Badsey
Evesham
Jan 31/99
My Dear Kathleen,
As I am starting for Newport to-morrow morning and shall be away one night I will this evening write you my letter.
We were pleased to have your budgets of news on Monday afternoon we are all glad Ethel has been moved up, now after the summer she may get into the upper fourth. So you are put into the hockey team, I think you will find it jolly playing in the matches, was it fine enough to play the governesses and if so did you beat them. I am glad you like Miss Sugden and hope you will find her a really good teacher, I have thought for some time that you wanted a change of mentor both in Mathematics and Latin.
Georgie wrote us quite a good letter on Sunday, Mother and I sent him “Barrack Room Ballads” by Rudyard Kipling and your joint present was a writing case, I am sending him a weekly list of questions on I Kings which he has to take at the next exam.
Arthur tells us he got some skating last week, he was able to buy a nice pair of skates for 1/-, he says the report to be sent to you about the cake is “very good throughout”.
Mrs Savory is arranging for two plays to be performed here (perhaps in our barn) after Easter week, she wants me to take part in one of them called “One of you must marry” and I suppose I must consent I believe other assisting in one or both are Mr & Mrs Wilding, Mrs Savory, Mr Ellis Garrard and perhaps Mrs Thornton, I must get a book of the play and then there will be plenty of time to learn it at leisure.
Our clerk has just given notice of his intention to leave us some time in March he is going to take a little hotel at Bromyard, I am sorry in many ways and it will take some time to get anyone else so thoroughly acquainted with the work.
The wretched cottages near the brewery are nearly demolished and when we get the new wall up it will improve our frontage besides making us a roomy stable yard for drays etc.
Uncle George says last Sunday week was the 79th consecutive day upon which rain had fallen in Glasgow so they are worse served than we here.
Thank Ethel for her letter and with love to you both
I remain
your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
