Family Update from the Vicarage

Date: 2026-05
Sender: unknown
Recipient: unknown
Location: The Vicarage, Poughill, Cornwall
Original scan: 2026-05-family-update-vicarage.pdf




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Summary

The letter provides a family update from the Vicarage in Cornwall, detailing health improvements, a recent farm visit, interactions with local people, and plans for a holiday. The writer describes the children's wellbeing and joyous activities, the kindness of local people, and their own comfortable stay while caring for the family.

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Transcription

The Vicarage, Poughill, Cornwall
Friday May 1

My own darling One

I’m wondering what news you have from Bath. It will come in time — meanwhile let me tell you our news & cheer you up. I think this holiday is being a great success — already I believe Gillian’s cough is gone and my tongue so clean I can fully enjoy the flavours of tea etc. Denna who was perfectly well when we came is as lonesy & rosy as can be — and losing the last remnant of shyness and growing so independent in all her little affairs — she will thoroughly enjoy school when she goes. Gillian is sun-browned & very freckly and so happy she is making up poetry on it!! this sort of thing —

“When I’m very good I’m happy happy happy
And Mummy is happy too
When I’m moderately good I’m rather happy
And Mother is moderately happy too
Oh I’m so happy happy happy and I will also be good!”

This she says is the first chapter — We’ve discovered Mrs Russell but her little girl Jean has had middle-ear trouble 3 times this winter and has just had her treatment — her nose is running all the time & her mother thinks she may be infectious — so perhaps we’d better avoid them a bit —

This morning we went for a walk — found a lovely farm & enquired if we could at anytime stay there — We found that the farm was run by a Mrs. Edward who has girl twins age 12 & a boy somewhere near the same age — Her husband in some Govt. job — It costs her £1000 a year to run it — she sells nothing, simply runs it for her children. However she let us spend the whole morning on it & gave us each a glass of just milked milk — warm for the cow — and Gillian drank it!! Everyone on the farm was

[illegible] a pet — and showed it by rubbing against us in a delightful way. We saw — the cow and its dear little calf — a pony — and Gillian & Denna had a haystack ride — the twins Mary & Anne were jolly — dressed in riding breeches but Mary particularly you would have liked. There were ducks on a pond — two families of ducklings — some only just hatched

goose & goslings — the garden was the only nice thing. Turkeys — the great turkey cock put up his tail & got purple in the face to Gillian’s delight but was not really fierce —

A sow & lots of the dearest little piglets — The sow ran around us like a happy dog & snuggled up to us — We helped catch the little piglets & put them in a sack to be taken into the barn as they were getting sunburned. They were lovely & bold — reminded me of your baby cats. A sheep had twin lambs only two days old — we nursed one of those — There were cats and a very friendly dog — rather a pup — I never knew an old sow could be so intelligent, lively & really seemed to be affectionate — she was herself not quite a year old.

Well we stayed there the whole morning with all these creatures in a glorious orchard in full bloom — There were plenty of fowls — It did the children a world of good — I loved to see them with all these animals

round them and such friendly animals. Mrs. Burgess tells me they are rich people who think money will buy everything — but she has worn herself out and is badly needing rest — is very nervous and gives anyone who serves her a very bad time. Had a tutor for her children etc — but can’t get another.

I am very comfortable here at the Vicarage and in the afternoon we do weeding with Mrs. B of her garden — High tea at 5:30 — Cocoa & sandwiches at 9 p.m.

Sat May 2.

Tonight a "mock invasion" starts here. Mrs. Burgess says that in one place all the "civilians" were lined up in front of their own houses for ages — so just in case I don’t have a chance to post — or even write & go on Sunday I’ve decided to finish this letter and post it today.

Oh the views from the Vicarage windows you must certainly come and see them one day. You need not fear that I’ll

get too involved with these folk as the Bude Vicar will not let Mrs. B visit in his Parish! Still they are giving me so many extra cups of tea — as they say they are only too pleased to have an extra in-between meals cup themselves. So I’ve invited them to pop in and have one with me any time they are in Bude. She is a very energetic little woman — quiet & capable — and quite intelligent. He is rather a softy. The Radio is only put on for news and three times a day & so loud that no one need move from the room or work they are doing. As breakfast is at 8:15 we are dressing (rather noisily) at that time & don’t hear it. Dinner is at 1 p.m — and the looming news is not even turned off for grace!!!

I have two rooms — and with all the fresh air the children go off & sleep at once & sleep till 7 a.m. But I can’t sit in either room in the evenings as I’d disturb them with the light. So go down to the dining room with Mrs. B during the evening where we sit & do needlework & talk. So letter writing is a little difficult I began this letter in the dining room

last night as I got their first — but when Mrs. B came in she simply could not refrain from offering me the local paper & discussing her own article (Dora Burgess) in it, no more writing.

Now this morning Gillian and Denna are practising in a scrap book while I write — it is just a little distracting — but you’ll understand if I miss telling you the things you

Mrs. Burgess just lives in his study — He said to me yesterday "Your holiday is beginning to do you good." So I must look better. I’ve had two whole nights sleep. 8 hrs each and feel even so much better for them.

I’m going to look out for a farm for the purpose of a holiday — and Mrs. B has told me of one between Widemouth Bay & no

But I shall not need any more this year and once I’ve caught up with my health as I’m doing very quickly, now I’ll be far happier in my own home — which owing to the loving care and forethought of my darling are is really the most convenient and comfortable little home I’ve ever seen.

The servant question is acute — I suppose and Bude being oversrun with rich eases

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People mentioned

- Gillian
- Denna
- Mrs. Russell
- Jean
- Mrs. Edward
- Mrs. Burgess
- Mr. Burgess
- Dora Burgess
- Bude Vicar
- Mary
- Anne

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Topics

- family health
- children
- farm visit
- animals
- local community
- holiday plans
- daily life

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Uncertain words / phrases

- lonesy
- Denna
- Mrs. Edward
- Bude
- Mary
- Anne
- mock invasion
- Dora Burgess
- Widemouth Bay
- rich eases

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Archivist notes

- Letter contains six handwritten pages.
- Author is staying at The Vicarage in Poughill, Cornwall.
- Mentions local people and farm visit with detailed observations on animals and children.
- References a 'mock invasion' event starting on May 2.
- Health and wellbeing of the children highlighted, including specifics about illnesses and recovery.
- Some names and words are unclear or rare - 'lonesy' possibly 'loosey' or 'rosy'; 'Bude' likely a place or local name.
- Letter portrays a personal and warm family update with references to local community life.

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