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Waverley Guest House
425 Pasir Panjang Rd
Singapore
1 June 1955
Dear Mummy & Daddy
Many thanks for your letter dated 23 May - so sorry you hadn't
received my letters but hope they've got to you by now. SiSi was
delighted with her card & thanks you for your good wishes
& present - letter enclosed.
Well, we're getting more used to life here now - though apparently
since we've arrived it's been much hotter than usual & we've
only had 2 short showers which is most unusual as it normally
rains once a day. It's terrific while it lasts, but fortunately
it's all over in about 1/2 an hour and then the sun comes out
again to dry everything up! At least the paths & roads etc
- there's plenty of green vegetation about & some very exotic
flowering trees - saw some yesterday with great bunches of large,
nasturtium like flowers in bright orange. However, apart from
those and of course the palm trees, you could quite easily imagine
you were in parts of England! We discovered a very nice little
beach last Saturday, only we could only take the car so far as
the road was so bad & so walked the rest of the way - &
it did remind me of a narrow Devon lane with red earth & lush
vegetation. The water was as clear as a bell & very shallow
for a long way so Guy & Susan loved it. Susan really prefers
the swimming pool I think, as she can "swim" in her
tyre better but Guy loves the sea as he can go in & splash
on his own, sit down etc. However, he will come in the pool if
I hold him but he doesn't think too much of it when he gets well
& truly splashed with folk jumping in all around him, &
it gets so crowded at weekends. I want to join the Singapore swimming
club, only it's 10 miles from here & they want an entrance
fee of $34! However we'll have to see how things go.
I've more or less got into a routine here now - after early breakfast
we sometimes walk into the village (about a mile) around 8am (when
it's fairly cool) & buy our apples. bananas etc. then down
onto "our" local beach (practically taken over by Mrs
Holmes, her 2 yr old Jonathan, Guy & myself,and Susan up `til
today when she has started school). Then back for Guy's rest at
11am, lunch at 1, beach again all afternoon (unless Peter's here
when we go into Singapore or to the Alexandra beach (the nicer
one) or the pool, back to tea for 5pm & then bath & bed
for Guy while Susan & Christopher are very busy with their
club until 7pm - then bed for them.
Guy, Susan & I have all got lovely & brown - Guy only
wears little sunsuits or pants all the time except when it rains
when I put a tee shirt on him as it's cooler then. I got him 4
little pairs of coloured pants in the native street off Raffles
Place where everyone bargains for everything - 4 pairs for $1
- about 7d each. I also got 2 big towels for $2 each, instead
of $3. They are Indian, white with broad dark red & blue stripes
(the colours don't run). I wanted them for swimming,
I spent yesterday morning at Rowcroft Lines where 40 Base Workshops
are, at the R.E.M.E.Officers Wives Guild - usual women's meeting
chatter. However, the Lt Col's wife asked me to go, & called
for me, so I thought I'd better. SiSi & Guy were very good
- the latter went outside the hut while the meeting was on &
explored a monsoon drain so you can guess what his white sun suit
- & himself - looked like after that! However he's easily
bathed & it's not a big garment to wash. We send clothes to
the laundry here twice a week & they do it very well, especially
starching & ironing, but of course things won't last very
long the way they wash them - rubbing on a stone! However I find
it quite enough just doing Guy's day to day things & Susan's
& my undies.
We are keeping our eyes open for a bungalow on this side of the
island, as it really is a nightmare driving through Singapore
& Peter doesn't want that twice a day. Anyway the Holmes are
hoping to move into a quarter in the middle of next month, so
we have arranged to move down into their rooms if we're still
here, as that will be much nicer, with our own verandahs, 2 bathrooms
& much more privacy. Where we are now, upstairs, it's like
one huge room with the bedrooms round the edges, then easy chairs
& settees etc. in a smaller ring, so to speak, forming a "lounge"
& inside that, another "ring" of dining tables,
so of course there's quite a lot of disturbance for Guy &
Susan in the evenings, as the other folk are all childless (except
the Holmes downstairs) which makes things a bit difficult when
Guy is feeling in one of those moods! He's cutting his two bottom
eye teeth now, so really he's very good & there's not a lot
of screaming, but occasionally....! It's a good job we have the
beach to go to as of course he's always full of high spirits &
energy around 2pm when all the others (except Mrs H with Jonathan)
are asleep!
