13.2.41
Dear Angela
Your letter of December 30th arrived about a week ago and as I am not at work, because of influenza, I am taking this chance to answer it. Mam is not feeling too good either and I think dad will get his turn soon. I certainly hope that you are feeling better than we are.
We have had the ice for skating here, but I have not had the time this year, like last. I enjoyed ice-skating very much in Northallerton, but I would have to go to Durham for the nearest Ice Rink. We have a Roller Skating Rink here, it is about three years ago since I was there.
I have managed to find time to visit the Cinema lately, I thought “Waterloo Bridge” with Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh was very good; I enjoyed Errol Flynn in “Sea Hawk”. I heard an English version of Verdi’s opera “La Traviata” on the radio and I don’t mind admitting that I was nearly crying at the end. It is not very often that I listen to opera, but I did enjoy that. Six of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas are on at the theatre this week, and mam and dad would like to have gone - but not with the influenza.
We usually hear President Roosevelt’s speeches, if the reception is poor an account of it is given in the news. I always listen to Mr. Churchill’s speeches, they are quite funny at times when he compares modern Italy with the classics. Mr. Wilkie seems to have had a busy time when he was over here, his photos were in the papers and on the screen. I can’t say much about North Africa as our troops may be miles farther on when you get this. So much for the war - I may be under suspicion if I get any more cut out.
I hope you did work hard and got good grades in your finals, or better still got good grades without working hard. I will be glad when May is here, and my exams are over.
I have managed to hold my post as Sunday School Teacher for a few weeks now, I think this is because I often do illustrations of the story to keep them quiet.
It seems as if the 18 year olds will have to register for military service, I am not sure whether I will be called up or not, as some of the engineering students are exempt until they get their degrees. If I am exempt I think I will feel queer when nearly all the others are doing military service, but it can’t be helped.
I must close now hoping that all in the family are in much better health than we are.
Yours sincerely
Harold
13 February 1941
12 Jan 1941
Sunderland
12.1. 194(0)1
Dear Angela
Please excuse the first mistake, but I have not got used to the New Year yet. You must also excuse me for being late with your birthday greetings, I intended to write just before Xmas but I am afraid that I forgot in the Xmas rush.
I am glad that Xmas is over, it may seem funny but in my fortnight’s vacation from Evening Classes I had to work overtime every night but two, and after that I had parties until early morning. My friend came up from London and we certainly had a good time with all the parties and the snow.
We have not had a raid for about six weeks now but, now that the snow has gone we may get something. The snow came just after Xmas, I would have liked it at Xmas as it seems to be a more real Xmas.
I am still enjoying work although there is too much of it. We got our Xmas exam results in Engineering and I was top - it seems I must be suited for Engineering. Well I only have until May for Evening Classes now and then a rest until September when I start College. I only hope that your reports have been as good as mine. When will you have to leave school and think about work? I feel having to stay at home when others are in the forces, but mam will not let me join up because of spoiling my future (if I have any). I suppose I will just have to wait until I am called up (if the war lasts).
I was reading about the building of the suspension bridge at San Francisco, it was a marvellous piece of engineering and must be lovely to see. One of the lecturers at the College helped to build our bridge and I am looking forward to meeting him.
I haven’t done any sketching for a while now. My last attempt was a water colour of Hylton Castle, it was fairly good from a distance - but close up it was all splashes. I intend to go to Durham sometime and if I remember I will send you a photo of the Cathedral or perhaps a sketch (if it turns out OK). It’s a pity that so many of Wrens churches have been bombed, I have read a good few books on them. St Paul’s must be wonderful as the dome is kept together by large chains inside the walls. What are the oldest buildings in America? I don’t suppose you will have as many or as old, historic places as we have, but you must have some.
I was promoted at Sunday School to-day - I was made a teacher. I have a class of five, two girls and three boys, who are eight and nine years old. I am looking forward to a hectic time telling them stories.
I am afraid that I have no more news to say as I am not answering a letter, but just sending you birthday greetings. I hope you will excuse them being so late.
I close hoping you have had a good time at Xmas and that you will have one during this year.
Yours sincerely
Harold
P.S. Enclosed is an Australian stamp
28 November 1940
56 Bond St
Monkwearmouth
Sunderland
28.11.40
Dear Angela
May I excuse myself for not writing before now, and may I thank you very much for the birthday-card, it arrived a little late - but what is the difference. I hope this letter reaches you before Xmas - I think it will, I have used the strongest envelope I could find as the others were very thin. I am not certain what kind of Xmas I will have this year, as I may have to work all the holidays. I am expecting at least three parties - allowing for air-raids. I will have a fortnight’s holiday from evening classes at Xmas but there will be no moon out, and it will be too dark to go out. One of my pals is coming home from London at Xmas, so I have something to look forward to, even if not holidays.
