AU10/31/1/4

"I am much obliged and interested in your well composed letter. You have lived an interesting life and I hope you will have a happy year. You have evidently made a good choice in marriage & that has turned out happily. I do miss my animals very much. I have of course spent much time at the zoo and at Whipsnade, animals never have exercise to keep them in health but otherwise I feel sure they are happy in their cages & would mostly return to them if let out. I have not seen the Chessington Zoo but I know Sir Garrard Drake well & we have visited each other. This house is a little over 100 years old. There was a previous house, but not exactly on the same spot. It was built by a Quaker & therefore is plain but good. I am interested in your military career which I expect you are pleased to have gone through and as you have an observant mind you must have greatly profited by it, seeing different human beings, animals and vegetable life. In old days I have often been to the Crystal Palace & have seen those fireworks. I once sent some ostriches to be on show there. They were trained for riding. I remember also the Fire which caused great excitement. Evidently they want to start some new departure in the grounds. Perhaps some sort of War necessity. I hope you will succeed in all your wishes and with your evident intelligence you ought to get on. If you have a photo of yourself & could let me see it I would be much interested and would return it carefully. Your hobby is a very interesting one but rather sad as so many fine places must cease to be used in their present form if stately residences".

6 Jan 1945

From: 1945 To: 1945

item

Matthews, Sidney H.,
Wingfield, Anthony Henry,
Drake, Hugh Garrard Tyrwhitt

zoos, specific marriages, ostriches, fireworks, photographs, fire brigade incidents, Society of Friends individuals, Chessington, WHIPSNADE, Ampthill House, Crystal Palace