are the others? 

I thought you would be interested in the Wootton Bassett episode. No doubt there are more like that waiting to happen these days. 

No more news about applications. The Paddington Freight Shunters Report was circulated to the offices on Thursday. Bryant has already said that it can’t be done, while Phillips wants it introduced immediately. I gather that it caused a bit of a hubbub down at the morning conference – a sort of verbal free-for-all. 

Susan was able to sort out the drawings that Mum put in her section of the letter. I had to explain what Grandfy had been up to though.

Pauline back from her holiday in Italy. She went to Sorrento but said it was a bit disappointing. The sand was black – volcanic ash. Not much to do there apparently and her friend was taken ill and had to stay in bed for several days. The flights were uneventful in either direction. 

Well that is the budget of news for this week hope you are both keeping well. 

Love from us all…

*”First World Problems”!  In hindsight this looks like over-privileged carping at a time when there were two post deliveries on most days and still IIRC one on Sundays.  Imagine a letter actually arriving a whole hour-and-a-half late!

Wednesday 13th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for the budget of news and drawings from Susan and Carol. It was ever so kind of you Susan and Carol to send us such a nice drawings. We hope you are both feeling better now and that Susan was able to go to school yesterday. All the little boys and girls in Clevedon are gone back to school and the donkeys are having a very restful time. There were four in Salthouse Fields on Monday and I saw one little boy younger than Susan cry when his daddy put him on a donkey and he had to be taken off again. 

Now to your letter – sorry to hear the girls have been off colour again and hope nothing serious. Surprising how quickly they are up and down.Expect June has been busy getting Susan ready for school. These past few days down the street are very much quieter down here now. A lot of the children have been out blackberrying, getting 1/- per lb for them from the greengrocers to sell again at 1/6d. Bill Aston and I went out last Friday – walked along seawall for half an hour towards Kingston Seymour then started picking. Managed to get 9 lb 3 oz between us and as he had already been out previously he gave me the lot. I put 4½lbs into fermentation (going well) and mum had the rest. Made a couple of apple and blackberry tarts and remainder into jam. May go out again one day this week for some more. It was a really lovely afternoon and no-one about. I went out in my gardening clothes minus coat. 

Yes we have had one or two lovely days and daytrippers to Clevedon increased rapidly. Different again now – stormy – overcast and much cooler. 

Glad to hear your dahlias continuing to flower and that you have some new colours for another season. Sounds as if you have found something that will really do well in your soil. You will be pleased to hear the three ivy cuttings in the three separate pots are showing signs of growing also the mint root which is in a larger pot.  Noted June meant runner bean seed and you shall certainly have some in due course. One of the easiest vegetables to grow but slugs and snails like them when they are pushing through soil. 

We are well up on last year’s figures both for runner beans and tomatoes and although the first named are easing up the latter continue plentiful. Latest figures to 276lbs runner beans 165lbs tomatoes. Note all your plants from Burnham Beeches are on the move. 

My effort on Pools last Saturday – three wrong on twelve results. 

Cannot understand why your previous snowdrops did the disappearing trick. This is one bulb which should acclimatize itself and come up year after year. Better luck with latest plantings we hope. 

I think it is just lovely for the children to go to their own section of library for books. I expect Susan and Carol look forward to their visit. We guessed the property at Westgate was let out of similar lines to the Exmouth bungalow. Mr Gray must have been impressed with the locality to contemplate buying a house there. How many miles would have been to his work query about the same as from Ruislip. 

The AA route of which particulars given last letter have I got correct route in mind especially towards your end of journey? It was the best way I could plan looking at it from this end.

Sorry to hear chimney not yet satisfactory – presumably you will have it put right now you’ve started the job. Better give it an opportunity to dry out I suppose but to me it sounds as if the leak has not altogether been stopped.

The shops are gradually getting nearer to your house then with a new one opening in Whitby Road. The time will come when you will be able to get any and everything in the Whitby Road area.

Thanks for news of Bert Pearce. Geoff had told me what he was doing at £1,100 per annum additional to his superannuation – could have done with a job like that myself.  Apparently Alex Griffiths (formerly Rolling Stock) is also on the same job but only for 3 or 4 days per week. 

