Tuesday 3rd March, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan  and Carol

No letter today so far and none likely now until Wednesday so will start mine in reply and finish off after receipt of yours. We hope you are all feeling much better now in spite of the cold weather. No rain here but one or two very foggy mornings turning to sunny periods later. Actually we have had some very nice weather this past week and still no rain. I’m glad to say our colds etc. are much better and we have been busy outdoors bringing timber etc. up to our own part of garden. The greenhouse staging is all tied up and now stored in shed outside back door together with the electric heater and several other items. Have had some difficulty in dismantling the interior framework in the greenhouse as had so many screws in it but most of it is down now. Also we have been clearing out the shelves of the garage and the dustman has had and will still have to take a lot away. Am dumping stuff now I’ve been hoarding for years in the hope it might be useful at some time but now is the time for a good spring clean and we are giving it just that.

As previously stated we went to Weston on Monday the 24th inst. but apart from local runs have not been out since. A letter from solicitors last Friday indicated the deeds of house were now ready and I picked them up the same morning to bring home and scrutinise. Shall be taking them back to Burroughs Day and Blackmore at an early date for safe custody. They keep them free of charge and can be had at any time on demand. This now should only be necessary when the house put up for sale. Other items in connection with the house I am keeping in my desk here*.

Went to the Doctor this morning as arranged and told him I was now back to normal and have been busy outdoors. He said result of x-ray showed my chest all right except that lungs are not so elastic as formerly. He could only suggest I keep my weight down and go in for deep breathing exercises. Perhaps the work outdoors will now help.

No further move in regard to the land at back of our house but this morning I noticed a firm had broken through the wall on the Church approach road to get into the site on which half a dozen houses are to be built. They are going to cost £4,975 pounds [£124,000 in 2024 money] plus ten guineas annual ground rent [£260]**. Did you notice the advert in the ‘Mercury’?

Saw Stan James on Sunday but his latest estimate for garage with modifications is around £120 [£3,000] which I think is still a bit much. However it is his last word and I must now make up my mind what to do. It is possible the builders will not be ready to take down existing garage for a very long time and unless I have another one built it will mean holding up the re-siting of greenhouse with consequential loss of production. I could not under any circumstances plant in greenhouse from now on.

Had a letter from Geoff yesterday and he mentioned your visit on the 23rd ulto. This weekend apparently Stella and the girls have been to Exeter and were going out to Heavitree on the Sunday. No further news from Lyng yet.

Mum and I are going to the New Hall tonight to see a performance of ‘The Arkadians‘ [sic] by the local light opera company. Long time since we had an evening out like this.

This morning after going to the library I went around to St Andrew’s Drive to see Mr Pope – the one who had the heart attack recently – and spent an hour with him. He is much improved but still has to rest for about another ten weeks before doing even light work. His brother-in-law is Goods Agent at Chippenham and retires at 65 this coming November when it is on the cards the Goods department there will come under the Station Master which is the pattern of things today. I told Mr Pope the fun and games you have been having at Liverpool Street. He said it was typical of the whole setup these days.

Mum out this afternoon delivering the March church magazines in the Westbourne Avenue area. No sign of Cornish this week and have only seen Heel once. I think the latter went to Yatton market as usual yesterday.

The inquest on the woman who was knocked down and killed by Ted Caple was held on Saturday when a verdict of accidental death was returned. What a terrible thing the airplane crash at Innsbruck was and the Americans had one very similar at about the same time. Have no wish to take to the air. The risks on the ground are bad enough these days but there is no chance whatever with a plane disaster.

The new baby next door going on all right according to Mum who has been in there once or twice. Bushell himself is on 12 hour nights at the moment at work and not much rest when he gets home.

Mr Palmer went to Southmead Hospital for his test last week and is now home waiting to know if he will have to go again as an in-patient. We were expecting the Richings here from Weston last Thursday evening but they did not turn up.

[Letter continues Wednesday 4th March, 1964]

*Also known as ‘my desk, here’ after having inherited it some 30+ years ago. It has been fully restored by a local man and now has a new leather insert on the top (a ‘skiver’, apparently) as well as a toughened glass protective plate which will hopefully keep it all in pristine condition for another few years. (See ‘before and after’ below.)

**Try buying anything bigger than a dog kennel for that these days!

Sunday 1st March, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks for paper and letter received okay once again this week. Glad to report that health situation doing quite well again. Susan has a bit of catarrh, the hardy annual, but apart from that others are all in order. Now Sunday it was touch and go as to whether we could all go to Headstone Lane. Carol felt and looked rather poorly in the morning, and was drooping around the place. However as soon as we mentioned The Beatles she broke out into the song and dance act so we let her go to Sunday school. When she got back she was much better so off we went. It all turned out well in the end. They did us a nice tea and the girls there had done a lot of the fancy cooking so that went down well.

Glad to hear the baby arrived at last. Note it is a sister for Ruth. Quite a hefty baby for a girl.

So far as the leg is concerned, I went to see the specialist on Friday, and what a game. I was in the porch of the hospital at 10:55 a.m. and eventually got into the waiting room at 12:10 pm. Events moved fairly quickly after that and I was through by about 12:45 p.m.. Doctor had a look at it and did not seem to think it so bad as Dr Lambert had thought. He asked me what I wanted done to it. Said it ached and he said do you want it removed or injected? Told him he knew best, but if there was a chance that injections could do the trick we would lose nothing by trying. He gave me a quick injection on the spot, and I must say since then the aching has considerably reduced. I have to go again on Friday week and I suppose he will give me another one. As you say it is no good beating about the bush, and if no good results from the injection I shall get him to take vein out. I suppose this is the result of the accident some years ago. The left leg has had to take a bit of extra weight due to the right leg being a bit short, and no doubt over the years this has told the tale. Hope by now you have had result of the chest x-ray, and that things are satisfactory. Have got one myself due on 25th March.

Gather you have been splashing out and buying yourself a bottle of brandy to replace the one we gave you. Brandy is a thing I have only tasted twice as far as I recall. Can’t say I recall the taste. Glad it has done the trick so far as you both are concerned anyway.

Bit of a job then to find somewhere to put all the things from the greenhouse and garage. We find that we have to move things from place to place quite often due to lack of room, but you have a mammoth job there with all the stuff you have accumulated over the years in garage and shed. I think it would be a good idea if a bonfire were lit, and one or two surplus pieces disposed of.

Notley’s application went down the drain. The job at Plymouth went to one of the chaps from our office, and the Liverpool Street job went to a chap out of the line managers office of the G.E..

All noted about Bushell. He will have his hands full as he says with three women in the house. I expect it will be the two youngest ones he will get most trouble with the same as here*.

You have got a hope to find room under the stairs. As I recall it there was precious little room even when empty. Our cupboard under the stairs here is at the high end of the stairs where you have your pantry. We have quite a bit of room therein, but it has a mixed bag of junk in it and always difficult to get in or out. Good place for the homemade wine though. On tap so to speak.

Perhaps Roy Hewitt did not feel up to going down to the garage as it is so hard for him to get about.

No difficulty in giving you a hand when we come down, it is surprising how quickly two can get a job done compared with one.

Gave Payne the tip you may want another car from him then. I wonder what you have in mind. Of course one has to keep up with the Cornishes these days. What was the car with the automatic gearbox? I expect they have many new refinements out now, but would be interested to hear about your moves in this direction. By the way I am typing this letter in the loft. I have taken all my gear up here as the girls keep pinching my paper.

About Easter, we have given it a lot of thought, and feel in view of past years (health all round) and the earliness of the date that it would not be wise to exchange visits at this time. However I hope to be down the weekend nearest to your birthday for a quick personal visit, but we think it would be best to defer visits until Whitsun when you might like to come up. We have had a few disappointments at Easter due to one or other of our constitutions not having cleared up of the winter ailments, and however tempting it would be to fix something up I do think it best to leave it the extra six weeks.

So far as the summer holidays are concerned, we have written off to Exmouth, or rather June has, and had a reply that we can have caravan for the week that suits us, and June has again written to confirm. We now await the reply that booking is confirmed. There is the possibility that she may have let the thing in the meanwhile, but the signs are promising. The week we wanted is the week ending 15th August, and we would like to come to you for the following week if that is convenient to you. So far as the Easter is concerned we may well try a bit of decorating, something that has been wanting to be done for a long while.

