Sunday 30 August 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Eva to the family:

Dear Alec, June, Susan & Carol

Many thanks for your letters to hand. Sorry about the plums having fur coats. probably due to the rain we had also they were in the box over night. Still I expect you could eat some of them. Another time we must send them before they are ripe. Fit for bottling or stewing that is.

The tomatoes are still going strong & selling as quickly as can get them ripe they are down to 1/- lb now though*. Mrs Clarke at the bottom of field calls them the Covent Garden fruit. I say they are better than that fresher in fact. I suppose we shall be on the apple tack soon selling fall downs already. I wish we had all this fruit when we were younger don’t fancy climbing ladders etc.

Dad cleared the coalhouse of the ton of coal yesterday & could have passed for a coal man, he put it in shed in readiness for the men when they arrive.

We are still having lovely weather no rain yet although it is really needed.

Mrs Richings came up on Friday haven’t seen her since Easter Monday when she was up. Went home with tomatoes cucumbers cabbage & apples. Michael goes back to University at Reading end of September, he has finished work at Victoria & they are all going to Spain next week or week after.

I should like to see the children dressing up, it’s a way to keep them from mischief. Boys don’t want that. I used to give Alec a hammer wood & some nails but out of doors.

Old Ching got fed up at Bristol & went off sick August Bank Holiday Saturday & hasn’t been back since. Mr Burge is there instead.

Mr Phillips who used to be at Bristol & married again has a child & they say though I don’t know if it is correct that Mrs Edwards is expecting.

We had a card from Dinard where Geoff is can’t say I was thrilled with the view it looks something like Cornwall suppose they are back by now. Well I think this is all news mustn’t hog it for Dad. Love from us both to all

Mum & Dad

Dad will write later.

*For many summers Leonard and Eva sold fruit & veg to their neighbours. There would be a blackboard at the gate with prices on and people would knock on the door to have their purchases weighed and bagged by Eva. They didn’t need the money, of course, but had more fruit and veg than they could ever have used themselves.

Monday 24th August 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 letters, First World WarLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Dad’s letter to hand to-day for which many thanks. We certainly have had some thunder but It was not too bad. Last Friday I had some difficulty in getting home due to the trains being badly out of course on the Central Line and of course they had to be packed to suffocation. The seat of the trouble was at Liverpool St the other end of the line. We had very little trouble this end but I suppose we have had one good days rain. The latter did the garden a lot of good but as always we are badly in need of some more. Glad you had a good day at Exmouth. I would not know the place now of course it was so long ago that I was last there. In fact I don’t suppose I remember much of Dawlish, Paignton, Teignmouth or any of the resorts at which we used to spend our holidays. The cream arrived O.K but as I was playing cricket on the Tuesday was unable to touch it that day and by the time I came home on Wednesday it had turned or what was left of it had turned. Thank you for the plums and tomatoes. They were very good especially the latter. Some of the plums were wearing fur coats when they were unpacked so had to sort them over. The next day some more had started to grow them so as we could not eat them at that rate I have made about six lbs into wine. I have the tops well covered with muslin but the wine flies are very active in the shed. Yes the girls are a couple of nibs when they dress up and you can bet that Carol does her full share of showing off. I have just seen the new baby. I went in to borrow the wheelbarrow and was invited in to inspect as Dorothy had been allowed to get up to-day. He is a bonny lad and the months will soon pass till the time when he will be look through the fence to Susan and Carol. Take a dim view of this gardeners weekly lark. I suppose it is a change from Housewives Choice. I am not surprised that you have had a good crop of spuds from that patch at the bottom of the garden. The only risk is from leatherjackets which are present in turf or newly dug soil. I hope you will start to use the yeast that I gave you as when properly organised it will save you from buying any and will practically last for ever. The East African Railway stuff is very interesting, and I shall be glad to have any more bits like that which you may receive. Of course I will keep it for you when you come up. Please take no notice of Question Marks in this correspondence, they appear when I hit the key adjacent to the full stop. We are holding the big meeting to-morrow to pass the draft report for press. So far we have got the draft past the technical people (Civil and Mechanical and Electrical Engineers) also the London District. Each member has received a photostat copy of the draft report and it is the intention to take it paragraph by paragraph until completed then make every one present sign the waz*. We hope to start printing before 5-0pm to-morrow. The material will be edited this end and then will go to Swindon to be bound into the covers which they have already prepared. The whole thing will out first week in September on schedule. Yesterday the team were called up to Paddington for a meeting with Wilkinson Barnes, Baynton-Hughes and Charly Pinkham from the Staff Off ice to discuss the action to be taken as a result of the “Expenses Decree” There is no doubt a very good case (morally) for giving the Work Study Staff a more liberal helping of the expenses than would be due to ordinary relief staff especially in view of what is expected from them and particularly from the point of view of the savings that accrue. In view of my commitments I was not asked to the meeting but attended the lunch. H.L.W. certainly does it in great style two lots of beer, the second lot without asking, and port to finish. We have since knocked out three foolscap pages of bona fide points which we think will count in our favour for special dispensation to be given in this matter. This will be signed by the team leaders and myself and presented to him at his request. He will then take what action he can supported by an official application from us. I see that Assistant to D.O.S. Paddington is advertised on this weeks list. The job is only temporary as are all jobs these days unless they are part of the new organisation. From what I can make of it most of the D.O.S.O. Assistants etc. either know or think they know that they will become redundant. That of course is not a bad thing in the present set of circumstances. From what I can see of it there will not be much in the divisions or Districts for people at my level and the best thing to do now is to get out on a different tack. Shall have a go at the London job with a fair hope of success. They can interview who they like and they can pick who they like but no other candidate will come to the interview armed with knowledge of Reading Yards , Station and Old Oak Common ( All Work Study ) and Paddington Terminal Arrangements. Have more or less got as much rubble and hard core as I can usefully stow away under new path so expect that I shall get the cement and mix up enough to cover the top this week end. Pity you did not see the T.V. bit on Reading, It is constantly in the news so I would not be surprised if it did not come on again one day. Well I hope you are keeping well as we are all here, The girls had their hair cut yesterday. Doug still on leave took them over to Eastcote along with Ethel. Still a number of slugs about. June put paid to some yesterday just after dark and I see that there are a few about to-night. Have operated the salt to good effect. As said we enjoyed the tomatoes, they were very large and juicy.

