56 Bond St
Sunderland
19.6.39
Dear Angela
I was very glad to receive your letter as Steve said that Kay had obtained a correspondent for me. You wanted to know all about me, there is very little to say however.
I am 5 feet 9 inches tall and weigh 9 stone 10 lbs (136 lbs), my hair is dark brown and my eyes are grey. I am the “only baby” and mam and dad say that I am spoiled, but I don’t think so.
I go to the Bede Collegiate School, the same as Steve, I am in the fifth form and will take my leaving exam next year. The subjects I take at present are:-English, French, Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry) Chemistry, Physics, Art and History, but I will stop History, if I am lucky, this year. My hobby is also Art, I like pen and ink sketching and I am just trying water colour landscapes, but the fruits of my labour have been poor so far. In sports I play football (English) and cricket I also swim and do athletics. I like athletics best and our running club has the town cup for this year. Our school has quite a good record being football, athletics and cross-country running champions. The girls play hockey, basketball, base-ball and tennis, they do a little athletics also.
I do not save stamps although some of my friends do, but I will be able to get some Australian and German stamps if you want some as I have a cousin in Australia, and a German correspondent to improve my German.
I cannot say much of our view as I live in a very industrial town of coal-mines and ship-building. We have however a very good beach about a mile away and some pleasant scenery up the river.
I have a “bike” to travel to school on, I also go riding at the weekends, but I like hiking best as I can get off the roads onto the moors. We have a hiking club at school and we have some very happy tramps although the packs are heavy.
I go to the pictures once a week during the winter but very rarely during the summer as I like to bathe or do some running.
I am enclosing a snapshot taken in the school grounds by my friend, it is not extra good as the sun was shining in my eyes, but it will give you a vague idea of what kind of a person you are writing to.
I must close now as homework calls, do you get much homework from school?
Your friend
Harold
P.S. I am 15 years old, just like me to forget.
