July 17
My Dearest Paul,
A lovely day today - a letter card and a letter from you - quite like old times only nicer. My love, you sound a cynic over the political situation - is all the army like that? You wait until you get back here though - you'll have grounds for it then! Never mind, life's not so bad, but you've an awful lot to catch up on. I don't think there's much danger from Commonwealth - it seems to have dropped out a bit lately - money, I think Acland isn't that rich (he's sensibly been giving all his land to the National Trust) and it appears to be similar to early Fabian days as regards programme. The trouble is, the Labour party is more Conservative than the Conservatives now which is driving the younger people elsewhere.
Glad you're comfortably situated (tried to get a letter card today but couldn't), I can assure you things are pretty expensive here now and you certainly couldn't buy a fountain pen for 12/6! Anything that's unrationed soars in price - thank heavens for rationing which means everything one needs is reasonable - including clothes. You should have had a letter today, I think.
The films I've seen in the last year I could count on my fingers I think, but those good. (Includes French ones which are still turning up in London).
Carry on to the heart!
July 18th
My Dearest Paul,
Having at last managed to procure one of these I'll attempt to write you a decent letter; I think Airgraphs are inhuman although useful. First, I'll tell you what I'm working at now. Hydrography is charts as far as I'm concerned - Admiralty and Fleet charts all over the world to be newly drawn or to have corrections made upon them. These are usually engraved but in special cases and in a lot of secret war time jobs they are litho'd direct. These are more fun to do but need more experience. I've done two. They take about six weeks all out. The work is terribly accurate and takes some getting used to but it's much more interesting than my other job and so are the people. Art students predominate! When we get a rush job we work very late at night and get driven home by Wrens which makes us feel important, and when we work Sundays we get days off in lieu which I never got at C. E. in C.. This is a racket but very nice and enables one to have a weeks leave and only take 3 days actual leave if you're cunning! My salary is £160 plus £40 war bonus and the overtime and income tax about balance out, so I'm better off than I used to be. Also I get paid monthly. In my office is John Heade - does that register? It did with Chimp - a look of horror!
I've had lots of nice letters from all sorts of people about your coming back including Chimp and Heather who are very excited. Unfortunately I'm afraid you will just miss Chimp who is off to France very shortly. Looking over my diary since last August I'll give you the highlights. To London in September and saw a wonderful production of Congreves 'Love for Love'. Gielgud, and a scintillating making cast making a comparable play to 'The Imp. Of Being Earnest' I'd love you to see it and I think there's a chance as they're going to put it into a repertory of plays in the winter. We must go over to the old Bristol Theatre Royal which is charming - bought for the nation and runs plays for C.E.H.A. which tour. Saw there an excellent production of 'Shoemakers Holiday' and also Sheridan's 'Trip to Scarborough'. It's about the smallest theatre in England and often has ballet Rambert which just fits! Saw them in Bath last winter and met Stanley Newby who is with them now and also H Rambert. Saw a good production of 'Swan Lake' by the Wells at Bristol too. Saw the International Ballet (Hona Inglesby, Tarakanva, Harold Turner) but was not impressed.
Saw in London this June two worth while films - an American documentary called 'Forgotten Village' about Mexico and 'Le Jour se Leive' with Jean Gabin which makes most films seem a bit childish. Films still trickle out of France - made before the Germans arrived of course.
I went to a housewarming on Saturday which was fun. About a dozen of us and talked painting and played records. I would never tell my family but I'm getting quite fond of Bath! Glad I'm not in London, anyway. By the way, last February we heard from the other 3 who escaped with you who had turned up so knew you had escaped. (I suspected it all along).
Darling all this has not put me off my food but I can't sleep. I shall be a wreck when you arrive. I woke up at 4.30 this morning and my brain was going round and round in rings. I shan't really believe all this until I see you - oh, it makes my legs turn to jelly just to think of it. We shall be a mad couple. I can assure you I've not got any more sensible (I bought two new hats in London - one is daft) and I certainly shan't turn you out. And now I must go to bed - it's 11.30. I've been at ballet class this evening. How do you expect me to work with all this tumult inside me? It's all right for you - you gentleman of leisure,
Kisses and hugs and all my love,
Jeanne.