LETTERS from Louie Hadlow

This is a series of letters from Louisa HADLOW "Cousin Louie" (to Adelaide MARKWELL nee COMPORT), she was Adelaide's stepmother's niece.

I have placed this letter first as it explains the other letters and is by far the most interesting, naming many people in Maidstone in 1917. I have transcribed it as close to the original as I was able, and added some notations in red.

MAY 1918

51 Albion Place
Maidstone
Kent
Eng May 12th/18

My Dearest Addie,
On this first anniversary of our dear Aubrey's visit to us, I am going to try and tell you all about it.
The train was due at Maidstone West at 12.45 & very soon afterward it steamed in the station, I was standing by the bookstall as arranged, the people all left the platform, & no one came up to the bookstall. I saw an Australian soldier leave but did not know who he was, So I asked when the next train was due, not till after 3 o'clock, I then thought perhaps Aubrey had left the train at the other station, Was no use waiting so started for home. I met a friend on the bridge, I told her of my lost journey, We then saw the Australian soldier coming. I asked her to wait with me, I would speak to him. When he came near I said excuse me but did you expect to meet anyone at the railway station, he replied "I did" I then said, might I ask the name "Miss Hadlow." Then you are Aubrey after all. I shall never forget the meeting, we were both so careful of being had. Aubrey looked so stern at me, & I at him. We then walked up High St., Bank St., and King St. We called in at your late Uncle John's house & spoke to the two daughters. They were so pleased to see him. We then came home to dinner & Mother welcomed Aubrey to our home. After we had finished we went into the garden and greenhouse, Aubrey said he did not expect to see his old prickly pear again, & then he found several like those I have sent you. He could not quite understand how I could get such a lot to grow in such a small place, he was delighted with it, after a short rest we went down to the tram and mounted the top, it was a most beautiful day, such a blue sky & not a cloud & so hot. Aubrey said he did not think we had such hot weather in England, We went along Mill St., past All Saints Church, along Knightrider St., and up Stone St. When we were at the "Wheat Sheaf" the down tram came and stopped quite close to us, on the top next to us was Mr. Frank Keeley (Aggie Betts Widower) [Jane Agnes Betts b.9th April 1867 Mother Ellen Foord, father James Betts] So I said, this Australian soldier ('s mother) was cousin to your dear Wife, he at once put his hand across & shook hands. Asked him his number, I told him I wanted to take him to see Rayner Betts [James Rayner Betts], but there would not be time, & then both trams started so we were parted with all good wishes to Aubrey. We then proceeded up the Loose Rd., The next place we had to stop for passing the down tram (it is a single line and at certain places there are double to be able to pass ) The sun was so hot & the birds were singing so beautifully. Aubrey was telling me about Reg killing the snake & blowing through the wall also & about Australia, he suddenly looked up and said "Now I shall never forget this afternoon, the lovely green everywhere and the blossom all out, such a sight one never sees in Australia. We went to the terminus, right down Loose Hill, in the distance the Ragstone hills all so fresh & green. We then returned as far as the "Wheat Sheaf" * dismounted and walked up the road to the cemetery. The first thing that struck Aubrey was just at the entrance some beds of tulips, he said he had never seen any before. We walked around to where my friend Jack Ruck was burried (the dear boy whose aeroplane had the nose dive & he was killed) We then went on right to the extent of the grounds & coming back I took him to where your Uncle John was burried, & I wanted to show him Rayner Betts first wife's stone [Clara Farmer] , & then we saw your dear Mother's [Ann Eliza Comport nee - Foord]name on her Fathers stone[Robert Foord]. I had never seen it before. We went past my Aunties , & our dear old Vicar's & his Wife's, & a lot of other friends then across to my Father's grave, & through to Grandpa & Grandma's. Aubrey picked some daisies & put them in his pocket book to send home to you. We saw an aeroplane going over in the direction of France. We then came down to the tram & into High St., near the cannon. Walked up Bank St., & King St., to Church St., up past trinity Church and along Marsham St., pointed out West Kent Hospital & another large building which is used for the V.A.D. Hospital, up Queen Anne Rd., arrived home after a most enjoyable afternoon. Had our tea & a young friend came in to wish us goodby before going to Eastbourne, (He is now in the Air Service) Had a wash up, (Aubrey having my bedroom,) We then went down to All Saints Church. It was Rogation Sunday. Three Clergy. Vicar The Rev Canon Hardcastle, Rev Canon Dyke (Hon) He used to be Vicar and has retired but still helps & one of the curates Rev