Okay about windfall etc will keep you posted as to developments this end, but nothing done with it as yet except put in bank. The appropriate investment will be made with the greater part of the loot, and some of the remainder will go to the urgent items that pile up from time to time.

You mentioned early Spring flowers. I have seen tulips out in window boxes, but I think they must have been forced indoors and put out into window boxes. Can’t say I have seen much else out in flower, but we are a bit further East, and that makes a lot of difference.

Susan seems to be settling in quite well with the Brownies at the parish church and it seems that there are a number of girls there who also go to the dancing class. June says that at long last Susan is beginning to get the idea of the dances but Carol is still a bit arms and legs.

We have a rhubarb in the soil at bottom of the garden which has been there since we brought it back from Ealing last year. Have not looked to see if it is doing anything yet. The heater in the lean-to has been turned off for the last day also as the temperature here has been quite high. Friday was a very warm and sunny day and quite enjoyable to be off duty. Not a lot of growth in lean-to, but rose cutting was going on well, and showing a lot of green, fuchsia doing likewise, and the three ice plants you gave us are all shooting out. No activity from the cacti but that is a bit too early to expect. The geraniums are sorting themselves out as to which are living and which are dead. All have had a drop of water, and now wait for more sunshine.

Should not expect you will get any trouble from car under M.O.T. test.

Plumber arranged for new tank to arrive on Thursday which it did, and he came round in the afternoon on Friday to fix it. Left him here when we went to pick up Carol and do some shopping then collect Susan. He stopped about an hour after that, and the job was done. We think we did very well as the tank (C.O.D.) was £6 6s [£157.00 in 2024 money]and he charged us £3 17s 6d [£96.50] for doing job which also included fixing an isolating tap in lead from cold to hot tanks. He has done the occasional job for us before, and is quite a good worker.

Have you seen friend Cornish lately, and has he bought any $50 [sic] suits?

Had the bit of luck with the radio yesterday. I have been using the 10 meter band of late (the lowest wavelength I can get down to) and someone suggested I might do well to put a short vertical area on top of aluminium roofed garage. This I did come, and first contact was with a chap in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia [now Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe] some 5,000 miles away**. This is quite a feat on this band, and some of the locals are kicking themselves for not being on at the time, including the man who suggested I put up the aerial. They have all been after the African station today, but nothing doing.

By the way we can discuss this later, but how would you like to be at Exmouth for a couple of days while we are there? There would not be room in caravan of course as this year we can only get a four-berth one, but wonder if you would be interested in trying to get fixed up – on the docks perhaps***. This is just offered as an idea, don’t hesitate to chuck it out if you do not like it.

Susan just reported to me that she has been bad**** in front room, so all is not what it seemed. However she seems cheerful enough.

Nothing to report from the office front. The applications on the closed list are being considered and we think the findings will come out this week. It will be interesting to see how people come off.

Well there it is again. Not much to report I am afraid, but soon will be more active outside I expect, and gardening notes will appear. Hope you are both recovered from colds etc now. Love from us all. 

*Again, why have children in the first place if all you’re going to do is resent them? Get a dog or a cat or a parrot instead: they’re a darn sight easier to re-home if you find you can’t get on with them.

**Pretty close: FreeMapTools reckons about 5150 miles as the crow flies.

***As opposed to driving just under 150 miles there and back in a day.

**** i.e. has been sick/vomited. Nobody ever seemed to consider that we might be having major digestive issues, and that June’s cooking was terrible: it was just that we were a bloody nuisance all the time, and probably did this to upset them.

Tuesday 25th February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for letter duly received first post this morning but sorry to hear of your various troubles of which more later in letter. Yes we had rain on Sunday most of the day and it continued yesterday (Monday morning) but cleared up wonderfully in the afternoon and it was then sunny and very warm. Mum and I had arranged to go to Weston in the morning but did not get away until 12:30 p.m. and we caught the lovely sunshine. Quite like a summer’s day at Weston and the people were strolling about along the front as in mid-summer.

The baby arrived next door at about 10 p.m. Sunday. When we went to church in the evening there was no sign but when we arrived home there was great activity with Doctorr and midwife in attendance. It is a little girl – sister for Ruth – and weighs just over 7 lbs and is to be called Jane. Bushell came in about 11 p.m. Sunday and gave us the news and mum went in early Monday morning hence the reason for our delayed departure for Weston. Bushell happens to be off duty until Wednesday night so was on hand for all requirements.

Sorry to hear Carol is poorly again and hope with the approach of the better weather she will get back to normal quickly. Sorry to hear too of you both having colds and the news of Alec’s leg is a surprise. If specialists says an operation Alec then have it done as quickly as possible. No good beating about the bush with this sort of thing and that goes for June as well but in her case we know she is waiting result of some treatment Doctor giving her. Varicose veins?? Nave never had this trouble myself and can understand how you must feel about it.

I went down to clinic on Friday for chest x-ray but shall not know result until next Tuesday the 3rd prox. when I have to see doctor again. Have no doubt about the result but as it was 1955 when chest last x-rayed he (Doctor) thought it should be done again. The clinic was open from 1:15 p.m. until 3:15 p.m. for this purpose on I went in at 1:05 p.m. and was out in the road on the way home at 1:15 p.m. Too early following dinner for many people to be present.

I might say the bottle of brandy is no more the last drop having been taken last weekend but I splashed out and bought a large one to carry on the good work. The Price had of course gone up a matter of days only and is now 50/- [equivalent of £62.30 in 2024 money]*. Still it is worth it and even Mum likes a spot in a cup of warm milk before going to bed. We are both feeling very much better now and this morning I put on my old working clothes for the first time for many weeks and have been busy getting in timber etc. this side of the Iron Curtain as you so aptly described it. Late last week I started to unscrew the internal woodwork in the greenhouse and took down the staging but the problem is to find somewhere in the dry to store it all. No good putting it in the garage as all the stuff in there has to come out as well. Never knew so much ‘junk’ could be accumulated over the years.

Noted you saw Notley the other day but you have not said how he got on with the application he put in – presumably he did not get the job. I guess both Saunders and Snow will be applicants for Bristol but feel an outsider will get there in the end. Glad to hear you have been confirmed in your post at Liverpool Street and await further information with interest particularly in regard to any rearrangement of duties under the reorganisation. I expect both Unwin and yourself feel very satisfied with the outcome. I know I should be.

Yes Bushell has been very helpful on my side of the fence but he will have his hands full now indoors for a while – says he has three women in the house now. He will be available again later on I expect when the removal of greenhouse takes place. This is my responsibility – the new owners of land only undertaking to remove garage. Am still having a go at Stan James re: proposed new garage and have now suggested that to cut down his estimate to substitute ordinary doors instead of the up and over type and the use of faced concrete blocks for the construction instead of ordinary concrete blocks. This would avoid the plastering and rendering and obviate much work. Am expecting another estimate from him shortly. Told him I want estimate down to within talking distance of £100 otherwise shall probably have existing garage removed by builders to new site on lawn at back of shed.

Last Friday I tried to make a bit of room under stairs. You will remember the very small door in hall under staircase leading to small cupboard under stairs which could not be opened because the carpet on hall floor prevented the same being moved. Well I took door off hinges and cut off the bottom half inch and re-hung same after nailing a strip on floor to make up for the loss of the bottom of door. Told Mum I would use the space under stairs for storing the home-made wine now in garage. So at an early opportunity shall be transferring the bottles to the new place. Missed Roy Hewitt that day as when he called I was actually in garage cutting door and mum was out shopping. Usually he comes down garden when no reply at house but for some reason he did not do so on Friday.

No Alec I did not comment on your offer to help with the removals etc. In due course the lot will be done but when you come down here I do not want you to be hard at work but to have a rest or at least a chance to get out and about. As mentioned before I’m feeling very much better now and quite able to get on with it but I must admit I did not feel so good earlier on hence visits to Doctor.

Have not been around to see Pope yet but must do so soon. Called in at Binding and Paynes last Thursday and booked in car for full servicing today. Had not been in any garage since I put it in for servicing last March. Saw Payne and had a chat to him about cars in general and said I might be looking for another one day. He gave me a run-round in his latest – an automatic. What a revelation. I drove it for some distance and back to garage.

