Letter to John Valentine from his wife Ursula

Letter to John Valentine from his wife Ursula

Writes of recent letters and phone call. Discusses his osteoarthritis and possible future treatment, Continues with news of friends and family and mentions some items she is sending him. Writes of financial issue about his firms allowances and other matters. Concludes by saying she is off top fair and is enclosing interesting cutting from the "Times".

1945-08-25

Six page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM450825-01

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Felmersham.
Saturday 25th Aug.
Darling Johnnie,
It only took me 10 minutes to get through to you this morning which I thought was remarkably good. It was grand to hear your voice, & to get 2 letters from you this morning. I wonder why Wednesday’s didn’t reach me till today, same as Thursday’s?
Osteoarthritis sounds a very grand name. I’m all in favour of their giving you a pension & sending you home, & then we’ll set to work to cure the knees. I gather from Dr Novokovsky that you might need weekly treatments for some months, but it would
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probably clear up in the end. I hope so. Alec More left for Germany today, quite unexpectedly, so Joan is bringing her sprogs to tea tomorrow. She is having the present furniture of her cottage removed on 5th & her own in on 6th Sept, & I have said she & her family may use our house for the change-over, as we shall be away, & it would otherwise be very awkward for the granny & 2 kids sleeping on the floor etc. I’m not sure yet whether she is taking advantage of the offer, but think so. This afternoon I am taking Frances & Philip over to the fair at St Peter’s. It’s pouring
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with rain & thoroughly miserable, but the fair ends today & Frances is terribly keen to go again, so as you’re not coming we may as well go. It’ll be more fun for her with Philip there, & Mrs Sharpe is in no shape to take him anywhere just now. Her infant is due in about 10 days (lucky dog!)
I have got you a padlock which I hope to post today. I’m also sending some Statesmen. You may have seen them, if so chuck them out or give them to others. I’m glad you’re in favour of the sheepskin rug, I’ll write for it this evening. I’ll bring the seed [deleted] catague [/deleted] catalogue with
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me when I come, & then we can discuss what we’d like & how many.
As regards the hypothetical debts to G.A.T. I don’t see why you need mention the matter at all. Let sleeping dogs lie. After all, if a firm of accountants can’t keep tabs on a simple allowance like that, they deserve to be done down. I’m sure they’d tell you if they’ve overpaid us. Do you propose to tell the Income Tax people too? After all, £200 we had as wedding present, £250 came out of your unused RAF pay. So did £90 out of our balance of £156, & the rest is the hard earned savings of your cheese-pairing wife. Why complain? Remember I earned quite a bit at the factory, with Pat Hodson
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& when letting the house last summer (£40 + £30 + £28 to be more or less exact, but don’t for heavens sake tell the Income Tax people that!)
Must go & get ready for our expedition to the fair now.
All my love to you, darling, I hope you’ll find some amusement this weekend (not necessarily with Cpt. Kealey though!)
Yours always,
[underlined] Ursula [/underlined]
Rather interesting cuttings from “Times” enclosed for your perusal
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Bike is now very satisfactory, hardly needs pumping at all! Still a new inner tube will be needed some day.