Tag: Baker

Sunday 1st January, 1961

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1961 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad,

Herewith letter to get back to regular working, and to thank you both very much for the presents you gave us all for Xmas, also for the letters since received. I am a little out of touch with what has been reported from this end as I did not see Junes last letter. However so far as the children were concerned, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and continue to get the maximum out of the prams. So far they have had two full scale outings with them. The first over Xmas under the eye of Aunty Pauline, and the second yesterday with June in charge. They are very proud little girls now. Unfortunately the weather being what it is, the prams come home with dirty wheels and it seems to be quite a factor. Nevertheless, with the possible approach of Summer this trouble should reduce.

As you must have heard, Carol was poorly at nights over the holiday and had us up and down to her a time or two. Delph suggested that her coughing was due to going into a cold atmosphere ( to bed ) and we might try putting some form of heating in her room. June put them in the small back bedroom after that and put the oil convector heater in with them. It seemed to do the trick so I have fitted an extra point in the children’s room so that we can now run the Belling electric convector there. Last night was the first time it had been used with the children in situ and we soon got coughing from Carol. It all seemed to be a failure but after getting her down, it turned out to be Biliousness instead. She is not too well to-day and bit her tongue at breakfast into the bargain. Apparently did not think much of the flavour either.

Well to turn to your last letter for a moment, I note the exceptional delays in the posts you report. Do not blame the G.P.O. for all of it as arrangements this end were a little out of gear. We had quite a good time at Xmas with Mr and Mrs Baker, Peter and Brenda over in the afternoon of Xmas Day. Peter and Brenda left fairly early, and I ran over to Yiewsley to take Junes Mother and Father home at about 10-0 pm. June came with me and we left the children in bed with Aunty Pauline to keep an ear open. When we got back we found her in attandance on Carol. The next day we went to Delphs for lunch ( Outsize Turkey ) and returned round about the children’s normal bedtime. The day following, we entertained Junes parents and Peter and Brenda to lunch and they all stopped with us until chucking out time. The wallop lasted out very well although I must admit that had celebrations gone on another half day we should have been down to Orange Squash.

Tried to ring you a couple of times after 8-0 pm but the exchange this end were not playing apparently. Could not get them to pick up. I suppose they were either inundated or inebriated. We imagined that the Astons would have been with you for the evening at least. Pity you could not have come here, the weather was good. The winds and hail etc. that you mention were also experienced this end, but I forget which days. The force of the wind was sufficient to drive copious amounts of water under garage doors and form two large pools inside. Water also ran down inside the garage walls and rests on the horizontal supports.. This is bound to happen if the weather is bad.

I hope you managed to find Don and Joan In good health, although I doubt whether you actually saw Joan. We had a card wrapped round a cheque from them. I should have thought that Don would have had the savvy to check on the platform that the train would arrive on ( from box if necessary ) to avoid racing from one to the other, especially as he was bitten that way the previous year. You were fortunate in having at least thirty minutes chat with Don. The trains have been truly out of course lately and for no apparent reason. The apologies to passengers catching trains at Marylebone are so frequent it is a standing joke among the regulars, Where did you leave the car at Yatton? Suppose you left it where we usually park waiting for the Up London trains? I seem to remember that at one time you had the hire of a garage at Yatton but I suppose that has lapsed.

Talking about my short visit and exchanging presents, I am wearing the slippers and find them very comfortable and warm. By being smaller than the last pair I had they give me a better sense of balance when walking. Through wear the others had become a bit sloppy.

Regards Baynton-Hughes, he had the cheek to send a roneo-ed* memo to all members of his erstwhile section thanking them for their help etc. in the past, and going on to a propaganda tirade on the achievements of Work Study in the Department. If he had let it go at thanking us for our services it might have been appreciated, but with the other bit tacked on it made it just laughable. He is still hanging on to the threads and has now reached the stage of giving people instructions that someone else has already given. Notley who applied a scheme for Bonus payment to the Cleaners at Westbury over Xmas was earmarked by him to do the same at Swindon starting next Monday. Dropped this one on Mc Donald by strong hint and I now understand that someone else has to do it. The agreement was that all staff would be devolved as quickly as possible and in position by January 30th. He is interpreting that to mean that he can have use of all staff till that date. We are gradually prizing them away however. Have got agreement for one to be released on Jan 16th, another two on Jan 23rd and the remainder on 30th Jan.

This is also the date on which I go. Saw Pattisson Just before Xmas and he gave me the outline. Who will take over I could not say. I Intend to spend as much of the remaining time at Cardiff so may see you at short notice. I agree with you that it will be a good thing to have Work Study at Headquarters, but in this case Headquarters is The General Manager, and he has a Work Study Organisation. I know Jefferies the G.M.s Work Study Officer quite well – he is another Baynton-Hughes.

Thought of you again seating all those people in the Dining Boom. I hope the occasion was sufficiently convivial. I suppose you could always get two or three in the conservatory.

The little boy in the photograph is Michael Benn. The picture was taken by Eric Benn with his camera when our girls went over to play. ( Back in the Summer. ) Eric was very pleased with it and thinks it to be one of his best so far. We have seen the colour negative of it projected on to a large screen and it is quite impressive.

The proposed party with McDonald has not come about. He had arranged to see me on the day of my return as you know, but sent a message saying he would be unable to see me. Since then I have not heard from him but then I have not been ordering my comings in and goings out on the assumption that he would ring so have not been put out. I did hear that he had in mind getting me to take Notley over to see him on Friday. (This from a round about source.) but as I had day off looks like he came unstuck again.

The Transom House Work Study do took place on the Tuesday, They were all congregated in the room following the arrival of the Bristolian, when Gerry Burt walked in. He said my name is Burt, so that you will recognise me when you see me, and not say who is that ————. I suggest we all go over to the Shakespear and I can meet all of you. ( Or words to that effect.) It seems that everybody did meet everybody and our crowd caught their train without so much as a sandwich all day. We all had a party in the office at Paddington on the Thursday (4-0 pm to 8-0 pm) and finished at Mid-day on Friday until Wednesday morning.

I do not know what is going to be included from Susan or Carol this week. There is a lot of spoiled paper lying about.**

Went over to see Mann in his house in Harrow yesterday. He has some good wine but is running his stocks down preparatory to going to Bristol, He is selling his house and the Estate Agent says he can get £3500 for it [£82,000 in 2020 money; try finding a house for that nowadays – the average UK house price in 2020 was £256,000], I would say it is a bit bigger than ours but externally it is not so pleasing. It is also rather older.

Had a look a some of my Plum wine yesterday evening to rack off into bottles and found that it had turned to vinegar, I really do not know what to do with it as do not know the treatment for vinegar. I realize that it is finished as a wine but as vinegar it does not taste bad. I expect the rest of the plum has gone the same way too. Should have attended to it earlier. The apricot wine is delicious.

