Ramblings

“I’ve never felt like this before towards any man, and I’m quite sure I won’t change.“

It is fascinating and lovely – if disorientating – to observe your parents’ courtship, and I have had that opportunity. When my father died in 2015, my brother and I discovered in his house a box of letters from Mum to Dad, written in 1950-51. If I’d ever known of their existence, I’d forgotten about them. We found them compelling reading.

At the time I was still working, and I had plenty to do relating to Dad’s house and estate. The letters were difficult to read while the pain of his death was still raw: also literally difficult to read because of Mum’s handwriting – as she frequently acknowledges. It has taken me this long (over eight years) to get around to transcribing them, and I felt some vindication when Mum quoted her favourite uncle, Uncle Tom: “I’ve received your letter. God knows what it’s about.” Where I have been unable to decipher her handwriting I have sometimes included a brief scan of the letter. Any translation suggestions would be gratefully received.

Kathleen and Aelwyn first met during the war – Rob and I were told – because Kathleen’s older brother Philip failed to turn over his RAF test paper, thus losing the opportunity to return to Britain for further training. He asked his friend Aelwyn – who did turn his paper over – to call in his place on his parents and sister in Wallasey. He may have had matchmaking in mind: apparently he had already written to his mother saying he had met the man Kathleen should marry. (See Sallie’s Story here.) If so, he made an excellent choice. They met again at Philip and Doreen’s wedding on 9th August 1947.

They bonded, sitting on the stairs escaping the noisy throng. And Aelwyn wrote down Kathleen’s address in London on the back of his wedding invitation envelope.

But it was not until 1950 that my parents started dating. By then, Aelwyn was 31, working as an actuary in London. In his piece “Emblems” he had this to say about this phase of his life:

This phase was my bachelor existence in London, learning my trade in the years between the war and my marriage. This was not particularly memorable, and I regard it as having been a period of preparation for the fourth phase, which was my fifty-five years of married life.

Kathleen was 25, a nurse in Shrewsbury. It seems that Kathleen was initially responding to a letter from Aelwyn – probably Kathleen had taken a note of Aelwyn’s home address while he wrote down her London address. Her first letter has Aelwyn’s surname wrong, and was addressed to his parents’ house in Dolgellau – by then he was living in Ashtead, Surrey. Presumably Aelwyn’s parents had to open and read this very personal letter to establish its intended recipient. The journey between Ashtead and Shrewsbury by public transport took over five hours, but that proved no obstacle to romance. The first letter is dated 23rd August 1950: they were engaged by the New Year. Just a year and two days after her first letter, on 25th August 1951, they were married. When you know, you know. They lived happily together for 55 years until Kath died in January 2007.

Unfortunately we only have one side of the conversation. Aelwyn clearly cherished Kathleen’s letters, keeping them carefully in their neatly opened envelopes. His own writing was usually concise: my guess is that many of his letters in reply were short and to the point, confirming arrangements for meeting up, and with brief expressions of love. If Kathleen did keep them, they may have ended up in storage in Wallasey, and perhaps fallen victim to her mother Sallie’s ruthless unsentimental nature – or later, perhaps, to Aelwyn’s own decluttering program.

Much of the content is routine, concerning arrangements for meeting up, or often apologising for the lack of more substantial subject matter. There are frequent expressions of Kathleen’s love for Aelwyn. It reads like a slow-moving soap opera where I know the ending. I was not sure whether I should publish these very private letters, but their content is innocent and sweet, and evocative of its era, and as Rob has said, so quintessentially Mum: so passionate, so anxious, so hard-working. She found it painful to be away from Aelwyn for too long, and throughout their life together she hated even an evening’s separation. I wanted to transcribe the letters, and publication on this blog provided a further motivation. I recognise that these might be of more interest to their grandchildren and other relatives than to the wider public – although they do provide a glimpse of romance in 1951. The courtship messages of 2024 seem unlikely to survive for seventy years. But these did, and here they are. Kathleen’s intense love for Aelwyn shines throughout. As she wrote “I’m yours till I die. I really mean it darling.” She was true to her word.

It’s time to let Mum do the talking.

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(Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, 23.8.50. Shrewsbury 2056 (Casualties). Ask for sister.)

Dear Aelwyn

I sincerely hope I’ve spelt your surname correctly but I don’t remember ever having seen it in writing as Philip always referred to you as Aelwyn. I should like to see you again if only to talk about Philip and tell you what a wonderful man he is if he hasn’t forestalled me!! As you say I was present at the birth of his ‘magnum opus’ and believe me we were all very excited.

I will be off at 4pm on the day you mention but it will take me about half an hour to get out of my uniform. We could perhaps meet outside the station if that would suit you. Perhaps you could write and let me know if this will be alright.

Yours

Kathleen

P.S. If you haven’t time to write my telephone no is at the top of the letter KIB

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22 Malpas Road, Wallasey, Cheshire 22.9.50.

Dear Aelwyn

At least I won’t commit the unforgiveable sin of addressing this letter to a different man!! I have learnt your name and how to spell it but I very much doubt if I shall ever learn to pronounce it correctly. You’ll have to teach me.

It was nice of you to write. I like reading letters and yours was an interesting one. I’m afraid you won’t find my letters very exciting. As soon as I get hold of a pen all interesting tit bits fly from my mind and I am left with dull banalities about the weather. It makes no odds who I write to my mind dries up just the same. Sometimes I think it’s just as well. Otherwise think of the gems of wisdom that would be consigned unread to the flames.

I don’t believe I thanked you for our evening together in Shrewsbury. However I thank you now just in case I did forget.

I find Sunday morning a very aggravating sort of time too. I start the day full of resolutions as to how much reading I’m going to do – how much reading and general tidying up. The net result is nothing except aimless listening to the wireless, half heartedly sorting out drawers etc. I don’t know why but the only useful thing I ever do is go for a long walk after eating too much Sunday dinner.

I have never been mountain climbing not from lack of interest but rather from lack of tuition. You see at the time when I started to go around rambling and Youth Hostelling etc. I started nursing and so very soon lost touch with all my open air friends. Most of my holidays have been spent swimming (I even have a photograph of myself doing a very inexpert dive to prove it) and walking. But I’ve often wanted to try climbing – I should imagine the end is well worth the means.

I would love to have seen the La Scala ‘Milan’ in any one of their operas. As you say such companies make the English Operas stars look like some 3rd rate amateurs. The Carl Rosa is a rotten company. I’ve seen them in La Traviata. Joan Hammond took the principal role and acted and sang very well, so well in fact that the tenor etc were completely dwarfed. All duets deteriorated into a fight between Joan Hammond and the orchestra with the Tenor opening and shutting his mouth feebly with no recognisable sounds coming out of it at all. The Sadler’s Wells Company were a little bit better and the Covent Garden were very good. I think the greatest thrill I’ve ever experienced was listening to Gigli at the Albert Hall. I shall never forget it and I don’t suppose I will ever repeat the experience. Certainly not with Gigli. He is getting a little too old now. I’m almost writing this ‘sotto voce’ as I’m in the same room as a most fanatical Gigli fan. He won’t hear a word against him. Needless to say he’s a Welshman with the Welshman’s inherent love and appreciation of music. He is staying here this week-end with his wife and baby and no doubt we will have some musical evenings before he goes back.

Don’t worry about criticising Shakespeare to me Aelwyn, Philip has done his best to teach me but I am not a very apt pupil I’m afraid. Some time ago when I was staying with Philip we went to Hamlet. Philip said he was just beginning to get a glimmer of what Shakespeare intended to convey. Doreen and I said we didn’t know what he was worrying about – we could understand it quite clearly!! I sometimes think these students try to interpret far more in Shakespeare’s plays than he really intended to convey. Still that’s only an unintellectual’s viewpoint.

I seem to have rambled on for three pages about nothing. I hope I haven’t bored you. Write again soon as I like getting letters.

Love

Kathleen

P.S. It has been said that no woman ever writes a letter without adding a post-script. Here’s mine. Please forgive the odd envelope as I find I’ve run out of matching ones. I shall be back at Shrewsbury by the time you write again but you know the address.

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Nurses Home, Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 5.10.50

Dear Aelwyn

Your letter was the only pleasant thing that happened in an extremely unpleasant day. I got it on Tuesday – the day I returned from my holidays. I was feeling a little bit blue as one usually does after time off, and I was greeted with the news that Matron wishes me to take over a ward. That is all very well I suppose but it is at least 3 years since I was on a ward and it will be difficult to get used to it. All the doctors for whom I work were unreasonably rude because they will have to get used to someone new and by the time we got off duty I was feeling really browned off.

I was very amused at your description of my writing. Believe it or not most people find that my scrawl is appreciably worse in ordinary pen and ink than it is with Biro. Perhaps I have a sneaking desire to conceal my real character from you! I was once told that I must have a muddled mind in order to write such a foul script. Anyway enough of me and my writing.

I think that your vague suggestion that I might come to London for a week-end is a very bright one. I might even take you up on it sometime. I should love to see some really good shows -an opera or a ballet – for instance. It might serve to cheer me up.

By mountain climbing I thought you meant scaling vertical rock faces with the aid of hob-nailed boots and a pick axe but I see I’m sadly in the wrong. I think I could probably manage ordinary scrambling uphill but I think an awful lot depends on one’s company at such times don’t you. (Don’t you think the letter I is very much overworked in this letter).

I was sorry to hear that your ‘Gigli’ listening was spoilt but you must get rid of your ‘cynical’ core. I don’t believe for one moment that you have one but then I’m not yet qualified to judge. I used to have a girl friend who sent me off into unreasonable fits of depression by her black moods but I always found, as is usually the case, that when she was in a good mood she was so perfectly charming that one almost forgave her. I say ‘almost’ because in the end it got too much even for me and we had one glorious and final row which left me (I was very young at the time) feeling that no one was worth giving any affection to. However I’ve since got much more sense you’ll be pleased to know. I used to be told I was very cynical but I think a rash of cynicism (or is it cynisism) often hides someone who is afraid to show their own feelings for fear of getting hurt. It is nature’s protection against further harm. Heavens I must stop this theorising. My intention was to cheer you up and help you to a better understanding of the fair sex.

Incidentally my own views on men could be summed up with (to use your phraseology) Huge – Doctors!! I decided some while back that Doctors especially the young ones were the lowest form of human life.

If you are really serious about wanting an excuse to go to some good shows I’m willing to be that excuse.

Do write soon. Who knows who may manage to cheer me up again.

Hopefully,

Kathleen

P.S. I must add this this just to have the last word!

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 13.10.50

Dear Aelwyn

I’ve just realised it’s Friday 13th. What a very depressing thought especially as two of my patients are —-. Enough. I must not start to write shop as well as eat, sleep and breathe it. It’s a little difficult to find anything very interesting to tell you because as it’s my first few days on the ward all my off duty has been spent in trying to find out what I should be doing when I am on or in reading light detective fiction which doesn’t require very much mental effort.

I think the best week-end for me to come to London would be a fortnight on Saturday, that is 28.10. if that suits you. I should like to go to the opera once, as for the rest I leave it up to you.

I believe my train gets in Paddington at 8.40 p.m. I don’t know whether you will be able to meet me or if it will make you very late home if you do. Anyway it’s up to you but wherever we meet it must be in some very fool proof place or I shall spend the entire week-end wandering miserably around looking for you!! I have no sense of direction whatever and when I get on a tube train especially ‘the Inner Circle’ I spend hours cruising up and down just missing the place where I’m supposed to get off. Still, I am better than I used to be when I first went to London. I was hopeless then. I’m looking forward to coming. I hope you are too.

I’m afraid this letter will have to be almost as short as yours as I’m practically dropping asleep as it was very late when I stopped work last night. However I’m sure you’ll forgive me as you suffer from the same blankness of mind when you start to write. You said this by the way – not me – I always find your letters very interesting.

Write soon and let me know where I shall see you.

Love

Kathleen

P.S. Of course I don’t mind you playing Rugby on Saturday afternoon. I hope you don’t break any bones though or I might be called on professionally in the evening!!! Kath

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 19.10.50

My Dear Aelwyn

You must excuse the biro pen but I have run out of ink and I must perforce lose my individuality for once!!! It just shows you what a mental state I’m in to forget to tell you what date I would be arriving. Here it is in block capitals. Friday 27th October 1950 – the 9.40 p.m. train at Paddington. O.K., I shall enjoy seeing ‘Manon’ very much but as far as I can gather I won’t be able to manage a show on Monday night unfortunately but anyway I’ll see. I think the latest train is at 6.10 p.m. from Paddington. After that it’s Midnight which means I shouldn’t get in till 3 or 4 a.m. and I’m up again at 7 a.m.!!

I am looking forward to coming very much. You’ll let me know whether you’ll be meeting me or not won’t you. Sorry this letter is so short but I must dash back on duty.

love

Kathleen

Write soon

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (not dated, postmarked 31 Oct 1950)

Dear Aelwyn

I sometimes feel that many of our most used expressions have become so trite as to be meaningless. For example – Thank you very much for helping me to have such a lovely week-end – could be said with equal sincerity to the staff-nurse who has helped me get by a week-end on duty without any fearful repercussions on many past occasions. However this time I mean it in quite a different sense and yet I still can’t think of a different way to put it. Anyway, Aelwyn, I’m sure you realise that it’s perfectly true and I hope you agree that it would be well worthwhile to repeat the performance in the not too distant future. Perhaps, who knows, we could reverse things and you could either come to Shrewsbury or stay at Hoylake. Anyway that couldn’t be till after Xmas and perhaps you’d rather not anyway. This is getting far too complicated so I think I’d better try another tack before you get as confused as I.

I’m sending you a photograph which I’ve unearthed from my friend partly because it’s the only one I have here with me and partly because it’s about the only reasonable one I have.

She can easily have another one of the same print. Heavens I sound like a film star delivering autographed photographs for fans!! I hope it’s good enough to inspire you to send me yours. Remember you promised.

It seems rather pointless to tell you at this stage that I arrived back safely but believe it or not I did. I had quite an interesting journey with two people whom I dubbed as school teachers and a small girl. The small girl had a murderous looking tomahawk strapped on to her case which prompted us all into conversation with her. Apparently she just collected such things!! Extraordinary hobby for a girl of 12 yrs don’t you think?

I awoke just in time to prevent the (?)maid from spilling my remaining tea over my Covent Garden programme. The sight of it filled me with a longing for a repeat week-end and I electrified my friend by talking incessantly about the opera as we dressed. She, poor girl, is used to a sleepy silence in the morning.

I’m not as fond of letter writing as I am of talking which is perhaps just as well as you would certainly suffer from eye strain if I were. Perhaps even now your eyes are aching and head swimming in an attempt to decipher this. However when you succeed you will write back won’t you and don’t forget the photograph. I hope your chest is better now. Look after yourself Aelwyn.

love

Kathleen

P.S. The photo was taken at home. I hope you see what I mean about ‘Edith Cavell’ as I’m still wearing the same uniform.

P.P.S. Forgive the inscription being altered at the back but I haven’t another one, love KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (not dated, postmarked 8 Nov 1950)

My Dear Aelwyn

Your photograph, which is quite a good one, now adorns my mantelpiece (or is it mantlepiece) next-door to David and Johnathan. They are my book-ends, two wire-haired terriers who are permanently separated by a row of books. Rather an unpleasant fate for them, poor things. It’s nice to have a photo, where I can see it quite easily, to remind me of you.

Your letter cheered me up immensely. What a coincidence for you to know one of Pamela’s friends. I have the snaps you mean. You are right in supposing that Elspeth is seated at the oars and equally right in supposing the fact that she is a very charming girl, and that we were going round in circles. We always do. On the river Cam we were quite a danger to punts and rowing boats alike, not to mention the swans. I’m sorry but I haven’t any repeats of any of those snaps – at least not here until I go home. I will look when I go home. If you get them however, I shall insist either on the negative of an enlargement of the one I have of you. This photo-talk is getting very involved. I must change the subject. One last word, I’m sure Pamela will forgive you for snaffling (what a horrible word) those two. She has some really hideous ones of me as a child to console her!!

Jimmy’s philosophy sound ideal except the growing fat part. I don’t mind laughing but how I hate getting fat!! Before I forget I’d better put you out of your agony of mind by telling you the object strapped to the child’s case was a TOMAHAWK. You know, the sort of things red Indians use, or used to use. I think your last guess was the best.

