May to David Beckenham 11.10.18
My dear David,
I am still staying at Balham, as Mrs Day will be away at her daughter’s until next Tuesday. In the meantime Mrs T & I are having a quiet enjoyable time. We both knit in the evening and talk over the day’s events, and the excellent news in the newspapers, trying to calculate how soon you will be home. The latest possible date we have thought of is 31st March – no extra special reason for that day.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs Taylor went to the Central Prisoner’s Committee, and told them about your food shortage. They gave her lists of what have been sent off, which lists I meant to have copied out for you to-day, but left them behind. I will send them next week. Some of the articles have been lost en route as meat is sent you in each parcel, also butter or grease of some sort, and sugar.
This morning Ern brought up a letter from you dated 15th September. I will reply to it briefly as bring Friday I am very busy.
I don’t believe Mrs Taylor has sent off your chocolate yet. She was just going to when Ethel wrote for some coupons to be sent to Mr Charrington, and then the Stores wanted some more. Food cannot be sent off without permits, and a certain number are sent each month.
About the exchange of prisoners; I have not seen any more news of that sort. Believe everyone is far too busy fighting. Goodness, I am glad you are out of it; it seems worse than ever, though we have never got on so well and continuously as during the last few weeks.
I have not had your postcard asking for Mitchells Advanced Building Construction, but I expect Muriel will be able to get it through the Board of Education. I will try, as that is so much quicker than Batsfords. They are about a couple of months getting a permit!, and then you would be home before the book reached you.
We are not working late, and don’t expect to. The Aircraft work has just about come to a standstill, and we had a lot of girls on that work, Maud amongst them. Bishop is getting her on to some other work. By the bye, he is not called up yet, neither are several other A1 men, including your cousin. Suppose they are not really wanted, especially with all these Americans pouring over each week.
I don’t mind your wanting to bullyrag me. You would never get far. I shall be going part of my way home with Maud, and will read a portion of your letter out to her. Won’t she be shocked? I would like to hear your lecture. Do you think you would get off the point when giving me lessons? I don’t! I am expecting some “gorgeous art studies” from you, which I will have framed.
About the flooring in the Hall; I would like something I could beeswax, that being such grand exercise.
I will ask Ern to take some snapshots of me.
Cannot stop longer, so Goodbye.
May