Had a look round the garden, and what a sight, Pulled up the last of the Parsnips but they are not much size. There is a row of onions across the bottom patch and a lot of grass and weeds. The daffs are through and showing about two inches or so of growth. Managed to get some more of the better wood inside the shed and under the bench to dry, I think I may be able to make a shelf from some of it. Doubt if I shall do much there until the warmer weather though. It is even cold indoors to-day although the sun is shining quite brightly outside.

They are making good progress with the school in the next field, I see they have got the roof trusses up although as yet there are no walls – only the framework.

Well I hope you have a very Happy Hew Year and keep fit for your visit to us at Easter. By the way we must think of dates.

Love for now from us all. June, Susan, Carol and Alec

[*’Roneo’, for younger readers, was the trade name for a brand of mimeograph machines.]

[**Charming!]

The mystery of the missing brother; Part 2

On By Sue JenkinsIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Back in September I promised an update including any further information that might be obtained from Teddy’s death certificate. It was a little disappointing, but such as it is I include it here.

Teddy died on 27 February 2001 in Hillingdon Hospital, Middlesex. The informant on his death certificate was a lady who gave an address in Hillingdon which turned out to be a community centre; as Teddy would have been just a month short of his 80th birthday at the time of his death, it seems reasonable to assume he was attending a day centre or a pensioners’ lunch when he was taken ill – and that either the manager of the centre or a member of staff went with him in the ambulance and was either present at the time of death or was listed in his paperwork as next of kin.

I have tried writing to this lady at the address given but – unsurprisingly – have had no reply so far.

The only further information yielded by the death certificate relates to Teddy’s address (a ground floor flat, probably Council-owned), his occupation – given as ‘Railwayman (retired)’, which is interesting – and the cause of death, which was ‘metastatic sarcoma’. It should be possible in due course to ferret out the details of Teddy’s employment as a railwayman, but other than that – unless/until his RAF service records become available – it seems as if we have reached a dead end. The only other possibility might be reaching out to a local newspaper or radio station covering the Hillingdon area, and that is certainly something we are well prepared to do when the time comes.

Sunday 20th November, 1960

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1960 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you both for letters to us and children. Glad you liked Susan’s drawing, they show a little promise we think.* Both girls seem well enough now except that runny noses are well in evidence.

Still no news on the housing front. The facilities in the building are beginning to fail one by one to add to the troubles. This week the fridge went wrong also fire in shop. The latter the only thing that prevented them from becoming icicles. We have not been over this week but it is known that they are not too well and no wonder.

I used to sing the girls an old song about the “Oujah tree “, could only remember one verse but they seemed to like it. I suppose Carol connected the suspended dahlias ( something she had not seen before ) with the song. Now you remind me, I call to mind the occasion of the ‘Camp coffee’ but very dimly.

The interview last Monday was taken by Philips with McDonald and a staff rep. When I was ushered in he (Philips) said ‘good morning Mr Atkins, we have not met before’. I thought he might as well have it that way as any other so did not pass any comment. At the end of the interview when shaking hands he asked how you were keeping. I went in at 11-30 a.m. and had a very good interview. They fired a few questions but having thought out the possible answers the previous night, most of them dropped into my lap. As far as such events go, I would say it was one of the best I have ever had. This may or may not be significant, but Mann who followed had a rough passage. So far there has been no announcement, and I rate my chances no more or no less than at the beginning that is fifty-fifty.

I did not have a terrible lot to say to the man from Derby. The inventor of the system – Norman Shelley – was present and he gave him most of the griff. Went to Exeter on Tuesday as arranged and met Squires, Hartnell and a chap named Courtney. Also Stan Reed and a young rolling stock man named Court. Hartnell was as nervy as anything about his District being used as a guinea pig. He has trouble already in introducing his Taunton Concentration Scheme. We agreed to suspend operations for the time being until he could have further evidence now being prepared by the B.T.C. He won’t understand it when he gets it and so his reply will almost certainly be ‘no’.

Norman and I went on to Plymouth and presented ourselves at Millbay just before 11—00 a.m. and asked to see Dean. He had had the good sense to go to Cornwall a few minutes earlier so had a preliminary chat with Beer then went down to see Jack Ackford. ( Incidentally both he and Squires asked after you.) After examining the evidence offered by the Plymouth people we think it unlikely that we shall conduct the experiment there as the results will not be of such an extent to make a song about. They will have to come in line eventually, but it will cost too much for no local result. All the benefits will be national. We may yet have to “fire off ” Hollinsworth after all.

The meeting at Swindon is a waste of time. This could all have been cleared up by phone, but the accountant wants to know more than is good for him. All that is involved is a request for the services of one of the Regional Accountants Tabulators to process some punched cards. This would involve about forty hours in total. We have seen the man who will do the job, and there is no trouble there. All we want is a yes or no from his boss. I expect he wants to talk about C.P.C., and the merits or demerits of the system, but if so its not coming off because that is not the point at issue.

So Geoff has got himself a typewriter at last has he? They are very useful, but it is not necessary to get a new one as there are usually some good second-hand ones knocking about. Yes I am afraid that writing is getting a little out of date, Quality is not the thing now, but after all the end product was neatness, and this can be achieved with almost the same amount of difficulty with a typewriter. The thing to do is not to be the slave to the machine. If I make any mistakes, I either leave the nor type over them. No point in wasting paper, and in any case there is rarely any doubt as to the sense intended.

I bought some wood on Saturday to make my bench at end of garage. I got four pieces of 8x6xl flooring, lopped two inches off the long side and laid them on the angle iron support of the garage that runs lengthways down the sides at a height of 35″ from the floor. As it stands it it strong enough for shelving, but not sufficiently firm enough for a bench. I am making a frame 35″x25″ to support the middle out of some four by two that I bought for the old wooden shed. By sheer chance the mower fits Just under this bench and I have stowed away all the boxes and large bits and pieces that have been cluttering up the place. At the moment what is left of the Chrysants has found its way on to the bench but they will soon be over now and out of the way. I am afraid they did not get the best of chances as they had to be moved about from place to place rather a lot and they grew very straggly and unwieldy due to the rain and being in a shady corner. However I must look in the gardening book and see what I have to do to the shoots that are present at the base of each of the plants in order to get some more next year.

Don’t go to too much trouble with the standard lamp if the idea is a bit much. Can only think of one way to get wire down the middle, and that is to construct it of a number of short sections to be fitted together. My longest drill is about six inches so I suppose the longest section that it would be possible to bore would be about 12 inches by conven­tional methods. Of course a thin red hot poker would bore through equal to about twice its own length if you bore from both ends in turn.

I was able to see for myself the residue of the floods in the West. There is still a lot of it lying alongside the line air Athelney. Saw John Saunders at Newton Abbot. He asked after you, and said he had not seen you since you retired. He is complaining that the Work Study people have been to Newton Abbot and told his men that they are the best cleaners on the Western. He thinks we are likely to recommend that the standard of cleaning there should be reduced. Colin Lovemore has been on a Work Study course and showed a lot of promise but he has decided not to proceed in this line. Afraid of comment I suppose.

