Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol, 

Many thanks again for your long and newsy letter but we were both very sorry to hear of the death of Miss Baker. Will you please convey our sincere sympathy to Mr Baker in the loss of his sister. Your previous information in regards to Miss Baker’s health led us to think the end was not far away but it is always a shock when the inevitable happens. Iris too seems to get more than her share of trouble but we hope Sharon will soon be out and about again. She has youth on her side which makes all the difference. You will let us know how she progresses I’m sure. 

Now we did have a surprise on Monday morning when the postman called with a letter from Susan and needless to say we were delighted. We will thank her in our little letter to Susan and Carol. Where did Carol pick up that cold I wonder? What with Susan getting over a party and Carol having the cough you both must have been having a roaring time. Did you have to let Carol see doctor? Or did the cough eventually disappear? 

Susan up to her tricks again. My word what a girl but the invitations to her party must have been all make believe and she herself did not take them seriously but it was certainly a bit upsetting to some of the other little girls. Never mind she will grow older all too soon. Reading between the lines I think we are going to see a very big difference in both girls when we come up. Won’t be long now – a fortnight tomorrow (Thursday). 

Glad Susan had a good birthday in spite of the restrictions imposed because of previous misbehaviour. After all a birthday only comes once a year. 

Note the workmen have finished at 84 but that the foreman not yet satisfied. Sounds a bit like Oliver Twist. It is a fact though that you can always find something else that wants doing, especially when the property is your own. If it is somebody else’s then it does not matter so much. it’s just the same here although we have been here all but 34 years.

So the cherry and elderberry wines were not successful this time – Carol must be getting immune to them – have to try whisky next time. Some sleeping draught for Susan, poor child. Can understand neither of you up to the mark with so many disturbed nights but hope all’s well now. 

We have had some very nice days down here mixed unfortunately with some very cold ones which seemed to curl us up again. The winds have been most chilling but only on about two occasions have we had to put on the electric fire of an evening. Hot water bottle in bed – yes certainly on several nights and very much appreciated too. 

Yes I think you got away very well with your wallpapering charges and having regard to the fact you are away all day it was much better to get someone to do the job. 

We went to Weston last Thursday but the cold wind was blowing in from the sea and an overcoat was really necessary. We got in there about 9:40 a.m. but were home again by 11:20 a.m. It was much warmer here and I was able to work in garden for rest of day. Mr Palmer called here last Friday afternoon – said it was first time out – stopped for a couple of hours and then I drove him home. He’s obviously still very weak but strange to say he turned up at church on Sunday evening – somebody brought him and took him home by car. The other two, Mr Aston and Roy, were here together one morning but it was not far off dinner time so was able to dispose of them fairly soon. Roy and his wife now ready to start off for Norway on June 1st. 

Your detailed account of examination and work performed on car most interesting but rockers and rocker cover are all Dutch to me. If you can manage to do these jobs it will be well worthwhile but I do not know the first thing about repairs et cetera. Presumably car still at 155 waiting completion of work started last week. The charges made by garage people nowadays is fantastic. I told you I had to have a new rubber for one of the windscreen wipers on my car, the charge was 8/- and I reckon this was at least 5/- profit.*

So June has had two lessons up to time of writing. It is good to know she feels confident in traffic for as you say there is plenty of it your way. Thanks for information re turning off the A4 before passing through the thickest part of Slough – must try and work the root out or get the AA to provide. 

Yes well we were glad Moule got in for the West Ward – both the other contenders had only been associated with Clevedon for four years. Can’t learn much about a place in that time. At least knows where he is and what has passed in bygone years. 

Rockery plants, yes June we will have something to bring up and our list gets longer every day now. After receipt of your letter this morning mum got busy with pencil and paper and made out another list. By the way did the Esther Reeds pick up or is another root required? There are plenty here if you want another. Noted you do not require dahlias. I have managed to save about six cuttings of one but only two of the other sort. Will look round and see if can find anything suitable for your neighbours new garden. Assume they have decided on Weston but what part of Weston is the bungalow in? Have they had any luck in disposing of their house in Queens Walk? 

So Acton has simmered down a bit. Southall and Newbury next then. Is Crane still at Southall or has he finished? Understood he was going at sixty. Newbury of course is one of the London Divisions outposts.

