Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for the weekly budget. Can’t say why the letter missed your usual post especially if postmarked the usual time from here.Time now 10:20 a.m. and weather pretty good. It is a bit cold, but no rain actually falling. It must have been pretty bad weather your end last week for you to have to go to church in the car. We could have done with that one a few years ago. Unlucky with the frames then to have five panes of glass go at once. No such problems this end.

I heard about the catamaran being lost in the Bristol Channel, but the news bulletin did not say where it had come from. Interesting to know that it set out from Clevedon and that the crew seem to be safe.

We took Susan to the specialist on Friday. I sat in car with Carol while June went inside. All he did was to have a quick look at her eyes and make a further appointment for a more detailed inspection in three weeks’ time. What a waste of time. I had the afternoon off to get that job done too*. It seems she has definitely something wrong but the specialist said that after wearing glasses for a year or two they should get better. I have heard that one before, and do not believe it.

So you have a lot of apples down. Good chance to make some apple wine. Could almost make cider with that lot.

We have not noticed Carol looking too closely at books although she does like to look at the pictures. It is a bit early yet as she has not learned to read. She does not know her alphabet yet either. She is well behind Susan in that respect.**

We went over to Ealing yesterday to hand in the form for my new pair of specs, and while over there we had a look in at number 17. The wiring for the electric light is well advanced although not all of the bulbs have been fitted. There is a fluorescent light in the kitchen-cum-parlour and certainly brightens things up a lot. A light in the scullery also improved things. There are power points in the three lower bedrooms but not one in the topmost room. The old gas piping has been ripped out insofar as gas lighting is concerned. Nothing else has been done, but I understand there is some talk of applying for a grant after all. The quotation for the building work has not been accepted – yet.

I see that Don and Joan are coming up to your place today to lunch. I hope it goes off o.k. and the usual undisturbed sleep follows after the meal. Sorry I do not seem to be able to type today – am getting all the words jumbled up. I remember that Don was a member of the N.U.R. If the T.S.S.A. are no good, I hesitate to describe the N.U.R. He wants the penny and the bun.

All your sick friends seem to be on the mend if somewhat slowly in some cases. I expect Mr Palmer was a bit exhausted after the anthem practice. I hope you are getting them all into a bit of shape now.

I missed the Marples v Green bout on TV as the programme was on the other channel. Some do to all accounts. It seems the strike was a bit of a flop. Green says it was satisfactory, and I suppose it was if it was to demonstrate unity among the Union, but it had little effect outside. It does not make much difference to me as suspicion or not, my work does not take me into much contact with the outside staff now. My work as told to you previously is mainly of a clerical nature and in the office all the time. They pay well so why should I grumble.

Had the first pay cheque into the bank on Friday. I had not expected any for about six weeks due to changing regions in the middle of the month. I was lucky as I was paid the difference in rate between the two jobs for two weeks, a full two weeks at the new rate, and back pay of 3% retrospective to July for the recent wage award. The total some came to approaching what I would have had for a full month so it was a welcome surprise. I gather that they have not advertised my job yet. Some rumor has it that they will not do so as there are so many redundant persons about.

I have not had the October mag. yet but will try to get it this week. I do not know which day it comes out. I wonder where the magazine will go from Don.

Sounds as if you have a lot on the go in the wine stakes. I think we should be visiting you rather than the other way round. Should think that Don could fiddle you a cheap barrel. If I recall he did actually let you have a small one many years ago which stayed out on the lawn getting rotten.

Peter arrived a few minutes ago to carry on with the Snowcem job. June at had a go at the surround to the front porch yesterday and has made a good job of it. There have been a few good days lately and your day to Weston was another such obviously. Makes up for the bad day you had at Burnham. Good idea to take the Coach Road*** as a new venue for your reading. Makes a change as you say. there are a number of nice spots one can visit for that purpose, and as you do not need to leave the car, a little cold weather does not make any difference.

Had a quick lick round the back garden yesterday and mowed a couple of lawns. The tomato stakes are still producing and the green ones do not seem to be getting any less. I have taken a number of the yellow ones and put them in the dark in the airing cupboard where there is a little heat – occasionally. By the way I am giving my cacti about two spoonsful of water a week now. Is this enough? Most of them seem to have suffered by bringing them indoors. The tall one with branches like a tree but speckled has flopped at the top while the other similar one with pairs of privet size leaves at alternate right angles has wilted somewhat and does not seem to pick up. They were all right when they were out of doors.

Have just given Peter a glass of the grape wine you brought up some time ago. it was about the last tot in the bottle but he seemed to like it.

Hope your weekend to Exmouth and Tiverton goes off well. If you see any of the family please give them my regards. June is interested in having another holiday at Exmouth so it is possible we may be seeing something of the Tiverton people next year.

I do not know about mushrooms, but we have had some evil looking black fungi come up in the garden – probably due to rotting wood. All the lawns have produced a lot of puffballs which come up from time to time.

I do not get much news about happenings on the W.R. and shall have to rely on you to tell me. There is some talk about a new Division at Plymouth, but how that comes about I do not know. What is to happen to the old Bristol division?