How are you getting on with all these strikes? Has it affected
your food supplies? Do hope not. Poor old Eden - what a headache
to get straight after the election. Very glad they won. Neither
Peter nor I had a vote - but they managed without us. The papers
here seemed quite pleased the Tories had won. The troubles here
seem to have simmered down for the time being - apparently it
was quite nasty before we arrived for a day or two. We've had
orders to have a case packed in case of emergency, & have
been "billetted" on an Army family in a quarter if it
should be necessary to be evacuated to a protected area, but I
think it looks like another case of making all the plans after
the need is over - anyway we'll hope so. Of course it's Communist
trouble once again.
Sorry the Neilsons' house was too dear for the Davies. It would
have been nice for you to have had them near you - or would that
have been too near? I must say the price seems a bit hot. Hope
Pauline `s lucky in finding a house - is Linda going to a private
school? How does that tie up with the Communist ideals? I'm sorry
Linda has to wear a bar on her teeth - poor little soul, I sympathise
with her heartily. So sorry too. to hear of Mr Simpson's new op.
& hope he'll soon get over this one & be really fit again
then. How are you getting on with your new golfing partner, Daddy?
Peter played tennis last Sunday tea time & enjoyed it. We're
hoping to go & watch some cricket soon - they play quite a
lot here.Glad you like the Broadstone ground & hope you'll
get some nice days to watch it. Wish we could send you some of
our sun!
So glad the garden is going well - I envy you the pears etc. The
vegetables here aren't nice, mostly dried peas, beans etc. Occasionally
we get some `runner' beans but there's no flavour, or in the cauliflower.
When catering for oneself apparently, everyone buys Birds Eye
frozen vegetables all the time! Of course, you can buy all the
English & American groceries here.
We are hoping to go in this afternoon, to see about my Identity
Card (I have to have one within a month of arriving) & also
to join the big public library (Susan too) Then if there's time,
I'm going to get myself some shorts for paddling with Guy, &
on the beach.
SiSi enjoyed her birthday I think. She liked shopping for your
presents in the morning & having an ice cream sundae, then
a visit to the swimming pool in the afternoon. She & Christopher
had tea together. "Cookie" (Fong), the manager here
provided some iced cakes so she was happy. Guy loves playing with
his Chinese children (he has 8 or 9!) He's taught them to say
"Hello Mama", so I expect they're teaching him Chinese!
If you can't find Guy you always know where to look!
Peter's mac has arrived, thank you.
I think that's all the news at the moment.
Lots of love to you both & Aunties. Joan
The Waverley
1.6.55
Dear Chris & Edith
Firstly I must apologise for not replying to your recent letter,
between the two of us we have mislaid it & thus I cannot reply
to individual points.
I have received my mac safely thanks to your efficient forwarding;
would you please send 3/6d to R.T.O. Liverpool & Lancashire
area, Lime Street Station, Liverpool & reimburse yourself
out of the proceeds of the pram. Also thank you for sending on
that last letter by air mail.
I hope your lawn has settled down nicely by now & that you
are better pleased with it than you were with the front.
Our little Fiat is going very nicely at the moment if a bit cramped
in the hot weather. The comprehensive insurance which we acquired
with the car runs out in October so we shall dispose of it before
then and replace it with either a Renault 750 or Volkswagen.
We are both taking a little time to get used to the climate and
in my case working in a galvanised iron hangar from 8-5 does not
help.
With love from us all to you both
Peter.
