Ada's Letter from Bude: Family Life and Air Raid

Date: 1941-01-12
Sender: Ada
Recipient: My own Darling One
Location: Rosemary Cottage, 7 Granville Terrace, Bude
Original scan: 1941-01-12-ada-to-husband-family-news-bude.pdf




---

Summary

Ada writes to her husband from Bude, detailing family life and recent events. She confirms receipt of his letter and tax forms, and expresses relief he arrived home safely despite poor road conditions. Ada describes Joan and Gilliam's activities, including Gilliam's improved mood and their attendance at a local wedding. She discusses Penna's cough and temperature, and the family's experience during an air raid siren, noting the back room is now used as a shelter. Ada recounts social visits with Sylvia and Anna, mentions Daddy's teeth, and the children's behaviour, particularly Gilliam's improved table manners. She concludes by looking forward to his Cambridge letter and expressing her love.

---

Transcription

Rosemary Cottage
7 Granville Tce.
Bude
Sunday 11.a.m. Jan 12
1941.

My own Darling One
I was so glad to get your letter of Jan 9th yesterday.
I hope you have safely got my two letters – one with Income
Tax form & receipt you wanted. It was good to hear
your voice from Water Meadows and know you got home
safely – you say the roads were appalling – what do you
mean by that? Actual road surfaces – or Congestion or
weather? Anyway you got through in good time so
I expect you had no further trouble with the car.
Joan has taken Gilliam out with Boo bear in the dolls
pram. Boo bear – the Californian one who is the only
one we call Boo bear is in great favour just now – having
been put away for a few weeks, he is her constant
companion. Gilliam by the way is in angelic mood
today. Yesterday when on the way to Preakwater Road
we saw a Wedding Car – So of course nothing would do
but go to the Church & watch the wedding. There
was only one bridesmaid – a mite just about as big as
Gilliam when we went to California. She was dressed
in yellow Satin and had a bunch of Daffodils. The
priest gave a sermon – an “instruction” as he called
it – and began in a very clear distinct voice
“There is no reason why you should not be

2.
perfectly happy if you do exactly as you are told”.
Gilliam looked up at me and smiled – “I think
she took it to heart. His theme was “The wise man
profiteth by the experience of others”.
Penna has a cough again – no temperature but seemed
very matty in the night. As I had heard her cough a
good bit the night before I had moved her into my room.
At about 4am she coughed a lot so I took her into bed
with me. and kept her in “Lawler’s position”. We then
slept till 7am – including Gilliam – and Penna scarcely
coughed at all on waking. She has no temperature but a
finished right chest. I expect it is a tooth again. The pain
& the are she cut while you were here, before she was washed.
Just as we had got Gilliam & bed & I was settling
down to my supper in the dining room last night the
siren went. Of course Gilliam came flying down shared
my supper and then very goodly settled herself down
to sleep under the stairs. I say “goodly” because she
was terribly excited & has never behaved so well again
I think she would have gone to sleep why the “all clear”
sounded very soon. The little back room is now
regarded as part of the air raid shelter. I did not
disturb Penna of the siren as I felt disturbance and
chill a far greater danger than a direct hit.

3.
So glad you had a nice time with Sylvia & saw
Anna & the motion. I have not got Sylvia’s letter
but have a long one from May – Interesting but as
usual exasperating. Re the Cats – infection. With all
my care the children have colds – and with her carelessness
none of them get them. Am I making my
Children hot house plants? Or is it Bude? I
was thinking today about that awful cold I had
that Christmas time we came here. I blamed
my tooth for it – but I could not throw it off
till I got back to Cambridge –
Fancy May having boys who could sit 20 minutes
quietly on a chair – Jellyfish brains I suppose –
no wonder they are so unintellectual – Gilliam could not
sit still for one minute – it would be torture
for her – yet her mind is so full of interesting
things she might think of while sitting.
You say the braziers were not bombed but gutted
by fire – you mean I take it Victoria Rd was
Broad Plain – or has the latter gone too.
What about your Vests? I find I have 3 in my mending
basket. They are all impossible – but I’ve used one to
patch up the other two – They could be worn once but I
doubt if they will stand another wash. Shall I send

4.
them or keep them here. I also found a pair of
grey woolen socks in the wash. Shall I send or keep
these –
Now the excitement of Christmas is over Gilliam is settling
more quietly to her new presents which she is finding
most absorbing I’m glad to say – Joan too is being a
little less scatterbrain – so I’m beginning to feel a little
more rested.
If it helps at all please let me know your problems
– it may take my mind off my own and give me a
better perspective – I wanted so badly to have everything
beautiful for Christmas for you – but that was did it and was
utterly unfit for you. I’m comforted to hear you say
that you did realise we could not do everything at
once – was even table manners – Anyway Gilliam has her
table napkin without a murmur when I remind her – also
her handkerchief – although not having a cold the latter is
not very necessary I’m glad to say.
I’ll post this now as I’ll be writing again on Tuesday
to post Vid. I am looking forward to your first Cambridge letter –
What did Mr Stevens do for Christmas?
I wonder if you are writing to me for your new study now.
Your picture is before me – I keep it in my writing case till
I get a folder for it – All my love my own precious husband –
your own Ada.

---

People mentioned

- Ada
- Joan
- Gilliam
- Penna
- Jain
- Sylvia
- Anna
- May
- Daddy
- Vid
- Mr Stevens

---

Topics

- family news
- children's health
- daily life
- WWII home front
- air raid
- social visits
- christmas
- letter writing

---

Uncertain words / phrases

- None noted

---

Archivist notes

- The letter details daily life during WWII, including experiences with air raid sirens and the use of a back room as a shelter.
- Handwriting is generally clear and legible throughout the four pages.

---

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": "Mr Stevens",
"possible_match": "Mrs Stevens",
"score": 0.952,
"type": "person"
}
]
```

Model context updates

```json
{
"people": [
"Penna",
"Jain",
"Vid",
"Mr Stevens"
],
"places": [
"Preakwater Road",
"California",
"Broad Plain"
],
"common_phrases": [],
"spelling_notes": [],
"relationships": {}
}
```

---

Processing stats

- Input tokens: 3357
- Output tokens: 1890
- Total tokens: 9189
- Estimated cost: $0.000819