I agree with mother that we could write a book about Susan and her exploits. A bestseller too.

Glad the Parish supper went well. The food seems to be varied enough but the entertainment not so good then.

Dr McLeod is presumably the son of old Dr McLeod who attended me from time to time. I believe the old man died some years ago and this must be Alastair McLeod of who you write. I seem to remember that he had polio a few years ago.

I see from the letter to the girls that the blackberries have picked them. Another lot of wine to go with the elderberry brandy. That sounds real potent stuff.

Not much other news to report this week. The children have had awful coughs and catarrh again. We had a session or two at night during the week. Did not try the cherry wine this time as the jollop provided by the doctor did the trick.

Yesterday Susan decided she would go off for a picnic and packed her bag with bread and cheese and goodness knows what else. She put all this in her satchel and was about to go out so I stopped her. Later I found she had gone and as I was going down to Whitby Road to get some things there she was as large as life in the recreation ground with satchel still on her back going up and down the slide. I hied her out of that and found she had a bottle of milk as well. I should think it was nearly butter after that treatment.

Well I must close now as have run short of news. Hope you are both keeping well. Love from us all.

*How dare I have poor eyesight at him like that? What an imposition!

**At this point he promised me two shillings to teach her to read, only to renege on it later.

***In the absence of any definitive identification of the ‘Old Coach Road’ we believe it to have been Tickenham Road which runs out past Clevedon Court to pass Tyntesfield and, eventually, Ashton Court. The reason for suggesting this is that there is an ‘Old Coach House’ on Highdale Road in Clevedon, which meets the bottom of Tickenham Road at East Clevedon Triangle, and forms the basis of a coherent route from the middle of Clevedon to Bedminster which, in the pre-industrial age, would have been the easiest available place to cross the river Avon into the city.

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for another long and interesting letter to hand this morning, second post, although the usual Ruislip postmark (6:45 p.m.) was on envelope. You started off with the weather so I will follow suit because it has been pretty awful. On Sunday morning I went over to the church for ringing just before 7:30 a.m. and had to take car due to the rain and wind being so heavy. We had had a very bad night too. Gale force wind and terrific rain. Some of my chrysanths in the frames were blown over carrying the top of the frames with them and one of the latter had five panes of glass broken. Many people complaining of damage to flowers, trees and property. Could pick up apples almost by the hundred. 

Did you see in paper of a catamaran being missing from Clevedon on the Saturday night? Apparently two men and two boys (latter about 11 years of age)  with others went out in catamarans and this particular one could not get back. Was missing all night and airplanes out searching early in the morning. Meanwhile the vessel had been blown across channel and on the Monmouthshire coast. Both men at different times had been blown overboard and almost at once washed back again. Understand all four are now all right again but what an experience. Yesterday and today it has been very oppressive but generally sunny periods with showers. 

Note the position re: glasses for Susan. It is a great pity she must have them but I’m sure she will understand later on it is for her good. Can quite understand her objection to them but it will wear off in time. Have not noticed that Carol looks at things closely but no doubt you have both been watching her. Also noted her escapade with the Italian paper money. Her brain must work like mad to think of all the possibilities and Carol being her sister is a willing victim*. 

Presumably no further information re: June’s leg as you did not mention this time. 

Yes it seems a lot of money for alterations at number 17 but not knowing the house cannot really judge. However if it is going to make the place more habitable for Mr and Mrs Baker then it will be worthwhile. Glad to hear your cup of tea was not too bad in spite of the dust flying about. These are dirty jobs and the dust and dirt seems to penetrate into the skin. 

You are fortunate then in regards to Saturday work at Liverpool Street. More or less it means every Saturday off – very nice. Had a letter from Don since I last wrote to you and he says ‘very pleased to hear of Alec’s promotion – he is certainly doing very well for himself with plenty of time to go yet further’. They are both coming up on Sunday next 7th inst for lunch. He is artful because he is having three days leave this week ostensibly for apple-picking**. He belongs to the N.U.R. says the T.S.S.A. no good at all. 

Yes Alec I suppose Watchet or Blue Anchor would be the next seaside places to Burnham but both are pretty poor.***

Sick visiting did you say – yes have done a bit of that recently but Bissix came home last Saturday and is now on a diet and has to take things easy for a while. Have heard indirectly that the hospital people did not locate the leak in the ulcer so what will be the outcome remains to be seen. I’m going over to his bungalow this evening to see him for a few minutes. Heels are still away (three weeks tomorrow – Wednesday) but Mr Palmer is in circulation again although by no means on top of the world. He told me after choir practice last Thursday that he was completely exhausted. We had a hard practice because of the harvest festival items for the Sunday. The choir is not what it was, the top line much too weak. Wants about sixteen boys to liven things up. Still no news of Richings and no doubt he has his hands full at the moment with the strike in the offing. 