Lampleigh. The Anthem, Mendelssohn's "grant Us Thy Peace". Hymns (A&M) 512, 248, 505, 468. The last as a processional. After the blessing we had on our knees the last verse of "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" It was quite a soldiers service, just lovely. Aubrey said he should never forget it & he did wonder whether it was the church you used to attend. We waited outside for Tom Foord (Your Uncle Alfred's son) & his wife, They were so pleased. Aubrey walked up with Tom, &, I with his wife. When we arrived home, Tom did not want to go in. So we went to Charlie Foords (Your Uncle John's son) He & his Wife were so pleased to see Aubrey. Then an idea suddenly struck Tom. He said to me what do you say to me getting my car and running over to Raynor, of course I was delighted, & said you must then cross the road and see my cousin Leonard, so off he went, We went down Charlie's garden and viewed his fruit trees. Tom soon returned & had to run up to his house to get his coat, Aubrey going with him. Mrs Tom and I walked back & they passed us, & I then went home. Mother and I were waiting at the door at about 10.30, when up came Charlie & his Wife, we were talking & then came John & his Wife, we told them and they waited till 11 o'clock but still no car, so they said they must see him in the morning. Mother began to get so frightened, thought there had been an accident, but about 20 past 11 up they came, Mother was so relieved & went to bed then. Aubrey had something to eat & some milk & told me all about the visit. When they arrived at Raynor Betts house they were having supper, so of course they had some too. Aubrey did like the old farmhouse; it is really old. After a good talk Raynor, his younger son, Aubrey & Tom Foord went over the Rd., to my cousins (Leonard Green) Of course by that time it was getting decidedly late for a call. Len had 2 farmers there smoking was so thick you could hardly see across the room. I know Len was so pleased to see Aubrey, I had told them I should take him over, but as it was so late they had given him up for that day. After they had been a little time, downstairs came Joy (I told Aubrey she would get up if she had gone to bed, she was longing to see him, & I knew she would not miss him for anything. Aubrey said he could not help smiling when she came down, he thought her a fine girl & such lovely hair) her father said I thought you had gone to bed "So I had & got up" In a few minutes down came the boy, expect Joy went & told him, Then Minnie (Len's Wife) said "Is this the Australian Soldier I was expecting?" The time went too quickly for them but they had to hurry off at last. After Aubrey had finished his refreshments, we retired. In the morning I called him as I passed his door, He was down before I had finished cooking the bacon & eggs. He sat down on the step leading into the kitchen, (I can imagine I can see him now.) Seemed as if we could not lose a moment we has such a lot to talk about. We had our breakfast, some of my own made plum jam (they were some Len sent me) Aubrey would not try any other he did enjoy that so much, I filled the same glass jar last summer & said I would keep it for Aubrey's next visit, it is still uneaten. After breakfast Aubrey went down to King St., to get a shave, & was such a long time gone I began to think he had got lost, but Charlie Foord saw him, & said Why in such a hurry? He took him to the shop to see his elder brother & just as they were coming away John came in & then he came up with Aubrey. He wanted Aubrey to go round to see his wife, so I gave them a few minutes start, I called to see if Mrs Alfred Foord was at home (Tom's mother) was out, so I went on to John's. he had such a lot of things to show. We had trouble to get away, but as luck was for us, just as we came out. Mr. Dunk (The photographer) was passing. I said Oh, Mr. Dunk, you are just the one we ought to see, "go down to the shop, you will see someone there." So we decided to, after we had been round by Sessions House at the top of Week St., & along Sandling Rd., as far as the Barracks. We met Alderman Tomlin, I introduced Aubrey, at parting he wished Aubrey all good luck. We then went through the Museum gardens. There the tulip flowers again growing. Went into the Museum & found Mr. Elgar the assistant Curator, who kindly came with us round he having been to Australia could point out so many things to interest. I had to show Aubrey my photo (with others of the Natural History Society) which Mr. Elgar took one day when we were out, it was to show an old water bed. Through the earth it looks as if we are sitting on top of a hill, as a matter of fact we were on level ground & the place was dug out, a quarry, not ten minutes walk from our house. I always take my friends to see my photo locked up in a glass case in the fossil room, sounds rather antique. We met Mr. Allchin the head Curator. He had a talk & wished Aubrey well. When we were in the room with most of the things from Australia. We saw the third Curator (Mr. Golding) The strange thing is that all three were related to Drs. Mr. Allchin & Mr. Golding were related to the late Sir. N Allchin. Physician to the King & Mr Elgar's father was a Dr. in Maidstone.