Noted your phone still connected – have done nothing about ours yet just as well as the at the moment for we had a call from Dolly at Tiverton yesterday to say Arthur was there and could he come to Clevedon for the weekend. Mum took the call (I was in garden) and said yes and arranged for us to meet him at Weston-super-Mare station on Friday morning. Wonder if he will wear a two gallon hat? 

No more news from Uncle Joe re weekend at Exmouth but that causes no anxiety as it is possible we shall get short notice when it comes. 

You saw in August parish magazine the vicar was appealing for men to join choir. He repeated it in September issue and said there has been no response and position was serious. Mum and I ran into him in Hill Road a fortnight ago and he asked me to go back. Told him I would think it over and later agreed so went in last Sunday for first time for 14 years 5 months and it did not seem as if I’d ever been absent. I quite enjoyed it and felt more at home than sitting in church. Mum has now changed her seat and gone towards the front to help her hearing. I’ve told them already I shall be missing for two weekends in the near future and that one of them will probably coincide with Harvest Festival. 

Have not seen or heard of Norman Allen since last writing to order the photographs from Evening Post. Must try to contact him soon somehow. 

The new people moved into Mrs Drewetts house on a Friday last so all houses in Avenue are now occupied once more.

Thanks for information re Wootton Bassett accident a sorry job. I started work at that station on Monday 13th May 1912 travelling backwards and forwards to Swindon daily for three months before being moved to Melksham. The 60 [or 6o?]  wagon down refuge there was taken out of use upon conclusion of Second World War but it was a most useful stabling point during my time in the control. 

Have just heard the people in the end house at bottom of field – by river – moved out yesterday so it appears the property has at last been sold. 

Noted position re: McDonald – what about your application? Any further news? 

Yes it had to be Ted Caple but in this case he is in the clear. He told me Sunday the police were definitely making a charge against the motorcyclist. 

Yes I went over and gave a hand with the ringing when the visitors from Colchester were here they were just finishing up a touring holiday – ringing at various churches in the West Country.

Well I think this is the lot once more – hope you are all now keeping fit and well. All our love to you both and once again lots of kisses for Susan and Carol. Mum and Dad. 

Eva to the family on the remaining half sheet of Leonard’s paper:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Thanks for letter and drawings from Susan and Carol. The one I liked was the one with the girls but can’t think what the small drawings are unless it’s a pincushion, butterfly and a hedgehog. Is that the almond tree in the front garden? 

Talk about the flowers. Someone who has booked for the whole of September for altar flowers let them down, so yours truly has been asked to do three weeks. Mrs Cornish and I went up last Friday as the first week of course there is nothing left in the garden to pick so that meant buying chrysanths. 

Heels have gone to Jersey for a fortnight today. 

I have picked a few apples today, not very many this year. We have had a lot of rain here this last two days during evening part. Dad and Mr Aston were going blackberrying to make more wine but they haven’t made up their minds yet. I am going to make blackberry and apple jelly with the last lot Mr Aston picked. I should think he had had about 50lbs altogether what with going on the hill and across the sea wall. They are selling in shops 1/6d lb.*

Love from Mum and Dad

Drawings at the bottom – it seems to be Grandad collecting blackberries and Grandma arranging flowers in a vase.

*50lbs of blackberries at 1/6d = £3 15s 0d, which comes to something like £88 in 2021 money although only two thirds of that goes to the supplier/picker.  The August 2021 price of blackberries in supermarkets averages out to £5.13 per lb (i.e. 1.13 p per gram x 454 grams to the lb) so the equivalent sale price of 50lbs of blackberries would be £256.50.  The present writer collected £3.84 worth in the garden on August Bank Holiday Monday, simply from invasive wild blackberries.

Sunday 10th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for latest letter, another full budget. Drawings were appreciated by the children – must admit you can see what they are supposed to be. Yes, school starts again on Tuesday for Susan. She was really very good up until her holiday, but I suppose the break has been too long away from school and she is now getting bored with herself, so no regrets on our part. She said the other day that she did not want to go back to school, but I do not take that very seriously.

We liked the paper picture of Susan and the other children very much. We showed it to Ethel yesterday and she thought it was good. I am surprised you are able to get actual pictures (photos) from the Evening Post but should imagine they will be worth having. Should imagine the donkeys thought that summer had started all over again last week considering the weather we had. It was very good. There were about three days this end when it remained overcast and cold all day, but it was not overcoat weather. The remaining days including Saturday were very fine, and again today the weather promises to be good. (9:30 a.m.)