I have never yet tried to master the art of bridge playing and always marvel at people who do. You must be really good at the game. Some of my relatives in Wrexham – an aunt and uncle and a pair of happily married cousins, have played bridge in my presence before now. It was always really home wrecking. They would begin quite quietly and end up ranting and raving at each other with both my aunt and cousin in tears. I was invited to learn with them once but I thought as we had always been friends, I had better leave well alone.

I am very glad to hear that your rib has improved. I wish I was near though to make you forget it altogether. Talking of seeing you again I think your idea of meeting halfway is an excellent one. The question is where and when?? I should have to have a fortnight’s notice as we arrange our off duty in advance. Dash this institutional life. There are times when I wish I could go where and when I please without having to organise everyone else to fit in.

This is rather a hurried letter as I want you to get it before you go away for your week-end. I hope you enjoy it (especially the food). Speff is agitating for me to be off to the pictures. We are going to see Bob Hope in ‘Fancy Pants’. I believe it’s very amusing.

Write soon, won’t you Aelwyn and I do hope we can arrange to meet again soon.

Love

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 17.11.50

My Dear Aelwyn

In spite of my good intentions to write all my letters in a decent (I’m sure I should have written with instead of in) pen I always seem to run out of ink at the crucial moment. However I don’t suppose it will matter, it will at least veil my true character from you. – That sounds quite sinister though it’s really meant as a joke.

If you are a romantic then I must be one too. Music above all things always makes me either pensive and sad or joyful according to the type of music and also to the memories a particular piece conjures up. I hope you understand what I mean. It’s a bit confused I know but what I am trying to say is that for example ‘Tosca’, ‘The Stars were shining’ might make me want to weep (I don’t often do so, so don’t get alarmed) because it is essentially a very tragic aria; but it might also make me want to exult because it holds very pleasant personal associations. I should probably feel exactly the same way about some of the arias we heard together at the Covent Garden but though I’ve searched the Radio Times and listened to some frightful family favourite gramophone records I still haven’t heard any excerpts from it.

I am very sorry but I can’t possibly meet you on a Sunday unless it’s my week-end. You see we are not allowed a complete day off on Sunday because the entire staff has some off duty and therefore everyone is working very short. If I had a complete day off (instead of a half day which begins at 2 pm) I’m afraid the scales would tip over and chaos would result. In any event Matron wouldn’t allow it. However I could make a Saturday and just in case you can manage it I’ll give myself a Saturday off 9th December. I’m afraid this is the only Saturday I could make before Xmas because the week after that is my opposing Sister’s week-end and I have to be there to keep half an eye on her ward. This is most infuriating but such trouble is always dogging my footsteps and any other poor unfortunate who takes up nursing. If you can’t manage that Saturday and if you’re not coming home for Xmas (it would be nice if you were because you could come up and see the ward if you wanted to or else we could arrange to go out somewhere) we will probably be able to organise another week-end somewhere after Xmas. Try to make it though because I’d like to see you again soon. – I really mean it Aelwyn, I would very much.

Practically the whole of this letter is taken up with my off duty explanations – enough to make you say ‘Hush – woman’? I am glad to hear that your bridge playing is so successful. I don’t know anything about bridge as you know but I can imagine a bridge partner is like any other business or work partner, you don’t have to like them personally in order to make a good team. I hope your luck holds out long enough to get into the office team. I don’t see why it shouldn’t. From what I’ve seen of bridge it requires a lot of skill as well as luck. I’ll wish you the luck and I’m sure you’ll provide the skill!!!

By the way I’m longing to know the unfortunate episode at Leamington. It may be another day but you will either have to tell me it or invent one to satiate the curiosity you’ve fired. Of course you can always forget it altogether but I shall still be curious.

I’m glad you enjoyed your week-end. I always appreciate the bed and food almost more than anything else when I’m at home. Sheila sounds a very amusing sort of person but as you say you have got to be in the mood for it. I could go on for ever but the clock is relentlessly summoning back to work. Ah me. Duty is calling.

Write again soon won’t you. I look forward to your letters.

Love

Kathleen There’s not even room for a P.S.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 22.11.50

My Dear Aelwyn

So you know all about my character – That – mess. Still it will be fun to let you in on a few more dark secrets when next we meet. I quite agree that although letter writing has its points it’s not nearly as good as meeting one another. In fact I was going to ask you if you’d like to come home for the week-end after Xmas – (New Year week-end to be precise) – Philip will be home (and Doreen) and we could have a grand time. Would you like to?

This doesn’t mean that I shan’t be able to meet you on the 9th of December. I certainly will and will go wherever you wish. I was only thinking that we would have longer if you could make the week-end. However perhaps it would be too expensive. I’ll leave it to you Aelwyn. I shall enjoy either or both with equal sincerity. What a horribly pretentious sentence that sounds. Forgive me! I do mean it and I find it very difficult to express myself on paper. The fact remains that we both want to meet as soon as possible and have actually managed to conjure up two possibilities. That is quite an achievement considering that we both live so far away from one another. Don’t you think so?

I am so glad that you and your bridge friend have been selected to play in the office team. You must let me know how you get on. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

May I be forgiven for saying it but I had forgotten your rugger when I suggested Saturday. I’m very sorry but it’s hospital life. It would be almost like your suggesting that you were off on a Wednesday – a statement that would possibly met with angry disapproval. Or would it! You will have to tell me more about your job. I’m quite in the dark. As I once told you all I can conjure up is a picture of you looking very grave and estimating how long people will live! An entirely fictitious conjecture I should imagine. I was very glad to hear that your rib had improved sufficiently for you to play rugger again. For heavens sake take care (rather impossible in an exciting game). I want you to remain whole for the 9th December.

We are trying to organise some Xmas carolling here for Xmas Eve. I hope we will manage to chase up 80 or even 40 Welsh sopranos – altos and contraltos to help reverberate the hospital roof. About 13!! turned up for the first practice but we have hopes of better things to come.

My mother is an excellent letter writer too. She can make you think that you are with her when she describes any particular incident. She can dash off a nice long interesting letter in about ten minutes – an art which neither Philip nor I have inherited. Both of us spend hours pen chewing before we can produce anything at all.

As always at the end of my letters duty’s call brings my flow of eloquence to a full stop and enables you to put down your magnifying glass with a sigh of relief. Here’s hoping we’ll soon be meeting again – it can’t be soon enough for me.

love

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 29.11.50

My Dear Aelwyn

Acting on your recently acquired theory of writing first things first, Hurrah! Or the airforce slang – Roger (Your instructions received and understood). I think I’ll amble outside whatever ticket barrier I am forced into by the crowd until I meet you. Don’t you think that would be best. Otherwise I’ll be wandering miserably up and down various ticket barriers getting more and more desperate – just missing you by feet each time. On second thoughts I think my sixth sense would tell me if you were about but perhaps we’d better not rely on that!! Settled then – Saturday Dec. 9th outside my ticket barrier at about 11.17am. I think that’s right isn’t it?

I am delighted to hear that you can also manage the week-end after Christmas or once again I’ll repeat myself – the New Year week-end. Sorry about all these repetitions but it would be so dreadful if we got the wrong week-end. You are quite right in your supposition that it’s my long week-end and that it will therefore include New Year’s Day. You will of course stay at home. Imagine it – no long tube or train journey before we can meet but just a matter of walking into breakfast. Ah me. I wish it was Saturday 9th tomorrow and our week-end the next week-end. Gosh I’m getting quite Shavian abolishing Christmas just like that. I can think of a lot of people who would be very annoyed if I did.

Talking of Shaw to my shame be it said I have never yet seen one of his plays. In fact my knowledge of him apart from Philipian hearsay is based entirely on his film Pygmalion and part of St Joan as a radio play heard between sirens of some of Wallasey’s earlier air raids. You can therefore see that I am sadly in need of education. You must try and improve matters for me. What does ‘creative evolution’ mean? I imagine it must mean the constant evolution of man into a better specimen of manhood. Does that mean the soul of man or doesn’t he believe in a soul? I’m afraid I’m showing my ignorance but I hope you will enlighten me.

By the way I usually get here on the Friday night for my week-end but on the important week-end I have to go to the sisters’ dinner so I shan’t be able to make it until Saturday morning. Be sure to get your boss in a co-operative mood and get Monday off as well. Still it’s just as well he was unco-operative last time or else – where would we be.

I was very interested in your account of your job. I sympathise with you if you have many personal interviews with disgruntled clients. It reminds me of my all too frequent interviews with disgruntled relatives. ‘Why can’t I see her now?’ ‘When is the next x-ray to be?’ ‘Why can’t you tell me what is wrong?’. Mostly all quite unanswerable questions especially the last one since in these days of Penicillin the disease is cured before a diagnosis is found!! I can imagine or at least try to imagine your row in a slightly different atmosphere – imposing large typewriters and adding machines and a pleasant lot of work fellows. Have you all been together for a while or do you move around frequently? You’ve been in London quite a while now. Haven’t you.

I keep going back to our week-end or should I say forward. You won’t forget to let me know when you can come. Either Friday night because Philip will be there or Saturday morning – I’ll be arriving at the crack of dawn. I hope. I am looking forward to it. What shall we do in Leamington. I don’t really care as long as we do it together. Do you?

It’s getting a little difficult to concentrate as everybody using my room is talking away. As a matter of fact the conversation of the moment is how to cook. Speff (the friend of the photograph) is the only one who knows anything about. It feels as if I ought to concentrate. It’s about time I cooked our Sunday night supper for a change.

Write to me soon won’t you. I am longing to see you again. Here’s to December the 9th. By the way did I tell you that Barnet (one of the other sisters) has christened your photograph Gary after Gary Cooper. Though what’s Gary Cooper got that you haven’t. Still it is a compliment or it’s intended to be. I must go to bed now as it’s getting terribly late. You’ll have to use up the rest of this paper in a return letter.

Goodnight Aelwyn

Take care of yourself.

Kathleen.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 6.12.50

My Dear Aelwyn

Only two and a half more days to Saturday. I’ve been musing delightedly about this all morning and it is only now 15 minutes before I’m due back on duty that it’s jolted me to the realisation that I must write at once to confirm all arrangements. I’m not ill and neither are you at the moment – touch wood. As you say we just can’t be. I’m sure everything will go according to plan and we will meet outside my ticket barrier at 11.17 am on Saturday morning. O.K. If I’m there first I shall wait until you come so if I feel a little frozen when you arrive just pour some hot water over me – I’ll thaw!!

I’d like to write a nice long letter like yours but I couldn’t for two reasons – one because I’m not capable of writing particularly interesting letters and the other because my time is very limited if I’m to catch the post with this.

I heartily echo your sentiments about meeting again. Let us indeed hope that it will become much easier to meet and that therefore we will be able to meet much more often.

Before I forget I didn’t mean to insult you by my reference to typewriters. I have entirely disenbursed (a lovely word but probably quite the wrong context) my mind of the loose picture and have a much more filling one in its place.

I’m longing to see you again. Please don’t be ill, Aelwyn, I couldn’t bear it. Forgive this extremely short note but I’m consoling myself with the fact that we shall soon be able to walk and talk and be together and the mere written word will be unnecessary. I simply must go on duty as my Staff Nurse is wanting to go off. Your photograph and letters will help me to get by until Saturday.

Love

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 13.12.50

My Dearest Aelwyn

I don’t really know how to begin this letter because I am always very inarticulate on paper. Somehow I feel that whatever I write will be completely inadequate and will not mean one tenth of what I would like to say. Since Tuesday I have been carrying your last letter around in my pocket and reading it – just to reassure myself that Saturday really happened. It must be true because even my non-artistic pencil could draw that tree. I’m sure you know which tree I mean. It stands in front of a seat (no ordinary seat) which is placed in the middle of a main road, or so it seemed at the time, —— You know the rest.

Darling Aelwyn you must write to me as often as you can to convince me that it is all really true – you do love me as I love you. I know you do. I have your letter here in front of me to prove it. A letter which expresses my feelings so well and so much better than I ever could.

Reading this through I can see that I write the word love just the same as the word have. I hope you can sort it out. I intend to post this letter first thing tomorrow without reading it through just in case just in case I decide tomorrow that it isn’t nearly good enough and tear it up and then you will have to wait for a letter and – I shall have to wait simply ages for another one from you.

New Year week-end just can’t come quickly enough for me. I’ve tried to think of a way of wriggling out of the sisters’ dinner and so arriving on the Friday night but it just doesn’t seem to be possible. Never mind I’ll see you first thing on Saturday morning and we’ll have three whole days together. I must go to bed now with that happy thought in my mind. Write very soon Aelwyn and please please look after yourself.

With all my love

Kathleen

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(This letter was sent with a parcel)

Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 17.12.50

My Dearest Aelwyn

I couldn’t find a suitable Christmas card so I’m enclosing a little note. Have a lovely time Aelwyn and think of me – just a little. I’ll be thinking of you a lot and longing for next week-end when we will be together. At least if you have the will power not to open this until Christmas morning it will now be less than a week before we meet again. I wish I could have thought of something more original and interesting but may be next time we will be able to choose our presents together. This sounds terribly involved but I’m sure you know what I mean. Look after yourself darling until Friday 29th December.

All my love

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 18.12.50

My Dearest Aelwyn

I think I’ll write this letter in instalments. It’s always so late when I begin to write that I feel I can’t say all I would like to so if this letter breaks off in the middle and says goodnight rather abruptly you will know that I’ve suddenly felt the call of bed very insistently. It was lovely hearing from you a day earlier than usual. Please Aelwyn don’t put me on too high a pedestal. If you do you know I am bound to fall off because I’m afraid I’m all too human. Heaven knows I want to mean everything to you because I love you so much, so very much that I would hate anything to happen.

Why I wonder do we both fill our letters with hopes that our love will last. Why shouldn’t it? Surely we were meant to meet and fall in love. I’ve never felt like this before towards any man, and I’m quite sure I won’t change. Darling we must meet as often as possible no matter how many difficulties there may be in our path. I do hope we can arrange something at Whitsun. I’m not quite sure when I am off then but I might be able to arrange a week-end. As you know I have a week’s holiday due before April. I have hopes of taking it at Easter week-end and then coming there to meet your parents. Perhaps we – Euan – You and I (if Euan has no-one in mind or if his sister can’t come I’m sure my friend, – the cheery girl of the rowing photograph would like to come) could finish off that week in Scotland. I hope that is what you meant when you suggested that we spent our next holiday near to one another. It would be so wonderful to be able to arrange a few days together and we might be able to manage it. Do you understand this? I’m afraid it must be a little difficult to follow as I’m getting rather tired. I think I’ll finish this letter off tomorrow.

Goodnight darling till then

Kathleen

My Dearest Aelwyn

I haven’t very long in which to finish off my letter but I’ll try to make it legible. At the moment I feel very depressed partly because Christmas is looming nearer and I don’t seem to have the time or energy to do anything about it and partly because New Year week-end is so far away. I wish I could skip over the space between now and the longed for week-end, but instead I must concentrate on decorations, (I’m beginning to hate the sight of cellophane and crepe paper) on Christmas presents – for all the patients, staff, maids and my friends. Ah me I think I’d better stop writing before this letter turns into a long jeremiad of all my woes.

Talking of Christmas I hope you’ve got my letter and parcel safely and that you haven’t yet opened it. I wish it was more interesting but I took quite a long time to choose it and left a row of frantic shop assistants in my wake. I hope to be able to find out the time of my train to add as a p.s. to this letter. If I don’t I’ll let you know later. Philip is coming here on Monday with his wife by the way if you want to send him a card.

I’ve just had a parcel from him which I’ve restrained myself by ??? force from opening. The accompanying letter says that the 1945-46 types of the 31 Squadron make very good husbands. It was an exceptionally good year!! I’m sure he’s right.

All my love Aelwyn. Please write soon.

Kathleen

P.S. The best train leaves Shrewsbury at 8.40 and gets in Lime Street at 12.45pm. There is an earlier one which leaves here at 7.25 but somehow I can’t imagine myself catching it. K.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury. 26.12.50

My dearest Aelwyn

I have been trying to write and thank you for your wonderful present for years or so it seems. I have taken the gloves out and caressed them, had them duly admired and put them carefully away again at least 50 times since I received them. They are absolutely perfect and I am seriously thinking of tying a string from one, threading it through one sleeve across my back and down the other sleeve there to be firmly secured to the other one. Why, well just in case I should lose them but I don’t really think that’s necessary. The little dogs are sitting happily on my mantelpiece. Three dogs that don’t need to go out for walks! At the moment they are staring rather fixedly at you. (I still have your photograph in a frame.) Perhaps after all they do want to go for a walk.

