Friday 23 June 2017

23rd June 1937 - letter to Terrick from his mother

Wensley Rectory
Leyburn
Yorkshire


Dearest Terrick

I have written your expenses.  I had a printed paper about it at Eileen's wedding but I have not got it now.  All expenses connected with the Chirch except what I have written down is ?? by the bride's people.  Mrs Ormiston must ask the verger for a list of expenses.  They vary in every church.  Choir & organist, carpets & awnings are optional but the Ormistons pay them.  I forgot the banns so I put them on the top.  Daddy says you must ask the clergyman's permission for your father to marry you & tell him the date if convenient & give Daddy his name & he will write to him also.  I can't do ??? now till the autumn as it takes about 2 months & I have to get the house ready for the tenants.  I have no H.P. maid at present.

I am making new curtains for my room .  Daddy thought of giving you a canteen of plate & Knives.  What shall I give you?  Would you like a silver teapot, cream & sugar basin or a dinner service or an armchair, or anything you can think of.  

Mr White is going to Kirklington & Mr Campbell of Hardraw is going to Nice!!  The Bishop can't get anyone for Middleham.  Daddy is the rural Dean which means we have got to remain here & I counted on leaving in Sept.  Vera is somewhere on the sea but I don't know where.  Eileen's letters are sad reading, nothing but rows.  I hope Renny will make a good match & please me.  It must be Lord Duffield who has given Baldwin all that money.  A unique gift!  Will Aunt Mildred be in Harrogate when you marry.  I hope Mary wears her best dress for polo.  Funny about the FtizHugh who applied for a job!

Your loving mother.

Perhaps someone else is giving you a dinner service.



Banns 2/6 but it varies

Bridegroom's expenses

Fee to Vicar whether Daddy marries you or not about 1 guinea
Tips after wedding
Presents to bridesmaids & bouquets if they have them
Bouquets to bride's and bridegroom's mothers (I won't have one)
Your own car to Chruch & you go away in it afterwards
Buttonhole for yourself & best man.



Friday 16 June 2017

16th June 1937 - Terrick to Mary

35 Nevern Place
S.W. 5

16th June 1937

Dearest, 

I have been working again on Sydney & Co & have got the statistics up to date.  As soon as I can get some typing paper - Friday - I'll set it all out and put it in on Tuesday.

My losing that case in the bus cost me a pretty penny in a broke week, nearly five shillings in shaves & bus fares & fee.  A damn nuisance, but my own fault.

If it rains tomorrow evening let's come back here, shall we.  In any case, unless it is pouring before 6 p.m., when I'll ring up, we'll meet in the park.

My new Left Books have come: "The Post-War History of the British Working Class", "Changing Man" and two plays: "Six Men of Dorset (about the Tolpuddle Martyrs) and "Waiting for Lefty" with Miss Cross's present, I shall be well behind in reading them.  I haven't finished "The Textbook of Marxist Philosophy" yet.

I looked up details about slavery in England.  I haven't been able to find the date when it finally stopped though I was certainly a few years out.  There were 15,000 negro slaves in Gt. Britain in 1770.  A test legal case declared against slavery in 1771 but it was a flourishing trade in London and Liverpool and did not die out immediately.  Still Jack's 150 years (I am not sure if that was his figure) before 1838 is a long way out.  I believe I said 15.

I have got a booklet on Baveno filled with photographs.  It looks lovely.  I am not writing to Sims as I find that certain special rate Italian coupons cannot be beaten for price because they entitle one to 50% reduction on the Maggiore lake steamers, reductions in rail fares & entrances to art galleries etc.

O, my darling, I am so looking forward to it all.  First and foremost and swamping all the rest I am looking forward to being married to you.  But inspite of the insignificance besides this, there are two other things that are enough to excite me alone each of them.  One is the finishing and decorating of a flat with your help, and the second is visiting the Italian Lakes with you.  I could let out a shout of anticipation of all that life holds out to me!

I shall see you tomorrow (at 7.15), & the next day (at 7.15) and the next day, and the next and the next!  Life is perfect.

Mary, I love you.

I wish you were here.

Terrick
XXX

Did you write to Carlton?

Thursday 1 June 2017

1st June 1937 - Terrick to Mary

35 Nevern Place
S.W. 5

1st June 1937


My Darling,

Yesterday I had a lovely day.  I got down to Folkstone at about 10.45, finished the train by 12.15 and lunch by 12.50, so I went and lay on the beach in the sun till my fish and chips changed into me and then went to the swimming pool for a bathe.  It was glorious.  Then I went back to the station as the boat got in at 3.15 & came back to town, satisfied.  In the evening I got on with my Left Book.

This evening my three "back number" Left Books arrived:  An Atlas of Empire, and Atlas of Current Affairs and The Condition of Britain.  The marriage book is a Supplementary Book for July so you will only just get a chance to read it in time.

Tomorrow I'll see you at 2.30 at the Curzon Cinema.  I saw an advert of the Times Furnishing Co. in the Telegraph yesterday which I meant to keep but forgot.  It is a series of books on designs for furnishing the various rooms of a house; advertisement of course but might be interesting.

Today I had lunch with Bickerstath, Joan Salter's "young man"! He was trying to interest me in an indexing system and is a very good salesman.  I am interesting myself in it because if I put up something like it to Ashe, whether her uses it or not, he'll think that my brains are growing more & more powerful.

You have just phoned up.  It was very cheering to hear your voice.  I love it.

All my heart's love.

Terrick

XXX