Family Letter from Ada about Children, School, and Home Life

Date: unknown, January 6
Sender: Ada
Recipient: Husband
Location: Rosemary Cottage, 7 Granville Terrace, Bude
Original scan: 194x-ada-to-husband-family-news-school-war.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes to her husband, 'My own darling One,' from Rosemary Cottage, Bude, on January 6th. She shares updates on their children, Gillian and Penna, including Gillian's school experiences and a story she told. Ada details home repairs, gardening efforts, and mentions local school issues with mumps and measles. She expresses concern for her husband's health, describes a recent hail storm, and conveys her longing for him, closing with 'All my love Ada.'

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage
7 Granville Terrace
Bude – Jan 6.

My own darling One.
I only got a tiny note written to you this morning – and
now I have heard your voice on the phone – It is good to
hear you but you sounded a little tired.
Yes, darling the seeds were some of those we picked up for
the trolley – There are are two primroses that try to bloom
all the front of the bird table – but the birds will pick
them – Bulbs are starting to shoot weekly now and
your heather looks very well. The “bell heather” or whiskers
you call it is not so good but even it looks still alive near
the roots. There is Pink Rhubarb in the shops and daffs
etc. I haven’t even asked the price of these things – but
they are a sign of Spring – also the pussy willows are
beginning to swell their buds – Gillian & I gathered a bunch
of them. Penna looks so sweet a little green
frock as Gillian does in her new green pixie (pixie)
bonnet. Did I tell you I turned the little green coat
Gillian wore in California – put a new flat collar on
it and made a pixie bonnet with same pieces of
the material I found among my bits. W looks a
Charming new outfit. She paid a special visit
to Miss Rickett in it – great admiration.
I got Miss Petrin to mend my little stool. The chair

2.
I paid for it. He spent days on it. Took it all to pieces
washed it glued & clamped all the bits together and then
pegged it. It is beautifully done. It looks a lighter wood
It is so lovely I’ve taken it up to your little Chapel.
I remember kneeling at that when I was younger than
Gillian – during family prayers. He says it is about 60 years
old – He asked me if he had let you have a candlewick
for Morwenstow Church. If not he is afraid he has lost
them – Young Douglas swaps his father’s stuff of
aeroplanes, trains, etc – I told him I was sure he
hadn’t let you have them – but I’d ask you for sure.
I quite agree that what we have bought from him
should be delivered in good condition – at least I should
have thought so – we shouldn’t have to pay to have it done
up – but we did with the bed – so I suppose he thought
we owed with the rest of the things. I found an
old place to put another Chest of drawers however lovely
and don’t want to spend 35/-. I’m looking at every penny
I spend these days – we have got to have it. I did
genuinely want that stool mended properly – it has very
special sentimental value to us – both children love it too
but all my life I remember it being patched up – I’m very glad
to have it properly done at last. By the way I let Gillian take
it over to Petrin’s – and she said she wanted him to entirely

3.
change the pattern as she was tired of it. Fortunately she told
me what she had said so I rushed over to cancel that bit
of her order!!
Sorry I had to trouble you with School problems – but here are
the facts. Deana Baird dev: mumps Jan 23rd granted 28 days
She is a day girl not in Gillian’s class.
On Jan 24 Anne Evans the daughter of a doctor in
Holsworthy developed measles – granted 21 days.
Anne had a brother – who fell out of the car and grazed
his knees a few days before he should have returned to
St Patricks – He was kept home for that – and Anne was
sent to St Catherines – In a day or two he went down
with measles – his father phoned Miss Weir to tell her
of it and that Anne had been with her brother all through
hol: and he’d fetch her home at once – but before he could
get to her her temp: was taken and found to be up & she
managed to develop them there & then. He took her home.
These are the facts – Miss Weir will now advise us what to
do. As a matter of fact she rang me up at 8 a.m.
so I did not send Gillian – but Gillian & I took a
walk to the school & had a chat with her and got
the above information. It was Miss Player who came to the
door and I asked her what she would do. She said
she’d risk it – I think I will. I had a nice little

4.
chat with Miss Weir. I enquired of Miss Woodruff. She
has gone to help a friend somewhere who has started a
school. Gillian misses her. Very much but says that
the two new ones have lovely smiles. Miss Chamberlain
is her name. Gillian seems happy enough but says
they tell her she must “learn to be quiet.” I think
that a jolly good thing but know it is a hard lesson
for Gillian. She also says they sometimes want her
to try and do things that are too difficult. I don’t
want Gillian to talk of difficulties but thought perhaps
the new teachers did not realise how young she is and
how size and brightness make them expect too much.
I had a little chat with Miss W. about this. She said that
she had of course left Miss Chamberlain to find her own
feel for a few days – but that will tell her about individual
children later in time. On Sat I fished out a number
book the parents had given Gillian – the picture is of
a Calec with 6 candles. By that I expect the book
is meant for a 8 year old. But Gillian’s quick mind had
no difficulty at all – e.g. How many balls must you add
to 000 to make 7. She said 4 of Cavae without hesitation
Then what number goes between 7 .... 10? Gillian
could fill it in easily – her grey matter is all right.
I heard her telling her dolls a story tonight. This is it.