The gale force wind played havoc with the apple blossom and thinned it out badly but we must hope for the best. There is always something to spoil things. Now we are on tenterhooks for frosts. Still time for them. Do you remember the frost on Saturday 27th May last year the day you made the journey from Ruislip to Exmouth? Our potatoes and runner beans are vulnerable as well as marrow plants etc. I noticed today the broad beans are beginning to form. Tomatoes too are forming on the plants I bought from Galliford in April.

Our new neighbour has dismantled his front wall ready for the erection of one to be built with concrete blocks which will be started this coming weekend. Incidentally work has been going on apace at Miss Weekes’ old house. A double entrance has been made and an asphalt drive in laid down leading to a concrete base for apparently a garage to be erected. No less than three big lorries have been in the Avenue all the week and piles of sand and chippings and a concrete mixer all dumped in the Avenue. Good job no one else wanted to do any work in this Avenue at the same time. 

Note no Sunday work unless authorised by McDonald. This used to be the rule many years ago but fell into disuse during the war when any and everybody worked as required by Head of Section. 

Just reaching your PS. It was very kind of Miss Baker to remember Susan and Carol who must I guess have been her two youngest relatives. 

Grapes did you say? From my gardening books I learn that the first picking should be about the third or fourth year after planting. The vine was a cutting given me by Mrs Cornish last year and is now growing fast. The Peach Tree I brought back from Headstone Lane last April twelvemonths is also growing but it will be a long time before any fruit comes on that one.

This week in garden has been interrupted by heavy rain but have managed to earth up the two lots of early potatoes and clean a lot of the ground of weeds – they seem to grow no matter what the weather. Have planted out some carnation plants (raised from seed – and we have some for you) in the oblong and round plots on the lawn and mum has also put in the same plots some stocks given me by a friend here. These borders are now tidy and planted for another season. I’m still dealing with the pond. Started on it the other day but down came the rain and I had to suspend operations as want the base perfectly dry before treating it with bitumen. There is water in the deep part but I’ve seen no sign of life all the winter. Should very much like to get the pond back into use again and will make an all [out] effort to do this as soon as concrete is dry. 

So Geoff getting fed up with the railway then. I expect his prospects are being shaken by the economy drive – so many highly graded men being made redundant and after all he has not all that long to go. Understand Bastin at Bristol has more or less been told he is redundant and I expect a number of others have heard similarly with the amalgamation of the Divisional and District Offices. Another rumour down here is that all members of staff will be asked to retire at sixty to help with the present position. 

I saw in the Bristol Evening paper a British Railways ‘working’ dinner had been held where key members of the local staff were told of further plans and their cooperation enlisted. Those present included Hanks, Raymond, Hart, C. Rust, the Parcels Agent, the Goods Agent and one of the Yard Masters. I suppose a good time was had by all.

Can easily manage ten tomato plants and it will be time for them to be put in around early June. If there is anything else you want us to bring up your next letter must let us know otherwise it will be too late. 

Well I think this is about the lot once more so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. 

Mum and Dad

*In terms of 2022 currency this would be £9.50 with £6 profit.

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Once again many thanks for your letters received this morning together with a drawing from, we think, Carol. Thank you Carol for such a nice one. Yes we expect Susan was getting a bit excited over the weekend in anticipation of her birthday and we hope she’s having a very nice day although a lot of it must be spent at school. We are thinking of her today. From what you say she seems to be full of mischief although it is all innocent. No doubt she will grow out of it soon but better that way than to be ‘namby-pamby’ all the time. Shall have to suggest a new slogan “Don’t forget the hearing aid Dad.”* That was a good one about the singing on Sunday – not lost for an answer.

You have had another busy week with your decorating arrangements etc. and we note from June’s letter that two workmen were at 84 on Monday. Must surely be nearing completion now. We shall have quite a lot to inspect when we arrive.

Glad to hear you are all keeping fairly well – keep it up now for a few weeks. The weather is making us feel very tired, being outdoors in the wind most of the day we do not want to do very much in the evenings but we are not grumbling. It is so nice to have a few good days that we are glad to be able to be outdoors. Sunday not too good here either – a cold wind most of the time. Even today although quite sunny there is a distinct north-east wind blowing. No more suggestions of frost but I’m still watching the runner beans daily.

Note June running about looking for a suitable ladder for the paper hanger – wonder he brought his own brushes. I’m afraid it would have taken me longer than that to do the landing and hall. Still as we have said before every man to his own trade. These kind of people however must be having a fairly lean time with so many trying the do-it-yourself business. Note your remarks about the Polycell but believe me if you are doing it yourself the Polycell is the best because if you get the paste on the front side of the paper it will try right out and leave no trace whatsoever but most of the other kinds leave a dirty mark.