You must excuse me if this letter is rather incoherent – inevitably illegible and rather brief but I am desperately tired. I must have composed scores of long letters to you in my brain while my feet and hands were busily occupied feeding people and hanging up decorations but I’m afraid I can’t write in that same strain now as it’s far too late at night. Don’t think I’m grumbling, I’m not. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Christmas but I’ve spent the whole time or nearly all of it wishing it was next week-end. Never mind darling it will soon be here and we shall be together again for three whole days.

I was looking for the note which Speff had made about the times of the trains and I now know what you mean about a four hour journey to Lime Street. I will add a p.s. in the morning (in block capitals) with the right time written down. If these times are correct we shall probably come on the early train. I can’t bear to waste half the day in a train. I’d much rather waste half the night by getting up at the crack of dawn. I simply must go to bed now, Aelwyn, I’m so tired. I think I’ve written that somewhere before in this letter. Look after yourself darling – it’s a funny thing but danger always seems to loom near to those you love when you are not with them. I hope you understand what I mean but sometimes I can see all the roads packed with cars, all wanting to — . It’s time I went to bed. Of course nothing is going to happen to you. It just can’t – we love each other.

Goodnight darling

Kathleen

P.S. I’ve just time to let you know that Speff and I have decided to come on the 7.25am train which arrives in Lime Street at 10.31am Saturday morning. I couldn’t wait a moment longer. Until then Aelwyn

All my love

Kathleen

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(From “Thoughts on Millennium Eve”, a recollection by Aelwyn written in December 1999:

“For the New Year of 1950/1951 I was invited to stay with Kath and her family in Wallasey. We were not yet officially engaged, but we knew that it would happen. There was a very real and deeply-felt knowledge that we would shortly be taking a step that would shape the rest of our lives. That alone made it a memorable New Year.”)

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 4.1.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

I was awakened this morning my the night staff nurse telling me that my own staff nurse had gone off sick and wishing me many happy returns of the day all in one breath. Once upon a time I should have been filled with dismay at the prospect of a day minus my senior staff but to-day I just thought – ah – I’ll get a letter from Aelwyn to-day. That was all that mattered. That letter has kept me going through everything – half the ward has flu and at least 20 of the nurses including 3 of mine. That meant chaos and night-time meant worse but I had your letter in my pocket and therefore I felt fine.

In a little while we shall be together for always. How wonderful that sounds. Together even more than we were this last week-end. Even the week-end is fading into a sort of dream state now but your letter helped to revive the memory here vividly. I love you darling and I always will. Only 14 days to my next week-end. – That reminds me I shall have to resort to some skulduggery in order to get that week-end off as my staff nurse is due a holiday. However I’ll manage it whatever else happens. I’m sure we’ll (my staff nurse and I) will be able to wangle it somehow.

Congratulations on your rise darling. It sounds a colossal salary to me but I realise that the cost of living is very high in London. You are very modest about it. I’m sure most of it is due to merit and is very well deserved. Ignoring the reason behind this sudden shift of the office furniture I was quite excited at the prospect of living near to High Wycombe and London. It would be much nicer to work outside London from my point of view. When, and I know it’s looking ahead, we have settled where to live I can begin to look for a job in the local hospital. From what the others tell me I shan’t have much difficulty.

It’s really time I went to bed as it’s post midnight but I’ve left the most important part to the end. You cannot imagine how pleased I was with your flowers. They are really beautiful and my room looks like a conservatory to-night. They sent for me to the office when they arrived and I went back on duty treading on air. I’m no good at telling you just how pleased I was. I could show you so much better if I were with you. It won’t be long now darling before we are together. Till then thanks for everything and please take care of yourself.

I must just tell you that Speff is getting better and may be back on Saturday – that I didn’t have to go to the dance because Barnett has the flu also and therefore none of the partners turned up and finally that we may go on January 9th instead, as the assistant matron has suggested that we go to the Nurses’ dance. I’m rather pleased about the latter as I knew Speff was looking forward to

it. For my part I’d rather be with you – ??? at all but until we can arrange that

All my love darling

and Please don’t get flu.

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury. 6.1.51

My Darling

I wish I were with you now Aelwyn to assure you that as far as I am concerned nothing and nobody will ever come between us. Your friend cannot have loved his fiancée or she him or neither would have given up so easily. I love you darling and though when we are married we shall no doubt disagree on somethings (those two words should be separate) I see no earthly reason why our life to-gether shouldn’t be perfect. I want to meet your people and I long for them to like me. I don’t suppose for one moment they will think that I’m worthy of you. No parents can ever find anyone quite good enough for their son. I’m hoping that they will find no glaring faults anyway. This is silly, why shouldn’t your parents like me. My parents approve of you and so does Philip. Don’t worry Aelwyn we were meant for one another and we must get married just as soon as we can.

I have managed to get my week-end. I’m leaving an untrained person in charge but she is very capable and there will be a houseman to call on if she is in trouble. It won’t be very long now. One week on Friday to be exact. What time does your train get in? If it’s very late I shan’t be able to meet it as Lime St Station is such an awful place to wait in. If it’s a reasonable hour though I’d like to meet you. It’s nice meeting you off a train or rather it would be nice. Up till now it’s been the other way round. If this letter were read by anyone else it would be meaningless – full of spelling mistakes, repeated phrases and hundreds of other indicators of bad English. But no-one else is going to read it but you and You don’t mind as I don’t mind. How many times I say I love you. I do darling. I love everything about you and I shan’t ever change.

I’m rather tired and it’s time I slept but I still haven’t told you about rations. If you can manage tea or sugar (or even both) mother would be glad of it but don’t worry if you can’t. Mother understands.

By the way I was very sorry to hear that you might have to change your digs. I do hope everything will be settled alright as I know you are happy there. Besides it won’t be long before you won’t need digs any more. We shall be to-gether. See it be soon Aelwyn and please take care of yourself. Try to write as soon as you can as a letter from you makes the grimmest day so very much brighter.

Everyone is now converging on me to drink tea. I must be sociable – I’d rather be asleep.

All my love darling

Kathleen xxx

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 13.1.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

At last I have time to sit down and write to you. You are nearly always in my thoughts, sometimes to the detriment of what I’m doing, but recently there’s so little time for sitting down writing that I feel all my letters are scrappy. What does it matter though so long as they say – I love you and as long as you write often in return and assure me that you love me. Why is it that we want constant reassuring. I expect it’s because we are both in a dream state where neither of us can really believe it’s true. As soon as Friday night we shall be together again.

I’m sorry that your people won’t be at West Kirby this week-end, but never mind I shall see them soon. Mother has had flu and she was feeling rather shaky last time I rang her. I’m rather worried about her. I must ring up again to-night to see how she is. She will be alright by next week-end I’m sure but I shall have to do a little bit more to help. Don’t think that your being there will mean any extra work because mother would be most upset if you didn’t come. Not to mention me of course. If I didn’t have next week-end to look forward to I don’t know what would happen. Do take care of yourself and please don’t get flu. I don’t know what to do about Friday night. I should much prefer to meet you but I’m rather afraid of hanging round Lime St. Station at night. Daddy would go mad. You see my train only gets in two hours before yours and that doesn’t give me time to get home and back. I think I’ll meet you at the top of the road instead. You do understand don’t you darling. Whenever I see you it can’t be soon enough for me.

Time is racing by here. The flu epidemic isn’t over yet and those of us who are still about seem to be getting more and more work. Still I think it’s abating now and I refuse to talk about work. It’s far too depressing at the moment.

Speff is back – she came back last Tuesday. She is only just beginning to look herself again. It seems to have taken a lot out of her. I’m trying to persuade her to come and work in London when we are married. I’m sure it would be better for her. However I don’t think I shall succeed as she is too fond of her parents but I’m going to keep trying.

I don’t know much about any of the places you mention. I only know that in one of them we will find somewhere to live. Won’t it be wonderful. To be together for always and always.

By the way, you know I don’t think I’ve ever asked you when you qualify. I know you have some exams to sit but I’m not absolutely certain how many or how long they will take. Poor Aelwyn. How you must dread them. I know I hate exams. I can’t bear to think of them even now.

Write to me soon Aelwyn. You don’t know how I treasure your letters. Let me know how your landlady’s troubles are going. I hope you can stay there until you and I find a place to live together. By the way what about that large photograph you promised me. I’m waiting for it.

Believe it or not your flowers are still very beautiful and I’m counting down the time until I see you once more.

All my love darling

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 22.1.51 (postmarked Wallasey, Cheshire)

My dearest Aelwyn

I don’t know why I haven’t put my home address on this letter as I am still at home unless it’s because I’m afraid you might put the wrong address on the letter you write back. Just as if you would. I haven’t any news since last night nor any reasonable notepaper but if I write right away I should get a letter back very soon and you know how much that means. I hope you don’t feel too tired after your long journey last night. Never mind Aelwyn it won’t be long before all our journeys will be together and we will not be forced into continually saying goodbye.

Every time I write a letter to you I wish I was more capable of writing down what I feel. It seems so completely inadequate to write and thank you for a lovely week-end. How can I express in mere words the wonder of knowing and loving you and of being known and loved by you. I do love you Aelwyn and I want to be with you always and make you happy and be happy just because I am with you. It won’t be very long – just 3 or 4 years or so it seems, before we will be together again. Next time I will be able to meet your parents and they will like me – (I’m trying to convince myself they will) and we will be happy without anything to worry us. Why do I keep worrying so much about meeting your parents? It’s funny to think that they are probably equally worried about meeting me!!

I hope you get this job in Liverpool so much. It would simplify things so much for both of us. Still we can just hope. For my part I don’t see how they could possibly not have you but then I am very prejudiced. I can’t think of anything else to say except I love love you very very much darling and I want to be with you for always very soon. Write to me very soon and tell me that you love me too. I know you do but I have to get your letters telling me so again and again. Letters which I can carry about and read again and again until they are almost falling apart. I hope you are are not too tired to-day. Look after yourself. You are a very important person to me and no doubt to many others. I’ll see you soon and it can never be too soon.

All my love my darling

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 25.1.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

As is usual when I write to you it is very late and I’m tired but I feel I must write once again to tell you how much I love you and how I’m counting the the minutes to our next week-end. The times off inbetween just don’t exist. I keep sliding towards the goal of my next meeting with you. Like you I dare not count up just how long it is. I only know it seems simply ages. Never mind, the time will pass and we shall soon be together again. It’s so wonderful to get your letters. You can’t tell me too often how much you love me. Each time I read it or hear you say it I feel on top of the world.

Unfortunately the ward is still very depressing and I’m afraid poor Speff has quite a time with me. I wouldn’t mind quite so much if the patients were getting better but only one might. They are nearly all incurable and quite a few of them are dying.

It’s mean of me to moan to you and depress you with my worries so I won’t do it any more.

I too want you to get that job in Liverpool so much. I hope neither of you will be disappointed. The firm is not worth working for if it won’t employ you. That is what I think but then I’m probably very prejudiced.

I’m glad Euan is willing to be your best man. It makes the glad date seem so much nearer when we get these details fixed up. I’m trying to save some money by not going to the pictures etc. I haven’t cut down smoking yet. I’m sure I could if I weren’t so worried all the time but at the moment the ward is so dreadful that I can’t seem to manage it. However I should manage to save quite a bit by not going out to eat. I’ll see what I can do.

I could go on writing a lot more but I feel I ought to go to bed. I love you Aelwyn very much indeed and I wish I were near you now to tell you so in person. Goodnight my darling and please take care of yourself. Write very soon.

Kathleen xxx

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 29.1.51

My Dearest

Once more I start to write to you amidst a chorus of voices telling me it’s far too late and that it’s time I went to bed. I don’t care, they can all go and waste their time in slothful sleep. I have more important things to do.

My Darling, I love you very very dearly and I’m longing to see you again and to be with you for a whole week-end. Your letter cheered me up immensely to-day. Your letters always do. They make all life seem worthwhile and even the sun managed to struggle through the fog whilst I was reading it.

I was glad to hear that you might have a chance of another job in Liverpool if the first one falls through. Why shouldn’t you get a job just where you want? As I’ve said so often before I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to employ you or to work with you.

You’re quite right of course when you say that money isn’t everything. Far from it. I’d rather live in a work house with you than in a Mayfair Palace with anybody else. That is perhaps a little exagerated (I could never spell that word) but you know just what I mean. I promise I shan’t become a nervous wreck. I’ll eat like a horse (unladylike thought) and try not to worry. Why should I worry, we have everything in the world to look forward to. I do love you Aelwyn. I wish there were three other words which meant the same but no others can express my feelings so you will have to get used to the constant repetition.

You must write early and tell me all your news. I do hope you are right when you say that I made a hit with your mother. I do so want her to like me. I think I must have said that in every letter I’ve written to you recently but I know you’ll forgive me.

My inspiration is running dry. I could go on repeating myself for hours but that would get rather monotonous. I don’t want to talk about the ward, it’s still far too depressing. I’m so tired I keep going into a blissful dream feeling a nice warm fire with you on one side of it and me on the other. Surely that’s not a hole in your sock!! I must mend it at once. Believe you me Aelwyn if I can think blissfully of darning socks I’m in a bad way. Still if this is a bad way I like it and I know I’d never change it. I think about you often and long to be with you once more. It won’t be long now until we shall be together again and I shall be able to feel your arm around me and rest my head on your chest. Dear heavens I think it’s time I went to bed and dreamt more pleasant dreams. If only I could dream about you I wouldn’t think sleeping was such a waste of time.

Promise me you’ll always love me Aelwyn and that you’ll look after yourself very well. Write and tell me all about the job and anything you hear from Glyn!! Write soon my darling

Your own

Kathleen xxxxxxx

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 2.2.51

My Darling

Tomorrow is Saturday and only 13 more days before I see you again. Heavens I wish those 13 days could pass in the flash that our weekends do and that our week-ends could pass as slowly as the next 13 days. This is all a bit involved but I’m sure you know what it means. Among other things it means that I love you – I love you very much and I’m longing to see you again. By the way are your mother and father coming here next weekend? I hope so. You will let me know won’t you?

You didn’t say anything about the job in your last letter so I suppose you haven’t heard anything yet. Don’t worry darling you will hear very soon.

The word you asked about was SLOTHFUL. Quite unfair actually since I have just spent practically the whole of my day off in sleeping. Isn’t it disgusting. I don’t usually make a practice of sleeping my days off duty but for once I gave up and I expect I shall feel much better for it tomorrow.

There’s no news from here. As you know I have made a vow not to talk about my work as it’s too depressing so that more or less leaves my mind a blank. I could fill pages telling you that I don’t care for the arms of Morpheus or any other arms but yours. I could tell you that I love you over and over again but that would get a little wearing. Why can’t I just sit down and dash off a nice long newsy letter or as in your case a short poetic one. Not that your letters are never newsy (revolting word) or long but – It’s no use I can’t describe them. I only wish I could express myself as well.

I feel I ought to spend the rest of the evening knitting. I feel ashamed that I should have slept all day. I know what would be really nice – a trip to Covent Garden. I have the programme carefully stowed away. I shall always remember that night as long as I live. They never play the music from Manon on the wireless. I wonder why. Perhaps they will soon and we shall both be able to listen and think of each other.

Darling Aelwyn, I do wish you were here now or perhaps I was with you wherever you are. On second thoughts that might be a little embarrassing as I’m still in a dressing gown! Still you know what I mean. Soon – very soon – we shall be together and we shan’t have to write each other letters – I shall miss yours. I’ll make you send me a letter by every afternoon post so that you don’t seem to be away very long. I suppose that’s a tall order. You’d soon be kicked out of your job if you spent the whole morning writing to me.

You must forgive this nonsense Aelwyn. I can only explain it by saying I’m not yet properly awake. I love you darling. Please write to me very very soon. A fortnight tonight Aelwyn darling and we will both be at home. Until then (but I will write often) darling

All my love

Kathleen xxxoo

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 7.2.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

Like you I write my letters to you late at night. To-night it’s because I came back from home to-night. Yes I have been home. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but I thought you might worry. I’ve been off sick for a week and at home since Monday. There hasn’t been anything the matter with me really but Dr Stote put (me) off because he said I had been working too hard and needed two days in bed and a rest from the ward. He wanted me to go home for a week but that would have queered my pitch for our week-end. Far too important a week-end to be put off. I’m starting duty again tomorrow so I shall be home one week on Friday. Heavenly thought. Among other things the matron told me that she had heard rumours that I was leaving to get married – was it true!! I told her it was but I didn’t quite know when but I’d let her know in good time for her to get another Sister.

