Ada's Letter from Rosemary Cottage, Bude Haven

Date: 1942-05-19
Sender: Ada
Recipient: My own Dear One
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall.
Original scan: 1942-05-19-ada-to-dear-one-family-news-and-visit.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes from Rosemary Cottage in Bude Haven, Cornwall, on May 19, 1942, to a close family member, expressing excitement about an upcoming visit. She discusses household matters, including new help (Mrs Tape) for cleaning and laundry, and the children (Rowenna and Gillian). She mentions ration books, identity cards, and the presence of evacuees. Ada also talks about books she's reading, family health (Hilda, Cynthia's chickenpox), and a potential operation for the recipient at Mount Vernon. The letter provides a glimpse into daily life during WWII, balancing domestic concerns with the broader context of the war.

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.
May 19-1942.
11 a.m.

My own Dear One -
Your letter is not here yet but I'll
start this because there are one or two things
I can tell you right away -
① Don't forget to get your ration books -
I got mine this morning - Identity Cards
with you - but
② I believe others could do it for you. i.e.
Mrs Stevens when she gets hers - but
don't forget to fill in the application page
and put your date of birth in (are over 18 - ???)
as this has caused delay to some.
③ Here is a list of the Clothes you
have here -
Now for my news. Mrs Tape has
come - she is, I believe, exactly what
we want - has three free & come at the
moment are Tues Wed & Thurs. and she
could come again till 2:30 p.m.
She is quiet, neat and thoroughly knows
her job. everywhere will be as clean as even
Mrs Stevens could make it.
At present at Curras there is much to catch
up with cleaning, etc. as we never spring

2.
cleaned myself for having the Chimneys swept -
but once it is cleaned thoroughly it won't be
so bad to keep clean - so I shall let
Mrs Tape do some of my laundry and
cook the dinner the days she comes.
With Rowenna and Gillian at school and
now this help I shall have plenty of time
for letters, needlework & bottling and pickling
any fruit etc that comes along.
7:30 p.m. The rain and clouds at last cleared away
and we have had a magnificent day. Mrs Tape
proved all I thought she would be so when I fetched
the Children I kept them out till one o'clock - This
afternoon we clipped the hedge and got the garden
ready for you - then had tea on the Verandah - a
little walk - ice creams (we are planning these twice
a week - Tues & Sat) and so to bed - that is the
Children. I had a huge tea with them but
when I've got them to bed feel the need well of
food but of some stimulant - so had a cup of
Bovril - now I'm out on the Verandah writing
to you -
Your letter came while we were at tea. What
a lot of sweet corn - I think I'll give Mrs [unclear: Bolt] a few seeds - there are more than I can grow
even if I had no tomatoes - Hope yours will do

3.
I'm so glad you had a lovely Sunday - it poured
all day here. Now you must understand my
pottering in the garden in my mightie - it is grand
but I could never get you downstairs - I don't
suppose you are early enough to see the heron
or are you?
I saw in the paper about your large size invasion.
I can't interpret the other 4 Chinese characters
and have no dictionary here - there is a little
well used black covered one of mine - a few
inches square - by Dorthill - The [unclear: back] I
have re-bound with a black & white diamond
shaped checked piece of ray - If you came
across that (it looks rather like a little old hymn
book) and bring it for me I'll look it up - The
words may be "Kuan hsieh tzu liao" -
implying a sort of "grateful rest" "a stay" -
how beautifully you have written the two complete
this time - Perhaps D Woo will have told you what
they mean -
Was going to ring you up tonight - but see I will
have to postpone it till [unclear: Sunday] - I believe you
said you were coming here
next Tuesday. 26th - or would it be Wed 27th if
you are to be in Bath a day. You
haven't written the date to me - since you

4.
told me round about [unclear: June 1st]. Anyway I'll ask
on Friday over the phone - We are getting so
excited about your coming. Rowenna too - she
often says "I want Daddy to come now".
I'm so glad Hilda is to stay with Winnie
indefinitely - I shouldn't be surprised if she
does not get much better from now on.
We have two yellow roses open - from the
Petrie plant - "an that brings you nailed
up by the door. I had to move it a bit
when the blind was put up - but it is the
furthest ahead. So glad the Chinese rose
is open - you make me think of China hills.
Tested a parcel today - Tom never was
her Cheese ration and brought me round
two weeks ration yesterday. She just walked
in here as tho it is her home & sits &
chats to me. as tho I was her mother. I'm
glad to see she has washed off the
"make up" - did she get tired of it - or did
her new employers object? I didn't ask.
I wrote to Mrs [unclear: Sailassi] about no 8 - but no
reply so far - I wish she would come.
Petrie has a job & is away - Cynthia just
recovered from Chickenpox.
Have heard of one or two more farms - we