I thought perhaps you would not have heard of dahlias being moved when in full bloom, but those in the front garden have survived and are beginning to look quite respectable. I am inclined to agree with Percy Thrower about the dahlia being popular. a colleague has given me some mauve and black double ones, plus a large variety of unknown (as yet) colour and they are a great improvement on what I had before. We shall shed some of the lesser varieties this year as we are now getting more than we really need. The tall dahlia has not produced a bud yet, and I think it is touch and go whether we shall get a bloom this year or not.

Again yes, June did mean runner bean seeds, but obviously there is no need to have them before May of next year. They would be required to be planted directly out in the garden as I have nowhere for them to be brought on. We like broad beans but really have no room to grow them. It is planned to put the runners up the fence wire – I hope the children leave them alone, but I am not optimistic.

So your score of beans and tomatoes continues to mount, should imagine this must be a record year for you – how does it compare with last year? Good you were able to persuade Elford to take some tomatoes – query conditions of sale? Glad you did manage to get enough elderberries to make some wine. It is a good wine and as you say just like burgundy, but perhaps it might be a good idea to try a bottle or two with a little extra sugar as I think it would also make a good sweet wine as well as a dry wine. It seems as if if all the plants brought back from Burnham are living. We did have a lot of rain early in the week, and the ground and the cuttings got well saturated. I seem to be lucky of late when planting out cuttings. I can recall that on the last three occasions when seed or plants needed nursing along for a bit a series of heavy showers has relieved me of the necessity of going round with the watering can.

Thought you would like the dog skin rug – what next?

Had another go at the treble chance this week. Only ten draws on the coupon this time and I only got two of those. With only three ways to go with them I did not look any further.

I gather that the snowdrops are now planted in the rockery. Must wait patiently now. We had some once before – or twice before to be exact. The originals were already in garden around the tree in the front, but they diminished yearly. When at Reading in 1957 I bought two dozen and planted out, but after an initial show in some numbers they went, and have not been seen since. Perhaps your general remarks referred to snowdrops planted in decent soil. I am inclined to agree that once in you can forget them.

The children are inclined to be a bit noisy in the library, but gradually improving. I have explained to Susan that the library is a ‘quiet place’, and the penny is beginning to drop. They know where their type of book is located and soon rush off to that corner. Incidentally there are usually one or two children already there.

The property at Westgate is let out in the same way as Joe’s bungalow. It is probably much more modern and slap up as it is reported to us. Doug and Ethel say they had a couple of glorious weeks, and the report is that Ethel had to restrain Doug from buying a house down there. Said only the fact of having to consider Ronny prevented them etc. etc. etc. Surprising you have not seen or heard of Arthur. Perhaps he is not going to visit you after all. If you knew where he was you could write.

So Ted Caple has had another banger. It could only happen to him. We had no news of the Spanish visit, perhaps you have more information.

McDonald had his interview on Monday of this week. He says he has not got the job but does not say who has. It appears he sank his own chances by gabbling on about Work Study at the interview. Should think it was deliberate. I take no notice of McDonald’s reported remarks. Time to do something about them is when he makes them to me personally. Sauce for the goose etc. anyway.

I have just turned up my letter to you after our June holiday and find that the mileage we covered on our return journey was 152. No doubt we went somewhat out of our way, in fact I recall two such occasions and a slight deviation in the Windsor area. The route to West Harptree is as you know very countryfied and includes several miles of narrow lane with only room for one vehicle. 

The railway accident at Wootton Bassett arose through a parcels train over running a signal. The guard was a West Indian, and the only man on the station was a very junior porter. The train had to set back through catch points so the latter was sent out with clips and padlocks and in due course train was called back. Unfortunately the lad had clipped the wrong set of points. (This is all hush-hush of course.)*

The kitchen chimney job here not a proved success yet as June noticed last week that the inside wall was still a little damp. It may be that these things take a little while to dry out. Have not looked since.

You did not say if Dad accepted the invitation to ring with the Colchester people. Should think it would prove a diversion.