Did you see Marples and Greene on TV last night? Marples did not come out of it very well. There is something lacking somewhere but certainly no justification for a strike. Note you will have an office at home for tomorrow (Wednesday). I’m very glad I am not mixed up with it this time. Have had to deal with several as you know including the general strike of 1926. It is bound to make things difficult for you afterwards in regards to Work Study. A lot of people will continue to be suspicious. 

Glad to hear you are getting on alright with your new colleagues and that most of them are helpful. I really think it is a wonderful opportunity of gaining experience of another organisation and its geography. A letter from Geoff to this week says you have done the right thing because the opportunity would not have arisen on W.R. where there are too many trainees waiting to be ‘slotted’.

Am going to pass on E.R. mag for Don to have a look at –  it is quite a good publication and Roy Hewitt has already favourably commented on it. 

What a run around your immediate senior has given you. 

So you have had no more driving yet June? Hope you soon will to keep your eye in as it were. 

Talking about cars I see in one paper a police sergeant and his wife resident in South Ruislip were both killed in a collision with another car last weekend at Eastcote. It must have been a terrific impact for such a tragedy to occur. Now I see Marples is proposing to penalise drivers who drive too slow. What next?  Perhaps those who don’t drive at all. The man’s mad and without doubt is the [n word] in the woodpile with the railway position. 

Noted you will not require any green tomatoes and we’ll cross them off the list. Some of the other items will have to remain in abeyance such as the Snowberry cuttings as to shift them now would be fatal. If they come on alright can have them next time when they should be well rooted. Still no blackberry-picking – weather too bad but I’ve now bottled up the cherry and the beetroot and today put the elderberry brandy under fermentation lock. If smell is anything to go by then it is some very strong stuff. Glad Peter liked the Blackberry. Sorry to hear though he is out of a job but hope this is only temporary. In the meantime it is nice for him to be able to do an odd job or two for you and presumably a little at number 17. A barrel did you say for wine? Such things are in the luxury class for Devonia****. Might treat myself to a saucepan from Woolworths one day. 

That enclosure I sent you was given me by Ern Cole (choir) wondering if I had seen it so I passed it onto you. 

Mum and I popped into Weston again last Thursday and it happened to be a lovely day. Had a look around the shops then sat in the car parked along the front for about an hour and a quarter then home. Last Saturday in the afternoon we went along the Old Coach Road and took our library books to read. Made a change from the garden. 

Apart from cleaning up the garden gradually have carried out no major operations since you were here. Stan James is going to look me out some suitable piping for running the water from garage roof to pond and this should keep the water level up in spite of a very small leak which I suspect. At the moment all tanks are full of water. 

Thanks for confirmation of date for our visit. It will definitely be the Friday as I shall be taking choir practises for a few weeks yet. Next weekend as you know we shall be going to Tiverton and Exmouth (i.e. Friday the 12th inst) so hope the weather is kind and no flooding as we experienced two years ago. We saw on TV the other night that Exton church (near Exmouth) (which collapsed under the floods two years ago) is now in course of being re-erected. This time of course with a proper roof and not a thatched one.

Mr Aston has just called and suggested a blackberrying trip tomorrow morning – weather forecast good. Have lent him E.R. Mag and asked for it again by Saturday. He said he went out mushrooming this morning and got about a pound.

Have started to take the tomato plants out of greenhouse they are practically over and and doubtful if shall have any to bring up but will do best. My records show that this year we have only picked about 80lbs of runner beans as against just over 2cwt last such is the season. Ironically now the waterworks people say we can now use hose pipes – presumably to drain the water away. 

You already know Mum and I are going to the Harvest Home at the New Hall tomorrow evening – feed starts at 7:45 p.m.. This is a new venture for the parish so anything may happen. 

Had a bit of a sensation last Sunday morning in church. One of the choir girls practically passed out immediately after the anthem in a faint but after fetching a glass of water for her she recovered gradually and remained for rest of service. Cannot remember when anything like this ever happened before. Mum has now completed her month’s flower decorations and someone else takes over for October. 

Speaking to a member of the account section at Bristol T.M. over the weekend (he retires on 1st December) he said that the original figure of about 120 redundant people in Divisional and District officers was now reduced to about 30 owing to retirements and vacancies not filled. This should make Norman Allen’s position a little easier. What about the proposed new Divisional Office at Plymouth? Must make use of the new station offices somehow. 

This is just about the lot for another week. Glad to hear the colds are getting better. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad. 

*The word he’s looking for here is ‘accomplice’.

**A good way of avoiding having to take sides over the proposed strike action.

***I have absolutely no idea why Alec could not just look this up on a map.

****The name of Leonard and Eva’s house.

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad,

Many thanks for your latest letter. As I write this one it is pouring with rain after a very blowy and blustery night. Water is lying about on the grass and it is still teeming down. The temperature is a lot warmer now than a week or so ago. Time now 9:30 a.m..

