Reference
AU10/102/1/91
Title
Handwritten letter
Date free text
28 August 1958
Production date
From: 1958 To: 1958
Scope and Content
"Many thanks! I am almost certain it was the Motor Union. Anyhow, my cousin is putting that on the form. The Fiat I had was insured in France, and apparently that does not count in England. My Metropolitan is pale blue and white - convertible. It is a smart turn-out, but I find it very light on the controls. I should prefer something heavier (Sunbeam Rapier?) but I shall have to hold on to this now for a year at any rate. I went up to the Staverts by train, as the weather was appalling last Friday. I was surprised to find the Stavert ancestral home is a mansion standing in 2000 acres (mostly woodland). Mrs. Stavert runs it with the help of two friends who have a lovely flat in the old servants' quarters, and the daughter, Patricia, aged 21, though she comes and goes. There is one man who lives at the entrance lodge, and gardens and does odd jobs. Adam spends most of his time with a gun under his arm, or a fishing-rod in hand (trout and salmon in the river flowing through the estate). Stavert is fond of music, and was always one of my best listeners, so the Grand had been tuned, and I played for hours. They are a charming family. I am hoping the two of them will be coming here for the weekend Sept 6-7, when they will be in London on business. He then flies back to India for another spell of 12 months. I am booked for Hoscote again next August!
I returned to Selby on Monday, and drove back here on Tuesday (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) with the two girls for company. They go home tomorrow (Friday) and then I have a man from London coming the same evening for the weekend. The younger girl (Christine) now has a young man here chasing her with his sports car - his father owns three hotels (including the Captain Digby over the Bay), and he is going into the business. It will be amusing if they both find husbands here! As for the other pair, Frank is anxious to get engaged to Anne (he is 29 and she 21), but she wants to go to Nairobi to visit a friend next summer when her contract at Polam Hall School finishes, and she would like to stay a year: so it looks as if Frank will have to wait, and of course another man may pop up in Nairobi. They are both very attractive girls, and men seem to come round them wherever they go. But they are very quiet and sensible, and not, I am thankful to say, at all vain or swelled-headed.
You seem to be having a difficult time with your father. I wonder what we shall be like in old age, if we reach it! Somehow one never imagines oneself dependent on others - WE are always going to be the exception!
We had a wonderful day of cloudless sky and sunshine yesterday - on the beach all day - now we are back to thunderstorms again! It really is very trying.
I am still planning to go to Italy early in October, but I have not yet quite decided. I may after all postpone it till after Christmas. There are one or two things I must do, and September looks like being a busy month for visitors.
I hear the Fantle trial come on on Sept. 9th so you must expect to see plenty about Kingsgate in the papers.
Yours sincerely,"
Level of description
item