I read Mum’s letter to the girls and was instructed to tell you that we have some birds here too. Susan says that she helps Grandfy open the gate. To-day the prizes were dished out at the Sunday School and we were invited to attend. All the children who turned up fairly regularly had books, and Susan had one of course. Carol who had not been attending for very long did not qualify and wanted to know where her book was. Managed to stave that one off. Pauline came to stay with us for the week­end so we all went by car. It poured of course so had to wipe off the wet in semi-darkness after return. I must say the presence of the silicone polish I put on helped a lot as the water gathered in large drops and did not cling to the car. Everything clean, dry and polished again now.

Susan was a bit naughty at Sunday School, and I saw the teacher talk to her once or twice but Carol was as good as gold. (Perhaps she was still waiting for her book). Susan kept waving and calling from the other side of the room.

Had a letter from Budworth** who is now the Work Study Assistant to the Divisional Traffic Manager at Leeds. He covers the whole of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Have not been in London long enough to find out how Manning is getting on yet.

I am afraid the garden is not getting a look in these days. There is very little spoiling however as only the Westfield Flame Chrysants to attend to. Last year I left them in but this year I think I will try to find time to sort them out.

Had a drop of one of my Parsnip Wines to-day, I suppose it must be well over two years old by now. Quite strong. Maybe when I have had time to get some substantial shelves in the garage I may find time to tackle some more and let it mature out there. So far no mice in ours, but then they would have very little to eat if they came this way.

Would you say that Mrs Drewett got a reasonable price in the circumstances or not? There are two houses higher up this road with boards outside, I do not know if they are ‘To sell’ or ‘Sold’. I heard that one of the families living round there had moved to Pinner.

Well there it is for this week, Hope you are both keeping well although according to Mum’s note to the children I gather she has a cold, Hope that by now it has departed. Love from us all.

*Again, four and a half years old; what a patronising thing to say about a child’s drawing. As if it mattered whether a kid’s art showed promise or not; what’s important is that it’s done with love and enjoyed by all, not whether or not your child is a budding Michelangelo!

**Presumably this will be the letter Alec is responding to in the stray ‘Dear Bud‘ letter that turned up randomly in the file.

Sunday 13th November, 1960

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1960 lettersLeave a comment

Dear Mum and Dad,

Thanks for letter, arrived just after breakfast on Saturday as usual. Herewith this week also latest effort from Susan. This one is in technicolour. Yes I agree it is a messy arrangement about the house at West Drayton. Unfortunately it is so involved that it is difficult to see what can be done.

Sorry to say we can not claim to be even reasonably healthy this week. Returned from Cardiff on Friday to find that Carol had been giving trouble* with a head cold and to-day Susan has got it. They both had fairly good nights last night but June has been sleeping in with Carol in the small back room far the last three nights. Of course there was no Sunday School to-day for either although Susan announced that she was quite recovered. The worst is over for Carol to all appearances but it will be a day or two I suppose before they are back to normal. June and I are free so far.

While on the subject of the girls, I washed the dahlia tubers to-day and to dry out I have tied string round the stems and hung them in a bunch from the centre girder of the garage. When Carol saw this she said “thats the oujah tree Daddy”. Another one, – Susan this time – when June had bathed her she said to Susan gracious look at that tide mark round the bath. Susan said “of course it isn’t we do not use ‘Tide’ in our bath”.

Do not know what Carol will do at first when Susan goes to school. It will be a bit of a shock I expect but after mooning around for a day or two she will probably get used to it. I remember going to the Infant School for the first time at Clevedon very well. I also remember many incidents of school days at Westbury including catching the bus home (when I remembered it).

Bristol getting quite posh with the new shops. Hope Mum and Aunt Joan had a good day – not too expensive.

The rain came back with a vengeance this week end and has filled me up with catarrah again. I have noticed that particularly heavy and prolonged rainfall soon produces that effect. Must look forward to some dry cold days to put matter right. Do not think the frost we had has done any damage this end. Not much about to damage now except the dahlias and I have forked them all up now. When they are really dry I shall bring them indoors and put away somewhere without heat or extreme cold.

Have a very full Diary these days but last week I only got out of London for one full day. Stayed in the first part of the week to ensure there were no last minute surprises from Pickford for his meeting on the Thursday. Went to Cardiff on the 3-55pm (stayed the night in Bridgend) and had meeting with Bluff and Bryer the following morning which lasted till five minutes to 4-0 pm (inc lunch). Just managed to scramble on to the 4-0pm to Paddington and arrived home at 8-30pm. Monday I had free but I am told I have an interview that day for job of Work Study Assistant to Mr Philips so that day has gone now. Tuesday we meet the Vice Principal Of the Derby Railway College, Wednesday to Exeter to see Hartnell (that answers your query) and Thursday and Friday in the Exeter and Plymouth Districts to get some general impressions make contacts etc. Monday 21st I have meeting at Swindon with Accountants (in morning) and the rest of the week looks like being in the Cardiff Area as I have a full list of Goods Agents and Stationmasters to see. Have a team at Cardiff Control next week to measure the use made of two Control Circuits. (The two most heavily used in the Control) to find out what we have to do to avoid delay and congestion if the train loading messages were increased by two and a half times. Things are certainly warming up and I could use a couple of good Class One assistants. Trouble is you just can’t be in two places at once. I rang McDonald up on Friday and asked him if he wanted to see me whether it would be convenient that day. He arranged to see me at 11-0am but sent a subsequent message to say he had been called away but would see me next week. Passed a message back to say I was only available on the Monday so the ball is now in his court. Of course fit he may have heard about the interview before me and that may have changed his mind for him. Feel I only hold an evens chance for this one. I only applied for the London job although all four were offered. It seems there are two highly paid Commercial Work Study men to be found homes and as McDonald was from that office the chances are not good. There is no reason for the Bristol Divisional Manager to be represented at the Exeter Meeting, but he will be given the opportunity of attending if he likes. We did agree that an informal approach would be made with Hartnell and Dean after the initial meeting.

Susan’s reactions to the fireworks were healthy enough. We did not have many apart from the sparklers. Susan wanted a Catherine wheel so June bought a large one and I poked a hole through it and worked the needle in it so that it turned freely. Unfortunately the needle must have expanded with the heat as after the first few seconds the wheel stuck and could not be persuaded to revolve. She was not disappointed and later saw some of Janet’s out of the window.

Peter and Brenda were here on Friday when I got home. The ring was in evidence so that is established. I do not know when they will be married but I think not for some time yet.**

We have been lead to believe that with that verdict on Uncle Cyril there can be no question of compensation. This sounds only too logical. We hear that Iris has returned to her own home, and Aunt Beryl is keeping the other one going as a home for herself and Clive who is as yet unmarried.

Yes I thought it odd that Charlie Rust did not see the London train off. I made no real attempt to go to see him as I assumed he would be certain to see train out.

I wonder why you decided to extend the bench to the end of garage. It seemed to me that you had a long enough bench and the bit at the bottom was most suitable for stacking long poles and laths vertically.