Will close now till next time, and will await your further news.

Love from June, Susan, Carol and Alec

*’Waz’ is an interesting word, and the best suggestion I can come up with is that it’s possibly the German equivalent of ‘bumf’ and likely to be an expression Leonard brought back with him from his service in the First World War (of which a lot more, but later). Online sources only refer to slang words for urination, and I never heard either Alec or Leonard use any expression less genteel than ‘wee’.

Saturday 22nd August 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

[On reverse of timetable paper table 179 Wellington, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Bewdley, Kidderminster, Stourbridge Junction, Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa]

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec, June, Susan and Carol

Many thanks for your letter enclosing the one from June received this morning. Very glad to have all the news and the ‘doings’ of the children. They must keep you fully occupied but better that way than that they should be mopey and listless. Carol seems to be making great progress with her walking and Susan is obviously intelligent by her various sayings as for instance her idea of having to take a ‘back seat’. According to press and TV reports you have been having some shocking weather – heavy rain and thunder and lightning – but hope you escaped the worst of it. We had a grand day at Exmouth as Mother has already mentioned. It is a very nice place and when the children are older it should make a nice run from here during one of your visits. We prefer to to Bournemouth but the latter would be better in the Winter – more counter attractions. Am glad cream reached you safely – actually we went into shop about 1.0 p.m. and I said I hoped it would catch an early post otherwise it might mean twenty four hours delay & would be spoilt. The shopkeeper replied that it would be despatched by 1.30 p.m. post there and then. All the same we were surprised card reached you after parcel as it was dropped in pillar box at Exmouth at about 4.10 p.m.

After we got home on the Monday Stephens called about 9.30 p.m. – had come down from Liverpool that day and wanted me to run him out to Chilcompton – Bath and Bristol the next day. Apparently he has finished with the firm at Liverpool – latter having amalgamated with another firm and more or less made him redundant. Now got another job with a timber firm at Hereford and will probably move there in due course. Should like to see Susan & Carol dressing up – they are proper little mimics. Just shows they keep watch on everything. What did they think of the new baby next door? Did Susan want to nurse it?

Now I think I must continue the Gardeners Weekly or shall run out of news. We have had a pretty good plum season and I’ve got about one and a half gallons brewing for wine in addition to the greengage previously advised. Shall be racking off latter either Wednesday or Thursday this week. Since I last wrote have dug out all the potatoes from the plot beyond the hedge and it’s a bumper crop, especially the sort called ‘Dr MacIntosh’ a late variety. I put in onion seeds today – three rows of a new kind produced by Knights of Wolverhampton and one row of seed I saved from some onions about two years ago – am hoping it will turn out alright. Tomatoes are turning in a little quicker now – suppose it is the season in general has something to do with the colouring – did you enjoy the local grown? Incidentally referring to the wine again I’m using bakers yeast for all my brews – have not got round to mixing up the tablets yet.

You have both been busy on your garden again. Each effort must make it worthwhile and you can see improvements developing all the time. Note rambler roses now in position to cover up fence at bottom of garden. The buddleia cutting I put in some time ago and which I thought had died has shot out nicely and you shall have it in due course. Forgot to put the East African Railway mag in box of plums so will keep it on hand for time being. Good write up in Sunday paper re. Reorganisation at Reading but I did not see it on TV.

No more now.

All the best and lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.

Dad & Mother.

