Letter to John Valentine from his wife Ursula

Letter to John Valentine from his wife Ursula

Writes of visit from knife sharpener/china riveter man and delivery of crazy paving. Goes on with other domestic matters and daughter's activities. Continues with another visit by china riveter, thanks him for his letter and encourages him to see MO. Concludes with news of meeting of incipient Labour party.

1946-01-09

Four page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM460109

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Felmersham.
Jan. 9th
I had quite a busy time yesterday afternoon, for me. First of all a man came to the door asking if I had any knives to be sharpened or china rivetted. I didn’t care for his face much but thought I’d try him out with one of our collection of broken plates. He charged 1/3 per rivet, so it was 3/9 for the plate (a small one of the dinner service). However he made a good job of it & I told him I might find him some more if he’d come another day (the reason for stalling him off was, or course, financial) Before he’d gone, Mr J. R. Brown arrived with a ton
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of crazy paving and four separate slabs, so I paid him by cheque (£2.10.). Then Mrs Harris turned up to say could she be let off this week because the lady whom she’d been “obliging” over Christmas had sent her an SOS to come again. However she is going to book Wednesdays for me & tell this other lady she can’t go to her again on that day. After all this I finished the ironing & we went out to tea with the Noves. Nothing very exciting, except when Frances piped up at tea time “Excuse me, Mrs Nove, but your hair is hanging down in your eyes.” Later she covered up this gaffe by admiring Joan’s dress, but I couldn’t help
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chuckling, for her remark about the hair had been only too true. She rather shook me the other day by singing away to herself “Born is the King of Israel, with his bell.bottomed [sic] trousers, coat of navy blue!”
Today the rivetting [sic] gent came again, so as I’d saved 4/6 on Mrs Harris, I gave him the rest of the broken china, one dish, & a plate & saucer of the Suzy Cooper set. [deleted] The [/deleted] He did those (13 rivets in all) for 10/-, so I think that wasn’t bad. Of course in the old days we’d have bought a new service instead, but now its just as well to patch up what we have. Anyway tomorrow is Thursday
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and I’ve still got 3/-.
Thank you for your letter of yesterday. I note what you say about the insurance & will act accordingly.
I hope you’ll do something soon about seeing an M.O. otherwise I have a feeling you’ll stay where you are for weeks and weeks! Joan asked me to tell you that there is going to be a meeting of the incipient Labour Party at Miss [indecipherable name] house on Friday 8 pm, but I held out little hope of your attending. She said they were going to elect the Committee, but would doubtless co-opt others later, so there’s hope for you still!
Off to Joanna Michell’s Xmas party this afternoon – what a whirl!
Lots of love darling, come home soon. Ursula.