Ada's Letter: Family Health, Christmas, and Wartime Travel

Date: 1940-12-15
Sender: Ada
Recipient: husband
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall
Original scan: 1940-12-15-ada-to-husband-family-health-christmas.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes to her husband from Rosemary Cottage, detailing the family's health, particularly Penna's recovery from an illness (possibly mumps, which affected the school). She mentions Joan taking Gillian for a walk and Penna's new teeth. Ada is also working on Christmas cards and presents. She expresses relief about Gallagher and discusses travel plans for her, possibly involving Bath or London, and Hilda. Sylvia is in Bristol at the Nurses home. Ada concludes by expressing her love and the children's anticipation for his return.

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.
Sunday - Dec 15th 1940.

My own Darling One -
It is a lovely sunshiney Sunday morning.
Penna is asleep. Joan has taken Gillian out for a
walk so that I can have peace and quiet for your
letter. Later the doctor will come to see Penna, I
expect to discharge her. She is quite well now and
very quickly picking up her strength. I hope he
will say she may go out for a little while. It
is quite mild.

We had quite a go with all of us. Looking back it
seems that there has been sickness ever since
you last left us - and so there has - but the first
part of the sickness was mumps at school which
only affected no as it kept us from school, and
Gillian & Penna were gloriously well and the weather
good so that was when they learned skating and walking.
Penna has got her 4 big teeth and had muddlefoot
since you left. Do we haven't done badly.
Gillian is in may ripeous health - Cheeks glowing
Penna's cheeks pink when she woke this a.m.
I've been steadily attacking the Christmas Card
and present list. Last night at 11.30 p.m. I wrote
to you - I was tired and feared it was a bit muddle
but I felt I must write it in case I hadn't time
today. I'm very pleased about Gallagher. I
was very anxious about her. You see the suggestion
I've made about you possibly picking her up at Bath
- but don't want to make difficulties for you. She
will find her way here some how - Don't you
suggest picking her up in London. As to a place
to spend the night in Bath. She'd sleep on a couch
on the floor or anywhere. Perhaps Hilda would take
her in - A minor work in East London
in War time ought to tickle her imagination.
But I leave all this to you.

Sylvia is already in Bristol - They are
at the Nurses home Bristol Royal Infirmary
I believe -

Oh my darling it seems really too good to
be true having you again. The first day
little Penna came downstairs I put her in
my couch in my own special place. She looked
too round and saw your photo. Held out her
little hand for it and when she got it crowned me
it "dear, dear, dear" with such a wealth of love
and tenderness in her voice. You have two lovely
little daughters waiting for you - and a terribly
loving wife - Ada -

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People mentioned

- Penna
- Joan
- Gillian
- Gallagher
- Hilda
- Sylvia
- Ada

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Topics

- family health
- child development
- christmas preparations
- wartime travel
- nursing

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Uncertain words / phrases

- muddlefoot
- ripeous

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Archivist notes

- The letter begins with a meta-note: 'Read this first if you have plenty of time. If hurried read the 1st letter first.'
- Discusses family health, including mumps at school and a child's recovery, within a wartime context.
- Mentions a 'Nurses home Bristol Royal Infirmary', indicating medical facilities during the period.

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Context suggestions

These were used to update/suggest additions for `archive-context.json`.

Fuzzy match candidates

These are hints only. They are not automatically corrected.

```json
[]
```

Model context updates

```json
{
"people": [
"Gallagher"
],
"places": [
"Bath",
"London",
"East London",
"Bristol",
"Nurses home Bristol Royal Infirmary"
],
"common_phrases": [],
"spelling_notes": [
"sunshiney (informal spelling of 'sunny')",
"ripeous (possible misspelling of 'riotous' or 'robust')",
"muddlefoot (child's descriptive term or condition)"
],
"relationships": {
"Ada": "wife of recipient",
"Penna": "daughter of sender and recipient",
"Gillian": "daughter of sender and recipient"
}
}
```

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- Output tokens: 1249
- Total tokens: 7542
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