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Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France on 'Jan 22 1917'

He had spent the evening with Cosmo Gordon who was 4 miles away. He was much nicer than he used to be and had married Frances Graham the sister of Bertie Graham who was with them in Wales when he went with the O’ Malleys and Ursula. Cosmo was a Grenadier Guard in a Stokes Mortar battery. He thought she would like him and hoped they would see them after the war. They had an son aged 8 months.

He was tired and had to start again at 8am with Lithgow.

Was glad she was thrilled with Kipling's account of the Battle of Jutland and thanks her for sending copies of the Spectator.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Fletcher had written asking him to take advantage of an Army Council order and return to Charterhouse. Had agreed to the application being made as soon as the Armistice was declared as he was keen to return as soon as possible. Asks her to tell the O'Malleys about it [they were tenants at the Holt] so they could find alternative accommodation.

Thanks her for the flour and advises about what cakes she should send out and at what intervals.

Likes the photo of her and Berry. Refers to comments she made in her last letter in which she said he made different appearances in her mind and that he thought they weren't all very agreeable. Asks whether he appears as a domestic tyrant irritable and unkind. Says things will be different when they are living together again and that she need not have any fears for the future.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Had meant to answer her letters before dinner last night but had written to Mary Ann and after dinner he was very tired. Mary Ann had asked when he was likely to be back. They thought it would be six months after an armistice was called. This was silly as quite a large number would be gradually released as soon as an armistice was fixed and before general demobilisation. It was uncertain as they they didn’t know what reply the A. C. would make to Fletcher’s application [to release him early as he was a school master]. Would need to consider the situation regarding the supply of coal over the winter. Couldn’t turn the O’Malleys out of the Holt or themselves into the cold so they might have to live at Westbrook for 10 weeks.

Was sorry she wasn’t able to see the desired exponent of Montessori but she had been successful in getting the apparatus.

Glad his letters were arriving more regularly. Had she received the one in which he asked for a plane and a chisel? If not then she needn’t bother about it.

Liked what she said about Will and Ka who were a lovely couple. It would be a joy to knot up friendships after the war. They would have a sense of wonderful freedom from a depressing load after the war. He wrote to David that he felt that the sum of all the springs was bursting upon them. The only jar to their happiness would be his personal ambitions and she would have to help him keep them in order.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Sends his Christmas wishes for her and describes the new room he has moved into a short distance from the mess. He would be able to spend a great deal of time there except for occasional duties as orderly officer and a French class he was going to start for a few of the men.

Morning - the bed was comfortable. He was busy writing Xmas letters and would write to Mary and Mary Ann. He was annoyed they had rushed them out of the Holt but it wasn’t their fault. He thought it was Fletcher’s fault as he should have found out that demobilisation would be taken out of the hands of the War Office as soon as the armistace was signed and so applied for his release before the armistace and then let him refuse if the war had continued. He should have let them know at once that the arrangements had fallen through.

Was glad she was getting on well about servants. £35 sounded a lot for wages but supposed paying extra was worth it for good servants. Hadn’t heard if he had secured the purchase of the painting in Paris. What would she do about labour for the garden at the Holt? It might take 9 months to get demobilised but might not take that long.

Had two photos of her and Clare on his mantlepiece. Sends his love to her father, Mildred and Marjorie, the Lawrence Turners and the Haves Turners.

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?

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.

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.

Morning - Informs him she is about to leave for London. Hopes that his letters have not been stopped by the censor.

Afternoon - Informs him she has arrived at Bridget's house in London. Describes her journey there. Discusses whether he has received confirmation of a £250 legacy from his Aunt. Asks him which photographs he wants to keep. Discusses the progress of the war and his position within it. Intends to make a visit to Ursula and Mary Anne. Updates him on Clare.

Morning - Intends to visit Alison and Mrs Steel. Describes the weather and its affects on her father's hay he is selling at auction.