I got your unbirthday parcel to-day. Speff was simply raring to open it. You see she brought it here with her so that I could get it as soon as I saw her. I went to her home for lunch and had it open as soon as I got there. It’s now in a very prominent position on my mantleshelf. Just where I can see it as soon as I open my eyes. It might induce me to get out of bed five minutes earlier just to look closely at it. Oh darling I’m longing to see you again. It seemed strange to be at home without you but I knew that the next time I went home you would be there with me. Lovely thought. I hug myself with delight when I think of it. I’m going to read the book of poems in my leisure moments. I’m only just beginning to appreciate poetry. it can express one’s emotions so much more clearly than prose. Do you think it’s because I’m in love? It may well be. I love you darling and I always will no matter how many years we live together – and (There will be many many years) I will always love you and look forward to your homecoming. Lovely thought homecoming. I don’t care where it is or what it’s made of so long as it contains you and I and room for more!!!

You ask if I’ve any ideas where we could live if you get a job in Liverpool. Somewhere just outside I should think. Crosby or Freshfield or of course Wallasey or Bidston. It all depends whether we want a house – bungalow – prefab -flat or just rooms. I do hope you hear from the firm soon but I should think that they would have replied by now if they weren’t going to consider you at all. Don’t you?

I’m glad I shall be meeting your mother soon. I must, I simply must make a good impression. Heavens I’m sure that’s the wrong approach. If you are terribly anxious for someone to like you it usually makes you very self conscious and completely unnatural. I’ll be full of Kathleeness – lovely word there you’ve coined, will that be all right?

Come to think of it, why am I in love with you? The man I was going to marry (or so I said) must be at least 6ft 2 inches. I can’t think why. I knew he was going to be passionately fond of music. All my romantic dreams have now crystallised into reality. I’ve no idea how tall you are but you’re just the right height – the right voice – the right — Enough, I’ll make you blush. I can only steal from your letter and say that it’s your Aelwyness that makes me love you. Don’t change Aelwyn. I sometimes think that London is full of beautiful women all simply begging for you. Don’t you dare let them have you or I’ll come up to London and massacre them all.

Heavens I can’t end my letter on such a bloodthirsty note. What can I say that hasn’t been said so often before? Please please Aelwyn take care of yourself, you’re so very important. Write to me often and thank you so much for your unbirthday present. I love you so much darling –

Goodnight and all my love.

Kathleen xxx

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 12.2.51

My Dearest Aelwyn,

As always your letter put a different and rosier complexion on the day. The fact that I couldn’t get in to see Matron this am and would therefore have to waste time at 2pm didn’t matter. In fact the whole morning – a perfectly usual one, seemed very much pleasanter with a letter from you in my pocket.

I am waiting anxiously for the wagon and Speff has promised to wrap me up very carefully in it – the cotton wool I mean – not the wagon. I’m wondering if Matron will object but I’m sure she won’t if my cap and hair fit over the top of it. Of course it will make me look a little ungainly but I don’t think that really matters. Enough of this nonsense.

I’m so glad that your train is the same one as last time. I’ve been haunted by wild thoughts that you wouldn’t be able to get it because they have taken so many trains off. They couldn’t do that to us when our week-ends together are so precious. It won’t be very long now darling, before we are together again. I do love you Aelwyn and I’m longing to see you again. I expect the time we are together will pass far too quickly but – joyous thought – it is all still to come.

I didn’t get off duty in time to hear the excerpt from Manon. – am I mad. Never mind though. It won’t be long before we shall be able to listen to these things together. It would be nice to make up for lost time as you call it and see a few shows together sometime soon.

I shan’t say anything about the prospective job in Liverpool. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Don’t worry about 6ft 2 inches. I haven’t met anyone even named Pritchard who is as meat (as) 5ft 8 1/4 inches of Aelwyn.

What a curious sentence. It makes you sound like a lamb chop or something. You must forgive my hilarity but I’m so happy at the prospect of being with you soon and at having such a large photograph of you to wish me goodnight that it makes me a little ecstatic sometimes.

I’m due on duty so I must come down to earth with a bang. I’m longing for 10.45 – (or thereabouts) on Friday night. Until then my darling all my love

Kathleen

PS I love you (It’s just possible I haven’t told you before). KIB

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22 Malpas Road, Wallasey, Cheshire 19.2.51.

My Dearest Aelwyn

I haven’t time for a very long letter as I’m about to catch the train back to Shrewsbury – and work. How can I work when I feel so deliriously happy and my head is way up in the clouds. I love you Aelwyn very very much.

Every time I look at my ring I thrill anew and hug myself with mad delight. Soon – very soon we shall be together for always. Darling I can still see you now. See you and feel your arms about me and the wind blowing all around us. Wonderful – Wonderful thoughts. How can I get back to the reality of work.

To-day I went out and bought a going-away-sent. I have strict instructions from mother not to tell you anything about it. It’s very nice though darling, you’ll love it.

Write very soon won’t you darling, I shall long for a letter from you. Why is it that I’m so inarticulate. I want to fill pages with poetic thoughts and all I can do is write I love you I love you I love you very very much over and over again.

Mother and I went round to Aunty ???’s last night. She raved about the ring and produced a nice ??? set for the dressing table. All we want now darling is a dressing table! It was actually a belated Xmas present. They said they would like to get us half a china tea service. I’ve only a few minutes before the train goes or rather before I must leave the house and I can’t think of any words to express my feelings at all. Darling Darling Aelwyn, please look after yourself and think of me sometimes. I’m always thinking of you – to such an extent that I’m more often in a dream state than in the world of reality.

Let me know as soon as you hear about Liverpool won’t you? I simply must go and look for an envelope now or I shall miss my train. Look after yourself my darling, I’ll count the days till we meet again.

All my love

Kathleen xxxxoooo

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury. 22.2.51

My own Dearest Aelwyn,

I’m worried about you. Please take care of yourself and get rid of it quickly. I hate to think of you being ill even if it’s only a cold. I won’t give you any advice as to how to get rid of of it because believe me there is no cure. It just has to run it’s course.

I hope our walks in the pouring rain haven’t given you it!! Please get better soon darling. I love you very very dearly my darling and I, like you, want to just sit back and dream about you instead of working. I told you that all my patients would look much better now and believe you me they do. Every one admires my ring. I’m so proud of it darling. Every time I look at it I think of you and I – our home to be and our children that will come. Oh darling I wish I were someone near you now.

I’ve just had a thought about our next week-end but one. I should think I should be able to afford to come to London for that week-end as it will only be three weeks after our Easter holiday together. I must see you though so if you feel you can’t come home then I will come to London. Otherwise if you can make that week-end at home I will come to London the week-end following that. This all sounds most complicated. In fact it is complicated. I hope you can sort it out.

Your photograph is a great comfort to me. It isn’t you of course but it helps. Not long darling before we shall be together for always. Words that have been said so often before and which get more urgent with each repetition. I love you I love you I love you.

Darling I haven’t heard anything about Liverpool jobs yet. Let me know as soon as you do hear won’t you. It will be so nice if we can work together in Liverpool (and live together of course.)

Last night we went to see The Red Shoes: – an excellent film. Did you see it last time it was in Live

I’m beginning to feel dopey as it’s very late so I’ll make this a brief letter. It’s not because I’ve nothing to say to you but rather because I’ve too much and I’m very tired. Once more – Please take care of yourself. You’re very important and I love you very much indeed.

Goodnight my darling

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 26.2.51

My Own Dearest Aelwyn

I too was delighted with the announcement in the paper. Of course it would have been much nicer, so very much nicer, if I could have met you and relived in reality (instead of memory) the little scene on Claremount Road (Wallasey). Darling, I love you very very dearly and I long to be with you again.

I’m absolutely delighted to hear that you have an interview in Liverpool either next week-end or the one after. I hope it’s the one after because then I have an official half day on the Sunday. However I’ll scrape a half day somehow if it kills me. It’s wonderful to think that I shall be seeing you sooner than I had thought. Your hunch about the telephone number is right by the way. It is Shrewsbury 2056. Women’s Medical. There are of course several reasons why I may not be there but you must insist that they find me or they’ll not bother!!! Don’t worry I shall give them a little lecture in good time!! I’m so excited I can hardly wait.

By the way did you get a little letter or circular advising you where to have the photograph taken and a little book on wedding etiquette? I got one by this morning’s post. Among other things it says that the best man should be unmarried and a good organiser! I’m very glad Philip chose a best man who was unmarried!!

I’m glad your cold is getting better and I promise not to worry about you (only a little bit) and Speff has promised to look after me. Not that I need looking after as I’m disgustingly fit at the moment – Getting fatter every day!!

I read an article in one of the Sunday papers about Rugby being a dangerous game. For goodness sake take care of yourself darling. You mean so much to me. I love you – all of you – just as you are for always and who knows very soon we shall be together again. I’m sure you’ll sail through the interview. Write and tell me when you are coming if you can. If not ring up. I love you and I’m longing to see you.

Till then my darling

Your wife to be

Kathleen

P.S. Mother says I was a horrible child. I used to scream all day and Daddy refused to take me out! Let’s hope our babies will be models of perfection. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 3.3.51

My Darling

I fear I have wasted a whole day by not writing to you yesterday but various authoritative sources told me that a letter posted in the hospital box on Friday wouldn’t reach you till Monday. I’ll waste no more time – I love you Aelwyn very much indeed and I’m longing to see you maybe only one week from tomorrow. By the way your cousin rang me up this afternoon. She was very apologetic because she hadn’t rung you before and very worried in case you arrived this week-end before she had time to write to you. She is apparently doing school relief as well as her housework which makes life very hectic. Anyhow she said she’d write straight away and tell you it will be alright for you to come down. She also invited me to come and see her when you were over here. I didn’t tell her that everyone else ceased to exist when you were around and that though I might be introduced to her I shouldn’t really see her!

Before I forget. Why does the L.V.I. depend on the B.W.H.F. and the W(A)F? Please tell me what these initials stand for. I’ve puzzled all day and I can’t make sense out of them. Another reason for you to write soon if only to relieve my curiosity.

I am still getting lots of catalogues, calendars and invitations to have my photograph taken by each post. ‘The Weatherall’ firm, – a fashion house which charges a fantastic price for each of its models – offers me a 10% discount as a gift. That – would have to be at least 100% to suit me. Anyway one has to be at least 6ft and impossibly slender to fit Weatherall clothes. They could hardly send any catalogues to you – Be the world’s best dressed bridegroom in a Burtons suit! or walk the ?Barrington’s ??? up the altar!!

The Shrewsbury shops are full of beautiful ???-white wedding accessories and I have to be sensible and buy a useful frock. – ???. Believe you me it won’t be too useful. I’ll have to look beautiful for just one day. If it kills me.

Don’t give up Rugger. You’d hate it. I don’t really think it’s a dangerous game and I know you like it. There’ll be some very good clubs in Liverpool I’m sure. The Welsh club for instance. I can’t learn to play with you which is just as well as I should look perfectly horrible in a striped jersey and shorts.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told you before my darling but I love you very very dearly and I long to be near you and to have you hold me very very close and to kiss me and whisper in my ear. Ah me. We shan’t have long to wait now. Write very soon my darling and please look after yourself.

All my love

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. I wonder how Mr M.I.T. moon and Mr P.Box are feeling right now. I wish we could both see them together tonight. Don’t you?

love

KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 7.3.51

My Darling

I’m writing this letter at the hairdressers – in the midst of having my hair permed. I look frightful but I hope my optimism will be justified and I shall emerge looking ravishingly beautiful. More important I shall look OK for our holiday in Dolgelly.

It’s my day off today and I spent an agitated half hour over my breakfast in bed hoping and praying that Wheeler would bring me a letter from you. She was later than usual and I was horribly disappointed thinking that I should have to wait a whole day before I was reassured that you loved me as I love you. She came tripping up the stairs with a pint of blood in one hand and your letter in the other. Two life savers. I read it and savoured it over my breakfast cuppa tea. Oh darling how I love you. How wonderful it will be when we will be able to share that early morning tea. Ah me.

I could go off into raptures as I think of this blissful state but I come back to reality when I see my clipped and ?unloved state. I wonder if you would still love me if you could see me now. No don’t answer that. I couldn’t bear it if you said no and if you said yes I should immediately think that you didn’t care for my face. Darling I love you I love you I love you and I’m longing to see you this week-end.

Of course I don’t expect you to take any old job just to live in Liverpool. I should be disappointed if you had to turn it down but then so would you and you could try for another job somewhere else perhaps?? It means a lot to both of us to live around Liverpool but it doesn’t mean everything. Don’t worry darling. Wherever you go I will go because I love you and want to be with you always.

Before I forget, mother says that you can go home for this week-end if you like. That is if you go down for the week-end. It would be easier for you to get across to Liverpool. It doesn’t matter which you do but you are always welcome at home. Thinking of my mother liking you brings me to the vexed question of your mother liking me. I don’t suppose for one moment that she was very impressed. How could she be. I was scared stiff and completely unnatural. Perhaps it will be better at Dolgelly. I’m anxious for her to like me as much as she seems to like Sheila.

How dare you say you won’t see me at the wedding. You are supposed to cherish memories all your life of the vision in white clinging on her father’s arm as she walks up to the altar to meet you. You’re quite right of course, I don’t suppose I shall really see you. I’ll be far too nervous. Seriously though darling I would like to be married in white.

I don’t know why. It doesn’t really matter so long as I marry you but I’d like to dress up for once in my life and ??? it’s supposed to be done. Would you mind – terribly. It would mean your getting dressed up as well only you wouldn’t have to buy yours. Please don’t because ??? at any price. It’s silly. It isn’t really you know.

Anyhow enough of that, we’ll talk about it when we meet. Enough that I love you and that you love me for always and always. Lovely thought that I could be with you every time you thought of me. Imagine me doing a serious ward round with Dr Wallace (Weary Willie for short) discussing this case and that case and then – pouf – I vanish. Supposing the reverse were true. How often would you appear beside me. As I serve the dinners (I always think about you then and worry about how I’m going to feed you) you would suddenly appear by the trolley. Wonderful thought.

I must be slightly delirious. Perhaps it’s the heat of the hair dryer or the thought of a day off or best of all the thought that you love me and that soon we shall be together to make plans, build dream houses and dream children and live happily ever after. Darling Aelwyn I love you now and always.

Yours

Kathleen xxxxooo

P.S. Write soon. P.P.S. Good luck for Saturday. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 11.3.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

I’m so disappointed because you didn’t come this week-end. I know it’s silly because I shall probably see you next week-end instead but still I wanted you this week-end. I love you darling so much that every moment away from you seems an age. To think that we might have been together this minute. Ah well never mind. It won’t be long before we’ll be together for ever and ever.

It’s Sunday afternoon and my muses (as you ??, have gone off duty). It’s the sort of afternoon to sit in front of the fire and just dream and dream. To sit and think thoughts about you and me, how much I love you, how much I long to feel your arms around me. Mm. How I wish they were.

The cigarette that I’ve just lit does nothing to help me concentrate. Why is it when I have so much to say to you that I can only sit and chew my pen, think of you but not put into words what I want to write.

I think you are quite right when you say that your new grey suit will be very nice and quite suitable to get married in. That day can’t come soon enough for me and it’s lovely to think that you feel the same way too.

I had a dreadful evening off last night. First of all of course I was bitterly disappointed because you weren’t coming. I rushed up to my room consoling myself by saying that that soon I should be seeing you for practically a whole week. I turned on my fire (quite a usual practice) and there was a loud bang and a long spike of blue flame. When I recovered from the shock I discovered that the fuse was blown and had to send for the engineer to right things. I then started knitting furiously at your pullover trying to imagine you in it. After about two hours knitting I discovered to my horror that I had made a mistake. One which Speff assured me wouldn’t show but I deliberated and then undid it all. Ah me. I must now make up for lost time or it will never be finished.

I’m looking forward so much to next week-end. A whole week’s holiday and nearly all of it with you. Blissful thought. How I’m longing for it. If I don’t go and post this soon I’ll miss the post and then I should have to wait a whole day before I got your reply. I couldn’t bear that, so I must hurry and finish.

Darling Aelwyn please write very soon. If I can’t have you I must have your letters. My darling how much I love you.

