Letters to Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott from various family members, September 1913 - September 1930 - Part 15

raisins etc. I made a fuss about it. Later I
was in London & bought Empire fruit from
the Army & Navy Stores of excellent quality-
The Chester shop near Xmas time was filled
with notices recommending people to "buy Empire
goods" - but I told them they were doing harm
instead of good by producing inferior fruit
when asked for them - & also told them that
beautiful Empire raisins, currants, & sultanas I
had got in London. I am not going to buy 
any more dried fruit from that shop, &
I mean to tell them why.
I believe a good many people think that
"Sun Maid" raisins which are Californian are
"Empire" Products & I should not be at all
surprised if such shops told them so-
It is extraordinary how ignorant people are -
I received the 'Pendulum' safely. & have read it
through - that is an excellent reproduction
of your photograph - The Pendulum Club is an
excellent idea, & i am sure it will
have great success-
Martha & Harold Hamersley & Anne, Jim,
& Pam(ela) their 3 eldest children were here
for Xmas - It is so nice having children in
the house at such a time. & they are very
jolly ones aged 14 - 11½ & 10 - The baby
aged nearly two now 'Hugh' & his nurse are
with Allie at Wick- Harold sailed from
Southampton today for India. He has a very
good appointment Inspector of all the
 

2
Motor transport of India with Head Quarters
at Simla. It is hard that he had to be parted
from his family, but with 4 Children & small
means he his to be sure of employment.
Alicia has not been at all well. She has had
a very bad cold & cannot have shaken it off
properly. She has her son Alec's (who is in Calcutta;
two boys with her for the holidays. She had a
really old fashioned Xmas, with snow & frost, &
the children & J.C. & Dora & some young cousins
revelled is to tobogganing down the Park &
also in ski-ing. The children also had 2 mornings
skating on a flooded Marsh, very shallow.
& got on quite nicely. & I found I can still
get along on skates. in spite of my advanced
age! I has very sorry when the thaw came
which it did very suddenly ^about a week ago. Now is is 
extraordinarily mild. & I took the children to
look for primroses yesterday. & to my surprise
we found quite a nice little bunch, but of
course with very short stalks. The snowdrops
are just appearing above the earth I daresay
we shall pick the first in about a week.
 

I have very interesting letters from Patty every
week. She is still very fond of Cyprus though
there are lots of things that annoy her & Martin.
Still I don't think they will ever be so
really happy in another place - She has to
do hard work, but is so pleased when her
cooking turns out well, Xmas fare iced cakes
etc she seems to be becoming quite an expert.
I knew she would when she had to! She is never
satisfied till she does things really well -
They have their ponies & ride all over the
mountains & Martin shoots & they explore & 
see all sorts of interesting things. One day
they saw 6 Moufflon which are very rare
indeed now & may not be shot. If they
return to England Patty will be worried to
death with servants probably. There she has 
only her one old "Cypriot. who when I was 
there seemed always willing & smiling.
He does drink but very occasionally. & I
should like a few of him here!

At last Lloyd has made up his mind to go
out to Cyprus. Patty is so anxious that he
should see it before they leave which she
thinks they may do this year unless Martin
has ^a very different agreement with the Company.
His contract with them was for 3 years & that
will be up in August next - so we are
going out next month probably the 2^nd week 
of it. & I hope we shall have a few days in
Egypt on the way out. I have really worried
Lloyd into going because I am sure he really
needs a holiday, after many years
 

rignt to say- The Lloyd Edwards? (Emily
& her husband) are just returning
from a trip to Cyprus. They spent
a few days in Cairo on the way
and saw Henry's son Thom: (who is in
the R.G. and quartered in Cairo) and
all the sights, including Tutenkhamen's
relics. They found Patty and her
husband flourishing - Patty loves
the island and is so interested in
everything and gets a good deal
of riding, so is v. happy there notwithstanding
the lack of congenial
society. They hope to have a holiday
in September and come home for a
time - It will be nice to see her
again - I always miss Patty very
much when I am at Trevor. Emily
wanted to visit Palestine on their
way home, but Lloyd is such a
'home bird' and not at all
adventurous, so they came straight
home and should arrive tomorrow.
I hope Violet got through her Algebra
exam; all right and will pass
well in the Leaving Exam: It must
be v, jolly Boy-Scouting - I expect
Neil thoroughly enjoys it. I wonder
CROSS-PARK,
MORETONHAMPSTEAD,
DEVON.
April 10^th 20.
Dear Cousin Harold,
I have 2 letters, both very
interesting, to thank you for - one of
them I think crossed my last.
I have also the opening number of
the "Rendulum" to thank you for.
It is a splendid plan to have
started a club of its nature,
and should be most useful in
encouraging Empire Trade. I was
v. much pleased with the articles
dealing with America. wh I found
most refreshing! No doubt there
are many decent Americans -
who must blush for their country
v. often - but the American turn
of mind generally, and the way.
the U.S.A. Govt has behaved of late
years is positively repulsive, I think.
Why they are so proud of themselves.
[*I suppose there is not much of an
A.F. with you
as yet. What
horrid things
aeroplanes are -
so many dreadful
accidents lately.
Kind greetings 
to yourself and
all yr family
yrs affectat
Cousin Martha T.*]
 

