Sunday 24th January, 1960

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Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you both for your letters also crate of apples and onions duly received and collected. You sent off apples on the 20th also the letter same day and both arrived on the 21st. June handed me your letter when I arrived home on the Thursday and said that West Ruislip Station had telephoned to say they had arrived there. I was very surprised to see the charge was so high. Will get you back the 6/7 on the charge. If you send any more it will be much cheaper to send by freight and will get here quick enough. I must look up what parcels and freight facilities they have at Sudbury Hill and Northolt Park as those stations are quite near here and the rate would be less due to the shorter distances. The apples and onions arrived in good condition and very securely packed. I thought you had tacked on a couple of leaves out of the old dining room table. We picked up the consignment on our way to West Drayton on Saturday. I left June and the children at I55 while I went to see the match. It was quit a a good match up to half time and not much to choose. Hayes were the better side and were able to keep going on the thick mud better than Clevedon. They deserved to win but the score was just a little out of keeping with the relative skill of the teams. The locals seemed very impressed and there was much comment at the standard of play. It appears most people liked the game much better than the previous weeks match against Barnet. That appears to have been played in a most unsporting manner. We had a bit of trouble with Carol again last week-end and again last night. She stands up in her cot and bawls her head off. We had another session of it again to-night but June managed to get her off after a while. Hope she stays quiet as not in favour of changing to a cold bed at 1-Oam. We have got round to having a few thoughts on holidays etc to I960 and at the moment have this in mind. Easter leave plus odd days to make one week. Ten days towards the end of June, some odd days later in the Summer and balance to combine with Christmas leave to make the last week. If it is convenient, and you would like to come, perhaps you could come to us at Easter and Christmas, and we could go to Clevedon at the end of June, The last time you came at Easter you came on the Thursday for a week, and a similar arrangement would do this year. Stop longer if you like, but I shall have to return to work on the Thursday. Regarding the Summer, we have in mind something like Thursday to the following Monday week. We are thinking about having odd day trips out in the car later in the Summer and Christmas as previously stated. I think you said you preferred to cone up before the calls of the garden got too heavy. Will wait to hear your comments on these proposals before booking the dates. Susan again went to Sunday School to-day. She has been given a medal. (Badge) with S.R.M, on the outside and S.S. in the centre. Presume this means South Ruislip Methodist Sunday School. Apparently all children who have been attending for 16 weeks get one. Did not realise that she had been attending for so long. Nights beginning to get lighter now. It is just light at 5-Opm. The weather here over the week-end has been most depressing. I think it has rained solidly all the time. Fine driving rain with half a gale behind it which becomes heavy at times. Most of the hollows in the field are full with water but there is no great collection of it in the garden. Along the edges of the borders there is some though. Car still going well. Have not been out to-day but may go to Kensington next week and the week after as have a couple of 12 hour jobs to do involving getting up quite early and getting home quite late. From the road point of view, Kensington is not far from Shepherds Bush so should not take much more than half an hour. Carol is talking a lot now and said Grandma Atkins quite clearly this afternoon. When I came in from garden this morning in Wellingtons, she took one look, said “Slippers Daddy “and promptly brought them over. By the way, I saw Tom Houghton passing by on Saturday and gave him a shout*. There were a number of others there I recognised and quite a bit of local support. There two two’s and two one’s in W./Study on this week’s vacancy list and I understand there will be two more two’s in next week’s or the week after. If Norman is still keen he will not get a better chance. I will of course mention his name to Baynton-Hughes (Heir Apparent to Wilkinson). I shall only be in office Monday and Friday for the next two weeks so it may be a while before I can see him. Our crowd are doing Worcester Marshalling Yards and Swansea Carriage’ Cleaning’ and Passenger Stn. After that I understand they will be going to Bristol for C. Cleaning. Shall be interested to hear reactions of L.E. Well that must be all for this week. Hope you are both in the best of health. Love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec till next time.

*In later years he was firmly of the opinion that attending at football matches and actually shouting was something only lower-class people did; possibly because at different times both of his daughters exhibited a tendency to do this. [Double standards, dad? What a shock! Not.] I went to a match at Elland Road and saw a West Ham side which included Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, and probably Bobby Ferguson against the classic Leeds United line-up including Jack Charlton, Billy Bremner etc., but my real love was actually cricket.