Not much local news this end. They have not taken our phone away yet which of course is causing trouble as it has to be dusted to no purpose.**

Used up the last of my cement on the coal bunker yesterday. There were and still are a few patches around it that need my attention.

They have opened one of the new shops in Whitby Road. (New premises for Fine Foods.) it is larger than the old place, and we find that they sell meat in addition to the usual mixed groceries. This should save a bit of shoe leather. Their older shop has been taken over by a firm of cleaners and there is a large electronic type of cleaning machine in the shop exposed to the public gaze. All most efficient except that on Saturday water was pouring out from under it in a steady stream, so much so that no one could enter, and the female assistant was sweeping it out onto the path where it formed a stream out onto the road. I expect the proprietors were a bit livid at that.

Ran into Bert Pearce in the week. He wished to be remembered to Dad. He tells me he is working at the BTC on the new timetable that is to come into operation next summer.

Both Susan and Carol have been a bit off colour this week. I think there is something going around. First Carol had it then after three days Susan got it then after the same interval Carol had her second dose. The thing consists of biliousness with high-temperature flushed appearance and lasts about four hours. Next day on each occasion they were as right as ninepence. The last session with Carol (on Thursday) caught her really low. A hair appointment had been arranged and she was taken out but wanted to lay down in the street as she felt so groggy. When at the hairdressers the assistant said that they were not expected as she had the dates down wrong.*** After that I gather the band began to play. 

Well there is not much more I can say at the moment so will close once again. Hope you are both keeping well. Love from us all. 

*It has not been possible to discover much online about this incident, which was clearly considered an ‘operating mishap’ rather than a major disaster – although it presumably required considerable clearing up. The most readily available information is from the GoogleBooks entry relating to Adrian Vaughan’s ‘Railways Through the Vale of the White Horse’ which includes the following paragraph and image:

There was another crash at Wootton Bassett on 5 September 1961. A Down goods train passed Wootton Bassett East box without a brake van. The signalman realised instantly that the train had become divided and the rear part was following, on a gentle downgrade, so he turned the facing points for the Down goods loop to prevent the wagons running away down Dauntsey Bank. The wagons crashed through the buffers beyond and spread wagons across the up-and-down main lines.

A Down goods diverted into the Down loop at Wootton Bassett East failed to stop at the exit signal, crashed through the buffers beyond and flung loaded wagons left and right, on 5 September 1961. Wootton Bassett West box is in the distance. DON LOVELOCK.

**OMG the horror, having to dust the phone! People’s priorities (June’s and Alec’s in particular) never cease to amaze me.

***Which whole situation could have been avoided by phoning to cancel the appointment, which would of course have made dusting the phone a worthwhile exercise after all – I mean, who wants to use a dusty phone? /cynicism.

Wednesday 6th September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for letter and Susan’s drawing to hand as usual yesterday morning.  A very nice drawing again Susan, and we are glad to know that daddy waters the garden. Soon be school time now and I expect you will be pleased to go back. 

Note newspapers duly arrived. Norman Allen got the proof for us from Evening Post people and we may order one each for you and ourselves. Susan would have looked better on a horse or tricycle but it was a case of grabbing hold of the first thing available or not being in picture at all. Hope Grandfy and Grandma Baker liked it. Have not been across Salthouse Fields since taking the tomatoes to Mrs Hillman but I believe the donkeys are still earning their keep. Can hear the train whistle from garden especially Saturday and Sunday afternoons. 

Yes there were several high tides and we went out again on Saturday evening but the sea was like a millpond so no excitement of waves splashing over the promenade. This week it has been a little different, quite a strong wind and several storms, atmosphere very heavy but we have had no thunder. 

Have never heard of dahlias being moved once they were in flower but you seem to have succeeded so hope you continue to get a good show. I did not plant any this year. Last Friday Percy Thrower on TV said that next to the rose the dahlia was the most popular flower in the country and that the more you cut the flowers the better, for it will continue flowering until frosts come. 

Presumably June means runner bean seeds. It is broad beans we plant in October and at the time of coming to you it is doubtful if the runner bean seeds will be sufficiently ripened to gather in – we shall see. In any case can let you have some in due course by some means or other. to date have picked 270lbs of runner beans and 140lbs of tomatoes. Elford called up the other day for runner beans so I reminded him I had tomatoes as well; he took 6lbs of latter and I picked 12lbs runner beans. I managed to pick just sufficient elderberries to make a gallon of wine – the birds have had the rest. Only got about half a pound from Cornish’s garden and three-and-a-half from our own making the 4lbs required; it is now in a violent ferment. Yes may have to consider larger quantities sometime in the future. 

