Read the Letter

Letter plain paper

Old Downie
Beauly
25th March 1943

My Dear Mrs Hennessy:

I got the length of having the pen and had in my hand to write you a fortnight ago today when there was a knock at the door. It was only our church collector but of course a cup of tea & a chat Then the boys were home from school & that's as I said a fortnight ago so here's hoping there will be no interruptions this time. I am warning you I am to scribble as fast as I can as I hate to think I am so long in writing you but I know you understand the little things that turn up in a day. Well I suppose you heard from Pat that my dear old mother passed away on the 13th January. We thought she was improving slightly but no & so she passed on one of the very best of mothers who was a kind and loving friend & neighbour. We miss her oh so much & on Sundays when they all go to church. I am alone preparing the dinner I just sometimes cry out to her just to relieve my feelings. She came to me every Sunday until her illness & when on our own you know how it is with a mother & daughter & I you may say never left her we were able to be together all my life. But we must not be selfish & wish her here in this

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troubled world. The war was a great worry to her & she could never get away from it & up to the last 6 oclock news the night before she passed away she wanted to hear the news. She was so alert & keen for her age. She was really a marvel, for you know in her young days there wasn't the education they have now & she went to work early & was married young. Left a widow when she was still comparatively young with 9 of a family to bring up as best she could the oldest 17 years. She took up the task as few did & did it well & now she has earned her well done & we are left with most beautiful memories & will do well to follow in her footsteps. I just wish you knew her. Please forgive me dear Mrs Hennessy saying all this but I know you understand & when I write about her It just comes all over me. I didn't mean when I started to write this. We were so pleased Pat was able to attend the funeral also Jimmy Cameron She just loved them & they were so kind to her. No doubt Pat told you of his stay with us for New Year. We loved having him & althow there are no rejoicings as we used to have for several reasons it was nice for us all to be together in good health. Pat, Don & I sat and took in the New Year & you may be sure where his & our thoughts were as Big Ben chimed. He was able to go to chapel as

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he pleased & although the weather was a bit frosty it wasn't too bad & he was able to cycle. Don & he went on New Years afternoon to see Mother & he was so pleased he did & he also visited my brother who lives not far away who's daughter he called on when he went on leave to Ayr. She lives there & her husband was in the R.A.F. but was discharged with stomach trouble. They have a boy 8 years & Pat & he were great pals. Pat hopes to go back that way next leave as my nieces husband is on a travelers job & will be able to take him places. Loch Lomond he hopes & such like. The boys were just saying Pat has seen more of Scotland than we have but I say when all this is over I am going all those places. I think that's one thing I would like to have money for, just to see the wonders of the country & the world. Wouldn't it be grand if when Pat goes home we could all go across the Atlantic for a holiday. I am running on & not asking how you are I do hope your hand is better. What a bruise you must have got. Pat was worried but he said you said it was better. We saw the photos of the wedding they are lovely but the letter with the pattern of the dress didn't come. Letters are terribly mixed up I had letters from my brother in Aftica today

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one dated 13th Dec. they were really to mother we had ours dated January after he had our cable, 3 weeks ago. It would be interesting to know just where they lie.

Thanks very much for your lovely Xmas cards. William got paper wrappers last night. I heard him speak of sending the Rovers to Bobby & I must pack a few of these Journals. You may find some bits of interest if they reach you. We miss the papers Pat used to being us as they don't come now, just a few.

Pat was feeling pretty bad with his back sort of lumbago but he was down on Monday night so he is much better. I gave him a flannel band like one of my brothers wear ( I make them) but he said it rolled so don has ordered one of these wide webbing sort of belts to be worn outside his undies so I think it should help him keep him warm & support him. It is made of wool although not like it. My youngest brother always wears one. We have had a wonderful winter no snow & very little frost but that beastly east wind has started & it makes it disagreeable & treacherous I do hope it turns to the west soon where the good things come from

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You may have heard that Stan Gorman went home to Canada. I had a letter from him last week. I had just said the night before, no letter from Stan & Simon said he has got another girl Mamma & here next day the letter arrived. His father is ill & his mother claimed him home. He said thay had a lot of snow & frost & he was sure I would freeze if I were there.

My nephew who was in the R.A.F. in Canada is in England. He was home lately. My Uncle who lived in Toronto died the end of Oct. He was my mothers brother. His daughter lives in Port Arthur.

With the early spring, flowers & everything is weeks in advance, farmers are well ahead with their work & around here there isn't very much scarcity of labour. The schools only get a months summer holidays this year & a month at harvest time. They get their Easter holidays on the 8th April as Easter is late this year. We got a new nannie goat & kid on Sat & they had them right in the house for Pat to see the other night. The kid is such a wee dear & just like a baby. I could spend time among all my flock, 2 goats & hens. We have no chickens yet but have

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2 hens setting. Eggs are 2/10 giving them to a registered dealer. We are not allowed to sell to anyone, as we have over 25 hens, but when meat is scarce we use quite a lot & then we can give away if we like.

Don had a nasty turn of flu a few weeks ago, also Simon. Simon is quite himself again but Don is just not back to normal. Several people had a sort of jaundice flu & that's what he had so it takes some time to get back to his usual & it clears off.

Now my dear I think I had better close. I am just waiting for the boys to come home from school. I know William will fling his bag down with a shout of joy as his quarterly exams are finished today for another while He cant expect great results he got his glasses broken in school another boys head bumped them & they are three weeks away now & not ready so he missed them but I say it will be a good excuse for bad results. Now they are home & feeding as fast as they can. I told them I was writing you & Simon said did you tell about our new goats. So you see what he thinks interesting news. I hope this gets you some time & finds you all well. With love from us all here.

Yours V Sincerely

Hannah Fraser

Envelope front plain paper
Addressed to -
Mrs P.J. Hennessy
West Bathurst
N.B.
Canada

Post mark 25 March 1943
Inverness Scotland


Back of envelope
Plain paper

From: Mrs D. Fraser 25th March 1943
Old Downie
Beauly
Scot.