A Christmas Letter from Ada

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




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Summary

Ada writes a detailed letter from Rosemary Cottage in December 1940, discussing Christmas preparations, the children's health and activities (Gillian starting school, Penna's chest), and the impact of the war with soldiers practicing nearby. She mentions household items, gifts, and Gillian's innocent questions about Jesus. The letter concludes with Ada's affection for her 'darling one.'

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.
Decr. 1940.

My own darling One.
Just took Gillian to school and found your lovely
letter waiting for me on my return –
What an exciting Sunday – with all its “Firsts” and
Gillian will love the p.p.c. of a Church. As a matter
of fact it was the first Sunday she had ever gone
to Church without mother (She went with Joan) and
stayed all through the service. It was quite fresh
but Gillian did not think it warm enough to wear
gloves. How lovely your Christmas and weather have
made Bude & Water meadows.
I can imagine the Refectory being very lovely – The
old oaks would go well there – I can picture you pottering
about arranging it all. I imagined the red Carpet
would do well in the toilet room, and of course the
small red Curtains and small Chanville ones would
just complete it –
I’m so glad Mr Stevens and Hilda get on so
well – otherwise M'c D. might be very lonely at
times. It is nice for them both.
I’ll have to ring you up occasionally – I’ll post
the letter you so kindly typed for me to the telepha
folk – and get that put right.

2.
Our Olds are better – I cannot say quite well –
Gillian has gone to school today for the first time –
She needs building up again – Crys easily etc. – I know
she doesn’t feel quite up to things. Had a go on her
roller skates yesterday and I suppose feeling a little weak
felt a little nervous. However I held her hand and
ran beside her and she soon regained confidence
and later had 2½ hrs day sleep. Penna is still
a bit “ratty” in the Chest but has got her appetite
back. Tom is fighting a uncleaned drow throat.
I’m feeling more myself – but first thing in the morn
have a fit of coughing. The bother is that we
cannot possibly prepare either for your Car or
for Xmas as thoroughly as we hoped to. But we
shall pick up war. Birth Children are having
Codliver oil & malt and love it.
Yes, I was disappointed that Gwynmeth return west
of Wales – but evidently the Children had been frighten
ed (literally) – Perhaps after all they might have
communicated their fears to our Children. Whether
or not our Children will have to face horrors & terrors
there are certain sounds that will not add to their fears
e.g. The Birens – they love it. Gillian was trying to play
its nuts on the bells – and Penna good as it.

3.
if they hear it when bombs fall it will only reassure them
being a friendly sound, just as mother would reassure them
being near. Yesterday they crawled and the three guns
and did gun practice out in the fields. They did
not actually set off a gun – but did all the drill
for it Gillian watched thrilled and I told her what a
huge bang it would make if they set it off – she
just wished they would. As you see a sudden and
unexpected “bang” would convey to Gillian the
suggestion that the soldiers were practicing the
gun just outside our window. There was a portion
bridge across the Canal yesterday – near the little book
house from which you send your little Trall.
Yes you brought the silver to Bude – I you
just thought it a “new” breaking sets i.e. only
one soup spoon. I’ll sort it out and divide
it in a manner that will be more satisfactory
to Mr Stevens’s orderly mind. Yes, you can
have ten spoons – either the set you got for
the Lab. or the set of 6 that your
fathers last Xmas present to us. This set
has never been used & is still in its box.
Congratulations to D. Ghickmann – I’m so glad
so he could recognise the horse from my skeletons.

4.
from Bristol – and another Wool town today – which
I wonder – my mind is now hovering round Cheltenham.
What would I like for a Christmas present? What
about another photo of you. Or don’t you think we
can better these I have. These colds have
delayed my getting ans done. You want the Children
thoroughly well – because apart from everything else
the hair gets so lamb and flat when they are
not well. Penna is a perfect Clown – she
has us in fits of laughter.
We have no more primroses but the stick
is still in bloom. Two lovely red areas were
broken off by some are, however more are coming
in all the time.
The Sunday before last no Ondy Tries came.
a mistake in the delivery. By the way I’ve not
had a penny yet for Ondy Tries which the
land for 13 months. I’ve asked to the bill after –
Did you notice an advert in the local one for an
“indor Shetter” – a kind of frightfully strong sort
of table chip £12. Wish you had Burett of
the sort and could spread a sheet of asbestos on
it and so a mattress under it and have a
Pleece you could lie in in safety – I don’t like
we not why are you.

