Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Writes she is glad to hear finances are sound and about future plans around house. Continues with baby news and plans to visit acquaintance who is suffering from arthritis. Mentions someone who has received a commission and suggests how he might get his own. Continues with domestic news, the imminent arrival of brother and that there will be no Easter presents this year, but asks him to let her know if he needs more cigarettes or tobacco. Mentions arrival of rates bill and other domestic issues. Asks about radio program previous evening and discusses other family matters.

1942-04-03

Four page handwritten letter

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.

EValentineUMValentineJRM420403

No. 4. Lido 3rd April
My darling, thanks for you No. 3. I'm glad to hear your finances are so sound. I'm alright for the moment too, having been paid yesterday. I bought some material for recovering the dining-room chair & a net curtain for the lavatory, totalling 6/3 which I intend to recover from Grindlays a/c sometime, but I'll wait till I've bought the material for the bathroom curtains too. Frances has been given an appointment for Wednesday next to have her diphtheria immunisation carried out. On Tuesday we are going across to Edgware to tea with Mrs Lowe, who can no longer manage the petrol to come to us. I believe she is suffering very badly from
[page break]
2.
arthritis in the legs now, & has difficulty in getting about, & the poor thing has no domestic help!
It was a good show that Brighteyes got his commission. How about your visit to the C.O. which you promised you would make as soon as you got to your squadron? Have you seen your log book yet, whether or not you were recommended? I expect those blighters at Heyford forgot all about it in the turmoil of so many postings. Still, do try. I have been clearing up the rockery this morning, preparatory to transferring plants from my prospective back garden. Peter is due to arrive
[page break]
3.
for the night sometime this evening. We are not having our usual Easter celebrations, when it has been our custom to give each other lavish presents. I tried to get some more tobacco for you but have had no luck so far. Let me know if you are desperate for cigarettes or tobacco.
The gas bill has arrived & been paid, - viz £4.8.2. It seems very large, & doesn't leave an awful lot in House a/c. A girl came to read the electricity meter today & was quite disappointed that the reading was so small,16 against the usual 200 or so units. I am going to pack up your parcel this afternoon but it may not
[page break]
4.
go till tomorrow if the Post Office turns out to be shut. Did you hear Group Captain Helmore last evening? He does speak nicely, & reassuringly too. As for the Indian pickle, I'm glad I'm not Sir S.C. those Congress Wallahs really give one a headache, but personally I have a lot of faith in Nehru, & feel that they'll come to an arrangement yet. I've sent a birthday card (showing Blenheims in action) to Robert B-P do you remember us this time last year, impatiently waiting for Frances? It seems much more than a year ago.
All my love to you, my dearest, & a happy Easter - & good luck, yours always, Ursula