We went all over the Museum, of course a very hasty glance at the principal things, then parting with Mr. Elgar who had been saving a little cactus for, which I shall always prize as the one given to me when our dear one was with me. We went straight to Week St., to get the photo taken. Was where we had those taken, you have, at least the one Aubrey took off to his home, he told me about it, I went up to the studio with him & saw them taken, was my suggestion to have them taken with hat on & off, for which I shall be ever thankful. We have them in one frame, with an Australian badge fixed at the top. It is in our living room, so can always look at it. Reg's, Yours & Your dear Husbands are all with it, I just love looking at them. When we came down from the studio Mr. Dunk was in the shop. I noticed he kept quite away from us & was so quiet (he is very talkative as a rule) I wondered what was the matter with him, I heard afterwards he had the measles, he sent for the Dr. d****ally we had gone. I laughed at him afterwards & he said that was why I kept so far from you. I thought what was the matter, seems so childish for a man of his age to have such things. He is older than I am, with a grown up Daughter & such a nice Wife. We then went to the shop to see Tom Foord again. He introduced Aubrey to his sister-in-law & Mr. Parks, the Snr partner in the Firm & once the Mayor of Maidstone. They had a talk & Mr. Parks wished him well, just outside the shop we met an old school friend & her companion, who were both so pleased & gave Aubrey their best wishes. Tom came with us to Haynes shop on the corner of Week St., & King St., where Ted Foord is (Tom's brother) he was not there but would be about two so we parted with Tom, who gave Aubrey his card & invited him to stay with him the next time. We then went down High St., and met Mr. Starn, a neighbour of ones who wished Aubrey luck, then into Mr. Ruck's shop (Uncle to the dear boy "Jack", who's aeroplane went wrong & he was killed) You have a photo of Mr. Ruck's verandah where we were when Raynor Betts read the "Royal Proclamation" being mayor at the time. Mr. Ruck gave Aubrey the best of wishes, when returning up High St., we met Miss Monckton, & her maid (You remember the Solicitors "Monckton" in King St.) They were so pleased, Miss M. said I ought to have taken Aubrey in to see her, she wished him well! When walking up King St., we met Grammar School Girls coming down from morning School, Aubrey said, one would not see anything like them in Queensland, such lovely pink and white complexions, he did admire them so much. We then went to see Emmie Foord, (W. Foord's daughter) where father & Mother used to live, then home to dinner, both of us tired & hot it was a cloudless day. Oh I forgot we met our Dr. in Albion Place, he was in his car. Had a short rest & looked at albums & PC. Album & Aubrey found one he sent me years ago, (I forgot to say before going to Church on Sunday evening, we went into the next door neighbours & talked to Mr. & Mrs. Logan & Mrs Dann (Mrs. Logan's mother) One more look at the plants & then good by to Mother, & after a parting kiss, we started down the Rd. arrived at "Haynes." Fortunately found Ted Foord, he had heard about Aubrey & was so pleased to see him. We then went over the Bridge to the Railway Station, there we met one of my old Band of Hope boys (Now a married man and a discharged soldier, he is a porter on the line, he was such a trouble to us at the B of H but good at heart, & when the war started he was one of the first to volunteer for "Kitchen's Army" & a miracle how he escaped, nearly all of his lot were killed, he has lost nearly all of his left arm. When I heard he was wounded I went to his wife for his address, & then sent to him. I also wrote to Miss Rivers, our late Vicar's daughter who was so fond of "Johnie." She at once wrote him. He came to see me as soon as he had leave (sick) & told me he should always keep our letters) I touched the gold stripe on his arm for Aubrey to see, "Johnie" told him all about it, then he was called away & we were alone, Little did I think it was the last time or I should have broken down. I am not so brave as you. I quite expected he would get another leave before crossing. All our soldiers do. He stood on the platform until time was up. Then a parting kiss (the last he ever had am sure) into the train a final hand shake, just as if he felt it was the last for he held my hand til the train started and he had to leave go. He kept his head out of the window till the train went under the arch & out of sight & that was the very last I saw of our dear one. Seems as id we were the last in such a lot of things. I shall never forget him, nor his visit to us. Just seems to make us nearer and dearer to you all, at least I think so. May our dear Reg be spared to return to you is the prayer of your ever affect cousin.
Louie