No further news of the glasses for Susan except that we obtained a confirmation of the position from Dr Lambert on the Monday. He is our local doctor and has given us the phone number of specialist at Mount Vernon Hospital to whom Susan will have to go on Friday 5th October. It is a midday appointment and as it is an awkward trip I shall have to have the afternoon off from work to run them up in the car. At school she is not allowed to read as the other girls but is given odd jobs to do by the headmistress and others*. Susan is not taking very kindly to the idea and occasionally we get tearful bursts from her to the effect that there is nothing wrong with her eyes, it is just that the letters were too small and too far away for her to read. She has promised to take her glasses off and stamp on them etc etc. I have no doubt that it will turn out to be astigmatism and it is a question of one down and one to go.

We did not go to number 17 this week but Peter who we saw said he had been on the Friday. He did not say if much more have been done, but I should imagine that the electricians had just about finished by now. The builder wants £350 to carry out alterations and renovations. This I think to be a high figure in relation to the price of houses. It will probably be accepted though as no other estimates have been sought, and time is short. The tea by the way tasted quite normal apart from a mouthful of dust from the work in progress.

So far as Saturdays off is [sic] concerned on the E.R. we are supposed to work one in four, but I am told by the powers that be that they do not do so but it is understood that if there is any work uncompleted on a Friday one should come in on the Saturday and finish it. As like the proverbial woman our work is never finished, it does not seem as if we shall do many Saturdays.

I know that you would have had to go beyond Bridgwater had you gone further along the coast on your afternoon trip out, but where is the next point on the coast? Is it Blue Anchor?

You seem to qualify for a lot of of sick visiting lately what with Palmer, Heel and now Bissix. Good to know he is a bit better. Perhaps by now they have discovered what is wrong with him. Pity Richings did not make it, I wonder what happened to them.

Your visit is definitely on so far as we are concerned. You can make it a firm date. We shall expect you some time on the Friday. If for any reason you are released from the Thursday choir practice you can come on that day. I have not confirmed with Geoff but must do so when I think of it.

Re: your wine making activities, for a few coppers you could invest in a good sized saucepan and keep it for your wine. I am fortunate that I have an old one that holds about half a gallon. This is quite sufficient as it can be boiled twice, or even used in conjunction with a kettle which holds three pints. You certainly have more room for that activity (or any other for that matter) at your end, I wonder you have not gone in for a small barrel.

If you have been getting this weather your end then your pond must be back to the full height. Hope as you say that there is no leak. If there is, it looks to be a very small one though.

Yes I am getting on very well on the E.R. As I said previously the natives mostly are pretty friendly and seem a cut above the average to be found at Paddington. Generally speaking they seem to be better spoken, dressed, educated. It may just be coincidence of course. My immediate chief (one grade up) has taken the trouble to take me round the locality at lunch times, and in these jaunts (apart from the pubs – for lunch purposes of course) I have seen 1. The Bank 2. St. Paul’s 3. The Royal Exchange 4. Spitalfields Market 5. Petticoat Lane Market (Middlesex Street). Apart from these of course there have been a number of new streets and shops et cetera to be seen.

I have no idea what the mileage is on the W.R, and E.R. I think I have a book of statistics in the other room so will have a look. No luck with the book, it seems I have mislaid it or lost it. I should think the mileage is about the same. I thought the mag quite good (what I saw of it) and glad it is going the rounds.

I do not think there is much in this business of changing regions these days. After all you get in the train in the morning at the same time (almost) to get to the office the same time and leave at the same time. What goes on in between is the same for any region. I must say I find the change interesting from the point of view of new surroundings etc. Quite a change to wander around Liverpool Street Station instead of Paddington which I knew inside out.

No more driving yet for June. We thought about going out this morning early but after an interrupted night with the wind and rain we did not get up till about 8 a.m.. Maybe we will go out when the girls are at Sunday School.

If you can take the tank, it will give you another 40 gal (when mended) but if you cannot take it, we can give it to the junk man. If the boot remains open for only a couple of inches that should not matter much as the gap could be bridged by a piece of thick cord.

Interesting about your guttering arrangements. No doubt by now they have been rigorously tested. Note you will wait for the penny to drop (pennies from heaven?).

I agree that the Blackberry is a lovely wine. I tried some on Peter a few weeks ago, and he approved.

The colds are on the way out, and touch wood yours truly missed this lot. The girls still have a snivel [sic] or two but the worst is behind.

Regarding the strike, it is as I said we shall take some work home on the Tuesday and get it sorted out during the Wednesday. Of course the whole thing is a waste of time and energy. It is a useless protest so far as obtaining sympathy is concerned or even for improving their position in regards to the B.T.C. The only advantage the N.U.R. leaders will get out of it is a personal one. It cannot be said about them that they sat back and did nothing about the situation. This will count in their favour when looking for votes to retain their offices later on.

I had a go at the lawns at the back yesterday and good job to as could not have got on them today. The tomatoes are ripening very slowly and we have a lot of green ones which I doubt if will turn. Please do not bring any of the latter as we have enough thanks. I am not surprised that you have only half the proceeds of last year’s crop. The seasons have been bad. You did not get the rain when wanted. Thanks for the snowberry cuttings and the promise of the carnations.

Old Webber has feathered his nest, and so in a different context has Robens of the Coal Board.

