WARTIME

Tregethlan Manor,

Trevow,

Portglas,

Cornwall.

26th December 1939

My dear Tom,

Thank you very much for your parcel which arrived just in time for Christmas. Edward was most frightfully pleased to receive a card written especially to him and I am delighted with my new pen – thank you my dear, it was most thoughtful. It has a fine nib and is very nice to write with.

I posted a couple of parcels to you shortly before Christmas, one with things you had asked for and the other with our Christmas gifts to you. I hope that by now they have both reached you safely. I hope that you have had a reasonable Christmas. I imagine you should, at least, have had some decent wine. Here, you have been much missed and we raised a toast to your good health and your safe and speedy return.

Young Clara Wannell from the village helped me to clean the rooms and make up beds before everyone arrived last week. She comes up three mornings a week now and is willing enough but not a patch on either Susan or Bessie. Why they both had to go rushing off looking for war work, I simply do not understand. According to Jane Marshall half the country has done the same and there are simply not enough jobs for them all. I was most grateful to your mother who helped me polish the silver. It was a frightful job but it did look so much better when we had finished.

She and May arrived last Friday and in the evening we all went to the annual carol concert. Edward was simply thrilled to be out after dark and I must say that the ladies of the parish had done a splendid job polishing and decorating the church. It looked very fine. (Phyllis, incidentally, wrote to say she would be unable to get away for Christmas, which was a blessing quite frankly, as she and your mother really do not get on.)

Ken Byghan has been an enormous help since you left. He found us a magnificent tree up near Lovers’ Lane and he and old Greatwood brought it in and set it up in the drawing room for me on Saturday. Rose and young cousin Jim arrived that evening and the next day (Christmas Eve,) May, Rose and I helped the small boys to decorate it. After they had gone to bed we had to make a few adjustments as most of the baubles were on the lower branches. I was slightly concerned that Edward would spot the changes and protest, but thankfully there has been far too much excitement over the past couple of days and he hasn’t noticed.

Ken also appeared at the kitchen door a few days ago, laden with holly and mistletoe to decorate the house. The holly is particularly fine this year by the way – absolutely covered in berries.

We lit the fire in the drawing room on Christmas Day and the room looked wonderful. Most of the time however, we have taken to using the library. As you know, it gets more sun and of course it is smaller and easier to heat.

Wednesday 27th.

I’m sorry I did not have time to finish this yesterday but have now managed to snatch a few minutes to myself after tea, while May and Rose play board games with the boys before bed.

Thank you for your letter of 21st which came this morning. I am so thankful the parcel with your gloves arrived safely and hope the other one reached you in time for Christmas. It is good to know that your billet is warm and that you are not faring too badly. I hope the concert party went well and you were in good voice! We all thought your description of the football match was hilarious.

We have had a good Christmas, despite the circumstances. Certainly the little boys seem to have enjoyed themselves. Edward is thrilled with his toy soldiers and he and Jim have spent hours playing with them together. Your mother seems very pleased with the painting of Portglas Harbour. I think I told you that I found it in a gallery over near St Ives? After much agonising, I bought May some new leather gloves and Rose a rather pretty brooch that I spotted in a shop window in Portglas. Both seemed very pleased. I gave Jim a draughtboard and he and Edward have had a lot of fun learning to play. I decided they were still too young for chess but we could get some chessmen in a year or two.

Cook, of course, has coped splendidly though she complains a lot about her legs these days. Enid Byghan lent a hand in the kitchen on Christmas Day which was a help, and we had a very good meal of turkey, roast potatoes and brussels sprouts – all from Home Farm. Cook even managed to produce a Christmas pud. She worked miracles despite the shortages. By a stroke of good luck, both Jim and Edward found a silver three-penny bit in their pudding so harmony reigned, though there were a few tense moments until Edward discovered his! On the whole though, it has been a blessing having Jim here as the two cousins are such good company for one another. I hope very much that Rose will decide to stay until after the New Year. Incidentally she has heard from James at last and he is fine, which has set her mind at rest.

I invited the Vicar and his wife and also Jane and Hugh Marshall for a glass of sherry before lunch on Christmas Day. From what I could gather the Vicar and Brenda had a difficult time with their evacuees. They seem to have been very badly behaved. Brenda did not say as much but I had the distinct impression that she and the Vicar were heartily glad to see the back of them when their mother suddenly decided that they should return home. I hope we shall fare better if we have any evacuees here at any stage!

