Alec to his parents:
Dear Mum and Dad
Many thanks for letters duly received Friday also paper arrived earlier in the week. Your first remarks are about weather so will give you the picture here for the week. I had half made up by mind to take car to Watford on Monday as direct distance is less than 10 miles but Monday morning dawned snowy and frosty. There was a fall of some 1-2 inches and where beaten flat by vehicles it was very slippery. I elected to travel by train and was glad to do so in view of the walking conditions I found when I set out. I must say I was not feeling too well when I set off, having a bit of a temperature and headache, but by the time I had walked to Eastcote the latter had gone, and former was easier for stock. At Watford The Grove was covered in snow, and look very pretty. No further falls occurred in the week but the second and third days were accompanied by fog and heavy skies. These conditions were most oppressive, but the snow gradually melted away and the skies cleared and the sun came out. The last two days were fine sunny and springlike and very pleasant. Thursday night produced a frost and was only partially cleared by the morning’s sun and by the time I got back to Ruislip the temperature was down a bit and it was obvious there were many pockets of frost that the sun had not reached. Again on Friday night we had a hard white frost and the windows bore evidence next morning. Tried to start the car, but more anon. Today is much milder with promise of like conditions for a while.
Most interesting about the Hewitts’ visit. You can bet if they will have their money’s worth*. After all that should have thought Mrs H would have looked with more favour on Mum’s competition cake. Perhaps she had had enough already on the visit.
Time certainly is running out for your land. As you say on the 15th prox. it will have been passed over to new owners so you will have to get all you want to retain well clear by then. Yes I am sure your best bet is to get the builders to do the job they are contracted to do on the old garage. You will not lose except in terms of time, if you do not like the result as you can still have a new one if the altered arrangement does not suit you. Frankly I should have thought the old garage was a bit hefty for your requirements and could have been reduced a little in size at the time of the move. I seem to remember that it was Hobson’s Choice at the time you bought it through Drewett, it being the best available at the time and the size was accepted.
Meant to comment about the cutting you sent, and thought I had, but duly noted. I am sure there are a number of such crossings that need a bit of attention to make more safe.
The Christmas cactus may well be getting too much water as I have not given it any since writing last and the earth is still sodden. This despite the fact that the pot is on top of the TV now a la Devonia.
I’ve not heard since if Notley got one of those jobs, but he did promise to let me know at Watford if he got one, but time is short yet. I do not know if I told you last week, but the line (G.E.) Work Study Assistant – Joe Lane – has been detached on a special job viz. same as McDonald’s in conjunction with B.R.B. on a semi-razor gang lark**. He has been led to believe that he will get a consideration at the end of the job. (Something like Geoff.) There is expectancy that the Motive Power side of the traffic will go over to the C.M.E.E.*** and this will account for the other line work study assistant at the G.N. who is mechanically trained. This reduces the field of our particular grading by taking off the top two. Number three is a lecturer at the E.R.W.S. school and as it seems the school will continue for some long time it more or less appears as if he will be committed there for some time. This leaves Unwin and myself who are hoping to remain in situ. When it comes to reorganisation, the old laws of supply and demand operate and one hopes to be part of a limited supply to meet a great demand. All depends on the status and grading of the rearranged posts of course, otherwise one can be left high and not so dry.
I think Geoff’s £100 was to stop him applying for jobs out of the section until his current task was over. The impression going around as a result of interviews etc. and other hints, is that there is a feeling in certain circles that some jobs are far too highly paid, and that in these same quarters only exceptional ability will take the occupants any higher in the same field . This exceptional ability is only likely to be possessed by University types with degrees who have spent some time in outside industry. Mathematical degrees are particularly sought. Let’s face it the salaries are now sufficiently high to attract these people from outside – witness Lang from the I.C.I.
