Park House

Parkside Rd.

Reading, Berks.

Sept. 15 1918

Dearest Mother: -

My half Sunday & it is too bad I don’t get it with Mary & Marion, they have next Sunday and as we get every other we don’t fit in to-gether at all, however I have had quite a nice afternoon, as I went for a nice walk with a couple of the girls here.

We went to Sonning 3 about miles down the Thames. Went part of the way by tram, but came back along the bank of the River. Had a very good tea at one of the little hotels there but am quite ready for supper which will be at 8.15 just 15 minutes.

Had a letter from Atwood this morning. He is down in Devon at some place run by Lady Allen of Montreal and is going to spend 2 of his 3 weeks leave there. From Stan’s last letter he gets his leave this week & Atwood wants him to go there for a week too which will be very nice for both of them. I will be able to get another day off this month and it will be so nice for the 3 of us to spend it together.

At tells me he was quite near Leicester when he was at Matlock Bath so went over to see Grace Thompson and Lucille Hawkins, who are in a hospital there.

Mary & I had a letter from Jean Daniel the other day & she & Purd are coming here on their day off this month. Won’t we have a jolly time, if we can get a half day or something like that.

Yesterday afternoon Mary & Marion were up to Town. Marion to meet Gus Cuhring & Mary Byard Coster. I wish I could get my half day for the week on Saturday too, but it is an impossibility in my ward & I have to take Thursday.

We may be shifted to night duty any time now though so it won’t make much difference. I do hope we are all put on together as otherwise we would never see each other as the night duty girls  live at another house quite a distance away.

I think I told you Park House used to be a boy’s school run by a Mr. Bartholomew. They live right next door now, at least the next house, as there is a great big garden between. Mrs. B. asked the 3 of us in to tea the other day and there was a Mrs. Butler there whose husband runs the Blue Coat school here & she wants us to come down there sometime. So it will be quite interesting. Father can tell you what the blue coat school boys look like with their long navy blue coats, yellowish stockings & never any hats or caps.

Frances McAvity wants us to come and see her on a day off & she is coming over to see us sometime too.

Wrote to Cousin Jim the other day & had a letter from him yesterday. He said Elaine was coming over soon to be a V.A.D at Beachboro Canadian Hospital out of Folkestone. It is some of a private affair & they don’t get any pay. If I get married I might go into something like that afterwards as Cousin Jim could easily get me in. 

Did I tell you we have the warmest room in Park House as the chimney from the kitchen goes up through one of the walls. The only heat there will be in this whole big house all winter is an open fire in the dining room & sitting room. There are fire places in all the bedrooms but coal is so scarce this winter that I doubt if they ever will have a fire.

Last year the girls were allowed a fire in their rooms once a week and remember there is no furnace, [?] stove or anything else.

The hospital is heated with pipes though so we will be warm working, so when we are off duty we will have to go out for a brisk walk or crawl into bed.

Have had supper now & we are all ready for bed. We start early but it is generally 11 before we get to sleep.

Did I tell you that Miss Martin the V.A.D I was with in Leeds the first few months is in this hospital too.

Had a letter from Semi yesterday written the 10th. They are in the line again. He is so afraid his mother will take Reay’s death very hard, & I expect she will. The girls heard yesterday that Lionel Teed had been killed too. Isnt’ that dreadful, two boys gone.

Well I guess I will tumble into bed now. Daphne has almost finished my mauve crepe de chine nightie.

Lots of lone to you all

Nettie