5.
might visit them during the summer when
we want in land walks - An empty room
we could furnish would be grand - but I doubt
if that is to be found now-a-days - so many
evacuees -
So glad you are reading "My Country & My People"
by Lin Yutang - Don't you remember
Miss [unclear: Tell] lent me a copy - I thoroughly
enjoyed it. I think he has recently
published another book - I'd like to
read "Brother Peter's Return". I must
see if I can get it. I get books now
at the Cherwell Wortha library - and
the by librarian there has by now got
a good idea of my taste and so I can
send Gillian to change my book - which
is a pleasure both to Gillian & the librarian.
My last book was a book on Mary Queen
of Scots - most fascinating - I also recently
got "How Green was my Valley" - a talk of the
Welsh miners. At the moment I have
"Corn in Egypt" - by Warwick Deeping - he
only just begun it - but the hero has
brought a derelict farm and is tackling
the weeds in a garden which must have
been an [unclear: Ouldun Garden] when we bought it.

6.
Pearl Buck has written another book & this is
"out" at the moment it will be saved for
me. Chris sent Rowenna a nice little
"Chinese" look in the Griffin series -
Had a little chat with Miss Player
- she says Rowenna is marvelous
in Eurythmics - all the girls say "look
at her she does it better than we
do!" We must be careful her head
is not turned - but at the moment
her whole desire is to be as other
school girls and no longer a baby - she
speaks about "My favorite schoolgirl" etc.
The two Cats are enormous and very
beautiful creatures -
I've had several "looks over" the house
next door. Mrs Henderson rather
regards me as a "mother in Israel" -
& I often have to go in and help her
out of a difficulty. There are two
double rooms & a single - the latter
is an attic with the roof windows lovely
view - There is a second attic with a locked
door - full of owners stuff. I presume -
A nice but long & thin Kitchen - the
View from Windows lovely because walls

7.
are low. There is piano, radio, electric
heaters, iron etc. And everything complete.
The walls etc have all been newly
papered or distempered so have a nice
fresh look - but the carpets, upholstery,
curtains etc are old & shabby -
I consider it more "roomy" than this
- the rooms all a little bigger I should
think. It would be advisable for
say - Edith & May & a maid -
or Lucy & Nellie & a maid - & Ruth I
agree - perhaps we don't want these
all next door when you are here - we'd
never have any free time - I don't think
they'd be all over we do much when
you are here - !!! I don't know whether
it will be snapped up for a long time
or whether say David & Paul or
anyone would like it for a week or two
in the holiday - but of course there
is no "service" on there so it wouldn't
be much holiday - unless they brought
a servant too - I'd like the [unclear: drawing rooms] best - especially if they sent their
girls & St Catherines - then we could
take turns to fetch & take them.

8.
Marie & Lili would love it - but it'd be
too expensive for them - It has had
about a dozen different folk since
I came here - but Mrs Henderson is
the only one I have got to know -
& only spoke once or twice with the
last occupants -
Mr Quinth has put an article in the
paper this week -
Mount Vernon would be a nice place for
you to have your operation - How long
will you be there - and where will you recuperate?
But you must tell me all this when
you come here -
Tomorrow I plan to do a fortnight laundry
while Mrs Tape finishes "Spring Cleaning"
- possibly I'll leave some of her to do -
All my love my own Dear One -
I get so excited deep down when your
coming is near - Yours own Ada -

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People mentioned

- Mrs Stevens
- Mrs Tape
- Rowenna
- Gillian
- Mrs Bolt
- D Woo
- Hilda
- Winnie
- Tom
- Mrs Sailassi
- Petrie
- Cynthia
- Miss Tell
- Lin Yutang
- Warwick Deeping
- Pearl Buck
- Chris
- Miss Player
- Mrs Henderson
- Edith
- May
- Lucy
- Nellie
- Ruth
- David
- Paul
- Marie
- Lili
- Mr Quinth

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Topics

- family news
- household management
- cleaning
- laundry
- gardening
- children's activities
- reading
- books
- local news
- health
- upcoming visit
- ration books
- identity cards
- evacuees
- WWII context
- operation

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Uncertain words / phrases

- Bolt
- back
- Sunday
- June 1st
- Sailassi
- Tell
- Ouldun Garden
- drawing rooms

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Archivist notes

- Letter is clearly dated and located at Rosemary Cottage, Bude Haven, Cornwall.
- The salutation 'My own Dear One' and closing 'Yours own Ada' indicate a close family relationship.
- The letter provides insights into domestic life during WWII, including references to ration books, identity cards, and evacuees.
- The word 'Damaskins' on page 7 has been transcribed as 'drawing rooms' based on context rule 1.2, as it refers to rooms in a house.
- The 'invasion' mentioned on page 3 is ambiguous; it could refer to military movements or a large influx of people/evacuees.
- The stylized 'One' in the salutation and closing is clear in context but visually distinct.

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