" O heavenly father, whose dear son when he was upon earth wept …..******illegible, paper torn****….. of our sorrow. He did commit him whom we love into thy care and now in death as in life we trust him to thy redeeming mercy. Give us the comfort & strength & hope which comes from thee alone. Keep us from all want of faith in thee and from all selfishness toward others, and grant unto us true fellowship with thyself and with those who taken from our home on earth, live unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord and our Redeemer.
Amen"

UNDATED

Dearest Addie
Have done my best to give you a full account of the 27 hours I shall never forget. I am so sorry you did not receive our dear ones account of it. He said there was such a lot to say he could write a book on his visit. He did try hard to get leave and even ask his O.C. at Folkestone, Have you heard any more? I had such a nice letter from Jack Conway. What a dreadful shock it must have been to him. Am corresponding with Madge Conway (she sent my letter on to Jack) he sent her one of my photos, She has compared it to Aubreys and can see a likeness, please don't give me away and tell her we are not cousins (?? possibly she is a relative of Susannah Fortnam, Adelaide's stepmother). I have been trying to find out where Aubrey was buried. When writing to his CO and telling him Aubreys personal belongings could be sent here to be taken care of if they liked and enquired where he was buried. Have not rec a reply. Afterwards I met an officer returned from France. He gave me an address in France I wrote, then about 3 weeks afterwards I met two nice looking Australian boys so I asked them if they knew anything where the 49th battalion were. They did not but gave me an address in London, One of them had been gassed and could not speak, only whisper. I told him Aubrey had been gassed and he said that is what did it, it causes pneumonia, his heart and one lung were affected. I should not think he could get over it. Have heard when badly gassed the longest is two years they can linger and just think what they suffer. Our dear one was fortunate in being taken home so quickly. Doesn't it seem to make heaven nearer to us? At least I think so. When am I going to see a letter from you? I had a reply from London, but they could not tell me at present, would keep my name and if at a future day they could-
Then I had a letter from the war office. Private I Markwell was buried Roquein Rd British Cemetery, Manancourt, South East Bapaume. I wrote and told them it was the wrong initial and gave Aubrey's full address. In reply "They regret the initial had been incorrectly registered in that office, and if it is possible at a later date the desired alteration will be made on the cross. I told them I should like a photo and would remit cost per ***?
"A note has been made of your application and should it be possible later on to operate in the area referred to a photograph will be taken and the desired number of copies sent as soon as possible thereafter", So I wrote would like 6 copies, I do hope we shall get them.
I must not stay to write more this time, am quite tired. So with ever so much love from Mother and Myself to All. Trusting you are all well now your winter is coming we are having it very hot 100 ° in the greenhouse today window and door wide open.

Your affect cousin
Louie Hadlow

15th Mar 1918

51 Albion Place
Maidstone, Kent
Eng, March 5th/18

My dear dear Addie,

Would this letter had not to be written, what can I say? Did they cable to you? I only knew the morning. So good of the Leut. To reply to my enquiries, when my letter was returned with "hospital" written on it. I wrote to the OC of the 49th to ask why Aubrey had gone to hospital & if possible to let me knoe the address, little did I think what the reply would be, not once did I think the dear boy had gone "home", I thought he was too ill to write, & I was planning what I would do when he had his sick leave., had not worried at not hearing, thought he was so safe in his "new job" only too busy to write, have most anxiously listened for the postwoman, in hopes of a letter to know how he was getting on, I recd. an Xmas card this week from Reg it was in a green envelope, I mistook the writing & thought it was from Aubrey, & it wasn't. We were very glad to know that reg then, had not heard for so long. I can't seem to believe the dear has gone, it was a shock, gave me such a pain in my side have had it all day. What you all must feel, I have thought about you and the dear brave boy all day. Just fancy keeping on till the day he dies with pneumonia he must have worked when he had it. What pluck. He wrote me that last letter on Dec 27th was stamped at field PO Jan 7th I did not see it for about 10 days. Thanking me for the 2nd Xmas box I sent him & saying

"Have nor heard from Anise for some time and it is the longest I have gone without hearing from Archoocoora or from Hilda, hope they are all well. There is nothing more to write about at present, so will close, again thanking you for your kindness. You are far too good to me. I do not know how I can return it, very much love to Auntie & Self -
From your affect cousin
Aubrey."