I went down to Mr Palmer’s house last Friday evening and Mrs Palmer told me she was expecting Mr Palmer home the next day and that Roy Prescott was fetching him. Have not seen or heard anything of him since but suggested to Mrs Palmer that when he was fit enough he might like to walk down this far one morning as it was pretty certain I should be about. So far he has not turned up but I expect he has to go slowly at first.

The Curate is back in bed again at this time I think he realises he will never properly recover. Has already indicated that he must resign. Should say he is just about sixty years of age.

Mum had the oven attended to yesterday but not until we had made a second approach to the Electric Light  people. Oven now in order. We have had it six years and in regular use so cannot complain.

Note slugs busy with the asters but that you have saved sweet peas. I’ve lost a few cabbage plants by slugs but so far not one runner bean. The sweet peas were attacked by the birds as I mentioned previously but counter measures have been successful and no further losses have occurred.

Glad to hear June’s father and mother keeping very well but sorry to learn Miss Baker not too good. Her age unfortunately is against her there.

That trouble with the car you mention I remember on one occasion the same fault occurred when I had it but what was diagnosed I have not the faintest recollection. It had to be put right at the garage. Query something to do with the magneto. How are you getting on June with the learning? If the final one is on the morning of the day of our arrival do I understand it will be the actual test? Next door neighbour Bushell although he knows the inside and outside of any car so far as if repairs are concerned has not yet passed his own driving test and is waiting to go to Weston any day for it. Meanwhile his £10 car is standing in the drive.

It was our other next door neighbour (Heel) who told us the Maidenhead bypass was completed. They passed over it during the Easter period.

Fancy meeting the chap who dumps the earth. Perhaps the field is nearer to his house than your lawn hence is continuing to dump in field. Will he supply enough for your needs?

You will see in this week’s Mercury that Moule got in by a large number of votes. We thought it was the one who was at Weston same time as yourself.

Tomato plants with pleasure. Will bring on as many as you can deal with so please say number required – allowing for a few failures. The dahlia cuttings not too special but still a few weeks to go before we come up and time for them to improve.

We had to laugh over your efforts to get into the garage but it could have been no laughing matter to you at the time. What an extraordinary thing to happen.

I shall be able to utilise the pair of wheels all right but the need at the moment is for a good size Tates sugar box and I expect these are very hard to come by nowadays.

No further news then of next door people’s movements. Note you did not fancy putting in for a good Work Study job at Harrogate. Should think Harrogate quite a nice place but very expensive. In any case I should keep in the southern part of the country if possible because the winters are much better. You probably know the trend of staff movement – since all-line advertising – is from the north to the south. Still you must keep your eyes open for anything good that is going. There is going to be a very lean time in the not-too-distant future because of the number of staff becoming redundant. Heard recently that even Paddington is on the list for consideration. The suggested alternative however seems ridiculous – ‘Marylebone’. It is only a pint-sized station in itself but I suppose the B.T.C. must have a home station.

Note you are having a bit of trouble at Acton. Everybody seems to be looking for trouble these days.

Your lilac flowering on the Benns’ side of hedge reminds me that we once had a lovely honeysuckle in the hedge between us and Mr Beames. It was a mass of bloom on his side but no flowers at all on ours. I could not seem to alter it so eventually cut it down.

Back to June’s letter again for a moment. Thank you June for the invitation to lunch on the 7th prox. but I do not think we shall make 84 by 12:15 p.m. so please do not wait for us. Best of luck when you take the driving test.

Not much local news but just a review of this week’s gardening efforts. Have now finished digging the small plot beyond greenhouse and for the time being have put in some rooted chrysanthemum cuttings to mature. Have weeded the strawberry bed and hoed through the raspberry canes, also dug a plot of ground from which some winter green stumps have been removed. Pricked out several boxes of flower seedlings and sowed more carrot and cabbage seed. The apple trees continue to blossom and frost has not damaged any. Mum has put a lot of plants in the flower borders and cut grass around edges of plots in lawn etc. Have once again cut the grass on all lawns and my word it was long. The rain last week simply pushed everything up. Plenty of dandelions about but have not thought of making any wine.

Have you used all the grape wine yet? Am now sampling a bottle of last year’s elderberry – not too bad.

Found a blackbirds nest in hedge of lawn this week with five eggs in it.