Re: Easter, I quite agree it is not much good having leave if the weather is going to be doubtful and Easter is somewhat early after all. We should be very pleased to see you as mum said last week but neither of us would want to see the time wasted if weather turns out bad. It is a doubtful proposition one must admit. Query would you rather wait for a more likely spell of good weather – the children’s schooling comes into the reckoning of course. Would it be any good to suggest we come to you for Easter? Not for Alec to have any time off apart from the usual bank holiday allowance – keep anything to come for the time when you could be with us at Clevedon. Don’t be afraid to say no to this idea if you do not think much of it. We shall quite understand but it is just an alternative to the present proposition.

Many thanks to you both for your acknowledgements for the cheque and we note how you propose to use it. This is entirely up to you of course but we did feel you should somehow have a good holiday out of it as we intend to do when we can fix it up. No June we did not feel you were dropping a hint but we were only too pleased to be able to help. You have had a lot of expense one way and another and the selling of the land was something out of the blue as it were and money we never expected to handle. We are investing most of it in order to enjoy the interest but as previously mentioned there are a lot of things we have done without for years that we hope to enjoy now. We do hope you will be able to fix up for a holiday but it is a bit late for getting a caravan I fear. In any case you know we shall be delighted to have you with us when you can make it.

Glad to hear you have had your mum over with you recently especially during the anniversary of your dad’s death. We remember it better by the date we came to Ealing for the funeral. How time flies. Does it really seem a twelvemonth ago to you? Nice for you all to be able to get over to Headstone Lane on Sunday. We thought of you during the day and glad to hear you enjoyed yourself.

Fancy Susan going off to dancing on her own. Getting a big girl now. Good news too of Susan joining the local Brownies. How did you manage this? Query fuss from the Ruislip pack leaders or from Susan that she would have a new set of girls to get used to. Anyhow once she has settled in it will be much better and a good follow-on for Carol too.

Peter away with the Territorials then. Where did they have the camp?

Yes we have plenty of the early spring flowers out now and the temperature is rising rapidly. Makes things much more pleasant to get about. Mum helped this morning in moving flower pots to new site near house and is now pruning the rose bushes. Wait for it but this morning I put in the two rhubarb crowns I brought back from Geoff’s place last October. All three are beginning to sprout and I have found a corner for them this side of the Iron Curtain. Now covered with old boxes and tins so should soon be able to pick. There is a nice spadeful of manure under each of them.

Whilst car is out garage am having the annual M.O.T. test and hoping nothing found that will take a lot of putting right. I see they have a tyre sale on at the moment.

Have not seen Cornish since last writing but spoke to Heel for a few minutes over the fence this morning. Not a lot to discuss really just now except a comment on the handing over of the money. No surveyor has been near the place for three or more weeks and we feel that Hawkins is still trying to sell out again. As you say we are sorry to see the estate broken up but the best decision was reached to sell out while going was good. However optimistic one may be it is obvious we shall not enjoy another 35 years here so can truthfully say we have had the best of it. If not us then somebody else would have sold out and had the cash so it might as well be in our pockets.

Nearly at the bottom of page again so it will close again with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Hope to have better news of all of you next letter. Mum and Dad. 

*For comparison brandy prices see this article: either Leonard had very expensive tastes, or there has been a radical alteration to the rate of tax on alcohol in the intervening years!

Sunday 23rd February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for paper, weekly letters and windfall, more on the latter later on, but first to your letters.

Weather here this morning is rain after several very cold days. Had thought that last night was going to be particularly cold but it turned out very warm during the night and this morning it is a bit on the grey side and everything is dripping.

Your next item, re: health needs a bit of writing up. First I well recall the Trowbridge winter and the visitors looking through the window, but of course cannot remember looking through the hospital window at Keynsham. I cannot recall anything at all of Keynsham, but quite a deal about Westbury. Glad you have been able to report a great improvement in your own state of health, and hope that soon you will reach the level that satisfies you.

Good news about the blood pressure, and the doctors forecast that you will soon be well, but what is the idea of the chest x-ray? Very pleased indeed to hear that you have been tucking into the brandy with some effect, and shall have to see what can be done about that. Hope it was a drop of good stuff.

No news of Mother’s state of health this week, and assume that she is now recovered from her colds. Here we have had Carol rough again. On Friday she was mopey all day, and in the evening she kept cough cough cough and eventually it became bilious. Every 10 minutes or so in the night she kept crying out and disturbing Susan so by the time I got to bed, June had decided to take her in with her, and I went into the back room. June was more or less kicked to death in the night by Carol who twisted and turned and altogether not much sleep was got. Next morning however she seemed as right as ninepence, apart from runny nose, and was yeah-yeahing all over the place. She was not particularly popular for a while.

Have had a deal of trouble with left (good?) leg, varicose vein which started about two years ago now aching furiously and deadening thigh so much that it is almost always cold. This is particularly noticeable after sitting for a while. Saw Doctor about it on Friday, and he said it was a bad one, and gave me a letter for specialist over at Uxbridge (where June went). Have to go over to see him on Friday, but Doctor here said it would probably mean an operation to have it removed.

Both June and I have slight colds, probably got from Carol, but Susan seems alright for a while.

Saw Tony Notley during the week, and he said likely Western Region contenders for S.M. at Bristol would be Saunders and Snow, but he thought that the job might well go to someone off the region. I think both Snow and Saunders are sufficiently ambitious for the job, but have a feeling that Snow has probably made himself a nice niche at Reading and might be content to stop there. No further news about the other jobs that Liverpool Street. We had our letters of confirmation from Pearson Armstrong on Wednesday.

We hear that one of the unlucky contenders for the job has changed his line of attack, and now has applied for the Doncaster job as his No. 1 priority on the closed list. I am sure he does not want to go there, but cannot afford to get left behind. It is most unfortunate for him.

You have got a hope that our immediate boss will give us any information on the subject. It was because of a lack of informed guidance on the situation and procedures that we had such a near thing. I should say that the unlucky chap who now aims at Doncaster is the protégé of our immediate boss, and it might be said in some quarters that it was in both their interests for us to miss the boat. It was only by rumour that we knew a situation existed, and all enquiries fail to ascertain the correct procedure to deal with it. However if these circumstances arise again we shall know how to deal with them.

Do not know what course of action Geoff is planning these days. He has not mentioned his hopes for a long time. Maybe he has none, or perhaps it is because we have not seen or heard from him for some time.

Glad Bushell has been able to help you with move. You did not answer when I asked if there was any help I could give, or if job is in small lots (accept moving garage and greenhouse). It is possible the help may be of more use later on when you are reconstructing. I believe I am right that garage and greenhouse are being moved by builders men. What else have you to get behind the Iron Curtain?

By the way Mr Gray now fit and well again. Sorry about Mr Pope. It looks worse than at first thought.

A bit more trouble between Americans and locals at West Ruislip Station reported in the weekly paper. Looks as if this is the battleground. Should think it is only on a small scale though.

I do not like the idea of a rail journey for Easter, but in view of amount of possible road traffic and stabling accommodation at your end, it looks as if that will be the method if we come down. I must say I could do with the spell, but pity to take leave if whether or not yet sufficiently warm. We shall see however, and will give you a bit of notice. It is one thing that if I were down there I could give you a hand. Expect you are sorry at the breakup of the estate, and so are we, but if the offer were made a thousand times, the correct decision would be the one you have made. The money and what it can give you is worth more to you than the land at the present time. Gather the deal went off without a hitch, and that you now have the £sd in the bank.

With regards to your cheque, we are very pleased to be able to share in your good fortune. We would not have been human if we had overlooked the possibility that you might think of us, and you have done, but it still comes as a pleasant and welcome surprise. The amount is most generous, and without quoting Micawber, it will help to remove some of anxiety of living straight from the salaried check. We hope to invest £200*, and catch up on ourselves a bit so to speak with the balance including the holiday as you mentioned. We are in for a bit of expense straight away as hot water tank has started to leak. Never out of the wood it seems. Well as I say very grateful thanks for the finance, and hope you are able to get the things you want to.

Not surprised you keep clear of Cornish. I shall be interested to learn how he blues his share.

I did not see Ray Mogg. I should imagine Mrs Mogg thinks that London is about as far across as Clevedon**. Thought he would find enough to get on with without coming over to see me. He would have been welcome had he arrived at time no meetings were on, but unlucky if not.

Mrs Baker is with us this weekend. You will recall the sad events of a year ago, and we thought it would be a good idea for her to come to us. Peter is away at camp with the Territorials (now going as paratrooper***) so no one to stop for. Mrs Baker will come with us to Headstone Lane. She has not met Geoff or Stella yet.

