Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Reports she is sending parcel with clothing as he requested. Writes of her daily activities, catches up with gossip and input to Christmas present for his father. Mentions someone ringing to ask if he was in hospital, had she let his mother know and asking for a photograph of him in flying gear. Discusses problem of getting bicycle to him and continues talk of motorbikes. Concludes with baby news.

1941-12-01

Six page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM411201

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[inserted] [underlined] P.S [/underlined] It might be an idea to ring up some evening if you’re not coming home & discuss all these things. [/inserted]
Lido,
Monday 1.12.41
My darling husband,
I am sending off a parcel today with your RAF vest & pants, as requested in your letter which came late Saturday afternoon. I couldn’t post them off before because – strange as it may seem – I was gardening! I cleared half of one side bed, taking everything out, splitting up the big roots, digging the whole thing over, and putting the plants back in open order. It certainly looks better for the treatment, but it’s a rather long job, & I don’t know if I shall
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have time to do all the borders. I hope the gardener comes this week, there’s lots for him to do.
I heard from both Bunty & Irene on Saturday. Bunty wrote to ask if I knew the dates when we stayed at PM as she is getting out a Visitors Book for your father’s Christmas present & is trying to get details of visitors from the beginning. Later she wants to get the signatures as well. I couldn’t remember the exact date in November, [inserted] 1940 [/inserted] I told her either 9 & 10th or 16 & 17th, as I believe it was a weekend & before Ba’s birthday. If you have any means of knowing the exact date, (you were at Bridgnorth, weren’t you) you might let her know. The other
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was of course 25th December.
Irene rang up to know if you were in hospital, as someone who had been to Halton with an ambulance heard there was a Serg. Val. There. She wanted to know if I’d let your Mother know, but I reassured her that I hadn’t been caught out there. Then – wonder of wonders! – she asked if she could have a copy of the photo of you in flying kit! I was quite astonished, however I have a spare print, so I am sending her one, with the helmet on. Perhaps she’s going to wear it next her heart!
As regards my bicycle, how am I to send it to
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you when it is ready? If there is no prospect of your getting leave next weekend, to convoy it back yourself, I suppose I shall have to ride it up to Paddington myself & send it to Heyford or Pitwell. Or would Banbury or Oxford be better? – certainly quicker I should say. I’d send it unaccompanied passenger, & it ought to get through right away. If I sent it [two indecipherable words] right from here it might take a week or more, because it is the conveying to the station etc which takes the time, those people don’t hurry. I should be afraid that the lamps & pump would get pinched as well. It would be by far the best if you could take it when you come
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on leave – couldn’t you pinch a day sometime? It’s such ages since I’ve seen you, and I’m pining away for the lack of you. Somehow I’ve missed you more than ever these last few days.
As regards auto or motor bike, one of the best dealers in the country is Kings of Oxford, for new & second hand motorbikes anyway, & perhaps you could spend your next half day looking around there. If you are considering a motor-bike, the best thing would be a 150 cc. 4-stroke, but these are rather rate, so you’d more likely get a 2-stroke, which is quite good enough tho’ uses a little more petrol when going fairly fast. With a 2-stroke you
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sometimes get trouble with the plug oiling up, but its quite simple to take it out & wipe it, & otherwise there’s less to go wrong than on a 4-stroke. The autocycle is a 2-stroke of course. We’d almost certainly have to pay £30 for a new autobyk, [sic] but on the other hand you’d have no trouble in selling it again. Only it would be very tiring to ride for longish runs, & won’t do more than 25 mph. Have a look in King’s & see what they can offer.
Frances now roles back & forth with the greatest ease, & I have started giving her cod liver oil in her orange [indecipherable word] & she takes it without a murmur. Yesterday she had tomato juice & Banana for lunch, & loved it.
It’s awfully cold today, & I am going to wear my new [indecipherable word]! All my love, dear
Ursula.