Mum and I are going to pop into Weston tomorrow (Thursday) morning to have a look round the poor man’s Emporium for a few things.** We visited the Post Office again on Monday last for the second monthly instalment of retirement benefit. Roy Hewitt and Mr Aston both arrived on a visit of inspection this morning about 11:30 a.m. so in about half an hour the three of us were able to make a lot of suggestions for putting the railways back on a paying footing again. Roy says he has just received his tickets for the Norway holiday they start on June 1st.

Have just renewed my motor insurance for another year, £20 10s less £6 3s for No Claim discount, nett £14 7s. How does this work out with yours?

Went down to Elfords [local store] the other evening for a couple of sixpenny ice creams and he said “Your sixpenny ice creams will be sevenpence each thanks to the budget.” Told him my  runner beans would therefore be a penny a pound more this season as I had to balance my accounts. He reckons that when the common market comes into working all vegetables will be much cheaper because of the dumping by other countries. It’s a case of tails I win heads you lose.

Have had no comment from Don on the increase in price of cider owing to the budget. No letter from Geoff since I last wrote – suppose he is still busy doing away with his own job.

Should like to have seen Susan and Carol doing their pieces last Sunday, expect they both looked forward to it. Must tell Susan we are waiting for story number 3. It was number 2 we had last week.

Mum gone to T.G. today and not expected home very early, having tea there. I believe she has several outings in the offing but she must tell you about them in her letter.

Have been down to the river again but the lad who wanted to keep his canoe there has not made use of the mooring facilities available. No logs saiing by whilst I was there.

Yesterday morning when Mum and I were about to go up to the library we noticed workmen had arrived at Miss Weekes’ old house and had already got the bath out into the roadway. I said I would find out when we got back if it was for disposal as I could do with another bath for rainwater collecting. When we arrived back however Cornish was there with bath already loaded up onto his barrow and about to make tracks for his own place.

Quite a lot of alterations are being made in the house and at the moment the men are making a proper drive-in with double gates.

No more now so will close with all our love to you both and lots of kisses for our two little singers Susan and Carol.

Mum and Dad.

*This is probably a reference to “Don’t forget the fruit gums, Mum!”

**More than likely this is a reference to Woolworth’s!

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for your weekly letter. Time now 11:45 a.m. and no sign of our joiner. He has still to fix the doors on the cupboard under the sink (two) and on the new cupboard in that line, and on the new one on the dresser.

Again I am able to give an all correct report on health at this end. No change in the neck but no trouble from it. I shall arrange not to be inside for Whitsun. Unless it starts to give trouble of course.

Yes our kitchen arrangements are going far too slowly, but you will be glad to know that the hall and landing is finished, the paperhanger having done his job on Friday. We expected him on Thursday, but he did not put in an appearance. He arrived at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday and by 10 a.m. June had been halfway around Ruislip to get the loan of a suitable ladder for him. Anyway he had finished ceilings and walls and departed on his way by 1-0 p.m., so that was that.

Susan is certainly making remarkable progress I quite agree, but if only she would improve her behaviour a little. She can be guaranteed to make as much trouble as possible out of any situation (this morning she managed to upset her fried breakfast over the carpet) and she is now being copied faithfully by Carol. However a year or so should make a lot of difference*. During the week she walked off with someone’s two year old child she found playing outside her own house. When June carted her back the mother was out looking for her in some agitation.

Glad to hear that Mr Palmer is much improved.

So you are having trouble with the electric oven. Not all that long since you had it, so should not have gone wrong yet surely.

So far the slugs have only had one of the sweet peas but they have made extensive inroads into the asters. Had another go at the lawns yesterday and they had certainly grown a lot in a week. The two main ones are now cut very short and more like a billiard table than they have been. The one in front of the French windows I have left largely uncut as I am still in the process of raising it. The back end of it is beginning to grow quite nicely now and it would be fair to say that the lawn is half finished now. No more earth seems to be available on the field so doubt if anything will be done to it this weekend. We have to go to church this afternoon as both Susan and Carol have pieces to say. They are not 100% of course, but seemed in fairly good spirits.

They have bad news of Aunt Eda at West Ealing, who it is alleged is refusing to eat. We wonder if she is doing a Barbara Moore. This of course coincides with Delph’s holiday to Yorkshire.