Nothing much to report on the local news front this week. Susan went down to dancing on her own this week as we stayed in with Carol. She wanted to go and return on her own so we let her. She has changed her Brownie pack – with some fuss and bother – to the one at the Parish Church, and now has not so far to go. I was a little fed up with taking car over every Wednesday and they expected her to go to Church Parade over there too often for my liking. Here everything is much more handy, and can go under own steam.

You mentioned snowdrops and crocus out at Devonia. We have nothing in flower here but things in lean-to are doing quite well. Fuchsia is alive and sprouting out with green and there are a number of geraniums that escaped the frost. Have not got round to putting any seeds in the boxes yet, but will have a go at that soon. Temperature stays up quite well now, and think that lean-to is proof against all but the most severe frosts. Still have paper up in front of the glass and that will have to stop for a while.

Well must leave a line or so for June so will close and look forward with interest to next from your end. Once again many thanks for all, and love from us all this end. 

*Equivalent of £5,000 in 2024 money, suggesting that the total sum may have been £500/£12,500 or thereabouts.

**Because of course all women are stupid.

***Which was what did for him in the end: later in life he suffered a brain injury as a result of a parachuting accident and refused appropriate hospital treatment afterwards. His personality completely disintegrated from this time on, eventually leading to a complete break between him and certain other members of the family. Peter died during (but not, I think, *from*) the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tuesday 18th February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for letters and enclosures from the girls. Glad to hear you are all keeping fairly well up to the time of writing and hope it will continue.

Weather did you say – we have not had any snow lying about sufficiently for the children to play with thank goodness but we have had a few flakes and this morning to there were a couple to let us know winter is not past. However we are now more than halfway through February so in any case the bad spell – if any – could not last very long.

Mumps apparently is a complaint very catching and more serious for adults than children. Warmth is the best thing during the illness. Cannot say I ever experienced it fortunately. Have had most other things including scarlet fever when you were a baby and came to see me through the hospital window at Keynsham. Later I was to see you and Mum through the windows at Trowbridge. Do you remember it in the winter of 1927/8? *

Yes I expect there is wide speculation as to the next S.M. at Temple Meads and I do not envy him especially if he turns out to be a stranger to the district. Yes should think Saunders at Newton Abbot and Snow at Reading will both have a go but my guess is that an outsider in the shape of a trainee will drop in there. We are both delighted to hear that you and your colleague have now been identified with your jobs but it seems to have been in near thing. Anyhow all’s well it ends well. In the long run this decision is going to be of considerable benefit to you and the other possible candidates must now look elsewhere when their jobs are made redundant. As you said last week you would have fitted in somewhere but possibly would have had to learn new work. Now you will I take it proceed on the same lines as hitherto. No doubt your immediate boss will comment to you on the matter in due course and his remarks may be interesting. You must have had a pretty strong case judging by the proportion of claims granted.

So you are looking forward to your visit to 169 on Sunday then. Hope whether is good and that you are all in good health. You will now have something to tell Geoff. What is his course of action these days?

Yes we were all glad to get rid of the Welsh T.V. programs but one had to sympathise with them – they had no wavelength of their own and were certainly entitled to a little of their own language. The obvious connect up was of course with the West TV. Now they have their own wavelength and can get on with it. Incidentally I find we can tune into their program on Channel 13.

Our next door neighbour has been a great help and has offered to help move greenhouse in due course. The baby has not yet arrived and Bushell had to return work yesterday after having a week off. He is late turn so is there at night (in home I mean) and Mum is not required to sleep in.

Since last writing you and during the week Bushell was on leave. He came over one morning and helped dismantle the garden frames and I gave him four of them and helped carry them over to his place. Already he has fitted them up into proper position for planting. The remaining two together with the odd one I had elsewhere will be enough for me to get on with.

It was not in connection with slimming that I went to doctor but because of the continuous colds I seem to get nowadays. Must report a great improvement but not sufficiently so to satisfy me. Anyhow I had to report to him this morning (his request) and I told him there was some improvement but plenty of room for more. He pummelled me about again front and back and took blood pressure (said this was good) and said I would soon be all right again but in the meantime I was to have just X-ray at the Clevedon Hospital next Friday and report to Doctor again a fortnight today. I might say a little bottle of Brandy I have here is having a shrinking time but I think it is doing a bit of good night times. So much so in fact that another will be bought shortly. Only started the bottle last week.

Noted you and the girls have the catarrh somewhat continuously but I think I should worry the doctor for treatment – the continual sniff sniff is very lowering. Sorry to hear that Mr Gray has had such a tough time with it and hope he has managed to shake it off by now.

Yes very bad luck for Ted Caple and he is really upset about it. The inquest has been adjourned until the end of February.

Had forgotten that you met Pope and June too met him in the church when mum went over to do the flowers. A specialist has since seen him at home and told him to rest for at least ten weeks and then to take things more easily in future. I gather some damage has was done to the heart so he will have to be very careful.

Glad to hear the girls went over to Christopher’s party and had a good time. Was it a Christmas or birthday party? Noted he is growing up fast. So are Susan and Carol – nearly eight and six years old respectively.

So you are getting a bit of trouble between the local folks and the Americans then. It is really amazing such feuds should exist between so-called civilised people. Bad enough abroad in Africa etc. but in this country it is disastrous.

Just got down as far as June’s letter. I know we are talking now when the weather is anything but good for getting about but I think we were a bit optimistic when we discussed the matter last autumn. If we could only guarantee a nice warm spell at Easter it would be very nice to have you with us. In any case we will leave the decision to you but we may be in a bit of a mess especially outdoors as by then we shall be in the thick of moving both garage and greenhouse. On the other hand we may not be so fixed. One thing I do agree with June over and that is if you come down (and mind you we shall be very pleased to see you) make it a Rail journey. Perhaps mum will comment further in her letter. At the moment she is at the hairdressers having a perm.

Yes I expect you have left it a bit late to get a caravan at Exmouth for the holiday in August but you could try. Not much of a holiday for you June though if you fix up a caravan. Much better – in spite of cost – to go into a boarding house and get someone else to do the work. By the way how are you progressing with your legs? Going on all right I expect otherwise Alec would have mentioned it.

Last Thursday morning we had the Articles of Conveyance arrive by special messenger from the solicitors to be completed and returned within the next 24 hours. Saturday morning’s post brought the cheque for the complete transaction i.e. both for the original and optional blocks. We can now sing that well-known harvest hymn ‘All is safely gathered in‘. The cheque was signed by Hawkins so for the moment Robinsons are out. I cannot think though that Hawkins will leave his money tied up like this without expecting some early return for him but so far nobody has put in an appearance here. Cornish is going about like a cat with two tails but I keep well away from him. I only spoke to Heel this morning and confirmed that we had both received the money. So far as we are concerned most of it will be invested but there are quite a number of things we now feel we can have and intend to have them. I’m sorry in a way at the breakup of the estate (such as it was) but quite realise the money is far more useful now.

Stan James did not come up specially with his estimate and when I saw him on Sunday he said it would be approximately £140. I still think this is too much for local work and shall probably decide against it. On the other hand I may revert to the idea of a precast concrete one without the up and over doors which I understand cost about £26. I have again looked at the existing garage and wonder more than ever how Hawkins would move same if he is called upon to carry out his part of the agreement.

Well so far as the sale of the land is concerned that is a matter of the past. I still have to dig up parsnips etc. and remove the steel angle irons from the rows of raspberries. Cannot see any gardening at all this year now, shall be up to our neck in alterations etc. The taking up of the option on the second portion of land was somewhat quick but just as well perhaps in the long run.

I see Cornish has someone in helping him remove the remains of his old greenhouse. What he is going to do with it is anybody’s guess.

I take it you did not see Ray Mogg when he was in London. Frankly I did not think you would. It was Mrs Mogg’s idea – not Ray’s.

So Susan has been included in the group dancing then. Perhaps she will like that better.

Mrs Aston has been told that the growth removed by surgeon in hospital is not malignant so they are very much relieved. Understand she is going on all right since her return home but we have not seen her at all. How is Mrs Baker these days? Hope she is getting through the winter satisfactorily, more settled in at Eccleston Road perhaps now.

Not your lean-to not too cold night times at present. Did I tell you I had cut heat off from ours? Must remove heater as soon as possible and find a home for it in shed outside back door until new accommodation available. That is going to be the trouble – where to put the stuff whilst removals taking place.

