Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Mentions a financial issue and a bad journey home. Writes of air raid and using the shelter and how comfortable it was. Continues with gossip on her activities.

1941-11-02

Four page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM411102

Start of transcription
No 1. (again!)
Lido,
Sunday
Nov, 2nd
My darling Johnnie,
I’m so sorry that we forgot the £1 I owed you after all, and I do hope that the lack of it hasn’t stopped your visit to Prior Marston. I’m hoping you were able to borrow if necessary. I don’t really feel it is all my fault because I did offer it to you three or four times, thought at the last I completely forgot it.
I had a lousy journey getting home, had to wait ages both for a 28 & a 240. When I eventually got home I went round collecting to the Greenishes, and then
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at about 10 p.m we had an air-raid warning, which came as quite a shock after all these weeks of immunity. There was a certain amount of gunfire & droning of planes, and as I had got Frances down to feed her I thought I had better put her in the shelter, as is would be foolish to take any risks with her altho’ the raid wasn’t at all heavy. So I popped her in there, & bedded down there myself. Ba was still writing letters when the “all clear” went at about 11.30. Frances wasn’t asleep, so I took her upstairs again, & we all slept peaceably in our
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beds after all. But the shelter is perfectly pleasant & comfortable, & it’s awfully nice to have somewhere to put her where I really feel she’s as safe as may be. She, needless to say, was not at all astonished, tho’ she looked at me in mild surprise when I got in beside her. It wasn’t a raid on London at all, but only a few stray raiders on their way to the North West. [circled drawing] Frances her mark! She’s sitting on my knee while I hurry to catch the post & take her for her post prandial perambulation
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4.
I went to church this morning & really enjoyed the service. It was conducted by the curate, & he preached a very decent sermon about all Saints.
Frances is now sitting up in her high chair & she loves it! We’ve taken a couple of photos of her in it.
Otherwise nothing to report of the last 12 hours or so. It was lovely to have you home even for so short a time, but I’m willing to forgo the pleasure if they’ll only do something permanent for you at Halton.
Looking forward to hear [underlined] all [/underlined] about it, & with all my love for always
Ursula