I had my first and probably last Cross-Country run the other Saturday, I was running for Sunderland Harriers Junior Club against my old school, the result was the best possible - a draw. I don’t think I will run any more this year as it is too tiring after work and I didn’t run very good - 7th out of 16 runners. I am having to do nothing else but work these days and my weekly table-tennis has been replaced by homework - I hope you don’t get as much work to do.
You will have seen some photos of the damage in Coventry and Birmingham, it must have been terrible. Everyone says our turn will come soon so we are just hoping for the best. If we do get bombed here I don’t know what dad and I will do, as mam will be called out nursing - but we haven’t been bombed yet! I hope we are doing just as much in Germany. I often wonder where my French and German correspondents are, and I think I will try and contact them when all of this is over. Another plane was brought down here a few days ago, the “Jerries” haven’t been over for about two days, but they will give us a call soon.
There was a war -poster exhibition in the Art Gallery and one of the Bede girls won a prize. The exhibition was in connection with War Weapons Week. There was also an exhibition of war weapons ranging from prehistoric axes to machine guns, the sword of Dundee, who fought in the Battle of Killiecrankie, was there. The total war savings of the town was well over one million pounds which wasn’t too bad.
There was no parade on Armistice Day, as is usual; the poppies were sold. - The siren is blowing now - I will continue writing until any explosions are heard - mam is complaining about the shelter being cold (and saying nasty things about the Germans under her breath) I should say the sirens - as others have joined in. Mam has just gone out like a scarecrow - carrying blankets, rugs, scarves etc. into the shelter.
I must close now as I have run out of news-
A Merry Xmas
And
A Happy New Year
Harold
P.S. Excuse style and mistakes as I have a headache, and I am not feeling extra good
2 November 1940
56 Bond Street
Monkwearmouth
Sunderland
2 Nov 1940
Dear Angela
You may have noticed that my writing is worse than usual, you must excuse it, as I have a black and blue finger nail and I have to hold my pen between my thumb and second finger. I hurt my finger when I was drilling some holes with an electric drill on some staging about 10 ft from the ground, my foot slipped, I slipped and then the drill slipped; the result was me hanging by one foot, with a sore finger, and my arm burnt a little by the hot drill. I have been working for over a fortnight now, and am quite used to the hours now. We make ships engines and repair them, but we do get other repair jobs in. We all stopped work last Wednesday to see a ship launched in the next yard to ours, it was a wonderful sight as I was quite close to it as it slipped down (or should I say “her” and “she”). I will give you a rough idea of my work, sometimes I help the engineers on the machines when they are doing fine work (i.e. to 1 ⁄1000”) but if it is fairly rough work on the drill or lathe I do it myself; I like to help to “mark off”, that is put the measurements and marks on the rough casting, it is very interesting and full of mathematics. I felt very important the other day when I was given a labourer to help me, this meant that I was telling a man what to do! I also felt quite proud when a ship went out of the river and I had helped to make part of her engines. Well so much for work, I think I will be sorry to leave it next year to go to University, but, I prefer to be clean.
We have had a few raids lately but not very near, I can now sleep through a whole night of gunfiring without bothering about it. Our air-raid shelter is just about completed, but it will not stop a direct hit.
I bet you have a good time in the “lab”, I used to enjoy it very much. I can remember the time I once tried to filter conc. Acid and the filter paper just disappeared. When I have time I still read on the modern discoveries about the structure of the atom, radium and isotopes etc but I liked the “messing around” in the lab better. My new subject is Engine Drawing, it is altogether new to me, my first mark was 6/10 for a half finished drawing, my others were 9/10 and 8/10 so I don’t think I am doing too bad.
I haven’t much time for sport, but I play table tennis every Saturday night, I am not very good but it is a little relaxation.
I went to see a parade this afternoon, it was for “armaments” week, there were the three forces; tanks, searchlights; and an undamaged Messerschmidt was on view.
We are hearing plenty about your election but I don’t think we quite understand its importance as we have the King and Queen as the first persons in the country. It must take a lot of thinking out to select your candidate as they both seem so promising.
The girl next door has been teaching me how to dance, but I don’t seem to have made enough progress to go to a big dance yet - I may some day as miracles still happen! I went to a Halloween Party last Wednesday (it was early as most of us had to attend evening classes) there were the usual turnips and spooks etc and I had a go at a dance or two but not with an extra lot of success.
If you have a friend who wished to correspond with someone in England here is one of my pal’s address
Mr Harry Royal
73 Newbold Avenue
Newcastle Road
Sunderland
Co. Durham
It is drawing in dark now (6.00 p.m.) and it will soon be dark at 4 p.m. I hate this as we have no lights at all and it takes hours to go a short distance. Everyone will be glad when the winter is over, I hope it will not be like last year, but war is war and we must take what comes.
I must close now, hoping you will excuse the writing and terrible style, but I have some maths to do after this and not much time to do them in.
I remain
Yours sincerely
Harold
