Evacuee Frank to his mother

My dad, Frank was evacuated to Cornwall along with his siblings. These letters, written between June 1940 and January 1941 are to his mother.

He uses them to ask for essential supplies from home including clothes, a knife and his bike.

Frank 1 July 1940 20230828_15492591

Frank 9 July 1940 20230828_15360526_Redacted

Frank 20 August 194020230828_15281106_Redacted

Frank 4 April 1941 20230828_15151881

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Transcript:

[Letter 1 from Frank]

Monday 1 July 1939 (corrected in red to 1940)
Dear Mum,

I am sorry for delaying so long before writing but still I am writing now so dont worry about that any longer. To begin with I received the parcel on Saturday and I wore the suit and shoes on Sunday all fitted perfectly. Now answering the last letter I am quite happy here. Freddie Johnson is quite alright except for the fact that he has to sleep with Patty Joe which is very uncomfortable for him.

As for Leslie, well he is as happy as can be. We started going to school last week but only for an hour or so in case there there any new developments. This morning we went to the new council school (last week we went to the old church school round the back of the new one) but even there we never done any lessons we just waited till a quarter past eleven then went home. I cant think of much more to write about so I will have to close. I have just remembered you had better send Joe's money as he has lost one and sixpence already. He took the postal order to the post office, came out and dropped in a field and although we searched all the afternoon we could not find it. Agnes surprised me this morning by [unclear] of Sister Edwin it turned out that she insisted on following Nellie into the school and when Sister called her back she refused to come and said "no I wont". John [unclear] address is 8 [unclear] St if you know where it is but he wrote home as well today. I would like you to send some more stamps and try and send the bikes down as it would prove very handy down here. I have made a good pal with the man in our house now the other. I dont think you've seen him. Redver is his name but he is alright although he's 31. You'll notice that I didn't finish early after all I thought of a lot more after that. Besides having nothing more to write about I am tired of writing so I close here.

Love Frank

[Letter 2 from Frank]
9-7-40

Dear Mum,

I thought I would write home today as I have nothing to do and it is very windy out. I received the parcel alright gave Sister Edwin her stuff and Nellie her's. I would like a spot more cash if you don't mind and also send me down the black shoes as the other crepe sole ones are wearing out and also it is not much good wearing the brown shoes on Sundays and ordinary ones all the rest of the week. I don't know what the insect is its legs fell off as soon as I opened the packet.

Freddie told me he thinks he is going to be shifted from [unclear]. Ask Jimmie if I can have his [unclear] knife. School is in the afternoons this week. I am going to write to Dick today if I have time. I haven't got anything more to write about so Cheerio for now.

Love from Frank

PS We had three raid warnings on Saturday and two on Sunday. Talking of Sunday we have our Mass in the old school and at 6 o'clock in the evening we have the rosary and short talk by the priest. We have got a different priest now instead of Father Herwin. Last week sang first hymn in Pendeen for four hundred years or so. The warnings don't make any difference it doesn't mean that there's any danger so keep cheerful and dont worry. Jimmie's knife is on the overmantle in my room. I have written a lot more as usual than I thought I could

[Letter 3 from Frank]
20-8-40

Dear Mum,

I have passed on the brown socks onto Dan as you said and the brown knickers. I knew I wrote Jimmie the same time as my last letter to you. Talking about Jimmie do you think that you could send me down his red costume or can you buy me a new one the red one needs a tuck in the front to make it fit even then it might not, I had a dip in the sea last Saturday morning and found it very pleasant. How is your ankle getting on have you been to the doctor or have you had him yet you had better to? Dor and Joe need their [unclear] shoes a size larger. I am glad you are seeing too the bike I need it.

Cheerio for now. Love from Frank

[Letter 4 from Frank]
Saturday 4-1-41

Dear Mum,

I've got some time spare so I'll let you know the latest news, to begin with the boys are in trouble and have been told to get a new billet. It happened like this one of them was going in the door when a sudden gust of wind blew up and slammed the door. The pane of glass as it happened was rather worse for wear it was cracked and most of the putty was missing so thus the consquences.

I received the two books and am glad of them because they take up the time when I have nothing to do. We had a little snow this week but none to speak of. The kind of weather we're having is sun shining all the time no winds [unclear] longer continuous freeze day and night, on ponds the ice is over an inch thick. I still hang about on a farm it's a rather nice life.

I spent Christmas alright and the cake was delicious.

Now I've got a complaint to make. Nellie spent about 2 shillings on herself this is what she bought - hat (hat was not needed at all she thought she's make her self up posh) gloves ([unclear] 8/6), stockings, socks for [unclear] and Joe and a pair of cotton men's socks for me & three books and gave them to us as presents very kind and I don't think I gave her back the above mention socks and asked Mrs Bunnow to change them I haven't got any answer about them yet. I got nothing at all hardly out of that Pound. All the socks I've got now is the pair of grey ones which are too small and the brown which a going to peices. Next time you send money for me please send it to 29 The Ponds then if I cant get to Penzance Dorothy might be able to go and get what I need. Talking about clothes do you think you could get me a pair of long trousers for week days as my last pair of shorts are beginning to go west? So do your best please. I have just received a letter from Sister Leonard and she sent us sixpence each did you get the Christmas card if so did Agnes like hers. How is she fairing with the measly measles. How are the [unclear] getting on up there.

Joe I have been told wants to come home in Mrs North's. They have sandwiches for dinner on night they had to walk a mile and half for their supper it was a dark night and along roads with no houses. Mrs North eats their rations of butter and they have to eat her ration of marge.

We killed our turkey and he made a nice Christmas dinner.

I must close now as I've no more to say so here hoping that you can get trousers and socks for me.

Your loving son Frank

PS Please forgive me if I'm getting on your nerves about the bike but I would like to have it here for the fine weather after all its doing no good up there and it would make me happy if I only had it down here.

Tagged:
Christmas, Evacuee, Food and drink

Contributed by:
Adrian O'Connell

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