Monday 17th August 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for Dads letter received to-day. Yes Carol really is walking very well now. She gets steadier on her pins every day. Glad to hear that you had a good day at Bournemouth. We went there on our honeymoon as you know but have not been there since. No reflection on Bournemouth, You seen to have re-visited some old haunts what with Castle Cary and Warminster. Pity the weather was not so good although to all accounts it did not interfere with your outing. By now you will be on your way back from Exmouth. I remember going there with Grandma Atkins when I was quite small, I remember that on arrival I objected to the shingle beach instead of sand. Many folks have pointed to me since that Exmouth has a sand beach, so there is a mystery somewhere, I am glad that you will have been able to see the stone so perhaps you can let me know if you think it is a good. Apparently Don and Geoff think it is. I have not heard anything from Bristol re: plums yet, perhaps it is a bit too early. I did get a message taken for me at 12-15pm re: a matter I spoke to Mably about just before we came to you on holiday, The message said I was to ring him back but I was unable to spare the time. Shall have to try again to-morrow. I shall be at Castle Bar in the evening so if plums come up to-morrow shall not be able to take them home. Glad you were able to make some Greengage wine. You must earmark one bottle of that for me. I shall be very pleased to drink your health in it. Yes I knew that a limit of four trusses applied to outdoor grown tomatoes in the South and a limit of three in the North. As for indoor tomatoes I suppose the limit is the amount that the plant will bear. Runner beans locally went stringy for a time due to the hot dry weather but lately they have been much better. June has been helping again in the garden and this week-end we took up the hard-core of the concrete that was under the summer houses You will recall that last week we removed the top layer of concrete. The rubble thus obtained has almost filled up the shuttering framework for the new paths and I only require a few more preferably small stones to top up. Don’t know when I shall finish off. These things go in spasms and variety is everything. As the old concrete and rubble was removed we raked over the earth and laid turf that we obtained by taking six inches off the width of the back top lawn. This has made the flower bed that much wider which it could do with as it was narrow to start with and the growth of the roses has had the effect of narrowing it still more. Note your cutting re growing these rambling types of shrub, but as I have now made so much progress with the roses shall defer doing anything more there. The old semi-wild rose has taken well at the bottom. I have removed all side growths below the level of the top of the asbestos fence and allowed only those growths that are above that level. As a result plants have made a deal of shoots which I am intertwining with themselves and the wire framework. Also I have budded this rose in two places also a similar one in the side hedge. With luck I may get one to take which will encourage me to repeat the trick. The growth already made is beginning to cut out unwanted sights at the bottom of the garden. I expect you will miss getting out and about in the garden as winter approaches, but I always think that there are plenty of things that should be done about the garden whether you can get in it or not. Such things as starting the begonias in February or preparing some Hyacinths in Bowls. I am having a little more luck with a leaf cutting of one of my Begonias. I cut off the leaf some time ago and placed it in a hole made by a pencil in the centre of a small pot that was already filled with ordinary garden soil. I left the whole of the leaf stem on the cutting and submerged it to within half an inch of the leaf itself. I then half filled a plant bowl with water and stood the pot in it. I keep the pot continuously moistened in this manner, not allowing it even to approach drying out. The leaf still looks very fresh and has only developed a couple of scales round the edges. These formed early on and do not appear to be getting larger or multiplying.

Encouraged by this I have prepared two more such leaves and put them in some John Innes No. 2 Compost. If this succeeds, the begonia will soon become quite bald. The name Kingcott rings a bell with me. I seem to remember being acquainted with the name when I was young but could not say whether it was a boy or a girl. The name I associate with Kenn Road or Yatton but it is all a bit hazy. It maybe I did not know the name at all. Have racked off the Sherry into bottles after six months, The bottle you have was one that was left over after the sweet bottle was filled. Did not taste it but it was very clear and with little sediment. Please tell me what yeasts you are now using, I suppose you have tried the Sherry yeast I gave you. The greengage would probably have reacted well to it but Victoria Plums really want a Port yeast. Plums are sixpence per pound here now and are at their cheapest I suppose. Had a mind to get 5 pounds and try some more wine. The wasps have been terrible round here. The drop of your elderberry is still on top of the shed. Hundreds of wasps have been caught in it and the whole lot has started to re-ferment. What the finished article will be like I can not say. After you have finished the compost frames, you could turn your attention to building a small shelter on the plot for the garden tools. Shaped like a boot-box on end just large enough to take;- Spade , fork, hoe, dibber, trowel, mattock, rake etc. This would save collecting them from the garage every time and taking them back so far. The thing could have a small door even with a padlock if you want to lock it up. All good for using up spare wood. Glad to get your news of Charlie Coulam. It seems that they are back in the early twenties in regard to their entertainment. I expect they enjoy it all the more for having made it themselves. Did you see Wilkinson and John Snow on I.T.N. News on Friday Night. 6-15pm, We heard that they would be on at 6-15 and 10-0pm on Thursday but for some reason they postponed it until Friday. It was all about the Reading Passenger Station Scheme which you may realise was one year old last week. The Sunday Dispatch carried an article as did the Star and Standard on the following day. Saw Wilkinson to-day and he said he wants his income raised to £20,000 per annum by reason of his being a T.V. personality. As you know from June 30th the N.U.R. have been playing “no consultation” we hear that they have agreed that their men at Old Oak Common can attend meetings with Management (Re: Old Oak Common Carriage Cleaning Scheme) under the Negotiating Machinery. I suppose that as we have bean baulked in attempting to put that scheme in that it will now be next to go in. You asked where the swing was situated. It is on the top lawn facing the house but at the bottom of the garden. As they swing the children pass back over the bottom plot where the flowers are. In that plot by the way the flowers are really looking well! Cosmos, Anthi what-you-may-call-it, Dahlias and French Marigolds. The latter about an inch and a half across are very good. The Scabious are just coming out and we have picked a few. In the front garden it still looks like a desert. I do not know why but even the best plants do not thrive. The only good growers are roses and Chrysanthemums. The former are over and the latter are not yet ready. Well that is all for this week. Hope you are both keeping well and shaken off those colds. Love from June Susan, Carol and Alec.

P.S. Have had to rope off the piece of ground vacated by the old concrete as Carol would go on it and suck stones. We call it Carols Corral.