Your own

Kathleen xxx

P.S. I love you. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 14.3.51

My Darling

Don’t look now but my character’s showing. I’m using a real pen and ink pen, part of a Conway Stewart writing set given to me by a grateful patient. Actually it was from a relative as the patient is no longer here. I was very touched and delighted with it as it was so completely unexpected. It’s a very nice pen but I’m afraid it does nothing to improve my writing.

Don’t worry Aelwyn if you can’t make it this week-end. I shall miss you terribly of course especially as I’m getting an early train but I do understand. It’s very important to both of us that you get your exam and I should hate to think I was preventing you from working for it. Darling it must be so awful for you trying to concentrate. There are times, so many times, especially when I’m sitting down writing the report when I think of you and how much I love you, of how wonderful it is that you still love me or rather that you will always love me and that soon we shall be together for always. – Ten minutes have gone and I’m still staring in a trance at the empty report cards in front of me. You see how bad you are for me. Darling I love you so very very dearly. I shall count the minutes until I see you again one week to-night. I shall keep all your instructions carefully until then.

I shall probably be at home by the time you answer this so please address your next letter there. Lovely thought I shall have all day to read it and think of you without having to snatch a few hurried moments here and there.

Soon I shall be in bed and shall be able to lie there and think of you and how much I love you and how soon I shall see you again. Darling Aelwyn. Heavens, how often I repeat myself. It must be because I’m tired or it could be that I want to make quite sure that you know I love you.

I was going to write such a long letter but I find my inspiration drying up. All I can think of is that one week to-night I’ll be going to your home with you. Nothing will happen to make you change at home will it. Silly of course it won’t. Why should it.

I suppose these nasty little worries keep creeping in because I’m so happy at the moment that I can’t believe that it will last.

Before I forget darling it is mother’s birthday Monday March 19th. At least I think it’s a Monday. She’d be very pleased if you sent her a card as she loves people remembering her birthday. Which reminds me I haven’t bought her present yet. I must get out and do something about it.

I must go to sleep now darling and as I sleep I’ll be thinking of you. Who knows perhaps we’ll meet in some dream Limbo and forget all about it in the morning. That’s another silly thought, as if we could forget. I should think the whole day would be coloured by the thought that we would meet at night.

Goodnight my dearest and please take care of you. I love you now and always.

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. Till Wednesday next KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Thursday 29.3.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

A fortnight tomorrow I’ll be with you again and we will be sitting at 0 minutes past 0 in the cafe hating the approach of the train that will separate us for the night. I shall count the minutes till then my darling. Before I forget, in the next few days I’ll be sending a matinée coat for young David if you wouldn’t mind delivering it. It’s not quite ready as I must get some blue ribbon to go with it. Anyhow don’t get excited when the parcel arrives as it isn’t really a bit exciting.

I’ve been making frantic enquiries about flats and all sorts of people have promised to look out for one. I hope they don’t all come to fruition together or we shall be dashing madly all over the Wirral and Liverpool area all in one day.

I’ve written to thank your mother for putting up with me this last week-end. I really had a wonderful time. I can hardly believe that a week today we were at Glanmorfa and that we walked back in the moonlight. Marvellous thought. I love you my darling more and more as I get to know you better. – I should have thought once that it was impossible to love you any more but it seems to be. Oh my darling it won’t be long now before we shall be together and — amongst other things you will be suffering from violent indigestion!!

Inevitably I suppose I’ve caught your cold. I’m rather pleased because I shall get it over before I come to see Aida and I shan’t feel condemned to choke in the middle of Celeste Aida.

There’s not much news from here. Fortunately the ward is not so busy though there is an acute shortage of staff. – I can’t think why. That’s enough about the ward.

I was very sorry that you had to stand all the way to Birmingham. There’s nothing worse than standing in a train for a long distance but at least you managed to get out to Ashtead instead of spending the night in London.

I’m sorry that this is such a short scrappy letter but it’s not because I’m not always thinking of you and day dreaming of our wonderful future together. I think it’s just because I’m a bit heavy headed with my cold. Write very soon darling. I long for your letters. Don’t forget to work hard for your exam. But don’t wear yourself out. Goodnight my darling.

I love you.

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury. Thursday 2.4.51

My Own Darling

Such a nice long letter from you today. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I carried it around with me and savoured it all day. Believe me it carried me through a very trying day. Darling I love you very very dearly and I long to be with you. In fact at the moment I’m listening to a programme of mixed gramophone records. At the moment they are playing ‘Yours till the end of life’s story’. Very true darling. Your mother was quite right when she suggested that perhaps I didn’t notice the weather. Neither of us would have known if it had rained blue ink. Would we. Nevertheless I’m rather glad you can’t see me right now as I still have a cold and I look simply frightful. I shan’t describe just what I look like, it might put you off. Horrible thought.

Mother went to the sale next door but one. The house of the day went for £1,500. She said that there was some lovely furniture there going at bargain prices and she wished that you had been somewhere near. She said she would have bought it for Philip but she was afraid you might think she was interfering. However she has bought us a nice chair in very good condition as part of her wedding present for us. She said that there was a lovely radiogram in excellent condition £15 and a real oak dining room table much better than the new one she bought Philip which went for £5. It sounds a great pity that we weren’t somewhere near. Mother has very good taste and if she says it’s good furniture you may be sure it must be. Mother also says she thinks it would probably be cheaper in the long run to buy a house than to rent a flat. Still it doesn’t matter what it is as long as it has 4 walls and a roof. Does it.

I’m sorry but it’s impossible for me to change my week-end. You see there are 4 of us on the corridor, two sisters and two staff nurses and me, work in a rota. If I changed my week-end I should throw everyone else out of joint. It looks as if we won’t be able to meet next week-end. Grim thought. Still I refuse to think about that now. I have a whole week-end between then and now. A week-end when we shall try to miss trains and we’ll have to force ourselves apart. Darling Aelwyn I’m counting the days until we will meet again.

I hope you are not working too hard. I’m sure you’ll feel it when you leave London. So will I when I leave Shrewsbury. No-one can work anywhere without feeling it pull when they have to leave it. I hope it won’t be too bad for either of us.

What can I tell you now. I’ve told you I love you. Oh so many times. I could go on and on and on saying the same old thing but I’ve just said it once here. I love you darling very very much and I always will. Promise me you’ll always love me too.

I’ve just been reading your letter again and see that you have told me to forget you for my next but one week-end. How could you! or how could I. I may not be able to see you but I’ll be thinking of you and wishing we were together all the time.

I wish I could write letters like you can. I search myself for words and somehow keep coming out with the same three little words. Darling Aelwyn I love to be in your arms and to see your face close to mine. Very soon darling I’ll see you again, until then darling I’ll think of you always and love you always.

With all my love

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  6.4.51

My Darling

I have a whole afternoon off duty by myself and I should be able to answer all my letters and do lots of useful things but instead I shall probably have a nice little nap and wake up to find them all facing me. I can’t stop yawning. Isn’t it disgraceful. Just sheer laziness but very nice to be lazy. My cold is now non existent and I should feel like jumping over the moon. It must be spring.

I’ve read your letter several times and I will no doubt read it many times more. Oh darling I love you so much and I look forward to your letters and most of all to being with you. In no time at all I’ll be in London. Wonderful thought. I must get the early train if it’s the last thing I do. It will be nice to meet Euan. Speff would be furious if she knew I mentioned my match making intentions to you or worse still that you had mentioned them to Euan. No thought could be further from her mind and I’m only really joking. They’ll be afraid of meeting each other if we’re not careful.

Darling I know what you mean about buying a house and believe me I don’t mind in the least. My only thought is that if one should drop from heaven on a plate so to speak it would be a pity to let it go. As this is extremely unlikely I don’t think that you need worry. I know nothing about the financial side of it. Your mother’s and mine’s arguments sound quite reasonable but then so do yours so I don’t think it really matters. I want to be near you and with you all the time, I don’t care what in. I love you darling, my darling, and I wish I could chuck this letter in the fire and rush to wherever you are and tell you all my thoughts instead of writing them down. It won’t be long now before we can at least begin looking for a house, (or) a flat and that will bring us even nearer to our goal.

I wish I weren’t so sleepy. I’d love to write a really long letter but my thoughts are wandering off painting idyllic pictures of you and me sitting in our own chairs (I told you mother had bought us a chair didn’t I) by the fireside making endless plans of our wonderful future. This is such a lovely thought that I think I’ll close my eyes and dream up some more. I love you Aelwyn and I feel so happy to know that you love me too.

All my love Darling

Kathleen xxx

P.S. I’ll let you know about the wireless later.

P.P.S. I’m glad your friends like me but I can’t think why.

P.P.P.S. I hope to send the coat for baby David very soon.

P.P.P.P.S. Isn’t this ridiculous. I love you. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  9.4.51

My Darling

In my last letter to you I was happy, very happy. Tonight I’m tired as I’ve had a very exhausting and exasperating day. Ah me. I began with a row from the matron (about masks – little things made out of linen costing about 2d each. It seems I should have six more than I have and oh boy was she mad!) and

continuing through three ??? and a ward full of policewomen. I came off this morning after my row with the matron simply seething with rage at the complete futility and idiocy of our argument and there was a very nice letter from you. You’ll never know how good it was to sit down and read it and to read that you still loved me and that soon we should be together again. Darling I love you I love you and I wish you were here now to hold me in your arms and kiss me. I’m counting the hours and even the minutes until I see you again. I will come on the 4.30 train from Shrewsbury and I’ll rush up the platform toward the engine to meet you. Lovely thought. How I’m longing for it.

Speff is struggling making me a very beautiful nighty. Can I hear you making wolf noises in the background. I hope you hear something about a flat soon. I feel we should get our names down on some agents’ lists or something. Don’t you? Did I tell you that mother had bought half a tea service for us. It’s nice to think we are getting a few things together. Won’t it be nice to be able to talk together instead of having to write and read.

I hope you’ll forgive this being a short letter. I love you very dearly but I’m terribly tired and I want to go to bed and dream about being with you always. How lovely it will be not to have to keep saying goodbye but to be able to climb up the stairs or cross into another room and that would be that.

I’ve sent the parcel for David. I hope it fits. I’m afraid he might have grown out of it by now. On second thoughts I don’t think even David will have grown that fast. I’m beginning to think that my writing is getting worse than ever. I seem to lose control of my pen at this hour of the night. I can’t imagine how you manage to read it. It’s getting terribly late and everyone is waiting for me to go to bed. Therefore I will say Goodnight darling. Write to me soon Aelwyn and remember that I love you and that I will always love you whatever happens (and nothing will). Goodnight my darling sleep well and I’ll be thinking of you always.

With all my love

Kathleen

P.S. I’ll find out about the wireless for you.

P.P.S. Only 4 more days and I’ll be with you

P.P.P.S. Take great care of yourself darling you’re very important. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  4.51 (postmarked 17 Apr)

My Dearest Aelwyn

It’s really very late and I have no right to be sitting up writing letters to you. It’s so late that I’ve no idea of the date and I’m too tired to look it up. I only know that it’s Monday and that five hours ago we were together on Paddington station and that now I am alone with just a photograph. Darling Aelwyn I love you so very dearly and I wish so much that next week-end was to be our week-end in London. I’ve enjoyed myself so much I can hardly bear to think of it. You love me don’t you Aelwyn. Write and tell me so and cheer me up with your letters as no one else can.

Tomorrow brings duty and all its cares and woes and instead of stepping out lightheartedly towards the telephone call from there to Pinner I’ll be tearing madly round the ward trying to get things ready for Dr Wallace. He will look at me disdainfully I know and say ‘What, been away for another week-end sister, you’re

never here.’ Oh darling I love you I love you and ??? the ???, my ??? no matter how much I depreciate it, I like my ??? for you. I can think of nothing more worthwhile than keeping your house and bearing your children. I who until recently proclaimed loudly that I couldn’t understand women who just wanted to clean a house and fetch and carry for some man. Darling I love you so dearly. I would give anything for you to be near me now. For you to hold me tightly in your arms and kiss me and tell me that I must never forget that you will always love me. Always and always darling for so long will I love you.

In just a little while you will be in Liverpool and we will both be one step nearer our goal. You will be able to start looking for our house or flat if the latter happens to come up first. What a wonderful day it will be when you summon me to Wallasey to go with you to see the home that you have found for us. That you will find one soon I have no doubt. Very soon we will be together for always darling and will be able to sit by our fire (how I envied Glyn and Sheila this week-end) perhaps you reading the paper and I finishing the end of a who-dun it, and then when we are both sleepy we will climb the stairs together. Darling this is such a wonderful thought I want to go on hugging it to myself for the rest of the night. I’m sleepy now and want to go to bed and relive the week-end all over again. You will write very soon won’t you darling.

All my love Darling

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. I love you.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  20.4.51

My Darling

It was nice hearing from you this morning and reading from your pen that you still love me and that you always will. For no reason at all on the hour of going to bed the other night I became obsessed with the idea that you didn’t really love me. Of course a foolish idea and I didn’t consider it but nevertheless it’s very nice to be reassured. For you to tell me that our dream house isn’t a dream but will become a reality. Talking of houses reminds me of all those silly things about young couples looking and finding their perfect love nest. What those idiots didn’t understand was that any house would be a dream house and could be perfect with two people who love each other in it. Oh darling I love you so very much and I’m longing for the day when we two will be together. For always.

By the way, Matron asked me when I wanted my holiday and I had to tell her that I hoped to be getting married before September. She told me that she wanted six months notice. Of course she isn’t entitled to it but since she’s asked for it I don’t really see how I can get out of it. This means we shall have to wait a bit longer and means that our search must become the main frontier so that I shall have time to finish my notice. Ah me. Isn’t life hard.

Never mind darling I love you. Isn’t that worth everything. We must just resign ourselves to wait just a little longer.

I dread to think what condition you’ll end up in Wallasey in after all those drinks! Mother will think I’m going to marry a worthless dissipated wreck! Not that I need doubt we shall probably hold all sorts of revelry here when I leave both on the ward and off. Mm I’m quite looking forward to it. I wish we had a house. Don’t you. Things would be so much easier then and we should both feel we were getting somewhere. Not that either of us have any need to grumble as so far things have moved pretty rapidly. I love you darling and once more as always at the end of a letter to you it’s time to get ready for bed. I can’t think why my folk seem so surprised that we love each other. First Philip and then Aunty Doris. Does no-one ever fall in love these days! I’ll answer that one myself, we do and for always. I think of you often darling and try not to keep me (waiting) too long for a reply though if you are studying I’ll understand. I love you my darling. Snap. – You’ve won again.

All my love

Kathleen xxx

P.S. It’s true I do now and for always.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  25.4.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

Poor Darling you sounded so fed up in your last letter. Don’t worry about your exams, I’m sure you’ll be alright. I’ll be thinking about you and worrying about you. Not that that in itself will do you any good but it always helps to know that someone is thinking about you. Don’t worry about the matron. I think I’ll give in my notice in the middle of May and leave in the middle of July. That will give me plenty of time to get ready for the great day.

I’ve just been home for a day off. I’ve bought my wreath and veil, two summer frocks and your dressing gown. I’m sure you’ll like it. It’s ?crippled me so that I’ll only be able to buy you a small birthday present but I’m sure you won’t mind. We were looking in estate agents’ windows at houses for sale. I don’t know if I got you right but I thought you said up to £3,000. If that’s correct we should have no difficulty at all. It will just be a matter of looking around with sets of keys and looking to see which one suits us best. All those I saw advertised of course were in Wallasey but they were all in a nice part of Wallasey and were very nice houses. There are some nice bungalows for sale for £2,700 with large gardens and a lovely view across to the Welsh hills from the back of the house. There were one or two in Greasby just outside Wallasey, a sort of country district which is rather nice. Mother said that the Wallasey News is full of houses for sale all over the Wirral. I hope this bit of news has cheered you up a little. It cheered me no end.

By the way I’ve seen the fireside chair and I can see that we will be fighting who is to sit in it. I’ve also bought some things like a bucket chip pan, milk pan, sweeping brush – dusters and small brush and other such essential household commodities. We will need masses more of course but every little helps.

I can’t bear to think of you arriving here the Wednesday after I get back to Shrewsbury. it’s horrible to think that the next time I go home you still won’t be there and I shan’t see you for ages. Like you I’m getting impatient and every moment not spent in preparing for our wedding is a wasted one. We both have so much to do and we can’t even start to do it. Grrr. Oh my darling I love you so much and I’m longing for the day or should I say days when we can both go hand in hand looking at houses, furniture, carpets etc. It will make the blissful dream of you and I – Mr and Mrs Edwards setting up house together far nearer and much more real. I love you so very very much and I long to be with you. I suppose it isn’t really fair of me to hope that you might manage to get here on the Sunday night and that I might see you for one glorious day. It’s amazing to think that you and I who are getting married in just a few months from now haven’t yet been able once to look in a house agents. Darling I’m sorry to be so impatient but it’s only because I love you so much that I long to hasten the time when we will be together for always.

