Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He has moved to Blackpool from Manchester. He complains about prices and how mean his landlady is. Jean is about to become a WAAF. He has been to a dance at the Winter Gardens.

1943-02-06

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ430206

[postage stamps] [postmark]

[inserted] 7-2-43 [/inserted]

Miss Welland,
7. Queens Drive,
Surbiton
Surrey

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927893. L A..C. Darby
No. 6697. 4 Wing.
5. P..D.C. R.A.F.
Dean Street
Blackpool.
6/2/43.

Dear Jean,

Well, here’s another stage of my journey started, sorry I have’nt written before but we had several hectic days at Manchester collecting additional kit, exchanging old stuff etc. and it was’nt any good writing from there as letters get delayed.

I have no idea how long we will be here but should think it will be about another 7 days.

Glad to say my cold is much better, must be the Blackpool air, the weather seems to alternate between one wet day and one fine

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II

day, it[deleted]s[/deleted] should be a wet Sunday but the system may break down at any moment.

I don’t know whether you have been here but its pretty good for spending money, mine’s going at an incredible rate, still why worry shan’t be able to spend it for a long time. Thursday night we went to the Tower Ballroom, a wizard place for dancing, just a comfortable crowd, of course [deleted word] this was taken over by the R A.F. judging by the crowds of service chaps here, its a change to see a man in civvies, of course there are still plenty of girls here, should think they are under training as seaside landladies the way they

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III

try to part you and your money.

Talking of landladies, we’re in civvy digs, ours is a typical specimen talk about mean, I believe she would like to ration the air we breath [sic] in her house, have often heard jokes about these persons but I know now they really [deleted] exist [/deleted] existed.

How are you getting on,? still causing Littlewoods lots of correspondance [sic]. I suppose, whats the situation now, believe me, the whole Air Force will be severely shaken when you roll up to report, some poor W.A.A.F. drill corporal does’nt know what she’s in for, remember the Air Force only have one left turn, so tie a piece of string round your wrist.

Last night we went to a Dance and general wander round

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IV

at the Winter Gardens, really the Empress Ballroom has to be seen to realize the size of the floor, I bet its nearly twice the size of Woolworths in Kingston, when the music stops and you are over the other side of the room its nearly far enough to take a 1d bus ride. Of course there are plenty of other buildings nearly as large, all the dances are 9d for forces and an evening goes very quickly.

Well, will finish now, will write again before I leave, shall be pleased to hear from you if you can reply fairly quickly, (what a hope still your improving)

All the best

Yours Jack.