Noted distance to Burnham Beeches and back about 40 miles. More success then with the heather and one of the little beech trees – if you had a bigger garden you could get more in it. (Have heard this before bracket.) We very much liked the idea of the dog or poodle skin rug outside toilet. It was one of those narrow brown long-haired mats, you’ve seen it before. Fancy Susan remembering little things like that. She enjoyed herself here alright and so did we but naturally we both had a little bit of catching up again after her return home. As we have said before she was splendid considering it was her first time away from her own home. 

The twelve results was 100-1 one shot so missed £5. Nowhere near it last Saturday because of so many freak results. 

There is plenty of time to plant snowdrops but once in you can forget them all together they will come up yearly and increase quickly And give a nice little show in early spring. 

Fancy Susan and Carol choosing their own books at the library. We often see children in our library here –  a room is set apart for children’s books adjacent to main library. Mum and I go up on an average once a week. 

We were not aware that your neighbour at 94 had a house at Westgate and that your other side neighbours had used the premises. Let out I expect as Joe and Lydia let their bungalow at Exmouth. By the way we have not yet heard from them re: visit, neither have we any more news of Arthur which seems a bit strange. Things will happen all together in the end probably. 

Glad to hear car satisfactory and that Jackson will touch up the rear wing for you. Ted Caple here had another mishap with his new A40 last week. He was going along Elton Road towards Six Ways when a motorcycle shot out of Seavale Road to get across to Victoria Road and ran into him broadside. Ted Caple told me Sunday it is probable the police will issue a summons against motorcyclist for driving without due care etc. Meanwhile car is in garage for repair. This is about the third time this new A40 has been involved in accidents, none of which were Caple’s fault. 

Geoff and family should be home again by Thursday evening this week. Had a card to saya good time was being had by all. 

Very interested in your work report on Paddington yard, also that you have another application in for promotion. Best wishes for this one. How is McDonald’s possible move progressing? (Having trouble with my Biro so have just fetched the one I keep in garage.) Why should McDonald “not think much of your application”?

So you did not hear anything of previous application then, gone too long now for any news presumably.  Keep us advised. 

Norman Allen had an interview last Friday for position as assistant investigator Work Study (Class 2). His second child was christened in Old Church last Sunday afternoon. 

Not much local news this week but we did hear there has only been one fire on Church Hill this season and that this had been put out before fire brigade arrived. 

I wrote the AA for route to Ruislip – Barrow Gurney – Chew Magna – Farrington Gurney – Radstock – Frome – Warminster – Amesbury – Andover – Bagshot – Staines – Datchet – edge of Slough – Iver Heath – total mileage 142¾. Is this the route you had in mind? 

I see railway accidents continue, the latest at Wootton Bassett yesterday morning. They are are much too frequent nowadays. 

Saw Bill Aston over the weekend and understand that despite the diet he is on he still gets severe stomach trouble at times which makes him feel miserable. I don’t know what he can do about it if anything. Cornish came over yesterday morning and helped me clear  guttering out around house; you will remember during heavy rain the water came out of guttering just on a level with window in front bedroom and rattled down on to zinc covering the window of front sitting room. It was surprising the amount of silt which had collected. Had this done around his house so we ought to be alright for a month or two. 

How about your kitchen chimney since you had it attended to – is it watertight now? 

No more this time, hope you are all keeping well. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for our two little girls. Mum and Dad 

Eva to the family on  the remaining half-sheet of Leonard’s writing paper:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for drawing and letter. We laughed at Susan’s description of the bedroom rug. We have had them for years and they were Grandma Fewings’s before that, but I have always taken them up before you came thinking the children would fall over them, but forgot it when you came the second time. We have been on the garden again and there are plenty of jobs to do. In the middle of it this afternoon Stanley James came to see if Dad could ring as there are some visitors from Colchester, but not enough for the bells. It has been quite cold this last two days, almost needs a fire. I suppose Susan is really ready for school again. I’m looking forward to October. Love from Mum and Dad. 

