Scope and Content
"First, let me wish you Many Happy Returns of the Day. Ever since I returned from Cortina two weeks ago, I have been trying to catch up (with many interruptions) with my correspondence, and though I prefer to write my letter in longhand, I have been driven to the typewriter in desperation. This is the reason why I do not give an address when I go abroad. I prefer to receive no letters ... then my conscience does not disturb me and start me answering them. And I do have a very big correspondence nowadays, both home and foreign. I must thank you for the long newsy letter and the appropriate birthday card awaiting me on my return. And please thank Andrew for the new Ampthill Guide. A great improvement on the old one. I wonder that the Professor does not write a Batsford book on Ampthill, copiously illustrated. There was a very good one on Richmond published when I was there.
Cortina is a really beautiful place, but very difficult to get to from England, being on the other side of the Alps. I suppose that is why my friend Maurice Norton, who accompanied me, and I seemed to be the sole representatives of our country in the place. Our hotel was full of rich Italians, and as we know very little Italian, we had to make out with French. I was thankful I was not alone, or I should have felt very isolated. The Olympic Rink is one of the great attractions. It was built specially for the Olympics two years ago. I daresay you saw some of it on TV. It is quite the finest I have skated on. I believe you know I am fairly expert at skating. I can do the figures, and the dances: so I was lucky to meet a very charming American girl who was also an expert skater, and we practised our dancing together by the hour. (They broadcast music on to the rink from amplified gramophone records.) As Maurice can only just stand up on skates, her preferred to ski all day. I skated a.m. and ski-ed p.m. after an enormous and wonderful lunch. On my birthday, Jane came to dinner with us, and Maurice treated me to a bottle of champagne. So I entered my 60th year apparently with all my colours flying.
I must explain that Jane (aged 32) had been over in Europe for a year, visiting her sister who is married to and Italian Count, who has a castle in Umbria, a house in Venice, a flat in Cortina, three cars and ten servants! No wonder Communism is strong in Italy! Maurice and I went to a cocktail party at the flat: the Countess had her leg in plaster of Paris due to a skiing accident; there were two delightful children who spoke English with a strong American accent, which is not surprising. The sunshine was constant and really warm. Every morning, practically, my room was suddenly flooded with sunshine about 8 a.m. when the sun had come round the mountain.
Frank Jackson met me at Dover. He had been up to Yorkshire for a weekend in my absence: so the affaire with Anne seems to be going ahead. She may be coming down during her Easter vacation, but if so, I shall be away, and she will have to bring her Aunt (the pianist) with her, and they will both have to look after themselves in my flat. However, nothing is decided yet, as she is going sailing in the Lake District first, and then pony-trekking somewhere else.
I see you enquire about the Christmas festivities. I thought I had written you and account of them, but apparently not. I did have a very busy time after Christmas, as, after the girls had gone, I had a string of men visitors before I got off to Cortina. It was certainly one of the most hectic Christmases I have ever had. The girls arrived on Dec. 28th. from Yorkshire, and took over a room each here. I went to sleep in Frank's flat, where his mother was also staying. My lawyer's son, Richard, 18, just down from Bradfield College, arrived for the weekend. The Fantles put him up. I arranged for a table for the four of us (Richard, Anne, Christine and myself) for dinner every night at the Hotel over the way, and they did us very well. I just couldn't have coped with dinner every night on top of everything else. The other meals were no trouble. We had about 40 people at the Dance, and we decided to have another (a joint efford of all the Castle: the first one was Frank's and mine) on New Year's Eve, which was probably even better. At midnight, we went out into the courtyard and danced round the big vase in the centre. Altogether, an enjoyable if exhausting week!
And now we are nearly at Easter.
Yes, I did know that Newby had given up his home. According to his niece, who wrote in answer to my Christmas greeting to Newby, he has settled down and is really happy at the Hospital, which is a good thing. And Mrs. Franklin has gone! There was no mention of her in any of the Ampthill News's that were piled up on my sofa here. Perton is very faithful in sending it week by week. She was a very strange woman. And the Houfes are in Old Gates! What is happening to Tudor Cottage? the one they have left.
Old Valder has told me that he has been walking much better. This is a result of his determination and his regular visits to London. He also writes to me frequently. He says he is 81. I am sorry for Mrs.V. She seems to have to work very hard to keep things going.
I am very impressed with the increase in the Church funds as a result of the recent effort. You seem to have a very energetic and sensible Rector.
My future arrangements are that I go over to Paris on April 2nd, to stay with my Russian friend, and I expect to give assistance at S.George's there over Easter (the Chaplain in a friend of mine. Oddly enough, I nearly went there about a year before I came to Ampthill. It got as far as an interview with the retiring Chaplain, but the Bishop of Southwark put me off it). I shall be back here again on April 16th. My friend Sydney Crouch comes for the weekend of the 19th. and then I expect the next thing will be collecting my new car (Singer Gazelle) at Selby.
I am more or less booked to go to Naples and Capri in September, but I shall be here most of the summer I expect. I hope you have got over your nose trouble. I am glad to say I am feeling really well. And so I ought, with all this sea air round me. I hear you had frightful weather while I was away. They were snowed up here twice.
Yours sincerely,"