Waverley Guest House
Pasir Panjang Rd
Singapore
7 June 1955
Dear Mummy & Daddy
Many thanks for your two welcome letters dated 31 may & 3
June, & thank you for letting me know about the P.O. insurance
money. Many thanks too to Aunties for their presents to Susan
- it was very kind of them. Susan now has 1 dollar a week pocket
money, & out of that she has to buy her own ice lollies (at
school or from the equivalent of the old pre-war "Wall-ey"
man on a bicycle who cycles past the beach in the afternoons),
sweets etc. Christopher has the same amount & Mrs Holmes &
I are hoping to teach the two of them a little about the value
of money & managing their `income'. As far as I can see at
the moment, they live in `luxury' for the first half of the week
& have a rather thin time at the end, but I think it's good
training, don't you?
I was surprised to hear that Aunties A & H are considering
moving into a flat - if they do, I should think it would be a
good thing for them with not so much garden & housework -
of course what they really want is a small flat each in the same
block.
You seem to have been having a pretty bad time with all these
strikes - what a mess for poor old Eden to clear up! If &
when the dockers & railwaymen see sense & go back, do
you think it would be possible to send the cot out or would it
cost an awful lot? It doesn't look as if we shall be getting a
quarter for a year at least & as things are getting a little
difficult here, we shall probably do some serious bungalow -hunting.
Of course, it will be a lot more expensive than living here, but
the Holmes ( who have nice rooms, apart from everyone else downstairs)
will not be going until the middle of August or September &
I really don't feel I can stay where we are `til then. The trouble
is that no-one else upstairs has children, & some of these
miserable females with nothing else to do all day except sleep
if they want to, object to Guy chatting away (not shrieking or
crying) as I play quietly with him as soon as he wakes about 6.30.
most of the husbands are getting up at that time anyway, so they've
already been disturbed. The atmosphere at times is very like that
at the Cottage with the Allens! So far I've kept my temper, but
if I have any more complaints about Guy playing near a .... school
mistress when she has her breakfast & I find him 20 yards
away quietly climbing up & down a short flight of stairs on
his own, I shan't be too dumbfounded to reply next time! Her comment
to the manager just after was "I'm sick of children, I have
them all morning" Some schoolmistress eh? Having got that
off my chest, I'll stop grumbling & change the subject. Don't
worry, I'm not letting it get me down & I go out most of the
day on the beach.
Guy & Susan are as brown as berries - I think this sea air
suits them here. It certainly is much pleasanter here than right
in Singapore during this heat wave - some-one who'd been here
for 25 years told peter today he'd never known it so hot as it
has been these last 3 weeks! The water is really quite hot in
the afternoon for paddling & the dry sand is absolutely burning.
Mrs Holmes & I & the children have the beach to ourselves,
except for a few odd Malays seeing to their nets & boats,
or crab hunting. The women wade into the water right up to their
seats, with all their flowing saris etc. on. It must be horrible
to have it all dripping around them when they come out, because
they don't seem to change it. They all wash under the taps by
the roadside with their clothes on (except the small children)
then they come & wash the clothes there, in cold water, &
rub & bang the clothes on the wet stones around. They seem
to use soap but nothing like Tide! Our clothes are apparently
washed in the same way so as you can see, they won't last long
with that treatment! All the village women & children are
very friendly - Chinese & Malay, & the older Malay men
& Indians (lots of Sikhs here - appalling drivers of taxis!)
Even the old labourer types of Malay have quite a dignity but
you don't get the same feeling about the male youngsters &
they're not nearly so friendly & pleasant- & that applies
to the young male Chinese too- except of course, if you are a
customer in their shop! We've got the hang of the money now &
I can even bargain in it!
Last Sunday morning we went to the Singapore Car Club's Hill climb
which was quite near although in a part we hadn't explored before,
& enjoyed it. Came back early of course for Guy's sleep. Tomorrow
as it is the Queen's birthday, we're hoping to go & have a
look at Johore Bahru across the causeway in the afternoon &
then find a beach near. We haven `t been able to let SiSi have
swimming lessons yet as she can only have those at the Singapore
swimming club, which we're still humming & hawing about joining,
in view of the distance from here & the high cost.