We heard late last week that the people who took over Russell’s newspaper shop in Alexandra Road have cleared out as the shop is being taken down to be rebuilt further back from the road. A row of shops is going up between there and St Peter’s Church. The people who have left are taking over a place that Henley-on-Thames.

Just about the lot for another week so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

P.S. also thanks for Eastcote Gardening pamphlet.

Mum and Dad 

*Alec would have been roughly 2½ at this time.

Sunday 16th February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for paper and letter duly received. Sorry if I cannot reply to some of the details of the letter as Susan has made off with it, and we cannot find it in the place she said she put it. Correction, June has just found it so saved again.

We will start with the weather however, and report that snow fell in the night and is still gently falling at 10 a.m.. Most of it seems to be the wet stuff and there is none on the paths or roads. Plenty on the grass verges etc.

Glad to report that the health situation here is a lot better. Both the children are O.K. apart from the occasional cough and sneeze. I agree we do not want to have any mumps this end. Not one we have had before, and not sure how it is handled.

Re: the dancing, Susan has to join a dance with some of the bigger girls. I do not know if that is because she is getting a bit more skilled with it or just that she is the right size. Nothing in it of course, just that they dance in groups for practice purposes, and they have roped her into one.

Back to the weather, I heard the monthly forecast yesterday, and gathered the weather would be dry for the month but they are wrong from the start with the arrival of the snow. We have not had any real rain for a long time so ground can do with the moisture.

I wonder who will be the new S.M. at Bristol. I wonder also if Saunders will have a go for it. I would not say it was a good job for the money. Comparatively speaking it is worth more*. I should think that they might put the salary up if all those extra responsibilities are placed under the S.M.

Regarding the identification of staff at our place, I am convinced there was a fiddle planned. However both Unwin and I after waiting very patiently for some instructions from our own management as to procedure but without success, we took matters into our own hands. So far as the clerical,  non Out of Category staff of the section was concerned, they found themselves without cover by L.D.C. so they elected a representative who made contact with the other staff reps. From him we learned on the Thursday that there was to be a meeting between staff reps and management on the following morning when the question of identification of management staff would be discussed. We realised that if we were obliged to make any claim on our own jobs that immediate action was necessary. All this happened later on Thursday afternoon, and Unwin got in touch with the B.R.O.G. chap, or tried to, but he was at a meeting. However after I had gone home this man ran back, and admitted there would be this meeting held, and promised to make our case. In the circumstances I had no time to contact my T.S.S.A.** rep, and as I was over at the school on the Friday morning, did not even know we were being spoken for until it was all over. However, the long and short of it was that of 21 posts, and 15 claims for identification, only three were granted, including Unwin and myself. A very near thing I consider, as there had been no claim, the applications on the closed list might have been received, and the other two chaps given preference. So it all hinges on our knowing the correct procedure, as if properly advised in the first place the situation could not have arisen. However we have both heard from the B.R.O.G. and the T.S.S.A. that we have been identified with our jobs, and that is that. It will be interesting to see how the others get on now.

Number 169*** looked quite clean and tidy when we called a week ago. We have not heard from him since, but as reported before we go over there next Sunday, all being well. Carol out with two of her friends in the snow at the moment, but Susan elected to sit by the fire and have a read. They have been busy putting gummed shapes to paper for you today.

I noted you had lost the Welsh element in your T.V. programmes, and said to June I guessed you would be very pleased about that. It could be bearable if they did not speak in Welsh, but no point in watching T.V. in a foreign language.**** No further the trouble with our set.

Movement of goods and chattels inside the new boundary going very slowly then. Gather Mr Bushell being a great help to you, and should imagine you can do with the assistance just now. Funny business about Hawkins and Robinson’s. I wonder who will have it in the end, or if you will find you have still got it. Having learned the ropes of this sort of thing, you would be in the better position …

 [ second page of letter missing ] 

*See https://onthetrack.home.blog/2024/02/09/sunday-9th-february-1964/ – adjusted for inflation, the salary on offer in 1964 was roughly two-thirds of the top end of the salary range for 2022, although it was still *within* the quoted range. That being the case, and even allowing for advances in technology in the intervening years, Alec’s comment here about it being undervalued is demonstrably accurate.

**Transport Salaried Staffs Association

***Geoff and Stella’s home

****No point at all. It’s not like you’d pick up any of the language or anything. Sicherheitshalbe! (<<Too much Eurosport…)

Thursday 11th February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Thank you all for the very interesting letter and drawings received this morning usual post although the actual delivery is later at the moment because of illness with postman perhaps. Glad to hear Carol is better and hope no one else catches the complaint. Mumps are in fashion here at present so perhaps it is the same over most of the country. Hope you keep free of this trouble also.

Noted dancing classes are resumed but that the girls treat it as a game*. Should not think dancing mistress would mind as long as the money is forthcoming but both Susan and Carol ought to be making some progress now.

Weather has been up and down here – some days delightful and others not so good but the winter is moving on and so far we have escaped the horrors of last year’s snow and ice.

Noted you have had tyre repaired to act as spare. Also that your tires have separate tubes. Frankly I do not see any advantage of tubeless tyres over the more well-known type but I suppose there must be something to commend them. Yes I know the arrangement for letting down the spare tyre from the boot – ours is so fitted and I use starting handle to release the tyre compartment.

Yes it was only on Sunday that I heard Charlie Rust was retiring. The Staceys arrived that day unexpectedly at about 3 p.m. and gave us the up-to-date information. Apparently Charlie is finishing late March but job already advertised. Understand he has had enough and now they have put the whole of the Parcels Department under him and the two top men there have both retired together. Perhaps it is understood that before long the Booking Office and staff will come under the Station Master so no wonder he is calling it a day. The staff problem to is pretty bad and deteriorating fast. Stacey (Passenger Yard Inspector) himself is also seriously thinking of retiring now – he is 62. One can only feel sorry for the next Station Master there.

Sorry to hear you and your colleague have not been identified with the jobs you are doing but hope things will work out satisfactorily for you both. Are the posts open to you for application – which you mentioned – in the same line of work i.e Work Study? Good job you had your increase so recently. Hope your optimism that the ill wind might blow good will come off.

So you were able to get over to Headstone [Lane] for Sara’s birthday but what a jaunt chasing timber for Geoff. It really beats me why he has not yet got a car for himself. So handy for the short journeys shopping etc. No need to get into the real traffic. Noted you will be going over there on the 23rd. Also noted that even Geoff now feels he cannot do as much as he used to do. He has certainly worked hard on the garden at 169, so much so that there can be little to do now. Having heard from Don it is now my turn to write both Don and Geoff which I must do later in the week.

That timber firm at South Ruislip not very cooperative in shutting up in face of customer.

Glad to hear June let you are feeling better after Doctor’s treatment and hope you will continue to improve and if possible avoid operation although if latter necessary do not put it off too long – the sooner it is done the better.

Shall expect a letter or two from Carol then soon if she is getting on well with her reading. We had a line from Sarah this morning thanking us for remembrance of her birthday. Geoff also enclosed a brief note giving news of Charlie Rust.

Bad luck your TV giving out at start of ‘Steptoe and Son’. This was a good skit and very laughable. Programmes generally not too good these days but we have now lost the Welsh interludes – thank goodness – as from yesterday. They have their own Channel now viz. number 13. You are very fortunate to put your set right. Ours is giving no trouble at the moment but as you know we have spent quite a lot on it one way and another. Don’t think I should buy again but rent a set.

Well we have still not done a lot on the garden – both of us are still under the weather. Last Thursday however Bushell came over and wheelbarrowed all the rockery stones from outside the garage to the site near pond where they will eventually be set and then moved concrete blocks also from outside garage to a heap just behind the kitchen wall. This was very good of him and he has promised to give me a hand with greenhouse when I start moving it. Actually we are not expecting to have to move it in a hurry. Heel told me this week he had heard there was trouble between Hawkins and Robinsons regarding the price Hawkins wants and in any case Robinsons’ surveyors have left the district without taking any surveys of our various plots. This weekend will indicate however who is at this precise moment the actual owners of the land. If money not forthcoming I can see some fun.

Mum finished out the week sleeping next door but the baby did not arrive and in fact has not arrived up to the moment of writing but doctors and nurses are in attendance so it will be any minute now. We had little Ruth in with us yesterday for six hours and she was very good. As mentioned earlier mum and myself not too good and we did not go outdoors during the weekend and Monday morning I went to doctor. He gave me a good pounding again and took blood pressure. Gave me some pills to take and suggested there might be some infection of the sinus causing the continuous colds and prescribed some drops to let in. However I hope it will clear up in due course.

