Letters to Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott from various family members, September 1913 - September 1930 - Part 10

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for her and take up her abode
in the new little house near
Bryn Howel which was built for
Robert Holmes, Gertie's horrid husband
This is a v. nice arrangement
as she is nearer Lily & Coster,
and the house and garden require
fewer servants. Lily is v. much
better than she was, and goes
about more now that she has
a car & chauffeur to herself.
Lloyd was v. well and seemed
cheery enough tho' he must have
had a good deal of anxiety
about the works - they had to
be closed down almost entirely
for want of coal. Patty writes
very happy letters from Cyprus -
I think one of her chances is that
she is always keen and interested
in everything - She had her great
niece and old schoolfellow
Effie Ringrose with her for some
months and ^they seemed to be enjoying
themselves tremendously together.
 

P says she loves Cyprus. She has
invited me (!) to go out next spring,
But I am no traveller, and don't
feel that I could undertake the
journey - I hope you are all
in good health, including your
mother, and that the children
continue to do well at college.
I suppose they are both v. tall
by this time. Has Neil decided
on a profession yet? My
brother Henry's son, Tom, who is
in the R. Engineers has, just sailed
for Egypt. I think he is to be in
Cairo - He is 26, so they,^ (H. & Floss) are lucky
to have had him in England so
long. I don't know if I have written
to you since I was away in the
summer. I went first to an ancient
village in Wilts; with an artist
friend for 2 or 3 weeks, for sketching.
The houses were nearly all old
and some of a great age-14^th centy.
and v. picturesque . From there I
went on and spent come weeks
with Alicia Carter. She is pretty well
 

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and as energetic as ever in
the garden - She misses Martha
and the children a good deal,
but 2 of the latter are at school
xx near here, and come on Sundays
generally. Alicia & I went up
in an aeroplane one day and
enjoyed it v. much, and only
regretted ^afterwards that we hadn't 'looped
the loop". I am hoping that she
is coming down to spend a few
days with me soon, after she
has settled her garden for the
winter. I am v much behind
with mine and the weather
has been tiresome since I came
home - Nurse is very well and
not so rheumatic as she was.
I am sure she would send
a message if she knew I was
writing - I have not seen
Anne since I returned - she &
Mrs Barker have had a touch
of influe and are not feeling
very fit; tho' they seem to do a
2DRL/0513 

good deal. I suppose you are
Busier than ever. I wonder
how the Dominican Prussians are
enjoying themselves. People seem
to think that the Imperial

Conference is doing good work
When does the Federal Govt.
move to Canberra? Shall you
find its being there very
inconvenient? what are the
'burning questions' in Australia
just now? By the way, I tried
Australian flour earlier in
the year, but Nurse objected to
it and swears by Canadian -
She found it not only full of
hairs (I suppose off the sacks), But
also of maggots, and smelt of
faintly of xxx akal napthalene - I
tell you this, so that you may
hand it on to exporters if you
come across any - If other people's
experience is the same as ours
it must ne prejudicial to their interests
There must be some way of preservation
 

Dene House, Low Tell
My dear Cousin,
It was a great pleasure
to have your last letter & to
know all goes well with you &
your family. You have certainly
been having a wonderful time
travelling over the whole of
Australia & no doubt you
would enjoy it to the full, &
say you would not have missed
the opportunity for anything, as
the wandering spirit- is in our
blood you know. Naturally your
business would suffer in he
meantime, but when a man
 

has the reputation you have
& have the people's confidence &
esteem you will soon pick it
up again. To go about the
world & see things for oneself
is the only way to form correct
judgements & impressions &
when a cabinet-Minister has
the welfare of his country so 
much in his hands, it ought - to
be to my thinking an essential
part of his education.
How I should love to have such
a chance. It must be so
interesting compairing different
people & their modes of life.
Minnie & Herbert- have just
lately returned from a tour
 

through France, Switzerland
Austria & Italy & have enjoyed
it immensely. Minnie was
ordered away abroad for her
health, as she has been never
been well since she had the last
baby, when the nearly lost her
life. I am greatly astonished
at the increase in Violet's family
& wonder when she is going to stop.
However, she is a strong healthy
girl & loves children, so I expect
will produce some fine specimens.
I should love to see her again.
but-now that her responsibilities
have become so great- I am afraid
she will not-be able to come to
England again for some time
You did not mention Horrie
or your mother in your letter. I hope
they are both quite well as usual
Has Horrie taken a farm yet-
as she intended? I often think
about her & the active life the
seems to enjoy.
Your prime minister, Mr Bruce
was speaking in London a few
weeks ago for the British broadcasting
Co. & everyone seemed
to think he was suffering very much
from swelled head! He was
discussing the relations of Australia
& the mother country & the contemptuous
way in which he spoke of England
would certainly not tend to produce
a good feeling, as was evident in the
 

chilly reception he got. His
attitude was most imperialistic
& he seemed to think all England
did was wrong & all Australia
did was right & that we ought
to take her lessons from the Colonies
It seems he must be a man of
little taste & discression.
Has wireless in Australia become
a popular institution yet? Here
in England nearly every house
has it- installed & people can
listen to the finest operas of
Covent Garden & concerts all
over the country, besides sermons
& lectures. It is most educational
& as now the chief form of amusement
& relaxation. I should say, here
 

we have had a general
railway strike, which lasted
10 days, but the men who
were kicking about the reduction
in wages were glad in the end
to return to work with practically
no concession made by them
We still have a great proportion
of men yet who cannot get.
work, but on the Tyne there is
every possibility of trade becoming
very brisk, as the Elswick
shipbuilding Co. have received
a tremendous contract which
ought to reduce the amount
of unemployment considerably &
add to the prosperity of Newcastle
district.
We have had a wretched summer
& winter of rain & everyone is
longing for the approach of Spring
How delightful it must be to get
as much sunshine & blue sky
as you. It ought to make you
very happy cheerful people
I am glad to know the children
are doing so well at school
& trust they will continue to
distinguish themselves & be
a credit to you.
With much love to Katie
& yourself from us all
your affect cousin
IJosie
 

school. I hope Katie is now enjoying the best
of health. Will she accompany Violet- to England
When She comes over?
Mother has been really wonderful this year
- not having had any serious illness. Although
the bad weather has prevented her going much
out of doors. We are very busy preparing to
go home this week. Minnie & little Philip are
going to spend a month at- the coast in Southport 
during the month of August. Mother & I returned 
on Sunday from Huddersfield where we were
staying with Nellie & family for about- a fortnight
They are all very jolly & we spent-a most -
delightful time with them. The childrens holiday
had begun & they were all getting ready to go off
to Scarborough. Alec & Nellie seem to be already
quite an influence in the town, but it has been the
result-of very hard work since going there.
She talked about you a great deal & Nellie
Nellie said she intended to write - to you shortly
You did not say at what  time that nice eligable
young bachelor of 50 would arrive in England. I