Letter from Ada about a children's dance show and family news

Date: 1942-01-31
Sender: Ada
Recipient: Darling One
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall.
Original scan: 1942-01-31-ada-to-darling-one-dance-show-family-news.pdf




---

Summary

Ada writes to her 'Darling One' from Bude Haven, Cornwall, on January 31, 1942. The letter primarily describes a children's dancing entertainment they attended, detailing the performances of various children including Julia Pettrick, G. Sharrock, and others. Ada expresses her enjoyment and Penna's enthusiasm for dancing. She also provides an update on family health, mentioning a persistent cough going around Bude, Joan's illness, and Mr. Smith's lumbago. Gillian is doing well at school, while Nynia has been home with a cough. Ada also touches on the weather, local crops, and mentions Miss K.M. Rintz 'joining up' and proceeds from a dance going to the Red Cross, providing a subtle WWII context. The letter concludes with a description of morning activities and family affection.

---

Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.

Jan 31 - 1942.

My own Darling One -
We have just come home from the Dancing
Entertainment. So I must tell you all about it.
Do you remember N.S. Metcalf who told you
about it - her little grand Child, Julia - was
in it. Julia Pettrick.
It was a glorious day so we went out
for a walk early and got home at 11.30 a.m.
& all had our rest till 12.30 dinner.
Penna was heartbroken at being put to bed before
she had her dinner - but went to sleep &
we let her sleep till 1. At 2 p.m. we were
at the Show - in the Cinema - and here is
the programme -
There were some Children we were specially
interested in and I have described them
to you. I enjoyed the Babies - the dancers
in volkets which little Julia performed.
They were dressed quite professionally in short
skirts & spangles - or accordg to their special
parts - and did their parts so naturally.
Little G. Sharrock will be a really good dancer
some day - she is only a little bigger than
Penna - You better read my descriptions
here - so I'll number my pages -

1.
Cupid
Pretty little Busybody.
Trickle Toes.
age 3 (I think) G. Sharrock -
and several others with the juniors
This little girl lives at the end house. (near
Granville Garage.) of Granville Tee - she is not
much bigger than Penna - you must often have
seen her - She was very good.

2.
Jodi Forlish but Finn age 6. Janet Ranspear -
Who cares
Also in some of the juniors dances.

You know Janet - The dainty little red haired
girl who plays with Gillian Sawelins.

3.
In the Nursery. age 3 1/2 Julia Pettrick
(nursery rhymes.) (Joans little niece)
Julia was little Miss Muffat.
Baby Fairies
Rock-a-by baby -

In these baby things was also the tiniest of three
long curled Children at Breakwater Rd - She is no
bigger than Penna but perhaps months older - The three
big-hairy curled girls were in other dances.

3.
4. Bo Peep - Shirley Glanfield
'Arry - about Gillian's age -
used to be one of Gillian's school
fellows.
A little girl with straight brown hair & dark
brown eyes - might have been the one that would
have appealed to no one - but as I know how I know
she is rather sturdy - but she danced both their
dances very well indeed - As 'Arry she
was dressed as a Costar boy - all pearl buttons.

T. Byrne is one of Gillian's school fellows - a senior.
She was very good.
V. Taylor was very good - In "Chil Chat" she was
a chat with rheumatism who tried to show the
parlour maid how to dance the polka. She was
a clever dancer as we saw in other dances but in Chil
Chat she did the awkward rheumatic movement
so well I could almost feel the rheumatism -
Now I must tell you about Penna - Of course
she was thrilled at the dancing & but wanted
to do it too - We sat near the front in the
centre - but I changed to the front row at
the side so I saw there was a nice piece
of floor space where Penna could dance if

p4. picture.
to see the instruments which she had heard
so much over the Radio!
Once I had Penna standing on my knee - there
was no one behind as the side was empty nearly -
and in a loud voice she suddenly said
"I want to dance up there" - pointing to the
platform -
I shall expect great things in their own
free dancing after this -
Altogether I think it was a great event
in their lives - How I wish you had
been here - or that it had been the show
you I went to instead of the old [unclear: Relators].
My criticism of it is this -
Regarded as an Amature show (as it was really)
it was quite professional - but
regarded as a professional show it
was too amaturish -
The Dancing Wishes. Miss K.M. Rintz
who did several dancers herself is
"joining up" - and had to hurry the whole
thing up - She had really planned it for
the summer -
I don't believe there is any dancing
at St Catherines either now -
The proceeds were for the Red X.