Have a spot of trouble with the car at the moment. it seems there is something wrong with the engine as it is running very roughly at the moment and cutting out when the foot is off the accelerator. I took the plugs out this morning and cleaned them and closed the gaps to the correct amount, but it made no difference. Doug had a look at the carburettor and adjusted it, but still no difference. I shall have to put it in for servicing before we go anywhere in it.

The car that June will use has gear change on the floor. We have checked on that, so it is possible that the car is a 1961 issue. We await the lessons with interest. The final one will be in the morning of the day you arrive, so by the time you get here we may have an extra driver. The damage to the Anglia is being claimed through insurance, and it is to be hoped that it is the other person’s insurance. I did not know …

[There is a gap of about a dozen lines here due to a misplaced sheet of carbon paper.]

… to get a proper size for the job. It did not take very long, but it is a bit of a messy job. Bristol traffic getting more and more like London apparently, good place to keep out of.

Will accept a few tomato plants if you have them spare. With the failure of the dahlias we shall have some space for them.

I still  have not got round to doing much in the wine line. Mostly this is due to the temperature in the kitchen, which does not attract me to fiddle about in there in the evenings.

Hope you can fix your wheels and make a good barrow. You certainly have the need for one your end. Make sure that you make the barrow large enough for the job. I would say that you could afford to make it substantially larger than the wheelbarrow.

Resumed letter at 5 p.m. after break for dinner and afternoon church. It is the anniversary of the opening of the Sunday school, and a number of special events took place. One of the first was Susan’s appearance with three other girls to sing one verse of a song. I heard two of the girls quite clearly but although Susan’s mouth was moving, I could not hear that noise we usually get from it. I do not know what happened to her tongue.** Later on the little ones in a group of about five or six said a couple of verses of poetry, and I could hear Carol quite distinctly. I must say they pick the most difficult things for the children to say or sing, and even the general hymns today we’re an awful lot, I think I only knew one. All very tuneless.***

It is now a lot dryer, but very cold. I could have done with wearing a pair of gloves to church, and June was muttering something about putting on her fur coat. The wind that was about seems to have dropped a little, and everything outside is quiet and still and cold.

Had trouble with the garage in the week. Had put the bolt on the double doors from inside, and found that the catch on the side door would not move – it being closed at the time. I tried to remove the screws holding in the double doors so that one would swing enough to admit me, but I could not budge the screws. In the end I removed one of the panes of glass that had been cracked, and climbed in through the frame. The lock, having only been secured by three corners, had parted sufficiently to allow the spring to leave its seating and become loose inside. I oiled everything, put it back together and fixed a fourth holding screw, and now it is again in full working order. One pane of glass however requires to be replaced.

One or two people have been to look over the house next door, but we have not heard of any likelihood of a sale yet.

There was a good work study job going in Harrogate (Yorkshire) on this week’s list but we decided not to apply. By the way, talking about work, I had the tip off from the acting L.D.C. Staff Side chairman that the Acton station staff had held a vote and decided against our scheme on a permanent basis by 11 votes to 3. That of course started a rumpus and I went down to acting to see him to tell him of the consequences etc. We get on quite well, and he took all the points raised and promised to have another go at his chaps despite the vote. The S.M. was also told to use his influence. McD, not satisfied that everything was being done, sent Lay down the next day to see him again, and he arrived just in time to be told by him that he had been successful in getting four weeks’ extension to enable any criticism to be dealt with. A meeting is being held today to make a list of them. Most of the trouble stems from an overzealous Acting Supervisor who is mightily disliked by the staff.

By the way (again) I told Susan that I could not hear her singing her song at church this afternoon and she said “Well that’s all right Daddy you should have put your hearing aid in.” What next?

Our lilac is flowering very well on the Benns’ side of the hedge but apart from that we have nothing in flower at the moment.

We are looking forward to your visit which will not be long now. Which way are you coming this time? Query A30.

Well that is it again for another week, hope you are both well. Love from us all.

*Alec died fifty years later still hoping I would turn into a good little girl, and never realised that a certain amount of input from the parents is required – and not the sort that is administered with, literally, a firm hand.

**I had learned by now that whatever I did would be wrong.

***This brings up an interesting point: we were sent to the Methodist Sunday School, despite Alec and June being nominally CofE (neither was devout nor, in particular, interested beyond paying minimal lip service). The official reason for this was that the CofE nearest us was ‘too high church’, but I suspect that in fact the extra five minutes it would have taken to walk there was what counted. The Methodist Church was quite new, with good facilities, and it was a much easier journey – a straight line which in later years we could navigate by ourselves, and only one road to cross. It was, however, all a bit different from what Alec was used to – and the hymns and readings would no doubt have been taken from a different selection.

