Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine
Title
Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine
Description
Continues to discuss where she will go and mentions alternatives, joining him and problems of him moving on during his training. Writes of baby matters. Mentions getting a letter from her sister sent before recent 'Blitz' and is not sure if she is okay.
Creator
Date
1941-05-12
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
EValentineUMValentineJRM410512
Transcription
Trefilan Monday May 12th
Darling Johnnie, What a life! - one never knows what's coming next. I had made up my mind yesterday that short of something turning up – I would accept the Babies Home offer today. And lo & behold, today things turn up. The answer to a maiden's prayer. I actually did pray about it yesterday, tho' I felt a bit of a humbug only praying when I need something & neglecting it all the other days. However, your letter arrived this morning, two letters in fact, & since Jack is so providentially going to take himself off, I see no reason why I should not fill the vacancy if the Howies are willing. Should we actually have the sitting room to ourselves as well? It would be marvellous if so, almost like a home of our own for a few blessed weeks - & I think its worth the journey & anything else to take what happiness is offered in this cruel world. You may easily be sent abroad when you're trained, so let's be together while we can. Of course
[page break]
the journey doubtless will be lousy, but someone will surely give me a hand with all my junk. So I sent you a wire today & hope you will either wire or phone in reply, because if I am coming I may as well come soon, & I have lots of things to arrange. I must ask Ba to have the pram sent up to Scotland, & some summer clothes for me, & will send some of the junk I have here back to Lido. I hope you'll think to ask the Howies' about Jane, so that they don't get an unpleasant surprise when I roll up with all my impedimenta – if I roll up. I mustn't get too hopeful, because may be they won't be able to take me, perhaps their rooms are reserved for RAF billettees. Gosh, it might be quite a civilised life again, & with a few friends such as the B-P's & Bowacks when we feel the need of them & our own little circle of 3 & a half (or does Jane
[page break]
count as a whole?) We ought to be pretty happy for a short time – all too short a time, but perhaps you will be delayed a bit on this course as well. Of course the problem of where I am to fetch up is only postponed, but something else may materialise meantime, & anyway it will be considerably nearer then end of your training then.
I took Frances into Aber. this morning to be weighed – she tipped the scales at 10lb 11oz so she's only put on 3 oz in a week, still that's better than nothing. While I was waiting for the bus a nicely dressed woman of 50-60 came up & spoke to me, admiring the baby, & as the bus persisted in not coming, we started to walk down. Her name is Mrs Bassett, & she has lived in Japan & various parts, house in Chelsea & is altogether civilised. Her daughter recently had twin girls out in Japan, is now in Canada & we discussed the miseries of being parted from one's family & the slowness of mails.
[page break]
When I told her I was thinking of going back to London she advised against it & said there were rooms to be had in a house near her, beyond Penparke turning right at the crossroads. I said I'd ago & have a look at them, & if by any chance I can't come to you, I will have a look at them tho' by her description I should think they'd be a bit expensive. She was a very charming lady & I really enjoyed chatting with her. Furthermore I went to the NAAFI & when asked what I'd like I said “oranges” - & they calmly handed over 4! they're only little ones, but gosh! The one I have eaten was lovely!
I've also had 2 letters from Mother & one from Ba – written [underlined] before [/underlined] the Saturday night blitz so I still don't know whether she survived it. What a ghastly business, it makes one sick to think of Westminster Abbey getting it like that. I wonder if Lido is still there? If I can come to you, I must write at once to your people too. I have retained 2 pairs of non-RAF socks but will of course send (or bring?) them if you'd rather have them all with you.
All our love Ursula
Darling Johnnie, What a life! - one never knows what's coming next. I had made up my mind yesterday that short of something turning up – I would accept the Babies Home offer today. And lo & behold, today things turn up. The answer to a maiden's prayer. I actually did pray about it yesterday, tho' I felt a bit of a humbug only praying when I need something & neglecting it all the other days. However, your letter arrived this morning, two letters in fact, & since Jack is so providentially going to take himself off, I see no reason why I should not fill the vacancy if the Howies are willing. Should we actually have the sitting room to ourselves as well? It would be marvellous if so, almost like a home of our own for a few blessed weeks - & I think its worth the journey & anything else to take what happiness is offered in this cruel world. You may easily be sent abroad when you're trained, so let's be together while we can. Of course
[page break]
the journey doubtless will be lousy, but someone will surely give me a hand with all my junk. So I sent you a wire today & hope you will either wire or phone in reply, because if I am coming I may as well come soon, & I have lots of things to arrange. I must ask Ba to have the pram sent up to Scotland, & some summer clothes for me, & will send some of the junk I have here back to Lido. I hope you'll think to ask the Howies' about Jane, so that they don't get an unpleasant surprise when I roll up with all my impedimenta – if I roll up. I mustn't get too hopeful, because may be they won't be able to take me, perhaps their rooms are reserved for RAF billettees. Gosh, it might be quite a civilised life again, & with a few friends such as the B-P's & Bowacks when we feel the need of them & our own little circle of 3 & a half (or does Jane
[page break]
count as a whole?) We ought to be pretty happy for a short time – all too short a time, but perhaps you will be delayed a bit on this course as well. Of course the problem of where I am to fetch up is only postponed, but something else may materialise meantime, & anyway it will be considerably nearer then end of your training then.
I took Frances into Aber. this morning to be weighed – she tipped the scales at 10lb 11oz so she's only put on 3 oz in a week, still that's better than nothing. While I was waiting for the bus a nicely dressed woman of 50-60 came up & spoke to me, admiring the baby, & as the bus persisted in not coming, we started to walk down. Her name is Mrs Bassett, & she has lived in Japan & various parts, house in Chelsea & is altogether civilised. Her daughter recently had twin girls out in Japan, is now in Canada & we discussed the miseries of being parted from one's family & the slowness of mails.
[page break]
When I told her I was thinking of going back to London she advised against it & said there were rooms to be had in a house near her, beyond Penparke turning right at the crossroads. I said I'd ago & have a look at them, & if by any chance I can't come to you, I will have a look at them tho' by her description I should think they'd be a bit expensive. She was a very charming lady & I really enjoyed chatting with her. Furthermore I went to the NAAFI & when asked what I'd like I said “oranges” - & they calmly handed over 4! they're only little ones, but gosh! The one I have eaten was lovely!
I've also had 2 letters from Mother & one from Ba – written [underlined] before [/underlined] the Saturday night blitz so I still don't know whether she survived it. What a ghastly business, it makes one sick to think of Westminster Abbey getting it like that. I wonder if Lido is still there? If I can come to you, I must write at once to your people too. I have retained 2 pairs of non-RAF socks but will of course send (or bring?) them if you'd rather have them all with you.
All our love Ursula
Collection
Citation
Ursula Valentine, “Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 25, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/19573.
Item Relations
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