Well, dear, how are you? I'm rather hoping you
will ring me up tonight or tomorrow. You were going
to London. I hope you were fit for the journey. It
was bitterly cold here today - today a cold wind
still but sunshine - I do hope you are better -
Our Crops are still aggravating - but don't make us ill -
Twofaced all used up - new order not yet received but
I've got a few things to do to help. - I personally
find great help with turpentine an flannel on Chest
but feared this too drastic for Children. [unclear: Banky]
said a doctor gave him the enclosed prescription to
put on Chest. I got [unclear: Sturman] & make it up -
Boots had no oil - as usual. I've rubbed that
on the Children tonight. I got a Cough medicine
Danvers's own highly recommended by Mr. [unclear: Dripsoci]
- we are all trying that - So hope we will soon be
better - It is a strange dry cough (no head cold)
that is very persistent that is going round
Bude - It is not serious as none of us have had
temperature nor felt very ill -
Joan has it now - She has not stayed at home
- but I've sent her home after dinner each day
- and giving her a day off tomorrow, not because
she is ill but it is her monthly "day off" for
Sunday - So I think she will be all right -
by Monday - That is why I'm writing my letter
tonight.
P.T.O.

Think I'd better turn over -
We went to see Mr & Mrs Smith - He was in bed
with lumbago - The Children were very
sweet to him and we took him another
geographic - We take him these now & he
is delighted with them (returns them safely)
Gillian has had a good week at school
- is moved up with her class -
Nynia has been home again all the
week with a Cough - after 4 days away at
school - so we have seen little of her -
Mrs Lloyd has called once or twice - She
tells me Mr Lloyd had some clashes with
his small daughter - he was determined
to make her sick still 5 minutes &
succeeded in the end! I did not tell her
of you & Gillian & the Candle - I think
such things are private.
Tomorrow is February - a month that is
very often rather lovely with its first
promises of spring - March seems to
break all those promises - But if you regard
Feb as a foretaste of spring and not the
beginning of spring it is not so disastrous.
Now I shall turn to back of page 5 & page 8.

Sunday a.m. We are getting along quite
nicely - Gillian is at the moment doing
Penna's hair - She has given Penna a
[unclear: bunyan] as a bribe to permit her to do it -
"Do it gently Gillian" says Penna -
"I'm doing a great big Curl?"
"Have you finished the little ones?"
"Don't pull me -"
"Am I hurting you? No -"
That is this morning atmosphere - In
fact both are Martha is [unclear: ok] - as Penna
has also done a lot of jobs. Both
Kittens are on my knees & trying to work
themselves up into a fight.
It is a busy weekend for you I know so
of course no phoning is likely - I do hope
you got back from London not too late and
that your cold is better - Today is dull
I'll let Gillian take this to the post now.
She is going to do a few little messages for
me - and I think write a letter to go in this.
All my love my own darling one -
Ada.

---

People mentioned

- N.S. Metcalf
- Julia Pettrick
- Penna
- G. Sharrock
- Jodi Forlish
- Finn
- Janet Ranspear
- Gillian Sawelins
- 'Arry
- T. Byrne
- V. Taylor
- Miss K.M. Rintz
- Joan
- Mr Smith
- Mrs Smith
- Nynia
- Mrs Lloyd
- Mr Lloyd
- Martha

---

Topics

- family life
- children's entertainment
- dancing show
- health
- weather
- local news
- WWII context
- Red Cross
- military service
- childhood activities

---

Uncertain words / phrases

- Relators
- Banky
- Sturman
- Dripsoci
- bunyan
- ok

---

Archivist notes

- Page 4 is referenced in the text ('p4. picture.') but is not included in the supplied pages, possibly indicating a missing photograph or a numbering anomaly.
- The word 'bunyan' is used in the context of a bribe for hair styling, which is an unusual but plausible colloquialism for a small token or gift.
- The mention of Miss K.M. Rintz 'joining up' and proceeds from a dance going to the Red Cross firmly places the letter within the WWII period.
- The sender (Ada) explicitly states she will 'number my pages' and refers to turning to 'back of page 5 & page 8', indicating a non-sequential or folded letter format.

---

Processing stats

- Input tokens: 2367
- Output tokens: 2745
- Total tokens: 10223
- Estimated cost: $0.001001