Sunday 17th January, 1960

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Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for both your letters duly received and noted. Yes we would like the Car Rug of course, sorry I forgot to mention it in our last letter. We shall find it very useful. Glad to hear Mrs Drewett out of hospital but it seems that Mrs Bishop not so good. Carol and Susan still keeping O.K. – not even a snivel. They are both full of mischief and Carol is just as had as Susan if not worse. June’s teeth much better now. She is having the rest of the fillings done and should not involve more than two more visits I should say. Did not take her over to Greenford on Saturday on account of the road conditions. We did go to Eastcote for some shopping in the afternoon. Yes we did appreciate Goosey Gander in preference to a “wail” during those anxious nights. She is fast learning the rest of the rhyme which should provide a little welcome variety, Carol chatters away a lot now and says the most amusing things. Susan is very good with the Jig-saws. She has several and can do them all by herself. It does not take her long to do them either. Quicker than I could do them. Considering that at each session she is about four pieces short, ( under carpet etc. ) I do not think it a bad effort. We have not had much snow during the hours of daylight. Most of ours fell during one night. There has been little rise in temperature so that the original lot is still lying about. I suppose a couple of inches – no more. Finances were the main reason for running out of juice last week. Did not particularly want to buy more petrol if I could help it on Saturday and gauge showed an appreciable amount above the empty mark but rather less than a gallon. Understood that most cars held about half gallon in reserve when gauge reached zero. Decided to find out with the results you know. Yes I was fortunate to be adjacent to a garage when supply ran out but than you’re never far from one in London. When you come to think of it there are five within a half mile radius of this address. I cannot say I blame you for not going to the Cup Match last week if the wind was so bad. I intend going to Hayes on Saturday so shall keep a look out for Houghton and crowd. You need not bother about routing parcels to West Ruislip. They all go one way – to Paddington inwards parcels for road motor to Marylebone thence by parcels train to West Ruislip. I have a bottle of raisin wine left in cellar but as yet untried. As far as I recollect that lot was made in October 1958. Have not made any lately but have a sip or two when I think of it, June and I have been painting the outstanding portion of the kitchen. We put primer on the walls on Friday night after the children had gone to bed and yesterday we put on the under coat. June has put first lot of top coat on this afternoon. It does not look too bad. We have been having coal fires augmented by Belling Convector Heater as necessary and have managed to keep quite snug. Carol has ripped a large piece of wall­paper off the wall in the front room. About a foot long. Had a go round the garden this morning and removed all the debris. I see that the scabious are nearly all alive despite the frost. We planted out the old Christmas tree and that seems to be alive too. The mind-your-own-business has spread all over the rockery and is standing up to the cold very well. I cut down the Chrysants to about four inches of the earth but have left them in situ. They seem to be doing all right and throwing out growth from the base. I suppose that next month I shall have to start thinking about planting our remaining begonia in a box and starting some early seeds. Gave the car a good clean over. The snow does leave awful marks on the bodywork and it all runs down the sides. The amount of impurities in the atmosphere here must be colossal. Saw Geoff last week he was not looking so good. He said he had a bit of a cold and I must say it was noticeable. No more news about office moves. Have no irons in the fire at all now. There do not seem to be any coming along worth putting in for. Budworth went to York last week for an interview for Assistant to Divl Operating Supt Wakefield. Cant say I think much of his chances or of the job for that matter. Manning who got promotion to LNR has been given his first assignment. – Preston station. He recently moved his home from Wrexham to Reading – not all honey. I understand that last Thursday the representative from the Divisional Managers came to Paddington to find out what staff were in mind for transfer to them from head office. I hear (unofficially – still top secret) that W/S is to go to the Divisions. As said before I do not suppose this will affect me although I would not mind Bristol. Well that just about exhausts the news for this week. I hope that you are both keeping fit and sticking out the bad weather. Love from us all.

June . Susan. Carol and Alec

Thursday 14th January, 1960

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Leonard to the family [on the reverse of timetable 179, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham, Stourbridge Junction, Kidderminster, Bewdley, Dudley, Wolverhampton and Wellington]:

Dear Alec, June, Susan and Carol

Many thanks for your letter received yesterday and we were very relieved to hear that Carol had improved – had thought about you all quite a lot since previous letter from June. Mother has already written and I’m sending on a few more lines to arrive Saturday morning. Should think you would rather hear Goosey Gander than yelling from Carol in middle of the night if you have got to be disturbed but a good night’s sleep is much better of course. Anyhow we are glad her ladyship is getting on better now and hope you will all keep well during this bad spell of weather. We have had snow at last – about five hours of it on Wednesday and this morning it was frozen over. Good news about your car and with the minor repairs completed and the satisfaction of knowing the car is mechanically sound you will feel more assured when on the road. I know I should. Fancy running out of petrol – query no gauge. Was always afraid of this with my old car. The answer is obvious – carry a spare tin or even bottle of petrol in boot for emergencies. You were fortunate to be near a supply station. Glad to hear June feeling better now after visiting dentist again.

Did not go to see Clevedon’s cup match – had it in mind but it was a terribly cold day with a strong North East wind blowing and you know what the ‘Grandstand’ is like. Norman Allen went and he later told me that Ilford had more of the game and should have won. Anyway we shall not see another opportunity this season as I see they are away to Barnet or Hayes*. Mr Baker doing alright on Pools then – pity he could not touch them for a few thousand pounds as indeed I would like to do. No luck here and the season more than half gone again. You may say you would like some apples & onions sent on “when you can get it fixed”. If I send it to West Ruislip TCF let me know exactly how parcel should be labelled including rank – latter I should imagine being rather important.

Am using up the bottle of raisin wine we opened when you were here in Dec – it is quite good. One of your early brews in 1958 I think and which we brought back last Whitsun.

Thank you for the Estate Gardens Bulletin – quite interesting and a good number of ideas. Have not done a lot outdoors yet – did break up the stone and level it on path outside french windows running parallel to next door neighbour on Monday and of course I can proceed a little in greenhouse where heater keeps frost at bay. Have taken more carnation cuttings and now – when compost mixed up – I can get on with some chrystanths. The seed potatoes arrived last week and have been set out in trays for chitting. Have also been down the field and severely pruned a couple of apple trees to make things a bit easier when grass is to be cut later on. The prunings when sawn up will come in handy for fire logs.