Saturday 15th August, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

[On reverse of timetable paper table 179 Wellington, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Bewdley, Kidderminster, Stourbridge Junction, Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa]

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for your two nice newsy letters received on Tuesday – glad to hear you are all keeping well and that the children continue to progress satisfactorily. A really good effort by Carol to walk so far as The Fairway*. Thought of you on Thursday evening when you were having an evening out – expect you both enjoyed the break. We also had a good day on Thursday this week – left here 9.0 a.m. and arrived Bournemouth just before 1.0 p.m. with one stop for twenty minutes at Castle Cary.** Mostly a dull day with some rain on forward journey but dry on arrival at destination and remained so until about 4.10 p.m. when down it came. Anyhow return journey started at 5.15 p.m. and after a break at Warminster (return journey via Salisbury) got home about 9.30 p.m. We hope to go to Exmouth in our own car on Monday calling at Heavitree to see the new stone Uncle Joe*** has fixed on the grave. Don & Geoff have both seen it – actually both on Sunday the 2nd inst. Neither knew the other was going and they did not meet: understand it is a first class job and looks well. Before I go any further must tell you we shall be packing up a carton of plums and tomatoes to send you early in the week – will get Norman to arrange dispatch from Bristol and phoned Paddington 29 [?] as to actual service forward. No good sending greengages the rain this week has spoiled them and I rescued the last six pounds for wine making. Your comment on number of trusses on tomatoes – it is only usual to have about four when grown outdoors but as far as I know there is no limit under glass but I pinch them out when they have reached the roof. Incidentally they are ripening better now and selling well. Runner beans too and the plums are bringing in a few shillings. Note your improvements in garden – will give you more room I should think when alterations completed. Whereabouts did you fix swing? Can quite understand Susan and Carol making tracks for bottom of garden – something different to take their attention for a while. The climbing shrub (fastest growing in the world) I told you Don had at Lyng covering his garage is called POLYGONUM BALDSCUANICUM **** and he sent me the enclosed leaf from a gardening paper for you to see. It would soon cover up any flimsy screen you could erect at very bottom of your garden and blot out the view of those people whose garden comes end to end with yours. Should almost think it could be grown from slips taken off existing creeper – will ask Don. I notice June has been busy helping with the bonfires – it will unfortunately soon be time to pack up outdoor work for another season except for odd intervals. Hope you are successful with rose budding. I tried several years ago without result and gave it up as a bad job. The house next door has been sold at last. A man named Kingcott has bought it for his daughter and future son-in-law – latter doing his military service in Hong Kong at the moment but Kingcott himself – so he tells me – is going to renovate the house and do something to weeds in garden if only to put Sodium Chlorate down. More winemaking continuing satisfactorily apart from starting off a gallon of greengage have nothing to report in this direction this time. The snag with the garden frames was that I had taken width for length and this caused quite a bit of work sorting things out – anyhow it’s alright now and ready for making up with earth from bonfire heap. Have now started to prepare site and timber for a compost heap – a large frame, open, with two sections – one maturing and the other collecting. It will help use up the old timber I have lying about and be a tidy place to keep garden refuse. No railway news this end but during week I had a magazine sent me from East Africa and a letter and other enclosures from Charlie Conlon [?]. Am enclosing some of the items for you to see and think you will find them very interesting as I did. The magazine will try and put in carton of plums etc. Please keep them all for me to have later on (the literature not the plums).

Have pretty well exhausted the news for another week so will finish up with all our love to you and lots of kisses for Susan and Carol.

Dad and Mother

P.S. Mother will no doubt reply to June’s letter and write one for Susan – after our trip to Exmouth Monday.

*This part of South Ruislip was built on a former golf course with the road names ‘Long Drive’ and ‘The Fairway’ reflecting that.

**Clevedon to Bournemouth in four hours with a twenty minute stop would still be good going today. Google Earth suggests three hours and forty-nine minutes on the non-motorway route – not including stops.

***The only ‘Uncle Joe’ I’m aware of is Eva’s brother, who was a World War I pal of Leonard’s. (They were cousins of some sort.) I wasn’t aware he was a stonemason, though, so more research is indicated.

****Russian vine, or ‘mile-a-minute vine’, referred to by The Guardian as ‘a swine of a vine’. I don’t know if we had it or not – but those who have seen the house at Ruislip recently say the garden is now very overgrown and full of badgers, so maybe we did!

Sunday 9 August, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

With the sound of rain hitting the window ad Carol crying upstairs, I proceed, to knock out this weeks missive. Thank you both for your letters which I will now tackle. Yes Carol is certainly doing well, how she got on the table is a mystery which I suppose will never be solved. We had a nice drive with Delph and Roy, we went to Chorley Wood on the road to Amersham and visited a pub and had a couple. The journey was very nice as set off by going up Ruislip High St. and out that way. Coming back we visited the Chalfonts, although which ones St Giles or St Peter I could not say. (Nothing to do with the beer.) The trip was o.k. but these stage—managed jaunts are never the same as an impromptu trip out that you can arrange on the spur of the moment when you feel like it.

You will see that June has dealt with your point Christmas in her letter. I think there is no question that the best time to come to you at least for the Cbildrens sake is in the Summer when they can hop around the garden, but in Winter when they are penned to the house it is not so good.

Glad you managed to pick so many Greengages – you lucky people. I am sure they will make a most distinctive wine, but that is perhaps another story.

I am very sorry to learn that you both have had bad colds and that Dad has been kept in bed as a result. There have been one or two round the office and I have heard a sniffle or two but so far thank goodness have not been caught by the bug. I hope you are both well again now.