Note your enclosure which I had already seen a time or two in the Press. Larkin the present holder of the post has become Assistant Director of B.R. workshops and it is confidently expected that this job will go to one of the imports from Shell Mex or I.C.I. (Shall be looking for a job with one of the other myself later on???)

We had a lot more trouble with Susan in the week on account of misbehaviour. She really is the limit. One example I returned from Austria in 1950 with some spare Italian lire. They were in notes, about 20 of them and all added up to about 3½d in value. During the week she carted Carol off to the shops, walked into the toy shop and they both selected the toy they wanted then tried to pay for them with these lire that they had got hold of. There was further trouble one day when she refused to go back to school, and nearly broke down the front door and the glass. Eventually she elected to go to school rather than to bed, but she was certainly het up to all accounts**.

Peter came over yesterday to Snowcem our top bricks. He is out of a regular job at the moment, and this dos us both a bit of good. He repointed some of the brickwork around the side and Snowcemmed the front with two coats. It will need another coat at least around the front to get that deep whiteness you expect. Of course it must be put on when the bricks are dry so that means the end of activity on that front for the time being. I expect we shall see him in the week if the weather relents.

Well that is about for this week. Hope your colds have receded and you are now fit again.

Love from us all. 

*NOT ALLOWED TO READ!!!!!

**Hmmm, be bullied at school or be bullied at home? Tough choice. Plus you may wonder where June was when her six- and four-year olds were off shopping on their own with worthless Italian banknotes? The answer is that housework was always, *always* more important to her than her children. In later life, when in the grip of Alzheimer’s, all June could think about was cleaning, She was, not to put too fine a point on it, a housework Nazi; she had nothing else in her life except bullying other people to do housework her way, and that deficiency didn’t seem to concern her in the slightest.

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you for another long letter, three shorter, and the usual Mercury. I will reply to yours, comment on latest position of each item as we go.

Firstly June’s leg shows no sign of further improvement, and we suppose that the best has been reached now. I suppose we have to be thankful that the stocking business is over, at least for the time being. Unfortunately the leg still aches, but I imagine that it cannot be as bad as it was before the injections.

So far has the business at number 155 High Street is concerned, we gather that the property has again been sold, and the purchaser himself has sold his own business and is ready to move in. When last heard the agreement had not been signed, but the deal was definitely on. Again all is rush to get number 17 straight. Seems the need is such that work must start as quickly as possible even if this means that any grant may be invalidated in consequence. We went over yesterday, and found that the electricity men have made good progress. They have got the wiring into the house and have worked in all rooms. There are switches in the rooms upstairs, but elsewhere there are just the holes for them, holes in ceilings with some wires through, and channels in some of the walls to let in conduit. They have a number of floorboards up.

Incidentally June found an old newspaper dated 1919. Looking through it I found three articles of Interest. The first and main one was all the information then available on the signing of peace. The second was an article showing the state of opinion in America as who would be the winner of the big fight between Jess Willard and Jack Dempsey and the third was about an ultimatum given to the Great Northern Railway by the N.U.R. (Topical??)

I took some tools over with a view to removing the dresser in the kitchen/dining room and what a job it was. In the end it was almost impossible to use tools on it and once a plank or two had been prized out it was a question of brute force and ignorance. I got the bottom cupboard part out in almost one piece, but in doing so a lot of plaster and wallpaper came away. That piece had been in there for nearly 100 years. June made some tea on a paraffin stove and we packed up when it began to get darker. With no lights inside, the place is almost in darkness even with full daylight outside.

Your arrangements for the visit O.K. with us. If you travel on the Friday it will make no difference at all. We are not arranging anything except the visit from Headstone Lane so apart from the Sunday the other dates can be shuffled.

So you made a trip to Burnham and found it a little too rough. Pity it was early closing day too. What is the next seaside town on Burnham by the way, is it much further on?

So they have landed you with the job of (temporary?) choirmaster. By the sound of it Bissix will be away for some time. If he has ulcer trouble I do not suppose he will want to have the choir side to attend to in addition to organist duties.

I remember Valerie Bush vaguely. Had not seen her for many years so and would not recognise her now anyway.

So you are having a go at elderberry brandy. This explains the shredded wheat and raisins*. Do not forget to make it sweet enough as one of the drawbacks of elderberry is the sharpness of the taste. Have not had much myself lately. I really must get round to it. The tree that Peter showed me was really loaded, and many gallons could have been made from it. How many are you making?

Nice surprise to get two lots of visitors together. I expect you would have to prefer them separately though. I remember that you told me that Stevens had started up on his own but I believe that he then joined another firm. I see he is Secretary of the Hereford firm. Is he now satisfied with life?

What do you think the lower pond level is due to? – evaporation? – or is this too much of a drop to be accounted for by that? Your Majestic potatoes have obviously filled out a little as a result of recent rain. I think you were worried that the crop would be small potatoes.

I should say the most difficult patches of the garden to weed are those where you have permanent or semi-permanent plants. Have in mind raspberry canes strawberries etc. If you were able to confine your work to annual crops all the weeding during the summer could be done by a mechanical hoe-cum-digger. Not all that easy I know but worth thinking about.