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Well here’s replying to your latest letter for which many thanks. It duly arrived on Friday. Time now is 11:55 am, and I am now indoors after a spot of lawn mowing. Again we can report a clean bill of health. This must be something of a record. You refer to the weather being a cold wind from the north-east, but for the last few days we have had it warm although for the last two we have had an awful lot of rain. (Good lot of rain according to viewpoint.) We had the white frost at about the time you did, but it did no harm.

Note you had your visit to Bristol for the Newmans and also that you saw Palmer again. Our joiner chap did not finish last Sunday, or Monday or Tuesday when he called again. He has not arrived so far this weekend but he only has the door of the cupboards to do now. This should not take him long, and no doubt having taken the measurements he should be able to do some of the work at his home. Our decorations are now in the final stage. All the painting has now been done (subject to trimming) and the paper hanger calls on Thursday next. I have now to size the walls for him and then it is up to him. We shall both be very glad to have all of this behind us. The cooking as you can imagine was done under difficulty, but it was done, and no one suffered from indigestion. Serving was also difficult as we had to have all the saucepans et cetera in with us.

There is a great advantage in having hinges on our trap door as I am always going up there for odd things, and the movement of the trap to remove it and replace it causes the paint to be scratched every time. The regular swing into place that would come with the use of hinges should remove that trouble.

I eventually took the dahlias out of the basket yesterday. Most of them seem to have suffered badly from mildew, and I doubt if I shall have one successful plant this year. I have put in about five clumps without much hope of anything being alive in them. June planted some sweet peas out all along the wire netting, and also put out some asters and some mesembryanthemums in the front garden. With the Roses and shrubs we shall not do so badly however. Hope the slugs leave us alone this year.

I note about Alexander’s activities from the Mercury. He seems to have been well in with several circles. Lay has had his week away at Watford. I heard of him during the week from one of the lecturers. He also looked in on Friday when I was out and told people that he was working till 9 p.m. one night.

I went to the hospital as you know last Tuesday, but they want me to go back again on June 5th. If the lump has not gone down by then they will definitely have me in again for its removal. At the moment there is no sign of any such thing happening. The chances are there for that I shall go in after you have been up for your week.

I still have a bottle of your elderflower, and I must have a go at it in view of your favourable report. Last time I tried it I replaced it at the very back of the cupboard. ? ? ? [sic].

It does seem that you have paid a lot of money for that little bit of trouble with the car. My colleague has had a crash with his new Ford Anglia and he has to pay £25 [roughly £595 in 2022 currency] for repairs I saw the damage and it only amounted to a small hole in the side (about 1 inch diameter).

I cannot think that office outings offer much of Interest these days. Everybody is grumbling all the time, hardly the diet for a day out.

Your gardening activities seem to be now in full swing. All this food in the making sounds very tempting. Apart from any samples thereof we can do with any spare flowering articles that you may have at the time of your visit.

I agree that the grass is now on the move. the patch we sowed a while back is  covering up nicely. A chap dumped a load of turf on the field on Sunday so we took advantage of it and I extended the amount covered by a yard or so. During the week someone (probably the same chap) dumped several barrow-loads of subsoil on the field so we had that as well. Of course the latter wants some heavy rain to break it down, but it is certainly getting some at the moment.

Well I am told that dishing-up operations are about to start so must clear up for now. Will resume later.

Well here it is now 1:50 p.m., dinner over and a nice cup of tea on the way down. This morning I started by putting a replacement switch in the cupboard as the existing one of old pattern would be foul of the new cupboard door when installed. Hope to get this done before joiner arrived. In the event I had bags of time as so far he has not put in an appearance. After that was over I cut the back (top) and front lawns. The mower is very temperamental but I seem to have fixed it now. I must say it makes a difference to the look of the place when the lawns are cut. I might add that it has been raining very heavily all the morning and the grass was soaking. All that remains now is for the rough edges to be done with the shears.

We went to Ealing in the car yesterday for June to renew her driving licence and also for arrangements to be made for the carpet people to refix our stair carpet. We also went to Harrow where June has arranged with the BSM for a course of six lessons. It will be done in their car (thank goodness) and we have chosen an  A40 1962.

Put the brush over the garage floor yesterday, and my goodness how the muck accumulates. Gradually the scrap wood that was in the way all the time has been disposed of and perhaps in a few weeks we can put that place to rights too.

