Archives Record
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2022.50.243.3 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Title |
Letter, Nancy Ward to George Ward, 1942 |
Date |
25 February 1942 |
Year Range from |
1942 |
Year Range to |
1942 |
Description |
Letter from Nancy Felicia (Howitt) Ward to Captain George Everett Ward, 26 February 1942. A three-page handwritten letter in blue ink on blue air mail paper. The letter reads: 221 Woolwich St, Guelph, Ont Feb 26th 1942, Thursday 2 PM Hello My Darling I'm in Dick's room - trying his desk for a change and have discovered it's a much more comfortable one to write on than mine!! Mum, Aunt Grace Morgan & Aunt Isabel Taylor are over at Aim's for lunch. Yesterday Mum and I went down to Toronto for the day - decided the night before around eleven to whip down - a toot to Toronto now is like a trip to New York for us - We brought Aunt Grace back but worst luck she has to go back early this afternoon. Yesterday I popped in to see my dentist Dr. Trotter and much as I like him - damn him! He found two cavities so this means I have to go back a week from to-day. I'm horribly annoyed because just six months ago I had a check over and thought for sure I'd have a clean card this time - such is my luck in a dentist's chair! I phoned Mrs. Storms but she was out - the maid told me Storms is still in Debert as far as they know - just waiting. When Mary leaves Mrs. Storms is going to be the only one in their family left on this side! I feel sorry for her. Gave Lois Best a buzz - it was quite a coincidence; she was just in the middle of a letter to me to tell me she and Phil have at long last set the date - They are going to be married on March 28th. This news thrilled me and better still the news that Mr. & Mrs. Best are cooperating beautifully. For the past year Lo' and Phil have been up against - more or less parental opposition. Mr. & Mrs B. wouldn't wince much interest in their plans and naturally this was darn hard on Lo' & Phil - When I was staying with Lo' last weekend Mrs. Best came into my room early Sunday Morning and poured her heart out [to] me about the two of them. We had a long talk and I honestly feel the outcome of it has helped to smooth things out for Lo' & Phil. Lo' doesn't know we had this tete-a-tete but on hearing the date is set for the 28th and Mr. & Mrs. couldn't be nicer about it and helping them out on their plans and what not - I feel quite responsible Darling - about now, for what is about to take place!! I wonder if Dorothy Dix would like a copartner?! We got back last night around 6.30 and found a peach of a surprise in store for me - your interesteresting ?(I was going to underline it but needn't now after writing it like this Sweetie - ! it pays sometimes to re read what you've written eh what? To get back to where I left off - letter of Feb 3rd about your stay with the Martins Darling - Sorry to hear about the cold Sweetie I hope you were able to shake it off in a day or two and it didn't leave you feeling seedy the rest of the time on leave - cold always seem to have the miserable habit of cropping up at the wrong time don't they? The martins sound 'filthy rich' but extremely nice people so thrilled Darling your try at "hospitality leave" turned out better than you ever dreamed it might. The description of their estate almost sounds like something you might read about in a book - 3,300 acres holy crow! The No. of bedrooms terrific collection of beautiful antiques forty horses and two Steinways downstairs. It just leaves me saying hmmm! Darling. How wonderful to meet up with Ralph Kluckner who went through collegiate with Stuie. When you told me about the two of you getting together on the pianos and holding forth I could just see you Sweetie - on this piece and than that - experimenting with different chords. I'm so glad Mrs. Martin did such a good job of looking after you - for me - Darling - not thinking it the best thing for you to go riding with your cold [Page] three when the weather was so rotten - She sounds like a marvelous ol' gal - able to whip around like a woman of forty when she is in her middle seventy's! My Darling it was so thoughtful and sweet of you to get me some ties in London to wear with my uniform I can hardly wait for the night I can wear one but George Darling you shouldn't go buying presents for me because judging from the amount of money you are assigning over now - you must be left with next to nothing to get yourself around and then to buy something for someone outside of yourself I can't see how you can possibly do it without dealing yourself out of an awful lot - and I bear bear [sic] to think of this ever happening Sweetie. 9 PM Emily decided to do a spot of house cleaning in the upstairs hall - had the 'electro-lux' going full blast so I was forced to drop off until now Darling. I'm going to see if I can break a record and get this away to you to-night - This afternoon Helen Gamble asked me to help her pack some parcels - we worked on these for an hour or two, after posting them went into Liggetts for a cup of coffee. When I got back to the house around five Darling your long and wonderful letter of Feb 1st was waiting for me on the table in the living room - also your P.C. So have heard from you yesterday and then again to-day Sweetie I can't tell you how much it has pepped me up. I wrote to you on Tuesday but Darling it was such a short and bum note - wanted to write but I was in a pretty stinky mood - one of those moods I have no control over now - when I get into one its only a letter from you that will pull me out. Darling I love you and miss you so terribly. Darling I haven't sent you any cigarettes for a long time but in one of your recent letters you said you were well stocked in this line so I've been holding back on them Your Mother has been sending them off very regularly and then [Page] four Dad told me at dinner he sent another thousand or two off to you, Dick and Ang this afternoon. 