We are glad to hear that you are both much better now and able to get about the garden again. Both the girls have had colds and are in fact in the middle of them now. Carol as usual has coughed at night and the cherry wine has been in evidence although has not done the trick this time.

I note that you have not read the E.R. mag. I did not read it in great detail, but it certainly looks a better job. The whole organisation seems to be a cut above our standards of recent years.

My details were a little inaccurate. it seems there is no Divisional setup as we know it. There are Area Managers in the places I named, but no District organisation below them. One exception to the Areas given should have been Peterborough where I find there is no local headquarters. I made a mistake it should have been Sheffield.

The office I have is quite nice although a bit on Victorian side. We have by entitlement a carpet piece on the floor. Higher graded staff get a fitted carpet (wall-to-wall). We also get a wall-fitting bookcase. Again higher up you get a bookcase mounted on a cupboard. Also we are supplied with senior staff desks (about 6 ft long).

It is a bit difficult to say what Jeff’s reactions were to hearing my news. There was a short silence after I told him then he offered congratulations and said it was the right thing to do etc. He seemed interested.

The set-up I am in is the equivalent to the General Manager’s Office. If you could imagine two S.O.L.s say one at Paddington and one at Cardiff each controlling Optg. Commer and R.&M. in the areas they would be the same as the E.R. Line Managers.

Well I had my eyes tested again yesterday as the two years interval have more than elapsed, and took Susan along with me. I am afraid the result could not have been much worse. He sat Susan in the chair and put on the second largest size letters. He covered her left eye and ask her what they were. She said she could not see them. He tried the largest which she was able to see. I had some doubt if it was genuine and said so**, but the optician tried some lenses and with them she was able to read some of the smaller letters. The same applied to both eyes and he said to me I am sorry but she will need glasses. He has recommended us to take her to a specialist, and has given us a telephone number to ring. The optician, whom I have known for many years, says he is not surprised as it is hereditary. Of course Susan is now remembering all the things we told her would happen if she held the comics too close to her eyes. We have had a tear or two about the prospect of glasses which now I am afraid seem inevitable***. I think we have caught it at the start as a recent school test did not reveal anything wrong.

The Recreation Ground she ran to is that one alongside the river almost down to Whitby Road. There are a few swings and slide which are the attraction. She went down there again later on in the week and disgraced herself into the bargain. June is now meeting her in the evening again as being the only way she can be sure of getting her home.

I do not know if I shall bother with cutting the lawns again this year – perhaps once more anyway.

Our new neighbours have been in residence since they returned from their honeymoon. We do not see much of them.

Hope your neighbour gets through his test this time. I expect he is quite anxious to do so with the winter approaching. The trip to Portishead can be very moist on the motorbike.

June took us around the shops in the car yesterday and would have taken us to Hanwell had it not been for the load we had in the boot. I thought her driving was much improved on the last outing the main fault being a failure to change down for corners. Position in the road is much better and signals are improving.

The blackberry season almost over this end. Back in August the kids had been pillaging the bushes on the field, and I doubt if there are any in sight there now. There was no shortage of them though.

I should imagine guessing the weight of the cake was very difficult. After being used to mother’s I should say it could be very deceptive.****

I note about the cacti and will give them just one watering per week from now. I got some cactus compost yesterday and topped up all the pots with it. Have not got enough to repot all of them. Have taken most of the remaining leaves off the tomatoes to let the sun get at them.

What price the strike? Cannot see myself getting to Liverpool Street on October 3rd, and certainly not taking the car up. As it is only one day I shall have to take some work home. You can think of us when at the Harvest Home.

Well as I am working towards the bottom of the paper again I must close. Hoping you clear up those colds. Love from us all. 

*I haven’t been able to locate a recipe for elderberry brandy that includes shredded wheat and raisins but I have no difficulty believing one exists.

**This level of mistrust in a six year old is unbelievable: talk about ‘give a dog a bad nme and hang him’.

***Unfortunately June’s reaction was to laugh and deride me for needing glasses – which in any case were the awful pink plastic N.H.S. ones – and that combined with the teasing at school meant that I didn’t start wearing glasses regularly until I was 30. As for ‘ruining my eyes’ by reading too much, it doesn’t seem to have occurred to anyone that my eyes were already ruined (at birth) and no amount of reading would have made any difference. You would expect Alec, who was colour blind, to have been more sympathetic – but sympathy was not part of his genetic make-up either.

****Again, putting down and deriding women simpy because they are an easy target. Mother’s cake could not possibly be any good because Mother made it, Q.E.D.

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you again for two full foolscap pages of news etc. As I start this at 9 a.m. the sun is coming up warm and there is every indication that it will be a nice day. Yesterday started like this but went off cooler in the middle of the afternoon. However it was a good morning and became quite hot.

So Mr Bushell is going in for fowls is he? You could give him some advice as well as assistance on that subject. I suppose it must be an economic proposition, but they are a bind as you always have to provide for their feeding if away from home. Good that the rattle in the car has stopped. It seemed more serious when I had it.

