Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine
Title
Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine
Description
Writes of financial matters and buying clothes for baby. Looks forward to his next leave. Says she is living comfortably and saving money. Discusses his views on him supporting her financially. Talks of family money and future. Continues with description of daily activities in local area and news. Mentions parcel she is sending and meeting various people. States that summer has definitely come as the donkeys have arrived and are being ridden by small children.
Creator
Date
1941-05-03
Temporal Coverage
Language
Format
Four page handwritten letter
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
EValentineUMValentineJRM410503
Transcription
I took a photo of Frances this morning but she wouldn’t open her eyes in the strong sunlight. Trefilan May 3rd
Darling Johnnie, It is good news that dear old GAT & Co have coughed up an extra £12.2.8 a month. If they could see Frances I'm sure they'd think it worth while! I have entered up the particulars in the wee book (or bookie, I suppose?) as instructed. I note what you say about an orgy of buying shoes, bootees, hats, coats frocks & whatnot - & I may even buy the shoes, if I can find a pair that I like. As for the rest, there's not much point, specially if I'm going to be immured down in the country somewhere, as I hope. Perhaps we'll have binge when you get your leave. Meanwhile I am living very comfortably, & Frances has everything to satisfy her small needs, so we certainly should save a bit towards that future home of ours, whether its here or in British Columbia!
I was a bit hurt at what you write about my not trusting your ability to look after me - I never thought of it like that, and I suppose
[page break]
you must have been hurt if you thought I did. You know I've never used Mother's allowance if I could help it, & my reasons for not wanting to throw it back at her were a) that it is comforting to have some money behind one in case of an emergency in these uncertain times; invasion, serious illness or whatnot; & b) that I didn't want to hurt her feelings any more by haggling in a long drawn out correspondence & also wanted her to know that she had done all she could for us if things should go wrong over here & that at any rate we shouldn't lack for money that she could have supplied & help us. I don't really think that you took Mother's natural fears & anxieties & desire to help us all over here enough into consideration. However, I am perfectly prepared to put the £30 per 2 months into Savings Certificates & hand the whole book back to her when she come home – mark my words, there'll be a scene, & I'm not going to tell her now that we propose to do so.
I am keeping Touche's letter in the black boxie, for future filing thanks very much for travel voucher.
[page break]
I went into Aber. yesterday & called for Jane & had her with me all afternoon. Mrs Royle was spring-cleaning the kitchen, for the first time in years by the look of it, so it was convenient for her. I took the opportunity of paying for Jane this week. Jane somehow looks different – she seems so big now that I'm used to seeing Frances, or maybe she has got a bit fatter. Also she could do with a bit of grooming. Next time I go down I'm going to take her brush & Pulvex her well. I went up to the Maternity Home & collected the remaining nappies & dresses & chatted to Sister & Nurse Hughes. The gardens round there are looking lovely now. I met Mrs Jones & Mrs Williams in the town, & promised to take the baby round sometime to show Mrs Williams. The trouble is she sleeps almost all the time when not being fed, so that she's hardly a show piece yet. However I must go for politeness' sake.
I called in at Aston Villa to collect the mail – 4 letters & 2 parcels. I gave Mr Evans our address, so perhaps they'll get sent on in future! There was a short acknowledgement of cheque from the Standard. They'll send official receipt in a few days, they say.
[page break]
There was also a very nice letter from Mrs Stenzel, & one from Jochen & Chris. I forwarded one parcel to you yesterday – the stamp had come off, but I hope it arrives OK. The other was the socks Mrs Stenzel knitted, forwarded herewith. I hope you received your PO book, & also my earlier letter with the birth certificate & Ba's letter – I'm looking forward to your reply to this. I had a cup of tea with the Evans & chatted to Mr Evans on the seriousness of the situation & so on – I'm afraid those two women are getting him down a bit, tho' he has got Mr Page down in the sitting room now. I also collected our 2 way switch. I didn't see a single RAF I knew by sight except LAC Burney (the pretty boy who took the main parts in that Belle & Revue) evidently on leave, dressed in too pansy tweeds & holding hands with the leading lady in the show (who was dressed in trousers, needless to say). But summer has definitely come, because the donkeys have arrived, 3 dear little ones, & were being solemnly ridden up & down by small children.