That was the very last I recd. now it seems so like a farewell. How I shall miss him, used to cut pieces out of the paper I thought would amuse him & have written him when had not time for anyone else. So glad we sent him the 2 boxes as they were all he had for Xmas. The first one contained eatables. The 2nd one cork socks, arctic socks as he complained of the cold to his feet. Double thick mittens handthe* apples & punch almanack & 2 sticks of pencils They were such poor ones in France.

March 6th
I have seen Tom Foord, & Charley Foord today. They were both quite upset. Could scarcely beleive it. Tom said the gas Aubrey had had would make it worse & then the intense cold just then, it was the worst of all the winter, you will read about it in the letter am enclosing, it is the one I had returned, the last one I sent has not come back.
I am owing you several letters will answer them all soon, am not so buy now and will write out the whole of the far too short leave & send you. Please give our love to Ruby & I also owe her some letters.
Mother writes with me in deepest sympathy to your dear husband and your own dear self, but I would far prefer him to be lying in his grave in France, than as we see the poor lads in the hospital dress walking the streets. You can't realise what it is, not seeing these poor boys & then had he been taken prisoner or missing I don't know what I should have done. In today's paper "Worked to Death" "Torture of prisoners of War" Our dear one is at rest, no-one can hurt him.

Heaps of love to all,
Your affect. Cousin
Louie Hadlow.

EASTER 1918

51 Albion Place
Maidstone, Kent
Long
Easter Evening

My Dear Addie

I am so anxiously awaiting a letter from you. To know how you all are. I was so dreadfully upset at first, but now I know he was taken mercifully, he did not suffer long and was taken away from all the terrible things that are going on now. We can hear the guns sometimes. They quite shake the windows and the pictures in my bedroom go all crooked. When I hear the guns I am thankful and I say to myself, Our Dear One is not hurt by that gun. The other day my friend Florry(Flossy?) Catt(?) said to me "I am quite thankful Aubrey has gone, he can't be wounded and trampled on now, "That is just how everybody speaks of Aubrey, everyone liked him, it is lovely, the sympathy. They wished him good luck when he was here and he did have good luck. You cannot imagine what we see. We have 4 V.A.D hospitals near us and what the poor boys have to endure and then if they get better go again. I saw one one day with 5 stripes on his sleeve. Last Monday a lot went past or house. They were marching to Sittingbourne, to camp out. So many had wound stripes on them. Now tomorrow they are off to the front again, Things are all going wrong. What the enemy has gained the last week is dreadful. Will enclose a map. The Australians are further north, nearer us. How grateful I am Reg is not there. This morning I went to All Saints Church the first time since the Autumn. I can't go while the soldiers are in the town because they have a service and the Church is free just before, the soldiers come out and we go in. So no time for ??benediction?? and there is no air in the church and we are so used to fresh air. I simply can't breathe. There were three in the church in mourning for Aubrey. Tom Foord, his wife and myself. It was a lovely service One of the Hymns (Ancient & Modern) 134 At the last line" Where the Angels ever sing Allelulia" We were all singing to the music. The little choir boys took much higher note and it sounded to come from above just as if the angels and we were singing together. It was too lovely for words, tears would come in my eyes. I just couldn't help it. I had never heard it sung like that before. After the service we had one verse of God Save the King. The scrap of paper I have cut out of the newspaper, I thought it so appropriate to our dear one. Have written them on the back of his photo.*
Will write again soon,

Ever so much love to you all Trusting you are well,
Your ever effect Cousin
Louie Hadlow

PS Those very loud guns we heard the other day were our own, practising!
*newspaper clipping reads:
In the bloom of his life death claimed him,
In the pride of his manhood days
He fought for his King and Country
Now lies in a heroes grave
God gave us strength to send him
Courage to let him go
But what it means to lose him
Only our sad heart know.