Now to your questions
1. We can live at the Waverley easily on our allowance (including
laundry)
2. Yes, I do Guy's washing & our undies - we have one line
the residents can use & of course, we hang our woollens out
in the sun very frequently.
3. Yes, Susan finishes school at 12.30 & is home just after
1. She has about 1/4 hours homework after lunch & then comes
on the beach or out in the car if Peter's here (on Wednesday afternoons,
when we usually go into Singapore to do shopping).
4. Yes, I've ordered her school frocks from the school & they
measured her today. They're bright green tobralco with a white
collar.
Do hope A Ethel enjoyed her stay with you & that you've been
able to get your holiday settled - don't let Aunties A & H
go on dithering about the flat too long or else go without them.
I think the taste in the food is something to do with the oil
or margarine they fry the food in - we have an awful lot of fried
stuff. We've come to the conclusion that the worst meals are the
ones which are ( or supposed to be) most English. No meal tastes
as it does at home, even fillet steak. Recently we've had some
much nicer chicken, & one night some pheasant, which although
not `high' was very nice. The fried scampi (prawns) are quite
nice, & prawn & pineapple & baked ham & pineapple
also. The vegetables are the worst, & the puddings aren't
too good as far as Guy is concerned, so he has a Heinz tin quite
often. I think it `s high time he had a more suitable diet though.
He eats very little dinner ( though seems to love all sorts of
soups) which is often perhaps just as well. However, touch wood
he's a sturdy little chap, full of energy. He has his milk &
an egg for breakfast each day, so I don't suppose he does too
badly.
Thurs
It's been a holiday today for the Queen's birthday so we went
to have a look at Johore Bahru, just across the causeway this
afternoon. Noy much of a place except for a very nice road running
by the side of the shore on the west coast of Johore, with wide
grass verges & beds of flowers, & then a lovely sandy
beach & clean water so Guy & Susan bathed in company with
lots of other Europeans. We didn't go much farther up the road
afterwards as it left the coast then & apparently 10-15 miles
up you are liable to run into terrorists.
I really must stop now, so many thanks for your letters - &
I'm sorry I never thanked you for the telegram to SiSi at Liverpool
just as we left - it did please her & us all - thank you very
much
Lots of love Joan
Waverley Guest house
425 Pasir Panjang rd
Singapore
21 June 1955
Dear Mummy & Daddy
Many thanks for the packet of letters you forwarded to us by sea-mail,
Daddy and also for Susan's letter, which needless to say, delighted
her. She has been in bed these last 3 days unfortunately with
a touch of what they call `kampong fever' - temperature, headache
etc & usually the patients are very sick & the high temperature
lasts several days but fortunately Susan has only felt sick one
day & her temp is normal now & she's been out today. Like
the Holmes' children, she's having a lot of trouble with infected
mosquito bite (she scratches them you see) & she's had penicillin
& aureomycin ointment, & now the doctor has given her
gentian violet to paint on - the trouble is, fresh places keep
starting. The joys of the Tropics! However, I hope they'll soon
clear up now. Poor old SiSi - she always was a target for all
the mosquitos around, wasn't she?
Things are a little better here now - Guy & I have moved into
another room which has its own bathroom & is much more private,
& Susan & Peter have gone into my old room which was much
nicer than their old one, & bigger - it's not as nice as downstairs,
of course, where we're going when the Holmes move - if we're still
here but its an improvement. We've looked at 3 bungalows &
one house - only one bungalow was possible and that isn't vacant
for 2 months. The house is very nice & empty now, but I don't
think we shall be able to afford it - very nice position - garden
runs down to the sea!
Through Esther Holmes I've made 2 friends living locally &
have been invited with her to go to coffee on 2 mornings so that
will make a change. They both have bungalows near the local village.
