大象传媒

46 Victoria Road,
Kirkcaldy, Fife.

25th July 1940

My dearest Annie,

Your letter to Florence took four weeks to come and just arrived before I came up here to visit Pat & Willie & Billy. I was busy doing some sewing, and bottling fruit for the winter so had not much time for writing. Since coming here I have been showing Pat how to bottle fruit without sugar and she has become so keen on it she says she will end up by having far too much. We have enough sugar for ordinary use and some extra for jam but not enough for all the fruit, hence the craze for bottling has arisen and incidentally, of course, the price of bottles! Pat bought 1 doz. for 6/- after I came and today had to pay 8/- for another doz. This is always what happens when there is a run on anything. There is a very large crop of fruit this year and lectures on how to preserve it are often given over the wireless, but people are afraid to tackle it unless they have also seen it done. Most fruit grown here has hitherto been made into jams and jellies but that is impossible now as sugar is rationed.

I am sorry you have been so troubled about us over here. I am sure I never said anything in my letters to give you the impression that we were suffering any undue hardships. We are not. Up till now life has gone on for most of us pretty much as usual. We are rationed for various foods but not because of any scarcity but to prevent people with money buying large quantities at the expense of the poor and that is quite right. Nobody grumbles. We are all in this together and the collapse of the European nations has made us all determined to join together in every way to preserve our independence. So far, air raids have not achieved any great success and our RAF are magnificent, but things may yet prove more serious. We can only await developments and prepare for whatever may await us. We are having an air-raid shelter in the garden here, so everything is being done that is humanly possible to safeguard homes and families.

So stop worrying about us and just have faith that we will be all right and if anything does happen to any of us - well, it will still be all right.

It was kind of you to offer a home to Pat & Billy and me and we discussed it well. We really could not have a talk about it till I arrived up here and letters are not very satisfactory. In the end we decided it could not be done. The seas are not very safe, but apart from that there is the question of finance. You would have had to agree to keep us for the duration of the war and though it would be quite in order for your mother to be dependent on you, Willie & Pat are different and Willie would not dream of you providing for his wife and child. All the money each person is allowed to take out of the country is 拢25 and no money can be sent to them as long as we are at war; perhaps 3 or 4 years. With your own family to educate and provide for during these coming years you can see for yourself how impossible it would be for you and Harold to have such a burden added to your household. Pat has always had an income of her own and how would she feel not to have money even for stamps to write home? 拢25 would not go far and after it was gone the position would be unbearable. You do see that don鈥檛 you? As for myself the small income I have would be lost to me for good. I would not leave Florence alone anyway to face what may be in store, but will rather share the dangers with her. Excuse this long harping on the forbidden subject of war, but I do want you and Harold to understand fully our reasons for not accepting your very generous offer. We are grateful.

Tomorrow I am going to Glasgow to visit Bob & Edie and see all the friends I can there. Anne Westlands was to be married in August and Florence and I were going then, but unfortunately the wedding has had to be postponed as Anne is in the Western Infirmary to have an operation for varicose veins. Isn鈥檛 it a pity? I will let you know how she is after I get there.

Florence comes here on Friday of next week and on the following Monday she and I are going to Comrie to have a week or 10 days with Margaret Ramsay. Florence was there at Christmas but I have not yet seen her new house. You will remember we spent part of August with her last year at Whiting Bay.

Pat & Willie & Billy had a lovely holiday in June up at Newtonmore. They were lucky to get away and the weather was sunny the whole time which suited Pat and Billy but Willie would have liked more rain for the fishing!

Billy is a lovely boy - very strong and active and full of mischief. He is not a bit shy and makes friends easily. He gets every attention as he has a splendid Nanny who is devoted to him and he has a lovely nursery with a smaller room opening from it where he sleeps by himself. Nanny has a bed in the nursery and sits there after Billy is asleep. Ross is here with me and he and Billy are great friends though we have to watch them as Billy would like to grab Ross鈥檚 ears and nose and Ross might resent such rough handling. What Ross loves best is when the tide is out and I take him for a scamper over the firm sands. He simply goes wild over it and behaves like a puppy, instead of a staid old dog of five.

Willie is a member of the 鈥淗ome Guard鈥� at present but will have to register on his birthday next month, after which he may be called up anytime.

I hope you are all well and enjoying the holiday season. I don鈥檛 know when this letter will go but will just have to chance it. Enclosed are some snaps of Billy.

Warmest love from all,
Mother.

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