Letter from George to Ruth Mallory written from France
She was keeping up their correspondence better than him in the circumstances. He was still hoping every day for news of his release. Was trying to write his lecture [on civics] but it was too vast a subject. Was glad the Head Master had been to see her. He had heard from Allen who had no hopes for a speedy release and who said the Head Master showed no interest in the subject.
What plans did she have for moving into the Holt? Thinks he will need some bookcases. Had his case arrived from Paris?
Explains that this is the second letter of the day written to him. Reiterates details from her previous letter. Intends to have Mary Anne, Owen, Diana and Ursula to visit at Westbrook. Expresses her anxieties about the war. Intends to visit Mary and Ralph while in London. Asks him again if he has received a cheque for £250 from his aunt's legacy. Advises him to write to her lawyers. She will forward his address to Birkenhead.
Tells him she plans to make butter while Mildred goes fishing with father. Describes Mary Anne spending time with her father. Discusses in depth her thoughts and beliefs on religion. Expresses her wish to develop her own faith either separately or together with him. Sends her first letter back to him.
Expresses her anxiety over the war and hopes he is safe. Informs him that Olive's husband is being sent back to the trenches. Describes her activities that week; visit from Owen, Playing with the children in the garden, picking strawberries with Mary Anne and Marjorie and going for walks. Describes the weather and asks him about the weather in France. Tells him she misses his company. She is planning a skiing holiday with Owen and Mary Anne. Informs him they have made £50 from the sale of her father's fir trees from the common. Informs him she has received his letter.
4 July – She has received his letter requesting she write every other day instead of daily. Discusses the progress of the war. Is sorry to hear he has temporarily lost his hearing and asks him about ear protectors. Tells him about bathing in the river with Ursula. Discusses the content of her letters and expresses her wish to have more children. Tells him of a poem Mary Anne wrote about Owen entitled The Angry Man.
5 July – Discusses the progress of the war and what she has read in the paper about underground passages. Mr Raxworthy thinks the war will be over by the end of the year. Hopes that he will describe his officers to her in his next letter. Discusses his idea of shifts. Expresses her opinion of his friends.
7 July - She intends to write to Avie and Doris Turner. Tells him Doris had only achieved a fourth at Oxford. She has received his letter and is sorry he is having a bad time. Discusses the progress of the war and wishes for peace. Tells him how Clare has caught a cold from Mary Anne. Describes her visit to the Brocks. Discusses Mr Brock’s review of his book. Tells him she has had visits from Aunt Beatrice, Uncle Bertie, Aunt Agnes and Uncle Peter.
8 July – Tells him about her morning; Marjorie let the ferrets out resulting in an accident involving Clare falling out the pram. Discusses the progress of the war and reflects on helping at the hospitals. Informs him she will send him a cake.
Morning - Describes her morning activities; feeding Clare, breakfast, helping Marjorie with the Church flowers. Describes dress shopping with Marjorie.
Afternoon – Informs him that Bob has been made temporary Lieutenant Colonel, earning extra money. Describes Clare playing. Describes Constance Mussen’s visit and compares her baby to Clare. Tells him she thinks Clare will make a good climber. Discusses going on a climbing holiday to Wales with Ursula and Mary Anne. Apologises for sending the potatoes before she received his letter saying don’t send them. Describes Harry’s experience of the war. Discusses the progress of the war and the opinion of Mr Powell regarding open warfare. Discusses the use of gas and a rumour of a reviving substance. Informs him Trafford has been sent to France. Expresses her wish to have a son. Asks him about his location. Tells him she loves and misses him.
Describes her walk to the Holt and a conversation she had with Mrs Radcliffe. Tells him about a letter Marjorie received from Mr Caldercott and relays news about Mary Anne organising Diana's stay. Informs him that there is still German measles at Charterhouse. Updates him on Clare's progress and tells him about Clare's new appreciation of music. Acknowledges the parcel he sent to her. Tells him she is sending him pictures of Clare. Updates him on her health.
Acknowledges his last letter. Describes in detail how Ralph has measles and expresses her concern for everyone's health. Reflects on how different their life is now and what their life might be like when he is home. Expresses her irritation at having to rest in the afternoons.
Acknowledges his last letter and expresses her concern for the repercussions of him losing the secret code book. Advises him to use the product his mother sent him for his ankle. Expresses her concern for his safety and her happiness that he is set up well in his new location. Tells him he must be careful at his observation post. Updates him on Clare's sleeping routine. Describes the flowers in the garden. Discusses Owen and Mary Anne's relationship. Asks him what he would like sent to him.
Asks if she can have a batch of envelopes censor stamped to speed up the postal service. Describes her morning walks with Clare and Violet. Expresses her concern for the war. Tells him Ursula has visited and Mary Anne has got some new work. Describes her morning activities. Asks his opinion on her working at a hospital store to help the war effort. Is amused at his story of giving away her ticket to French children as a souvenir. Expresses her wish to go on climbing holidays with him after the war.
Updates him on her health. Expresses her impatience to have him home. Tells him she has heard from David and updates him on his news and news on Jelly. Informs him of a meeting she wants to attend called the Young Wives Association but can't because she is still too ill. Discusses financial matters surrounding the Montessori classes. Tells him of the local poor population that have died with the flu and the books she has been reading. Expresses her anxiety that Violet might leave.
Describes the weather. Acknowledges his letter stating he was playing football with Trafford. Tells him about the cat getting stuck in the door. Expresses her worries over not being ready to teach the Montessori classes. Describes her conversations with Mary Anne when she came for tea. Informs him that David Pye is coming to visit. Discusses what servants they will need at the Holt. Expresses her opinions about Mary Anne's Young Wives Fellowship group. Expresses her opinions about how to introduce religion to children.