One has a little girl 3 months younger than Guy & she &
Jonathan & Guy play together very well on the beach when she
comes down. Peter is playing tennis with the husband on Sunday
if we get back in time. The owner of this boarding house is apparently
very wealthy & has a large yacht ( holds 100). He has arranged
a picnic to one of the neighbouring islands for us all on Sunday
(free!), so we thought we'd go, even if Guy has to have a nap
on my lap, as I'd like to see these islands very much & it
would cost a lot to hire a boat & go on our own. So we'll
hope it's a fine day - we've been having a lot more rain recently
& last Sunday it was very wet all day & quite cool. I
had to put a vest on & Guy wore a tee shirt all day!
So glad your strikes are over & hope you won't have any more
troubles like that. We had a small general strike, no buses among
other things, here last week. Army T.U.Cs with an armed guard
came to fetch the children to school, Peter had to go off 2 evenings
til 1 am & we had to have a case packed ( we have been allotted
a billet in case of trouble ). There was a curfew all the week
& warnings not to go into Asian parts of the town, but fortunately
it all petered out & we're back to normal now, touch wood.
There must be quite a lot of Communists here.
I'm having 2 dresses made from the material I bought for Guy's
sleeping suits, for Susan & a pair of shorts from the local
tailor for myself (navy drill). They're the best wear for the
beach. I also got some Japanese aertex stuff on the village market
today for him to make me a shirt - 80 cents a yard. I've washed
it first to prevent it shrinking after it's made up! Apparently
several people have found it's cheaper to send home for morning
frocks form Marks & Spencers than get them here! However I
thought I'd get some more stuff from the market & get it made
up & then compare costs! I rather enjoy shopping in the village.
They all seem very much alike - about 3 tailors, 2 photographers,
4 native `general stores', one general store obviously for the
local Europeans & the inevitable coffee houses - open fronted
cafes, which have loud speakers fixed outside so that the who;le
village is filled with their odd, but somehow fascinating music
- it certainly grows on one. Most of the men seem to eat in these
coffee houses as there are no means of cooking in their little
shacks & the other members of the family seem to feed from
the wares of the hawkers who are always coming by on bicycles
- one with rice, another with tiny fish, queer fried things &
what look like white rolls on which they smear some red stuff
- with a stick! There don't seem to be many middle class or wealthy
Malays or Indians here - only the Chinese seem to have the money!
Had a letter from Bettina this week - she likes her new job in
Ilford except for the companions & gets £9 a week!
Guy's little Chinese friends here belong to "cookie"
(Mr Fong the manager who has 8 or 9 children!) They live in the
servant's quarters building, along the side of the hotel. It's
only quite small & has a large kitchen in it too so it's amazing
what a small amount of living space these Chinese seem to need
(except of course the very wealthy with their palatial homes).
Also in the building live 2 of the "house boys" &
the cook & cook boy! Our "boy" is called Chu - Guy
calls him Chu-a - & the others are Wong & Tong.
Peter has decided not to have the Lancia sent out after all, in
view of the fact that he would be charged an additional £70
before it could be landed here as it `s a foreign (not British)
car! So thanks for your bright idea about putting the cot in the
car, but I'm afraid that's kiboshed it. If it wouldn't be too
expensive to send out I think it might be a good idea, as if we
have the bungalow that was quite nice, we should have to get a
bed of some sort for Guy as there's only one double & one
single there. We did answer an advert in the local paper for a
second hand one for £5 but it had gone.
Susan was so pleased to hear how well her seeds have done - I'm
sure the whole garden looks delightful now with a lot of the herbaceous
plants coming out. Have you managed to get your holiday fixed
up now Aunties have decided to stay put at Ravine Rd? So glad
Peggy likes Rhodesia - my, living is certainly cheap out there
compared to here.
Lots of love to you both & many thanks for your letters. So
sorry to hear about A Ethel's cough - hope you're having some
hot weather by now to help a bit. What is the matter with Betty's
foot?