I do not quite know the extent of the improvement to June’s leg. On the credit side, she no longer has to wear the stocking, or feels the need for it, but the leg is still painful. There is no sign of the pain reducing. As you say anyone can put up with a couple of injections every two years if it is going to do the trick, but the results must be obtained to make it worthwhile.

More up-to-date news on the E.R. I went over there on Monday as arranged, and was well received. The setup so far as we are concerned is as follows: – Top Pearson Armstrong, Chief Establishment and Staff Officer. (Formerly Western Region.) Next F. Jagger assistant C.E. and S.O.. (Formerly of L.M.R.) Next E.S. Russell Productivity Assistant. (E.R. man as far as I can ascertain, and no connection with the Russell you mention.) Next Deputy Productivity Assistant (formerly of E.R. Stratford Shops) F.A. Cook – one step above me. Next F. Unwin and myself Work Study Assistants. (Unwin originated at Stratford Shops after Cook, but spent two years at Swindon on the W.R. in the Shops. He has just recently returned to the E.R.) The staff below us have been reduced to few in number following devolution of authority to the “Lines”. We have only two assistants going at the moment, one at Retford and one at Parkeston Quay. All others are being carried out by the “Lines”. At Retford we have a P. and T.C. in charge, who was formerly at Reading W.R. in the engineers. He is by common consent pretty useless. With him are one P. and T.B. and two P. and T.A.s. One other P. and T.C. is at Liverpool Street and in due course he will be helping me. Both the C.s are disappointed men. They thought that one of them was going to make the jump to three stages out of category. The man from Reading has not the ability anyway, and allows his number two to make all the running at Retford. (I did not know him by the way although his face is familiar.) The other one is better equipped and in my opinion could probably have done the job – he has actually been doing it for some time. Unfortunately for him he was on holiday when the interviews took place and he was not even given one although considered. This of course all adds up to an outsize chip on the shoulder. As he has had to hand over to me the things that he has been doing and even explained them, it has not made for cordiality on his part. That is all his worry and not mine.

Everyone else has been more than friendly, particularly Cook and Unwin. Had lunch with the former on Monday, and he introduced me to the principal of the Work Study School who promptly took me on a tour of the place in the afternoon. They have a wonderful place there fully equipped with modern apparatus. Two large lecture rooms and a laboratory. It is all streets ahead of the Paddington school which is now in wooden huts on the top of the Bishop’s Bridge building.

I share a room with Unwin (he was out all the week) and a retired man who has come back as office boy. He will get the push shortly I understand then we shall have the place to ourselves. The room is on the main at No.1 corridor in which are also J.R. Hammond General Manager, Armstrong etc, and the rest of our staff. The E.R. Area Board has a boardroom a little further along. The building was originally the H.Q. of the old G.E.R.

I doubt if I shall go out much at least for present with only two jobs outside. Unwin has both of them under his wing. Went to Retford on Thursday. 8:10 a.m. from Kings Cross arrived 11 a.m. left at 2:26 p.m. and arrived K.X. at 5:15 p.m.. In between the travelling Frank Unwin showed me over the Retford Signal and Telecommunication Repair and Manufacture Shops. Not a very big place but quite interesting. Equally as important was the opportunity to see something of the E.R. Main Line to the north, meet the staff at Retford, and have a good long talk with Unwin to find out what is going on.

It seems that there is a little bit of a tug of war going on between the H.Q. and the Lines. The latter having got most of the staff and will take over all of the assignment eventually naturally are in a strong position to take independent action, but H.Q. want to standardise times, methods etc. My job will be to prepare a library of standard data from all available sources, agree this with the Lines, and issue as a “do-it-yourself kit”. It is something I have been advocating for some time, as continued time study of the same operations is wasteful in time and money. Only a start has been made on this job, so there is plenty of work to come.

There are two Line Managers on the E.R. One takes the G.N. Section and the other the G.E. Section. There used to be three lines but the L.T.S. line has recently been absorbed into the G.E. line when Dedman who was in charge was made the Divisional Manager of the L.T.S. division within the G.E. Line. The set up is therefore Line Manager G.N. controls King’s Cross, Lincoln, Doncaster and Peterboro Divisions. The Line Manager G.E, controls Liverpool Street, L.T.S., Norwich and Cambridge Divisions. What District formation exists I have not found out yet.

My predecessor Simpson is now Work Study aAssistant to the Line Manager G.N. and he resides at King’s Cross. His post is one grade up from mine and on par with Cook. Joe Lane is his equal and opposite on the G.E. He resides at Liverpool Street. What staff these people have I do not know, but I doubt if they are as many in number as we had at Paddington.

I have bought a magazine which will be enclosed with this letter – I hope.

Your query about the G.C. A lot of the former G.C. has gone to the L.M.R. and as they have Marylebone they start most of the trains. However the train service has been pruned to such an extent that I don’t know any of the through trains run from Marylebone any more.

I have not seen Doug Matthews as he is at King’s Cross and I do not know his phone number there. I see no point in ringing him at his home.