Shall be ringing for another wedding on Saturday and understand bells required again in February for another.

Now I think this is all once more all the best to you and lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.

Dad & Mum

*As far as I can tell, this would have been the first round of the F.A. Amateur Cup 1959-60. Unfortunately, although records of the preliminary and qualifying rounds of the F.A. Cup *proper* are available online, the only record of the Amateur Cup for 1959-60 that I’ve found so far begins with the third round in which Hayes beat Ford United after a replay and went on to lose to Crook Town in the quarter finals. So presumably Hayes beat Barnet in a first round replay and then beat Clevedon in the second round to set up their meeting with Ford United. The eventual winners were Hendon, who beat Kingstonian 2-1 in the final at the old Wembley Stadium on 23 April. The F.A. Amateur Cup was played for the last time in 1974, when amateur status was officially abolished.

Sunday 9th January, 1960

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Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Herewith usual line from me with all the latest news. Glad to say Carol much better than when I last wrote. She is now back in the old room with Susan. This should shew the amount of her improvement. Last Thursday, the night Pauline came to visit us, Carol woke at 2.0 am and started to give us a recital of all her nursery rhymes and songs. Hardly felt up to Goosey Goosey Gander at that time in the morning. She kept awake until about 3.45 am. She gets a bit niggly at times but generally she is now better. Susan has been a little demon alternating (thank goodness) with spells of good behaviour. She went to Sunday School again today and was somewhat reluctant to leave. Mr Jackson who lives at 91 (the new houses opposite the field) took the car away to his garage on Monday and fixed up all the interior handles and window winders. He also replaced water pump which was defective and has adjusted all doors and windows to eliminate rattle. While he had car I asked him to give me his comments on the steering and gearbox. He said there is nothing wrong with either and the car is in very good condition. Have abandoned the idea of having heater fixed as he says it is quite an old one and charge for fitting a more up to date one would be just the same. It could well be that being old it may be inadequate when fitted and I would rather wait till I can afford a second – hand one of more recent vintage. We paid a visit to Ealing on Saturday after June had her dental appointment. Pain from previous extraction took some time to die down but now it is much less severe. Well Clevedon managed to pull off the big match then. I expect locals well satisfied. Did you go as planned. Perhaps you can give me resume, – no reports this end. I had not heard about Hobbs. No one has said a thing to me either before or since. Had you not told me I should still not know. It is all very tragic and sudden. I don’t suppose his transfer to London had anything to do with it but additional worry can sometimes do the trick. Delph, Roy and Christofer* came over to pay a postponed visit to as this afternoon. Chris is getting on very well now but does not talk much. Compared with our two you might say he is dumb. Glad you had a good time at Bellringers Party I am sure they must be pleased you are carrying it on for them. Do you invite Mrs Marshall or do you think she would prefer it otherwise? Mr Baker has had football up two weeks in succession. Last week he won a couple of pounds and is waiting to know what he has this week. Forecast of dividends is poor. Sorry to learn that Mrs Bishop in such a bad way. Mr Bishop must find the car a blessing at the present time. Have not met the new S.M. here yet. We would like some apples and onions when I can get it fixed. For the time being send to West Ruislip until I can arrange otherwise. If the parcel is marked T.C.P. it will be dealt with in the normal way and I can go over in car and pick up. Not all that far. We had some snow here yesterday but although shower was heavy for a time and settled, it did not last more than an hour or so and we have not had any since. Of course we had to pull back curtains to let a couple of young ladies have good view. Carol was quite interested – for a time. There has been heavy snow in Kent. They seem to get it bad each Winter. I cannot understand this as they are so much further to the South of us. Have not made any more wine lately as have not had much spare time. I am still drinking some of the Rhubarb, Turnip and Strawberry I made in June 1958. It tastes very good indeed now (especially if a couple of drops of whisky are added). Dont bother to comment on that one, I know the logical conclusion. I am glad you were able to go over to the Aston’s for Christmas Day as I was a little worried in case you were in and the exchange had not tried hard enough to contact you on that day, I do not suppose you can find much outside work on garden. The books say that January is the month for tidying up and burning old haulms, rubbish etc. I can not say I can find much enthusiasm for that game myself. Ran out of petrol on the Western Avenue yesterday but only 20 yards from a garage. What a life. Well that must conclude the performance for this week so will close with love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec

*June’s cousin Delphine, her husband Roy and son Christopher, who lived at Greenford at this time. Christopher occasionally reads this blog, so a quick wave to him! o/

Sunday 3rd January 1960

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I’m not sure who the Ritchings were; friends or neighbours of some description!

Dear Mr and Mrs Ritchings

Thank you very much indeed for Christmas wishes and present for the children. It was kind of you to remember them. I am afraid that coughs and colds rather spoiled the holiday for us but as we had no big arrangements laid on we were not as disappointed as we might have been. We do not like the idea of travelling with very young children at Christmas time or during the winter for that matter. They are like caged lions whilst at home because they can not go out in garden to play and it is worse when they are away as the supply of toys etc is usually soon exhausted. It will not be long now before they are over little disturbances like that thank goodness, I understand that you have been doing rather well in the dancing. Got yourselves on the T.V. as well. How much do you charge to watch. Seriously though, we did not see the programme as that is not one of our favourite programmes and we did not hear of your being on the show until it was over. The weather has been pretty awful round these parts for the last week or so and in all is very depressing. I gather that it has been very similar your end. Well hope you have a happy new year but don’t win all the dancing prizes.

