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Describes in detail a conversation she had with Mrs Brock about religious and moral behaviour and interest rates. Describes the plans herself and Beagly have for the garden at the Holt. Tells him she has taken back the pots Mr Green was using. Asks him questions about Captain Bell and Captain Lithgow. Describes Clare playing with Violet and hopes that she will turn out to be clever.

Updates him on Clare's activities. Describes her feelings towards Harry and his relationship with Avie, and compares the household with St John's Vicarage. Informs him that she is going to Birkenhead. Discusses her thoughts on raising children.

Hopes he had a nice Christmas and tells him what she received from Marjorie, Mildred, Bob [Major Robert Morgan, husband of Ruth sister Mildred], and her father. She has not gone to church due to feeling unwell. Discusses her book The Meaning of Good. Explains that the house is busy so she will seek quiet in the nursery with the baby. Asks for the Pen y Pass address.

Describes her visit to Nancy Warr with Clare and how she got on the wrong boat on the way back to the vicarage. Expresses her feelings about Clare and how much she misses him. Tells him of her activities with his father. Informs him that she is due to see submarine work at the cinema and describes life at the vicarage. Asks him questions about his location and what his tasks are in the war.

Tells him she has not received any letters for the last three days and the children have colds. Informs him that she has sent him Mr Rendalls Christmas book of Winchester photographs. Describes the weather. Expresses her feeling that writing is difficult because she hopes he will come home instead. Updates him on news from David and Jelly. Expresses her opinion on finding passages from the Bible. Apologises for the uninteresting letters and puts it down to not reading. Tells him about singing around the piano with Aunt Polly.

Informs him she is going to London with Bice and Mildred. Updates him on Clare's progress and the meeting with the doctor. Tells him about a letter she received from his mother and discusses him arriving on leave at Birkenhead. Describes a design she helped her father with. Tells him she will search at the Holt for Roderick Hudson by Henry James. Informs him that Trafford has been home on leave.

Informs him that she has had a letter from the Headmaster saying that he may come back at once. Tells him she will wire the letter but he won't receive it before Christmas. Expresses her excitement for his return and tells him she has told Mary Anne. Thanks him for his Christmas letter.

Discusses her opinions on each of the photographs. Decides which ones to send to his friends.

Full Transcript

29, Courtfield Road,
S.W.
My dearest
It is most awfully hot here, but I have not had at all a bad day, we just sat comfortably all the morning and shoped a Liberty from our favorite shop man. I seem to have bought an awful lot of things but I made a careful list before I started so I don’t think I got any thing that I don’t more or less need. I have bought two pieces of stuff for ties for you if you like them. I have not begun climbing things yet. I am going to tea with Doris tomorrow and I think I shall go to the British Museum before that, and that will be lovely. I have a lot of patterns for Mary.

I have just had to stop in the middle of this letter to talk and give tea to an Aunt & Cousin of Alisons because neither she nor Mrs Steel are in. Alison warned me that they were dull. The Aunt however is not so bad she will at least talk but the girl hasn’t a word to say for herself.

I am so sorry for all the dull dreary people who have to live in London and for all the silly smart ones who want to. But I am much sorriest for the smart ones in grand clothes because there is not even any good in it. I wonder if you will ever have to live in London dear, I suppose there are realy a lot of compensations.

Good night & morning dearest I wish I could write a psalm poem about you & my love for you.
Your loving Ruth

Reflects on when he might get leave. Describes a visit to the William's house. Expresses her wish for Clare to start talking. Describes a funny moment between Clare and Violet. Discusses her opinions on The Times article about the Education Bill. Describes her plans for the Baby Welfare group, focusing on pre-natal care. Expresses her thoughts on military service. Sends him her love.

Evening - Informs him that Mary Anne has influenza and she is taking care of Diana. Tells him about having Car and Mr Reade for dinner.

Morning - Describes her night with Diana. Reflects on her feeling for Mr Reade. Tells him she is requesting help from Mrs Steel with Diana and Lilly while everyone is ill. Updates him on Mary Anne's health. Expresses her desire to help the O'Malley's financially. Is glad that she came to London.

Full Transcript

Marine Hotel,
Selsey,
nr Chichester.

My Dear George
I am writing this first thing on Tuesday morning & I am going up the village to try & get it off by the first post. Marjorie has written asking us to alter our day of returning if possible because of Father's fishing, so if Aunt Rosamond can have us on Wednesday we shall come home then.
I don't think either of us will mind one day less.
The weather looks a bit better today I think we shall have sun on & off.
Yesterday we left the BBs about six & reversed the walk we did on Saturday evening with them. It was misty & quite grey & very very beautiful walking along the wide wet sands with nothing but sand & sky to look at. One felt so far away from every thing and so much just a little bit of it all. I do like to feel like that. There's the sea the trees the flowers the birds & to feel just one of them instead of a person apart as one does in houses that is good.
I can feel more part of the spring and of it all than I have ever felt before because I'm doing what its all doing & making more. I must go on with this letter any longer or Im[sic] afraid shall miss the post. I hope I haven't.

Very much love
Ruth

Describes in detail the events of Clare’s birthday. Describes trying to start an electric engine with her father. Tells him how she has boxed his cake to send to him. Describes in detail her visits by Mr Green, and Mrs Musson. Thanks him for his letter to Clare. Acknowledges his previous letter about being shelled and the problem with rats and mice. Discusses the progress of the war. Tells him about her father getting hurt falling from a tree.

