#42

Dec 16. 1944.

Dear Dad:

I think last time I wrote I said the following day would see me off to see Violet. I didn’t let her know I was coming in case anything cropped up in the meantime and a day in the country even if she wasn’t there would have been pleasant anyway. When I got to Chippenham I tried to phone but it was out of order which seemed a bit ominous. However I managed to find a taxi to take me the six miles to Seagry and arrived just in time for tea. Violet was quite well but suffering a bit from rheumatism. That is probably because the house is too cold despite the portable oil stove heater which alternates between various rooms. I stayed two nights there and had a very comfortable time with electric heater on all night. A rule of the house is breakfast in bed so I never got up much before 1100. The idea is to give Alice some elbow room for dusting etc. There is also a retired major staying there (who mixes a pretty good cocktail) and one of their mutual hobbies seems to be auction sales. They were at one that lasted six days. I don’t think Violet is too extravagant but the major showed me a piece of furniture he bought for £15. I had no idea what it was but he says its a Georgian powder stand. I can thing of many more useful things for the house. V keeps no live stock except a few goats. I was surprised there were no chickens—a bit disappointed too because I hoped to take some back to the Cumberland for breakfasts. Most of the books in the place seemed to date about the foxhunting era. There were several good pictures and two watercolours of either you or grandfather on a pony jumping over a log. V and I get on very well together and I hope I have not disappointed her groom’s wife.

All the best for Christmas
Tony.

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