Had a day out with McDonald on Thursday. I suppose he missed his usual sparring partner (Lay) and tacked himself onto me. We went to Maidenhead and then on to West Drayton. At the first named place he stood me lunch (no complaints). He told me he has bought a new motor mower and seems very pleased with it. I told him about yours and he was amused at the incident of the campanulas. He tells me he is looking for a new car. Told him there was nothing much wrong with the one he has (Vauxhall Victor) but I expect he will indulge in another. His wife has now started part-time working and no doubt their joint income is fantastic.

June has just taken the girls down to the Sunday School so have been able to make a bit of progress on this letter. It has been dry for an hour or so now, but the clouds are gathering and more rain can be expected any minute. Well June has just returned and told me that there is another load of turf on the field so I will close and go after it. Love from us all for now, hope you are both well.

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol,

Many thanks for letter received this morning together with drawings from the girls – thank you very much Susan and Carol – yes we quite understand why the letter was later than usual last week and are only too pleased that you can report both young ladies in good health this week. Let’s hope they can keep well and fit for the summer now.

Weather still a bit dodgy in spite of the sun. The wind is in the N. E. unfortunately and until it moves it will continue cold and frosty. Incidentally it was a sharp white frost this morning and it will be another fortnight before we can breathe freely and say they are over until the Autumn.

Am starting letter today as shall not have so much time tomorrow when we are going to Bristol to visit the Newmans. Went to Southmead again last Saturday and found Mr Palmer had been moved to another word. At last they have got down to his trouble as I think I mentioned previously and the doctor has stated he will not be leaving there until he is cured. The bed at Clevedon Hospital has been cancelled. Expect we shall be going up again on Saturday and I will remember you to him. He asked after you last week. No more difficulty in his breathing and presumably they have put that right. It will be many months – if at all – before the next operation is even considered.

Note your progress with the alterations and decorations, you seem to have the place upside down and I expect you are both getting tired of it. Did your joiner chap finish his job last Sunday? How did you manage about cooking the dinner with him poking around? By the way our back bedroom had not been done since 1953 and if you remember last time you came the wallpaper had been torn off in places by the electrician when rewiring early last year. Is there any advantage in putting hinges on trapdoor? I was is loose and the only trouble we get is when a gale is blowing and the window is open, then the trapdoor does a bit of bobbing up and down.

Yes the flowering currant we have is one of the pale flower variety – quite nice though.

We guessed you would have no further news of June’s mother at present and can only hope she will be in very good condition when admitted to hospital and able to have the operation. Query did you take tarpaulin off the dahlias too quickly in view of frost today.

Yes H. A. Alexander was engineer at Bristol and lived at Brockley, using Yatton station. He had an estate of about 7 acres* and kept several cows and other farm animals, employing a sort of cowman to look after them. You will see in this week’s Mercury he was mixed up in all sorts of activities in the area I suppose they could get no one else.

So far I have only definitely located one blackbirds’ nest in the garden but there must be others if only I could have a good search. Unfortunately they will be empty by the time the girls come down but it will be something to show them.

Note you are now going to have a go at Slough station and that your colleague will be having a week away from home at Watford. Not much point in his going if not interested but that’s the way of it. Today you will be visiting hospital again about your neck – perhaps they will make up their mind to cut it out once for all. It will be a good job done.

Your remarks noted re cherry wine – will keep it in store here but as you say it is to be hoped Carol will grow out of the necessity for it. I tried the old elderflower wine last weekend and was rather surprised at the improvement of same. Had put some sugar into the bottles along time ago and this made it at least drinkable. Will put a bottle in for you – can be thrown away if not fancied.

Jim Kelly was in the Bristol Rolling Stock department before Hobbs and retired many years ago. I knew the other two Kellys you mentioned well.

Mum went with the T.G. to Barrow Gurney Waterworks yesterday – if it had been Georges Brewery I might have been interested. Arrived home about 7-0 p.m. but not full of water. This afternoon she has gone to Dial Hill with Mrs Payne (Binding and Payne) to see her daughter-in-law’s new house.

That little bit of trouble with the clutch resulted in an account for over £13**. Apparently the cover plate etc. had to be renewed after the gear had been dismantled. Thought it rather a lot of money but I’ve been very fortunate up to now with this car. It is the first job I have had to pay for, apart from servicing etc.