Describes in detail her tea party at Prior fields with Dorothea Fox. Informs him that it it Clare's birthday and updates him on her progress. Describes in detail Mr Fanshawe's sermon about helping immoral neighbours and discusses her thoughts on it. Expresses her happiness for the day and her love for him. Tells him she has sent is cake.

She has received his letter and looks forward to his return. Discusses the question of where to keep the bicycles. Describes her morning activities: walking and designing plates. Gives her opinions on the Dawn of Russia.

Describes in detail the conversation she had with Mary Anne about the teaching of young children. Informs him that she has been in touch with the Secretary of the Montessori Society regarding the apparatus. Discusses plans for moving into the Holt after he is demobilised. Tells him about the apples and other items she has sent him. Updates him on her father's health. Tells him about the O'Malley's plans to move closer to London. Discusses the progress of the war.

Updates him on how she is feeling and suspects there is a bug going through the house. Expresses her wish for the end of the war. Describes Clare’s symptoms and her progress. Expresses her opinions about generosity. Describes hearing a military band in London. Discusses Boswell’s book. Tells him she loves him.

Updates him on Clare’s illness. Describes the Arts and Crafts Exhibition she attended with her father. Expresses in what ways she misses him. Asks him about his upcoming trip to Amiens. Tells him she is feeling unwell and describes her symptoms.

She has sent his clothes on to him. Apologises for the tone of her last letter. The issue with the coal had been resolved and discusses where to keep it. She is glad that she has received his letters and that he is having a nice time at Fountains Abbey. Asks him for the photographs from his trip. Tells him her plans for the garden. Asks him if he intends to go to Cambridge. Discusses the progress of the war. Intends to have Mrs Radcliffe round for tea. Asks him to date his letters in future.

Complains that the coal has not been delivered. Informs him that Mildred and Marjorie are back from London with an engagement ring. Describes the new design on her plate. Discusses her book Old Wives Tales. She hopes to hear from him soon and tells him she misses him.

Describes making a pneumonia jacket. Tells him about her morning with Mrs Brock and Constance Mussen. Describes an article from The Times read out loud by her father regarding wounded Prussian soldiers. Describes the plants she is purchasing from Miss Jekyll and Mr Clutton-Brock. Tells him she has sent his parcel and describes the contents, including pot pourri. Asks him if he wants to sell a bicycle that is in the shed. Updates him on Clare’s teeth. Expresses her wish to have him home. Discusses Mr Brock’s sermon for St Martin’s in the Field and Winchester. Discusses the price of cardboard boxes. Tells him she loves him and admires him.

Expresses her feelings on their relationship. Discusses the Little Book of Essays by Stephenson. Expresses her opinions about jealousy in marriage. She has had a letter from Robert Graves and discusses its contents. Gives her opinion about deep thinking and encourages him to keep writing. Describes her morning activities. Discusses sending him apples and vegetables. Tells him about how busy she is and that she will send him a ginger cake. Discusses her father’s article on planning gardens. Assures him she won’t allow him to become lazy. Updates him on Clare’s progress.

Discusses the progress of the war and tells him about soldiers being given rum so that they can attack whilst drunk. Tells him she thinks Clare will grow up to be a dentist. Describes gardening at the Holt. Expresses her problems with depression. Tells him about her plans for the garden. Describes a disagreement between her father, Mr Benson, Mr Cockerell and Mr Gimson regarding chairs for the Senate House as part of the S.P.A.B.

Praises the quick postal service and hopes he is having a nice time with his father, despite the bad weather. Expresses her wish to be there. Encourages him to stay longer and look for a present for Marjorie’s birthday. Tells him of her morning activities; having her hair washed and china painting. Asks about the date for Trafford’s wedding. Discusses how they intend to educate their children. Tells him her father, Mildred and Major Morgan have gone fishing at Eut

She is glad his boots are a success and that he is having a good time. Offers to send him socks originally knitted for soldiers. Tells him of the weather and their activities that day. Informs him of Marjorie's arrival and how well she is looking. Tells him that Captain Morgan was successful in obtaining leave and she expects him to arrive that Thursday. Requests to have the essays of Jane Harrison.

Asks him how his bank holiday faired. She had finished making a dress. She can't pay the butcher's bill because they have mislaid their accounts. Is expecting Mrs Brock [wife of Arthur Clutton-Brock] to bring Alan and John to tea. Discusses her book of old wives tales and asks him if he has read Wives and Daughters. She is expecting Alison the next Monday and has not heard from Trafford or Doris.

She hopes he has had a good time in Wales. Is sorry to hear of Mr Pye's recent appendix operation. Tells him of the work she has been doing making up patterns. Major Morgan is expected and is being met by Marjorie and Mildred at the station. Asks him if they could ask David Pye to visit. Hopes that he will have a good time in Yorkshire with his father and Trafford and tells him not to feel blue when at Birkenhead.

Voices her opinions about making friends and how people fall in love. Expresses how much she misses him. Describes listening to a military band. Tells him she has written to his mother, Aunt Jessie and Alison. Describes a trip out in a pony cart.

Acknowledges and discusses the contents of his last letter. Tells him about the photographs that have come back. Updates him on her father's health. Expresses her love for him.

Discusses the longevity of the war. Describes a conversation with Marjorie Waterhouse about the morale of the Germans. Updates him on Clare’s progress and informs him on the pay rise for Violet. Describes the trouble they have had with the electric lighting. Describes Clare’s temper.