June 24/97
My Dear Kathleen,
I am so very busy this week that I must write your letter while waiting at Hereford en route for Pandy or you will not hear from me. I hope you had a good view of the pageant at Windsor and the other celebrations, fireworks &c.
Our Badsey festivities went off excellently. At 12.30 we all assembled at or rather outside the old school where the girls and boys had their sashes and medals put on, headed by the Aldington band we marched in procession up the village to the “Stockey”, there the whole crowd sang the old hundredth and then all over 16 sat down to dinner in a big tent to the number of about 350 I took the chair and proposed the Queen’s health which was most heartily drunk. The sports began at 2.30 and lasted till 7.30 with an hours break for tea.
Arthur won the 220 yards for boys under 14 and got a nice book “Our Queen” for his prize, Ethel was 2nd for the unmarried women and got a tall vase, Cyril only just missed 2nd prize for those under 8. At four o’clock all under 16 sat down to tea over 300 of them and each had a Jubilee mug presented, at 7.30 Mother presented the prizes then there was dancing at 9.30 some capital fireworks at 10 and illuminations of the church tower and I took Arthur up there, we counted over 20 bonfires, Broadway was very fine, their torch-light procession showed up very well too.
We illuminated our house, others also.
I am glad you were top of form again. Tell May I hope she may come out better in the examination than she expects.
Love to you both
your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
