Margaret to Tom 21st March 1942
I am just writing this now in case I don't have much time tomorrow, as Bob is coming along and I shall probably be popping in and out answering numerous questions.
I am fire watching at the office tonight and I have taken 10 records along for the Recital. I will let you have a programme later. Mr Davies says I must definitely get them typed so we can keep a record of our programmes.
Your mother & father have been along this afternoon to bring the accumulator and the log book. They picked me up in the car when I was returning with our rations this afternoon. And who should be in the car with them but Doug. They happened to pick him up in the shopping centre, either at Southgate or Enfield, I don't know which. He is on leave from today for 5 days and is training or at least is going to train for a pilot of a glider under the new (censured hush hush, but its ARMY) scheme. He is hoping he might get 7 days leave soon, as he is due for it. I played the gramophone as your father had not heard it before. Ask him what he thought of it. Everyone was talking so perhaps the music was not as distinct as it might have been.
So you would like me to come down at Easter after all. do you think I ought? Only I know you have a lot of work to do before the final exam, and I might hinder you. I would love you to do very well in the exam and so get that promotion which might be forthcoming. I expect if you did manage it, it would mean more than your present civil pay, as I don't want to spoil your chance at all. I was talking to your father on the phone last night and I told him I didn't think I should be coming down at all. He was very pleased to hear what the adjutant had told you, and he said he thought under these circumstances it would be better if I didn't come down at all. So as much as I would love to come, I suppose I had better not. Unless I come down on the Friday or Saturday & return on Monday by the 3.00pm (if it's running). Anyway, let me know what you think is best.
We are having a little war of our own down our road here. Yesterday a motorised column stretching from Langton Avenue down to just past Bousteds, seated itself from 2.00pm until this morning & now having been in the procession for "Warships Week" at Finchley is now back and I suppose going to stay the night. Tanks, motobikes, guns attached to lorries, etc and many others. People are turning out in their numbers to see this wonderful sight. They have two very la-di-da officers with them and one reminds us very much of Alan Cobden. Such excitement in our road. I don't know why we are honoured.
I will finish this tomorrow,
All my love Margaret
Sunday afternoon
Well, after a very busy morning, I have at last managed to finish this letter. To being with we had a very nice fire watch last night and I think they all enjoyed the records very much. We went to bed at a very late hour 2.30 am to be correct. We kept talking. Mr Addison who was with us instead of Mr Cordial went to bed a 1.00 am. If I hadn't torn myself away we shouldn;t have gone to bed at 2.30 am. Ethel followed me 20 minutes later. Mr Davies "looks after" us in a very fatherly sort of way and brought our tea and toast up at 8.15. I really don't know how he manages to exist because he didn't go to bed until long after 3.00 am – sat up reading and managed to wake up at 6.00 am. I didn't arrive home here this morning until 11.15 am. The records last night were utterly spoilt in reception by Rene's gramophone. It gives a tinny sound and makes men's voices sound like a woman's. The records absolutely lose their depth when played.
Bob arrive about 11.30 and immediately started work on the car, but no doubt he will write and tell you all the technical details. I cleared the things out and actually found a penny. It's a great pity you didn't leave a £1 because it would have been very useful now I'm hard up.
The army is to remain in our road for about a week, The children round here are thoroughly enjoying themselves getting to know all the various things about 15 of them had a ride in a Bren carrier – which i thought was a tank anyway I shouldn't know the difference. This road is ideal for one of those things.
Well I must stop now or I will not catch the post.
I'm looking forward to hearing your voice tonight which is the next best thing is seeing you, because you do not sound very far away,
All my love,
from
Margaret.
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