Underneath drawings of fruit and veg headed ‘guess these’:  pumpkin grapes turnip carrot banana potatoes cherries and something that might be beetroot.

Sunday 3rd September, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you both very much for letters received yesterday. We thought that the photograph in the paper was very good. June has delivered Grandma Baker’s copy, when the children visited her on Wednesday. Sorry you had to buy several copies before the one that mattered. (Cleaned the typewriter this morn, and every key now sticks, so apologies for mistakes.) It was was very kind of Mrs Hillman to look after Susan at the Mobo toys. She has always done similarly. Glad you were able to reciprocate. Sorry that Punch was not in evidence when you had a walk round, no doubt he is having a well earned rest after carting some pocket heavyweights about.*

Sounds as if it was a good night for the high tide. Of course it always looks more spectacular when there is a wind and plenty of waves. I expect there were plenty of people about as the weather was so good. 

Not much more to comment about the garden other than to say that yesterday I took several of the smaller variety of dahlias from the clump at the bottom of the garden and although flowering well I have put them out in the front garden and well watered them in. They have survived the night without drooping any of the flowers. I think that they should do all right although a bit risky I suppose. They were being squeezed out by the bigger varieties and in any case we preferred to cut the larger flowers so that they were not getting fair treatment. By putting them out the front they will give a splash of colour for a week or two.

June has reminded me to ask you for some bean seeds if any to spare when you come up. I do not know where we are going to plant them unless it is on the roof of the garage. I suppose the birds are having what is known as a field day at your place. I should be inclined to pick all available elderberries and put in buckets to soak. With the amount that you have at your end I should think that you might very well consider brewing larger quantities than gallons each time. In normal years you should be able to fill a small barrel with wine made from elderberries or apples or plums. Perhaps even cherries would be available in sufficient numbers to. There is of course room for your very own wild blackberry bush provided it is kept within bounds. Only the birds to contend with then. 

Burnham Beeches is a bit far for just a casual trip, but for an afternoon and evening jaunt it is fine. I doubt if we shall be doing any popping over there for blackberries, but we have had it in mind for some little time to take you over there when you come up. As you know Burnham is first station on your side of Slough and our last round trip added up to about 40 miles. The heather we planted seems to be doing fine and also one of the beech trees. The second tree does not seem to be too lively as all its leaves were large and have all shrivelled. The other tree had some small young leaves at the tip which are still very green. We took your point about the “read me another” very well. Susan is very greedy in that respect. It does not matter how many stories you read, it is the one that you don’t that is the most important.**

Incidentally, Susan said this morning that Grandma (Atkins) has got a dog-skin rug outside her toilet. Later she said it was a poodle-skin rug. Hope you can place it. 

It seems that Susan’s visit has set you all back in that mother’s washing was all saved up for the Monday after, and your gardening all behind. There is no doubt she enjoyed it all, and I think she must have been in seventh heaven.***

Glad your tomatoes are on the move again. It would have been a pity if you had to waste all those because the outlet had closed. No doubt the price has dropped a bit now. 

So you had a near miss on the opening week of the pools did you? This week I sent in a perm of sixteen matches for 2/6d on the treble chance. I have not looked to see the actual score as I had three draws and eleven aways in that number. Pity I have not tried the away pool. I can not be bothered to work the things out in detail this year so I am just picking my fancy each week with particular emphasis on promoted and relegated teams. What do they pay out for twelve results? 

Sorry to report the snowdrops have not yet been planted. This was a bit of misreporting last week. I thought they had been put in but I was wrong. This job will probably now be done today. 

We all went to the library again yesterday. Both Susan and Carol choose their own books now. Oddly enough Carol chose the same book that Susan had [been] presented at the Sunday school last year. 

Glad the gloves came in handy in the garden. Raspberries are the worst thorns for penetration even if they do not scratch quite so much as rose or blackberry. The weather has been good again here this week. All week we have been having high temperatures and plenty of sun. Until today we had no thunder, but at about 7:45 a.m. we had a loud but distant solitary clap. At about 10:30 a.m. we had the usual build up of thunder increasing in intensity, a short light shower of rain (all dried up 1 hour later) and that was that. 

