Correspondence between Herbert Vincent Reynolds and his family, 1918-1919 - Part 13

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to write to her some day
very shortly.
We had Harry (my brother
from Tydd) up for a short
visit in the late Summer,
he spent most of his time
at Lords watching Cricket
matches, Mary and Emma are
are just about the same. They
had a splendid year with
strawberries, making quite
a good thing out of them.
My brother at East Ham
is keeping well, his daughter,
Amy, has married, and is
trying to settle down, but
she has undertaken a very
serious proposition, as her
husband lost both legs in
the war, he can manage

every one else have either
been on strike, or threatened
to do so. The Coal strike effects
us more than any of the
others at present, as we seem
to permanently have 6/- extra
a ton packed on to us.
The Railway strike was
somewhat alarming at first,
but fortunately for town
dwellers, there was a plentiful
supply of motor traction in
the country, and it was
quite surprising how we
succeeded in getting supplies
independent of the railways.
Food stuffs and all kinds
of materials still maintain
a very high price, in fact
in many cases 2 to 300% above
pre war charges. Against
all this we place the
wage bill, every one has
clamoured for and in most
case obtained higher wages;
as an illustration an
ordinary unskilled labourer
gets 1/8 to 1/10 an hour, as
against 6d to 7d. My own salary
has had some slight increase
nothing approaching the
proportion as illustrated.
I dont think you ever
visited us in our new house,
it is about three minutes
walk, further than the old
house, from Tufnell Park
Tube Station; but it makes
up in convenience what we
lose in distance, the house
has only been up about
six years, and is quite modern,
but its principal attraction

is on acccount of the wife, she
has only one flight of steps to
get to the top floor; and I am
happy to say, she is very much
better in health since we have
been here. Of course the girls
like it because it is much
more showy than the old
place.
Now with respect to
ourselves, I am keeping quite
well and feeling tip top, Mrs K
as you will have noticed is
also quite in good form; Marjy
is still at the [[pensions?]] and
doing very well, Kathleen at
school and looking forward
to going to Cambridge in a
year or two.
I hope you are feeling more
settled down, and have found
congenial employment; and that
your brother is better. Remember
us all very kindly to your mother,
and tell Aunt Eva I am going

to hobble about on his
artificial legs, but he is
a great handful.
I think I have told you
all the news that will
interest. You should get
this before, but I will wish
you all a very happy
Christmas
Yours Sincerely
R.J.Key

MR H.V. Reynolds
Albert Street
Sebastopol
Ballarat
Victoria
Australia.
[*20.11.1919*]

267. Peter St
Macc. Ches.
England.
14^th Dec. 19.
Dear Herbert,
I daresay you
will think I'm never going
to write you again.
I've just
been reading a letter
received from you - written
on the 11^th May. It is
really disgraceful on my
part! Not that any
of us have forgotten you.
By the time you
receive this it will be
about two years since
you was in Macc.
How the time flies!

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forgotten will whether
you accomplished it.
Was very glad when
I had news you had
received the gas-helmet.
Am hoping by the
time you receive this,
the second has arrived.
It is some weeks since
I posted it, and with
a bit of luck you
may receive it before Xmas.
What a pleasure for
you, I'm sure! It will
be the first you have
spent at home for
a few years. Well, I
hope it will be one of
the best!
Your P.C's came to
hand about a couple of
2
It does not seem so long,
when one looks back.
Although, there has been
a good many changes in
that this time. This
year especially. It seems
to have been nothing
but farewell's.
We have lost
our Vicar naxxx I'm not
sure whether he preached
at the church, the
evening you was there.
He has gone somewhere
in Yorkshire, and
we are having the
Senior Curate from
'Bath Abbey'. I wonder
if you ever visited Bath.
I know it was in
contemplation, but have

4
weeks ago. Thanks very
much for same. It is
certainly a fine place.
Your Mother sent me a
beautiful book of views,
the nicest I've ever seen.
although Maccles field
as such nice surrounding
you cannot get anything
of the kind, I've tried
time after time to do
so, but, without success.
Am awfully sorry to
hear you have been so
unfortunate, so far as your
trade is concerned, and
hope something different
will turn up for you.
It is just the
same here. None of the
men seem satisfied, and

5
no wonder. Everything is
a fearful price. One
is afraid to ask the
price of anythinlg, especially
clothing. Speaking for
myself, I've never earned
so much money, but am
no better off. By the
way Herbert! I have
a photograph of ^the room
where I work, and
think you would like
of one. It was taken after
decorating for the Armistice
have intended sending
to you all this year.
It was one of the items
of interest while you was
in Macc, and I think it
it is nice to have anything
of the kind.

for Xmas. We are expecting
if he will be with us.
He comes at every
opportunity, but it won't
be many more times now.
Well, Herbert!
I don't know whether
this ink will fade
away before it reaches you.
It is like everything
else we are getting.
Everything is inferior
now - a - days.
Here's Wishing you the
Compliments of the Season
and The best of Luck
for the ^year 1920.
Believe me
Yours Sincerely
Ada. Kennedy.
How are all of you? I
often think of everybody

we have heard of in
Australia, and wonder
if we shall ever see them
all. Really Herbert!
we should have quite a
little Caf Colony of
Friends if we came to
Aussie. The worst part
of it would be leaving
a host of Friends behind.
Cousin Herbert is still
in England. He has been
promoted to Sergeant, but
no hope of leaving this
Country befor March.
I feel awfully sorry
for Violet. She will be
fearfully disappointed
when he doesn't arrive

P.S.
There is something I forgot.
You w said on the P.C.s.
the people over their say,
the English girls have
spoiled you. Well, that
is hardly fair play!
Of course, 'there are exceptions
to every rule'. What
would they have said if
everybody had treated
the boys rudely? It is
obvious, they have no idea
of the loneliness you had
to put up with.
Ada.