Postmarked COLNE LANCES 7.15PM 3 DEC 1939
addressed to Lieut. R. Helme. D.W.R., Goathland Hotel, Goathland S.O., Yorks
ALBERT HOUSE. COLNE. LANCS. TEL.NO. 282
Sunday
My darling Ronald,
You would receive the telegram yesterday – and I hope you know what it meant. Just in case you didn’t, my love, it meant that Pa had decided to accept you as Kathleen’s fiancé. But it is not to be official till Christmas or thereabouts.
Aren’t you pleased honey? I’m just crazy with joy and relief. Daddy is supposed to be writing to confirm it but he is not very good at getting on with the job; and who cares now?
I popped in to tell your Mother yesterday, as I didn’t see why the heck she should not know what her poor son was in for as soon as possible. She seemed pleased – and your Father did too!
I have a plan. Would you be able to have next Saturday or the Saturday after off – or even the afternoon off? I want to meet you in York, and we can get the ring there. It strikes me as being a very good idea, and I hope it strikes you that way too. I have even gone to the length of enquiring about trains. The best one leaves Colne at 6.24, gets in Leeds 8.11, out of Leeds 8.30 – into York 9.5. Of course that’s very early, but it’s by far the best. There is a good one back at 6.35, in Colne at 9.55.
I know that’s a long day, and I don’t suppose you could get off all that time, but I could always fill in some time by going to the Institute for a bit.
Mum is thinking of going as far as Leeds with me as she wants to see the Marshalls. Then she’d come back on the same train. Anyway darling, this all depends on you. If you can manage I’d love to come in to York:- even if it only meant seeing you for a few hours. I’d love to get the ring from York. I have such a warm spot for the place – and that will make it an even warmer spot.
Winnie Broughton came down here yesterday, and I kept saying to myself “Well, she’s not a bit like me.” Your taste must have changed completely. She was talking away about all these marriages and engagements and I was chuckling away to myself thinking “There’s another one coming my girl!”
She says she hasn’t missed Fran a bit – so every one has been wasting their sympathy.
I had a letter from Mary Campbell yesterday – and there was such a nice paragraph about you. But to give you it here would make you swollen headed, but you sure did make a good impression on them all. Aren’t you quite the nicest boy.
I went to Church this morning, and so did your Mother, but she charged off at such a speed that I didn’t have the chance of even smiling at her. I suppose she was hurrying home to lunch.
The more I think of your grandmother the more I want to laugh. Aren’t you shaking at the thought of her fury when you Spring (oh dear, I was thinking of the season!) a fiancée on her? And she doesn’t even know you’ve got a girl friend. Perhaps you are going to keep dark; but she’ll probably find out somehow.
Three weeks tomorrow will be Christmas day. When do you expect to get your leave? I wish it could be a week. John and Daphne wont be home at Christmas as John has an exam on the 27th – a silly time. They will be here for New Year I expect.
Winnie was saying that Nina had just had a letter from Geof saying he wouldn’t be home at Christmas after all – and not for another three months, so she is very disappointed. They had no leave before they went over.
Stanley Riddiough was in Friday as full of beans and of himself as usual. He really is rather painful I find. He was actually contemplating going on to the hospital and asking Matron if he could have tea with the nurses. When I asked him why he though she’d let him, he said that he had been at their staff dance for the last five years and that he wouldn’t be able to go this year – and besides he was always very friendly with the nurses! So now you now what to do on your next leave, dear! He had met Nurse Cummings in the town and told us with pride that she had seemed embarrassed at meeting him. I felt like saying “I happen to know that she can’t stick the sight of you!” What conceit!!!
This seems to a long and chatty epistle. I am so thrilled about our engagement. I do hope you don’t mind having to wait a week or two before it’s official. Actually, we are engaged and you can certainly tell your fellow officers.
Dear me, I shall have to start another page.
We went to the One Act plays last night, and they were very good I thought. The Dramatic Society are better on one act plays I think. There were two comedies and one tragedy. Charlie Hill, although I am not one of his completely devoted fans, was very good as the man about to be hanged in the tragedy. Your friend May was in the first comedy as a middle aged spinster. She was rather wooden but likeable in the part.
Mr and Mrs Biggs sat behind us, and were asking for you. They let me see a very amusing birth card they had had sent from Canada. They asked me to let Dad see it, so I’ll copy it out for you as I feel it will appeal to you. It was actually sent as an announcement of a birth!
Try and let me know about Saturday as soon as poss. Well, at least let me know if this coming Saturday is quite imposs. That’s the worst of it. You can’t know whether you’ll be able to manage until the last minute. Oh dear, I do hope you can get off one of the two Saturdays. I want so badly to meet you in York. Do you know why wedding and engagement rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand? It’s in a direct line with the bloodstream from the heart.
I learned that at Dicky’s wedding, which I had clean forgotten to mention. We all went including the “old girl” who wouldn’t be left behind. It was at Gisburn Church, hence the Gisburn post mark on the telegram. A really mouldy beauty lacking wedding; no music, no flowers, no heat in the Church – electric light because of the black out which was evidentally permenant. Poor Rita. I am honestly sad about it, as I just know she wont be happy.
Well Angel boy, I must close. Honey I’m happy.
Kisses, cuddles and caresses, Kay x
Bruce Wilkins Savage.
Serial No. 2.
Now on display at
421 Exmouth St.
Sarnia
_____
Chief Engineer
& Designer.
Harry B. Savage.
Production Manager
Isobel H. Savage.
Technical Assistant
Dr. W.B.Canuthus.
_________
Delivered F.O.B
(Hospital Rate Weight)
Specifications
___________
Two Lung Power.
Free Squealing.
Scream Lined.
Economical Feed.
Automatic Starting.
Changeable Seat Covers.
Bowel Bearing.
Water Cooled Exhaust.
___________
The management assures the public there will be no new models during the balance of the year.
___________
(Disgusting isn’t it?!)
P.S. I have just been talking to Mummy about engagement rings. She says it is best to pay as much as you can for them, as an engagement ring is always your engagement ring however many rings you may receive afterwards. Rather disturbing. I don’t want you to have to pay a lot – and yet of course I want a nice one that looks good anyway. I wish I knew a bit about diamonds. Daddy paid £30 for Mum’s which I consider is far too much, don’t you? I simply don’t want to leave you absolutely broke – Of course it will be your Christmas present to me too.
I’m really worried about it. It seems so mercenary of me walking off with your hard earned money.
All my love, Kay.