All my love darling

Kathleen

P.S. Mother says you are welcome to stay as long as you like at home.

P.P.S. Daddy says that the Light Programme is very poor on 227 metres.

P.P.P.S. I love you. I love you. I love you. Darling  KIB

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30-4-1951

My Dearest Aelwyn

I’m on duty and could be doing a hundred and one useful things but as it’s very nearly time I was off duty I’m filling the unforgiving moment with a short letter to you. Darling I love you very very much and I felt very envious on Saturday when the erstwhile Staff nurse of the Men’s medical ward got married. Poor girl, I don’t know why I should wish so strongly that I was her. Of course that wouldn’t really do because then I should have married her husband which would have been no use at all. Never mind darling we haven’t very long to wait now. Soon we will be walking down the aisle together probably both wishing we were miles away.

You didn’t say whether you’d manage to make Wallasey before I’d finished my week-end. I suppose that means you won’t. Please try Aelwyn darling because I’m longing to see you and it will make such a difference to my week-end.

I’m glad you are coming home. Don’t worry darling, Mother is very easy to get on with and she certainly is no fault finder. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m beginning to realise that you were so very virtuous I should think that you had some secret vice – like drinking whisky alone!, that you were afraid she might see. You know darling, mother is very easy to get on with and I think she would be rather hurt if she knew how worried you are about coming to stay. I’m sure you’ll be O.K. darling so please don’t worry. If mother found you full of faults she wouldn’t tell me. She’d leave me to find out for myself. Anyway she knows I’m full of faults. What is all this nonsense. Mother is very fond of you Aelwyn and she has told me that she couldn’t have picked anyone nicer for a husband if she’d tried. So there!

In the midst of writing this letter Dr Wallace came, and so for the five minutes I was going to save by writing a letter in my on duty was paid back in full as I had to stay on duty an extra 20 minutes. Ah me that’ll teach me.

Darling I love you very very much. I too wish that we could be together more often and that I could hold you close to me for ever. However when we are married doubtless we shall have to break apart for such mundane things as eating and working or else we should both get very thin and poverty stricken.

Don’t these spring days make one feel lazy? These days I’m ready for bed at 11pm. Normally I’m just beginning to wake up at that time. This afternoon I’m going to waste my time in slothful sleep. Blissful thought. Philip says that if we knew the day we were going to die we wouldn’t spend so much time in bed. I disagree. I should probably not bother to get up at all.

Dear me aren’t I lazy. Bye Bye my darling I’ll always love you.

All my love

Kathleen

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  3.5.51

My Dearest Aelwyn

By the time you get this letter the first of your wretched exams will be over. I’ll be thinking and praying for you tomorrow darling. I’m so sorry for you I think there ought to be a law against exams. So often they do nothing to test the knowledge of the examinee, do nothing in fact save weed out the self assured from the not so self assured. If this is the case give me the exam failers.

Enough of such a depressing subject. I’m very disappointed that you can’t come home for my next week-end. I quite understand why you can’t make it of course but nevertheless I’m very disappointed. Good heavens if I go on this way I shall lose my reputation for cheering you up with my letters. As a matter of fact I feel very tired at the moment.

Darling I’ve written a whole page without telling you that I love you. I must remedy it at once. I love you very much indeed and I’m longing to be with you again. I can’t wait until we are together for always. That won’t be very long now will it darling.

The church bells of Shrewsbury are driving me mad at the moment. I don’t know why they are ringing unless it’s because of the opening of the Festival. I always used to like bells until I came to Shrewsbury but believe me these are the last word. They are really loud and clanging and I hate ’em. – Having delivered this bit of hate I will continue.

They are playing a family favourites from Piccadilly. I was wondering what record you would choose if they picked on you tonight. Silly isn’t it, just as if they would. You’re probably in Ashtead studying like mad though it would probably be much better for you.

I’ve had a very discouraging day to-day. As I’ve had a row with the matron. She began the day by telling me off for something the night-nurses did at 12 midnight last night. I thought it was rather unfair of her but I think she’s a bit annoyed because I’m leaving soon. By the way she’s now said that she wants my leaving date (on July 16th) by next week. I thought I’d tell her July 16th, what do you think. I think that would be fair enough. You see if we are going to get married before September then I’ll have just six weeks at home to get ready. I think that’ll be about right, don’t you.

Darling I love you very much indeed and I wish I could be near to you and have you hold me close for a long time. Darling I love you very much and we’ll very soon be together.

All my love darling

Kathleen

P.S. Snap. I love you.

P.P.S. Mother and Daddy send best wishes for your exam.

P.P.P.S. Speff wishes you all the best.

***************

Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  7.5.51

My Darling Aelwyn

I’m afraid this will have to be a short letter because it’s very late at night and I’ve just discovered that I only possess one sheet of notepaper. I used the other up in writing my resignation to the matron. Yes I’ve handed it in so I’m committed now. – July 20th. She said she hoped I would have a long holiday first as she was sure I needed one. Grrr. She has started on a career of victimisation because she is so mad at me for being inconsiderate enough to get married.

One of the women told my fortune to-day with cards. It was most amusing. She said there was a very persistent dark man in my life who intended to marry me but he was too young for me! Have you been hiding your light under a bushel. Perhaps you are only 21. She also told me that there was a fair haired older man with money coming into my life so you’d better beware. I was most amused as she was so serious about it!

Darling I love you very very dearly. It seems such ages since I last saw you. If it weren’t for your photograph I could scarcely visualise you. I want so much to be near you and I want you to hold me close and tell me that you love me. Tell me not to worry about stupid matrons and their persistent nagging, that you love me and will care for me and I for you all the days of our life.

It will be nice when you are at home. Then I shall know that only a 2 and a half hour journey separate us and that if either of us get desperate we can get to see one another.

This Festival of Britain is making me full of patriotic fervour. I don’t know if this is its intention but I feel full of poetic thoughts. “The happy breed – this dear dear land. – This precious island set in a silver sea.” Heavens it must be time I went to bed. I’m getting all maudlin.

I hope you’ve done well in your exam. I’ll be thinking of you next Friday and wishing that I could help you and write your exam and then having sat it I could be going up to the top of Malpas Road to meet your bus. But alas this is set to be a week-end like all others. Yes all others we will be together. My darling I love you so very very dearly and I long to be with you every minute of the day. Write to me soon a nice cheering letter as believe me the matron is really getting me down just now and I need the comfort of your written word to cheer me on.

Don’t forget I shall be at home this week-end so if you write you’ll write there won’t you. You’ll be sleeping in my bedroom. (Don’t think you’re throwing me out. I very rarely use it) which is the one you usually sleep in when you come here. My eyes are closing and my pen is shaking so that my writing is even worse than normal. Nevertheless I think I’ve crammed quite a long letter into this one page. Don’t you?

Just enough room to tell you once more I love you very very dearly and I’m longing for the day when we shall be together – for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better and for worse. Or darling for better and better and better.

All my love

Kathleen xxxxooo

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury.  11.5.51

My Darling

I’ve begun my letter with a lie as I’m at home and not at the R.S.I. at all. You must forgive me. Before I forget it was so nice of you to send me that very nice pair of slippers. I would much rather you had been in the box but since you couldn’t be, the slippers were very welcome indeed. Darling I’ve missed you so very much this week-end. I wish you could have been here. I hope you’ll come to Shrewsbury very soon for I’m longing to see you.

Mother and I have had such fun this weekend. Scanning advertisements and then just wandering round the outside of the houses advertised. One of the great pleasures in my life is going round houses but this time it looks as if you will have to do the viewing and I will come over when you and mother have nearly made up your minds. Grrr.

Before I forget how did you get on in this the second exam! I hope you’ve done very well. You deserve to. I hope they asked you far more sensible questions. When will you know the result? Have you recovered from your Stag party and your general farewell. Don’t be too upset. You’ll soon make more friends down here.

I love you very much darling and I long to be with you. It’s consoling to think that next time I come home you’ll be here and you’ll be here for good. Mother and I are going to the pictures to-night. I don’t know what we are going to see but it will be a change. I decided that if I didn’t write your (letter) straight away at the risk of being late I shouldn’t get your letter posted in time for Monday.

I haven’t really any news from here except as I say you could go on indefinitely looking at houses judging by the number that are for sale. I can see you being a physical and nervous wreck. There are quite a few advertised for Irby and Greasby and Saughall Massie – they are places just a few miles outside. Most of them country districts.

I shall expect nice long letters now your exams are finished. Darling how I wish you were here and we could go for a nice long walk. I love you just in case you didn’t know. By the way I think we’ll have to get married just before the dates you mention. Perhaps September 1st as we want to get married whilst Philip is at home. He’d be awfully disappointed if he couldn’t come and anyway I wouldn’t get married without Philip there. So there!

Heavens don’t I sound belligerent. I don’t feel it in the least. Hurry up and fix up your affairs and come and see me. If I leave on July 20th I’ll be home in time for Liverpool’s festival celebrations which Includes Covent Garden Opera and Ballet. That’ll be something for us to go to see in the midst of our house hunting and house planning. We are going to be very busy. Matron suggested that I had six weeks’ holiday. Holiday. - I’ve been running round like a scalded cat, and so will you.

Well darling it’s time I went out. Keep your leave free for me because I love you very much.

All my love darling

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. Keep your legs straight and furry (à la Bobby Bear)

P.P.S. Snap. I love you. KIB

P.P.P.S. Excuse the notepaper + envelope but it’s all I can find.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire  16.5.51

My Darling

I was so worried when I came over for my post to-day – no letter. Perhaps I thought to myself Speff has taken it upstairs. – Upstairs – no letter. Panic, despair. Eventually however Speff arrived with the letter, she had been to see matron so my reason was restored. Darling I love you so very much. In the words of the song – So in love – I’m yours till I die. I really mean it darling. I do love you and I missed you so much this week-end. I cursed everything that kept us apart – your exams – my matron. Absolutely everything. I don’t think it’s possible to fiddle a day off on Saturday. Because I have a feeling I gave it to the Staff Nurse. However, I can fiddle an evening and a half day. I must see you darling. It seems such ages since I last saw you. Of course if you find anything in the housing line I’ll come over on my next day off to view it.

I hope you are getting on well with mother and Daddy. Give them my love. It’s so annoying the three of you so near and yet so far away. I want to be with you and hold you close always and always my darling.

It’s nice to know that we have at least half a room of our house furnished even if it’s only with dishes. It sounds as if I shall be set up in the pastry line for years to come.

I expect very shortly you will be everybody about low down suites, oak chip flooring, lined wainscots and square panelled walls with or without fireplaces.

I’ve just been told to tell you what a hateful place the R.S.I. is. I’m telling you so dutifully. The rest of my fellow sisters are sitting cross legged on the floor reading some books and drying their hair whilst I write. They think I’m writing to you so they keep hurling silly comments at my head to try to distract me. Grrr. Excuse me while I hurl a stare at them.

I expect your next letter will be full of your new job. I hope you like it and find it interesting ???. You are not to worry or rave about that stupid exam. You can’t do anything about it now so there isn’t any point in worrying about it. I shall love you just the same whether you pass or fail your exams. Darling – Oh my darling how much I long to be with you now instead of sitting in this silly chair writing illegible words on horrible notepaper.

This is horrible notepaper isn’t it? I really must treat myself to another writing pad soon.

It’s nearly time I went to bed. My eyelids are drooping and I can hardly see where I’m writing. Goodnight my own darling.

I love you my darling.

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. Tell Mother I’ll write soon.

P.P.S. Darling

P.P.P.S. Aelwyn

P.P.P.P.S. I

P.P.P.P.P.S. Love

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. You

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Isn’t this silly. But I do.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire  24.5.51

My Darling,

How I wish I were at home with you sitting on the couch with your arm around me and my head on your chest. Darling. I love you and I wish we could get married tomorrow. Three months to-night, to the date, we will both be in a terrible panic. You will be sleeping at 13,Thingwall Drive. I came back last night and told Speff all about the house. By the time we got back she drew a beautifully accurate little plan of it to show the other sisters.

I did so enjoy my day off but each time I see you it makes me long to see you again with an even greater intensity. How I wish you could materialize now. Heavens what a shock I’d get if you did. Not to mention the other sisters who are all sitting down drinking tea. They would probably scream. – a man-all. Much the same as we scream blood-all. I must give you the impression that we are all a bit unbalanced. We are not as bad as that really, quite sensible people. You will meet three of them at the wedding line. I doubt if you will notice them. You’ll be far too upset. Horrible thought. Oh for the Gretna Green anvil!

I got back to find the ward full of madwomen some of them standing on their heads. I don’t think many of them are quite sane which is very depressing. However at the moment nothing could depress me. Speff has been driven nearly mad by my constant ringing up and saying ‘Do you know, I’ve got a house.’ I’m almost as bad as you. Mother says that you were like an excited schoolboy when you came here so doubtless I’m rather like an excited schoolgirl. Heavens it sounds far too juvenile for us to get married. Perish the thought.

I’ve really very little to tell you. I had a letter from Uncle Tom, you know the one who is making us tables and things. It was a very brief letter.

“Dear Kathleen

I’ve received your letter. God knows what it’s about. Come and see me and bring your friend with you and tell me what it means and tell me what it means. (sic)

love

Uncle Tom.”

You must let me know what the big bad wolf in the shape of the builder’s valuer has to say. I’ve conceived a violent dislike for him because I know he worries you and I hate people who worry you.

Darling I love you so much. I long to be with you. I know I’ve said this before but I feel I can’t say it enough. I want to see you. I love you – all of you and I sometimes feel that I can’t wait until we can get married, but I must.

Write to me soon darling. I’m longing to hear from you. I shall watch the post.

All my love

My own darling

Kathleen

P.S. Bobby Bear sends his love.

P.P.S. So do I.

P.P.P.S. I’m counting the days till we meet again.

P.P.P.P.S. Give my love to Mother and Daddy

P.P.P.P.P.S. And to ?Bud.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. And to Tumbi.

P.P.””””P.S. And most of all to you my darling.

Kathleen xxxxxx oooooo

Do you know what o means – Hug Hug Hug etc.

I do like the house. Our house.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury (sic)  28.5.51

My Darling

I have eaten too much. This is a very romantic way to begin a letter but I can think of nothing else. Ahh – What greed. I hope we never have egg and chips again. I am very greedy, I want you to realise this. I’m so fond of my tummy that I shall have to learn to cook to satisfy the inner woman.

Enough of such mundane letter writing. I ought to be ashamed of myself. Darling I love you so much. It seems ages before I will see you again. It can’t be all that long. Tell me it’s only a week instead of nearly a fortnight. To be precise a fortnight hence I’ll be on the train which carries me so far away from you. This is such a grim thought that I feel like indulging in a few tears of self pity. Darling I love you so much. I want to be with you now this instant.

You would be a little alarmed if I suddenly materialised before you as my hair is all over the place and I’m dressed in a dressing gown and a pair of gaily striped pyjamas.

I was delighted to hear that we have a dining room table. We are getting on very well indeed. It won’t be long now before we have a whole house full or at least half a house full. The rest will be full of dishes and who dun its! Darling I love you. I keep on saying this because it keeps on coming up to the surface and leaking through. I know we will be happy. We couldn’t be anything else. So many people conspire to make us happy. We just couldn’t let them down. Each time I meet you I love you more than the last time. Each time I hear your voice I thrill more than the last time. Your letters are clutched more possessively each time they come to me. Each time you kiss me I long more passionately to be with you always and always. Never to be parted again. “Guide these whom through this day have joined in one.” Soon we will be joined in one my darling and no-one will be able to separate us. Not that any one will ever try. They will take one look at us and give up the attempt before it gets further than (an) idea. Aren’t we silly to think that we can fool people into believing that we have been married for years. They will take one look at our smiling faces (where’s my powder) and creep away. How long must I wait. One-two-three months. I shouldn’t grudge it when afterwards we will have a life time together. A lifetime darling. Wonderful happy thought. As you once said to me. Calloo Callay – Oh Frabjous day! – By the way where does that come from. It sounds like Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Madwomen it is. As to why they were standing on their heads only they can tell you. It’s probably some sort of Yogi (sic). It’s rather disconcerting though I feel as if I ought to stand on my head to talk to them.