Well things progress regarding Eccleston Road although not all in the right direction. The deal for the sale of 155 High Street Yiewsley is off. The enthusiastic couple who were going to have the place brought their grown up daughters round to see it and as a result have backed out. The agent is getting in touch with another person who wanted it and I gather he is putting the price up a bit. That side therefore is still in the air. So far as number 17 is concerned, we have not been over ourselves since but the property has been inspected by a builder who may be undertaking the work necessary. Also arrangements have been made about electric light. The builder himself lives at number 18, has the identical property and has apparently done wonders with it himself. He at least will be handy. It is understood he is efficient although a bit pricey.

As the sale will not now involve clearing out in three weeks, presumably there will now be lots more time to get things straight before taking over. It will be helpful I think if you could visit us for the week ending Saturday 20th of October. This will enable you to keep your date with Uncle Joe and come to us the following week. It suits us, perhaps you will say if it also suits you. I have mentioned the fact that you will be coming up probably that week to Geoff and have invited them over on the proviso that that will be the week. It all hinges on your reply however as we have left it that way. We owe them an invitation and would rather they came to us on the occasion of your short visit than for them to whisk you off there, I tried to get Geoff on the phone last Friday week but he had not returned from leave. I rang him up last night to tell him about my move but the jungle drums had not given him the message. He was surprised.

I did not have much chance to talk to Bob Hill as we were in the lift with other people. I expect I shall see him again.

You did not say if you thought the bungalow was worth the money paid. I agree it could have been better sited in relation to other property, but no doubt the builder crammed them in so they could all get the view – and pay for it.

Please thank Mrs M. for her good wishes when you see her.

Geoff was telling me that in the press on Friday was an arrangement to cede the Birmingham division to the L.M.R. and also the whole of North Wales, and to take over the lines west of Exeter from the Southern. This means now that the “too many staff” position is now aggravated by the “too few posts” position. A sorry state of affairs I am afraid but inevitable.

Talking about wine, Peter showed me a tree full of elderberries last week, but I really have not the time to deal with them so had to let them go. I have not made any since January, nor racked any off into bottles.

Good about your visit to Crane’s place. Sounds as if you picked up a tip or two there.

Sorry to hear that you have both been off colour lately. I take it you have had an early winter cold – or late summer one – each. There has been some flu this end although fortunately we have not had it.

Some slice into that hedge to take a foot out of it. June and I had a go at ours at the back yesterday and let in a lot of light. We got Carol to trot round to the field with a basket of cuttings every now and then, and she cleared the lot. June pruned the roses and we have thinned them right out too. While out walking a week or so ago I snipped of a 4-inch piece of flowering currant and stuffed it into the ground here. I see it has taken and is putting out shoots. I hope that it is of a different colour to the washed-out one we already have.

All the buddleias are alive but make little progress. The rose you gave us is growing well and we find there are buds waiting to open and we were even able to take a cutting to plant elsewhere.

Thank you for the book you sent to the girls. There was a bit of a to-do as to who should have it, but that soon got sorted out. Susan is reading an awful lot now and holds everything about two inches from her nose. She reads in the worst light possible and screws her face right up to read. I am afraid she will overdo it, and it is a job trying to get her to stop it*.

So much for the business at Bampton Street. As you say I don’t suppose Uncle Joe wanted it at his time of life, and there is no one on his side who would.

We are going to the harvest festival at the Methodist Church this afternoon. Susan is taking some of my apples. Best of luck to whoever eats them too. She should have gone to a party yesterday, having accepted the invitation, but on Friday she took herself off to the Recreation Ground after school instead of coming home so that was that. It is not the first time she has been told. One day perhaps it will sink in.**

I am only watering the cactus once a week now, is that right? In October I tend to give them water once per two weeks, and stop in November. We have been having our tomatoes and find them very tasty. I cannot differentiate between the tastes of the various kinds though. Have not had to water them hardly at all as the rain has done that regularly for me. The lawn wants cutting again although it was only last week that it was done.

We understand that Christine has been doing so badly at a new school – Pinner County – that she has been taken away and placed in a different school. It seems she does not do her homework, and her term results are not good. Seems a pity as she was the only one in her class who passed.

Not much sign of our new neighbours. They have had a man to attend to their guttering. He pointed out that ours wanted attention, but he did not get the job.

Susan has the same teacher in charge of class as she had when she first went to the school. She has been doing sums. They play a simplified game of roulette, and have to add the resultant numbers each time. The winner is the one who gets the highest total after two or three goes. She has also been playing with wooden cut-out shapes. One is a circle then two semi-circles, three-thirds of circles and four quarters of circles. All these fit over one another and can be arranged several ways.

Well no more for the time being, perhaps some more news and radio newsreel next time.

Love from us all. 

*OMG, a child that loves to read! Stop it immediately, she might be enjoying herself!

**Six years old – should be responsible enough to hold down a full-time job and contribute to the family, get up at 4 a.m. to blacklead the grate, do the laundry before school and then come home to make tea and clean the house… /sarcasm.