Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of their finances, moving to a new billet, flying duties and domestic details.

1943-10-10

Six handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM431010

OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
CARK,
NORTH LANCASHIRE.
TELEPHONE GRANGE 390.
10/10/43
Dearest,
I am now installed in my new quarters, and find them a big improvement on what I had before. The room is nearly half as big again & I have it all to myself. It’s got two windows which means better light and also plenty of fresh air at night.
I had my first night’s O i/c last night, & began well, scrubbing at 7.0 p.m. I finish on Friday night & get Saturday & Sunday off. If I can have about two or three scrubs during the week I shall feel satisfied.
I hope you get your frock tomorrow. Mother [deleted] h [/deleted] & Dad had some difficulty in finding the
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shop, because there was no address on the ticket. They then tried to take it away without paying for it, thinking that we’d already paid, but the girl in the shop wouldn’t wear it.
I parcelled the frock up yesterday morning, I hope satisfactorily. I didn’t trust myself to fold it, so I got Mother to do it, & contented myself with wrapping it in paper.
I got details of the Law exam & some old question papers yesterday. The Contract & Tort exam is on Dec. 7th at 9.15 a.m. so I propose that we go to London on the 6th for about three days, & then go back to Newhouse for the rest of the leave. That’s only a tentative suggestion. The old questions I’ve looked at prove
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that I shall need to get everything more buttoned up before its worth while taking the exam, but I don’t need to enter for it before Nov. 22nd, so there’s time to see how things are going. The entrance fee is only 10/6d, so it will be worth while having a crack at it even if I’m doubtful.
You must be having a bad time at present with your boiler u/s, but I suppose it will be worth it if you get the Aga going properly.
I suppose you are going to fit it under the stairs in the middle room? It seems a pity not to have it in the kitchen, & I should have thought it would have been better in the kitchen
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between the sink & the door, or better still, where your present fireplace is. Still, I shall be interested to see it next time I come.
I’m glad you’re able to keep getting the odds & ends. I think you’ll have to start storing things in the attic or in Cecil’s room if you get much more stuff.
I was studying the pass book last night , & I can’t make head or tail of the amounts on the credit side. Here is a summary.
June 1. 25.18.2
“ 4 8.8.0
“ 30 25.0.0
July 5 14.7.9
Aug 3 25.18.2
“ 5 8.0.0
“ 31 25..18.2
Sept 4 6..4.0
“ 30 25.0.0
Oct 4 8.8.0
[circled 1] The large amounts are
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my pay less Income Tax 31 days at 18/2 amounts to £28..3..2
Net income = [underlined] 25.18.2 [/underlined]
Income Tax = £ 2.5.0
As I work it out, however, income tax ought to be £4..4..7, so either we’re being treated very well, or we’re going to have to fork out an unpleasantly large sum later. I suspect that the Income Tax people have got into such a muddle over our incomes that they don’t know how much to charge, but I don’t mind as long as they don’t find out afterwards.
[circled 2] I thought your allowance was 28/- per week, i.e. £6..4..0 for a month of 31 days. That’s what
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it says on the pamphlet I received on being commissioned. That’s the amount I received for August, but the others have been £8 or £8..8..0 (The £14.7.9 is for when you were in Grange). There again it’s pleasant to be paid so much if there are no unpleasant surprises to follow.
Don’t worry about writing to me. I know how awkward it is at Newhouse, & also know that you write when you can, so don’t feel obliged to answer every one of my letters.
All my love, darling,
Harold.
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