Our car has been going quite well since Jackson brought it back. He is going to use a drop of paint on the rear wing after all. There has been evidence of increasing oil leak but he says it may be due to the hot weather making the oil run more.

I suppose the Spanish trip is nearly over now. I do not fancy carting the children over to the continent and a load of luggage as well, a bit too wearing especially for a holiday. 

Susan recognised the drawing of Punch when I showed it to her.

The Benns have come back from Westgate after an enjoyable week, and Doug and family have now gone on to the same house. As you know Jack in number 94 owns the place and has let it to them. We had a card from the Grays who were at Littlehampton earlier in the week. It seems they think it is a marvelous place.

Not much news from the work front this week. We put in the Paddington yard report on Friday, reduced 24 men to 9, reduced 2 engines to 1, and save £16000**** per annum. He will get one about capstanmen at the same place 29 to 8 and saving £10500 p.a.. Of course he is delighted and dishing out compliments. Took the favorable opportunity to apply for another job. Lecturer at the work study school £1,500 plus. I gather he did not think much of it, but has not said anything to me. Heard nothing about the last application, probably never will. Weather clouding over again so we may yet get more rain. It will do the dahlias good. Well there it is again for the time being. await your next. Love from us all.

*The pocket heavyweight, of course, was me. They never lost an opportunity, even at the age of five, to make disparaging remarks about my weight.

**A bright, intelligent, intellectually curious child wanting to be told stories? How awful!

***Frankly, it seems as if this trip – which IIRC was a one-off – was set up with the intention that I would ‘misbehave’ and expose myself to my grandparents as the evil little beast they thought I was, and when that didn’t happen they were disappointed and could not bring themselves to form the obvious conclusion – that it was the parenting at fault, rather than the child.

****£16,000 in 1961 would be roughly £377,500 in 2021; £10,500 would be £247,750, and £1,500 would be £35,400. Alec’s treble chance entry at 2/6d would translate to about £3.

Tuesday 29th August, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for all your letters received this morning. Glad to hear Alec and Susan arrived home safely on Saturday in spite of luggage and umbrella. As you already know we were delighted to have Susan for a few days and I’m sure she enjoyed every minute of it. No doubt though that she was pleased to see Mummie and Carol on Saturday as she was to see Daddie on Friday. it was however a magnificent effort for her on her first time away from home.

What did you think of photograph in the Evening Post?* We thought Susan came out very well. Sent on two papers as we thought June might like to let her father and mother have a copy. I took along some tomatoes for the lady in charge of Mobo toys on Saturday afternoon when I went along to get the papers and thank her for being so kind to Susan. She was delighted. On my way home I went over to the place where the donkeys stand but Punch was not there, Susan – he must have been having a rest day. They all have a day off per week apparently. 

What a difference in the weather this past weekend. Mum and I actually went out at 9 p.m. last night to see the high tide which was due at 9:40 p.m. Fortunately there was no wind blowing but the water was well over the Lower Promenade path running alongside the Swimming and Boating pool.

Noted how busy you both have been on the garden and lawns and that rose cutting has turned out satisfactorily. Your dahlias must be a picture and should continue flowering until the frosts come. 

I made a start yesterday on the collection of things to bring up to you in due course by putting up some mint roots. Walked down the field just now and found birds playing havoc with the elderberries so must get busy with wine making again in a day or two. If you can get blackberries in Burnham Beeches it would be worth collecting some for jam and or wine. Incidentally if weather is kind when we come up we should like to go there and collect leaf mould and bring home – it’s very valuable stuff for seed sowing et cetera. How far is it from Queens Walk? Hope you succeed in getting the heather and beech trees to grow. **

Referring to June’s letter and glad tomatoes and beans came in useful and hope it was not too much of a burden for Alec to carry them home. It was the only opportunity of getting some more to you. Expect you had a nice weekend with Eileen and no doubt Susan and Carol kept her busy. “Read me another one – just one more” says Susan. 

So Pauline has gone to Italy for her holiday – probably scorching there considering what it is like here at the moment. Quite a coincidence that Eileen’s father and mother should visit Burnham-on-Sea whilst on their holiday at Bridgwater. There have been a lot of people in Clevedon these past two weeks the front has been more crowded than I’ve seen it for a long time. It may partly be due to the Bowling Tournament on the green near the Mobo toys. Quite a lot of children about too but Susan had her share of the swings, slide, roundabout etc. apart from the miniature train and Mobo toys, donkeys and bridal coach. I wish you could have seen her sometimes. We have missed her this week and I’ve lost my little shadow. Both of us here have had to get back to normal.