As I was going up to doctor I passed Ted Caple walking down the road so stopped to give him a lift. He said you have heard of my accident? I said no as not been out recently. Apparently the previous night he had knocked woman of 75 down and broken both her legs. His car was in dock smashed up. The same night and account appeared in the local evening and I enclose same for you to see. When I got back from doctor (10 a.m.) Bill Aston was waiting for me to take him to St Mary’s Hospital to fetch Mrs Aston home after operation. Had a coffee and away we went arriving at the hospital at 10:35 a.m. leaving about 10:45 a.m. and home by 11:10 a.m. then we heard that a Mr Pope (one time in accounts section Bristol) now living in Saint Andrew’s Drive and a church warden had had a heart attack on Sunday afternoon and was seriously ill. This is the husband of the woman who fell over a dog on Boxing Day and fractured her arm. No more news of the young man who lies unconscious in hospital.

I think I told you that a week ago last Sunday I had asked Stan James for a quick estimate for a building a concrete block garage adjacent to shed. As I did not go over bellringing etc. Sunday I have not seen him so am still waiting for my ‘quick estimate’. Whilst out in the sunshine last Thursday and Friday we brought up all the geraniums and put them in the porch. The same night there was a frost but no damage done. Have now cut off the heat in the greenhouse as nothing there now to hurt except a few dahlia tubers which are covered up with paper. Not worth keeping heat on for.  A letter from Mrs Richings (Weston) this morning said a grand-daughter was born during the weekend named Judith. They are going to Reading this Thursday to see her and well probably look us up the following Thursday.

By the way I understand all trains including excursions at Weston now I have to be dealt with at the General Station as Locking Road is being dispensed with and the ground sold. The Midland Sidings at Bristol – the Chilton West Sidings and the Clifton Bridge Sidings, all used for coach stabling – are being dispensed with and the rails taken up. A sign of the times? The Assistant Chief Controllers at Bristol are now in Special B and Griffiths – Chief Controller – is first stage outside category. There is a possibility of the three Chief Inspectors at Bristol Temple Meads being done away with and three Assistant Station Masters appointed.

So you would not mind having a course at Woking? Or even another spell at Watford? Should think one of the most interesting things about these courses is in meeting other people from various parts of the country.

I do not think Bushell could have done much more than he did with the plum tree. The real trouble was the big head on the tree and the danger of silver leaf if pruned during the winter. Anyhow it is upright again now but no wind since to disturb it. No news of Cornish this week but he is still doing his rounds on his bike.

This afternoon this afternoon Mum has been bringing up apples from the garage to a big box in the kitchen. These are the remainder of the Jersey Beauty apples, the last of the fruit – shall have to buy next year.

Glad to hear your brakes are holding since the attention from Jackson and that Peter’s car also is in good order again. Did you see Marples has a scheme to charge additional fees for cars passing into and through large towns etc?** Soon be cheaper to go by air. There were some awful pile-ups though in the fog recently on the M1.

Yes I knew Geoff was having every Saturday off now but did not know how he had arranged this.

Have you noticed I have tried to clean the type of this machine to ensure a better impression? I do not like the black ribbons but must make them do for the time being.

This morning I went down to plot beyond hedge to get some cuttings of greens for dinner and was surprised to see what a jungle it had all become since we abandoned the place. Should not like to clean that lot up again. A couple of bulldozers will however alter that outlook very quickly. Even the garden where the currant bushes are is overrun with weeds now and the latter are as high as the bushes.

Well once more am nearly at the bottom of the page so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Mum and Dad.

*I’m at a loss to know what else it could have been when we were eight and six years old.

**Presumably this was the first whisper of the later ‘congestion charge‘ system.

Sunday 9th February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for letters and paper received as usual. Very sorry to learn that you have had it so rough for the last few weeks, and hope you have been able to shake off effects of cold etc. by now. Glad to say that Carol is now okay to all outward appearances, and so far no trace of June or Susan catching it. Carol has not yet gone back to school, but hopes to do so on Monday. She was well enough to go dancing yesterday, and his sufficiently well to be her usual naughty self, so cannot be much wrong now. I gather from conversation overheard yesterday that there is mumps about round the local schools so expect we have that one to contend with next*. Did not have it myself, so hope we do not start that game now.

For weather we have had some nice days interspersed with some not so nice. Yesterday it was really lovely in the morning, and sun was out just like a spring day. Temperature in the lean-to went up a bit as you can imagine. Have had the heater back in operation this week but despite that the glass went down to 30º [F/-1ºC] on one night. No plants appear to have been affected although I had given each a drop of water last weekend. Your previous trip down to the greenhouse on 8th January was certainly some time ago, but you have not much to worry about there with the heater and thermostat doing the work for you. Still it was a long time. I went up into the loft last weekend and found that my last entry in the log was 17th January, which surprised me.

Yes the Watford jaunt is over, but I should not be surprised if I do not go back some time in the future although it may not be for a year or two. I would not mind going on one of the Woking courses. These are for management training, and last about three months.

Re: car, I decided to have the tyre mended yesterday (puncture that is) and although the outer tyre was split could keep it as the spare and if any trouble with any of the other tyres it would probably enable me to get to nearest garage if I put the spare on. I did not have a tubeless tyre, the tyres on the car all have tubes as far as I am aware but I have not checked. The starting handle is not necessary to change wheels, in the accepted sense, but it is necessary for screwing down the spare tyre from below the boot so that it can be removed by hand. The top of the screw is inside the boot, and is engaged by the end of the starting handle. If I did have to change a tyre on a journey I could not do it for the time being as I have no jack. The one retained from the Austin does not fit this car as there are no lugs under the floor to take it.

Note you had some adverse effect from central heating at Bristol. Doubt if the concentration of heat there was anything like that at Watford. Apart from the heat when working, it was present all the time went off duty and sleeping, and opportunity to go outside in fresh air was strictly limited.

Talking of Bristol I see Station Master’s job advertised on this week’s list (ceiling £1875**) and assume Charles Rust is now retired.

Some problems at Liverpool St. at the moment. Neither Unwin nor myself have been identified with our jobs, and we have been given a closed list of jobs for which we can apply including our own. All the ones other than my own to which I would have a chance are at Liverpool Street, so no matter what the outcome, the status quo would be maintained insofar as salaries and locations are concerned. It could be that we would neither get our own job nor any of the others, in which case I believe they then offer a short list of three other posts, one of which you will get. Weighing all things up and despite assurances from Russell that he will look after his staff it looks very much as if Unwin and I will be out and the two redundant Work Study Assistants from the now defunct Lines will be in as they are currently engaged in a higher percentage of the future work of the section than we are. For all this I think there’s no call for pessimism as this looks like a situation in which an ill wind might blow a bit of good. We have to select our jobs in order of preference and hand in applications by next Friday.

We ran up Stella on Friday – Sara’s birthday – to say we would bring present over in the morning as June had only been able to get it to that day due to being confined to the house with Carol. Duly dropped over at about 11:40 a.m. after taking girls to dancing and found Stella on her own there. After about ten minutes Geoff arrived with some timber he had just bought, and regretted he had been unable to get some board for his skirting. Offered to take him to a timber merchant in Rayner’s Lane and if no luck there would go to South Ruislip to Murray and Willis. For some reason we went right past Rayner’s Lane yard, and as it was an awkward double back I decided to go on to Ruislip. Well we got outside the timber yard just as they were closing up the gates. Man said they had what he wanted, but they are now closed. All for nothing then and we had to go all the way back without. I left him at Rayner’s Lane in the hopes that he could find them open, and then proceed on the bus. I had to double back pronto to pick up June and the girls from dancing so did not know how he got on. We shall be visiting them on Sunday 23rd. I gather Rebecca is now okay.

Don losing a bit of his land then and Geoff says he is thinking about doing likewise. Says he finds he cannot do as much as he could.

So far as the girls and the dancing is concerned they treat it as a game, and do not behave very well down there. I am afraid the dancing mistress is not going to stand much more of it. We do not get any more complaints about school dinners now. They have given that one up as a bad job***.

Should have thought Bushell would have anchored down his plum tree a bit better than to allow the wind to uproot it.

Can imagine Cornish going on a spending spree with his cheque when he gets it. Zero Hour approaching very fast now indeed. Mutt and Jeff still at it then. Could write a pantomime based on their activities.

