Ada's Letter to Husband: Family Life, Finances, and Wartime Drills

Date: 1941-11-18
Sender: Ada
Recipient: Husband
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall
Original scan: 1941-11-18-ada-to-husband-family-finances-wartime.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes to her husband from Rosemary Cottage, Bude, detailing family life during wartime. She describes a recent tear gas drill, the children's activities (Gillian drawing with Tom, Penna's experience with her pink gas mask), and household rearrangements. The letter also covers extensive financial accounts, including income tax, insurance, and various expenses, and discusses the scarcity of pianos. Ada mentions social interactions, health updates for the children, and reflects on relationships and independence. The letter concludes with a short, handwritten note and drawing from Gillian to her Daddy.

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.
Nov 18 - 41

My own Precious Husband -
What a dear letter you sent me this week - and
this morning was sunshine it is pouring with
rain now (4.p.m.) and as Gillian is absorbed in drawing
with Tom & Penna still sleeps I think I'll start
answering it now. There was a tear gas drill this
morning. As it took place about 11-40 am Penna
& I were in and we went Gillian and got into
it. I put Penna's gas mask on first and tho she
didn't want it on at all she was very good about
it and made no attempt to take it off till I said
so. The delay of putting hers on first caused
my eyes to water a bit, but as this did not get
any worse after I put my mask on I presume
mine is O.K. It was very good for Penna
to see everybody wearing gas masks and to
hear the rattles. She took it all as matter
of course. Gillian was terribly disappointed
that it was all gone by the time she got there -
They released gas I believe in 4 or 5 places. We
got that which was released by the Grenville Hotel
gates as we were going up the hill at the time.

How nice the snaps are. They do not do Gillian's face
justice but her whole little self looks sweet
and what character & determination in little Penna's
face. The family are is charming - especially of your
top Curls - Will that satisfy Hilda? Anyway
it is symbolical. My darling are standing
beside me bending over & overshadowing the
little family and taking care of us.
We are making some slight rearrangements
in the house. Tom is going to sleep at
home as she did on your visit. You see
she does love the evenings at hand and stays
out so late that she cannot wake in the
mornings. Funnily enough she can get up at
home and be here in the mornings earlier than
she can get up when here. As a matter
of fact since she has not had Penna in her
room I fancy she reads in bed - this added to
her already coming in late is too much for her.
At home her mother can take the res-
ponsibility of packing her off to bed if she
realizes what a job she has to wake in the
mornings - They are two less in the house

than there were when Tom first came and wanted
to sleep in. I think at any rate we will try
it till after your visit and as it will leave
your room free - although this point has not
greatly affected our decision as Tom was quite
prepared to go home for that time anyway.
Now for your letter -
How beautiful all the autumn colours you describe
must be - That is a thing I miss here. The first
years the word [unclear: raved] the Church went autumnal
but last year & this cold winds split the trees
before they had a chance to turn.
That is a good place I put the "Chinese Rise" as you
call it. I hope it will flourish -
So glad the dreadful woman at the party treated you well
with her car. That is interesting about the
teacher of [unclear: doweing]. I was very interested in the
class I watched - but I can tell you about this better
than write about it. Gillian loves it and does not
seem so tired. Poor Nyria has been tired and
bad tempered ever since - I think it was too much
for her as she does pianos as well. The dancing
is 12-1 on Wed - that makes the morning 8-45 - 1 pm.

pianos at school but elsewhere! ([unclear: All of them]?)
Which brings me to the piano business - Yes. I'm
game to help all I can. *
More bills have come in and my three Quarterly accounts
are complete -
1st Quarter - 2nd Quarter - 3rd Quarter -
Expenditure £3-2-7. £0-5-6. £3-6-6
Allowance. £6-15-6. £6-15-6. £2-5-6
£3-12-11 £6-9-11 £1-1-0
£10-2-10
£9-1-10 credit balance on first 3 quarters.
This Quarter is I fear rather heavy. Being Winter
is one thing - Then there is Penna's insurance £6-10-0
& Fire - £2-19-0. Also dogs have just cost £2-11-0.
And then I have a bill £5-15-0. for blanket to order of
Penna - She will be growing out of her cot soon
- then it is Xmas Quarter - However the final
quarter had income taxes £2-2-0 & Gillian's shoes £6-3-5.
Yet my total was only £3-2-7. So you see even
if this Quarter is heavy I have a credit balance to
meet it - and according to my account

