Ada's Letter to Her Husband: Family Life and Wartime Provisions

Date: 1941-01-18
Sender: Ada
Recipient: Husband
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall
Original scan: 1941-01-18-ada-to-husband-family-food-love.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes to her husband from Rosemary Cottage, Bude Haven, detailing family life with their children Penna, Gillian, and Joan. She describes their activities, Gillian's new coat, and Penna's health. Ada also mentions receiving a gardening book, ordering essential food items like rice, dates, and soya beans, and expresses her deep love for her husband amidst the "dark depressing days" of war. A postscript mentions a tin of Mexican chocolate and Gillian's disappointment about Father Christmas.

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Transcription

P.T.O.
& back
of next
page

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.

Jan 18. 1941.
Recd 21st

My own Darling One –
Do you remember in the dark depres-
-sing days when we kept two Calendars.
One for bright days & one for dark?
Well I’m going to keep this tiny pad
for when I haven’t time for a proper
letter – but want to tell you a few of the
bright things.
Your letter came Thursday afternoon – with
its p.s. saying you had slept 8 hrs. That
gave me 7½ hrs sleep myself!!
The sun had raved a lot lately
yesterday we had a whole day outshining
and Gillian had an afternoon walk just
before tea – as well as a long morning
out with doweing time on the beach.
The enclosed is a picture from Gillian
to cheer you up. Does the thought
of me at 8 years old with curls?

passed at that age cheer you up?
Penna says “Dear Daddy” now and
“Mummie, Mummie, Mummie” the
latter is rather delightfully startling
after Gillian’s recent “Mothah”.
We found a Violet bud yesterday, tho’
most things have been terribly set
back with the recent cold –
Joan has a “day off” tomorrow so
I will post this today and write next
Tuesday (next Wed.)
The “yes girlie” – and “gentle heather”
are more in evidence lately –
I’ve picked Gillian’s little green Coat
to pieces to turn it for Penna – it looks
like new – the Californian sun had
only faded the one side. Have found
some new bits of the material in
my box and made a pixie bonnet

to go with it – she looks the most
delightful little green elf in it –
– all at the cost of 11½ for new buttons
and a ribbon for the pixie bonnet.
Joan has suddenly found that
by putting her best foot forward
she can get the work in ½ the time.
We’ve been reading to Gillian a little in the
morning – so no hurry for breakfast – today
she brought us the A.B.C. Jesus book you
gave her saying “Oh Mummie we
brought you this book because there
is a “World of Love” in it –
Thank you for the Gardening book. It
told us “Plant Shallots” on Jan 18th –
just what I wanted to know. I did not
plant them owing to the frost – but will
do so when it thaws.

Penna seems well – only a tiny cough
first thing. Would have taken her out
yesterday but there was too much drew
or dew about. She takes her doweing
seriously now whenever there is music
but does it exactly like a bear – very
slowly and ponderously.
The thought of you in your lovely
study with a bedroom you can beat
gives me great comfort. Hope in
reality you get this comfort and
find it healing –
Gillian said to me today “Mummie I love
you tremendously – do you love me tremen-
-dously?” You darling – “As much as
Hitler loves the War?” What a
comparison!! or Contrast.
Whatever the outside world brings us may
it deepen and strengthen our love – my
own darling husband – All mine of you
also – Ada.

Chinese Emporium still going strong
Sent up annual order – this time
I kept to the more essential food
stuff
got 3 lbs stick rice
1 lb dates (I ordered 3.lb)
3 lbs Soya beans.
So we shall have a good store
of very good food we all like.

Me saying my prayers
bef e mother [unclear] my [unclear]
ADA

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.

My own dearest One.
Please open the tin of Mexican
Choc now and eat it up – I have
3 more – so one at least could be
used this winter – and I think you
need it now – Please for my sake.
Here is a letter from M’s Darling
& Gillian – Gillian had heard that
Father Christmas did not visit her
so she painted him a picture
All my love darling –
Ada.

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People mentioned

- Penna
- Gillian
- Joan
- Daddy
- Mummie
- Ada
- Hitler
- Father Christmas

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Topics

- family life
- children
- wartime conditions
- food supplies
- love
- daily routines
- gardening

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Uncertain words / phrases

- raved
- Mothah
- drew
- bef e mother [unclear] my [unclear]

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Archivist notes

- P.T.O. and back of next page noted on first page.
- Child's drawing on page 6 with partially legible caption.

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Context suggestions

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

```json
{
"people": [],
"places": [],
"common_phrases": [
"My own dearest One",
"All my love my own darling husband – All mine of you also – Ada",
"All my love darling – Ada"
],
"spelling_notes": [
"raved (in context of sun, likely 'shone fiercely' or 'blazed', but transcribed as written)",
"Mothah (likely child's pronunciation of Mother)",
"drew (likely dew, in context of weather)"
],
"relationships": {}
}
```

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