Before I close I must tell you about the nativity play that the school children put on in the village hall last week. Your son had a starring part as one of the Three Kings, a role he performed magnificently, delivering his one line with great aplomb. I had made him a cardboard crown which he painted bright yellow (to look like gold, you understand,) and then adorned lavishly with papier-mâché “jewels”. Enid Byghan very kindly made him a cloak from an old curtain and he insisted on wearing his toy sword tucked into his belt. Poor Miss Atkins looked distinctly dubious when she saw it but said nothing. I fear those children run circles around her.

Anyway my dear, I wish you had been there to see their performance. The Angel Gabriel, (young Molly Dickens,) waved to her mother throughout the performance, Mary sucked her thumb while Joseph and one of the shepherds resorted to fisticuffs. To crown it all, the back half of the donkey developed stage-fright and disgraced himself so he was led off sobbing. You would have enjoyed it all immensely and roared with laughter.

Well, my dear, I must get these little boys off to bed. Take care of yourself and write when you can. I will buy you some tobacco in the morning and post it with this letter tomorrow.

Fondest love,

Diana xx

Tregethlan Manor,

Trevow,

Portglas,

Cornwall.

5th June 1940

My darling Tom,

It was an enormous relief to get your telegram on Monday. I telephoned your mother as soon as it arrived because I know she has been most anxious. A lot of the local fishermen went to help with the evacuation and I think everyone in the country has been waiting for news. There has been very little information either in the papers or on the wireless. I may say that Edward has been thrilled by the whole idea of a fleet of small boats going to the rescue and was very happy to hear that his father was safe.

Your letter arrived this morning and you have no idea how wonderful it is to hear from you! I am so thankful that you are back in this country and in reasonable spirits though very sorry to hear that your feet are in such a bad way. I hope that a few days of rest will help. Get as much as you can before they summon you back. It would be wonderful to see you but I do understand that you may not be able to get away immediately.

My darling, I have no idea whether any of my more recent letters may have reached you but you may be interested to hear of the recent arrival in the area of a Dutch naval contingent. The Dutch navy retreated to this country (and I believe, most of their Air Force too,) when Germany invaded the Netherlands last month.

I keep expecting to be told that Edward and I must move out of Tregethlan. You will remember I’m sure, that the house and land were earmarked for requisition by the War Department even before the war started. As yet, we have heard no more thank goodness but I cannot think it will be long before this place is needed for some purpose or other. At the moment the Dutch seem to be billeted all round the Portglas area but I would not be surprised if the powers-that-be decide to allocate Tregethlan for their use. I only hope that Edward and I are able to remain here, even if we are obliged to move into a small section of the house.

There are already some changes taking place here. Greatwood is busy turning some of the flower beds over to growing extra fruit and vegetables. Most of the villagers have already done so, and although, here at Tregethlan, we are not short of fruit and veg because Home Farm keeps us well supplied, one must be seen to be doing one’s bit. I have even been thinking that perhaps we should dig up the tennis courts and croquet lawn. I must confess that I would feel a real pang to see those go but everyone is far too busy just now to play tennis or croquet anyway. I myself seem to spend my entire time rushing from one committee meeting to another, organising fund-raising activities for the War effort. Wretched Adolf, how I murderous I feel towards him!

By the way, I was told recently by the local billeting officer that we may yet be allocated an evacuee (or possibly more than one!) at some point. I do not look forward to having strange children here frankly, particularly since we no longer have Nanny – or any other staff for that matter! However perhaps they will be close in age to Edward and provide some companionship for him until he goes off to Mount House and during the school holidays. He is always asking to go and play with the younger Byghan children but Enid Byghan doesn’t encourage it. I think she feels that it isn’t quite the thing for the children to play together and I tend to agree with her although Edward does get quite lonely. It would also do him good to have to give and take a bit more. I fear that being an only child, he does tend to get his own way much of the time. Prep school will do him good I am sure, ‘though he still seems terribly young to be going off to school. I shall miss him.

Anyway, if we do get one or more evacuees, I shall be even busier than ever. I just hope to heaven that they are reasonably well brought up and do not speak with a frightful cockney accent – Edward is so easily influenced!

Well my dearest, I shall stop now because I want to catch this afternoon’s post. Get plenty of rest and build up your strength. Edward sends you much love as do I,

D x

Chapter 19