While on the subject, June and I had the idea that you might care to try your hand at making us a Standard lamp. We realise that a tall lamp might present some transport problems but it might be possible to make the lamp in two or more sections which could be reassembled. We have always wanted a standard lamp and one with rectangular section would be just as good as a round one.

You seem to be having similar trouble to mine in getting car in and out. Must say that particular problem is simple compared with that of walking round garage (inside) with car in position.

To-day I took lid off radio and retuned all the six settings. What was in tune at Clevedon was a little out this end. Have now fixed positions 1, 4, 5, and 6 with “Light” “Home” “Hilversum” and “Paris”. The stations on 2 and 3 are not very powerful and I can hardly hear them, I can not seem to get anything else on those settings.

I expect you were able to find a good use for the flower pots, or will do when potting time comes round again. See you had a walk on the sea wall. How far exactly did you go. June and I had a short walk on the wall one evening when we were last at Clevedon but we did not go further, than the new river. Incidentally we met Aston coming off the wall as we went on. Had a look for the missing Jewels lately? There is always a small cluster of people working at the Pill. During the Winter when the boats are out of the water, there is a lot of caulking and tarring to be done and new coats of paint to be applied. At one time Captain Rowles had a yard down there where he kept all sorts of masts, spars, sails and gear, I think it has gone now though.

So you have some big game in the neighbourhood? I suppose Bill Raine popped out and put some salt on their tails.

Thanks for the B’water paper. Some good pictures in it especially Lyng Halt. The children appreciated the letter from Grandma and had it read specially for them. Will close now and try to think up what questions likely to come up tomorrow (and answers). All the best to you both for now. Love from us all.

*’giving trouble’ pretty much sums up the attitude; naturally if a child was ill they were doing so *at* Alec and June, deliberately. There is never a word of how unhappy the children themselves must be.

**Spoiler alert; the wedding never did take place, and Peter later married someone else. It will be interesting to see whether or not anything emerges in subsequent correspondence as to the reason for this. I remember Brenda as a very friendly blonde lady, although we only met a couple of times.

Thursday 10th November, 1960

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1960 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for the budget of news received on Tuesday and another nice letter and drawing from Susan. Very sorry to hear the position regarding the property at West Drayton. Until the Council and Petrol people agree presumably no move can be made but the latter should accept liability for any further deterioration consequent on demolition of adjacent house as you suggest. The whole problem must be very worrying to both Mr & Mrs Baker and we do hope an early settlement may be effected. Just as well to acquaint Solicitor with details for future reference.

Glad to hear you are all ‘reasonably healthy’ (as you put it) again and by this time perhaps June has recovered from her teeth trouble.

So the girls went to school again on Sunday – assume they both look forward to this little diversion from normal routine every week. It will not be so long now before Susan will be starting day school and then what will Carol do? I can well remember taking Uncle Don to school for his first day – to Gorse Hill School, Swindon. Incidentally Aunt Joan and Mum had a day together at Bristol on Monday going through the new store shops including Jones – Lewis – C & A Modes & not least Woolworths.*

It was a grand day for weather following a good Sunday but on Tuesday morning we had a very sharp frost. Had not at that time switched heat on in greenhouse and temperature inside went down to 28 degrees. A couple of the cinerarias were slightly affected but will I think recover. We soon had rain again on the Wednesday.

Note you have not been out of London since your meeting at Bristol the other week. From what you say it certainly does look as if things are hotting up and if Manning has been put on the Reading check up it means Birmingham have to do without him for him being. This move however should keep Philips and McDonald quiet and Pattison retains you for C.P.C. Should be quite an interesting meeting with the people from the Railway College at Derby. Hollingworth’s reactions to Hallett are typical the former being in the same category as Edwards – i.e. inclined to bullying. Where will you be having meeting with Hartnell – query Exeter? It is such a mix-up now that some of us cannot follow all the arrangements. In this case I suppose the Bristol Divisional Manager has to be represented? Anyhow it is going to keep some people busy for a very long time.

Not surprised Carol a little nervous of the fireworks but she will soon get over that and enjoy them as much as other children (and adults). How did Susan react? You must have seen quite a lot. Do you remember the year we had bonfire in the field and a lot of the neighbours children coming in? This year we only saw one bonfire – it was in garden of Tennyson House where there are one or two children. Could hear ‘bangs’ in the distance but we were indoors enjoying the warmth from fire.

If the news is confirmed – best wishes to Peter and Brenda on their engagement. Shall look forward to seeing them in due course. Note verdict on Uncle Cyril was “Accidental death” but what happens now? Is there any question of compensation? It was a terrible tragedy and whatever monetary compensation is forthcoming it cannot unfortunately bring him back.

So you did not see Charlie Rust – thought he might have been on platform to see your train depart as presumably it went from No. 9.

Since my last letter I’ve been busy in garage where I’ve already extended bench to full length of garage. You will recall there was a space of about 3ft at corner of garage nearest Wains Hill. The shelves in this corner have nee taken down and I’m lining the two sides with odd pieces of timber. Not quite finished this yet but when it is I have to replace shelves and generally tidy up. At the moment the place is a shambles and I can only just get car in and out.

It was such a lovely day on Tuesday I put in a row of broad beans in the afternoon using boards on ground to keep earth from caking under feet. Apart from this very little has been done outdoors this week but Mum has been busy at times hoeing weeds on the hard paths etc.

Heard over the weekend that Mrs Drewett’s house had been sold privately before auction – have no idea who bought it or figure obtained. George Poulton (Iris husband) called me over Monday and offered me a lot of flowerpots of varying sizes. I found there were about 130 altogether and although he did not want anything for them I gave him 5/- [roughly £6 in 2020 money] for Mrs Drewett. All the pots want a good clean as they had been lying in a heap unused for years.

Last Sunday morning with Mr Ashton I went out on the sea wall for some distance. The men are still working on it but I should think they must be getting towards the end of the job. It was surprising to see a number of people at the Pill attending to their boats – probably putting them away for the winter. Over at the church workmen are not putting in a stained glass window in memory of Mr Marshall and the scaffolding is now being taken down following work on the roof.

Understand there are a couple of pole cats at large on the hill and in the churchyard and recently one of them had had a fight with some other animal on the lawn in the Church Cottage garden. Bill Raine told me about it. He lives in the cottage as I expect you know.

Joan brought up to Bristol a Bridgwater paper showing some of the flooded areas. It includes a picture of Lyng Halt with water running through between the platforms. Will try and post it on to you. They had it pretty bad at Burrowbridge and on the road between Lyng and Athelney**.

Well I think this concludes the epistle for another week – shall look forward to yours early next week.

All our love to you both and again lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.

Mum & Dad

*All of these have now gone from Bristol city centre; two of the buildings still exist, however.

**The whole of this area of course is low-lying (the ‘Somerset levels’) and well into recorded history was in fact a series of islands and waterways which have since been drained to create fertile farmland. It was at Athelney that Alfred the Great hid out before the Battle of Edington, and it is in this area that the famous cake-burning incident is supposed to have taken place.