21st March 1918

51 Albion Place
Maidstone, Kent
Eng 21/3/18

My very dear Addie

The enclosed letter I recd. this morning. The last one I send our dear one. Thought you would like to have it, the envelope I have not enclosed. Put it with the other one I had. After writing you the last I was told "they do not send personal belongings to the relatives without they are claimed. So I wrote the Lieut. Thanking him for replying to mu enquiries & that any personal belongings of Aubrey's could be sent to us, & I would forward them to you after the war. They would be quite safe with us, & so many things are lost at present. Did I do right? Hope so, have not had a reply, perhaps they will not take any notice. I am feeling better now, it was such a shock it gave me, such a pain in my side and my throat went wrong, generally does when anything upsets me, the Dr calls it a nervous throat, lasted 10 days. But then I did like him so, even mother who simply hates gentlemen, says Aubrey was perfect.
I wrote Madge Conway, but she had heard sometime, her letters must have been returned quicker than mine.
I wrote Hilda last mail, poor girlie, I am sorry for her, she may never like another & then be looked down on through being an "old maid".
I am so grateful we have such a nice photo of Aubrey, but you will send me the one you promised me, when this dreadful war is over. Today I read in the paper they were throwing "mustard gas" air balls. Isn't it dreadful? Our dear one is safe from all now- I told the Lieut. I should like to know where he is buried. I shall miss his letters. I used to wait for the post girl. Although he was here only 27 hours, he spoke to such a lot of people they are so kind and sympathetic. It was such an unusual thing for us to have a gentleman staying with us, that, when he was coming, I told such a lot of people, now they are so sorry.
I must not write anymore or I shall loose the mail.
Trusting you and your dear ones are quite well
& with heaps of love from Mother and Self
Your affect cousin
Louie.

PS Did I tell you I had a card from Reg, I wrote him a letter last week. LH.

These are 2 letters Louie wrote to Aubrey, which he never recieved.