Lots of love Joan
Waverley Guest House
425 Pasir Panjang Rd
Singapore
28 June 1955
Dear Mummy & Daddy
Many thanks for your very welcome letter received last thursday
- pretty good going as you posted it on Sunday, wasn't it? Thanks
for your sympathy - as a matter of fact I soon decided that people
like that really weren't worth getting worked up about & decided
to ignore them! After that treatment for a little while they've
evidently decided not to be so childish & now the atmosphere
is much more pleasant. The trouble is these women haven't anything
to do all day - they dress about 11am ( if they're not going shopping
in Singapore) & then sit around gossiping & drinking tea
or coffee! Even the schoolmistress only has to work in the mornings
of course. She's not at Susan's school fortunately.
Yes, don't worry about the ice cream - we only let her get it
from the Singapore Cold Storage firm - a very big & reputable
one here; they're also very big grocers, butchers, fishmongers,
dairymen etc. etc. & have lovely milk bars in the city - we
usually patronise them when we're in Singapore, & they sell
ices at the school & go by the beach.
You asked about pineapple at meals - it's cooked a little with
the ham, but raw with the prawns - they add cucumber to that dish
- very nice too. We had pheasant again tonight - but you wouldn't
know it was after the English variety. Yes, I think it would be
better for both Guy & Susan as regards meals if we had our
own home. Guy doesn't eat nearly as much as he used to, but I
suppose he doesn't need as much in this heat. I thought you had
to take salt because of the excess sweating - that's what we were
instructed to do on the Empire Clyde.
Se sorry A Ethel didn't have a better week as regards weather
- a nice dry warm summer would do her a world of good. What a
good thing it's been better while A Ivy & U Herbert &
the children are at Aunties - I expect they loved it on the beach.
Susan has all boys for companions at the moment, but seems to
get on well with them. Two of them have small boats & they
all have great fun in those (it's perfectly safe - don't worry),
One of them, David, lives opposite - he has a very wealthy Chinese
stepfather - 3 amahs to wait on him. He's a very nice child though,
& we all feel sorry for him as he's left to his own devices
all day & every day - his mother (Irish) & stepfather
haven't any time for him apparently. He's going to Blundells in
September. Touch wood, Susan has got over her bout of "kampong
fever" & her infected mosquito bites are clear too, thank
goodness. It has been a job healing them - we've had to buy aureomycin
ointment (Army dispensary hadn't any!!) but it was worth it. Now
she mustn't scratch any more! I forgot to mention before that
she had a medical exam at school the other week. I went &
she was pronounced quite O.K. - sight all right & nothing
wrong with her chest when I mentioned her coughing bouts last
winter, so that was nice to know. Certainly the sea air suits
Susan.
So glad you've been over to the Moirs & enjoyed your evening
& that you've all decided on your holiday. Scotland sounds
a good choice as you can take the car by train to Perth, so there
won't be too much driving. Mind you all go for some walks too
- not all motoring as it really is glorious country to walk in.
Have you planned your itinerary yet? Or are you going without
booking in advance?
We had a most enjoyable day last Sunday. The owner of this hotel
has a 4 berth cabin cruiser & every so often he lets his "guests"
have it for a picnic to see one of the nearby islands. So we &
the Holmes & 3 or 4 others from here set off at 9am, on a
glorious day - not too much sun (although of course you can be
badly burned through cloud here, but Esther Holmes & I &
the children have been hardened by our spells on the beach &
we were quite O.K. although the others suffered if they sat out
unprotected). There was loads of food & drink laid on, with
Chu, one of the "boys" to look after us, & "Cooky"
the manager too, as well as the Kebuns (gardeners) for rowing
the dinghy. We anchored off a real "tropic Isle" - you
know, silver sand, palm trees & clear, warm water & we,
the adults,all had a swim from the boat & then after lunch
on board we went to the island for the children to bathe - SiSi
& Guy loved it & so did I. We all did some fishing from
the boat too & caught sundry small fish. We came back about
3, after a very enjoyable day.