Eva to the children, on the remaining half-side of Leonard’s paper:

Dear Susan & Carol

I hope you are both well and able to go out this nice sunny weather. I went for a ride on a bus on Monday to meet Auntie Joan in Bristol. It was a lovely day but I like riding in the car best.

Fancy Susan having a ballet skirt, is she learning the ballet now?

Grandfie has been busy putting up shelves in the garage. I had to fetch some nails from the shop this morning.

That was a lovely drawing of a Christmas tree, is that yours. The children will soon be singins carols now that the penny for the guy is over and the bonfires. I heard you had a big one in the field. We did not see many fireworks here.

Lots of love from

Grandma and Granfie xxxxxxxx

Sunday 6th November, 1960

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Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad,

Thank you for letter, yours is as regular an arrival on Saturdays as ours is on Tuesdays apparently. I am afraid that there is very little good news to come in regard to future house prospects for Junes Mum and Dad. It seems that the ‘Council’ will not pass the plans for the garage so presumably the petrol people will have to think again about their proposed drive-in garage. These things all take time and if they have to prepare an alternative plan that gives them most of the things they want and still pass the ‘Council’ it may take months. All the time the rain comes through where removal of the house next door has weakened the structure, the side entrance is a morass where there used to be a path, and they calmly turned the water off one week-end so that there was a danger of the coke boiler exploding. It seems that all these hardships have been inflicted for nothing, and worse because Mr Baker has a repairing lease and may be liable for cost of putting the place to rights. I have advised that solicitor should prepare a comprehensive list of all such points and register a protest as soon as possible in writing, because if time passes and no complaint is made the petrol people may deny that they are the cause.

We are now all reasonably healthy again except June who had tooth filled after injection yesterday. Susan and Carol seem fully recovered from the last bout. They both went to Sunday School to-day. Last week I did not go to Cardiff or elsewhere for that matter, but the previous week we had the Bristol meeting. The battle is still going on with Pattisson having a substantial lead at the moment. Things on our front have got very hot lately and we have to brief Mr Pickford (Assistant General Manager) on C.P.C. so that he can say his piece at the Traffic Committee meeting this week (B.T.C.) The big whip is being cracked by the B.T.C. with Hollinsworth doing a Kruschev. He heard from his own chap about Halletts behaviour at our meeting and said he would have to be “liquidated”. A great deal of effort was needed apparently to calm him down. The principal of the Railway College at Derby has written to say that Senior Students at the college have asked to be informed about C.P.C. and as he cannot give them the dope because he does not know, he is coming to Paddington next week for us to tell him all about it. (Lunch involved.) We are arranging a meeting with Hartnell Wednesday week to fix our entry into the Exeter Bistrict and then we shall be operating in three Districts. On the reverse side of the penny, McDonald for Philips has been pressing for my release to re-appraise the Reading Passr. Scheme. Manning who has returned from the L.M.R. (and lives at Reading) has landed this job. He told me that Wilkinson had told him that the London job rested between us and that I had got it through special qualifications of knowledge of the District. It might not be a bad thing for both of us if he makes himself useful.

Glad you managed to pick the apples at last. We had less difficulty as we told you. Did no gardening this week end. June bought a few fireworks for the children which were let off about 6-0pm. Carol was a little afraid she stood behind June rather a lot and took a dim view of the ‘swish’ of the rockets. Could not get her to hold a sparkler but perhaps next year she will be better. Took Susan to see the big bonfires in the field. There were a considerable number of cars parked along the road with people watching the fun. Some holding fireworks out of the windows. Of course there were the usual rowdies and later coaches arrived with others. At one time there was such a block of cars either side that traffic could not get through. We did not stop long.

The Bristol meeting was worked on informal lines with free-for-all discussion with the object of telling the locals all about the scheme by answering their questions. Looked out for Charlie Rust but he was not about. Pattisson left the meeting at the start to go and have a word with him so assume he was somewhere around.

Sorry that tomato did not go to ‘Mitchelmore ‘, There are others there who should have them, preferably as old as possible.

I really have no time to do much to the wine these days, even finding time to drink it is hard, still it is nice to know that you are making plenty to keep the supplies up. I had not heard that Hodder had died. I remember him when he was Parcel Agent. Cannot say if anything known of Peter Morris. We had people at Newton Abbot and I asked them to look him up but the opportunity did not arise. Good job you got rid of the mice. They are not good things to have around but doubt if you will ever be free from the risk of them even with the lining of the garage. They only want the slightest crack to get through and they are in.

Susan said it was very nice of you to write to her. Peter and Brenda were going to get engaged on his Birthday (4th inst.) Have seen no ring yet, but will observe in due course. It appears that the verdict of the inquest on Uncle Cyril was ‘Accidental Death’. I hear he left no Will but house is paid for and there is a substantial sum which will presumably go to widow. Surprising thing is that the Motor Bike was really old and old fashioned when he could have had a much newer one or even a small car and probably been living now had he done so. Well here’s hoping you both are fit and well. Love from us all once again.

Sunday 23rd October, 1960

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Alec to his parents (on un-matching paper):

Dear Mum and Dad,

Again thank you very much for your letter. Again I have an overseer as I write. Again I am afraid I have some very bad news to tell you. Just after we had breakfast last Monday, the telephone rang to give us the news that Uncle Cyril* ( Iris’s Father ) had had an accident on his motor bike the previous Saturday night receiving fractures of the skull and legs from which he has since died. It would appear that he was only out for a spin – not going anywhere in particular – when he was run into from behind by another vehicle. We have not got full details but it appears that the bike was in very bad condition – probably the lights were dim, or out. The funeral was at 2-0 pm on Friday.

No letter from Susan this week but she asked me to say the following :- “Carol likes Sunday School but she keeps fading”. “Every time I look round for her she has disappeared.”

Have made a little more room in the garage by using up most of the contents of a bath of sand. Have put what is left into two buckets. Bought some rubber tubing on Saturday to line the steelwork where the car doors open. This will save scratching the paint. Managed to get a fillet of cement down round the outside of the garage to-day, and this should stop all fear of wet coming in.

Two of the Chrysants. are opening their flowers but the others are some way behind. Have not got around to lifting the dahlias although the haulms have gone black. Too much else to attend to. The boys called this afternoon for wood for the bonfire so let them take all the rubbish I had down by the fence. This includes bits of the old shed and fence.

Going back to the garage, I usually release the handbrake in the garage but have not taken to putting any wood down. Car cannot run more than a foot before it would get stopped. Note you have not used your car much lately neither have we. Bought the first petrol to-day since the lot we put in when I brought the car up. The oil had gone down so I put two pints of Castrolite in to bring it up to mark. Will you please let me know how much Anti-freeze is needed. I have an idea you said that the stuff you put in last year is still there but will get some more if necessary. The cooling system uses no water at all as far as I can see. It is still right up to the top and I have put none in.

I am afraid the house mentioned in our last letter got sold. At the moment there are no others in mind. I believe there is a little reluctance to part with money ( on behalf of the buyers of Mr Bakers place ) which makes the purchase of further property a little precarious.

