June 2nd/16
Dear Mother
Very many thanks for your letter yesterday, of May 10th. I have told Cox Bombay to send you £4 for all the odds & ends you sent, many thanks for all the trouble you took, & I hope the money turns up in due course. How sporting of old Fielding to send you a cask of cider; I expect they’ll be asking you to go down and stay there before long; & I hope you will be able to manage it.
I have’nt heard from Dick for a long time, but I wrote yesterday. I was thinking of getting a few days’ leave & going to stay there but I don’t know whether I shall or not. Yes I certainly said he could have the camera; I have got a little vest pocket Kodak which does me quite well, only I must say that little one of mine takes the most splendid photographs.
We had some very welcome rain this week, which has made all the difference to this place. It’s much cooler & cleaner now, and I fancy the real rains will break pretty soon now; this year has been exceptionally hot & dry, and we could do with heaps more rain yet.
Poor old Topher, I do hope he’s got a bit of leave by now. Yes Jim certainly might keep you informed of his movements; I wonder if he’s gone yet, as he has been more or less on the point of going these last few days has’nt he. So glad old Wiggs managed to get home; awful glad for Ben’s sake; she said his nerves were all wrong, so I’ve no doubt a few days at home did him no end of good.
Yes of course I had heard about Maggie & Desmond, but I hadn’t heard it was formally announced before. How exciting. Nice little thing Maggie, but (how critical I am) there is’nt very much in her is there; I should think Lily & Babs were the pick of that lot easily! I suppose Miss Bradley is going about the place beaming. Please give Maggie my best love & congratulations & wish her all luck.
So you’re saving daylight! Splendid I think & thoroughly practical; I wonder if it will carry on after the war. I don’t fancy India will worry its head much about that sort of thing.
I always wanted to see “romance”, as it always sounded so fascinating. Doris Keane is very sweet is’nt she, she certainly looks it in her photographs. 17 the Arcade certainly seems a tremendous rendezvous these days.
I have’nt heard from Paul for a long time; I suppose he is pretty busy these days & of course can’t say very much. Yes Ben told me Mrs P. has given vivid descriptions of the bombardment of Lowestoft. It sounded most thrilling.
What’s Specs doing these days! Has he been roped in as a conscript at last, or did he fail his medical? Quite likely I should think. I do hope you managed to get away for your week end with Mr Hunt; I shall be very anxious to hear how you got on, & how he is these days. The garden’s in great form evidently, & ever so much more convenient than the Waterden road one is’nt it.
Must end up nnow
Love to all
from your loving son
Ted
Summer Time Act 1916
Doris Keane, star of ‘Romance’ (a play at the time)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Keane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Yarmouth_and_Lowestoft
