Letter from Ada about family matters and health

Date: 1942-08-18
Sender: Ada
Recipient: unknown
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall
Original scan: 1942-ada-to-unknown-family-matters-health.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes a detailed letter responding to a recent letter, discussing the recipient's health, family visitors, medication routines for a child named Anna, radio repair advice, and recent social activities including picnics and holidays. She mentions concerns about the children's education and behavior while sharing affectionate thoughts and a playful drawing.

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.

Aug 18 1942.

My own darling One -

I’ve put a call on to you (I how delay) and while waiting I’ll answer your letter. So glad you were feeling better when you wrote and glad you stayed in bed. Is it that at last you have learnt the wisdom of staying in bed (for you at any rate) the 1st day in two of a cold, or is it that your cold was a very bad one. I wonder if the cold Hazel got was ours one.

I’d like to be in your bed & see the view you describe - the mine from my bed here is pretty good - if I could spend a day in it.

I was on the alert for your Sunday call which never came. I usually call you on Tues & Fri - I’m afraid to start calling on Sunday lest I keep you from church. If he wanted a couple of hours for my call I’d ring them up & find out what has happened - they get a move on then & usually I’m through in a few minutes - you try that -

Glad you had a good time with Winnie & Sue.

No. 2

W. & I had several talks - mostly on the beach but did not mention Hilda. Our talks had a lively holiday background scarcely suitable to bring up anything that might be painful - tho had we had more quiet I should have spoken as I sensed she’d be glad to talk about her.

You seem to have had a lot of visitors lately. Hope they did not eat you out of house & home. Sent you a parcel this time.

No egg today - but an orange - & a piece of choc. We’d share all those things with you if together. It makes me ache to try and imagine how you manage on our person’s rations. Have you drawn your own choc or sweet ration? The 4 weeks ration of 2s a week finishes this week. Be sure & get it if you haven’t done so. Next 4 weeks period allows 3 oz for bread.

If you can you might get a med prescription of the grape & black currant layers for the children. Hattie touches the spot in quite the same way.

The osglin light has come & I’ve put it in my room instead of the blue. Very good indeed. Sometimes the blue gets left on all day as it didn’t show them - but was noisy full belt electric - the osglin would not waste so much if this happened. I prefer the warm pink light & the blue anyway - thank you darling.

I do not know how Ken’s death will affect Flora - and I’ve not yet written condolesce.

I noticed in the papers about Miss Chadwells death. Poor thing - a happy release.

I did show Mrs Russell the top room. She was so surprised that it was done already - thought you knew how to put things through. She was thrilled with it. I’ve seen a good bit of her lately - but more of that when I’ve finished answering yours.

I think you have found the cure for my night sleeping or lack of sleep. The lumina is most satisfactory - that is if I remember it in time - on Kenar the next day is likely to be trying.

Anna says she enjoys tolerating luminal if she wants something & acts quickly but does not like the following headache next day. I daren’t my dose was too small. The last tab you sent seemed to me twice as thick as the first ones so I took 1/4 of one instead of 1/8 but I should think 1/2 would do me no harm.

No. 4

I meant to take some yesterday a.m. ready to be sure of a good night but forgot. I lay awake till 12 midnight then took & tot & was asleep before 1 a.m.

It also means a deep afternoon nap which is much more helpful than the 40 winks I usually get although I always lie down till 3 p.m.

If I take Empirin next a.m & clear up the headache I’m grand.

Thank you darling I genuinely think you have solved my problem. Furthermore I like the more happy & carefree temper I have under the influence of luminal - yet my mind feels clear & not drugged as with sulphonal.

Gilliam is free of her trouble at the moment then she has been for a long time.

At the moment I’m giving them a Children’s Linctus and Cod Liver oil regularly - and getting better results - weather also has helped more.

The Radio went beautifully when it was mended for a few hours and we thought it cured - next time we switched it on it was dead. This time he couldn’t put his finger on the spot so it has gone to the shop. They sent a nice man - elderly

No. 5

and one of their experts. I talked over the whole business of these Radio repairs thoroughly. I feel it best to stick to Harris - just as you would stick to a family doctor - there are so many many attention and they take them in strict rotation. He advised we to get it looked over (cost of 2/6) and then ask for an estimate for the cost of repair.

