Scope and Content
"I arrived back home last Monday afternoon, and am only now beginning to get down to replying to the many letters that awaited me, I have had so many things to see to, and distractions of various kinds. I must thank you for two letters, the Beds Magazine and the cuttings, which I have not been able to go through properly yet. And I am very sorry to say I shall have to ask you to put off your visit at the end of the month, as I have the decorators coming in on the 24th. to do my sitting room. They say it will take the best part of two weeks, as the picture rail is going to be raised nearly to the ceiling, and they anticipate trouble when they begin to strip the latter. I tried to get them to give me a later date, in November, but apparently they can't. Sydney Crouch was booked to come for his half-term weekend on Nov4th., but I am putting him off too. I am also sending my suite to be re-covered while the decorators are in, and the carpet to be cleaned: so it will be quite an upheaval. However, after six years all these things need doing, and I shall be glad to get it over in one go. I am sorry about all this, but I hope you will understand. We are having troubles of various kinds here. A big hole has become bigger at the foot of the cliff below the Terrace, and we are responsible for the repair of the cliff in that area. The surveyors report that it is essential that repairs should be carried out immediately. It means we shall all have to shell out about £50. each.
I can't remember if I have written to you since I was in Scotland in August. I always enjoy staying with my old friends the Staverts in their lovely house: but the weather throughout the whole month was atrocious. I never knew it could rain so long and so fiercely. However, in between times there was a good deal of shooting, and I went out most mornings with a basket gathering wild raspberries. They calculated that I must have gathered 80lbs. myself alone during my stay! They grow in abundance in the woods surrounding the house, most of them as big as loganberries. 16lbs. were put in cartons into the deep freeze to bring out at Christmas. The rest were devoured by the company. People came and went, and we often sat down 15 to dinner. We visited various places in the neighbourhood ... Traquair, Mellerstain, and Abbotsford: and one day we drove to Bamburgh Castle (part of which is divided into flats) and hoped to get over to Holy Island: but the tide was on the turn, and we should have been stranded if we had gone. Before going up to Huscote, I had a very happy week with the Waddingtons, and visited many places associated with my childhood around York. We passed through the village of Sutton-on-Forest, and I was able to visit my parents' grave, which I had not seen for some years. I was back here for two or three days early in September to re-pack for the cruise, and I was joined in London by John Marriner (who lives in Jersey), and we flew out to Venice to join the yacht. There were five of us: two of them ex-Naval Commanders, so efficiency was assured! The yacht is extremely comfortable and fitted with every luxury, and we glided over a blue sea under hot sunshine to tiny harbours of islands in the Adriatic until we reached Split, where we stayed two or three days, and went ashore a great deal. The old town of Split (formerly Spoleto) is built inside the walls of Diocletian's palalce: no traffic is allowed inside (the same applies at Dubrovnik) so that one can wander about in comfort, without cars butting into one everywhere. The enclosed (which you might return sometime) gives you a good idea of what it looked like originally. Diocletian's mausoleum is intact, and is now the cathedral. His body disappeared with the Christians took over, and as he was one of the Roman emperors who persecuted the Christians, no doubt they disposed of it thoroughly!
Dubrovnik is a combination of Venice and Capri. You can walk all round the ramparts high above the sea. The town itself is a perfect harmony. Sir Albert would rejoice in it. No advertisments and not a single ugly modern building. We were fortunate enough to attend a concert one evening in the courtyard of the Doge's palace, which was a very enjoyable experience.
The weather was perfect (except for one thunderstorm) during the entire cruise, which was a nice change from the wretched summer here. And now we are having still more rain!
Just imagine Roger Williams being 22! I remember christening him quite well. They roped Miss Di Eagles in as godmother, and she left him £50. in her will. However, you may remember that for a time his father turned very peculiar regarding church matters. He had been made a manager of the church schools, but he never came to meetings or acknowledged the notices, they all ceased to attend church ... so Miss Di cut the £50. out of the will! They were attending church when I left, but I always thought them odd!
I am glad you had a restful holiday, and got about to various places of interest. Thank you for the p.c.'s. Ham House I know very well. It was privately owned when we went to Richmond in 1947 by the Tollemache family, who were friends of Sir Anthony. It was in very bad repair then. I never went to Chiswick House. It was closed for many years. I saw it from the outside one day.
Yours sincerely,"