Since I met you I want to listen to romantic songs about love – me and you etc. They seem to speak my mind. If they play “If I love(d) you” I go into a sort of trance. I think we should get a record of that. It reminds me of wandering through

the streets of London. Heaven knows where we were or when we ??? but I think we were both beginning to realise how much we were to mean to one another. Cupid was pointing his arrows. Darling do you ever wonder what you thought of that night before you go to sleep (These are the times when I have moments of panic but these are only transient and I know from one of my nurses on the ward who is about to get married that she feels the same way.) during the dull moments during the day. All these moments are now filled with thoughts of you. My own darling I love you night and day and I’m longing for you. Write to me soon. - Why don’t you ring me up some time. You know my number. Between 8.30 and 9.30 is the best time. My phone bill is far too big. It’s your turn. I can’t end this letter on this menacing note. Darling Aelwyn soon I’ll be with you always and we will be able to whisper sweet nothings all night and day. My darling don’t let it be long before I see you again. Don’t let it be long because I love you till the end of the (You know the end of this sentence)

All my love Darling till next we write

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy

P.S. Mother could perhaps look round a sale room or house sale for some dark oak dining room chairs to match the table. DINING ROOM CHAIRS, I mean.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire  1.6.51

My Own Darling

I was so sorry to hear that my ringing up upset you so. For my part I enjoy it but I quite see what you mean. A disembodied voice sounds so far away and so completely disinterested somehow. I always hate it when you ring off. Darling I love you so very much. I am longing to see you. It isn’t really very long before we meet again. Just a week today and we shall be together. This is a wonderful thought. One which deserves further thought. I’ll think of it again later on.

Speff and I went to Uncle Tom’s yesterday and spent a wonderful half hour looking at all the things he’s bought or rather made for us. They are really very nice. He hasn’t polished them yet but he will later on. I expect mother has told you but I’ll tell you again. A very nice dinner trolley with a bakelite base which is easily kept clean (see the housewife in me coming out), a really beautiful wooden fruit bowl, two very nice coffee tables with a single leg and three feet like so:

A very nice tray. He is going to make us an ironing board and he will make us a lovely bookcase if we would like. What do you think?

Poor Speff has been ill in bed all day with sickness but she will soon be better I hope. She was really rotten this morning but she is really a lot better tonight though she looks a bit washed out.

I wish I had written this letter before as I do like to get a letter on Monday but now I won’t get one. Ah me. Why didn’t I write this in time to post it earlier then you would get it tomorrow and I’d get the reply. Ah me. Darling I love you so very very much and I do wish you were here now. When I’ve finished my letter writing I’m going to make a cup of tea for the invalid and try to cheer her by doing a silly little jigsaw puzzle. I wish I had a bigger one to amuse her with but this will have to do for to-night.

Darling it’s now June, only July and a part of August and all the other months will be ours just for us both. Just 45 years from today and we shall have our fourth granddaughter. By the way darling you haven’t told me any more about the house valuation. I suppose that means you haven’t heard any more. You will let me know as soon as you do won’t you. How are you getting on with your job. Are you making lots of friends? I do hope you are finding it worthwhile. I should hate to think that you didn’t like it as much as the other one. I should feel sort of responsible.

How are Mother and Daddy, both well I hope. Tell them I’ll post a letter to them on Monday with some money in it. If I’ve time I’ll write in between. I’ll see how I feel. The machine is a ??? machine – in other words a machine for doing embroidery. I’ve been looking for a cushion cover to do on it but I haven’t been able to find one yet.

Darling I love you more each time I think of you and I’m simply longing to see you. It won’t be long now will it darling. Do tell me where when you write. I love you so very much and I long to see you so very much. The sooner the better. I love you and I always will for ever and ever. Goodnight my own darling.

Look after yourself.

You’re very very important.

All my love

Kathleen

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy

P.P.S. I love you very dearly darling.

P.P.P.S. I love you.  KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  6.6.51

My Darling

It’s a beautiful evening. Far too beautiful for it to be wasted by you and I being far apart, much too far apart for us to even see one another. With this thought in my mind I’ve decided to ring you up. Even if I don’t speak to you I’ll make the effort later on to-night. I do hope this weather keeps up for our next week-end. I’m longing to see you again my darling. I love you so very very much and I long to be with you and to hold you close to me and to know that you’ll be there when I wake up in the morning. It’s lovely to think that in just two more days we’ll be together again. It seems such ages since we had a whole week-end together. Countless ages and I’m so looking forward to it I feel something terrible will happen before then. Away with such morbid thoughts, what could happen.

I was worried about the dry rot. I hope it proves to be a red herring. I’m so longing to be with you in our own little house I’ll be bitterly disappointed if anything goes wrong. I’ve furnished it many times in my imagination. I’m driving my fellow sisters mad by refusing to pass a furniture shop without looking at the furniture long and ?earnestly. I’ve seen some very nice sideboards and I’ve also seen some very ugly ones. When are the people getting out of the house. Have they found a house in Dover yet? I shall be glad when they have gone and things are really moving. Do you know that you and I have spent the last five days lying in the garden in Irby Road. We have in my imagination anyway. One of my nurses tells me that blackcurrant bushes need a lot of pruning. It looks as if we will have to buy a book on gardening? How about one for your birthday present!?!

I am so longing to be with you again that I can hardly think straight. Oh my darling it can’t be soon enough for me. I’d like to go on writing indefinitely but the nurses are about to converge on me wanting to learn something about insulin. A thing about which I know absolutely nothing but I’ll have to make up some nonsense I suppose. Grim thought.

I’m sorry that this is such a short letter but by the time you get it it will be Friday and in the evening I’ll be coming home to you and as you appear Lime St station will be flooded with light. Birds will sing and flowers will burst into bloom. I wonder if these stupid porters realise what happens the moment my train reaches Lime Street – as you and I meet. I don’t suppose they do. They look as if they wouldn’t turn a hair if all these things happened. They’d probably carry on chugging round with their horrible trolleys. Ah me. Here they come. I am filled with panic. What is insulin. Where does it come from. Where does it go. Heavens why did I ever volunteer to tell them anything about it. Why have I forgotten everything I ever learnt. Never mind I love you darling so very very much and soon you and I will be together for always. In my present state I shall probably tell them that insulin comes from Dolgelly and has short hairy legs. What a thought.

All my love my darling

Kathleen

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy

P.P.S. I love you my own dearest one. Soon very soon. I’m living for Friday. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  15.6.51

My Darling

Phew. Isn’t it hot. I wish my collars cuffs and frock were a ??? line on me. Horrible thought, imagine me doing a ward round in a nighty Bra and pants. With such an indecent beginning it’s a wonder I have the effort to go on. Before I go any further I must tell you that I love you very dearly and I wish we could go out to have dinner together right now. What say you. Where shall we go. – Oh what’s the

use, I’ve got to go and eat evil smelling fish with a ??? lot of women and you – heaven knows where you dine but I’m sure it would be much nicer if we were both together. Wouldn’t it.

I’m delighted to hear that you have found another favourable possibility. Note how cautious I’m becoming. You must let me know all the news. It’s useless asking you to describe it. I’ll have to get mother to do so. I understand you are going ahead and getting it valued so I won’t set my heart on anything until it is in the bag. I hate the idea of a vast pink hall but I disagree that it would make any actual difference if I loved rose pink halls. You see I shouldn’t mind sufficiently to argue about it and insist upon it. I only argue about important things. Ahem. Fancy adding a pale blue carpet to a pink hall. Horrible. No wonder you shuddered and are probably shuddering still. Still darling if you had given me a lurid description of the house I still couldn’t picture it. The thing for you to do is photograph it and then I shall know just what it’s like and you will have a chance to use your new camera, which, by the way, I’ve never seen.

As you say our last week-end was beautiful. I wish we could be together every week-end. Don’t you, instead of having to wait ages and ages. I love you darling very much indeed and we haven’t very long to wait now before all our troubles will be over. – or they’ll be only just beginning. I’m not sure which. It’s odd to think that long after we are married Women’s Medical Ward will go on in just the same way. One likes to think that the roof would fly off or something equally exciting or calamitous will happen. But no – none of us are indispensable.

It’s still far too hot and there’s still a whole 1/2 hour to wait before I can strip off all these ??? clothes and lie down flat. Blissful thought. When we are married when you come home from work you’ll find me still indulging in an afternoon nap. – aren’t I a lazy soul. Nevermind darling I’m not nearly as lazy as I’d have you believe. Quite energetic in fact but not in hot weather.

I haven’t any news from here at all. We’ve been terribly busy and my staff nurse greeted me with a hearty ‘Thank God you’re back’ and proceeded to deluge me with the terrible story of her ghastly week-end. However after three days of continual chaos things have now sorted themselves out and we are quite quiet once more.

Darling what more can I say. I’ve told you I love you at least three times and I think that’s enough even for you for one letter. My nurses are about to descend on me early for a report so I must close down now. I love you very very much my darling. Write to me soon.

All my love

Kathleen

P.S. My love to Mum + Dad

P.P.S. All my love darling for always and always.

P.P.P.S. And always.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  18.6.51

My Darling

I love you very much indeed. You must admit that this is a very good way to start a letter. Almost all that need be said between us except that it’s so much nicer to have a longer letter than just three words even if it does take two or three pages.

I’m glad you like Uncle Tom. I thought he would draw you aside and tell you some very good advice interspersed with lots of grrr and Harrumph. Uncle Tom is the only man I know who really does say Harrumph. According to the books I read hundreds of people say it but he is the only one I know who does. Did you notice it? Poor uncle. So I’m a good girl am I. Quite true I hope but a fat lot he knows about it. Poor fellow. I think he thinks the world is peopled with sinful women and if you can pick a good one you are lucky. Well. So what. I’m lucky too. I love you very dearly my darling and if you have sown any wild oats it hasn’t made you dissipated. I don’t want any of your past to come out and blackmail us when we are happily married. Isn’t this rubbish! It comes of reading too many penny novelettes. Everyone seems to be blackmailed at one time or another.

Still no one will describe the house to me. Mother says if we get it I’ll see it on Saturday and if we don’t then there’s no point in knowing anything about it. Quite unanswerable logic of course but it robs me of all the fun of house hunting – I just hear of mythical houses which never come to anything. Ah me.

I must snap out of this moaning mood. It’s going to be difficult to write right now as my staff nurse is practically looking over my shoulder. It’s quite alright really as she’s too far away to read it and she would need to be near and have lots of time to spare to answer it.

Darling. My muse is on holiday too. Why can’t inspiration descend on me. I’ve told you I loved you three times. Shall I tell you about the patients. – all about their spleens and gall bladders etc. Grim thought. It reminds me that I must swat up something about Splenic Anaemia.

I insist on hearing all about the house in your next letter. It must be very small if you can get it in your pocket. Ha Ha. I’m so witty I kill myself.

What shall I say to finish off with. Shall I tell you that I love the way your hair grows on your forehead. That I love your eyes – such nice kind eyes. I like your firm shoulders for leaning against. – I like – No of course I couldn’t. It would embarrass you too much. I’ll just say I love you with all my heart and soul and leave it at that.

Bye Bye my darling

Kathleen

P.S. My love to Mum & Dad.

P.P.S. Write very soon. I love you.

***************

Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  23.6.51

My Darling

It seems silly to be writing to you when I’ve only just left you (a mere 3 or 4 hours ago) on Lime St Station but if I leave this letter until tomorrow I don’t know if you’ll get it until Tuesday and I couldn’t bear that. Darling I love you, I love you very very dearly and I shall count the days until we are together again. Those days my darling are getting shorter and shorter. In a little while we shall be man and wife and we will live together in 1 Heathbank Avenue (Yes I think I got it right.) It’s a really lovely house darling. I’m absolutely delighted with it. I hope your mother comes to see it before they move out as it looks so much nicer when people are living in it. I like the little lane that we walk along to reach it. It’s so nice darling. I like it very much indeed, so much that I’ve become almost lyrical in describing it to Speff. It’s nice too, to think that we have got curtains for it. We are ?starting darling. It won’t be too long now. I love you darling and I’m longing to be with you for always.

I can’t write a very long letter as it is very late at night. However I think you’ll excuse my muse being off duty for one night. I’m in much the same position as your muse last time you wrote. I’ve so much to enthuse about that I don’t know where to begin. I’ll therefore take the line of least resistance and write a very short letter. This doesn’t excuse you. Your next letter must be a long one full of news about You and you and you and you. Heavens that makes four of you. And I haven’t been drinking.

Darling I love you. Why do I love you I don’t know. Why do you love me. Why does anyone love anyone. Heaven knows. I love you because you’re you, just you. Perhaps in the words of the song that’s being sung just now ‘Because God made you mine’. Yes that’s it. We were meant for each other for always and for ever, for better and for better. My darling, I’ll think of you as I go to sleep and will picture us together in our house. Goodnight my darling. Goodnight and God bless you and keep you for always and always.

All my love Darling

Kathleen

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy

P.P.S. and of course to you

P.P.P.S. In case I forget, I love you. KIB

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  27.6.51

My Darling Aelwyn

Your letter was such an amusing one that I kept bursting into fits of laughter for no reason at all in the middle of the ward round. It was all very upsetting but I couldn’t get the picture out of my mind of you and I as diminutive figures pushing and straining with all our might and main at a huge grey shape in a desperate attempt to ??? it ??? chimneys. Ridiculous man. You must get out of the habit of going to bed with a stone in your ?mouth. It would be most disconcerting. You’re an absolute lunatic of course but I love you very dearly as I love all lunatics. Darling Aelwyn it’s going to be so nice being married to you. I shall love every minute of it.

I’ve been reading a book about marriage. One lent to me by the Gynaecologist. He was most insistent that I read it. All people about to be married should read it he said. Particularly the men. It was quite terrifying in parts and I felt that I should immediately rush off to the gynaecologist as apart from a psychological aversion

to you (???) we will immediately produce hundreds of children (as I’m the small type that is supposed to be very fertile) unless I do so. All this is very worrying but it says that we should immediately have a frank talk. It doesn’t say what about but I don’t suppose it will matter so long as it is very frank. Well anyway. Never mind I’ve read all I need to know now so I’ll promptly forget it. By the way don’t tell mother as she would be rather affronted as she thinks all such things should be left to chance. I don’t agree of course but then I’m of the modern generation, I hope.

Speff seemed to have a very nice time. Eric Newton has gone up in my estimation quite a bit. I don’t suppose anything will come of it but at any rate they both had a good time which is something.

One of the patients has given me a beautiful tablecloth (it would fit our ??? dining room table) and 4 serviettes. It’s Irish linen and pale green in colour with white appliqué. I’m sure you won’t know what appliqué is but mother will tell you as it is too complicated to explain. I’m getting quite a bottom drawer together. Aren’t I. I’m glad the pillowslips look so nice. Mrs Yule is going to give us another pair and a tablecloth and serviette set. I think that’s all in the gift line for the time being.

By the way it’s the front bedroom that has the horrible green paint on it not the lounge. The lounge we decided would probably need decorating either now or later as it is quite badly finger marked. I thought I’d told you my take in carpets. – Self colour – in other words all one colour or all variations of one colour. Either rust or green for the stair carpet. – Rust or green (whichever the stair carpet isn’t) for the dining room and a fawn one possibly an oatmeal pattern for the lounge. Of course these rules aren’t fixed and if you can pick up a bargain providing it isn’t vermilion I’ll be quite satisfied. Mother has very good taste on the whole so don’t forget to take advantage of it. However we paint – I do particularly want a plain stair carpet.

Heavens this letter is full of instructions. I must stop at once. But before I do. I love you darling so very very dearly and I’m longing to be with you always and always.

Bye Bye Darling. All my love.

Write very soon. I’ll be watching the post.

Kathleen xxxxxoooo

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy. P.P.S. And to you and to you and to you.

***************

Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  1.7/6.51 (Postmarked 1 Jul 1951)

My Darling

For days on end now I shall create a new month, to wit 7/6 or Junely or something. I can never remember the month when it’s just new. Can you? Darling I love you so very very dearly. It’s such a beautiful day. I wish we were both together all day. What a glorious time we could have. What would we do. Let me think. I know, go to the swimming pool. How glorious. I can’t bear to think of it. Here I am supposed to be working, creased in a stiff white collar, cuffs, cap etc. It’s most uncomfortable. Still I mustn’t grumble. It’s so long since we had any really hot weather.