if correct, I had £32 add in credit in hand
at the beginning of the year - I don't see why
this or part of it should not go to the firm.
All I regard that as is as a "working margin" -
you see as Jan 1st there are income taxes etc
to be met etc - This balance was very useful last
year until you were able to send me a Cheque -
you see the first Cheque you sent me last
year was Oct 6th - But if the Spear Bros
Cheque is to meet the expenses the first
few weeks months of 1942 - and is already in
the Bank - well - the £32 is not such an
urgent need as before -
However these accounts are only totting up
my account book - I'd better get the Bank
statement & Cheque up - and see exactly
how we stand - I'll do that tomorrow (See page 7 *)
But - I suppose it is like the Cautions met and
the coal before enthusing. I think it is a perfectly
brilliant idea - just so long as you do not cut
yourself to fine - I'm game for anything. I think
the urgency is more the scarcity of pianos
rather than Gillian's immediate need - I'll send

Miss Player's letter - It has been lying on my
desk ever since - I thought you had returned it.
I sent another from her re Coats - didn't I?
She is packing up things in the tubular bells
at the moment - I think the addition of drawing
is enough for the winter at any rate - but we could
discuss that with Miss Player at when you come -
I feel we ought to get the pianos now rather than
miss it - don't you?
Just posted a parcel - no egg but some cooked
ham. It was ably cooked this morning Mr. D'Armale
who afraid it would not be cool enough to eat -
Are you still getting your milk? Now all my
Puddings are made I've been able to get a few
more Raisins - wish I could have got them in time
to go in - never mind - I guess the pudding tastes
good anyway.
I'm so glad the Radium Commission will restore
correct balance - I understand your "Lab" feeling
now - my trouble is to travel of my own narrow
little sphere - i.e. Children - dear tho' they are
- but Miss Metcalfe comes & sits with Tom on
my half day so that I can go to the pictures

occasionally - and going right away to the Smitt's
took me out of it all a little. This is why a temporary
absorption by the Children. As they grow a little older
i.e. when both go to school I'll be able to have a
little life apart from them & be fresher for than you.
I understand your point of view differs for D. Dodd
(He by the way married fairly late - was regarded
by his friends as a Confirmed bachelor -) The
problem as I see it is that physically you
should marry young and yet at that time
your Character is scarcely formed enough to
judge of the spiritual affinity - Hence so many
failures in marriage. A sex repression has
this advantage - it enables you to judge
the opposite sex in a detached way. I wonder
had you & I met more often when younger if we
would have married earlier - or grown ever
more in affinity? Well, we belong now, and that
is the precious thing.
Nov 19th the talk with you last night was helpful and
this morning I went to both Banks for statements and worked
away at my accounts & estimates - and enclose a bit
sheet of paper with the result. The thing I'm not clear

about is whether you can't draw £250 - or whether the £60
already drawn is part of that. Anyway you will see how
we stand. I'm game for whatever you suggest.
Now as to the Place to stand it. The space between
fire & glass door in my room is only 3 ft 7ins. That is
no good. Behind nursery door would do - especially
if that is turned into a dining room when Penna no
longer needs a nursery. Another suggestion is
up in Gillian's room where her desk now stands
- and her desk could come downstairs in my room again.
You see we know no one to play it at the moment
& will be entirely for Gillian's practice - we'd hear it
less up there!! What do you think?
By the way she was delighted with her new flags &
has written you a letter with them - I hope you can
read it. Entirely her own idea & kept her occupied
for about an hour.
She lived the good letter for Lynnett - Took them to
school as "news". She forgot to bring them back because at
her dancing class - her songs they are safe in the desk.
What a jolly good piece of a Lavender hedge -
No we don't need a book rest. We use one of the
little orange tables. As a matter of fact we began the
reading while I do Gillian's hair. She sits on a little
stool with "The ladies dip" - on the table - hair is finished
by the time we get to the pictures, hymns & prayer -
the latter at the fireplace.

