Reference
AU10/102/1/62
Title
Handwritten letter
Date free text
30 December 1954
Production date
From: 1954 To: 1954
Scope and Content
"Thank you for you long newsy letter and the John Betjeman poems, which I had not seen, and which has afforded me great amusement. I have met John Piper, the illustrator, and his very charming wife, who rejoices in the odd name of Myfanwy! She write scripts for operas, is an art critic, a superb cook, and mother of four children. And a good churchwoman! She was also a champion diver at Oxford.
The Wingfield Estate brochure is very interesting. Will the ghost of Sir Anthony haunt it? I don't think he would have been very surprised by the "development" somehow. He often told me he thought houses would be built on his estate after his death. But the face of Ampthill has certainly changed since I went there in 1933. I have a new TV here, but I missed the Professor. No: I did not write to him, I'm afraid. You know I never somehow got my bearings with the Richardsons. Whenever I met the Professor, he was very friendly, and of course a great help with the architectural sid of the church. But it annoyed and rather grieved me that none of them came to church, except Houfe and Kathleen to the 8 on rare occasions. Of course, that wretched B.I. obsession of Houfe's had a lot to do with it. Does he still organise meetings? Or has it died down? When I left Ampthill I don't think I had spoken to any of them for over a year, and they sent a message to me about my departure. Oddly enough, I do hear little odd bits about them from an acquaintance in London, Alex Beattie, who is an intimate friend of Lennox-Boyd. Alex married Lady Rozelle Pierrepont, daughter of Earl Manvers, whose place is near Kettering. Lennox-Boyd is 50, and Alex is about 35, but they are often about together. Alex told me he once visited Sir A. at Ampthill House, and was dragged to church and remembered me (when we first me about 3 years ago) from that. L.B. talks to Alex about Ampthill sometimes: so it comes on to me! You would astonished at some of the things I am told: or perhaps you wouldn't, knowing your Ampthill well!
I think your typing is wonderful. It's a better machine than mine, which has gone to be overhauled. Hence the handwriting, which is supposed to be based on Chancery Script! I think it is an improvement on what it used to be. By the way, talking of maps of Beds., won't you have to get busy adding to that coloured map of Ampthill I bequeathed to you?
A friend (with I think his tongue in his cheek!) has presented me with a beautifully bound Birthday Book for Christmas, with his own name boldly written under May 13th. (I have always forgotten to send him a card). Anyway I have taken the hint, and now I am putting the names of my friends in the book. Please tell me when your birthday is, and you may get a surprise! You are always so good in remembering mine. We had a mild Christmas, and sat on the cliffs in the sun.
All good wishes for 1955.
Your sincerely"
Level of description
item