I am very surprised to learn that your tomatoes are not ripening quickly, I should have thought that with all the heat that you are able to concentrate on them from above and below that they would practically have jumped off the haulms. It seems that they have been making good growth though as the breakage of one of the “boughs” prooves. I am told that you should only have about four trusses on a plant, but I am only an amateur.

Hope you manage to get to Bournemouth next week and that the roads are quiet. It seems that the Exeter by—pass has been under fire over the past few weeks. It will be nice to be driven instead of driving.

I gather that you are not altogether in favour with the taste of the Cherry Wine but should wait a bit as the taste will probably change out of all recognition in a few months. Black Currant has a peculiar flavour which I should describe as “Sweet Medicine”. It is probably due to having had a lot of Black currant when young to prevent colds etc. I am surprised that you find it a proper mess clearing up the jars etc. I must get June to give me a hand as it is evidently a two hand job down your way.

Our Gladioli are coming out one by one and a fine sight they make as they are all different colours and I can see them as I type. Your “Hybrid Gladiolus” certainly seems to be unique, you will have to enter it in the Flower Show.

Now on to Dads letter for any points missed. Re Rain, the rain that was falling at the commencement of this letter has now ceased and was the first for some-time. At least since I last wrote to you. It was not much, but there is more to come by the look of the sky.

Yes I expect you are both eager to hear about the girls as they are about Grandma and Grandfi. You would be amazed at the progress that Carol has made in the last few days. She trots around with some assurance now and this morning she walked all the way down to The Fairway. She spends all her time on her feet and is forever opening cupboard doors and removing the contents. The girls have taught her Ring a ring a roses and have danced it with her and she says ring ring rosy. This morning I said it to her and she stuck her head to one side and danced sideways around in a circle all oh her own then reversed and sat down in the middle looking as pleased as punch. She can say Uncle, Aunty, Suso, Bye—bye Dear, Get Down, ‘Allo, Birdy, Bow—wow, Tristine, Spoon, and many others. She joins in the conversation and comes out with some very funny remarks. Susan of course is as buoyant,as ever and goes from crisis to crisis. She at least leaves the flowers alone but her place at that has been taken by Carol who has taken all the blooms off the Musk and uprooted a couple of the Mesembryanthemums. The latter I planted again in moist earth kept in the shed and keep the base well watered and the blooms come out every day with the arrival of the sun. The rest are a bit of a failure.

Thanks for the Church Magazines, we omitted to get one for Susan, or if we did get one I have forgotten it.

Yes the boys certainly dislike the “expences” arrangements. On Friday John Welchman was sent over to Transport House on a semi-official visit (instructed by Baynton-Hughes) to see Coldrick the Line Secretary of the T.S.S.A. about the matter. Unfortunately he was away on leave and a deputy saw Welchman. This individual had no doubt in saying that the Union would not take the matter up on their behalf as they had no leg to stand on. He pointed out that we have all been on to a very good thing and should be thankful. The proper reply.

Rain now very heavy again.

Re garden I have cleared out the bottom right hand corner this week end and have laid the foundations for two paths one parallel to the main path and against the wire adjoining the “Benns”, and the other cross-wise linking the two paths right bang up against the wire trellis which has the Honeysuckle. I have moved all the earth and rubble over into the centre and June assisted, by having one bonfire in the middle to clear up some of the twigs and garden cuttings and refuse that had been allowed to accumulate there. The old kiln has been folded up and placed at the bottom of one of the proposed new paths. All the broken glass from the shed has been placed under the hard core, and I have taken up the top surface of that concrete slab that was under the Summer House. All of the latter is now in position as hard core. The shuttering has been laid and all I want is some cement preferably ready mixed. I expect I shall leave it for a week or two to accumulate a few more stones and pebbles before coming to a decision whether to buy the ready mixed or do it myself. Of course I have had to shut this part of the garden off from the children because they were making tracks there like a couple of prospectors in the Gold Rush. This arrangement when finished will level up that part of the garden to the height of the main path, and will only leave me the sector of the old lawn to level up.

Your Elderberry certainly kills the wasps. Don’t throw away the formula as I am thinking of sending it to the Smallholder as a sure fire wasps trap.

Note the “Frames” are now in position. What were the snags? Note also screen for Roses. This should be quite an attractive asset to the garden.

I had a go at budding a rose to-day. The old Dog Rambler that I transplanted to the bottom of the garden has made a vigorous growth so I took a bud from Doug’s Pink rose and set it in accordance with accepted practice then took another from the half-standard out the front and set that one slightly lower. Either rose will be worth having but know there is many a slip etc.

Bought Carol a Premium Bond with the Money that Don gave her for her Christening present. Thought it was worthwhile. They both have one now.* Have not told Don as he may or may not approve, it being a matter of opinion.

Why not arrange to take people over the house next door. You could do a conducted tour and then take the hat round.

Bottled my Parsnip Wine 28/2/59 to-day and gave bottles left and right to neighbours. They seem to approve so it is not all waste of time I suppose.

I have cleared one of your bottles of apple and am now in the process of drinking it. It tastes quite good but I am sure it would improve with keeping which I intend to do to the other two bottles. My Apricot still sealed in the gallon Jar looks a nice colour but have not opened it to taste.

Well there it is for this week, hope you are able to ward off those wretched colds. Thanks for Susan’s letter.

