Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Writes of weather and melting snow. Reminisces on past events. Philosophises on need for tolerance, courage and confidence of young causing anxiety amongst elders. Catches up with other correspondence and passes on news. Says she is going to send parcel via Red Cross but little content allowed. Asks if he had received books from friend. Catches up with other news of friends.

1942-02-11

Two page handwritten letter

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EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD420211

[inserted] 116 [/inserted]
[underlined] 16 [/underlined]
[inserted] 28-3-42 [/inserted]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England.
Wed. a.m. 11/2/42
My dear Douglas. I have just seen Dad off so now am writing a few more lines to you while I thaw. Again it is a bitterly cold morning. We’ve had a couple of milder days with rapidly melting snow & the return of the frost is most unwelcome. It is thirteen years just about this time since that great frost at Skipton. I can just picture your rosy cheeks as you came in after your happy hours with all the boys, tobogganing. Strange how our children will ever remain children in our memories!! One of many things this war has taught me – the need of tolerance. Never before have I realized the difference between youth & age. The high adventure which all you dear boys faced with courage & confidence means just care & anxiety to us – no doubt partly due to the physical shortcomings of age.
I have just this moment received a letter from [deleted] Ted [/deleted] Mrs Hole with Ted’s address. It is a great relief to learn that he is [inserted] in [/inserted] India. Mrs Hole writes very kindly about you & says “I often talk about them all & the good times they had, but they are paying for it now. We feel we cannot do enough for them.” Strange that the letter
[page break]
should arrive just as I was talking [inserted] (or writing) [/inserted] about Skipton. It is just a year today since Dad came to Nelson. We have settled here very well & just love the position of this house high up on the hills. The only fault it is very small – two of the bedrooms are used as store-rooms. It does seem a pity to spoilt [sic] a good house for sake of a few bricks. Well love I told you in Monday’s letter that the Censor had refused permission to send my small parcel to you so I am going to send a parcel via the Red Cross. But there is so little we are allowed to send & I’m afraid it will be most uninteresting. I’ll try for one or two books anyway, but eights [sic] months seems a long time for them to be on the way. Mrs Clayton asked if you had received the book she sent for Christmas. Did I tell you I was expecting her with Miss Livesay on Thurs. Well yesterday I had a letter telling that they were not coming but Mrs Clayton hopes to come to stay for a little while when Fanny goes back. Funny, as I understood that they were going to London together. It seems a very long time (Jan 31st) since we had our last letters from you & it isn’t 2 weeks. I’ve read them over & over again. It means a great deal to us to learn that you are in better conditions. I know just how much you will appreciate the privacy of your small room. I try to picture you there. Having seen the picture of the Barracks in the book I mentioned it is easy to form some idea. Now love Goodbye again. With all our love & thoughts & prayers from Mother & Dad.
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat
Algerie Afrique du Nord.