The valves were also right - and he thinks that if they cannot get are no are can.

However I’ll take it up tomorrow and find out if they have got to ans yet.

Re fishing Watermeadows with us all - you do know don’t you that nothing smells suit me better either - Oh for that day! and if cries: make it impossible to keep two homes going - we’ll come back to you forcibly.

Gilliam’s education is the problem - but with her capacity for reading she’d soon catch up the actual studies tho she’d miss the school life.

I’m reading some memoirs of John Buckam here is a remark he makes and I endorse chaing the last word. "I have been happy in many things, but all my other good fortune has been as dust in the balance compared with the blessing of an incomparable wife" (I say husband) Darling you are all the

No. 6

world to me.

This week has been spent a good deal in the company of Mrs Russell and her family - We all get on well together - I like her very much and she seems to like me. We have much in common. She was a teacher before (& after) she was married - Her boy Jack age 9 is a keen naturalist. He and Gilliam are great pals already. Little Jean seems nearer Penna’s age tho 5 years old - and Anne Fielding joins us all in our picnics so we are a happy crowd.

Grace 13 Jack 9 Anne 8 Gilliam 6 Jean 5 Penna 3 & scouting Peter 2.

I’ve seen something of Mrs Fielding too lately.

Capt Fielding was here last weekend & she has joined him at Truro for a couple of days - but I think she will also fit nicely in with Mrs Russell & me - We are planning a combined picnic.

We have had beach picnic & bathing - but today we had a picnic in a field near Penfield - lit a fire and boiled our kettle. Jack’s jolls good - & great fun.

Grace’s holidays end this week - Actually I think it is just as well. She is the greatest blessing

No. 7

to me the first two hours of the day - and school or no school that time she can always give me.

Do you remember the book "Annelieanne & the Circus" Gilliam has - Grace is like Annelieanne.

Many a month with me has changed a little - rather overanxious worried little girl into a veritable imp of mischief and as happy as the day is long - it reminds me of when we had Janet an Sylvia an Peter with us - 13 is rather a nice age for a child - but she is a child - with a child’s faults and my darling you must go spoiling her - she needs & likes disciplining. Mrs Russell tells her she’ll thank me so much some day for it - But she is quite a dear -

I’m not keen on giving her money gifts - it is not good for her family and she is too much of a child to understand its value.

Of the 5/- you gave her she gave her mother 2/-, lost 1/- on the beach & so quickly put the other 2/- in her money box - but is spending it gradually on herself & Gladys on the movies. But it was clear of me to send it.

How 1/- a week is quite enough to spend in her childish irresponsible little ways. I buy her sweets ration for her.

No. 8

I could write on about many things - all trifling in a way but of interest to you & me but I’ve got to page 8 - & it is 10 pm so I’ll stop & say good night -

We are a jolly household now. Gilliam says "It is so exciting having Grace - we do such interesting things."

[Drawing of three children on a see-saw]

This is one. I found them all riding round the nursery on the blackout boards - "thummy tools" on are horses - How they kept them up I can’t think.

Micky is a huge cat now - 2 lbs heavier than Minnie -

All my love my own darling one -

your own Ada.

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People mentioned

- Ada
- Ken
- Flora
- Mrs Russell
- Anna
- Gilliam
- John Buckam
- Grace
- Jack
- Anne
- Jean
- Penna
- Peter
- Captain Fielding
- Mrs Fielding
- Minnie
- Micky

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Topics

- health
- family visits
- children
- weather
- radio repairs
- holidays
- daily routines

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Uncertain words / phrases

- osglin
- Luminal
- Empirin
- chaing
- Annelieanne
- Penfield
- Jack’s jolls

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Archivist notes

- Letter dated August 18, 1942
- Sender identifies self as Ada
- Location is Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall
- Recipient unknown, referred to as 'my own darling one'
- Mentions deaths of Ken and Miss Chadwills
- Discusses medication and children's health
- Mentions family visitors and social activities during 1942 wartime

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