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Thursday 11 Jan. evening - Tells him she is reading The Life of Jesus and that Mildred is not pregnant. Updates him on her Father's health. Discusses the progress of the war and updates him on her flute lessons. Asks him what he is reading and discusses in detail reading A Shepheard's life. Expresses her love for him.

Friday 12 Jan. morning - Describes the news from the papers concerning the position of Greece in the war. Updates him on her father's health.

Describes playing scramble. Describes the weather and tells him of her intention to go to a military service. Tells him about her expedition in a car to visit local churches and describes them in detail. Describes the scenery on their tour. Tells him how she has sourced some cardboard boxes from a local business. Informs that she may not write to him the next day. Discusses the attack on Thiepval and tells him his last letter was opened by the censor.

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.

Asks him about his ankle and what a tapping station is. Discusses the irregularity of the post and tells him about the book she is reading entitled Anne Veronica by H. G. Wells. Acknowledges his suggestion she read Renan’s Life of Jesus. Expresses her opinions on the life of Christ and discusses their opposing viewpoints. Informs him she intends to read Felix Holt and George Eliot. Is glad he has been to Amiens and may get to see Trafford.

Describes the weather and the garden flowers. Tells him about the shopping items that have arrived from London. Informs him she has sent him a parcel. Asks him if he would like a book of Robert Graves' poetry. Describes how Marjorie Waterhouse has nightmares from her shifts at the hospital. Describes playing with Clare. Informs him that Mr Green has paid the rent and has apologised for spilling ink on the table. Reflects on their time together in Italy and expresses her wish to live with him.

Is happy to have had a letter from him on her birthday and asks if he is happy. Tells him she will send him soup tablets and a cake as requested. Describes fishing with her father. Is happy that they are both receiving letters successfully. She intends to to take tea with the Huxley's brother who is a doctor. Informs him of Mr Kendall's headmastership. Tells him she went to visit Mrs Irvine and Mrs Radcliffe and describes the conversations she had. Asks him if he is happy to receive her letters everyday. Hopes that he will receive his watch cover in the post.

Updates him on her health. Discusses the national service for civilian labour. Debates about getting a young girl to train. Tells him about the items she is trying to send him. Discusses Neville Chamberlin's suggestions that clergymen and doctors should fill in hours with public works and expresses her opinion. discusses the difficulties in getting coal. Tells him she is looking forward to hearing from him and discusses the activities they can do together when the war is over.

Acknowledges his last letter and discusses his embroidery and financial matters. Expresses her fear that he might not be home for Christmas. Updates him on the servant situation. Expresses her opinions about Stephen Talents book and the marriages of Stephen and Bridget, and Mary Anne and Owen. Describes the girl she has hired as a maid. Asks him about the young man he encountered.

Sunday 10 Dec. evening - Describes in detail a visit by Johnstone, John Graves and Raymond. Expresses her wish for him to be home.

Monday 11 Dec. morning - Describes a visit to the Brocks to meet Allan's school master Mr Nastor. Expresses her opinion on the character of Mr Nastor in detail. Acknowledges his letter and asks if he is feeling better and how he feels about his comrades moving away. Tells him about the items she is sending him.

Wednesday 10 Jan. evening - Tells him she misses him and how her father is feeling ill. Informs him that she is on the committee for the baby welfare group. Describes her mornings activities shopping. Hopes the new baby will be a boy.

Thursday 11 Jan. morning - Tells him about spilling the ink pot in bed and dreading telling Rose about it. Updates him on her father's health. Describes the weather and tells him about an intended trip to Dorking. Discusses finances for the children's education and expresses her wish for girls to be just as educated as boys.

Describes the weather and swimming the day before. Describes seeing her old school friend Dorothea Fox. Tells him of coming across a trench and the fun they had exploring it. Discusses the merits of being a child. Describes the look of the sea. Expresses her wish to go travelling with him and her concern for his safety. Tells him she loves him.

Describes the weather and a failed trip to get some bunnies for Clare. Discusses the progress of the war. Tells him that Nancy and Robert cannot visit. Tells him that she cannot find his field service pocket book. Discusses how she would like to raise Clare. Reflects on her father's beliefs in religion. Asks him to tell her when his gun has arrived.

Describes her activities the day before with Ursula, Violet, Marjorie and her father. Tells him about making Clare laugh. Discusses financial matters. Discusses her opinions on trying to appease an angry God and discusses his opinion on parish work. Describes in detail her thoughts about helping with the National Mission. Describes Clare's bad behaviour. Relays Mrs Burton Brown's thanks to him.

Informs him she intends to ask how Kit is doing through Mrs Brock and discusses sending him a curtain on the train. Describes her previous afternoon’s activities; shopping, visiting Emily Bennetton, paying a visit to a girl in need and designing a cup. Discusses when he might be home on leave and the thoughts of Mr Raxworthy and Mr Porter on when the war will end. Expresses her opinions on her work for the National Mission. Tells him she has sent him a rug to use as a curtain. Discusses the progress of the war.

Reminisces about their time in Italy and about how she is looking forward to Spring. Tells him that David has sent him a letter and discusses going up in an aeroplane. Describes the garden and ordering seeds. Tells him that she has the book on Fountains Abbey and about Mr Britlins's book called The War and After. Tells him about a small fire that started in the nursery. Discusses the progress of the war. Updates him on her father's health.

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.

