"We are having a nice time here now, we go to the beach nearly everyday."
These seven letters, sent June – August in 1940 are from Nellie who was evacuated to Cornwall along with her siblings. Nellie was Frank’s oldest sister. She took a level of responsibility for the younger ones.
Many of the letters include requests for clothing (especially shoes and swimming costumes) or money from home as well as descriptions of the weather, school, church and her siblings. In letter six she talks about “rumours going round” Bethnal Green and some of the children going home.
Letters from Nellie
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Transcript:
[Letter 1]
Dear Mum & Dad
We are having a nice time here now, we go to the beach nearly everyday.
We need our big coats here because in the morning it is cold and sometimes wet too so that we could do with wellingtons. I need another vest and pyjamas. Agnes needs some more shoes we can buy those blue and white shoes here but they wear out too soon and she has a hole in the sole of hers. She also needs another frock. Mrs Hanning said she must have here L.G.C. amulet back as she has got to appear at the town hall and she will get kicked out without it. Pat Jago is alright here and so it Eileen Bryan in case her mother wants to know. We are looking forward to the next letter as Joe has spent all his money and Danny has been eating all the sweets Joey bought so as to save his own money. Sn Edwin thought you brought her parcel of stuff with you and says she is going to write to you. Suppose the boys will too and Mrs Murley said she is. We have got some limpet shells here, Agnes picked out the limpets with a hair clip, she thought it was quite nice. The heels of Agnes's white shoes are worn right down so the request for shoes is urgent. Pat Jago said she had a letter to say you were coming down soon. Tommy is still going strong but he needs a new frock and Agnes said she was going to save up but I am afraid she is saving down. Ma Murley went back on Tuesday night, he had to go right to York. I am doing a juicy murder jig-saw puzzle and it is nearly finished now, there are many more to do after this one. Nothing else to say
Nellie
Frank is all right for grub and all that. We received 1/- Sister Edwin wants the material, address will be in next letter. Not started proper school yet. Please forward Hanks.
[Letter 2]
Dear Mum,
We received the parcel containing coats etc and Sister Edwin wants her parcel. Her address is St John's Terrace, Pendeen. Tell Mary that we are going to write to her soon. We all went to the beach to-day, Agnes is the colour of a nigger but not with dirt but sun. We were glad of the shoes of for Agnes as she has worn her others right down. Mr Higgins has arranged for school in the mornings and assembly three afternoons a week. He sent some boys back for bad behaviour, and he says that it any more have to go back they will have go to a reformatory school. The boys were from St Anne's. He is being quite tough with them, it they look at him they get three punches on the head and a clout round the ear. Joe's shoes need mending and Mrs Jenkin is going to write to let you know. (Be prepared). Danny had his head full of sand so that we could. (Dig for Victory) and Joe lost the shilling you sent last week - he meant to ([unclear] to defend the right to be free) but I support somebody lent it to a shopkeeper. On Sunday evening we have got to go to that old school and say the rosary it is in the same room as we have Mass. Sister Edwin arranged for her lady to make tea for all the teachers and sell it for a penny a cup. Mr Higgins called us Jews when we asked for the penny and Kelly had no change nor did Mrs [unclear] so we had to get to the shop to get some for her. Agnes wants a swimming costume to go in the pool and is waiting for Tommy's frock to arrive, she has done no basket work up to yet. Sister Edwin said all that she wants is to go to the sea. She said I may have to go to school in Penzance but I'd like to know where the fair is coming from. That all for now you will hear again soon. Love Nellie and Agnes
[Letter 3]
Dear Mum,
You need not worry about us although there are lots of rumours we had three warnings Saturday but it was that they expected an Air Raid and they wanted to clear the streets to bring soldiers through, but it did not come off as expected. Sorry to hear about Jim being fed up. We have received two parcels each, containing white frock, watch and vest etc. We have got the two yellow frocks and white & beige shoes the frocks fit all right. Frankie received his parcel containing Sr Edwins material. The ration books arrived long ago, it is OK about pyjamas. Most likely I will not have to go to Penzance to school. We go to Mass every Sunday and we went to Communion last week, we have Mass in the schoolroom and it is quite O.K. We are going to have milk in school soon. The old ration books are O.K., I got them from Sister and had them settled. The boys have been home late once or twice but I don't think Mrs Jenkin said much to them about it so that it is alright. She is glad to know you are sending dark blazer for them. They have three pairs of pants between them, =/1/2 each, am writing to for Leonard soon. Tommy's frock is a bit big will you send my silk triangle and all the lace stuff. You had better hurry and wash the dinner things. We will let you know if we get anything but we have had nothing up to yet.