Kind regards

June, Susan, Carol and Alec

Alec to his uncle, aunt and cousins:

Dear Geoff, Stella, Rebecca and Sara

Just a line to thank you all very much for kind Xmas wishes and the presents for the children. As you know we did not lay on anything special this year, neither visiting or being visited. It was just as well as both children had bad colds and I had one of my beauties. I regret to say that Carol is still under the weather. She cannot seem to shake off catarrah, and at her age has not got the sense to take medecine*. We have royal battles to get cough mixture into her and surroundings look as if they have been daubed with red paint after each session. Had to stop up all night with her last night. Cough was troublesome although does not seem to have affected function of lungs. Hope you are all keeping well and will keep clear of winter ills. Hope you all have a happy new year. From a railway point of view it is not improbable that we shall all be living in different places by the end of the year. Must admit should be glad of the opportunity to leave London. After 17 years could do with something a little more local. A pious hope I suppose. I gather Dad and Mum paid a visit to Bill Astons on Christmas day and gave the Bellringers their New Years Eve Supper again last year. Apart from that assume that a quiet time was had. We used the car to good effect ferrying the folks over from West Drayton and visiting them ourselves. I expect you had a busy time at Headstone Lane. I should not be surprised if a couple of young ladies found plenty to get excited about. Did you have a big tree this year? Not much in the way of T.V. programmes this Xmas though. Took stock of garden situation yesterday but wish I had not. Place looks a wreck. Alterations to shed to accomodate car have not improved matters, I did not clear out the annuals last year and most of them are still growing. Frost will soon put paid to them I suppose. Sorry we missed Stella on our last impromptu visit, must arrange a definite date when weather improves. All the best till then, Love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec

*Nineteen months!

Saturday 2nd January 1960

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Alec to his maternal uncle and aunt, Joe and Lydia Fewings:

Dear Aunt Lydia and Uncle Joe,

Thank you very much for card and presents for the children. They cannot write yet as you know or would have replied in person. Hope you don’t mind the typing, I find that I can get along a lot faster and write more this way. It seems an awful long time since we last saw you but I suppose it could only have been just over a year. On reflection it must be more than that as you have not seen Carol as far as I can recollect. She is very much like Susan although her features are supposed to have rather more of the Atkins in them. People are very divided in their opinions as to whether she is like Susan or not. Her build and features are very similar but she tends to grizzle a lot more. They are beginning to be company for each other but there are a few squabbles when they both want the same toy. We hope you had a very happy Christmas. I often think of the Christmasses at Barton Rd. I was too young to remember the parties at Bampton St but understand they were quite something. Hope Pat, John and families in best of health. Have read abit about Eric’s Dad in London papers – something to do with bowls*. Haven’t played since I partnered retired policeman in tournament in Tiverton Park when I was about ten or so, A number of my friends are members of the Paddington Indoor Bowling Club. I should imagine you had a houseful over Christmas and there is a strong possibility of there being more next year. There is no doubt that it is the Children that make the Christmas. We had a small tree and put up a few chains and balloons but they are still a trifle young to get wildly excited. The weather has been shocking this end and even to-day it has poured morning and afternoon. We had to go out to do a bit of shopping this afternoon but there was no pleasure in it. Imagine London on a wet Saturday. Gales and storms have been severe but should imagine they were much worse down your way. At least you should avoid flooding at Somerholme. There is one thing about it, in about eight weeks time the weather should begin to turn in for the better. Had a look round the garden to-day and I am surprised to find a lot of the summer annuals still growing. There are a number of Petunias which are looking very healthy. There has been no hard frost to kill them off and Roses and Clematis are thro­wing out strong shoots. I suppose the first real frost will stop all that. I am afraid the kids have not been too well lately. The wet weather has aggravated the catarrah to which they are prone and they don’t seem able to shake it off. The Doctor is very helpful, he recommends South Africa. Told him we might manage Southend. Was interested in Uncle Joe’s Mesembryanthemums when last at Somerholme so grew some myself this year from seed. Had a hard job with them. First two lots damped off and although the third boxful survived and were planted out many did not flower at all although they made a lot of growth. They were not in the shade either. Just one of those things I suppose. I expect the little greenhouse of your worked overtime during that last magnificent Summer. I am afraid there is not room for one this end and even if we had one I am afraid it would soon become target for catapults. We used to have a rickety Summer House but boys smashed all the glass and we had to take it down. Well must close now but wish you all a very happy new year and hope we are able to see you some time during the course of it. Love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec

*Joe and Lydia’s daughter Pat married Eric Shapland. Eric’s father, Harold Shapland, had a certain amount of celebrity as the BBC’s Bowls correspondent, often providing audio commentary on radio and voiceovers for TV. See this typical listing from 1970.

