St.Thersa’s Convent School Minehead
In war news at this time the 1st November saw British forces occupy Salonika, Greece, and distribute food in Athens, which was experiencing famine; and “Operation Infatuate”, an Allied attempt to free the approaches to Antwerp began: amphibious landings took place on Walcheren Island.
45 King George Road
Minehead
1st November 1944
My darling John,
I have received another lovely letter from you on Monday. I am so glad to hear you are well and happy. I wonder what is in those two extra parcels you have sent us! Do tell me, there’s a dear, what Anthony’s is. I do hope you will receive my parcels (2) by Christmas. I have my doubts though as they were posted rather late. I was trying to get you a diary so sweetheart if they don’t turn up until after Christmas, well, you will forgive me won’t you? By the way in them you will find a present each for Jan and Pru. I thought that you could either send them or take them when you go on leave. For Jan I got two rather nice books. Anthony badly wanted them. For Pru I got a lovely bunny made in bright yellow velvet. It cost me twenty two shillings and six but that was the only thing I could get worth sending. I got it at Floyds and he said to me “Go on mrs.Askew, you can afford that.” It has lovely long ears. I do hope she will like it. Let’s see, she will be a year old on the 19th November won’t she?
Jan and Pru Kilburn with their mother Nathalie, wife and children of local tea plantation owner Jack Kilburn
That son of yours is going around telling everyone now that he is going to have a brother and a sister!! and they understand him! Mrs.Clark (Beach School) adores Anthony. She declares he is far too advanced (mentally) for his age and warns me to be careful and see he does not overdo learning at school. She has a grandson aged eight months but it’s all “Anthony” when we meet. Everyone says Anthony is the image of Russell to look at. Talking of school, or were we? Anyway we simply MUST talk about school for a bit. Look here, everyone seems to consider St.Theresa’s school the best for small children. The fees are four guineas per term (more as they grow older). It is by far the largest school in the county.
St.Theresa’s Convent, Townsend Road, Minehead, now Minehead First School
They don’t teach them religion. That is, they have Scripture but there is a special Catechism class for Roman Catholics. I think the nuns take some of the lessons and they call them “Mother so-and-so”. Well, there is Hamberies. The headmistress is about sixty. Only about twenty pupils go there and people don’t think much of it. St.Alwins I don’t know much aboit. But Mrs.Godfrey knows one of the teachers there and is going to get the low-down on it. Well, there you have the three schools. What do you think? PLEASE do answer this. I mean, this is as much your concern as mine. I really don’t know what to do. If St.Theresa’s wasn’t run by Roman Catholics everything would be OK but still it does seem a modern school and lots of little boys go there. I want your opinion. Then if it is to be St.Thersa’s Convent, well, I shall have yo to back me up against my mother and your dad. It’s the nearest to home, you see.
Mrs.Ball (her husband used to be a hairdresser in bailey’s, a blond man) tells her that one of their officers is packing up to come home because he has done over three years abroad. How does this affect you? I saw your friend Janet Shrives recently. She showed me an air graph card you had sent. I had to verify your address for her so I expect you will hear from her about same time as this. She asked me when you were coming home. I told her I DID NOT KNOW. If you’ve told her differently it’s just too bad!! Deirdre is a sweet little girl but extremely tiny. Anthony towers over her head and shoulders above her.
I managed to get Anthony a pair of shoes (black). I wanted brown. After a few days’ wear on one shoe he has won down to the stitching! They are size 10 and none too big. He does look a big boy in them and his grey turnover top socks.
Oh, yes, so you are anticipating spending six months in London. Oh, darling that will be marvellous but what about your son’s education during that period and also where shall we stay in town? Strange you should ask me where we were going for our honeymoon as I was going to ask you in this letter. We have got to go to London afterwards to collect Anthony. Also, where will you disembark I wonder?
Darling, don’t jump at me when I only wondered if you could possibly bring me home a pair of silk stockings for our honeymoon. I haven’t a pair. Still, you will have to get used to me without stockings as I have been for the last three years. I prefer to go without rather than wear the awful artificial muck on sale here. But don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter. The only reason I asked you was because John P. managed to bring Joyce home stockings, among other things. As long as you come home safely that’s all that really matters. Still, you will have to get used to seeing my varicose veins in my legs showing or else I shall have to wear my slacks.
Anthony wants to learn how to swim. I told him he must wait for you.
All my love, God bless you and bring you, the best husband ever, safe home to us my darling. Anthony and I adore you and I really long to feel married again,
Janie xxxxxxxx