Dining room got finished in a grand slam and is again inhabitable. We cannot get much reaction from Carol re Sunday School. To-day however, I was playing a few hymns from Junes Childrens Hymn Book and when I started Carol said “all stand up”.

The visit to Plymouth is off. We are going to Bristol instead. Gerry Burt objected to going to Plymouth on Deans behalf and said that Dean should go to Bristol for his. ( What size hat ? ) Strong rumour this week that Soole has been made Work Study Assistant to Divl Traffic Manager Bristol. As far as I know no interviews have been held yet. Dan Mann will just about wipe the floor with him if true.

Please excuse the paper, I have temporarily run out of the other. It would be a good way of disposing of a redundant Assistant so I feel there may be more than a grain of truth in the rumour. It will be a sorry day for the pursuit of Work Study though. Saw a letter from. G.A.V. Phillips asking for my release and a pencilled note attached in Pattisson’s handwriting saying he did not want to change horses in mid-stream (particularly as he had recently done so) and that he would like a reply to Phillips on the lines that I should be allowed to take up the appointment but be detached for the time being to help him on say four days out of five. He evidently thinks I work a five day week. He’s right. Of course this is all off the cuff and softly does it. I think the Plymouth job was a very astute card to play. I thought the B.T.C. would come up with something. The Developement Assistant at Paddington is McDonald. He was one of the clients on the panel for my interview if you remember.

Note the publicity given to our old associates. I hear about Richings from the Work Study people who have been at Weston for some time. There are two coaches there but the outside work is finished and they are just writing their reports. We have seven coaches circulating now and on December 10th when the section finally breaks up shall have to make sure that I have at least two good ones. Notley is at Westbury at the moment with about the best one of the lot and he has opted for the London Divn. I have told him to hang on like grim death to that coach and label it to me if necessary.

Yes it was a slow job getting glass in. Of course there is nothing except putty holding the windows in as they have steel frames. The putty is almost as soft as when I put it up but it will harden after a while. You can work out for yourself the amount of frame to be puttied if you assume the glass ( 8 panes) to be 2ft. square. It comes to a little less than 64ft. actually, but 21 yards of putty is a lot of putty.

I like the sound of Winchester but cannot say I know much about it. Note you feel that a trip this year is not a good bet. I agree that the weather is a little against us especially as the fogs are due. We can postpone it to next year but I should not be surprised if we met before that anyway.

Good for you on the football. Have not sent any in since the first week. My system has been worked passively at this end but it has not come up yet so no bones broken.

We went shopping in the car yesterday and to-day we went to West Drayton for a quick trip just after Sunday School. The girls were thrilled with Mothers letter and Susan said it was very good of her to write.

Geoff phoned on Friday to complain that he has to get his news from retired members of the staff. I told him that I did not find it necessary. Got him on toast this time I think.

Well there it is again for another week. Doubt if I can manoevre anything when I am at Bristol but may be able to the week after. Love from us all.

*Cyril Baker 26 October 1893 – 16 October 1960 was the eighth of the nine children of William Augustus Baker and Alice Esther Daniel. He married Beryl Smith and they had four children – Pat, Iris, Anthony and Clive.

Thursday 20th October, 1960

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Leonard to the family: [ordinary foolscap paper]

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for the budget received on Tuesday including another good effort by Susan – thank you very much Susan for telling me that Carol now goes to Sunday School. Yes I expect little miss is interested in the typewriter – would be more so if could get her hands on it. Just in the inquisitive stage now. Sounds as if both of them are full of life and no doubt they have grown a lot since you were here in June.

Cannot understand the delay in despatching the cream from Exmouth but it may have been partly due to the terrible conditions prevailing there at the time. Anyhow as long as it turned up in good condition is all that matters.

Sorry Peter did not relish the real Somerset cider but it is quite correct to say one must have a taste for it or alternatively get used to it by habit. The yellow tomatoes are not better than the red but in our opinion equally as good. Should doubt if you could tell one from the other if eaten in the dark. The plants were given me otherwise should not have experimented with them.

I thought you would soon fill garage with one thing and another. I look round mine sometimes and say to myself – if I had a bigger one could get more in it. You will find it will always be the same.* Glad it’s nice and warm inside now glass put in. I take it you put a piece of wood both sides of a wheel of car and keep brakes off while garaged – helps save the brakes.

Have only used our car for local trips – library etc. – since writing last week. Weather has deteriorated again and yesterday in particular we had some terrific rain in the morning – water even showing on the lawn for a few minutes – followed by a hot sunny afternoon. Ground then must be too wet for outdoor work so pottered about with a bit of rough carpentry in garage. Earlier in week we had started apple picking but this is off again now for time being.

Note possibility of a house for June’s Father & Mother but you did not say locality. Wonder if it suited them and if any further developments? You yourselves still very busy on the decorating then – it’s a slow job though when you can only get at it at intervals.

We know the road via Henley as we travelled via Abingdon & Henley the last time we came up. It is a winding & narrow road but moving along quickly one can avoid trouble generally. Both Slough & Maidenhead are places to be bypassed if possible and I believe they have already started on a bye pass road for Maidenhead which should improve movement in that area.

Yes once I knew I could not make Savernake station for the 9.25 a.m. thence I looked at my notes and found that if I could get to Swindon by 10.47 a.m. could get the 9.5 a.m. Paddington but at that precise moment had not realised it would get me home quicker.** It was a nice outing despite the heavy rain we had passed through.

The teacher soon separated Susan & Carol then – how did Carol reaxct to being with a lot of strange children? And seeing Susan leave her?

Cannot remember what the letters C.P.C. stand for, but we note your visits to Cardiff may not be over and that next week you will probably be going to Plymouth. What a wonderful experience especially as you are not away from home continuously.

I see in the October issue of the Western Division News (received from Install this morning) that the Research & Work Study sections come under the Development Asst. to Divl. [???] Manager. Who is this individual at Paddington? In another magazine (received from Geoff) I see Richings at Weston-super-Mare gets two pages of publicity. John Saunders (Newton Abbot) not to be outdone has a page in the Divl. News. Dear old pals.

We had a taste of that frost in Clevedon but fortunately had nothing outdoors to hurt. Inside greenhouse went right down to freezing point (32 deg). Have lifted all the gladioli bulbs and spread them out under cover to dry off before storing for winter. Next will be the Begonia tubers.

You had quite a job with the glass then to get it from suppliers, but whatever did you want 15 pounds of putty for. Did not realise you had so much glass as that in your garage.

That plastic roll for tools was with car when we bought it and has remained there ever since – no tools in it unfortunately. They never arrived with car.

Yes we will make it money for Susan & Carol then for Christmas and it can be included in overall cost of prams. It will be something substantial for both and should last them for all the time they will require the prams. Cheap articles are gone in no time now-a-days.

Have not looked in on Candid Camera Saturday nights – generally turning in about 10.0 p.m. but must bear it in mind one Saturday.