Alec to his paternal uncle and aunt, Don and Joan Atkins:

Dear Don and Joan

Thank you both very much for the card for Christ­mas and cash content. £.s.d. always acceptable as you might expect. We have entered same in Susans and Carols Post Office a/c s. I am afraid that they have not been too well lately and even to-day when we wanted to get out to pay a few bills and do some shopping poor Carol was very thick in the clear and was very sick in car. It is still a bit difficult with her as although she can walk well, as soon as she feels a bit off colour she grizzles to be picked up. This a bit tricky when out in car and shopping etc to be done. Susan is better able to look after herself and although probably just as affected by the weather does manage to blow own nose etc. We hope you had a good Christmas and now both enjoying better health. It was certainly the weather to stop in and have a fireside Xmas, and what with television it is easy to do the right thing. We determined to have a quiet Xmas this year as both suffering from mental, physical, and financial exhaustion, and in fact did not lay on much in the special line, although we did to and fro a bit to in-laws at West Drayton. Igather that things also quiet at Devonia although many invitations were extended. The children enjoyed their Xmas as you may imagine. A small Dolls House was the centrepiece and numerous puzzles and contraptions also littered the carpet. I am afraid the squabbles have started. Although they have such a lot of toys, they seem always to want the same one. Susan goes to Sunday School now as you may already know and we attended a special service for parents and small children. We took Carol of course but she was not a great success. She was reasonably good till a girl in the row in front hit her over the head with a hand bell, then the fun started. It has been pouring with rain here all day and looks most depressing. I planted out the Xmas tree (hopefully) and raked over a plot of earth I am returning to lawn. The soil was very workable and powdered up quite easily. This is most unusual for this area. I had a wander round the garden to see if anything on the move apart from slugs. Roses well in leaf and bud and am afraid a good frost will do a lot of damage. Considerable new growth made on the Clematis and Iam afraid that will suffer very badly if frost comes. Nearly all the Summer Annuals are still alive and such things as Petunias are looking very healthy. It was too wet to spend much time inspecting the form but I did notice that apart from a couple of special Hyacinths none of the bulbs were showing. Carol put to bed once howled the place down and she is now sitting behind me in her new dressing gown singing all her nursery rhymes. This catarrah really is the limit. Our Doctor says cant do a thing about it except go to South Africa or South America to live. I have heard that Middlesex is a bad county for that sort of thing also for Rheumatism but the difficulty is knowing what counties are any better. Presumably those with sandy or chalk soils. Can only hope that the Spring and better weather will bring about a change. June has not been too well lately. Had a tooth out last Wednesday and has complained of tooth ache ever since. Difficult to see a bright spot sometimes isn’t it. Seems to have been a lot of gales and floods according to the news and papers. Hope you have avoided getting wet feet as your area rather prone to that sort of thing. Well must close now so will wish you both all the very best for the new year. Love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec

Wednesday 30th December, 1959

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Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Herewith a line to thank you very much for week-end at Clevedon which was most enjoyable. Hope my stay did not disorganise local arrangements any.

Found children pretty rough when I got back. They both have catarrh and of course that means wakeful nights due to not being able to get breath. Carol took it particularly badly although Susan was not much better. They both had bad coughs and one night I sat up with Carol until 4-0am as she screamed the place down if she was laid down. All this of course with teeth coming through as well. Carol was coughing and spluttering all over me so it was not surprising that I caught it back. My cold was one of the specials and lasted nicely over Christmas. Luckily no cough developed, and it is in final stages now thank goodness.

Well with the Children ill June could not do her Xmas shopping (other than presents) until Christmas eve and I had to take her to Ruislip Manor that afternoon. There were lots of cars about as you may expect and the car park at the back of Ruislip Manor Stn. was all but full. While waiting for June to finish off the shopping I moved out so as not to get blocked in.

With the money Dad gave us for the children we bought a Dolls House and managed to smuggle it in to 84. It has had good use already and was certainly one of the star attractions on Christmas morning. Carol liked her Big Ears and Susan has dressed and redressed her new doll. I am afraid that they squabble a bit now and then but we have pooled all the toys so there are fewer occasions for it. After one such battle Susan started crying and came to me with the tale that Carol had scratched her face. Could not see anything.

We had intended spending xmas day on our own and Pauline ( who was staying with us ) but understood from Peter that things a bit quiet that end so he brought the lot over in his car. I tried to get through to wish you Happy Xmas at 7-50pm but after three attempts the operator said there was no reply. We assumed that perhaps you had popped out for a while possibly with the Astons. The next day we went to West Drayton for the day. During the early morning the Bashams and Great Grandma arrived from Southend. She is still very active and had not previously seen Carol. Coming home it poured and gave car a very good wash off. Had to go through a deep puddle near Cowley and was doing thirty at the time. Car coming in the opposite direction so no avoiding it. Water and spray flying in all directions.

On the Sunday Mr & Mrs Baker and Peter paid the arranged visit. Peter disappeared after dinner to meet his pals and I took the others back about 9-0pm. Weather continued to be bad. Generally speaking the girls have been very good over Xmas. They have had a deal of excitement and seen a lot of people but they behaved well and slept much better than for some time passed. June’s Mum has given them a dressing gown each and they look a couple of nibs. Susans is red with a Bambi on it while Carols is light blue with an elephant motif. Received a couple of ties and a pair of socks from West Drayton. Susan received a “T” Shirt and Carol a pair of Blue Shorts from Headstone Lane and they both have lot of puzzles and games from relations friends and neighbours. They have had so much as usual that I cant keep track of where it has come from.

