56

April 6. 45

Dear Mother:

One day Valery went fox hunting and this hunt went over the farm. They have several acres planted to fox cover and while the terriers were down the holes we went over to look. Bowler hatted and red coated as in the days of yore. It was a fine sight. Too bad they couldn’t tempt any foxes out.

Valery had a very charming girl staying there. Dick has met her. She was Anne Foster then, but is now married to the brother of a girl who was staying there the first time I went there. There is also a Mrs. Jamieson, the doctor’s wife, who comes about nearly every afternoon to help on the farm so there is quite a gang when you remember Horton, once D’s mothers chauffeur, Albert the groom, and Old Jim not to mention Uncle Reggie. The farm is getting quite mechanized with two tractors and their implements, a stationary engine in the barn to drive the grinding machine, another for the power plant, another to drive the hay stacker.

On Saturday evening I went back with Uncle R. to stay at Oakham. It is quite different there for N. likes to have everything in its place. It was no good trying to help clear away the plates because certain dishes are washed in the pantry, others in the scullery, depending on whether they are needed for the next meal. Very confusing. I was introduced to Marie Tidmarsh who comes in during the day. Do you remember her—she remembers ‘Miss Kathleen’.

Believe it or not they got me to church the next morning—it was the longest service I can remember too. Don’t suppose I would have gone had you not been married there but it is a beautiful old church and I’m glad I went.

Afterwards we had lunch with the canon, his wife and daughter-in-law. Then we drove home and went for a walk out to that circle of stones (I forget their name) that date to Stonehenge period.

With love from Tony

[Editor’s note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]