Dear one, Easter at Lutsam Farm Devon

Date: 1943-04-25
Sender: Ada
Recipient: unknown
Location: Lutsam Farm, Sutcombe, Nr. Holsworthy, Devon
Original scan: 1943-ada-to-unknown-easter-devon-farm.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes from Lutsam Farm in Devon on Easter Sunday 1943, describing farm life, the children enjoying their time despite blisters and cold weather, visits to Mrs Stacey who is ploughing a field, and plans for returning home. She also mentions an upcoming holiday and school, farm animals, and observing nature around the farm.

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Transcription

April 25. 1943. at Lutsam Farm
Sutcombe
Nr. Holsworthy
Devon -

My own Dearly One
Easter Sunday - I do hope you are having a lovely day in some beautiful Church.
Mrs Stacey is taking us with her to the Methodist Church - they are good Christian folk - I don't mean narrow or fanatical but of the same quality as the Oles, tho they are Chapel - I hoped to go to the Sutcombe Church - but it is too far to walk - Yesterday we went along the Sutcombe road and when I thought we'd have to turn home a cyclist came along - she said Sutcombe was another 20 minutes further along - so we turned back - Although I had the pram both children got blistered heels so it is no use attempting the walk today or until the weather is dry enough to walk in shoes instead of the Wellingtons which give the blisters - The weather is not too good -

Stormy and cold - but there are bright intervals - It doesn't damp the childrens spirit and they are having a grand time - and I'm getting the rest I need -
The morning milking & egg collecting etc - is done before we came down & breakfast at 9 a.m. Then as it has been rather cold we don't go out till about 10 a.m. but potter about tidying our rooms etc. Then we go for a long walk till dinner time - concentrating on flowers, birds, butterflies and nature generally. Yesterday we saw some rabbits in a field and got quite close to them - great thrill -
We have counted 41 different kinds of flowers in blossom - a few more in bud, like honeysuckle & may which will be open soon - The banks are thick with foxglove from 1 & 2 ft high - they will be a grand show - But the primroses, bluebells and violets & young ferns are a dream - just unbelievably beautiful -

We came home with a huge appetite - and after a rest all the exciting afternoon & every work begins - There is a very nice sheep dog here who adores Gilliam & follows her everywhere - First we go up and visit Mrs Stacey who has been using the tractor ploughing a field which slopes down to the reservoir. He gives the children a ride on the tractor, one sitting on each mud guard -

We collected up his empty dinner basket and go back to the farm & fetch his tea - When he settled himself behind a hedge on the inner field I said I was sure he would sit the other side facing the reservoir because of the grand view. He laughed at that and said he preferred the warmth of the other side!
You'd stand for hours leaning on the gate & that field looking across the great stretch of fields & hills & the reservoir which has 2 black swans on it & one white & numbers of seagulls -
Then we came home and have our tea - Then help Mickey the sheep dog to round up the cows. The children love & watch the milking and are quite fearless of all the farm animals - Then there is the egg collecting (between 50 & 60.) to feed the ducklings, the calves etc - There are some hens sitting on goose eggs - and three geese which are just like the mill geese at Shelford.
All this makes a glorious day whatever the weather -
There are calves of all ages and these are penned in different places and have different treatment - Gilliam will now know how to play with her model farm now and it will be great fun -
Did I tell you we are coming back on Saturday April May 1st. The Staceys have an opportunity & get a holiday at Reading and are going on Monday May 3rd so we must go on the Saturday. Possibly it is better so far no too as Gilliam may do better with a week end pause before going to school on May 4th.
The Song of Bernadette came yesterday. I took it & read with me and was so thrilled I couldn't get up & take the children about on the farm - I let them go by themselves and they tagged on to the milkmaid and had a good time while I had a nice rest with my book -
The food is good - the land literally flows with milk and honey - the children are eating well.
Later. The service was led by a young fellow who is a shop assistant in Bude who wants to go in for the ministry - He had fine hymns and Gilliam was able to find the place in her Bible - in Luke 24 - but it was all undecorated and no ritual at all - If the weather keeps fine (it has been fine but very windy today) I may risk taking the children to Sutcombe after all tomorrow - with the pram. We went for a walk along the canal this afternoon - some of the canal carries water from the reservoir - We saw a heron -
I'm glad you were agreeably surprised at the balance in the N.P. bank - You are clever about it - Mrs Stacey says that before the war when there was plenty of petrol they used to take special visitors to Howenstow to the Church and Cliffs & Hawkers hut -
I'll close this now and catch the postman, 10 a.m. with it tomorrow -
I'm looking forward so much to your next coming - All my love my own precious one.
Your Ada.

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People mentioned

- Mrs Stacey
- Gilliam
- Mickey
- Bernadette

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Topics

- farm life
- easter
- children
- weather
- nature
- family visit
- holidays
- animals

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Uncertain words / phrases

- Lutsam (farm name unclear)
- Oles
- Howenstow
- Hawkers hut

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Archivist notes

- Letter dated Easter Sunday 1943, from Ada at a Devon farm named Lutsam Farm, Sutcombe near Holsworthy.
- Mentions Mrs Stacey and her ploughing, children named Gilliam and Mickey, and a book The Song of Bernadette.
- Mentions walking, nature observations, and farm activities at the time.
- Contains a small hand-drawn map or diagram of the field with tractor and mud guards.
- References to local places Howenstow and Hawkers hut are uncertain in spelling.

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