E. Ash, 16, Tiber Street, York Road, Kings’ Cross, London, N1

Dear Will

In answer to yours received this morning, I do not think I could have looked at the wrong window, in fact I looked at them all but some were so dirty, perhaps that was the reason. It is terrible weather here, raining all day & so cold, it is reminding me of the winter & I am picturing to myself what the long winter evening will be like this year, especially Sats. When I have no one to take me out. I shall have to have someone on hire for the winter I’m afraid. It is very good of you to trouble about the Goss, I am sorry you have had to make two journeys though, however do not bother further if you fail the second time. I feel rather sorry for the boy who had a dipping, but still if he considered it “some sport” as you did, it was alright. I only hope the weather clears up before next Sunday so that you can have a little better time than last Sunday. I worked until 7’oclock last night as Mr C. goes away for a fortnight next week so there has got to be a big push somewhere in the work. Well I will conclude now.

With Best Love Emmie x

PS I gave the photo to your Pa, as instructed, & he guessed right first time, Morris.

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

I arrived at 10’o clock, travelled 1st class, & very comfortable too. I looked out at the bridge & waved but I could not see you at all, were you really there? I could discern other people on the bridge, but failed to find you. You did want to hear if I got home alright didn’t you? Well, excuse briefness but the hour is late,

Love from Emmie,

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

In answer to yours, I shall be coming on Sunday if the weather is fine. It is very dull here to-day & it rained yesterday but I hope the sun will be shining on Sunday. Mother & Bert come home tomorrow, I shall not be sorry either. Will & I stayed at the door watching that lightening until 10.30, most people were out in our street, they seemed quite concerned about it, some said it was signalling & naturally expected trouble, but the papers settled all doubts next day. Maude is away for a fortnight again at Horsham. I am going swimming tonight with another girl at work a Mabel. “Some splash” there will be when we arrive, Excuse this notepaper, but I am writing this at work & beggars cannot be choosers, it is the best I could find, well I have no more to write this time, so I will close, hoping to see you Sunday.

Best love from Emmie xx

(PS It is raining here now.)

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

In answer to yours received this afternoon. Do not say “I suppose I will have to give in to you” there is no need for that, you know I would like to come this week but you must see what I mean. Besides, one week will not make much difference to wait. I do not know yet what you Pa & Ma are going to do, I have asked Mabel several times but she says she does not know, However some of us will be there Sunday, so be at the station in any case, either to meet me or yore Pa & Ma. I am looking forward to come while the nice weather lasts, and if you are moved especially to Felixstowe I shall not be able to come & see you at all, as it is necessary to obtain a passport, have your photo taken & report to the nearest Police Station, Felixstowe being a military town, rather a rigmarole don’t you think, let us hope you will not be sent there or Harwich. We had an air raid warning this morning; The sirens were sounded & all the girls went to the cellar underneath the railway, we stayed there about 1½ hrs. This cellar holds about 200 but it is a dingy hole, it was rather funny, some individual had conceived the idea that it was the wine cellar we were to shelter in, what a surprise we had, it contained, empty ginger beer bottles, dripping bins, cabbages & anything but wine, the only tendency to that was a beery smell, however it is positively safe. Most of the public went to the tubes, “some” excitement you can guess. They did not reach London, but I hear there were a great number over Felixstowe, I do not know if this is correct. Last night there was a Zepp raid over the Lincolnshire coast, they are getting sprightly again. I have not heard the good news from France, tell it me, it is not often we get good news. I am sorry to hear you had such a hard day yesterday, whatever was happening, you seem to get along alright in the concert line, by the way do you play at that theatre still, you have not said anything about it. I do not know if you remember me telling you about a weekly Traffic statement I have to make out every week, but last week I nearly got my notice to quit, it is rather a difficult concocture (?) & somehow I happened to be £6000 out, the statement was signed and passed to the accountants Dept. before it was noticed too, when it came back for correction, I discovered I had entered that amount in the Increase column instead of the decrease column, & hence the amount to much. However alls well that ends well, the matter is forgotten now, but I had to apologise etc. to the gentleman it inconvenienced as it delayed his summary somewhat. I know what I have been going to ask you, have you had any more innoculations lately, & also have you written to Mr Warder? I am going to the Mish. to night. & I feel somehow he will say something of you, so if you have not written, do not forget when you have a little time to spare. You know Craddock, the boy who lives 2 or 3 doors from you, I saw him last night & he does look a swell. I do not know what he is in, but he had a sort of naval uniform, bespattered with Gold Braid, W. Lowry said he had got a commission so I suppose that would mean he was a naval officer, do you think so? Well I have no more to relate at present; I hope you will not get tired reading all my scribble, but I like to tell you all that happens somehow, whether you consider it interesting or not I do not know. I will close now,