Describes the weather and a trip to see the new calf. Tells him about her morning tasks and activities. Tells him about the new maid delaying her start date and her plans to hire a temporary maid. Discusses where to keep their books at the Holt. Expresses her longing for him to be home. Hopes that Clare will become more settled at the Holt.

Describes her morning activities and gives him news from Avie. Reflects that she has not had a letter from him for awhile. Updates him on her health. Describes trying to recruit Montessori class members. Expresses her difficulties in trying to read when there are people around. Describes in detail the nature of Clare's intelligence and expresses her desire that he take an interest in talking to Clare when he is home. Updates him on Berry's progress.

Expresses her wish to have him home. Describes Bice's visit and their activities. She has started reading Renan's Life of Jesus. Discusses the coal situation at the Holt. Tells him about a book she wants to read by Oliver Lodge called Raymond and discusses its content. Updates him on the health of the current master of Charterhouse. Requests that they not talk too much of leave.

Discusses the timing of the post. Tells him that her father and Mildred arrived late and explains why. Informs him that she is not attending church and will go for a walk in Eashing instead. Hopes that Ursula is getting on well with the climb. Mentions that photographs of her father's garden has appeared in Country Life. Asks for Mr Pye's address.

Describes the weather. Tells him about the situation regarding the visitors and German Measles. Compares baby Barbara with Clare and describes how they get jealous of each other. Updates him on Clare's progress. Updates him on everyone's news. Expresses her love for him. Describes the mothers at Baby Welfare group.

Monday 1 Jan. evening - Expresses her wish to be pregnant with a boy. Discusses a conversation she had with Mary Anne about her Aunt and her children.

Tuesday 2 Jan morning - Describes in detail her hopes that she might be pregnant. Tells him about Bob's journey on the boat. Discusses the writings of Boswell.

‘Herschel House, Cambridge’ [Letterhead]

Full Transcript

Tuesday the 3rd [March]

My dearest George,

I was very glad to find that The California did not sail after all till Saturday morning. I suppose it was because the weather was so stormy.

I am afraid I am going to do the one thing you told me not to and use a ton of coal straight away. We are under thick snow here. Some fell on Saturday night but on Sunday night there as a heavy fall and yesterday was a glorious sunny day. The children played at making snow men in the afternoon in the garden and had a lovely time. It was thawing most of the day and when I went to bed but it froze later in the night and was freezing hard this morning.

Blunt has again not come so I have rung up Mrs Salter and he is well so I have taken his address and written to him.

Nellie, the new cook is so far very satisfactory. She seems very nice and cooks well.

Frances Wills is coming here tomorrow for five days. I shall enjoy that. We are both going to dine with the Cranages on Thursday before the lecture. So far I seem nearly as full of engagements as I was before you left. People are being most awfully kind and nice. Really I think more friendly than they were at Godalming.

Mrs Cranage rang Vi up to find our when I was coming home that she might meet me with her car. Vi didn’t know, but it was most awfully kind of her.

At Bletchley I got into the same carriage as John Chaister [?]. He was coming to Cambridge to stay with David for the Greek play. So I saw him again in the evening.

I enjoyed seeing the Greek play quite a lot, the dresses were very good and the colour scheme pretty. As I did not understand it there did seem a lot of standing still and spouting at the audience. But I expect if I had understood it I should not have felt that so much.

I am so sorry you left your dressing gown behind. I am sending it to Bombay [Mumbai] and then addressed to Darjeeling in case it misses you.

Wednesday

I see that the California left Gibraltar on the 4th. So now you are in the Mediterranean. I hope it is warm and nice. I am getting rather worried about the garden. If the weather goes on being so cold I shall not possibly be able to get the necessary seed sowing done before I go away. If I can’t do it I think I shall come back for a few days of solid gardening in April.

I hoped to do a lot of greenhouse seed sowing today but I can’t get the seed boxes. The fishmonger promised them but he has not sent them.

I went to the Quay Village performance last night. It was quite good and very well arranged. There was no scenery so there were no long pauses as there so often are in amateur theatricals. I think the whale show was a great credit to Mrs Salter.

The young man we picked up at St. Neots came round yesterday just as we were starting nursery tea so I asked him up and he was quite pleasant and jolly and evidently enjoyed seeing the children. Clare was in an appallingly talkative mood all day yesterday. Nothing would stop her tongue and at tea time she had her fling. I found her this morning before breakfast engaged in writing out thirteen times table. She has determined to write out and learn all the difficult ones up to 19 times she days. Mrs Reade came to lunch yesterday. I took her after lunch to see the new Sidney Sussex chapel and we met Mani Forbes there and they had a long talk about the chapel etc which Mrs Reade evidently enjoyed very much.

I don’t think I was very good company. My period had just come and I wasn’t at all on the spot. I have just fallen down from ladder and all trying to get the climbing things into the loft. Luckily I did not hurt myself at all.

I have heard from Mr Raxworthy. My bank balance is overdrawn £823 and your £112 that is £935 in all. He suggests we sell of our £500 Vickers 4% which would bring in £400 and £400 National War Bond for £420. If we get £2500 for the Holt we need only sell the Vickers I think so I will tell him only to do that for the present.

Dearest one I do hope you are happy and having a good voyage. I am keeping quite cheerful and happy but I do miss you a lot. I think I want your companionship even more than I used to. I know I have rather often been cross and not nice and I am very sorry but the bottom reason has nearly always been because I was unhappy at getting so little of you. I know it is pretty stupid to spoil the times I do have you for those when I don’t.

Very very much love to you my dear one.

Your Loving,
Ruth