Carol is talking a lot now although she says a lot of gibberish. Yesterday she came out with the following long sentence;- ” Bye Baby Bunting, Daddys gone to Roses Atishoo Atishoo Pop goes the Weasel. ” We ran over to Greenford to take presents over to Delph and Roy and spend a few hours with them. Christopher making great strides but does not talk much. To-day we drove to Ealing and caught District line to Sloane Square for the girls to have their hair cut at Peter Jones, Pauline met us and toted the girls round to see her friends and colleagues. The car is going really well. We have done about 175 miles since we had it from Peter. Yesterday June paid a visit to Greenford to have tooth extracted by dentist. It was a back tooth and caused some trouble in coming out. Broke off a couple of times. Susan, Carol and I sat in car until patient returned. ( Rained all the time ) Pain was very bad yesterday and although a little easier to-day Junes face is still swollen and puffed.

Hope you were able to enjoy your Christmas and possibly go visiting. By the time you receive this letter you will have the New Year supper for the ringers well under way. My regards to those of them that I know. Thank Dad for his letter duly received on Christmas Eve. Gave a couple of bottles of wine to neighbours. Have had no complaints so far. Peter has gone off with a bottle of sherry (H.E.B.) He seems to like it. So for that matter do Susan and Carol. Carol in particular takes big sips and keeps asking for more. We have to pour out some for her to drink.

Mother will be pleased to know that Sheila the doll she gave Susan last Xmas has a new wig. We glued it on and June made it some more clothes. (It was naked all the Summer.) We hid the doll in the piano so that Susan would not see. Now it has golden blonde hair tied in two plaits. Susan approves. We got a small Xmas tree and stuck it in a Walls Tin* in the approved manner and put it on top of the T.V. There have been one or two raids on the chocolate ornaments but that proved to be as safe a place as any. Wilkinson leaves us for Birmingham at the end of this week. Do not know who is in charge of what after that. Well will wish you a very happy new year and hope to see you soon.

Love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec

*This would be a Walls ice cream tin covered with crepe paper; as Frank and Edith Baker had a tobacconists/sweet shop at this time, ice cream tins and cigar boxes were often forthcoming. Two of the latter have persisted in the family to the present day.

Christmas Day: Expect the Unexpected!

On By Sue JenkinsIn Chinese relatives, The Mother ProblemLeave a comment

I’m not sure what most people expect when they start on family history research. In my case there was a lot I already knew, and plenty of well-trodden ground, so I was fairly confident that except for ferreting out a few quirky details I would probably not make much new progress.

I had never in my life imagined that I would end up acquiring, and investigating, a whole group of distant (both in family terms and geographically) Chinese and part-Chinese relations, who would open up the hitherto staid and predictable landscape of yeomen and minor clerks to present me with gold miners, coal trimmers and market gardeners on the other side of the world.

I’m acutely aware that I haven’t yet produced a family tree so you’re going to have to take my word for this for the time being. However, let’s do it this way: Alec Atkins (1922-2001) was my father (I’m one of the awful manipulative children he complains about in his letters). Leonard Atkins (1897-1986) was his father. (Leonard has a story all his own; his diary of the First World War was featured in Michael Portillo’s Railways of the Great War.) Leonard’s father was Tom (1869-1941), who hasn’t appeared very much in these posts so far, and Tom’s wife/widow was the Emily of The Mother Problem.

Tom’s mother was Mary Jane (1845-1910). We don’t know who Tom’s father was, because Mary Jane was never actually married – although she did have two children. This was a surprise to me; I only found out accidentally that Tom had an older sister, Mary Maud, and whether my father knew or not is unclear. However Tom does seem to have been in contact with her until the end of her life.*

Mary Maud (let’s call her Maud, from now on) appears on the 1881 census living in Frome and working in a factory there. However by 1885 she’s in Australia, married to a Chinese market gardener, and having her first child – Violet. Maud married twice, in fact, both times to men of Chinese origin, and had two sons and two daughters. One of the boys died as a baby, and the other son remained unmarried, but in due course both daughters married (one twice within the Chinese community, one outside it) as a result of which there are numerous Chinese and part-Chinese second cousins of my father and third cousins of mine to be tracked down. I’m not including any names here, because (a) some of these people are still alive and (b) I’ve discovered through being in contact with two of Maud’s great-grandsons that they are a little bit reclusive and publicity-shy. I don’t know their reasons for this, and I’m not going to speculate; I’ll simply take them at their word. The family history information quoted above is a matter of public record, however, and if anyone else cares to spend time and money investigating they could easily come to the same conclusions as I have.

I mean no disrespect to people of Chinese origin when I say that, fascinating though it is, this is proving a very difficult area of research. Names have often been transcribed incorrectly, for example, and usually by people with little or no understanding of Chinese languages or naming conventions. Also, they seem to have considered ‘China’ to be sufficient description of where the individuals were born, whereas even a province name would have been more helpful; China covers 3.7 million square miles but has always had a very efficient bureaucracy – tracing these men’s exact birthplaces might almost have been possible if we’d only had a little more information to go on.

What’s puzzling me at the moment is when and how Maud travelled to Australia. (Her name does not appear on any of the passenger lists I’ve been able to consult.) It’s likely to have been as part of a charitable endeavour, with people from underprivileged backgrounds being recruited to start a new life on the other side of the world, not unlike the later Child Migrant Programme. Whether Maud was satisfied with her decision or not is impossible to say unless any correspondence from her comes to light – which could well happen, as there are family archives held by another second cousin of mine that I hope one day to be able to access. How Maud met either of her husbands is also a fascinating question; knowing where she landed in Australia – probably Melbourne or nearby – and what work she did after arriving might be useful in that respect.