Love from us all.

*Sixty years later I’ve still got mine. Just the one. I update the address and check the thing occasionally, but in sixty years I’ve never had a penny out of it.

Wednesday 5 August, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

To Alec from his parents:

Written on the reverse of timetable 184: Aberystwyth, Welshpool, Oswestry and Whitchurch and 179: Wellington, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Bewdley, Kidderminster, Stourbridge Junction, Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Thank you both very much for the two long and very interesting letters received this morning – glad to hear you are all keeping well in spite of weather – incidentally we have had very little rain here in fact almost another heatwave except for an odd shower now and again. Very pleased to hear all about Susan and Carol and glad Carol now on her feet. Susan is full of life and her energy must be expended somehow but it is nice for her to help Mummie. What a surprise and a bit of a shock I suspect to find Carol on the table. We are enclosing a couple of church magazines (very small owing to Printing dispute) and thought you would like to keep one and pass the other on to June’s Mum & Dad. Have another one if you should want it. Hope you have a nice evening out on Thursday. We have not been out over the holiday but hope to have a day out next week – possibly in one of WEMS coaches for a day trip – will be a change to driving car all day.

Shall be interested in copy of your first report on Paddington Station – pity the ‘boys’ are upset over their expenses bit its about time some of them toed the line. I feel very sorry for Mr Grey and family with all that trouble with outlet from toilet – must have been a job getting things straight again – no doubt the plumber was very pleased. Note the position in garden and how you are coping with slugs – haven’t seen any of the latter here for a long time – no don’t send any over please. How nice for Miss Baker* to come over from Ealing to see you I bet she was pleased to see the girls. Am glad that in the end the Elderberry wine was put to good use. I’ve still a drop left of the bottle we opened when you were here. Yesterday I racked off the blackcurrant and the cherry wines into bottles – seven full bottles of first names and seven and a half of second – looks fine but not too good to taste at the moment – will keep.

Most of the last week and this week have been assembling garden frames – ran into one or two snags but now sorted out and the lights (tops) were put on this morning. Anyhow they will served a very useful purpose in bringing on seedlings and plants etc. Have also put in four long iron stakes where the two buddleias formerly grew parallel with the drive and am hoping to interlace these with stout wire and then plant climbing roses to form a screen. Have put out one row of leeks and sown seed for spring cabbage also prepared ground for the sowing of onion seed. Have just harvested those sown last Autumn and have a really good crop.

(Mother just checking Premium Bond winners with Daily paper – what a hope.)

The beetroot are now the size of tennis balls and very nice eating. Plums beginning to redden and we have picked some of the green gages. A lot of people have looked over empty house (next door) but I do not think it has been bought yet. Have sent to Railway Supply Association for information re: Electric shavers and incidentally to Tarpen people for brochure of their hedge cutting motors (remember Bristol Zoo**) but do not know if shall get one of them or not.

Since writing previous sentence another lot of people have arrived and are now inspecting house next door. Had a line from Geoff this morning – says they were at Exeter over the weekend and found Uncle Joe had finished stone for grave and had erected it and put concrete floor and chippings in position. Geoff said it was a first class job and looks fine. We shall be going down to see it in the near future.

Now I must close – Mother will reply as well I expect and deal more fully with items I have only just mentioned or missed altogether.

All the best and lots of kisses for our two lovely little girls.

Dad

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for letters. Glad to hear Carol is walking at last all by herself. She must have got on to climb up on the table.

Hope you had a nice drive with Delph and Roy. We could have done it if Pauline had come over.

What are you doing for Xmas/ We should be pleased to have to here again if Alec can get a few days or do you think it is too much for the children if he only has say a couple days let us know. I suppose we shall have the usual Xmas present of two chickens can pretty much bank on it.

I have been busy picking greengages & have bottled 6 bottles & going to make some jam. Dad keeps eating them though.

We have both had streaming colds, Dad went to bed for a few hours on Monday but is practically alright again. Our tomatoes are ripening very gradually can only get 1lb every two days yet. One big plant gave way from the pot so we shall have to watch it, the trusses are very heavy.

We hope to go to Bournemouth next week, it being the best trip we think it gives up to 4 hours there & if it rains there is plenty to see in that time. They have four or five trips somewhere for every day of the week.

Have sampled the cherry wine it is very distinctive & has a nutty flavour but I hope it improves with keeping, the black currant isn’t bad but there again I hope it will improve. A proper mess it is cleaning the jars & bottles after straining & syphoning.

Marchants were broken into again last week the front window got it this time done with a huge stone, all for a pocket radio set.

Well you won’t be idle during the coming months that is certain with all that knitting you must do it when you go up to bed.

We have had some lovely colour gladioli & one lot has two colours whether it’s a freak or not I don’t know but I’ve never seen a two colour one. It is cream outside & orange inside.

Our galardias are in flower now & make a nice show.

Well I think this is all news now as I have to draw.***

Love from us both.

Mum

*Eda, June’s aunt.

**He may not remember Bristol Zoo, but I certainly do. It was the only time we went there and I have never been back since, despite living in Bristol for eighteen years. [It’s expensive and full of visitors.] We were looking at a cage full of monkeys and someone helpfully pointed out to me that they lived in families like people, and showed me a ‘Mummy Monkey’ and a ‘Daddy Monkey’. I spotted a tiny little baby in its mother’s arms and excitedly exclaimed that it was a ‘Carol Monkey’ and everyone collapsed laughing. That remark haunted me for decades – it was a constant source of teasing – and I would have been about three years and two months old at the time. Lesson learned, at least for a while; keep gob shut where possible.

