Scope and Content
"It seems a far cry from March 24th (the date of your last letter) to July 14th, but at any rate, here I am at last! I have been abroad a good deal this year: I was in France in the spring for several weeks: and then early last month I was prevailed upon to accompany a friend to Switzerland. This latter trip was not a success: we had bad weather (Switzerland is another England for weather, though they would never admit it), rain coming down for two nights and days on end in Arosa: then I took a chill, and my old enemy tonsilitis attacked me, not robbing me of my voice, as it used to at Ampthill, but giving me a swollen throat. I sent out for penicillin tablets, having no Tyrozets with me: but they were an inferior substitute. However, after two days in bed, I made up my mind to dash for home. I always travel by rail and sea from here: as I only have to go round the corner from Broadstairs to get to Dover: but it was a 24 hour journey from Arosa, and I was really very tired when I got here. I think the effect of a hot bath and my own bed worked the cure. I felt much better next morning. The castle porter and his wife came in and did for me, my friend George Petrie being away on one of his endless summer cruises. I got out of going this year, and of course George will say "serves you right!" when he hears of my Swiss debacle! as he was quite "difficult" about my not joining him and two other ex-Naval friends on his yacht this year. I always find piles of "Ampthill News" awaiting me on my return from these trips abroad. Perton sends them religiously every week, whether he hears from me or not! And Valder, equally religiously, sends the parish magazine. So there is little I don't know about Ampthill when I have gone through them all! I did spot, in the Sunday Times some weeks ago, this advertisment, which I recognised at once as a description of S.Joseph's - Red House.
[Insert from newpaper attached to letter: "Ampthill - a charming little market town on the healthy greensand ridge crossing mid-Bedfordshire: London 45 miles; Bedford 8. Small Georgian house of character, carefully modernised. Hall, three reception, kitchen with Rayburn, three main bedrooms (2 with basins), bathroom. All main services. Small garden and garage. Fhld. v.p. £3,750. Partics. from Swaffield & Son, Market Square, Ampthill. Tel.2211."]
Miss Eagles got £3,500 from the Watsons: and that was when property was at its very highest peak. I doubt if they will get another £250 now. Miss E paid £7,000 for the Richmond house: but we could only get £5,250 for it (and then after several months) when her lawyer and I sold it on the instructions of the Court of Protection.
I was astounded to hear (from Newby Stanbridge) that the Rectory Cottage (modernised and enlarged) is going to be taken over by the Roberts of Westoning. However, he will be a great help to the Rector: he is a nice little man and not likely to cause any trouble: another Mr.Dent in fact. The amusing thing is that Perton, in his last letter early this year, said he had heard that they were going to be offered the cottage again!
There are many things in your letter I ought to answer. You seem to have been having a really bad time with sinus trouble: I do hope you have got over it now. I never met Mrs.Adams (of Maulden) but I heard a great deal about her from Miss A! The latter left me in 1934 to keep house for her brother when he was made Vicar of S.George's, Leicester. I don't think Miss A. ever dreamt he would marry: and when he did, she sulked about it, and finally had to get out: she and Mrs.A. were in a state of perpetual war! It happened at that time that I was having one of my "housekeeperless" periods, and I very foolishly took Miss A. on again. She only lasted about 6 months. She had become embittered and unhappy, and was in no mood to do any work. She told me her brother's wife ran a fruit shop in Leicester, and she could not understand how he could be attracted to such a vulgar woman! I should say Miss A. herself made him so miserable that (like Edward VIII and Wally) her brother welcomed some light relief! He was a great friend, by the way, of Percy Gill. I never met him. I was going to ask you, by the way, if Frazer (the ARP officer in the war) and his wife are still in Ampthill? He had his brief hour of glory in the war, and now I suppose has retired to his former obscurity. No: I don't know the name of the An. Veq. Min. signature tune: except that it is by Bach, and that it is in the key of E. But no doubt you have found the answer by now, anyway, the BBC would tell you.
I had a two-day visit from Kenneth Akin in May. I had not seen him since 1948: he is now in his early 30s, and has grown into a fine, handsome fellow. He works in the office of an engineering firm in Letchworth(?), and lives at Arlesey with his wife, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and two small daughters. I should have thought this arrangement highly unsatisfactory: but Kenneth says it works very well, and he is very happy! The mother-in-law was the schoolmistress at Arlesey (now retired), the sister-in-law is a teacher - so the two little girls have been taught at home, and Kenneth says are much in advance of other children of their age. He is very ambitious for them educationally: and talks about scholarships, universities, and so forth. But their main pre-occupation at present is to get out of Arlesey. They would like to go and live in Devon, but cannot find a suitable house at the price they could pay. It was a pleasant experience to see him after so long. He is certainly a credit to all concerned - sensible, well-mannered and intelligent. He thought this was a wonderful place!
We seem to have gone back to the bad old summers. The weather this last fortnight has been really depressing - black skies and drizzle: deserted beaches: just a day of sunshine now and then. One feels really sorry for holidaymakers huddling in the shelters, and going in to English boarding house meals! However, Butlin has taken over four hotels in Margate, so they will have plenty of indoor amusements: though I can't imagine anything more frightful that a Butlin holiday! I was amused about the Rector's anonymous letter: but I think I should have ignored it!
My remembrances to you all.
Yours sincerely"