Describes her previous evening's activities. Describes in detail David Pye's arrival and the troubles he encountered getting there. Updates him on David's news. Informs him that Jelly is coming to play at Charterhouse and expresses her wish to go. Updates him on Clare and Berry's progress. Discusses asking the O'Malley's to move out of the Holt in early January.
Tells him about Clare and Beridge attending a party at the Holt. Describes Violet's reaction to receiving her five pound bonus. Describes making a necklace for Marjorie. Asks him for reading suggestions and expresses what she would like to read. Tells him she would have liked to vote in his place. Asks him where in Calais is he located and expresses her fears of him being assigned another task that will keep him from coming home. Expresses her opinions about party politics. Discusses the nature of their friend's marriages and openness of their lives. Tells him she will always use the baby welfare group for doctor's advice because it is paid for by the rates. Sends him Christmas wishes.
Letter to Ruth Mallory, written from Pen y Pass on Thursday
They planned to go to see the Cwellyn country and would get a car to take them the five miles down the hill so they would only have to walk once over Snowdon. The two men fell out yesterday about climbing so he took Cottie and Ursula up the slanting Buttress of Lliwell which had a beautiful view from the top. Cottie was unable to join the party that day which was positively sickening as she was longing to see it.
Asks to hear from him as it has been two days since she has. Informs him that Clare is feeling ill. Describes her search for a launderess. Tells him about attending the study circle and having tea with Constance Mussen. Describes the domestic troubles Mary Anne is facing. Expresses her wish for him to be there to help her.
Morning - Describes her visit to Prior's Field with Clare. Informs him that Bridget is visiting and intends to stay with her soon. Afternoon - Describes her lunch with Marjorie Huxley and Joyce Fletcher. Intends to visit Mary Anne and the Reades. Expresses her fears for his safety and talks about life after the war. Tells him about the prayers at Church for those at sea. She intends to keep herself busy over the summer.
Describes the weather and expresses her concern that he might be feeling the cold. Hopes that his leave won’t come at Christmas. Tells him about her dream. Discusses Boswell’s Life of Johnson and her desire to be able to write poetry. Expresses her wish to have a son. Discusses the progress of the war. Tells him about her day and her intention to write to his mother, Marjorie and Mary Anne.
Updates him on Clare's progress. Asks him about his new curtain and whether he likes the items she sent to him. Tells him she wishes to find Renan's Life of Jesus to read. Discusses the progress of the war. Describes the weather and her morning activities with Clare and Violet. Expresses her happiness at his intended arrival. Informs him of a new master at Charterhouse.
Discusses James' Psychology for advice on keeping cheerful. Asks him about his Major's dug out and his musical evening. Informs him that Bridget has had a daughter. Discusses the progress of the war and her father's thoughts on religion. Describes taking Clare out for a walk and discusses how to bring Clare up. Tells him she will send him some mince pies and intends to read the Tour in the Hebrides. Informs him she will write to Bridget and Mary Anne to ask after Owen's health.
Thursday 28 Dec. evening - Describes a walk with Mrs Kenway and Aunt Patty. Tells him about an upcoming visit from Olive Kennedy. Tells him how she has been keeping cheerful. Describes her progress in learning to play the flute. Discusses the progress of the war. Tells him she has sent him a cake.
Describes the living arrangements of Mary Anne and Owen. Tells him that German measles is spreading through Prior Fields and Doris is keeping her job. Describes a letter from his mother. Expresses her views on religion.
Describes the weather and her surroundings. Expresses her anxiety over him being in danger. Tells him about the setback Mary Anne has experienced with letting her house. Informs him that Trafford has been sent back to the fighting. Asks him about his recent work laying two miles of wire. Is sorry to hear the rats ate his Cheshire cheese. Expresses her wish to be able to do real work. Tells him about six planes flying overhead to the Somme.
Describes the weather and her morning journey into town with Clare. Tells him about her visit to the tax collector. Discusses the progress of the war. Hopes she won't catch German measles. Describes Clare's personality. Asks him about his location, the lost document and Mr Lithgow. Thanks him for writing her letters when he is busy.
Acknowledges the letters she has received from him. Discusses the type of curtain to send him. Discusses the progress of peace talks. Asks him if he has fired his gun. Updates him on her father's health. Reflects on what they will think of each other when he is home and discusses the future.
Discusses in detail the patterns for his curtains. Updates him on her father and Berry's health. Describes what she has been reading in the Oxford Book. Wonders what it would be like to live on a farm. Discusses becoming a member of the Montessori Society and visiting their schools in London. Tells him she has decided on the fabric and pattern for his curtain.
Discusses arrangements for moving back to the Holt. Expresses her enjoyment in reading War and Peace. Informs him of the guests they have arriving. Describes a disagreement between Mrs Woolten, Violet, and Marjorie over cutting back on milk consumption. Reflects on her feeling about the end of the war and when the bells for peace will ring. Expresses her opinion about the German and Russian Revolutions. Tells him about Mary Anne and Owen's plans to move from the Holt.
Writes of her anticipation to hear the news of peace. Discusses moving back to the Holt. Asks him to try and get home as soon as he can. Informs him that the bells have been rung for peace. Describes in detail the atmosphere at Church and in the streets with people celebrating, waving flags, and singing. Expresses her hopes that Clare will remember that day. Updates him on her progress in recruiting Mrs Trew to help with the Montessori classes and recruiting members. Describes a conversation with Bridget and Mary Anne. Hopes that she has articulated how happy and thankful she is with the peace.
Acknowledges his letter and discusses him buying a picture and asking the artist to paint Clare. Reflects on making friends unexpectedly. Expresses her wish to learn French. Describes in detail the Labour meeting about the League of Nations and gives her opinions of it. Updates him on news from Mary and Berry's progress.