***How to communicate with children too young to read and write; you send them picture letters. I don’t remember any, but I can imagine them – sweet little dogs, butterflies, wobbly yachts, trains, and grandad with a wheelbarrow out in the garden. Eva was a brilliant grandmother and one of my very favourite relatives – which is a pretty small pool!

Sunday 2 August, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for your letters duly received and digested. Not a lot has happened in the past week but here it is for what its worth. No news of any more appointments in B.R., but lately there have been a spate of Commercial Work Study Appointments ranging from Class 2 to Out of Cats. These jobs are at all levels, some in the Asst. General Managers (Traffic) Section and some in the Divisional Offices. I do not know what our side is doing, but no one is very attracted by the prospect of getting promotion to the successor of the Commercial Department. With the introduction of a Central Staff Office which combines the functions of the Staff Offices now in the Operating, Motive Power, and Commercial Superintendents’ Offices, all procedures are being standardised. This is only natural, but the immediate outcome is a letter to all sections from our own staff office to the effect that the present expences payments will be altered. At present only the Operating Dept. pay full expences when staff are away from home station. After two weeks, the other depts pay lodging allowance. This is going to be the arrangement that will apply to us and the boys are peeved to say the least. Of course Barnes and Baynton Hughes are affected as they make quite a good thing out of it. It does not have any immediate effect on me, as I have not received a penny piece for the last 18 months in the way of expences. Knowing this , Barnes asked me what was the feeling from the rest of the section concerning the reduction and sensing that someone was angling for someone else to pull their chestnuts out of the fire I informed him that the section was waiting for guidance from above. Of course these things can be got round but they will have to be careful as what is sauce for the goose. Our first report on the doings of the Committee is due out this month but is unlikely to be issued before the end of the month. I will try to fiddle you a copy.

Susan continues to find pleasure in her swing as do next door neighbours children from both sides. Mr Gray, the old chap, has come to stay with Doug and Ethel for the Holidays, and seems as well as ever. They have had a bit of trouble their side as outlet from toilet cracked from an unknown cause early last week. This caused it to be necessary to fit a new toilet and they have had the devils own job with it. The plumber who took the job on arrived on Saturday morn. worked through till late on Saturday night and had to return on Sunday to finish it. Apparently none of the fittings were identical. The man found that the outlet pipe was made in one piece and had no connection. The wall had to be knocked out to remove the pipe and the whole assembly had to be moved back about one inch to be in line. This meant making an adjustment to the down pipe from the cistern. The plumber was not too pleased about it as he had two other appointments on the Saturday that he had to miss.

You will be pleased to know that Carol is finally walking. She has twice taken walks of 31 steps and would have walked further each time had there been no obstruction. I must again take her out in the park so that she has an uninterrupted “field”. She is continually on her feet now and almost runs from one side of the front room to the other. When out in the garden however she seems to sense that a fall will usually mean a bit more pain and does not get to her feet quite so much. Susan has been a little demon, as contrary as you like and everything is a constant battle of wills. I expect she will be just as bad when she goes to school, but at least that will be a change. Talking about school, that is not so far away after all is it.

In the garden Geoff’s Mesenbryanthemums are mysteriously dying off or giving the appearance of it, while some of the best ones have yet to flower. My own are not nearly at the flowering stage yet. The French Marigolds are now coming into good flower and are very nice indeed. I shall certainly get some next year and I recommend that you do so too. Dahlias still churning out flowers but the largest has still not opened its flowers. I am looking forward to seeing what colour it is. As a result of some good showers of rain, most things have bucked up a bit and in particular the Chrysants are making a lot of progress. To day I have trimmed and trained the rose at the bottom of the garden and started to tidy up the bottom right hand corner of the garden. This involved a certain amount of digging and the going was painfully slow due to the presence of brickbats and slabs of paving stone etc. With luck I may have produced enough stone to make a small path at the bottom. This will help to fill in the area as I am short of top soil there. I anticipate obtaining loads of top soil to fill up the right hand section of the garden including lawn, starting front the bottom, provided that the cost is not prohibitive.

Delph and Roy are coming over to take us out for a spin in the car on Thursday evening, and Pauline will Baby-sit. They brought Aunt Eda over from West Ealing the other day and she looks very well. She was of course interested to watch the children. Unfortunately she cannot eat anything with sugar and we found it difficult to know what to offer her. Christopher is making good progress and can certainly trot around now with gusto.

Have had great success with slugs lately. Despite the fact that I still see some around each morning, they have been keeping away from the plants that I most want to preserve. In spite of frequent rain and the fact that there is no visible trace of it the powder that I put down about a week ago is still knocking them out and all I have to do is to collect the debris every morning. Put the last half inch of your Elderberry wine out for the wasps this morning as they seemed to be getting numerous. Of course they appreciated it and as a result there are 13 wasps in the bottle. Unlucky for some?

The apples on the tree are now very large and I am sure Susan is feeling the temptation as she often tells me about them. Have pointed out that because she did not touch them when they were small they have been able to grow to the size they are. Today I dug up a stray potato that had self set in the garden and presented the small “dollies” potatoes to her.

