Reference
AU10/102/1/122
Title
Handwritten letter
Date free text
27 September 1961
Production date
From: 1961 To: 1961
Scope and Content
"I see I have two letters and a postcard to reply to, so I will deal with them in order. May 28th seems a long time ago, but that is the date on letter no.1.
Mrs.Stavert calls me "Bill" because her husband does, and her children call me "Uncle Bill". The reason is that at Oxford I was known to some people as "Billy Hillam", but by no means to all. I can't think how it started, but those who called me "Bill" still do it, and it looks like extending still further, since all the people I meet at Hoscote call me "Uncle Billy": they hear the boys doing it, and they evidently think it suits me. The Waddington girls call me "Uncle Jack", because I suppose their grandmother calls me Jack, which was the name I was known by in childhood in my family: but it became John in later years.
All very complicated.
Yes, I received the pencils and Andrew's book on Steppingley, for which many thanks. I sent the latter on to Hill-Jones, now retired in Scotland, as I thought he might be interested. However, he, in acknowledging it, said he was very depressed, and felt his life was over. He made no reference to Steppingley at all.
I think I told you in my p.c. from Hoscote that my trip to Sweden did not materialise. My friend was called up to do his annual service with the Swedish Navy (why does Sweden have a Navy - she is never in any wars?) which is usually in Sept. He said, he hoped to be back by the end of June, which would give me time to go to Sweden (though not him to come back here) before leaving for Yorkshire at the end of July. However, postcards began to arrived from South America, so it became clear Sweden was off this year. Actually, he did not get back until nearly the end of August.
Meanwhile, I entertained madly here. All the people I have promised to invite over the past 2 or 3 years on my travels received invitations at last, and they came! The weather throughout June was excellent, and well into July, so a good time was had by all. But I felt very tired when the time came to move up to Yorkshire. I had a fortnight there, which I enjoyed very much, and then went on to Hoscote, where I stayed till Sept.18th. Guests came and went, and I remained. Many very interesting people were there, and we visited several stately homes near by, including Mellerstain (which is really lovely) and Floors Castle (which reminded me of Ampthill House - heavy Victorian). Adam Stavert was and is in the Queen's Guard at Balmoral. He came down for two nights and regaled us with gossip about the Royalties.
I am now in charge of the local church (S.Andrew's) which I may have pointed out to you. It is the daughter church of S.Peter's. The priest-in-charge has been preferred to a living in Sussex, and the Vicar of S.Peter's begged me to take over until a new man comes. Last Saturday I married the daughter of some Castle people (the Crabbes) which pleased them. We had a reception here attended by most people in the castle. Which reminds me that I have another name here: not Uncle Anything, but just PADRE. (Even Kidd, the porter, refers to me thus).
Meanwhile Sydney Crouch has joined the staff of Wellesley House in Broadstairs - one of the most expensive prep schools in England. The boys are all from wealthy and titled homes - 80% of them go on to Eton - and they do things in a big way. Sydney has a flat of his own, and a large salary, so he seems to be settling down happily. He is only a few minutes away by car, so he pops over to see me quite often. He hope eventually to buy a flat here when he decides to retire.
You will have seen that Bishop Howe Browne has died in Capetown. He had been failing a lot recently and was quite blind. But that is a big link with my past gone.
My friend Cyril Eastaugh - Bishop of Kensington - has been moved up to Peterborough. And another brother curate at S.J.D.K - Laurie Brown - whose father was H.M. of a church school in Luton - has been made Bishop of somewhere in Lancashire, (Blackburn).
A London friend of mine belongs to the Epicure Club, of which Sir Albert is President. He tells me Sir A. has invited all the club members to tea at Avenue House on Nov4th.
How odd about that Briton in the crash in Sweden. No wonder it made you wonder! I have Perton's pile of A.N.s, and Valder's parish mags - getting through them slowly.
Yours sincerely,"
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