I'm glad we had the opportunity to go then as it may not come
again for a long time - Peter suddenly had it broken to him last
weekend that he is being posted to Kuala Lumpur - he goes this
Sunday! He is to be O.C. of a L.A.D. (Light Aid Detachment) which
is something he hoped to get, but we didn't want another move
so soon. However, there it is. We (the children & I) will
stay here until Peter has found somewhere suitable for us in K.L.
& he'll come back at weekends. He's driving the car up, but
we shall go up by train (air-conditioned fortunately) travelling
up overnight, starting at 7.30 pm & arriving the next morning.
Guy will be quite a seasoned traveller soon, won't he? Peter thinks
he'll be in this job about a year - heaven knows where we'll go
then - I'd like Hong Kong - may as well see it all whilst we're
here!
I had an unpleasant experience the other day - Esther Holmes &
I were taking Jonathan & Guy into Singapore by bus to have
their hair cut, & while we were waiting for the connection
(you have to get 2 buses) we were standing just outside the bus
shelter as it was rather crowded, when suddenly Guy (whom I was
carrying) twisted round, I lost my balance & we both fell
backwards into the monsoon drain, which unfortunately of course
had to be about a yd. deep & half full of filthy water &
rubbish - like a sewer in fact! Fortunately, apart from a bruised
backside & grazed arm there was no hurt to either of us, but
of course it was a horrid sensation & we were filthy &
dripping when Esther helped me out. I thought it was awfully kind
- we were in an entirely Malayan quarter, with lots of little
shops & cafes, & the owner of one came over to us at once
& offered "water" & led Guy & me to the
back of his little cafe where the communal tap was. He handed
me a large bucket of clean water. So I washed Guy down as well
as I could & dried him on my hanky (rather wet although it
was in my handbag) & then when I'd stripped his dirty pants
& tee shirt off, someone said "He'll be cold`" &
they presented me with a clean tee shirt & romper thing, pointing
to a small Malay child asleep in a chair. I put them on Guy &
thanked them very much - they wouldn't take anything so I promised
to return the clothes very soon, which I have done as soon as
I'd washed & ironed them. They got me a taxi then & I
thought it was very kind indeed of them, don't you? As soon as
we got in we both had a Dettol bath & hair wash & as it
was only 10am, set off again - this time without mishap! These
drains run along all the streets, but often in Singapore itself
they're covered by a grill, & round here they're much narrower
& shallower & practically dry - I had to pick the worst
I've seen!
Thank you for trying to find my driving licence. I must write
to the Surrey Motor tax people for a duplicate.
Lots of love to you both & Aunties & hope you're all well.
Will let you know what's happening as soon as we can.
Love Joan
Waverley Guest House
425 Pasir Panjang Rd
Singapore
4 July 1955
Dear Mummy & Daddy
Many thanks for your letter sent to Peter - it's a good idea being
able to send them for 21/2d - can you send them to me for that
amount too?
Peter went off yesterday morning by road to Kuala Lumpur - complete
with revolver & ammo which had been issued to him, so I hope
he got on all right. He says he's going to spend every evening
looking for somewhere for us to stay! This will have to be a short
note as I am dependent on Laurie Holmes posting it for me (forces
rate) & he goes to Bangkok tomorrow for a week on a conference.
So poor Esther & I will be a couple of grass widows!
