Letters to America

Sunday, December 28th, 1941

Darling Joan,

We have had a very jolly Christmas despite the war and the black-out(1), and I think that the babies enjoyed themselves. They had their stockings at the foot of their beds and Mummy has told you of the things that Father Christmas left them. They were awake very early next morning as you can guess, and a very excited pair of babies they were, I can tell you.

Christmas Day we spent with Dora’s Mummy and Daddy, and we enjoyed it very much. We played some games to amuse the children, and John especially enjoyed them, becoming so excited that he was absolutely whacked(2) at times.

This morning all the fathers who have children in America gathered together at the Kodak(3) Social Centre and a film was taken of us to send over for you all to see. There was only a short time for each one of us, so you must not expect too much. I expect you will be able to pick me out all right, I am reading a book, and look up just before the camera man went to the next man. You should be able to pick out Mr. Kemp. He is playing cards with some other men. You will see that only two of the fathers away with the forces were able to get leave to come along, and the one in the Merchant Navy(4) was recently in Rochester and was lucky enough to see his little boy while he was there.

This afternoon we all went to Hatch End for a walk, really so that John could see some trains. Do American boys get excited about trains? I expect they do, and what wonderful big engines they have too. John would love them. He has a Trix(5) set for Christmas and Daddy is kept very busy making him all sorts of things. So far he has had an aeroplane, a trolley, a round-about and a pump, and there are dozens of other things to make.

Anne has a new dolly and she has named her Margaret after her little baby cousin. Then they both had some colouring books and some story books. Also a jig-saw puzzle each, which they like and already have a fairly good idea how to put together. I remember how good you always were with jig-saw puzzles. Do you still do them?

It has turned cold today, but we had a warm Christmas and gathered one or two rose-buds from the garden which have opened wonderfully indoors, and smell nice, just like summer.

We are hoping to get a letter from you this next week, and so cheerio(6) for now and lots and lots love to you my darling.

From your loving
Daddy
xxxxxxxxx

  1. Blackout regulations were imposed on 1 September 1939, before the declaration of war. These required that all windows and doors should be covered at night with suitable material such as heavy curtains, cardboard or paint, to prevent the escape of any glimmer of light that might aid enemy aircraft. External lights such as street lights were switched off, or dimmed.
  2. 'Whacked' means completely exhausted.
  3. Kodak is an American company that produces various products related to its film photography. The company has its headquarters in Rochester, New York. Joan's father was an assistant superintendant at Kodak's factory in Harrow and she was evacuated to Rochester in 1940 as part of a scheme organised by the company.
  4. King George V bestowed the title of the Merchant Navy on the British merchant shipping fleets following their service in World War I.
  5. Trix was a model railway set.
  6. People sometimes say 'cheerio' as a way of saying goodbye, especially in British English.