Mum did a big wash on Monday and I’m trying to catch up in garden. Total weight of runner beans to date 250 lbs and tomatoes 112 lbs. Latter selling very well again now to local inhabitants. Today I’ve been taking out the old raspberry canes and tying in the new ones for next year’s fruiting but it got so hot early afternoon that I gave it best for time being. The young married couple (next door) who are on holiday in Cornwall sent us a nice tin of Cornish cream which we much enjoyed.

That train of stock labelled Paddington we saw at Yatton on Saturday Alec, I passed on my way back to Clevedon. It was going in there for a works outing Clevedon to Paddington and formed the 8 a.m. Clevedon as between Clevedon and Yatton.

Did you say what happened to the draws Saturday? If Portsmouth had won instead of drawing*** I should have had 12 results up. Still a miss is as good as a mile.

No further news of Arthur Fewings yet as presumably he is still at Taunton. Mum and I are going to Bristol tomorrow Wednesday to visit the Staceys at Henleaze hence this letter being written today. Note you have put in snowdrop bulbs; that was just a little present from Susan and we went out specially to get them on Friday, Susan watching saleswoman count them out as they were put in bag. Susan also picked out the jigsaw puzzle for Carol in Woolworth as well as the toy writing paper and stamps for herself as well as Carol. The African violet has improved wonderfully.

Must tell you that the gardening gloves you gave me some months ago I had their first really hard work today – on the raspberry canes. Result no thorns in hands or fingers. Have used them on previous occasions but today was the real test.

How did car go since you have had it back from Jackson? Mine will have to go in for servicing sometime in September. It was last in just before coming to you at Easter. It is still quite alright but with a couple of long journeys soon (Exmouth and Ruislip) feel it it must have a once-over and greasing.

Not a lot more to say this time I’m but I can repeat that we were delighted to have Susan, that that she was a very good girl and that all three of us enjoyed every minute of it and we shall look forward to her next visit. Now I will leave Mum to fill up this page I’m sure she will have a lot more to tell you. all our love to you both and lots of kisses for Susan and Carol.

Mum and Dad

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

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for all the letters. I see Susan put in an extra stamp, for me to reply I expect. There is no doubt that Susan enjoyed every minute of the few days and was a very model girl. I’m afraid the needlework did not get a look in beyond finding a needle and threading it, there was so much else to do. I believe it would have been too hot for us this week as it’s simply baking here can hardly bear our clothes on. The thought of going to Bristol tomorrow makes me shrivel. I hope Pauline will have a good time in Italy. Wonder if Geoff etc will find it too ’ot in Spain.

I believe we have another lot of plums coming on trees there are several green ones there so should think it was a second session. Hope you liked the photo in paper the boys were nowhere in that one.

Several more came out from the Mobo place but Jessie only let six have their photos taken. We happened to go along there at the right time. I think Dad bought six copies before the photos appeared.

Hope you are keeping OK lots of love to all and kisses xxxxxxx for Susan and Carol.

From Mum and Dad

[Drawing of a donkey labelled ‘Punch’ with the comment ‘He is too fat’. His tail also reaches the ground!]

*Briefly, the story was this: I was at the Mobo Park when some people came along and took six children outside in order to photograph them for the local newspaper. (I remember two tall men in suits and pullovers – it was a bit of a grey day – but that may be imagination; I was only five, after all.) Being incurably nosy I rode up to the top of the slope to watch, and when one child burst into tears and had to be sent back into the park they saw me there and invited me to take its place. The picture was actually on the front page of the paper, and in recent years I have been trying to track down a copy – not helped by the fact that until I reached this letter in the sequence I did not have anything resembling a date for it, and had also thought it was actually a different newspaper. Now that I have the correct information it should be possible to pin it down and get a copy, although searching local newspaper archives is not as simple as it might once have been. Watch this space, or one very much like it, for further details.

**The distance was about thirteen miles. For more on my feelings of disgust about the planned theft of leaf mould from Burnham Beeches, see previous entry.

***1-1 at home to Halifax Town.