[Letter 4]
Dear Mum,
I received the letter containing stamp and letter for Frankie and also the parcel with the chocolates and aprons pullover etc. I wrote to Mary but when she wrote to Danny she said she did not get my letter. There are 150 soldiers in St Just and a lot in Penzance, I suppose you heard from Mrs Murley that we will have to change our billet. We are going to school in the mornings this week and we can do to the beach in the afternoons while the village kids go in the afternoons to school. Sr Edwin said she was going to write to you but I don't know if she has got too far yet. Agnes and I have joined the Post Office bank and we have about three stamps between us. Don't forget Frankie's birthday this morning because I am looking forward to my 4/6. I am going to put it in the Post Office. We went to Communition this morning we have mass at half past eight and Sunday school at six. We are having nice weather now but the coats come in handy for cold mornings and evenings. Thats all for now. Nellie
[Letter 5]
Dear Mum,
We are now living at 5 instead of 14 and it is quite near to Mrs Murley. The lady Mrs Curnow is a daughter to Mrs Jenkin who Dan and Joe are with she has a little girl who is four it is quite nice in here and Agnes is settling down here easily. The soldiers from St Just have been taken to Senin which is a long way off from here. Frankie lost the knife you sent to him, we got the parcel Friday and he lost it on Sunday. We went to the beach yesterday and it was so calm that you could swim easily in it. The white shoes you sent for Agnes are all cracked and the biege ones need mending and protecting. I am going to get my brown shoes protected as they are well worn down. We went to the bun feast on Saturday and had a bun for eight pence and a cup of tea. We were having lovely weather until to-day when it started raining and has not yet finished, so we can't go to the beach to-day. After morning school we go for a walk with Sister but as it is so wet we can't go. That's all for now. Love from Nellie and Agnes Mrs Curnow gives you her best wishes
[Letter 6]
Dear Mum,
You needn't get hot over nothing next time, I sent you a letter last Thursday and I was thinking something nice about you, we got the two parcels and the shoes fit alright. Danny got the 2/- Postal Order. We got the parcel from Mr Johnson and everything is O.K as for stamps I wrote to Sr Leonard and Sr Aidan and sent Sr Aidan a stamp to answer with. Agnes will be quite alright if you come down and Sister Edwin said she will be glad to see Molly. We received Jerry's letter without a stamp and had to pay fivepence on it and we don't want any more of your telegrams if anything's wrong you will soon know. We received free shillings altogether in the two letters. Agnes has her hair cut Friday and she looks much better. We went to the beach every afternoon last week and went swimming. Mrs Jenkin gave Dan and Joe swimming costumes and now there is only Frank and Agnes left. It has not rained once since we got the wellingtons and mac, but still we don't want it to. Mrs Jenkin got the money for the suits and up till now we have received all letters, postal orders and parcels. There are lots of rumours going round but none of them are true. One girl told her mother that she was bombed out of her bed and that we were going to be shipped to America. Letters like this are being shown all round Bethnal Green and lots of the mothers have sent the fare down, plenty of the kids have gone home and Mrs Jago is bringing Pat & Jerry. I think she is mad but that rests with her, Sister has told them all that they aren't to go home spreading lies and trying to get other people home. Mr Higgins is wild about them all going home but he is glad when they are gone. Thats all for now. Love from Nellie
[Letter 7 - sent in July?]
Dear Mum,
We are all getting sunburnt and red, we went down to the beach to-day and had our tea there it was quite good. Joe lost a tanner but he found it again in the rocks and he was quite pleased, it was quite sunny here to-day. Last night we went to a concert as they called it but it was nothing like one. I have not seen Pat Jago yet but I suppose I shall soon on Sunday of thereabouts. Mr Murley came home on leave to-day for a few days, you'll be hearing from us again soon I suppose. Nell.
Tagged:Evacuee
Contributed by:Adrian O'Connell
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