Bit of bad luck for the man in the Avenue having to do all the drain work at his own expense and not getting any help from those either side. Is there a history of trouble there, and how much £.s.d. is involved? Should think all that is needed is a set of rods and the periodical examination should be sufficient to see the job clear. I wonder if the local Health Officer shares the view of the Council that the man must deal with the problem himself.
Our typist at Liverpool Street was not on that train although I believe it was her usual train. I suppose you read what the cause was – a broken axle on the leading bogie of the last coach. It had not been subjected to all the tests it should have had, and it was the last of the particular issue still working on the electric stock, the others have been withdrawn.
No news of your fire raiser. I thought it a bit of a stretch to link that fire with those further West. Anyway you had a visit from the police I wonder what was said.
School dinners do not loom so largely in the conversations now. An occasional dig is made but I think they are both resigned to them now. Susan has written to ‘Junior Points of View’, but I see the letter is still lying around here in its addressed envelope****.
Your little plan noted, and more or less the impression I gained from your previous letters. I do not know if you can improve much on that. I knew the garage would not be near to the house, as it was close to the shed and the shed was close to the house I wondered if you might not be in a bit of trouble if the whole lot was deemed to be too close.
June just a bit tired and has a bit of pick-me-up from doctor. The children have been a big trial lately and have required a lot of looking after, and with the worry of constant misbehaviour the outcome is not surprising.
The work at Watford went quite well last week. Mostly theory for the first week which involves packing a lot of new symbols, meanings and values into one’s head. The last couple of sessions were on practical work in the Laboratory, and this week we are almost entirely on practical work. I think we start a bit more theory on Thursday with a short practical follow-up, and on the last week we have a further subject to tackle both on theory and practical. Food and conditions were well up to standard except that the overall temperature of the place was far too high.
Have not heard from Peter since he took the car away so imagine he has had no trouble. My car stood in the garage for a week and of course would not respond to the starter. There was just enough life in the battery to have started the car if it had been warm, but as engine was cold the battery just died on me. Tried to start by the handle, but as the latter is worn it would not get any purchase on the engine. Borrowed Doug’s charger and he had to unfix it from the wall of his garage before he could hand it over. I switched it on and something went ‘snick’ inside, so had to dismantle the charger before I could find the fault and repair it. As Doug had painted the things some time previously the screw heads were all filled-in and I had to use hacksaw to provide a slot for the screwdriver. Managed to get the whole ensemble working again by about 2 p.m., but by 3 p.m. the charge in the battery was insufficient to start the car. That meant a walk with the washing to the launderette and battery put back on charge. It has had many hours of charge now so will try it later. Trying to open the back door from outside. It had swollen and jammed badly, when the knob came off in my hand so new handle set to purchase. Finally to give the chapter of woe, the declining picture on the T.V. finally and suddenly disappeared in the middle of the children’s programme, so we are without T.V. Man from ‘Morris of the Manor’ is coming on Monday morning.
Some activity again then in the land Stakes. I think that Bushell is in a good position. What thoughts of all the previous occupants of his house. Pity as you say about lack of exit to Old Church Road, but some time in the future it will come.*****
Well we have a couple of letters from the girls for you this week. I believe that you said Mrs Richings had left something for the girls again at Christmas and Susan’s letter to her is just the thanks. If I was mistaken you had better not give her the letter.
Well that’s it again for another week so will close with love from us all.
*So grudging: everyone has an ulterior motive!
**Not a common expression but clearly (despite Wikipedia’s insistence that this was specifically an Australian phenomenon) the ‘razor gang’ had become a metaphor for any organisation with the intention of ‘making cuts’ or ‘slashing its budget’, probably with added emphasis on a cruel and unexpected assault.
***I’m having trouble parsing this acronym, but no doubt it has something to do with ‘Mechanical and Electrical Engineering’.
****Probably because I did not have any opportunity, or even money, to buy a stamp for it – 3d would have been half of my week’s pocket money, and a long walk to the Post Office would also have been involved.
*****Not yet it hasn’t…
On The Track 