Had an invitation from the office this morning to the annual outing on Saturday 26th May – to London of all places, with a coach drive to Hampton Court and Kew Gardens. The G.M. has obviously not clamped down on outings yet.

The vicar and Curate were about again last Sunday and it seems there are trying to gradually resume normal routine. The Curate however is very much off-colour still and will have to take things quietly we for a long time.

Since last writing I have put out the dozen tomato plants bought from Gullifords and 32 of my own raisng in greenhouse making the same total as last year. Have also strung them up ready for the plants to climb up. Outside, the top crust of soil is so hard that the hoe will not penetrate and a drop of rain, strange to say, is badly needed. (Drown the world for a cabbage!***) I have managed to transplant about 80 lettuce plants of two varieties and today sowed another boxful for succession. Carrots so far not a success but I’ve put in another lot of seed and hoping for the best. That sown earlier in one of the frames was a failure. Garden peas seem to be doing better this season and I’m hopeful may have some about when you are here. Did I tell you the broad beans, although only 6 inches high, are in full flower? They were badly hit by the East Winds in February and March. Four rows of onions seeds are all showing up well. Planted out the gladioli yesterday but alas about half of the corms had wizened and died during the winter so shall have a poor show this summer. Must get the sweet pea plants out quickly now – these have been ready in the boxes for weeks but the opportunity to deal with them has not occurred. Since Easter Sunday – the start of the nice weather – the trees in the field have made remarkable growth and the new fresh green of the leaves look very nice.

Have not seen anything of the young man who wanted to ‘stable’ his canoe on the river bank, but we had two Bob-a-job lads call last Saturday morning. According to their cards they had been weeding mostly but we took all the waste paper down to bonfire site and told them to light a fire and burn the lot including the rubbish already awaiting attention. They got it going alright and after about an hour gave them 2/6d [equivalent of £3] and sent them on their way rejoicing. They had come all the way from Old Street, and we were the first to give them a job that day.

I have not been down to the river for some time and must have make the journey and see what’s going on. The new people in Martindale have had many fires at the bottom of their garden that that glory-hole must now be looking quite good. The other folk used it for a dump. Our neighbours in Cummings’ old house are getting a move on with their garden and have dug and planted a good piece of it. I have given him blackcurrant cuttings and strawberry plants also Brussels sprout and cabbage plants as well as lettuce and other odds and ends. He has severely cut back the hedge between himself and Drewett’s old house and had all the large fruit trees pruned hard. He is taking cuttings from our hedge to make more hedges for his side. His new job gives him much more daylight time for gardening.

Forgot to mention that on Friday and Saturday morning I put up 210 runner bean sticks ready for this year’s crop. 104 in one row and 106 in the other. The beans are already coming up in the boxes and will be planted out later this week. Then must look out for slugs. Sticks to buy are 4/6d per bundle [equivalent of £5.35] and not so many in a bundle either, but I have managed to get all mine from the hedges and trees in garden except that Bill Aston gave me two bundles the council men dumped on his allotment and which she did not want.

He went away for Easter and I’ve not seen him since but I understand he is busy painting – good luck to him. Roy Hewitt and Mrs are on a visit to relations in Swansea expected back this weekend. It will be our turn soon to get away for a few days.

Grass growing quickly now and motor mower had to be used again last weekend. Working very satisfactorily this season.

Yes we wish you were near to share the broccoli but I’m afraid they will all be gone by the time Whitsun comes. It’s usually the way with this crop – all-or-none. How are you getting on for potatoes? We are buying now and Mum says they are very scarce. A long time since the country was so short. Last year I first dug on June 8th but it is bound to be later this time because not only were they planted later but the weather has been against growth until these last ten days.

No fires on the hills over the holidays although plenty of people have been about. The ‘car park full’ signs have been showing a lot and the overflow have found their way to the quarry at bottom of this Avenue and one or two actually in the Avenue.

Did your sedum (ice plant) survive the winter? If not can replace as have several. Also query tradescantia. Mum’s geraniums from seed doing very well but no sign of the salvias.

Just about the lot for another week, so once more all our love to you both and lots of kisses for Susan and Carol.

Mum and Dad.

*This would have been known as a ‘smallholding’ at the time, but nowadays we would call it a ‘hobby farm’. (Or a ‘lifestyle’ or ‘tree change’ property in the southern hemisphere!)

**Roughly £310 in 2022 currency.

***This sounds as if it’s a quotation from something, but I have been unable to identify the source.