Badsey, Evesham
Sept 22/12
My dear Kathleen
It is nearly 10.30, but I must at any rate begin to fulfil my promise of writing to you today. Time has been, as you can imagine, pretty full since I got back. I had a very good journey down, my train being over punctual at Evesham, so that Marjory who was coming to meet me encountered me on the bridge going to her house, & Father went into the station one way while I went out at the other, however he overtook me outside on his bicycle. Marjory was looking so well, & said she felt so, though she is as thin as ever (I, by the way, have put on five or six pounds). I had tea with her & Mrs Slater, & our school talk soon was replaced by Switzerland talk. Marjory seems to have had a very good time, but she says I have outdone her because she was never roped on any expedition! Judy met me at Badsey & we walked up, meeting Mother halfway. I saw very little of course of Ethel & Judy, as they started on Thursday before I got back from school. Ethel had a very heavy cold, in a pc today she says it is a good deal better, I expect the best thing for her was to get away to get rid of it, & as Dolly has had a cold so recently I hope she won’t give it to her. Thursday was rather a ghastly day at school in my department at least, the amount of arranging & scheming required to work all my children in together is terrible, still things went better on Friday & I hope they will now go on improving until things get quite ship shape. Did I tell you that pupil no. 30 has arrived, though we haven’t been more than 27 yet, & one child has to have tonsils removed so will not be back just yet. We are hoping soon for quite an influx of cheques! I specially hope they won’t delay because – what do you think – I am just about to buy what the other’s call an “estate”. Last Monday at Mr Percy Byrd’s sale the first lot put up was about an acre of good asparagus land down Mud Lane, for a long time no one would bid, the auctioneer begged them to say £60, then £50, but no, then £40 & Father bid that sum but no one would rise above it & it was knocked down to him. It is a good piece of ground held by Vincent on a lease at £3. 15s per annum, & he has 5 years more of the lease to run, so when conveyance & all is paid it will bring in about 8%. Father said one of us could have it if we liked & as I have or hope to have very soon the necessary amount handy, I accepted the offer, & today after Church we all walked down Mud Lane, Muriel Holmes included, & inspected “my estate”. Other people were quite jealous of Father, & the day after the sale he was offered £5 more if he would dispose of it. Father is also much occupied with plans about the village recreation ground, which are assuming tangible shape, but you will hear more about that when they are quite settled. Cyril had his summons today as you will know before you get this, it is quite a shock to know he will have to go next Thursday, Mother won’t at all like losing both him & George. Mother seems so very bright & is able to walk better certainly than before I went away. I hope she won’t find it very dull when only she & Father & I are left, she says she must get Muriel to come over often & to go her morning walk with her sometimes. I went across to see Mrs Ashwin & Muriel yesterday & showed them our photos of the glacier & some of my pcs. Mother had quite a big day yesterday, she made a cake in the morning, then went out, & in the afternoon did quite a lot of work in the village re Welsh Disestablishment Petition, MSL & GFS, she came back quite pleased with herself.
Monday 8.15 am. I must just finish this, but I will not send it till this afternoon because I must look up what I owe you & get a postal order. Also I will enclose the little embroidered collarette I got for you in Switzerland, I hope you may find it wearable with some blouse. I got up early this morning & dusted my room. Alice is single handed so I don’t want to leave her too much. Louisa went on Saturday for a holiday till Wednesday, it is her 21st birthday tomorrow & she is much excited about it. I do hope Mother will hear of some one capable & energetic to take Alice’s place. She has written to Miss Lermit[?] & later on she must advertise. Have you asked Mrs Horsman if by any chance she knows of a suitable person? I must go & blow my bicycle up now. I want to try & start really at 9 o’clock every day. I really ought to.
5.30 pm. Our school numbers are now increased to 32! The two Henderson girls from Offenham are coming tomorrow, Mrs Henderson came in this morning to see us about it, I really felt quite aghast to see her feeling already up to my eyes! It remains to be seen how they will fit in with the rest, one is 11 & the other a very backward girl of 15, I really do hope we shan’t have any more at present. Glad to see your letter to Father this afternoon, there was a letter from Judy too, she says she doesn’t like the new girl in her room. The 8/- enclosed is 5/6 for Liberty’s bill which you paid, & 2/6 for the cab the other day. 4d in stamps is what I owe you for some washing you paid at home. I was very glad you could meet me in London. I much enjoyed the lunch & a short talk. I hope it didn’t rush you for coming to Paddington to see me off.
Well I must end. Much love from
May