So glad you're enjoying your training, it certainly sounds comprehensive. Regards to Jack, & all my love to you, darling, Ursula
Darling Johnnie, It is good news that dear old GAT & Co have coughed up an extra £12.2.8 a month. If they could see Frances I'm sure they'd think it worth while! I have entered up the particulars in the wee book (or bookie, I suppose?) as instructed. I note what you say about an orgy of buying shoes, bootees, hats, coats frocks & whatnot - & I may even buy the shoes, if I can find a pair that I like. As for the rest, there's not much point, specially if I'm going to be immured down in the country somewhere, as I hope. Perhaps we'll have binge when you get your leave. Meanwhile I am living very comfortably, & Frances has everything to satisfy her small needs, so we certainly should save a bit towards that future home of ours, whether its here or in British Columbia!
I was a bit hurt at what you write about my not trusting your ability to look after me - I never thought of it like that, and I suppose
[page break]
you must have been hurt if you thought I did. You know I've never used Mother's allowance if I could help it, & my reasons for not wanting to throw it back at her were a) that it is comforting to have some money behind one in case of an emergency in these uncertain times; invasion, serious illness or whatnot; & b) that I didn't want to hurt her feelings any more by haggling in a long drawn out correspondence & also wanted her to know that she had done all she could for us if things should go wrong over here & that at any rate we shouldn't lack for money that she could have supplied & help us. I don't really think that you took Mother's natural fears & anxieties & desire to help us all over here enough into consideration. However, I am perfectly prepared to put the £30 per 2 months into Savings Certificates & hand the whole book back to her when she come home – mark my words, there'll be a scene, & I'm not going to tell her now that we propose to do so.
I am keeping Touche's letter in the black boxie, for future filing thanks very much for travel voucher.
[page break]
I went into Aber. yesterday & called for Jane & had her with me all afternoon. Mrs Royle was spring-cleaning the kitchen, for the first time in years by the look of it, so it was convenient for her. I took the opportunity of paying for Jane this week. Jane somehow looks different – she seems so big now that I'm used to seeing Frances, or maybe she has got a bit fatter. Also she could do with a bit of grooming. Next time I go down I'm going to take her brush & Pulvex her well. I went up to the Maternity Home & collected the remaining nappies & dresses & chatted to Sister & Nurse Hughes. The gardens round there are looking lovely now. I met Mrs Jones & Mrs Williams in the town, & promised to take the baby round sometime to show Mrs Williams. The trouble is she sleeps almost all the time when not being fed, so that she's hardly a show piece yet. However I must go for politeness' sake.
I called in at Aston Villa to collect the mail – 4 letters & 2 parcels. I gave Mr Evans our address, so perhaps they'll get sent on in future! There was a short acknowledgement of cheque from the Standard. They'll send official receipt in a few days, they say.
[page break]
There was also a very nice letter from Mrs Stenzel, & one from Jochen & Chris. I forwarded one parcel to you yesterday – the stamp had come off, but I hope it arrives OK. The other was the socks Mrs Stenzel knitted, forwarded herewith. I hope you received your PO book, & also my earlier letter with the birth certificate & Ba's letter – I'm looking forward to your reply to this. I had a cup of tea with the Evans & chatted to Mr Evans on the seriousness of the situation & so on – I'm afraid those two women are getting him down a bit, tho' he has got Mr Page down in the sitting room now. I also collected our 2 way switch. I didn't see a single RAF I knew by sight except LAC Burney (the pretty boy who took the main parts in that Belle & Revue) evidently on leave, dressed in too pansy tweeds & holding hands with the leading lady in the show (who was dressed in trousers, needless to say). But summer has definitely come, because the donkeys have arrived, 3 dear little ones, & were being solemnly ridden up & down by small children.
So glad you're enjoying your training, it certainly sounds comprehensive. Regards to Jack, & all my love to you, darling, Ursula
Collection
Citation
Ursula Valentine, “Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 26, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/19563.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.