10 December 1942

10/12/42

Dear Angela
I received your letter dated Nov 6th a few days ago and I am answering it now in the hope that this letter will arrive in time for your birthday.
You certainly seem to be having a busy time working and going to college at the same time, it would be impossible for me to have a part time job because I have six full days a week at college and the rest of the time is taken up with homework. I have come to the conclusion that after three years at college I will still know nothing about engineering, because the more I learn the more there seems to be, however it is such a large subject I must be content with a small fraction of it. At present we are looking forward to the Xmas vacation which is preceded by the Annual Xmas Dance and Concert, however a little of the fun has gone because our Maths lecturer has decided to have a little exam on the last day of term, who ever heard of such a thing? I have already been asked to two parties but it is a wonder because catering for a party is quite a problem now and most people just can’t be bothered. I can’t say I am feeling very keen about the vacation, because we already have a pile of work to do for next term, and, above all I am firewatching at college on Xmas eve! However such is life.
Mam is going to have a quiet Xmas because I will be out and dad will be at work, it seems as if it is going to be a real “austerity” Xmas.
I can’t find a great deal to say as the last few weeks have just been bed and work with a little firewatching and dancing thrown in.
I am hoping to enclose a photograph if it is printed in time, I had quite a job to find a place open during my dinner hour but I managed to get one taken.
I will close now, wishing you a happy birthday
Love and best wishes
Harold
P.S. Please excuse short letter

22 November 1942 - A great example of a patriotic Christmas card

22 Nov 1942

Dear Angela
I am writing this letter in the midst of a pile of homework, because if I don’t write soon, it will not arrive before Xmas. Your card arrived yesterday and I must thank you very much for it and the letter. Your warning about being good was a little late but I don’t think it was necessary. I think I was fairly good on my birthday – I had two nights off homework for a change: and had a really late night at a dance instead of a late night at homework. I am having to get my work done over the weekend because I am going to the Training Corps Dance on Tuesday and if you don’t go there (even if you can’t dance) you will soon become unpopular with the N.C.O.’s. However I am not going because of that, but because I am sure to have a grand time.
I think that Sunderland Technical College must be a very small place compared to your college, we are just a very small college of Durham University, and our subjects are all Science and include – Pure Science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths etc) Civil, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering and Pharmacy. Even though the college is small, we are very proud of it, as some of the best aircraft designers in the country got their degrees at Sunderland “Tech”. The main part of the University is at Durham & Newcastle; and you can easily get lost there because of the number of buildings and lecture rooms. Will you take your four subjects all the time you are at college, or will you specialise in one in the last year? In England you take about four subjects in your first year and you usually drop three and just take one in your final year, you can however take a general degree in more than one. However these rules are not rigid and there are numerous alternatives. It seems as if you will soon be quoting English Litt. to me and so give me a little of my own medicine.
As it is so soon after your last letter I haven’t much to say and in order to save paper I will close now, wishing you and yours a Merry Xmas & a Happy New Year.
Love
Harold