I had only really scratched the surface of this investigation ten years ago when I suddenly found myself running a small business which proceeded to eat up most of my time. Now that the business is being wound-up, I’ve returned to the research with better resources and a clearer idea of what I’m looking for – but with much less energy. However, although I plan to continue sharing the letters, photos, clippings and diaries that I have in my extensive collection, I’ve decided to confine any future new research to those relatives on all sides of the family who went to live in Australia – including the one who eventually came back with his tail between his legs. If I ever get to the end of this line of investigation, I’ll return to the Huguenots on another branch – just as well-documented as the Chinese, but suffering from the same difficulty of being strangers in a strange land and often having their names transcribed incorrectly.

Watch this space, as the saying goes, for future updates as and when they become available!

*That correspondence between Maud and her brother continued at least until the mid-1920s (and probably longer) is borne out by two pieces of evidence. The first is that Tom and Emily’s bungalow in Exeter was named ‘Whittlesea’, the name of the town in Australia where Maud and her family lived. The second is that one of Maud’s great-grandsons sent me pictures of Leonard and Eva’s wedding and of Alec as a baby – the latter one that I had never seen before but of course recognised him instantly. This means that in about 1924-25 there was still an exchange of correspondence, and as Maud did not die until 1940 I can see no reason why it wouldn’t have continued for at least another decade. If the packrat tendency extends to the entire family, there may still be letters in an attic somewhere that could shed considerable light on some of these unanswered questions; if only my second cousin Sara would get in touch again, we might be able to join forces to find out!

Sunday 5th December, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks for your letters, good wishes etc. I hope to catch the 3-5pm Paddington to Bristol on Friday and the first available connecting service after that whatever that might be, probably 5-32pm or 5-50pm if they still run.

Glad to hear that Mums cold is getting better. I am sorry to say that Christine is not making much headway. She has not kept anything down for about a week and although cheerful keeps on being sick. Dr. tested for appendicitis yesterday but negative. Doug says she is looking thinner. She cant feel too bad as we often hear her singing and whistling. Hope it is only the results of some gastric germ.

We have been having trouble with Susan all this week. She woke in a paddy about 9-0 pm on Tuesday and we eventually gave her a good smacking. We had to take her down stairs as she woke Carol. When downstairs she was very sick and I thought she had the same as Christine. It was all due to flem. Anyhow after an hour with us she said she was ready to go back to bed which she did and went straight off. Since then we have had disturbed nights with her. Of course she puts on such a spluttering and coughing act that we dont know whether it is genuine or not.* I think it is a bit of both. She is not above trying it on. Carol needless to say is back in our room. We hope to move her back to-morrow if to-night is quiet.

Did a spot of shopping in Eastcote yesterday and took June and the girls to meet hair appointment. Unfortunately the hairdresser had a shocking cold so only cut Junes hair and left the girls till some time in January. To-day we went to West Drayton for a flying visit. Out at 11-00am and back at 1-0pm. It takes no time at all as you know by car. I am afraid the cars cooling system has developed a leak, the evidence is in the anti-freeze on ground after car has left any time. Also overnight it loses about a wine bottle full of water. I have probably lost all my anti-freeze by now. Have checked all the hose clips and pipes but as they are fairly new no trouble there. Mr Jackson No. 91 who owns a Maintenance Garage in Kenton says the water pump is leaking. He is going to give me an estimate for fixing the heater and will repair the pump at the same time. He will have to as heater works off the same system.

Yes I realise that it is five years off the payments on the house. Not any noticeable reductions yet though if any. I calculated at the time of taking out the mortgage that no appreciable reduction would be noticed until after the seventh year. (First Seven Years are the worst )

Your suggestion re. sideways transfer is not new to me. I had already tossed that one into the middle . Things are now warming up. Now that the N.U.R. have stopped playing “No consultation ” we have got the go ahead to put in Banbury Yard Scheme. Last week there were eleven jobs in the 1285 to 14XX group advertised. Geoff has been waiting for those and no doubt he will apply. Budworth had an interview with Phillips the electrical people at Croydon. Says he had a good one but will not get anything. He has put in for all of those jobs. They are only three grades higher than those we hold. The thought of so doing is ridiculous but the unpleasant thing about it is the possibility is that he might get one. I think I will wait for the next raft. If Bames gets anything out of this lot my position will be bound to be stronger. Note you will have some apples ready. Do not make bundle too heavy.

You really must acquire a power drill for that sawing. Doug has bought one and it really does away with the hard labour bits and enables one to concentrate effort on the finer points of measuring etc. The circular saw attachment cuts through small peices of timber but unfortunately does not tackle those that are “ log – size “. I am surprised to hear that White Fly still lingering. I can not place that sort of insect. We have not been bothered by such things this end. Too cold even for slugs. He has had strip lighting fixed up in has garage and has been working out there all day to-day building himself a work bench.

It has been pouring most of the day to-day as it did during the night. There is quite a wind blowing. Yesterday I did a little concreteing. Just enough to give me a smooth run-in instead of the stop that was present before. Have now used up all my cement. Just as well as it will not keep in the damp of winter. Have had to leave car in sideway the last couple of nights as cement not dry. Shall have to get out of the way early in morning to let Doug go to work.