11 PM! My hopes to get this off to-night Darling are shattered already. Helen Gamble dropped in with her knitting and shorthand and has just this moment left. She told me something which I think is darn good - you know the by word in the United States is "Remember Pearl Harbour" - the one for Canada "Remember" Hong Kong - hong King!! Darling when I read the story Sinc told you - I just let out one woop! I was all by myself in the living room but I couldn't hold back. I haven't heard any jokes for so long you're going to have a lot of dusting off to do Darling when we're together again. I'm afraid I'm going to be frightfully rusty on a lot of things but I'll be more than ready and willing to learn! After dinner to-night I was given the message to phone Mrs. Alex Stewart - I did and her news has knocked me right out. They had just received word that Ranolina had died from a heart attack. It has come as a terrific blow to all of us and especially to the Stewarts who only the other day had a letter from her written just five days before it happened. I think Ranolina was sweeping the sidewalk or steps of her house when she had the heart attack. She didn't regain consciousness which I think should be looked upon as a blessing. Perhaps you have heard this Darling - I know Mr. Stewart wrote to your Mother and Father this afternoon. I'm so thrilled you were able to see her not so long ago and that we have such recent pictures of her Darling - you are the only one in the family to have seen her so recently - I answered her sweet letter to me ages ago and to-day I had several things I thought I would send in a parcel to her! It's so odd having it happen like that. [Page] five Darling I ran out of note paper so hence the variety - What I am using now is from Dad's office - he has tons of it so a sheet every now and then is perfectly okay - I like it a lot better than the writing pad you buy in the stores - only wish I'd started off on it. Tuesday afternoon at the Tea & Penny Sale at the Canteen Mum won a huge bunch of spring flowers! - She was tickled pink because she has never been lucky in draws before in her life. I was so excited about it I almost had myself believing I had won them! Judy Pirie and her Mother are still away but I think they will be turning up in a week or two. The change of climate apparently hasn't helped Mrs. Robson one iota. She has had several bad attacks - these attacks are very queer even to the doctors - they can't seem to be able to put their finger on what it is. She has slipped badly the past year - is very vague & talks very slowly. It is awfully hard on Mr. Robson, Bevy & Judy. Bevy was down in Florida with her Mother & Judy but had to come home because she had a frightning [sic] attack of appendicitis. I think Mrs. Robsons trouble has an awful lot to do with change of life but it has effected her in a very odd way. Blake Owensmith is a handsome devil isn't he? He made our trip up to Montreal from Halifax in April so much fun. I told you all about it Darling - That was the time Mum told us she didn't like beer - couldn't touch it! & Blake, some other chap, Mum & I drank a pretty fair amount & we didn't notice all the hundred and one stops that train always makes - Mum had been on the heels of the head waiter in the diner for hours - We were hungry and wanted the next vacant table - but it turned out when Blake & this chap corralled some beer - we sat a [sic] sipped all afternoon & completely forgot about lunch! Blake has a [Page] terrific string of names - They go something like this Eric, Blake, Warrick Cavendish Owensmith!! If you see him again Darling say hello to him for me. Mother calls him her god-child! Has sent him some socks & cigarettes I believe. Last night I had to tear through dinner to get down to my desk at the Canteen by seven - Not very many chaps dropped in last night - most of them were off at a dance at the Yard and it was two days before pay day so things were slow. Darling I'll see if Dad will take a picture of me in my uniform - aqua jersey (afternoon dress sweetie!) and one of the change of hair-do!! He will be amused when I ask him to take one of me in each outfit - think I'm quite nuts. Darling I'm so tired at this point I can hardly hold my head up, bed is the place for me right now but I'm too tired to move that far! 221 is as quiet as can be ol' spiffly ming & I are the only ones who are up but I think he is going to drop off before I do. Aim has found this an extra trying month to get through - they missed out on her cheque last month so the poor kid is almost under with some of her expenses. It is the first time it has happened to [page is water damaged] [illegible] wrote to Ottawa twice but didn't get any satisfaction [illegible] queer that they should suddenly miss out on [illegible] that isn't it? [illegible words] was understandable but defeats me. [illegible words] your Mother and Father Darling for weeks but [illegible words] unable to this weekend. I wish I could get [illegible words] often but what I'm doing now to keep myself [illegible words] down to Guelph - with the roads [illegible words] I can't even get down when I have an afternoon [illegible words] driving has been pretty fierce lately - they have [illegible words] good since and I only wish I could do more for them. The hour is terribly late Darling [illegible words] for now with all my love, hugs and kisses to you Darling - you would laugh if you could see me now I'm a sleepy looking wreck - More love, hugs and kisses Sweetie and the very best of luck Nan |
People |
Dunbar, Amy Grace (Howitt) Dunbar, Angus Charles Oxnard Gamble, Helen Howitt, Amy Brehart (Saunders) Howitt, H.O. (Dr.) Howitt, Henry Dyce Robson, Bev Robson, Judith Saunders, Grace Saunders, Isabella (Miss) Stewart, Mrs. Alexander Ward, George Everett Ward, Nancy Felicia (Howitt) |
Search Terms |
Woolwich Street World War II |
Subjects |
COMMUNICATION - LETTER LETTERS AND MAILINGS VETERANS WORLD WAR II (WWII) - 1939 -1945 |
Collection |
Archives |