12 Jan 1918

51 Albion Place
Maidstone, Kent
Jan 12th/18

My Dearest Aubrey,

10 Feb 1918

51 Albion Place
Maidstone, Kent
Eng/ Feb 10th/ 18

My Dear Aubrey

Do trust you are quite well, haven't recd. a reply to my last one but expect you are so busy with the cooking. Have recd. a nice long letter from Hilda, 7 pages and 2 pieces of wattle blossom, we in Eng. call it mimosa, and in the spring it is sold in the streets, on sat I saw the first this year, I rejoiced because it looked like spring coming. Am just sure I like Hilda very much and we are going to be great friends, will write her again soon. Have recd. a long letter from your dear Mother, the cacti, pink and red are coming into bloom and the hedgehog has a bud on it, I do hope it comes out, they are so sweet. I wonder if the dreadful floods have reached them, aren't they destructive!
Your mother said they expected a swarm of snakes this year, glad I am not there, should be frightened to death.
Have you heard from Reg lately? You remember I Recd a PC from him a very long time ago. He said he was not in legion and not in camel regiment but did not give me any other address, funny wasn't it? I wrote again as I have not had a reply, it is not any use writing, because of course my letters would not find him. Have had a long letter from May, enclosed 2 PCs. The three quite a family group and the baby alone, a very fat big child, a piece of her hair enclosed decidedly "ginger" in colour, her mother calls it "golden". They were all well but Fred complains of his eyes, he has not time to write.
We had another raid last mon, they followed the hills again, we could hear them going up to London on the Monday & then returning just after 12o'clock. On Tuesday they seemed to follow the railway line when returning just after one o'clock, they were far too near to be pleasant. Always makes me so tired afterwards, I suppose it is the excitement, can't seem to regain the lost sleep.
We are expecting Albert Hadaway in to see us, he is home for his first leave. You remember him, he came in on the Sunday afternoon to wish us goodbye before going to Eastbourne. He came in yesterday morning, but mother was not down stairs, too early for her. He has grown and so fat, he is third airman, been in the air service 17 weeks, soon going in for an examination for 2 airman. Has been up 4 times, once 2000 feet. He is most enthusiastic about it all and it was most exciting when "they" bombed their aerodrome and broke all the glass in one of the places (this was the last raid), no-one was hurt and no important damage was done. We are so sorry about your cousin (the Major) I read it in the paper and then your mother told me about his death. I shall write and ask your mother whether she thinks his poor mother would rather have his name in the English paper, if she would I will send it to her, if not I shall keep it myself, with the one Ruby sent me containing his photo. The dear boy & so young to be a Major.
How do you get on about getting things to cook? We now have sugar cards and on the 25th shall have meat cards and margarine cards. We are only allowed 1lb of meat per head now & no lit*s(?) for pussy & after the 25th 4oz butter or margarine each. We have registered with our dairyman so shall get butter when he has it if not margarine. We shall miss it, always used to have 1lb butter per week, lately have had to have some margarine. The controller has been ** the dairyman to know whether they have more milk than they require, because they could send some to other places where they have less, if they ration us with ½ pint each, I shall call on our Oculist(?), Dr Killein (?) (Fortunately he is at home again after 31/2 years military service. He has not been out of Eng. Only away from home attending to the soldiers eyes) I am sure he will give me a certificate for mother to have milk, he is so interested in her case. I am so thankful he is home again. Dr Bernard, the one you saw in the car is in India, he did not go to France after all. He has left a very nice young doctor in charge but now Dr Killick is home I do not mind so much.
When you come to see us again I shall have to first take you to the General Post Office, then to the food controller for a ticket to get food. It really is *un for those who would keep on eating meat so freely, will miss it dreadfully, food is the one big topic now, so far we have been very fortunate as out meat & c is always ordered, therefore they can still send our things. But must not take any new orders after last Oct., so those people who have gone to the shops and bought their goods and carried them home have to still do the same, so they have to stand in the queues for such a long time, and then perhaps when they get as far as the shop they have just sold out, we are most fortunate having everything sent us. Such a waste of time standing about, beside catching cold.
I trust you have said goodbye to winter, everything looks so well about here, the rose trees are shooting & the early flowers are coming out. I am just getting over my rush of business, been going fast since July. Shall soon have time to write an account of your too short a time in Maidstone, to your dear mother, offcourse it won't be half as good as your letters which were lost, but still my account will be better than nothing.. I did tell them about our meeting on the bridge, Ruby said it did make them laugh, I shall never forget it, shall you. We were both so on our guard in case we were being deceived. I can't help laughing when I think of it. & then Mrs Logan knowing as soon as she saw you because of the "family likeness", just "killing".
I really must leave off now or you will get tired of reading or let something burn or boil over.-

With heaps of Love from Mother & Self
Your ever affect Cousin
Louie Hadlow

PS Do you want any more pencils? If so let me know dear-
Louie

30 Oct 1921

51 Albion Place
Maidstone
Oct 30th / 21

My Dear Addie
Am elclosing photos of our dear ones grave in France. Please give Connie one, also Hilda. I have given Rayner betts one and have one for Tom Foord. Isnt it a long time before they could send them. Am enclosing a book of the museum. Have had it for years as you will see, but thought you would like it. They are so good. We have our natural History lectures in the Bentlif room. The Bentlif brothers were two bachelors had a leather warehouse and boot shop in (top) High St. just above Paine & T[ao]pplys, very likely you remember the shop. They died very rich and left their money to build the new wing on the Museum. All being very well I shall be having refreshments in the great hall on Monday week. The first meeting of the season. When we have a talkie, talkie, with each other, and refreshments. I know every part of building so well, very friendly with 3 curators.
I have been indoors all day have the fashionable cold which is very prevalent. No temperature so hope to be out in a few days. Just had great excitement heard a mouse in the cupboard. I went into the kitchen & bought Tiny in. She heard it nibbling, from a chair. I took some of the things out, she went in & sat there for some time, but mousie went away so she came onto my lap and is there while I am writing this letter. She is such a dear black & white. Sure you have read about our hot October, it is cooler now, the damp heat has made such a lot od illness. How are you all now it is your spring? trust quite well. So sorry, i quite forgot your birthday. Ever so many thanks for card for mine. Please accept all good wishes for ALL this Xmas time, & with best love to all, Ever your Affect Cousin,
Louie Hadlow.

So many laughed at Len for competing with the apples, but as he won three prizes they congratulate him now.
PS. Am sending Roy a paper. With my cousins name marked Lenoard Green.