Remaining your Emmie, Till the sands of the desert grow cold xx

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

In answer to your most welcome etc I am pleased to hear you’ve had your tooth out. one good thing that peg will not trouble you again. Now Will, if your ma & pa say they will be coming next Sunday, they must not be put off. I shall not come if they want to, it would not be right and besides I could not enjoy myself if I knew they were stopping at home for me, and I have seen you since they have, so if you would like to please me, I ask you not to say anything about my coming, I will come the Sunday after that, Sept. 2nd. do not forget now. I shall not like it if you put them off, of course if nothing more is said, I will come next Sunday. I had a very nice time at Brighton, the weather was lovely, young Bertram is enjoying himself, he goes bathing morning & afternoon. I hope you had a nice tea at the officers club after all. Do you go to Communion every Sunday morning now? Keep in mind the nice spot you have discovered where the black-berries are, if I come Sund. Fortnight, they will be blacker still. I expect the reason you have not heard from home , is that your pa has been busy, he only came home last Tuesday & your Mother being away, she has not had too much time to share, but cheer up they think none the less about you I am certain. I am writing this letter at business so that it will catch the 12.30 post, so let me know if you get it today, last time you got it the same evening. I will now close with Best Love from your sweetheart Emmie x

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

In answer to yours. Work went down very funny yesterday, it seemed as though work & I had quarrelled, but of course we have got to be friends again or I shall starve. On Sunday I may be at Brighton I thought about going Sat. aft. And coming home Sund night, as Mother is going for the week. I have not lost all my brown yet, it seems to be more of a red hue though now, Gipsy tint, it is described. But this is all about “I” so will change le sujet. I was imagining you feeling not up to much after having your tooth out, but I hear you have not been, however I hope you will feel better than I did. How do you like the cake Will, have you had your teeth in that yet, you had better try it before going to the dentist in case, (enough said.) Are you at the theatre again playing then, if so, mind how you go on. I did not think you ‘felt less’ because you told me Sunday when I asked what you thought of me, “oh much about the same I suppose” it did not sound altogether tender, but I am satisfied if you did think the same, I know I expect a lot as you said before, but still, that is my, or one of my, many faults. Well I have no more to write this time, (Charles Hill is on leave I hear, looking quite fat & well). I will now conclude

With best Love, Emmie xx

16, Tiber St

Dearest

I got home quite safe, the carriage was very crowded though. I looked for you on the bridge but could not see you, did you go on the bridge? I am writing this as soon as I got in so that you should have it some time on Monday. I hope you feel alright after your visit to the Dentist, & dear Will, forget if you can, what I said to tease you, I am sorry, I could not keep thinking of it all the way home. I thought you knew me better, however I feel sure you could not have really believed it. Well I have to run out & post this before Midnight so cannot say anymore, Good night & God bless you, my one & only Love.

