Scope and Content
"Many thanks for your nice long letter, and Christmas greetings. It was a great surprise to us all to hear of the death of Gertrude Barton. We had heard the day before in a letter from Newby Stanbridge (he was in Florence's Sunday School class as a boy in the days of Rector Nichol, and they have always been great friends: she always sends him a £1. note at Christmas) that Miss Emily was very poorly: then a letter arrived by the same post as yours (from Reg Stearn I think, or was it Valder) which I opened first and read that Gertrude had died. We felt sure they had got the name wrong: then I opened your letter and found it was indeed Gertrude. There has been no announcment in the "Times" or "Telegraph". We wonder what is happening at the Old Gates. They have a relation called Katie McAndrew who usually turns up at times of crisis, and I expect the Hughes people (that woman with a flowing cloak) will come and do something. When one comes to think of it, practically every house in Church Street has been touched by death in the recent past. We were counting them up last night: Hopkins, Wingfield, Rayment, Seabrook, the little Weston boy, your uncle, Mrs.Place: on the other side Dr.Macklin, Powers, McLeod, and others no doubt we have not known. I have had a nice letter from Captain Cunliffe. Indeed, there has been quite a shower of letters this year from people who have sent Christmas cards since we left but not letters. They all without exception say the Church has gone down in the past three years. You may remember at my farewell "do" I said there would be plenty of people eager to welcome the new Rector, but that I should like to return in about four years and see what was happening then. Well, it seems I was right. There is a lot of dissatisfaction and criticism of Mr.Waddy now, and they are all saying how lovely it was in the days when I was in charge! Well, well! Perton tells me there is a rumour that he may be offered the verger job again. Perhaps that is why he has been coming to church again. I think he would like the job back again, and indeed I hope he gets it.
No, I was not one of the Box Hill skiers! I too saw them on television. What a frightful thing that pantomime was last night! We had two friends in to dinner who have no television, and we wanted them to get a good impression of it: but in the end we shut it off and I took them upstairs to my music room and played to them.
I must say I am looking forward to getting away from this dark grey sky, and the damp cold, to blue skies and sunshine. I shall come up to see Sir Anthony after I get back, probably about the beginning of February. I really don't think I dare pay any other visits. Park Street is grieved because I didn't call on it, not to mention others and of course it is really impossible to call and see them all.
I had heard the story about the broken vase (Ira-Smith I think). But it was not only that: the silver lamp was dirty, and the wall black with grime. Miss Di used to dust the wall regularly as it does get black from the radiator. But really the whole place was shabby and neglected. I really cannot help saying it. I was really surprised and saddened.
I was most interested in the article on the Wren gallery. I had heard about this incident when I was in Ampthill. I remember the Professor produced some evidence about it, and I put a paragraph in the magazine. (Incidentally, the magazine has become a poor thing. You will think I am getting very censorious! But it has!) I am returning the magazine to you as you may want it again, and we have all read it. The Nicholls picture and portrait I want to identify is in the Naval Museum at Greenwich: so you have evidently missed it on your visit. Oh yes, I have often taken that trip down the river from Westminster. I could say a lot about Greenwich Palace. I spent several months training there during the first world war: it was given over to training officers for the Royal Naval Air Service, in which I was before it joined with the RFC to become the RAF. Last year I went down there to dinner several times in the Painted Hall (which I expect you saw) as one of my best friends Lieut-Commander Stafford-Northcote was on the staff there. (It is now a school of instruction for Naval Officers: the Duke of Edinburgh was there for a time). But I have never been in the Queen's house or the museum. I shall do that when I go in search of Richard Nicholls.
I could not make head or tail of "Ring round the moon"! Many of these very modern plays are quite out of my depth. I could just manage to understand "The Lady's not for burning" though I would never want to see it again. I went a short time ago to see "Top of the ladder" at the St.James with John Mills in the lead. I was so bored with it that I came out at halftime and went over to my club, which is just near by, and settled down to read happily in the library instead! John Mills, by the way, lives at the top of Queens Road, and Richard Attenborough (another film star) al little lower down. I met both of them, and their wives, at a party held at the White Lodge, in Richmond Park, a few weeks ago. The people who have rented the White Lodge from the King are a Mr. and Mrs.Reynolds Veitch. Mrs.R.V.'s first husband was an American, who died and left her his considerable fortune. It happens that my American cousin Cynthia (sister to the cousin in France who became a naturalised Frenchman, and who inherited the Menton estate with me) was at school and college with Mrs.R.V. when they were girls. She married, as her second husband, Col.Veitch of the Grenadier Guards about ten years ago: and with all her money, they were able to take over White Lodge. When we came to Richmond in 1947, Cynthia wrote to Mrs.R.V. and told her about me: so one day we had a call from her, and now we have got to know them quite well. White Lodge is quite a rendez-vous for the cinema world, as Mrs.R.V. is a sister of some well-known American film actor whose name has just slipped my memory. So it is a very interesting house if you like film celebrities. I have met Anna Neagle there, and thought her a really delightful and charming woman. I wonder if you saw the film she did called "Odette": quite different from the song and dance stuff she does with Michael Wilding (whom I can't bear!) I seem to be drifting into a general film gossip!
Back to your letter. I am afraid you did not get much of a chance to see Durham properly. You can't do much with an infant in tow. You will have to plan to go by yourself next time. It's much the best way of sightseeing in my opinion. No, I don't know Cullercoats or its Vicar. I have a great friend the Rev.Harold Duncan, Vicar of S.Cuthbert's, Blaydon-on-Tyne. He was formerly curate of Kempston. I got to know him attending diocesan conferences and synods at St.Albans. He is a keep pianist, an Irishman, and altogether a grand fellow. I went up to stay with him in 1944 when I was visiting my father in Yorkshire. You may remember him, as he used to come to see me at Ampthill, and I believe I got him to preach sometime. We have an idea of attending the Bryanston School of Music next year, and driving down together. It is a two week affair for amateur musicians held at Bryanston School in Somerset. They get Myra Hess and Dennis Matthews and all the big shots in the musical world down to lecture and demonstrate. I am told they are a great success. However, we have not settled anything yet, until Harold has been to London, which he expects to do in the spring. My other friend up in Durham is the Reverend Gordon Berriman, Vicar of Spennymoor, just outside Durham City. He is much younger than I am (about 30), but he was at Durham School, and he is the Secretary of the Old Boys'Association. When he comes to London, I summon all the old boys living here, to an annual party which we have held here the past two years, but which has grown so much that we are thinking about having a dinner up in town next time.
Di has just come in to say tea is on, so I will close this rather rambling letter.
With all good wishes for the New Year to you and all the family.
Yours sincerely,"