Oct 3rd 1915
My dear Juliet
I was beginning to think that your photo was lost, but it turned up safe and sound last week, sometime after your letter. So you are a flapper no more! You certainly have “flowered?” as you say since I saw you. We think you are so like Kathleen in the photo, don’t they think so at home? Many thanks for it and for your letter. I wonder how the plum picking went off, you must all have had a busy time. I expect Marian would quite enjoy the change of work. You and Aunt Eugénie were at Muritai before Miss de C departed. I do wonder how she is getting on at Bournemouth and I hope the new Miss Bird will prove satisfactory.
By now I suppose holidays will be over all round and you, Kathleen, May and Marian will be hired out for work again. I hope they have got a satisfactory maid at Badsey now and at Aunt Edith’s too, Eva had been there so long, they will find it strange with a new one. Well I must collect my thoughts and tell you what we have been about lately.
Anne’s holiday went far too quickly, she was only here for nine days and it just flew. She had shopping to do and people to see and we had lots of visitors. Frank had the motor in good order for her so two of us at a time had several expeditions to the Hutt. The new baby at the Hutt was christened while Anne was here, she is its godmother, Helen Vida the name is. Such a heap of nieces we have now, nine, and only four nephews. Bob and Star and the baby, Betty, spent the day here yesterday. Star and Betty have been up to Marton for a fortnight to stay with Percy and Mary. The children up there just loved Betty and when it came to tub time all five of them had to help, one to hold the soap, another the towel and so on! The youngest up there, Dora, will be four in February.
Last week I was busy making leather waistcoats for the soldiers, they were cutting out and making too in the Hutt. I did fifteen, and enjoyed doing them, they were rather fascinating to do, and not a bit hard to sew. I thought the machine might object to them. The 7th Reinforcements leave NZ next Saturday, we know several who are going with this lot. One of them was here the other day and thoroughly appreciated a hot bath! And a good dinner after camp fare. One of my fellow passengers is coming up from Finnan to see the troops off, her brother is among them, and two brothers are already there. She is coming to stay with us for the weekend. People are working hard now to equip our second Hospital ship, the Marama, and also packing up the Xmas mail for our men at the Dardanelles. It is to go to the transport this week. Just lately the news has been so much better, those successes in the West are most cheering, things are looking brighter in Russia too. Our second contingent of wounded arrived from the Dardanelles a little while ago, the casualty lists grow longer each day. Martin Mercy’s brother has embarked for England but whether he is wounded or ill they don’t know, and one of her cousins has been killed, another wounded. Star’s brother has been invalided home. Lila’s nephew has enteric but he is getting on all right. We have not heard anything of our cousin, Nurse Coster, since she arrived in Egypt. I expect she is very busy there. Mrs Kirk is still hoping to hear something more of Ted beside the bare [?] that he died on the [?] ship. I do hope they will get more news. We saw by the paper that Henry Davies is with General Davies in France, he went on from Egypt. Eileen hopes [?] to get into the AZ Hospital at Walton. I had a pamphlet in the mail the other day, “How the Worcestershires saved the Day”, and inside in Aunt Lottie’s writing was, “With Uncle Julius’ love”. Will you please thank him for it for me. I hope Aunt Eugénie and all of you are well.
Much love to all from
Dolly