Emmie x

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

I thought I would write to you before I went as perhaps I might not have time as soon as I got to Bournemouth. Did you get the second letter I wrote from Thurlby, about the 12 miles I walked & the drenching I got, only you did not say anything about my walking feat in your last. It is pouring just as hard as possible this morning, perhaps you will let me know what the weather is like about Saturday, of course I shall not come if it is raining, by the way, what made you think I might be envious. I only asked you if would like me to come & see you, I thought perhaps you might have arranged to go out with the others see, you said I seemed envious & I do not understand. I hear Mr Hickin has given in his resignation & is not coming back to the Mish: after all, the workers are very annoyed. Do you think there is any truth in the rumour about going to the East Coast? How did the theatre contract come about, you are in luck’s way sure. Did you get on alright, do not forget to tell me about it. To-day is the anniversary of the war. We are beginning the fourth year, I wonder how many more years are going to pass under the conflict.

Bertram is writing a letter to you, he does not know what to do with his time these wet holidays. Well I have no more to say just now so will close with Love from Emmie.x

Do not forget to write to me.

The other address is,

Allington House, Lansdowne (East Cliff), Bournemouth

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

I have just arrived home, about 12.30, I called at the office to see Mabel first, I shall only be home though one day as we go to Bournemouth on Saturday at 2 ‘ clock. I will send you a post card when I reach there so that you will have the address, you will write to me, I looked forward to hearing from you when I was at Thurlby, my uncle wanted to know all about you, he seemed very interested & said he hoped you were a steady lad. I told him you could not be better than you were, perhaps you will see him one day. I liked them all very much, I do not look as if I had been away though, people tell me I look worse than when I went, it was the drenching I had & perhaps caught a bit of a chill, however better luck next week. Your Mother says you have won 10/- from the night school you attended & you are to receive it Sept. 14th. Perhaps you will be able to come home yourself to go & receive it, that is a bit of good fortune. A cousin of mine Harry was wounded 1/8 of an inch below his heart at the battle of the Somme, that was a near shave don’t you think? I have 2 more from where I stayed, at the front now, Arthur & Ernest, my Auntie is rather worried over them as we have not heard for 3 weeks. Well, how are you getting on, & what have you been doing lately? I hope you have got me out of my mind for a few minutes during the day now, or you will be getting in a muddle, I do not think you really meant that in your other letter did you? It has not left off raining since Monday in London I am told. Wednesday was the first wet day we had at Thurlby so I was fairly lucky, it does seem miserable here after coming from the beautiful fresh country, I should love to go & live there and I would too, only ---- you know the rest I think. But if you ever have to go far away then I think I shall go & stay there with my auntie, I could soon find work in the town & I should be much the better after I am sure. Well darling, I have no more to write just now. I am hoping to hear from you tomorrow, so will close with fondest Love Emmie xx

16, Tiber St

Dear Will

I recd your letter this evening 8 o’clock, it was rather a surprise. Was your band the one which played before His Royal Highness? I am not looking forward with very great eagerness for Monday somehow. I shall the following week though, for Bournemouth, I shall write you a few words every day that week. I have been to tea with your ma this aft. We had it all on our own. Bert told me to tell you he has been swimming in the ponds at Hampstead this afternoon where you went one Sat. I did not think he remembered that, he is getting a dabster. This time last week I had received a post card to say you were coming home, I suppose you will not be knocking at my door early tomorrow morning by any chance, if you were Will, would not it be joyful, I never thought about 2 yrs. ago I should want you as much as I do now.

I have not stayed late any evenings yet to get a bit clear before my holiday, my tale has altered, when you were here, I felt as though I would be quite willing to work hard after, but now, I simply must leave at 5, it is too dull. I went to help Mabel 2 evenings, the first night, I let 2 trays fall off the rack on a gentleman’s head, he said he had got heart disease & wanted to know why I was laughing at what I had done, it was so funny though, Mabel said something was bound to happen when I came, however, alls well that ends well. If you write to me Sunday, I shall get the letter perhaps on Monday morning & you will address it to Tiber St, as I shall not be leaving until 11.45, then I will write you from the country. Well I have no more to say, only that I hope you are in the best of condition still as when I left you, so will close with Best Love, Emmie xxx

Glad you liked the gateau.