Afternoon - Describes her activities with Bridget, Alison, Olive Smedley and Ursula. Discusses Mary Anne's intentions to holiday by the sea and suggests using the Holt as a nursery for the children; if the Greens agree. Tells him she misses him and intends to send him socks for his birthday. Wishes him happy birthday. Describes a picture of Will Arnold-Forster in Monte Fiano. Discusses her housekeeping skills and relationships with servants.

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.

Morning - Discusses his present location and problems with poisoned water supplies. Surmises that he is north of Ypres. Expresses her opinions on her friendship group and their different relationships with each other. Thinks Mary Anne is looking well.

Afternoon - Describes her lunch and the journey home. Intends to buy Shakespeare's Sonnets as he suggested. Intends to contact the Reades. She has sent him ham and cake from Buzzards. Tells him she loves him.

She is home at Westbrook with Diana and Olive Kennedy. Informs him that Bob is to be made a temporary Lieutenant Colonel. Describes how the children play together. Expresses her wish to see him and hopes his conditions are not too bad. Asks for his opinions on war and discusses her thoughts on when the right time to attack would be. Asks if he would like a Christmas pudding sent to him. Requests that he tell her the name of his new Major. Marjorie and Mary Anne are coming to stay and brining their own sugar. Informs him they have made £50 from the sale of 80 trees sold by her father. Her father intends to clear the common of trees.

Describes her environment while sitting for breakfast. Mary Anne is expected to visit with Jane and stay in the attic rooms. Describes the bed Aunt Polly has lent them. Discusses Clare’s progress compared with Jean Kennedy. Voices her concerns for Owen and Mary Anne due to Owen suffering with his nerves at work. She hopes he is keeping well and compares his surroundings with Owen. Expresses her depression over the war. Discusses her feelings towards him and compares the security he gives her to her mother. Expresses her thoughts on moral issues. Asks him if he has done much shooting. Reassures him she is trying to stay sociable. Discusses their opinions on the characters of Stephen and Bridget. Confirms her opinion that women who have children are working too.

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.

She has been busy looking after Clare in Violet's absence. Mary Anne, Owen and Ursula are expected to stay. Tells him she retrieved The Dowager Empress of China book from the Holt and updates him on how the Green's are looking after their house and possessions. Discusses the garden at the Holt. She is pleased the house is being looked after. Is happy that the news about the war is good.

Discusses the progress of the German trenches. Describes her father's relationship with Owen and Mary Anne. Describes the servants annoyance at having to move guests about the house. Talks about her domestic duties. Hopes that her letters will still get through to him. Discusses her feelings about soldiers being wounded and sent home. Is enjoying having Clare to herself. Wonders how domestic duties will be allocated when Marjorie leaves. Tells him she misses 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.

Sunday 9 July - Informs him that the Clutton-Brocks are expected to tea. Tells him about the gardener leaving after sixteen years of service. Describes the man applying for the gardener position as a retired soldier with ‘shell shock’. Describes her morning activities; gardening, looking after Clare and painting china. Intends to send him pictures of Clare. Expresses her feelings about the progress of the war.

Monday 10 July – She has received his letter and reassures him they are all happy with the progress of the war. Expresses her sadness to hear that Uncle Arthur’s youngest son has been killed and her sadness at all the death.

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 the weather. Asks him if he has changed positions and discusses whether he has applied to do aeroplane observation. Discusses the progress of the war. She intends to send him a chocolate cake. Is glad he likes her letters. Describes her recent activities of flower arranging and designing china patterns. Describes a trip to Piccards Rough in the pony cart. Informs him she has sent his letters on to David, Mrs Reade and Mary Anne. Discusses financial matters and intends to send their books to Mr Raxworthy. Is happy to receive his letters.

Wednesday 9 August - Is happy to have his letter and wishes she could know more about his Battery's position. Explains that she is writing from the train to Aldeburgh with Mr and Mrs Langton. Describes how she found rooms to stay in for their holiday. Describes the cottages she will stay in and tells him about the landlady. Describes her journey on the train.