I see that there are a lot of ants about, a result of the dry weather I suppose. Sorry I forgot to sign last letter. I gave it to June to read ex-press and overlooked it. Well that’s all for now. Love to you both from all of us. June, Susan, Carol and Alec

Monday 27th July, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for your letter of 23rd duly received. Yes we arrived home OK and it does seem a long time ago. We all enjoyed our week very much and are of course now looking forward to the next one. I expect you noticed the din had ceased after we had gone back. We had no rain on the day we came back and I am surprised to hear you had some. It was quite a fine day this end and hot. We have had a long hot spell but, the rain came up from the West yesterday and we have at last had a good downpour. It is astonishing that the morning after rain you can see blades of grass 2 to 3 inches long but a solid week of watering will not do as much.

We are very pleased with our Dahlias they are about 3 feet tall now and covered with buds. Five of them have flowered and so far there are no duplicates in colour. The base of the largest is about 3/4″ in diameter.

Plot in front of the shed which was topped up with bare earth just after you returned from your week up here is now nearly covered with good grass. The gladioli are just coming into flower although I know that you have had them for some time.

The swing is very satisfactory and Susan will soon be able to work it properly. At the moment she has to get someone to push her up and as you may imagine the demands are frequent. The swing arrived in sections (angle iron) with no instructions for erection but it only took about fifteen minutes to do. There is no extra charge. The seat is metal and a bit dangerous if fooled about with as she has already found out. If you do silly things with a metal swing seat it-usually comes back and hits you. At the moment she is still experimenting with twisting the chain etc. but a few bruises will soon teach her. Carol has already had a few goes on the swing and from the expression on her face she approves.

You are way ahead of me in the matter of wine continuity. I am afraid that I still have not made any since February and that far too long a gap. I can see that I shall have to devote a week-end to manufacture. Your Cherry Wine should be worth tasting in due course. Note it is a nice pink colour. As a tip worth passing on, Raisins will give the wine a dark red tinge and will also add body. Your runner beans seem all right but the ones we are getting now at this end are simi1ar to those you normally get at the end of the season, stringy and tough.

Susan does appreciate the letters she gets from mother and can name nearly all the things drawn on them. That says a lot for the drawings.

Have planted out all of the remaining Mesembryanthemums and given a lot to Gray and to Webb. About thirty or so Petunias have also been put out in the gaps in the ranks. I put one lot out about a week ago and slugs had half. Noticing that there were a number or slugs out on the lawn on Friday night I put down some bait and had the haul 103 the following morning. I covered up the traces to let children play on the lawn on the Saturday and put several buckets of water over the heaps to wash them away but despite these efforts a further 36 slug carcases littered the lawn on Sunday morning. Today again in spite of heavy rain I see that there are quite a number including some fairly large snails. The Spirea we planted when you came up is about to flower (on two stems). The transferred Syringa is making satisfactory progress.

Yesterday Eric offered us two-tickets for the Prince of Wales show in the evening. As you know Bruce Forsyth is the compère and I cannot say I thing much of him.: We accepted the tickets but as I did not want to go June took Delph along with her.

Bad news for the section today as Staff Office have issued the edict that in future full day to day expenses will only be paid for two weeks after which date staff will go on lodging allowance. Fortunately this does not affect me as I do not get anything anyway but some of the bosses were looking a bit down in the mouth. I understand that all other departments have been on this understanding for years and it is only because the staff sections of the Commercial Operating and Motive Power are being combined in the R.E.S.O that this exception has to be ironed out.

No further news of staff changes. Have not beard anything from Geoff lately, expect he has nose to grindstone as Printing strike will now delay start of Winter Service. Understand that commencing date is now November 2nd. Well will close till next week. With love.

Sunday 26th July, 1959

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1959 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his uncle:

Dear Uncle Don

Just a line on the old machine to wish you many happy returns of the day from all of us at this end. Glad you were both able to come to Clevedon for the Christening which went off very well. I was suitably impressed with the Vicar who is quite an improvement on his predecessor. (De mortuis non nisi bonam) or something which sounds very like it.

Carol still cannot make those first definite steps on her own although she walks well now with assistance. There were ructions a few minutes ago when Susan was having her hair washed. I could hear sounds of altercation in the Bathroom which was apparently due to soap in the eyes.

Still no rain in these parts but forecast for later to—day promises light rain with risk of heavy thunder rain. Dahlias and Gladioli growing well in garden but little else making much progress. I have not grown Dahlias before and these were put in as plants (not tubers). At the moment the largest is about 3/4″ across at the base of the stem, some going I think.

Massive slaughter of slugs during the last couple of days. On Friday night I noticed there were several on the lawn so I liberally sprinkled “Abol” Slug and Snail Powder down and in the morning I had to remove 103 slug corpses. This left a bit of a mess on the lawn so I washed away all trace of powder and covered up the sites of the heaps with ashes. Despite the reduction in the strength due to the water, this morning I found a further 36 dead slugs on lawn. The trouble here is that fresh reinforcements come in from the adjacent field so that the slug population in 1he garden always remains too high.

We left Clevedon with instructions (and the wherewithal) to buy a swing for the girls which we have since done. The thing is now sitting at the end of the lawn and is getting good use.

June and her cousin are going to the Prince of Wales to – night to see the Television Programme compèred by Bruce Forsyth. Glad to be out of that one.

Well that’s all for now, how can you type with one child on each side having a go at the keys? This machine is like a magnet.

Love from us all,