Re: proposed central; meeting – much as we would like to in the near future am afraid the weather is against us now and we had better leave it for a few months. Winchester sounds alright – have never been there – and must bear it in mind unless something else occurs better in due course. Andover I believe is only a very small place and Salisbury is terrible to negotiate with a car – used to go there regularly with R.G. Pole during the war to Freight meetings with the Southern. Williams the chauffeur used to dive us over and back.

Had a little luck on Fixed Odds last Saturday, 2/- on 9 Homes at 30 to 1. The first win this season and none at all last. Let’s hope the luck has turned.***

Mrs Drewett has at long last left her house and gone to live with Iris in Westbourne Avenue. The house now up for sale but apparently Mrs Drewett has only a small share in the property. Our new neighbours still busy in the evenings with their decorating work. Roy hewett called round this morning and brought a few pears grown in his garden. He & Mrs Hewett are going to Swansea next week for another holiday – it’s Mrs Hewett’s old home and her cousin still lives there.

It’s Geoff’s birthday on Sunday – 52 this time. I always reckon to get in broad beans around this date but ground will have to improve quickly if I’m going to plant them on time this year. At the moment it is rai ning quite fast again.

Well I think this is the lot once more. Hope you are all keeping well.

All our love to you both and lots of kisses for our little grand daughters.

Dad & Mum

*In fact, the whole family has packrat tendencies … which is why we are now faced with the prospect of processing sixty year old correspondence etc.

**Paddington to Swindon now takes 56 minutes, or roughly half of this. On the other hand, there were no less than thirty intermediate stations at the time – and even if the strain stopped at only half of those that would add a solid forty-five minutes to the journey! I haven’t yet looked to see how many of these fell victim to that dreaded ogre of childhood Dr Beeching, but I bet it was quite a few.

***So £3 before tax or roughly £70 in 2020 money.

Letter from Eva: [Using last 3 inches of Leonard’s last page.]

Dear Susan & Carol

I am glad you are looking after Carol when she goes to Sunday School. You must be growing big girls now & will soon be doing Mummy’s shopping for her****. We are glad you like Daddy’s car and can go for lots of rides in it.

Love from Grandma & Granfie to you & Carol.

**** Because what other function is there for a female child but to ‘help Mummy in the house’? It’s not as if one could grow up to a profession or anything.

Thursday 29th September, 1960

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Leonard to the family [still using the plain foolscap paper]:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

After the good news received from you yesterday can now reply to your letter to hand on Tuesday as usual.*

Note you are in Cardiff area again this week and presumably will not be home until Thursday (today) evening. Your trip last week gave you a wonderful idea of the South Wales network of railways but weather could have been kinder as it certainly could have been yesterday. It was absolutely shocking and it was the turn of Mr & Mrs Newman to visit us – could not even go down the garden.

All the individuals on your interview panel are unknown to me although I think Wilkinson did a short spell in Bristol DSO some years ago. By this time you will have heard who were appointed to Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham. Did your colleagues get these posts or were there any outsiders about?

We had a brief note from Geoff on Friday last confirming the information you had already given us but did not seem all that pleased about it reading between the lines. Anyhow it is a move up and can pave the way for something else perhaps later.

Have not heard what Norman Allen is actually doing – he was interviewed for two posts reg. coach working and guards working but when I last saw him he had no idea which one he was taking up. There were quite a lot of them to go over to Transom House** last Tuesday that they were told their names would be put at the desks which they would occupy so that they could go straight in when they arrived – sounds like in army organisation.

Am not seeing Norman this week as any tomatoes we have spare will be taken to Tiverton – incidentally they are not ripening very fast this weather.

From the little I know of Eccleston Road I’m sure Mr & Mrs Baker would not have been comfortable there – it appeared to us to be a somewhat dreary road but of course this might have been our imagination of it. We do hope though they will soon find a home to suit them in all respects – time getting a bit short it will soon be October.

Had a visit from the representative of the Insurance Coy. turn up at 4.0 p.m. on Tuesday regarding claim for repair to the burst water pipe. I had been quite honest with them over general condition of the pipe but emphasised that the actual cause of the burst was due to loads of ready mixed concrete passing over one section of it. I left my actual claim open and asked if under the circumstances they would refund part of the total cost of £17.9.2 [£410 in 2020 money] To our agreeable surprise they settled for £12 [£280 in 2020 money] whereas we thought they would either repudiate the claim altogether or offer £5 without prejudice. [£117 in 2020 money.]

So far as Baynton-Hughes is concerned I’m afraid I assumed with a name like that he must have been a trainee – my mistake.

Have not seen the squirrel since and do not think he is a resident of our little orchard. Just on the prowl probably and a little further away from his own place. He has been seen once or twice in St Andrews Drive and beyond. Anyhow if he comes back here he will get a rough reception.***

During the recent dry spell have managed to dig over some ground and on Monday was able to cut all lawns once more. The ‘going’ was very bad owing to the sodden state of lawns and it may be the last time this season it gets a really good trim. Took me 1.5 hours to get the motor mower working – could not understand what was wrong with it. I dismantled carburettor and rebuilt it etc. but no it just wouldn’t go. Then – almost accidentally – I released the pin a little controlling the jet and machine tried to fire. I then released pin a bit more and it got started immediately. Another lesson learned but had never had this particular trouble before. Of course after I got it started somebody called collecting for a flag day and Mum having gone shopping the person came on to lawn. I told her I could not stop engine to deal with her or might not get it started again and that was that.

The two 1960 wines – elderberry & orange are still not under fermentation locks but working very slowly owing to cooler conditions. The 1959 Elderflower has long since stopped working and I may later do what you suggest i.e. start fermentation again with apple.

So you have got rid of car at last – not a very good price but lucky in a way I should think as you may have been left with it on your hands. I’m sure you all miss it now and will be glad to have LTA 259 as soon as possible. Have today advised the Somerset Taxation Office at Taunton that the car has been transferred to you. Will keep your cover note for the time being as it should enable me to bring car round here, when you area ready, and get tyres pumped up etc. Have you anything in mind yet for getting car to Ruislip? We have cut out some loose mats from an old stair carpet to go in ours as additional mats to those already there and they will take the wear and dust to keep the proper ones nice and clean.

As you know we are going to Tiverton tomorrow and on to Exmouth the next day returning here on Tuesday. Naturally we hope the weather will improve but I’m afraid the best of the summer for 1960 has gone and the best we can expect now is a few dry intervals.

You have done right in putting tomatoes in a warm cupboard – they should gradually ripen. I’ve taken out the tomatoes and the ‘ring’ culture side of greenhouse and the green tomatoes placed in boxes in greenhouse to ripen. What have you been using on the pumpkin? A bicycle pump?

We are glad to see from Alec’s short note that Susan & Carol are much better. Not much opportunity for them to get outdoors just now so they will be sure to get up to their tricks indoors.

