HG12/26/8

Letter from John Esmonde Longuet Longuet-Higgins to his brother, Henry Hugh Longuet Longuet-Higgins. Sent from Hotel Folkestone, Boulogne-Sur-Mere. With envelope, addressed to Potchefstroom, South Africa.

9 & 10 Dec 1915

From: 1915 To: 1915

Had been getting letters from Mother that Father was not well, then got a telegram two weeks ago Thursday in which he got a week's leave. Arrived not knowing what to expect and found Daddy very ill; for 2 days was near death's door, but on the Saturday seemed rather better. Got an extension of leave for another week. Their sisters both came home on Saturday and stayed till Tuesday. Aunt Edith Wiglesworth came for lunch on Monday, but did not allow her to see father. From that Monday father has slowly improved but is still very weak. He has been allowed to get out of bed and yesterday managed to walk across to his chair. John has had long talks with his father over the recent days - father wishes that Hugh was not so far away; he does not know how much longer he will be able to work; he does not know how to deal with Turvey in his Will. His present Will is the one he made when he married, leaving everything to mother; he feels that their mother should have everything that Turvey can offer while she is alive, but not the responsibility of deciding about the future. He feels that all his children should benefit from the estate. John has offered to manage and administer the estate for everybody's benefit, but does not think the freehold ought to be divided as long as there are so many fixed and floating changes and the possibility of more. The ultimate disposal of the freehold is what puzzles him father. Expects that father will not make a new Will but will add Hugh and John's names as executors and trustees. 10 December: Wishes Hugh a happy birthday. Saw a good deall of Cara while on leave. The 'old folks' are very much against a war wedding, but John thinks they will allow them to be 'officially' engaged. The poison gas experts wanted John back; would make him a major if he would go, but it would take more than that to get him away from the regiment. Did not have to go over the parapet in the attack 'and thank God too, for the brigade with whom I was were almost full strength in the morning and were only 1100 strong in the afternoon.

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Longuet-Higgins, Henry Hugh Longuet,
Longuet-Higgins, John Esmond Longuet,
Longuet-Higgins, Henry Longuet,
Wiglesworth, Edith,
Akers-Douglas, Cara

family correspondence, World War One, illness, Boulogne, family/personal financial affairs