and think their's is such a free country.
too, I can't think. I have been reading
today about the Primary Elections in
Chicago -it required 20,000 police &c
to prevent intimidation - or rather try to
for they weren't v. successful even then.
I was pleased to see in the "Times"
that the British Trade Exhibn in Melbourne
(wh I think must be the one
wh the "Budulum" Club was helping to
organise) was quite a success- so
the boycott evidently didn't come off.
I enclose a small cutting about it.
I do think people are waking up to the
advantages of Empire Trade over here
too. I am always intending to
ask my grocer what part of Australia
he was in, but am generally in
a hurry when I go into the village
wh is not very often. I go v. much
oftener than I used to, however, as
Nurse's heart is not v. strong and
she feels the hill a good deal - so
the Dr advised ^her not to go into the
town too often. So I have to do my
own errands if it isn't convenient
to send my little maid. We have been
living rather in discomfort lately.
I have been having the main part of
the house done up - It wanted doing
when I came into it in 1913, and
I have been able to save for that
purpose the last 4 or 5 years. I have
had to live principally in the little
"smoking-room" wh you may remember.
It is quite a pleasant little room
now, for I had another window
made looking towards the moor a few
years ago; but it seems rather a
squash if more than one person
is in it at a time. The workmen
have finished the main part, and
are to begin tidying up the back
tomorrow, and when carpets and so
on are in their place I shall be
able to spread out again. The house
really looks clean and bright and
I have got rid of the last vestige of
the paper wh my predecessors lined
the house with, the colour of the rind
of a Dutch cheese - we are now Spring
cleaning and I am v. bored with
turning out drawers & cupboards and
hanging pictures and so on - Household
matters don't interest me a bit, I
 

to have had any outstanding characteristics
in the way of brain or 'brawn'
I am glad the season turned
out better than was expected for
your brother, and hope this season
will be a good one. I suppose
farming us rather a lottery anywhere.
I must end and write
a few lines to Emily Edwards to
greet her on her return; then
go and water the indoor plants
of a neighbour who is away and
then (if it hasn't begun to rain
again by that time) try to do a
little in the garden.
I hope the Lloyds did not prevent
you from getting to Canberra, and
I also hope the Govt has taken a
lease of your new building by this
time - Alicia Carter is in Belgium
at present, with Anne Hamersley
(aged 13}.  I hope little Anne won't run
her off her legs.
I see that Sir J. Salward is going out
to inspect and encourage yr. Air Force.
(2
if you are 'hiking' with him again
this Easter. It must be ^a strenuous
business unless you
are in good training, but
great fun. I was v much interested
in yr explanation about the Australian
military service. I had no idea that
training was compulsory with you.
I suppose it would not answer in
England, but I don't fancy the Territorials
are ever at their full strength.
I hope we shall not have another
big war in our lifetime, but one
never knows what may happen - What
is yr idea about Disarmament? It
is too comic that the Bolshevists
should suggest complete disarmament
at once! It would suit
them only too well if we disarmed.
A good many people are getting
anxious about the reductions in the
Navy - it does seem v. dangerous
when we have so much of the
world to police - and it is all
rubbish to keep on saying that 'war
with America is inconceivable.'
We have been having a disagreeable
 

Spring and most things are backward
in the garden. I have not been able
to do much gardening myself, so
the garden is not as tidy as I
should wish, and all sorts of
things that should have been done
last month cannot be done at
all. They say that there is to be a
good fruit harvest, but I rather
doubt it in this district. My
sister Caroline's hand is not much
better I am sorry to say - She broke
it when she had a fall in London
during the frosty spell - She went
to The Coster Edwards' and had
lots of massage and other treatment
but for some reason or other (partly
rheumatism I think) it didn't help it
v. much. A great friend of mine
who lives in Hertfordshire had a
bad fall about the same time. She
had no breakage but her heart was
so badly affected that she has not
recovered yet from the effects - I had
no falls this last winter but several
harmless ones the winter before. A
friend here taught me to make
toe caps of knitted string (wh she
learnt in Canada), wh enable one
to walk about in rain or frost
quite safely.
I am v. sorry that yr kinswoman
Mrs Proctor was suffering from such
a terrible malady. I hope by this
time her troubles are over. It is
a v. terrible and mysterious disease.
I hope the shock was not fatal to
her aged mother. What you said
about 'second sight' in their family
was most interesting - I can quite
imagine Emily E. x jesting about
it - she is very matter of fact - Personally,
though I have no gifts of that
kind, I have a firm belief that they
exist and specially in people with
Celtic blood in them. I was v.
interested too about yr ancestors
especially "Little Jock" - and the
Stephensons. I always think my own
ancestors must have been rather
futile people; none of them seem
 