Our neighbours are still working in Cummings old house. The wedding takes place on Saturday but we have not heard when and where. Heels came back from Croyde last Saturday and I should think they had better weather than we had during the fortnight. Have not seen Roy Hewett since they returned from Worthing last Thursday but understand he is back alright and in fairly good health. Had the bill for our ton of coal this morning – £7.2.11 plus 12/- cartage. [£167.78 plus £14.09 = £181.87 in 2020 money; equivalent imperial ton of household coal would cost about £285 today.]

Well this is about all once more – will drop you a card from Exmouth.

All our love to you both and once again lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.

Mum & Dad

P.S. Log book for LTA 259 enclosed. The first change was to a personal director of the original owning firm and the second change individual (Yeatman) only had car for a few weeks & never used it. Dad.

*Presumably this was that Alec had got one of the jobs he was interviewed for the previous week, but no more information is given at this stage and there is a large gap in the correspondence after the end of September. By a process of elimination it seems likely he got the ‘out of cat.’ job for the London area, which would be work study/research but is not described in the letters. It may have been the occasion when Alec’s base of operations transferred from Paddington to Liverpool Street, however.

**Transom House, by the way, is now student accommodation. It’s in Victoria Street in Bristol, a short walk up from Temple Meads station, and would have been pretty new at the time.

***This illustrates how attitudes have changed. A squirrel in those days was a rare and unwelcome sight, whereas we sometimes have a squirrel in our garden that we’re always pleased to see. We’ll have to protect some of our food plants against it when the time comes, but we have mice as well and it’s no great hardship to keep them out of places – whereas I suspect Leonard would be putting down poison and setting out traps.

Sunday 25th September, 1960

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1960 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for letter of 22nd. No letter from Susan this week, must remember to get her to do one next time.

Well the interview went off very well. There were no questions of significance asked. Each candidate had 10 minutes and the first two of mine was taken up by the introduction by the Chairman to the other members of the panel all of whom I knew personally. Jefferies of the GM’s Work Study Section was in the chair as was also Wilkinson, McDonald and Roy Benns (formerly of the Running and Maintenance W/S Section at Bristol). You would not have known the latter. It appears that all of our four candidates had the same type of interview in that no awkward questions were asked.

Glad Isles has his Special A, but I think he has had the grade on a temporary basis for some time. About time Norman got something. What section is he now gracing? I have heard nothing from Geoff or any further news about his job, I expect we shall hear in due course.

There has been no further activity in the search for a house for June’s parents, A house in Eccleston Rd West Ealing a couple of doors from Miss Baker was examined and found wanting but I can not think that that was a serious proposition.

Glad Don and Joan were able to make their proposed visit and that you found Don in improved health. He certainly likes his afternoon sleep. Wish I could get one occasionally. I gather they liked the car. The contribution of one gallon to the sinking fund also assisted no doubt.

So your second visit to Torquay has come round so soon. If you are lucky you may get a couple of good days. Every now and then we seem to get a good day out of the blue. To-day is an example. First thing there was quite a thick mist cutting visibility down to about 30 yards but it gave way to a sunny and hot morning with fading cloud. I note you have had to start fires. We have the heaters as you know so the problem has not hit us yet. Up until a few days ago we had not had to put heaters on and I for one had not felt cold but I see that it has been switched on a couple of times to take the chill off the air.

Your gardening activities seem to be at a low ebb for the time being due to inclement weather. No point in flogging yourself into digging waterlogged soil and there are always lots of things to attend to in greenhouse or garage.

Most unlikely that you will see Hewett sunburned, more likely he will be browned off.

Cardiff jaunt went off all right again – details later. My further applications will be unaltered by my possible promotion. If I get one of the first group of jobs the apps, will stand as the second group are a category higher, I do not think that Baynton-Hughes was a trainee. If so it must have been Departmental. Not surprising is it to learn that Bob Taylor has done so well. The wheels were truly enmeshed where he was concerned.

So the bomb scare has been settled. I wonder you did not find it was a squib left over from 5th Nov. (of Brocks origin).

Re garden produce, I have brought in all the remaining tomatoes and put in room near airing cupboard. The last of the beans has been picked and eaten, and the haulms fetched up. All that remains of the vegetable patch is the Pumpkin ( now about 10 inches across ) and a good row of dahlias. We have not tried to take off any apples from the trees yet as they do not seem to be quite ready. Few have fallen off so far.

You may find the squirrel has come to stay. It may be that he has made his nest in one of your tall trees down the bottom of the garden. I suppose if it is not rabbits it has to be something else.

Rotten luck on Mrs Stacey to have to undergo such an operation. As you say it is quite serious but there have been several successful jobs done and reported on in the press, Hope she is able to withstand it satisfactorily.

If your Elderflower wine is still working you need have no worries about its sweetness. After a while it will sort itself out. If fermentation has stopped the only way you can get rid of the sweetness is to mix a quantity of new must with it but make sure that you add no more sugar. Of course this means that you will have to ferment the whole all over again and this means an extra long wait before you can taste it. As you have plenty of apples, I suggest they might make the extra must you need especially if you have some sour ones.

Well to tell you of the Cardiff trip. Went down on the 8-5 a.m. Paddington on Tuesday and had lunch in the Great Western outside Cardiff General. Caught a train from Riverside at about 1.30 p.m. for Barry via Sully. From there went to Bridgend round the coast. Dumped bags at Bridgend and then went to Maesteg to view the layout but this was not successful. Returned to Hotel. Wednesday caught the 8-50 a.m. to Cymmer thence to Treherbert via Blaengwynfi. From Treherbert we went down the Rhondda Valley to Pontypridd from there we went to Merthyr High St via Quakers Yard and Merthyr Vale Bus to Dowlais Top and by train to Pant. Caught the Colliers Train back to Bargoed then walked to New Tredegar. On arrival walked across the valley to Tirphil and caught train to Rhymney. From Rhymney we returned to Cardiff and thence to Bridgend. On Thursday we again caught the 8-50am but this time only went to Maesteg to have a look at the junctions we missed on the Tuesday. Hitched a lift on a passing freight to Tondu South Yard then walked to Coity Yard and back to Bridgend along the road. The Mac. came in very useful not so much to keep rain out but as a badge of authority. Strange as it may seem the freight we caught reached Tondu about one hour earlier than it usually does. ( Broomstick with Bowler Hat on Etc ).

Well the Garage arrives on Tuesday and I hope we shall be able to get it up the following week-end. I hawked the car round to dealers on Saturday morning but the best offer I got was £7-10-0. As we had to get rid of it and to avoid paying to do so as we might well have had to do in a few weeks time I took it back in the afternoon and got my £7-10-0. As I walked back instead of getting bus that put the value up to £7-10-6*. I have as yet not seen Mr Gray since but will do so as early as possible to get insurance changed. Will let you know more on the point in due course.

I am afraid the children have both got colds they picked up from Christopher last week. Not very bad but they are having difficulty in breathing. They are past the worst now.

Well that is all from this end again for one more week. Hope you are both keeping well and that you enjoy your short holiday. Love from us all.

*Faulty logic IMHO; walking back actually kept the value of the sale at £7-10 instead of reducing it to £7-9-6!