I should imagine the surveyors from Robinsons would not take long to get their survey done as no doubt they are doing that type of work all the time. What arrangements are you making to have the greenhouse moved, and do you want any assistance? Time running out now, and you have not mentioned how you intend to tackle the job.

Mum had a long stint in next door house then. Much longer job than she expected, and pity about the lack of sleep. Must remind her that you cannot sleep in the evening in front of the T.V. and then expect to sleep at night as well. Man from housing the quarry is still in a very bad way to all accounts. it must have been a really bad smash he had. Cornish and the test eh, well I can’t say I give much for his chances.

We are in the same position as you with regard to the boiler. We should have had the thing descaled some time ago by have never got round to it. We are supposed to be a hard water area too but it is not as hard as yours.

Gather June reported to be a lot better by doctor on Friday and she does agree she feels a bit better. Treatment to be resumed if necessary in future. Carol getting along a bit better with her reading now. June has been spending a lot of time with her and she is at last beginning to pick up something. Sara looks a big girl now. She is not the size of Rebecca of course, but is very tall. Geoff was saying that he does not work any Saturdays at all now. He has got four O/Cs under him and makes them rotate on Saturdays. Not a bad ruse – hope they appreciate it.

Had some more trouble with the TV last week. On Monday June said ‘did you hear that popping noise?’, and I must confess I had not heard it. However I did not fail to hear it the following night just us ‘Steptoe and Son‘ had just started****. The pops were loud and quick, and suddenly the sound went altogether leaving a good picture going strong. Had the back off and looked for any possible clues, I was suspecting valves. There was a rough diagram on the inside of the case so traced which valves applied to the sound only. Found one of the valves on the speech side was identical with one on the picture side so swapped them over result perfect sound but no picture. This diagnosed the faulty valve, and by turning up my books found that I could get a replacement for 8/3d [about £10.25 in 2024 money]. Normal shop prices would have been about 12/6d [£15.50] to 15/- [£18.75]. We are now back to normal thank goodness as we have not yet had the bill in for the last job on it.

Had a quick look around the yard yesterday but not much on the move yet. The grass is very long, but no new stuff seems to have started coming through yet, and this is needed to cover the layer of earth I put down at the bottom end in the winter. There is still more earth to come from number 17, but have not had chance to get over there for some time. Peter’s brakes still holding up after Jackson’s attention. So for that matter are mine.

Well there it is for the time being, hope as said before that you are both well recovered from flu and knocking garden etc. into shape. Love from us all. 

*Luckily we both managed to avoid mumps for at least another four years.

**Approx. £46,725 in 2024 money. Glassdoor quotes a range of £44,000-£69,000 in 2022, and we can assume that Bristol Temple Meads would have been right at the top of the range both then and in 1964.

***Some hopes. School dinners were *always* awful and just got worse as we got older.

****A surprising choice given that June loathed Wilfred Brambell: she thought he was ‘a disgusting old man’. Perhaps, though, this was early enough in the show’s history that she hadn’t yet learned to dislike him so much.

Tuesday 4th February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Well here we are again with letter duly arriving first post as usual these days. Very sorry to hear that Carol is poorly again but what can one expect this weather – they have both done very well since Christmas. However we hope she will soon be over the worst of it and able to get downstairs to play etc. Not very nice to be penned up and be able to listen to Susan enjoying herself on the swing.

We have had some mixed weather again but I suppose this is only natural just now. Sun out lovely today and both Mum and I have done a little bit outdoors – the first time for several weeks. Last date in greenhouse was 8th January so that gives you some idea of the time we have been more or less housebound. We have of course been out in car to library etc. but not to do any work in garden.

Glad to hear you have finished up Watford and I expect June is too – much better being able to get home each day.

You seem to have a jinx with your car but it is fortunate you have been fairly near home when trouble has appeared. Sorry it means more expense for a tyre but there again it is absolutely essential to have a spare wheel on the car. Assume you have the tubeless variety of tyres. Have not had any trouble with valves myself but as you know had to have a reconditioned tyre last year or rather in 1962. Cost just under £4. [Almost £100 in 2024 money.] Is the starting handle necessary to change wheel? (Yes of course for jacking up car – had overlooked this.)

Sorry about the catarrh effects but central heating does have just this as I found out over the years at Bristol. Hope it clears up now you are back at Liverpool Street. What it really wants though is the nice springlike weather to come along that we should all feel the better for it.

Noted plants in lean-to going on all right and that you have been [able] to get a couple of rose cuttings started. I was given three slips of the rose ‘Peace‘ last Autumn and these are growing so you must have one later on if you would like same. (Have changed ribbon in machine as you can see and it is full of ink at the moment. However the metal letters could do with a scrub.)

You had quite an interesting time then at Watford and presumably have gained knowledge by your stay there. Shall be pleased to hear of any later news of reorganisation at Liverpool Street since your absence – expect your colleagues will have some for you this week.

Yes you did mention some time ago about the boy with the catapult – hope you have been able to stop this further effort before serious damage is done .

Noted you have heard nothing further from Geoff regarding visit – just as well at the moment with Carol off colour. We had the expected letter from Don this week but not a lot of news. The County Council are cutting off about six feet of the front garden for road widening purposes and Don expects them to start on this work very soon. His front gate then I understand will be at the side just before you enter the yard through the big gates. About time something was done there – a most difficult place to negotiate. He is still at the printers and enjoying the work.

So two little girls make themselves useful on Saturday mornings to make sure the dancing classes are on – quite a good idea and I bet they are only too eager to get on with it.* Do you get any complaints about the school dinners now or has that gone quiet?

Your comment about Easter noted but don’t worry about it. Unless you are all 100% (and also ourselves) it will be just as well to put the visit off as much as we should like to see you.

As mentioned above we have both been able to do a little outdoors this morning – surprising how hard the going is after so long being inactive however little by little does it. Brought up all the chrysanths and put them on path alongside Heels and mum brought up the geraniums and put them in the porches. I also dug up one sleeper that had been laid (with others) as a path edging. Two or three more to come up from same position in due course. These sleepers are in excellent condition and worth having. Incidentally one of the plum trees Bushell took and planted in his garden blew over one day when the wind was strong and he had the job of resetting it.

Bill Aston called round just now and said Mrs Aston was in Saint Mary’s Hospital undergoing an operation this morning – not a very serious one but necessary all the same had not seen him for a week. Roy called last Saturday as usual but did not have much news for us this time. He had been to Dunwear near Bridgwater the previous Thursday for the funeral of his brother-in-law. Thought you would be interested to read of the proposed new motorway in this area and of its close proximity to us here.

Further to Cornish’ hi’s driving licence etc I should have told you that he (Cornish) told Bushell that when he got the money he would not bank it but spend it. I suppose two or three nights out with the boys in [the] Salthouse would soon make a hole in it. The latest is that Heel saw him and another man walk onto his (Heel’s) land at the bottom by the river so he (Heel) went down and ask them what they thought they were doing on his ground and intimated that the proper entrance to his property was via the gate. I don’t know what happened after that. Cornish has since cut a large piece of the hedge between himself and Heel so that he could look through onto Heel’s land and see what is going on. I spoke to Heel this morning for the first time in weeks and heard all this from him.

The surveyor (Rawbone) from Rickmansworth called round last Wednesday for about two minutes – made himself known and said he would like to come in the next day to make the survey. This was agreed but we have not seen him since. They have been working down the road inside and outside of Mrs Marshall’s ground and alongside the West End House. There is some trouble about the entrance to the new Estate but I expect Robinson’s are big enough to get over this. Incidentally their surveyor has told someone around here that they expect to be here about a fortnight and then go to Brighton to survey another 40 acres which Robinsons have bought.

Mrs Pearson came over one day and said she had heard that it may not now be necessary to cut the road down between Heels’ and Cornishes’ but this I take with a pinch of salt although if the entrance cannot be at the West End House site then it might be about halfway alongside the field of Mrs Marshall’s in Old Church Road. In these circumstances I can visualise it would then not be necessary to cut through in Tennyson Avenue. Anyhow there is enough to keep us all guessing these days.