I wrote to U Arthur last night - had a very nice letter from him
offering to send us food but told him that there isn't much in
that line that you can't get here - if you pay for it - after
thanking him very much, of course. It's expensive to send a letter
to him, even forces rate - well over a dollar (2/4d)
So glad Glenys & Martin are getting on well though sorry about
Mrs Davies. I will try & send Glenys a line soon, but although
I know no-one at home will believe me, we really don't seem to
have any spare time free from looking after children except after
dinner, & then by by 9pm both Esther & I find ourselves
nodding in our chairs! You really do need an afternoon rest out
here, but that's impossible at the moment of course. I'm afraid
this is an odd letter - I'm trying to write it on the beach while
keeping an eye on Jonathan & Guy while Esther has gone to
the P.O. The former is an imp of mischief & a `real boy',
& where he leads Guy follows - or tries to. Also of course
they have not learnt the art of sharing!
The garden sounds lovely - I wish we could see it. Susan was pleased
to hear how well her seeds have done. I want to get a photo of
Guy & Susan soon & send it to you.
Peter & I went to the pictures last week! A Mrs Howarth here,
who has just come, much older than us, offered to "sit in'
& so we risked it & went to see `The Country Girl' with
Grace Kelly. A very good film too. Of course all the cinemas are
air conditioned here - so much so that unlike England, you feel
like putting a jersey on when you go in & removing it when
you come out, even at 9pm! Guy apparently woke about 8, &
Mrs H sang all her stock of nursey rhymes over & over, &
in the end he just gave her a long look, turned over & went
back to sleep again, she said! So much for her singing. Still.
we were very grateful to her & she didn't seem to mind.
Susan seems to have got thinner but the M.O. says she's quite
O.K. He says children of her age do tend to `bolt' out here but
yet doesn't matter - he seemed to think thinness an asset. She
was out all yesterday morning with David & Christopher fishing
- digging for worms first. However, they didn't catch anything
so came back a bit dejected. Guy loves the water & "swims"
by lying stretched out on the sand & working himself along
on his hands. He's going to miss the beach a lot in K.L.
I have had Susan's frocks back now & he's made them awfully
well - also an odd skirt for me from a remnant of Ferguson cotton
I bought here - grey ground with mid blue streaks & bright
clear yellow tulips (?) over it - quite gay for a skirt. The ready
made dresses here are expensive - £5 & up for anything
in a decent cotton which is really all that's worth buying in
view of the washing. To have a frock made costs from 12-14 dollars
for a day frock - about 30/- roughly, & then cotton, English
make is $2 up ( I paid $2 80 cents for my skirt stuff ), so you
can see it's not all that cheap to have a frock made. Next summer
I might be glad of a few cheap cottons if you can see them, from
M & S or elsewhere, or if you saw a cheap one in the sales
now I'd be glad. Thank you. I can send you a cheque by Peter to
pay for it. I don't want anything larger than a 38" bust
& not done up to the neck if possible. But don't go specially
- it's only if you saw a bargain. SiSi is fitted up now &
Guy only wears pants & occasionally a tee shirt, both of which
you can get very easily & cheaply here. He's got some delightful
little American pants, white with 1/4d size spots in red, blue
& green & he does look cute in them.
So glad you were able to watch the tennis - do you think you'll
be having a television in the winter now you like it?
Have you & Aunties fixed up the holiday yet? I do want to
know you're going.
Thank you for seeing about the cot - it would be a blessing. At
the moment Guy is sleeping with me in a double bed which isn't
a very good thing.
Apples we get at 6 for a dollar - or 7-8 if we go to Change Alley
in Singapore & bargain with the stall holders. English biscuits
here here are from 80-90 cents a 1/2lb packet ( 100 cents to a
dollar ) I hope apples will soon be cheaper for you, but you made
my mouth water with the strawberries! We've had lychees here -
an indescribable flavour, white in colour ( you peel off that
reddish outside, rather like a conker case ) but quite nice.
Really must stop now - am finishing this back at the Waverley.
A storm came up & we had to beat it pretty quickly - you don't
get much warning & my word, doesn't it come down. We've only
been caught once & we were literally soaked through &
dripping to the skin in not more than 2 minutes! However , after
a hairwash, rub down & dry clothes we were quite O.K. It's
warm rain, that's one thing,
Lots of love to you all & do hope you & all the family
are well.
Joan