Thursday 10 August – Describes the rest of her journey home. Discusses his feelings about the construction of the observation post at Armentieres. Asks him if Captain Lithgow is with him. Discusses the difference between the east coast and Dorset coast. Is happy to hear he has applied for leave. Discusses a rumour she has heard about an offensive attack approaching and the progress of the war. Asks his opinion on the Portuguese entering the war. Tells him how much she misses him and longs for the end of the war. Describes the garden. Informs him she had heard from Mary Anne that Persis Tallents is ill. Intends to write to Bridget.

Describes her thoughts on remembering his face and character. Describes her morning activities. Reminisces about exploring Heddon's Mouth with him. Discusses the progress of the war. Describes meeting Dorothea Fox and her intention to visit Prior Fields. Tells him about a garden fete for the Red Cross Hospital. Expresses her wish to have visitors when she gets home. Tells him about Mrs Philip Fletcher's new baby.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from Pen y Pass on Saturday

He had gone to the power station to get permission from Lieutenant Fisher to use the road to get to Lliwedd. Their attempt to get him to come to dinner had failed. He wouldn't be deterred from climbing on Lliwedd. O'Malley had landed in the angle of a rock and struggled gasping like a fish which was very funny. Cottie and her two men were due to arrive and he hoped they would get a little climb in before dinner.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from Pen y Pass on Monday

Cottie’s party had arrived and he quite liked her husband. They had been to Tryfaen and climbed the Central Buttress, five on the rope - Bertie Graham was stiff and slow and Owen was quite active and promising. Cottie had been the greatest encumbrance to their progress as her muscles were feeble but she had lead a bit towards the top which was better. She would soon recover herself. His boots were a great success and he was feeling fit. Ursula [Nettleship] was expected to arrive that day and Hugh would leave the following day. He had bathed in the lake above the hotel that morning for the first time. He had been reading some interesting essays by Jane Harrison, one was about the prejudices faced by women and what their position ought to be.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from Pen y Pass on Wednesday

He had been for a delicious bathe in the little lake. On the previous day Owen had cut his hand and couldn’t climb so he had conducted Ursula and Bertie Graham on an easy climb. They met Cottie and Owen at the top and he and Cottie climbed on Clogwyn y Ddysgl and then walked along the ridge towards Snowdon. Then down the zig zag path and along the Pip Track which didn’t get them back until past dinner time.

Was urging people to get ready and hoped to go to the Buttress of Lliwedd. They hadn’t got their pass yet but he thought they could avoid the sentries again. He was due to leave on Friday [6 August] and sleep the night at Birkenhead and he thought Trafford would have arrived before him [he was to collect his father and then spend a week travelling with him in Yorkshire]. Asks her to send her letters to Birkenhead as he didn’t know where they would be in Yorkshire.

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.
 

Letter to Ruth Mallory, written from Pen y Pass on Friday

He was leaving Pen y Pass that day to travel to meet his father and Trafford, although he still hadn’t heard where they would be. He describes the previous days climbing which included walking over Mynedd Mawr which had a wonderful view of all the Snowdon group, stopping for a cup of tea in Snowdon village before walking over the flank of Snowdon and the top of Lliwedd getting back at 8.30pm. Ursula was a good walker and showed no signs of having been unduly exhausted. Was sorry Cottie had not been able to go with them. The group had a great deal of fun and good talk. Bertie Graham was a solid good natured Scot with a real sense of humour. He liked Owen but thought he was a professional pessimist and it was a pity he was so unfit. He hadn’t been reading the papers carefully but it was a comfort that the German losses must have been very big.

Update's him on her father's health. Is glad that he has been able to meet some friends. Discusses her opinions of Owen, Mary Anne and Bridget. Describes the cold weather and her loathing of it. Tells him that the nurse for her father has been dismissed and herself, Mildred and Marjorie will take over. Update's him on Clare's progress.