Xmas trees fetching wicked prices here. They are asking 5/- for some about 1ft high. You might think about growing some. You have the room and it would not be more than a couple of years before they reached saleable proportions. Note Mother getting to be quite a Cactus addict. We have not bought any more since we last saw you. We have enough trouble keeping our present stock alive and safe from damage.

Carol still improving. She can say snatches from a number of nursery rhymes and songs. They both like travelling in the car but I have to have them in back seat with June as Susan in particular will not sit down and tries to grab all the controls etc. She has fallen a few times at corners but it does not make her any wiser. There is fortunately plenty of leg room and can accommodate shopping bags, potty and oil can in passenger compartment of the back without cramping. Susan went to Sunday School again to-day but cannot get much out of her. When I collected her she had to say good bye to the Dolls House, and put all the things away. Her teacher said she loves that Dolls House.

We did not go anywhere to celebrate our fifth anniversary. We could have gone to the pictures but the films shewing did not tempt us away from T.V. After all there is a lot to be said for not turning out on rainy evenings. Note also that George Morris has moved at last. Has he really been in that flat all this time. Did Phillip Morris leave the railway, I have a feeling I heard that he had. Well will see you some time on Friday. If I have to catch a later train will let you know.

Cheerio for now and love from June, Susan Carol and Alec

*Note that this manipulative creature is just three and a half years old.

Friday 4th December, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 letters, The Mother ProblemLeave a comment

Leonard to the family, once again on the reverse of Timetable 179, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bormingham, Stourbridge Junction, Kidderminster, Bewdley, Dudley, Wolverhampton and Wellington:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for your letter received on Tuesday and you should have had Mum’s the same morning. I see by date above it is five years ago today you were married. Congratulations to you both and very best wishes for the future. It’s also five years off the payments for house and although very little difference as yet in your pay packet it is that much further towards the place being your own. That was a splendid effort of Susan’s and the drawing shews she can put her ideas on paper. Noted they both keep you on your toes. They used to say “Boys will be boys” but we must alter it to “Girls will be girls”. Good job the hand bell was used in Sunday School as presumably she was not allowed to bring it home. Yes we heard from Geoff that you had called on them having lost your way when out in car shopping. They were pleased to see you and said “How the girls have grown.” Stella was apparently away working in Watford (query in Marks and Spencers). Geoff made his usual annual visit to Ireland last week* but crossed over one night and recrossed the next – cut the trip by two days this time. I also see British Railways dispensing with their Christmas [illegible] cards this year – about time too.

Thanks for information re your Parcels effort at Paddington – the electronic computer will save hours of calculating work by the sound of it. So manning has gone to Euston – query whether he would be an applicant to get back on WR when suitable sideways vacancy occurs. Don’t think I’m a Job’s comforter but things like this happen all too frequently. Note your remarks re garage and I agree the arrangement of the door on garage at Whittlesea is an ideal one but must obviously cost more*. I believe Don & Geoff fixed it between them but it’s a job I should not like to tackle.

Yes we heard Bill Harper had finished and am wondering how he will pass the time as he has no known hobby and no garden on house – he lives in Brislington not so very far away from the Newmans who we visit two or three times a year.

I nopte re: apples and will pick out some nice ones from the Bramley Seedlings [sic] and Jersey Beauty – the former are the best cookers and can be used from November onwards whilst the Jersey beauty is eater and cooker but must be kept for a while as at the moment they are very hard. Should keep until February or March in good keeping season but you must keep your eye on them as season not so good. Weather here has been pretty bad but not so foggy as in your area.

We went to Weston on Tuesday and although we came away again about 7.0 p.m. had to run through blankets of fog for most of journey.

Apart from sawing wood up for logs and chopping for firewood have not done very much out of door work since I last wrote because of wet state of ground. The pond filled with water overnight but soon returned to normal level (top of deep part) when it stopped raining – have not yet been able to mend leak although have had a couple of goes at it. House next door still empty and garden now looking like a piece of waste ground. I notice the broad beans Cornish put in for me on Nov 5th are breaking through the soil and about 25% of my spring cabbage plants look as if they may recover in due course. There is still a lot of white fly about in spite of frost and torrential rain and greenstuff generally is going to be scarce later on. We are using cabbage which normally would not be cut until towards end of January.

Am glad to say Mum is much better although still troubled with a cough – these appear to be very common at present – she will write to June in reply to her letter later. I’m still getting on alright but as mentioned above have not done any serious gardening yet – fortunately the weather would have stopped me in any case.

Shall be looking forward to seeing you next week and you must let us know time due Yatton or Clevedon.

No more now – all the best once more and lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.

Dad & Mum

*’Whittlesea’ was the name of the house in which Emily lived before she began her peripatetic lifestyle (see ‘The Mother Problem’). It was in the immediate vicinity of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital premises at Wonford in Exeter but I have been unable to establish whether or not it’s still in existence. The derivation of the name is an interesting one; it was named for the town in Victoria, Australia, where Emily’s sister-in-law Mary ended up living. Mary is an interesting character whom we’ll be meeting in more detail at a later stage. At any rate, it sounds as if a segmented sliding garage door may be what Don and Geoff installed on the premises, and what Alec was craving. When he did get one, many years later, he decided it was more trouble than it was worth.