5.
“There was once a giant – a very bad giant so everyone
called him Hitler. He was really a man – but had to
be a giant – now what must we do with him? Hop
him up – wrop him into the Vacuum cleaner – or
even pull him right out of the world –
But there was once a King – a very good
King – He was so happy – His name was Jesus
He made all the evil men good – “
Doesn’t she get right to the root of things –
We met a man with one leg. Thinking of the Hayd
Story of the one legged man I wondered what Gillian
would say – “Mother – what happened to that man’s
other leg?”
Valerie sent a Christmas Card – and some handkerchiefs.
I believe she made the Christmas Card.
Penna develops quickly now. I let her out of the pen
a lot now and she enjoys the big room. But has bumps
on her head as she falls down more in her headlong rushes.
By the way Petrin very much likes the little back
dining room – my study.
I’m looking forward to your next letter – I’ve had with (since)
your last Sunday (every long day in Tuesday) you sounded tired
or depressed tonight. Were you dead? How is that pain of your
If it was rheumatism I’m afraid the wet cold weather will

6.
not help it. Do rub it with the green labelled Iodex – it really
does help. My shoulders ache quite a lot but my muscles
that were affected in Cambridge are much better – only a little
stiff in the morning – This winter I’m not living under the fear
of suddenly becoming miserable – as I did last winter – that
threat seems to be passing – I do hope my darling are
that your pain has quite gone –
Your photos in your new utility are precious to us – They help
me to picture you in your new surroundings – That empty
Chair appalls you calls us so. Darling I’ll come just whenever
you want me.
The electric bill you put to me is so awful in the evening – We
hook the flex in the Central light hook and it dangles just
above my head. Thank you my darling one.
The news said that a house & 2 bungalows in Cornwall were
hit – We know no more except that we had a (3 1/2 thick)
since last night – no inconvenience as we had only the
day before thoroughly aired the mountain bed & made it up fresh –
I’m longing for your letter – God bless you my darling one.
All my love Ada.
Hope last week was not quite so hectic and
that you found comfort in your study to make
up for the weather – we get sunshine periods
but always wear gum boots. A huge hail storm
woke Penna up night! She chuckled then said “eeeeech like

7.
she does at a plane. I kept quite still the noisy
storm only amused her – When I chuckled too
she burst out laughing – but went to sleep again before
the storm stopped.

Monday
night
for school
Gillian & Richard
this week
but first kept
her back
new coat
& jacket

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People mentioned

- Gillian
- Penna
- Miss Rickett
- Miss Petrin
- Mr. Petrin
- Douglas
- Deana Baird
- Anne Evans
- Miss Weir
- Miss Player
- Miss Woodruff
- Miss Chamberlain
- Valerie
- Hitler
- Jesus
- Ada
- Richard

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Topics

- family life
- children's education
- health
- home maintenance
- local news
- war impact
- personal well-being
- gardening

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Uncertain words / phrases

- whiskers
- Hayd
- Calec
- Cavae
- 3 1/2 thick

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Archivist notes

- A side note on page 7, rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise, provides an update on Gillian and Richard's school preparations.

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Context suggestions

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

```json
{
"people": [
"Deana Baird",
"Anne Evans",
"Miss Woodruff",
"Miss Chamberlain",
"Valerie",
"Richard",
"Miss Petrin",
"Mr. Petrin"
],
"places": [
"Morwenstow Church",
"Holsworthy",
"St Patricks",
"St Catherines"
],
"common_phrases": [
"All my love Ada",
"God bless you my darling one"
],
"spelling_notes": [
"whiskers (unclear meaning in context of heather, but transcribed as written)",
"Calec (unclear book illustration)",
"Cavae (unclear word in math problem)",
"Miss Petrin (possibly a separate person from Mr. Petrin, or an initial misread, as 'him' is later used for Petrin)"
],
"relationships": {
"Gillian": "daughter",
"Penna": "daughter",
"Richard": "son",
"Ada": "wife"
}
}
```

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