8 weeks today my darling where will we be. I hope the weather is like this. It will be so glorious. Oh my darling – How much I love you. How perfect it is to think that very soon we’ll be together for always and always – never to be parted. I lie in bed and dream about it and paint such wonderful pictures of our future together. Up to now this letter is full of wonderful and glorious. I’m sorry I’m not very poetic but it’s all sincere. This heat makes me quite limp and I can’t concentrate on anything. You’ll forgive me if my muse is bathing in the river – most probably like yours. – That’s a good thought. Two muses (what I wonder do they look like. – James Thurber would be able to draw them) swimming or floating around the sea somewhere with two little guilty consciences nagging at them to return to their rightful home. I’d draw it for you if I could but I can’t. You know there’s no doubt about it, you and I are complete idiots. We must be, we picture such odd things. Still it’s going to be rather fun and we will have lots of fun together. Oh darling I wish I could sit here writing and writing and writing telling you I love you in elegant prose. I wish I could write a poem to you or sing a song or anything except write you long uninteresting letters. At least I think they must be uninteresting as I never seem to be able to think of anything new to say.

Ah well. I’m sure you don’t mind whether it’s new or old, so long as I say I love you and I do you know. I love you more and more each time I see you. I long to be with you for always and always and it won’t be long now before our dreams will come true.

By the way – Speff and Eric Newton got on quite well together. They’ve been out together again and promised to write and he has promised to send his shirts to be ironed far more often. Speff is really quite starry eyed and looks as if she’s in for a bad case of our complaint. For his part he is always most sincere and I’ve always thought that once the initial difficulty of getting to know Speff was over no one could fail to like her. Anyway here’s hoping!! I’ll certainly kill him if he just intends to lead her up the garden path. Poor man. I misjudge him. As I’ve said before I’m quite sure he’s very sincere in all he says, and we shall see.

I ought to go and do some work so I’ll stop now. Write very soon my darling. I love you always and always.

All my love Darling

Kathleen

P.S. Excuse smudge. – Phew it’s hot.

P.P.S. My love to Mum and Dad

P.P.P.S. I love you so much. KIB xxxxoooo

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  2.7.51

My Darling Aelwyn

Why do people always put their address at the top of the letter. Just as if we could possibly forget where each other lived. Heavens darling what panic the unexpected arrival of your mother and father must have caused. I expect it was soon straightened out alright. I’m glad you found someone in to take them round the house. Is the colour scheme all your mother had to say. Didn’t she say whether she liked it or not! I’m glad she thought it has a hideous shade of green too. It impressed me much more than the pink hall.

Darling I love you very much, so very much. I do wish Speff could find someone like you to love and cherish her as I know you will love and cherish me. You haven’t such a thing as a twin brother you haven’t told me about. It would be very useful. Darling my time here is getting very short now, but it will be nice to be with you always and always. To be getting our house ready together. To be rushing madly round furniture shops etc. Pouf. It makes me feel quite hot to think about it. This weather is absolutely killing especially in this ghastly uniform. I think it must be one of the special tortures that we have to go through before we are thought to be ready for heaven.

Wheeler and Speff send their love to you. Wheeler says she doesn’t know you but she sends her love just the same. She says I’m to tell you the R.S.I.’s a lousy place. So I’m telling you. As if you didn’t know.

I haven’t any news for you that’s interesting. All my patients are very well and behaving like a lot of silly children. Why is it that people become so childlike when they are in hospital. Bah it makes me sick. Pouf.

Enough of this grumbling. It’s not me it’s the weather. It makes me feel that I can’t eat or sleep. Do you like it? Who cares. I must tell you once more how much I love you. Just in case you don’t know. It might just be that you’ve forgotten because it must be at best three lines since I told you. Once more darling Aelwyn I wish my muse would stop going off duty all the time. It’s like it came back on duty for a while.

How can I possibly write letters with two folds on my bed trying to hide the big toes. I think they must both be a little delirious or something. But whatever it is it’s most disconcerting, it prevents me from concentrating. They are playing a rather catchy tune at the moment – my resistance is low. How right they are. Mine is low when I’m with you all the time. Darling, Darling. I wish you could appear now. Perhaps it’s just as well you can’t as I’m most indecent and though I’m sure you’d love it nevertheless it’s a good job you’re not here just at the moment.

I must go to bed to-night. If I don’t go it won’t be tonight. All of which is rather involved but it probably means (something) and if it doesn’t, well! Once more darling I love you, you alone. Goodnight and God bless.

All my love darling

Kathleen

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy.

P.P.S. My love to you my darling always and always.

Kath

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire  10.7.51

My Darling

It seems such ages since I last saw you although it is less than twenty four hours away. Thank you darling for a lovely if rather hectic week-end. I feel quite exhausted after our furious shopping and eating (if there’s such a word) expeditions. Have you made up your mind about the carpet yet? There isn’t any news from here yet except that the wretched Eric Newton has forgotten to say goodbye to Speff which has plunged her into the depths of despair. Oh you men or That man. What sort would tell a series of lies to a woman he intended to treat as a casual acquaintance!

Poor darling I mustn’t rant at you because it isn’t your fault but I do wish there was something I could do about it. I feel so helpless somehow. Perhaps it’s just as well that I can’t because I think that outside interference always makes things worse than they are. Still it’s very depressing because it’s so unlike Speff to be so downhearted. She’s even taken to smoking in a minor sort of way. Still I suppose I ought to be glad it’s not drink. Everything will blow over in time and she will surely meet someone else though I can imagine that that’s no consolation right now. Given time it might be.

Heavens – over a page and I haven’t told you that I love you and I do you know, darling, very very dearly. In a very little while we shall be together for always and always and, (or so it seems now) we shall have nothing more to worry about. Pessimistic folk tell us that our worries are only just beginning but we shall have to wait and see.

As I’ve said before there isn’t any news from here and I ought really to take time off to cheer Speff up – though heaven knows how. There must be a way. I

suppose if I could only (make) ?more of you. If only she could meet someone like you. A vain thought though because there can only be one you. You must forgive this short letter darling. I wish I could think of some more interesting things to tell you but I can’t. I love you my darling and it won’t be long now before we are together for always. This is such a pleasant thought that I’ll sign off with it.

All my love darling

Kathleen xxxoooxxooxxooxo

P.S. My love to Mum and Dad.

P.P.S. My love to you.

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire  14.7.51 (No envelope – enclosed with a birthday card.)

My Darling,

It’s time I wrote to you. It seems like ages since I got a letter from you. To-day is your birthday (16th July). Many happy returns of the day darling. To think that this time last year we didn’t know each other and you would have thought any fortune teller who told you that you would be almost, but not quite, married by your next birthday quite mad. I hope you are and will continue to be very very happy my darling. I love you very very much and wish I could be with you but in less than a week we shall be together for always and always. This is a wonderful

thought my darling and I ??? it as I sleep at night. This last week is proving quite busy and somewhat depressing so I’m rather glad to be leaving. Doubtless I’ll miss my life here because I’ve been happy here. Of course I’ve been happy here. I returned here after our wonderful day in Leamington. That carried me through the next week in a sort of blissful ecstasy. How will I remember it. I’d like to be with you now my darling. How nice it will be to be near you always and always. Still we mustn’t grumble. Our separations have got shorter and shorter and soon they will be negligible.

You must let me know how mother got on getting the chairs or should I say did she get the chairs. I’m glad Daddy liked the sideboard. I thought he would. A

good solid piece of oak. I can almost hear him. If we are as lucky at other ??? as we have been at the first ???. I was very glad to hear that you managed to get some felt because we ought to have some as we are having such an expensive and wonderful carpet, we must take good care of it. Each night before I go to sleep I see our dining (room) covered with a carpet (the carpet) with our sideboard and two chairs. – Nothing else as yet – oh yes two coffee tables, but still it’s enough to be going on with. Darling our house is going to be a real home. It doesn’t have to be expensive just a nice happy home shared by two people who love each other very dearly (and will) put up with each other’s foibles. This is rather a depressing thought isn’t it darling – we will both have faults. – not the least of mine is smoking! Still I’m sure we will both get on like a house on fire. – won’t we darling. Oh I love you so much and I want to be with you in our house which is so near and yet so far.

By the way your cousin rang me up today. I can’t possibly go to see her but I said that you and I would try to get out to see her one Saturday. I’ve got so much packing and farewell parties to attend to this week I shall hardly have time to go on duty at all! She asked me when the date was fixed for. Of course I had to tell her and she said she would keep it free!! I had a terrible thought that you weren’t going to invite her but it looks as if you will have to. You can’t leave her out now or it will look very pointed. I thought I’d better tell you in time to send out the invitation. This wedding grows like a snowball. One of the sisters here who was married some time ago says that as the wedding approaches you just live for it to be over although you quite enjoy it when it comes. I hope she’s right about the

latter part anyway. It would be such a pity for the one and only day to be ??? a nightmare ??? so much preparation and worry.

One of my ex patients returned tonight with a fire set for us. It’s rather a plain one but it should be very useful for us. I know we are getting another one but that doesn’t really matter so long as we don’t get 15 like someone you told me about. – Wasn’t it Glyn.

I’m getting terribly tired and I haven’t had my bath yet so I think I ought to retire to bed and dream pleasant thoughts about you and I. I love you my darling very very dearly and I long to be with you but it won’t be very long now.

All my love darling.

Kathleen xxxooo

P.S. My love to Mother and Daddy.

P.P.S. All my love to you my darling. KIB

P.P.P.S. Just a card for now. I’ll bring you a present when I come home. Kath

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Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury  19.7.51

My Darling

This will be one of the shortest letters you have ever had from me as I’m so busy cleaning up and finishing off etc. that I’ve hardly time to call my soul my own. Anyway darling very soon we will be together for always and always and we shan’t need to write each other letters at all. I love you darling very much indeed and this time tomorrow we shall be together for ever. What more need I say.

Uncle Tom seems to keep coming over to see us more than usual. I wonder why. I suppose he wants to lend mother moral support as well as some material support for us. I think he’s been disappointed that he’s never had a daughter which is probably why he shows more interest in me than in Philip. It’s all very distressing as I’m sure he will offend some one. Still we can’t please everyone can we.

Darling you must forgive me for this incessant rambling and for this very untidy letter. My head’s in a whirl and I’ve so much to do. I love you my darling very very much and I’ll see you to-night.

All my love Darling

Kathleen

P.S. My Muse is certainly off duty.

P.P.S. My love to Mum and Dad.

P.P.P.S. And to you and to you and to you.

xxxxxxo

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Postscript 1: Letter from Kathleen to Aelwyn after the birth of Robin on 13th October 1953

Maternity Hospital, Liverpool. 19.10.53

My Darling Aelwyn,

I shall see you tonight so I don’t know why I’m writing to you. I think perhaps it’s because you might be lonely in bed at night (you’d better be!) without me tossing and turning beside you. Therefore the note.

I love you darling so very very much and I’m so proud to have produced a son for you. If he grows up anything like his Daddy he will be a very fine man indeed. Soon we will both be coming home again to you and the whole pattern of our life will change. I hope to goodness we make good parents and that we are not too besotted with the infant to have no time for anything else.

Darling Aelwyn – you have been so good to Mother and Daddy whilst they have been so worried about Uncle Tom. You have worried yourself too I know but never mind soon we’ll all be together again. Until then darling I love you and I’m very proud of you.

Good-night and God Bless you

All my love – always

Kathleen.

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Postscript 2: Letter from a grateful patient and her husband

This letter Kathleen received from a grateful patient was in the box containing Kathleen’s letters. Sadly Ivy died eighteen months later of cancer of the stomach and ovaries on 16 January 1953.

23 Shrubbery Gardens, Wem, Shropshire. July 7th 1951

Dear Sister

My wife and I feel that we would like to thank you for all that you have done for her whilst she has been under your care at The Royal Salop Infirmary. Your thoughtfulness and patience, together with the willing attention of your happy band of nurses, were a great comfort to her and greatly helped to make her first experience of a hospital much more tolerable. will you please convey our grateful thanks to them, also?

You are doing a splendid thing by allowing your patients to have evening visitors. This is greatly appreciated by all those who have been able to avail themselves of this privilege and it will not lightly be forgotten. Your methods coupled with your cheerful presence are a credit to your profession.

As we have been assured that smoking is your sole vice, we are venturing to offer you a few cigarettes which we hope you will accept as a very humble token of our appreciation.

In conclusion, may we congratulate both you future husband and yourself on the occasion of your forthcoming wedding, and we hope that you will be as happy in your marriage as we are in ours.

Yours very sincerely,

Ivy & Harry Ladds

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Postscript 3: Letter from the consultant at Salop Royal Infirmary

(see also Kathleen’s letter dated 7.2.51.)

This was also in the box containing Kathleen’s letters. Dr Cuthbert Lawson Stote (1903-1978) writes that he cannot read Kathleen’s address, so it’s not clear how his letter reached her. His biography notes that he was “plagued for many years by renal calculi” (kidney stones) – a detail you could search for in vain were it not for the Royal College of Physicians website.

I’m sorry I cannot read your address!

Swan Hill Court Ho, Shrewsbury.  Telephone 2126

My dear Sister, (as you ought to be still!)

It was very nice hearing from you and I will, of course, be only too glad to give you any reference that may be required. And it will be a good one too.

I’m glad you are not giving nursing after all but all the same I wish you were doing your part-time work here. We miss you very much indeed and really the hospital can never be quite the same again. All the same, the quality of the patients in Women’s Medical has altered very little & occasionally one gets a shock as one enters the ward. One suddenly feels that one has entered a mortuary, so moribund do all the decrepit relics in the beds appear! But a few still go out alive.

Come & see us again soon

Yours sincerely,

Lawson Stote

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Postscript 4: A note on transcription: Google tries to read Kathleen’s letter

Deciphering each of these letters has been as taxing as tackling a cryptic crossword. I tried to make sense of the handwriting, then fill in the illegible gaps using context, my knowledge of Kathleen’s style, and memories and anecdotes.

I have previously used the Google Photos app to digitise typewritten text for inclusion in my blog: this worked very successfully for Rhys Jones in the Battle of Normandy and Aelwyn’s writing, requiring only a few minor corrections.

So I wondered how it would cope with handwriting – specifically, Kathleen’s handwriting. Below is a page of Kathleen’s letter dated 28th May 1951, followed by my transcription and Google Photos’ attempt.

My transcription: You would be a little alarmed if I suddenly materialised before you as my hair is all over the place and I’m dressed in a dressing gown and a pair of gaily striped pyjamas.

I was delighted to hear that we have a dining room table. We are getting on very well indeed. It won’t be long now before we have a whole house full or at least half a house full. The rest will be full of dishes and other ?debris! Darling I love you. I keep on saying this because it keeps on coming up to the surface and leaking through. I know we will be happy. We couldn’t be anything else. So many people conspire to make us happy. We just couldn’t let them down. Each time I meet you I love you more than the last time. Each time I hear your voice I thrill more than the last time. Your letters are clutched more possessively each time they come to me. Each time you kiss me I long more passionately to be with you always and always. Never to be parted again. “Guide these whom through this day have joined in one.” Soon we will be joined in one my darling and no-one will be able to separate us. Not that any one will ever try. They will take one look at us and give up the attempt before it gets further than an idea. Aren’t we silly to think that we can…

Google Photos transcription: you could be a like andered if as sedang verleibged befor you as my ele place cel i’n chessed in a cheseg gounal a por of gaig stipel pyjoras

Deas delayed to her stat me tare a duy reer laadile We are gelley on by evell se veril the leg raw before we deve a audale lause full vat base biof a usefull. The hot mill he full of distis al uso den is! Deilig sal your Glapa sajaj ils because it leeps or cang my & the surface al waliy theuge Ihow we will he leappy We Cauleta he cycly ebe. So vay preple spre to pale is happy We fish canh be the dam bad ine I need you see you reve ver ele dest ine, lead the sea ya vaca Sibill nee Wwer ve bed live. You lens ce duchص rave poccessief one ved the ly care to the Callie you diss ne 9 leg roe Pescircatilg là be ene you alors ad albays. Pentel again dy leve joined in are… ince nere so be Jude base den varige ilis Sea une vial lie jonat by doulay as to we will ever severale Nel Weil y Seal cuis are dull one lij. Iley unll File ad que up the allege. Chel we bufere ae it get

I concluded that where difficult handwriting is concerned, the Google Photos app is still a work in progress. It’s like Stanley Unwin reading Old English poetry. I resumed my transcription efforts the old fashioned way.