Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Asks if he would like a chamois leather waistcoat. Writes her brother is doing last exam and they will then be able to get down to discussion on cars verse motorbikes. Continues with problems with new head fire guard upsetting the status quo. Notes gardener did not come and mentions issue with lost item in post.

1941-11-28

Four page handwritten letter

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[underlined] P.S [/underlined] Would you like a sleeveless chamois leather waistcoat, like the one I’m going to make for Ba? It’s warm & windproof, if you would find it useful. R.S.V.P.

Lido
Friday 28.11.41
Darling Johnny,
There is no letter from you so far, but I expect it will come by the 11 am post, which now arrives any time after 12. I have nothing very exciting to report this end. Peter is sitting his last theoretical exam today, & will soon presumably be able to get down to the question of bikes, motor or auto, so I’m hoping to hear from you on the subject. If you only want the vehicle for very local short runs, an autobike fits the bill O.K, but if it is to be for anything as
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long as a run to London and back, as I presume it will, a small motor-bike would be far more satisfactory, & probably cheaper to buy since you can almost certainly get one second hand. On the other hand, it may possibly need more maintenance. Thought of course I wouldn’t get you an old crock which always needs repairs.
Poor Mr Greenish is having a spot of bother over the fire-guards. We have apparently had a new Head Fire Guard [inserted] appointed [/inserted] over the whole area, & he is determined to make a clean sweep of everything and “organise” everybody. The decree has gone forth that watch must be kept every
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night, alert or no, from black-out to unblack-out, but that you needn’t actually stand out of doors unless there is an alert. Mr Greenish is furious about it & is working himself up into a sufficient of a lather to make a hell of a row. As he points out, nobody in our party can be compelled. Old Pope is over 70, Mr Nair is a warden, he himself can do his Firewatching duty at his place of work, about one night a week, & the rest of us, being women, cannot yet be compelled. So he feels in a strong position to make a row, & I shall be interested to see what happens. The idea of sitting up one night in three from now till the end of the
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war, raid or no, is certainly a bleak and infuriating prospect, and a quite unnecessary waste of time.
The gardener didn’t come yesterday altho’ it was fine & his turn to come, as far as I can remember, so I’m going to try to do some digging myself. Today of course its raining, so I shan’t be able to do much.
I sent the P.O.’s form off to Roy Cowdry, (in one missing medallion) & he replied today that he’s filled it in & sent it off. I do hope it turns up, because he says he can’t get another one anywhere.
All my love to you, my darling, for always
Ursula.