I'm jolly glad you got yourself a setter - Don't feel sorry but
not using that for the piano - You felt justified in getting it
I'd much rather think of you with a restful place - and it
will be fun making an effort for the piano -
Will take your advice re Vitamin C. + the mouth wash -
I don't feel the hunger for anger so much now and have
had no further much trouble (touch wood) I'm not sure that a
little people isn't coming as the [unclear: tip-nar] but I'll ask any Doctor
I'm so interested in what you say about independence
- I see what you mean. By "illumination" I took that to
mean just what you say - freedom for other work - I
was to make that particular bit of work independent of us.
Do I do not want to be free of the Children - but teach them to
gradually be independent of me in things they should learn & do
themselves - i.e. physical as well as mental & spiritual - i.e. at the
moment I'm trying to teach Gillian to report to me when she needs
Phillips magnesia - But this is bringing the subject down to
low levels. Let us soar again. I love that poem
of Oliver Wendell Holmes - I feel Gillian is one
of those who need greater scope -
The [unclear: Vs] and Gillian's wall are many of a few inches
and are about. 2 ft & another 18 inches. A yard is
a little exaggeration - tho they look it. She is very

destructive at the moment. Chews & tears at things
with her teeth - things she has taken care of for years
or new things. I put this down to getting her second
teeth - as when a baby I could always tell when she
was teeth by this sort of thing. She got her nail biting
habit with her last two molars. That is not yet being
started again.
The sherry at 3/6 - may be a [unclear: disease]? Some hopes!
I doubt if I'll ever get another - after saying they
had it they had to hunt for ages for the lost bottles.
I must get the recipe of Mrs. Smitt's. She gives
some next year. It is the nicest of all the things
she gives me. The Children have decided to
call the Smitt's Grannie & Grandpa - much
to their delight.
I got a dozen rather nice cards that I think
will do for some of those I was nervous about. I'll
tackle them tonight.
Shared Chris for her birthday - She has had a
cold & tummy trouble - so I got her at 4pm & let
the Children repeat.
All my love my own darling - this
letter has used a whole pen full of ink!
Your Ada.

DEAR DADDY I HOPE
YOU VERY MUCH LOVE
TO WRITE WITH BIT LOVE FROM
GILLIAN.

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People mentioned

- Penna
- Gillian
- Tom
- Hilda
- Nyria
- Miss Player
- Mr. D'Armale
- Miss Metcalfe
- D. Dodd
- Mrs. Smitt
- Chris
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
- Ada

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Topics

- family life
- children
- wartime
- gas masks
- finances
- household
- education
- health
- relationships
- social activities
- correspondence

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Uncertain words / phrases

- raved
- doweing
- All of them?
- tip-nar
- Vs
- disease?

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Archivist notes

- The letter provides significant insight into daily life during WWII, including a tear gas drill and financial management.
- Extensive financial details are provided across multiple pages.
- A child's handwritten note and drawing from Gillian to her father are included on the final page.
- A reference to 'page 7' on page 5 likely refers to another page in the original letter set, not within this supplied scan.

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Context suggestions

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

```json
{
"people": [
"Tom",
"Nyria",
"Miss Player",
"Mr. D'Armale",
"Miss Metcalfe",
"D. Dodd",
"Mrs. Smitt",
"Chris",
"Oliver Wendell Holmes"
],
"places": [
"Grenville Hotel"
],
"common_phrases": [
"My own Precious Husband",
"All my love my own darling"
],
"spelling_notes": [
"doweing (likely dancing)",
"raved (unclear meaning in context of church, but transcribed as written)"
],
"relationships": {}
}
```

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