Reference
AU10/102/1/40
Title
Handwritten letter
Date free text
11 April 1950
Production date
From: 1950 To: 1950
Scope and Content
"Thanks for your letter and kind Easter greetings. I am so sorry to hear about Eva (I have always called her that even to her face!): it sounds rather serious. I am glad to say Di is as well as ever: in fact people tell her she looks much better that she did before her illness. she is out and about driving the car and doing the shopping as usual. I bought Florence a Siamese cat about a year ago ("Valentino"), a very amusing animal. They are quite unlike ordinary cats: they have a log of "dog" characteristics. They like to be patted instead of, or as well as, stroked and they have clue eyes. "Tino" is very much admired and knows it. What a frightful Easter it has been! I have one of my French cousins here on a visit. We walked down to the river yesterday (Easter Monday) afternoon, through the wind and rain. It was almost deserted. Usually on a Bank Holiday the crowds are enormous. The steamers passing to and from Hampton Court had barely a soul on board, and the only people admiring the view from the Terrace were inside their cars. I had a very busy Easter Day. They roped me in to do the 7 at S.Matthias on Richmond Hill (daughter church to Richmond Parish): then I drove back here, collected the Miss E's, and went on to the Hickey Chapel for the 8: then to the Priory at 10: back to Hickey at 11: I slept all the afternoon: then took Evensong at Hickey 5.30 and the Priory 6.30. They have not appointed a chaplain to Hickey yet, but the Trustees are meeting on Monday (17th), so there should be something doing after that. I shall be glad when they do, as I find the two jobs too much on Sundays.
I am going up to Yorkshire next Monday to see my father, but I shall have to return for the following Sunday. Otherwise I would have stayed longer. It is so lovely up there in the spring, and I practically live out of doors. Then we are expecting a succession of visitors here on my return. Someone always seems to be coming or going!
I see Mrs.Waddy has become a J.P. Also Mrs.Craddock!! I was rather surprised at that. I thought her a nice and amiable woman, but harly up to J.P. standard. But it may be another Mrs.Craddock. I do not recognise many of the names mentioned in the News now. Major Kenneth Timbrell (the chap you don't seem to know) rang up on Saturday from the Cavalry Club and said he had just seen Andrew Wingfield, who said Sir A had been in hospital in London for two weeks, with that ear trouble, and was now back home. I was sorry I had not been aware of it, as I would have gone to see him. I have heard no more of Clifford Thomson since I visited him here in hospital last year. How the months do fly!
I hope you get to Monkseaton in the summer, because then you will (and MUST) get to see Durham, and most wonderful city, and full of youthful memories for me. And you ought to break your journey at York and do the tour of the City Walls, if you have not already done so.
My visit to Germany is hanging fire until Heinz has been here, and he can't get here till the authorities grant him a visa. I have written to them, so it should be through any time now. Unlike Mrs.Davies, I have learnt no German. I have all the books necessary, but just simply cannot find the time to start in on it. i have resolved to master the 48 Perludes and Fugues of Bach. I began last autumn, and am still plodding through No.16. I ought to have done them years ago - good, solid, basic, technical studies. But I give myself a lump of sugar after every dose in the form of 1/2 hour Chopin. I have a nice music room here, up on the 1st floor, overlooking the garden at the back. How lovely the blossom on the trees is just now. We have all sorts in the neighbouring gardens - prunes, cherry, plum: we boast a solitary apple tree, but our lawns are a picture, now fringed with polyanthus. But nothing will ever make me a gardener!
The Miss E's send their kind remembrances to you and the family. Tell your father the Motor Union sent a man to see Di in Jan. They were a bit hesitant about going on with the insurance in view of her age. But they have given her another year!
Yours sincerely,"
Level of description
item