feels a weakness in the spot. 
She & Beatrice Barker have just
got into a new cottage at Holur
(near the Dart) - I tell them they will
soon be turned out as they cottages were
built for working people. However
at present this one has not been
applied for. It is v. much more
roomy & comfortable than the old
picturesque one they had before- and
even has a bathroom. I spent a
part of the summer at Trevor
with the Lloyd Edwardses, as usual.
I was to have paid a visit to
Henry at Camberley first - but
unfortunately got rather seedy
& the doctor advised me to stay
at home. However the journey to
Trevor is easy & Emily Edwards
came & fetched me. I felt rather
'slack' for some time but otherwise
soon got all right. I paid shorter
visits to Alicia Carter & Henry in
August & returned home at the
end of that month, and have been
v. busy ever since. Nurse went
 
Oct. 19^th.1920
Dear Cousin Harold,
I don't know how many times
I haven't sat down to write to you,
and then had to spend my time
writing other letters or was interrupted
in some way or other. Now
we are having some really disagreeable
wet weather and I have
been able to get on a little with
indoor 'ploys' - I have to thank you
for your v. interesting "Australasians"
besides your letter of May 16^th
I was v. glad to hear that you
had leased part of your Canberra
building advantageously and hope
that by this time you have good
tenants for the lower floor.
I think everyone ^ there must have been
v. much concerned at the waterside
strikes you have been having in
[*sells cars to people at home on leave & take them back again at
the end of the time.
& so on. I don't
know if they are
prospering I
hope the harvest
has been as good
as it promised-
It has been
a good year on
the whole here
I believe, but prices
are v. low. It is
a pity the farmers
were not relieved
of the Rates
before. I must
end. I hope
Violet will turn
out an artist
It must be such a
pleasure
Yr affecate cousin
Martha T.*]

Australia. It is strange that Labour
seems to have become more aggressive
there while in England, for the moment
anyway, a better spirit and a wish
to co-operate instead of fight seems
prevailing. Of course this may be
only a wile on the part of the Trades
Unions, who possibly are trying to
allay the fears of the Public before
the^ Gen Election next year -but one
hopes it is a genuine return to
commonsense. I am glad that
Mr Bruce seems the right person
to cope with the Australian Labour
troubles, and hope that the strikers
will soon find it doesn't pay to
make themselves a nuisance.
I was v. interested in what you
told us of yr Air Force and flying
services of The Medical Mission
plane must indeed be a boon.
There is a wonderful future for
flying, but I must say I dread the
time when  the air over these islands
will be congested with planes and
in particular the Dartmoor Air-triplanes
will be dropping ginger beer bottles
on our heads all day long. I
read a few days ago in the "Times"
Sir ______'s (I forget his name) report
on the Australian Air Force and his
recommendations - I suppose, it is
very necessary now. a days ^(especially when
the Navy is being so lowered in strength)
that all parts of the Empire should
be well-provided in that way.
I hope that you have all been
flourishing this & Summer & autumn,
and the children continuing to
do well at their books and
play- How annoying for Violet
to have sprained her ankle. I
hope it has not left any weakness
I know that ankles (& sprains generally
are tiresome to cure. My sister
Anne had a nasty fall from a
step-ladder a week or two ago,
and strained or tore a rib-ligament.
It must have been extremely
painful but she v. foolishly went
on as usual for some days before
going to a doctor. She says the
pain has now gone but she still
 

with millionaires- not because I
hold Socialistic opinions (!) but because
I think it is impossible for the very
rich to look at things ^& life from the
same angle as the poor (or comparatively
poor)- and therefore we should
have nothing in common.
I was v. sorry to hear of yr friend
Mrs Proctor's death. It must have
been a great blow to her mother.
I did not know that you were
a "Janite"! I wondered if the
children appreciated "Pride and
Prejudice"? I don't believe I did
at their age - But then I never
had Jane's works read aloud
to me, wh I think makes all the
difference. Mr Chalmers, whom you
may remember seeing when here, was
a great devotee & finally went to
live at Bath for that reason - I hear
from his widow sometimes, she lives
at Putney with one of the sons who
has a job in the Overseas office - the
other has left the A.F.C. and joined
a firm of ex-officers who have a motor car
business - They arrange trips abroad &
(2
to Scotland for her holiday while
I was away & enjoyed herself very
much and is in
much better health
at present than she was a year or
two ago - I don't let her do so much
now - mowing the lawn is a thing
of the past & I don't let encourage her^ to do  
much gardening at all, only enough
to amuse her. I forget if I told you
in my last letter that Patty and
Martin Whitworth were now at home.
Martin has been made Consulting
Engineer to the Asbestes Co; and only
has to spend 6 months of the year
in Cyprus - He is now I believe
looking round for a job for the
rest of the year, but I don't quite
know what. He went to Cornwall
for 3 or 4 months in the Summer
to attend a course of Lectures at
Redruth & brush up some sort of
mining there - He & Patty were delighted
with Cornwall & enjoyed
themselves v. much, bathing & jaunting
about in their spare time - they