Family News and Christmas Preparations from Bude

Date: 1941-11-16
Sender: Ada
Recipient: Darling One
Location: 7 Granville Tee, Bude, Cornwall
Original scan: 1941-11-16-ada-to-darling-one-family-news-christmas.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes to her 'Darling One' from Bude, Cornwall, detailing family life and preparations for Christmas. She describes the children's activities, Gemma's persistent cold, and Jean's ear issue. Ada recounts a humorous first telephone call for Mrs. Smith and the delivery of logs from Coombe. Much of the letter focuses on Christmas card sending and the complexities of planning children's parties, particularly Gillian's birthday and the challenges of managing lively children. She mentions an earthquake in Los Angeles and expresses concern for the recipient's health and relaxation. The letter concludes with Ada enclosing a letter from Gillian.

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Transcription

missed David
Just – will post
Am in mind of another Rosemary Cottage
Between now – will come
I’ll have a week end
Sweetheart

Rosemary Cottage [crossed out]
7 Granville Tee
Bude Cornwall.
Nov 16, 1941.

My own Darling One.

Today it is pouring wet – but we have
had some days of sunshine – Yesterday
morning actually went on the beach and the
Children made Sand Castles. Gemma was
is running a lot today – maybe the sand – but
I’ve let her go out with Joan & Gillian as
she gets so fed up indoors. I don’t think
she has had a temperature at all, & is in
this cold – but just can’t throw it off. She
is in a cold with a small and had two fits when
she coughed a bit – The Crops Cleared up at once
but her poor old nose just won’t get right. She
blows it beautifully too – from her nose – full of beans.
Jean has a pimple in her ear. She went to
the Dr about it & he gave her drops –
Those are our ailments – otherwise we are
fine.

On Friday I had my half day off & went
to tea with the Smiths. It was a Change
for me. They have their telephone now & I rang

up Mrs S. She was so excited – it was her first
call. So when I went to tea I told Jean to
let the Children ring her up. They did. It
was great fun. Ruth Mr & Mrs [unclear] had a Chat
with both Children. Poor Mrs Smith I found
she hadn’t any idea how to use a telephone
– put the mouth piece to her ear and spoke
through the ear piece!! It was fun to hear the
Children and now I think I can direct their
speaking to you better.

The logs from Coombe came while I was there
so yesterday we had the fun of piling them
up. They tell us to order in August so that
the logs will be dry – but no matter when I
order them the logs are just cut. They were
like a piece of the wood itself. Perfectly
lovely – Covered with fresh moss, lichen, ivy
and some with twigs and leaves quite fresh
– Oak leaves – Gillian recognized them. To
pile them up in that little space so well &
so sweetly made me feel I had actually
been in Coombe Valley.

Yesterday I got out the Xmas Cards as the Card
book came – There are some folk I really
don’t know how to cater for – I’ll send you
a list of those. The cards I got are not
suitable for everybody – however I’ve
placed practically all I have. What
about Daisy, Winnie, Uncle Edmund,
I’ve found some I think quite nice for Edith
& May, Maud & Dorothy – and I’ll let the
Children send cards to Winnie, Crand & Susan
and their Godmothers.

I could if you like get some nice Bude
P.P.C.s for all these more difficult ones.
They are mostly your “Clergy” or medical
folk I’m nervous of – i.e. Child, Boyd,
Donald and etc. But I’ll either enclose
a list – or if you prefer it mark off
in the book all I’ve done and send it
back to you to do the ones I haven’t.
Tell me over the phone next time you speak
which you’d like me to do.

I’ve lots of little jobs to do before Xmas.

Have just laid down Gillian’s Xmas party frock. It
is darker than I thought – but Velvet is never
so nice when cleaned so I guess I’ll leave
it as it is. She tells me Marjorie Holthay
is going to invite her to a party. I
shall not give a Children’s Xmas party
unless you’d like me to – as Gillian’s few
friends are rather lively ones, and this
house is not very big for a crowd. So I
thought I’ll take some trouble to give Gillian
a nice birthday party and let her have 6
guests. However if you would love a party I
don’t want to miss it – we’ll have it
at Christmas. I was a bit put off parties
by Nyria’s one. The Children were so rowdy &
badly behaved – they only wanted to romp &
squeal – the squealing was awful – poor Mrs
Lloyd got hoarse trying to speak above it. Nyria
& Gillian were the two quietest !!! Mrs Lloyd had
managed a wonderful table of party food – but
it was messed about and left on plates –
This doesn’t sound very encouraging does it?

This year
Gillian has had invitations to Nyria’s birthday & John
Eaton. By the end of Xmas holidays she may
have had more invitations – I thought by her birthday
party I could return the invitations. What do
you think about it? Gemma’s birthday party
could be a picnic – by then we may have
made good friends with that jolly little Jean Read.

But I wander on with my thoughts instead of
giving news. I’ve got to think ahead a lot if Xmas
is to be a success.

What about presents? I mean to Winnie
& Daisy’s family. I’ll fix May & hers – &
Clair and any I can in the list. There is
little enough service here except Crockery
& Books & Cheese from, also pretty, but
expensive things in the Gift Shop –

I had a letter from Butler wanting to know
all about Peta – I wish he’d write direct
to Ida – but he knows neither her name
nor address. Am writing to him now –

Great earthquake in Los Angeles. Beverly Hill
& all those places but Santa Monica not

mentioned – Hope all is well with Stan & family.
I’ve been enjoying Nicholas Darras – have
got about 3/4 through it – I can understand
you loving it – What do you think his
illness was? Fancy he didn’t get married
and have a wife to take care of him.

I’m so glad you have got your letter. I do
hope you can really relax in it. What will
you do when you come here? You’ll miss it.
I’m always afraid of you catching cold on the floor
here.

Have you had the Xmas pudding yet? It was
only a tiny taste. Hope it was good and
not too wartimeish.

Anna & Sylvia sent me a scrapbook they had
made – Mostly babies – funny ones – you must
remember to look at it.

I enclose a letter from Gillian written with her quill
pen which she managed entirely herself & in her
application in managing it got muddled in the letter itself.
The rest of the enclosures enclose themselves.
All my love my Darling one – Your Ada –

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People mentioned

- Ada
- Darling One
- David
- Gemma
- Joan
- Gillian
- Jean
- Mrs. Smith
- Mr. Smith
- Ruth
- Daisy
- Winnie
- Uncle Edmund
- Edith
- May
- Maud
- Dorothy
- Crand
- Susan
- Child
- Boyd
- Donald
- Marjorie Holthay
- Nyria
- Mrs. Lloyd
- John Eaton
- Jean Read
- Clair
- Butler
- Peta
- Ida
- Stan
- Nicholas Darras
- Anna
- Sylvia

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Topics

- family news
- children's health
- daily life
- telephone calls
- home maintenance
- christmas preparations
- christmas cards
- party planning
- gifts
- correspondence
- current events
- health concerns
- wartime life

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Uncertain words / phrases

- Ruth Mr & Mrs [unclear]
- P.P.C.s

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Archivist notes

- The letter includes marginal notes on the first page, likely additional thoughts or reminders for the recipient, placed before the main body of the letter. 'Rosemary Cottage' is crossed out above the address '7 Granville Tee', suggesting a change of address or a place under consideration. The letter provides a snapshot of domestic life during WWII, focusing on family health, social engagements, and the preparations for the upcoming Christmas season, with no direct mention of war events beyond a 'not too wartimeish' Christmas pudding.

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