5.
By the way Brimcombe (a swiss man) is put in some
sort of head position over lots of Danes – with
Wannacots. Convenient if we suddenly want an
extra drop – but not so we are not having him call
personally. Yesterday 2 more dances joined him.
Now I’m going to leave this letter to tonight –
I rather lost a map of England – have only a rather
battered set of pages (map) out of one of your A.A. book.
Do you get a new A.A. Book every year? If so
could I have one of the old ones?
Your room is ready for you. I did it myself this
time – it only needs the middle pieces of the floor
probial – which will be due last thing not to show
last footmarks – and the brasses. I’ve put the
green trunk there, where I’m hiding Xmas presents
do you did last year.
Gillian – “Mummie who made Jesus?”
Me – “God.”
Gillian – “No mummie – you see Jesus is God so who
made him?”
He – “Ask Daddy – that is a Daddy question” –
So be prepared.
Later. All quiet now. Children & Joan in bed and the house
left to you and me – Just as I was settled down to

6.
afternoon rest and Gillian asleep. Joan keeping an eye on
Penna who sounded. I did not disturb Gillian but
with Penna continued my rest on the downstairs bed.
Joan got her ironing – The all clean did not sound
till 3 hrs later – so we had tea downstairs when Gillian
woke and joined us. I had bought 2 books of the Petrin gaged
so Gillian enjoyed these – At the end of it all Joan
and I felt as though we had had a long railway
journey with the Children. We have decided that night
warnings are more satisfactory than day ones.
Gillian has been invited to the School party next Friday.
It is to be at the school this year. 3-30pm till 6pm – The
invitation was in letters she could read.
Miss Metcalf is going to make a Christmas Cake tomorrow –
I got a nice Chanville blue table cloth (16/-) at Hedlands for
Her Alters – I know you have done so much for her – but
this is just a little token from me that I owe her having
a home in her old age. I put her a Christmas pudding in
the parcel you took with you.
Wish I was trekking you my own darling – I shall be
soon, but I must go to bed as I’m dropping to sleep now.
My letter – Oh Gillian was thrilled with her church ppe and asked
all sorts of questions about her Christing –
Goodnight my own darling. Goodnight
Your own Ada.

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People mentioned

- Gillian
- Joan
- Mr Stevens
- Hilda
- M'c D.
- Penna
- Tom
- Gwynmeth
- D. Ghickmann
- Daddy
- Miss Metcalf
- Ada

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Topics

- christmas preparations
- children's health
- school activities
- wartime life
- family news
- household matters
- gifts

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Uncertain words / phrases

- p.p.c.
- telepha folk
- M'c D.
- uncleaned drow throat
- The Birens
- its nuts
- Trall
- breaking sets
- Wool town
- Cheltenham
- ans done
- stick
- areas
- Ondy Tries
- indor Shetter
- chip
- Burett
- Pleece
- Brimcombe
- Danes
- Wannacots
- dances
- probial
- Petrin gaged
- Hedlands
- Her Alters
- ppe
- Christing

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Archivist notes

- Letter provides good insight into family life during wartime Christmas preparations.
- Children's questions about Jesus are a poignant detail.
- The letter mentions soldiers practicing with guns nearby, indicating the direct impact of WWII on daily life.

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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
[
{
"observed": "Miss Metcalf",
"possible_match": "Miss Metcalfe",
"score": 0.96,
"type": "person"
}
]
```

Model context updates

```json
{
"people": [
"D. Ghickmann"
],
"places": [
"Cheltenham",
"Hedlands"
],
"common_phrases": [],
"spelling_notes": [
"Decr. for December",
"Xmas for Christmas",
"Miss Metcalf (alias for Miss Metcalfe)",
"D. Ghickmann (possible variant of Gluckmann)"
],
"relationships": {
"Daddy": "father of the children"
}
}
```

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Processing stats

- Input tokens: 6421
- Output tokens: 2632
- Total tokens: 15523
- Estimated cost: $0.001271