Late last week we had another letter (registered) from Solicitor saying that the purchasers of land now wished to take up the option of the second piece of ground which would mean that the lot will be sold by the 15th instant at which date we should be off the ground complete with garage and greenhouse. This is just impossible as I have told Jack Bishop. It looks as if Robinsons have no second thoughts about having the whole piece but it is still their obligation to move garage and I want that moved or at least dismantled before I touch greenhouse. Moreover the heater is on in the latter and just at the moment it is not convenient to move plants etc. You can see a lot of work in front of us before long.

As a point of interest I have asked Stan James for a quick estimate (within £10) for erecting a concrete block garage next to shed and if this is a reasonable figure I may after all decide on this in order to get the whole work completed as early as possible.  The whole situation is changing weekly and our ideas must change as well to keep up with it.

Needless to say we have heard no more from Hawkins or Plumley and Weston but settling date is 15th inst. and there could be some fun if the cash is not available on that day as I understand we could then repudiate the whole transaction.

Mum is still sleeping in the next house where the new Bushells’ baby is expected daily. Mr Bushell is on night duty at Portishead until tonight which is the last for him for a fortnight. He has taken down the short extension of his garage which he used as a coal house but this still leaves him with a building about 14 feet long.

We hear the young motorist (house in quarry) is still not fully conscious but can take food although cannot speak. This seems to be a very bad job as it was before Christmas when the accident happened. Now the wife of the man in the other house in quarry has been taken to hospital seriously ill.

Cornish with a Bentley – that will be the day. Should like to see him taking his test. Probably tell the examiner how to do it etc.

Noted your transmitter still in working order and expect it will get more use again [now] that you are home every evening. I noticed in the Bristol Evening paper that the Bristol Hams have lost no time in getting in touch with the new Chief Constable who has replied to their invitation to join their circle.

We had Arthur Cole’s men in last week for a day and a half descaling the Sradia boiler from which they took nearly a bucketful of ‘fur’. It has been installed for about eight years and at the time it was suggested that the descaling should be effected about every two years because of the hard water in the area. However this is the first time we have had it done. The water was heating up all right but we felt it was time the job was done and I think we were wise as the choking up with the fur would eventually have blocked the lot. Bit of a mess and the inconvenience of no hot water for a short time but all satisfactory again now.

Bottom of page again so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls and hope Carol will soon be better. Mum and Dad. 

*Oh yes, washing-up was a privilege and we always enjoyed doing it. /sarcasm

Sunday 2nd February, 1964

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1964 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for weekly letters and paper. I should think they both have the Beatle Craze well and truly. We keep on getting yeah yeah yeahs and the rest. They know them all by name of course and nearly go mad when they hear them on the radio.

Weather for the last few days here has been very mild. Can only liken it to good early springtime. The sun has been out, there has been a little rain, and the climate quite warm.

Car had to stop outdoors at Watford of course but there was a covering over the top. It was like driving into a garage and leaving the door open. I went out each day and started car up and ran engine for a short while to ensure no trouble for the journey home. During the weekend I thought I would pump up the tyres all round, and was rewarded by a loud hissing sound and the front near-side tyre going down. I pumped up with the foot pump, but no go so got the pressure up as high as possible and hopped around to garage in Victoria Road before it went down again. The man there said it was due to dirt suddenly getting into the valve, and put another in for me. Next episode was on way back from Watford this week. I knew I needed petrol and decided to get some at first garage on the left-hand side that I found. However as luck would have it there were plenty of garages on the right-hand side but none on the left until I was right back in Northwood Hills. I stopped and had two put in, and as I was about to pull away I realised the car was bumping badly and thought I had run over something. Found the near-side rear tyre flat so pushed car back to pump and after a long struggle got enough wind in tyre to get home. By the time I had arrived it was nearly flat again so had a go with the foot pump and went off to collect Carol. Had to keep pumping as we waited for Carol to come out, then home in a hurry and on to garage. They diagnosed a puncture (first I have ever had with a car) and said could do job in half an hour. Walked to pick up Susan and we both went back to garage after the prescribed interval. When they took off the tyre they found it was split about an inch across so said could not use it again and I would have to have a new one. I got them to swap over the spare, which they did for 5/- [roughly £6.25 in 2024 money – a bargain!], bought a new starting handle for 10/- [£12.50 in 2024 money] (so that I could do the same for myself another time), and retired immediately. Shall have to get another tyre in due course but not this week.

The week in the lean-to has been quite good. Heater went out midweek and was not re-lighted as weather was so mild. Lowest reading yesterday was 40º[F] and highest was 60º[F] [roughly 5-15º C]. The sun has been streaming into it again this morning although not for long as at this time of year it quickly goes behind the house. Had a look-see yesterday and found that we have growing buds on both the rose cuttings that I potted up. These were taken from the red rose you gave us a couple of years ago. Everything else seems well alive, and as it was so warm I gave everything a drink of water to keep roots moist. We saw some snowdrops growing yesterday so things are certainly on the move.

Cannot seem to quite get rid of the catarrhal end-products of the last cold I had. Being at Watford did not help as the central heating and the temperature there did not do much good. Found that each time I returned there that the first effect was for the gravel voice to re-appear. Still a bit thick in the clear, but hope it will now pass as Watford finished. It was quite a good course, the final week being mostly all practical work involving standing up all day. Surprising how we had got used to it however, has cannot say I felt tired about the legs. I suppose they make a report on one after the course, but as far as I could see there was not a bad one on the course so no problems for anyone there at.

No more news of doings at Liverpool Street as I was unable to contact my colleagues there on Friday. Shall no doubt find out all about it tomorrow.

Sorry to hear that Mum has been having ear trouble etc. Obviously the aftermath of flu, and like the other effects hard to shift I expect. We are waiting for the doctor to call here at the moment. Carol has had a bad spell again. She seemed fairly well yesterday until about tea-time then started to feel tired and wanted to lie down. She was whisked off to bed and then followed the usual bilious results, but she had a very high temperature and was delirious in the night. Had to bail out and put her in with June but neither had any sleep to speak of after that. We have her in her own bed again now and the fireworks have stopped come about she still has a fever and cannot sleep. Susan is okay and is out on the swing going as high as she can as singing at the top of her voice. An obvious sign that spring is here again.

We will have to keep you posted about Easter, but there may not be any news for a week or so.

The twelve week course at Watford is the full treatment meted out to the uninitiated who are coming into Work Study. This involves a lot of practical work, and work in outside concerns.

Have not seen to the door knob yet, but must have a go today sometime. Not a difficult job of course, but wonder how long it will stay put this time.

The catapult trouble was mentioned once before to you I think. We haved a brush with a boy over the back some time ago who was spraying catapult all around at birds indiscriminately and we were afraid for the children who were in the garden. June got the police to him and put an end to it. Recently we have heard one or two pellets slap up against buildings, and could be air pistol or catapult. Doug next door had his window broken mysteriously a few weeks ago so when I heard further noises of the same I dashed out as quickly as possible with the results you already know.

Have heard no further from Geoff and Stella. Put off for the spring now no doubt.

Washing up after breakfast went quite well yesterday. I think they have both got the message that it is their chore per week, and that the dancing class depends on it. One of their older girls from the dancing class had her photo in the local paper this week so that was just nuts for them. It appears that several of the other girls took newspaper cuttings to show her on Saturday.

The clean effect on the car soon wears off I agree, but gives us a reminder occasionally of the true colour.

Your various news of the deal of quite interesting. Of course the whole thing has been a speculator’s dream from the start. At each layer each group has had to do a little work of coordination but knowing that they either could not or did not want to develop it themselves. Each time the scheme was passed on of course they had to take their value of the work done, so that means the price goes up. It seems that Robinsons have got the lot now, and that perhaps is not a bad thing from an organisation point of view. May speed things up a bit.

Hard luck about your shed. You should have offered them the garage at a fee.

Note the article about the new road in the paper. Very convenient. Built and connected to the London-to-South Wales motorway it will make travel easier to the West.

Some trouble with the out-turn of the new local road into Old Church Road then, and I am not a bit surprised. The proposed site of the junction seems far too sharp and too narrow (in Old Church Road). However the excuse of the householders in West End House cannot be valid as they already have traffic going by their house at speed whereas the new traffic could not possibly do that due to the junction.

A bit tickled about Cornish’s provisional licence. What will he get? A Bentley?

Just warmed up the transmitter last night and found it still in working order, but no real activity there yet.

Well there it is again, have not got to bottom of page, but news running dry. Hope your colds will soon be completely gone, and also hope that we can give you some better news about invalids this end next week.

Still no sign of the doctor so could be dead by now if relied on them. Love from us all.