22 Braid Crescent

Edinburgh 10

Nov. 24 1944

G.V. I have been seeing a delightful film called “Tawny Pipit.”

My Dear Cousins, Blanche, Laurence,

George & I send you all the very best wishes for 1945 & hope so much that it will soon prove to be Victory Year. I am ashamed that I have three letters to answer, thanks, Blanche for yours, & everything sent by Lawrence was much enjoyed. I sent Moris the cutting about General Brewster. Moris was in Holland when we last heard, & telling us of the rather touching hospitality of the watch people, with so little to give, and one family told him that they had had no coffee for two years. Now on all fronts is good, & we are so glad of that.

Charlie nearly got sent to the U.S.A. lately on a mission, but the illness of someone senior to him kept him tied to Whitehall.

I am so glad. His scheme for exchanging letters with the First Church (Pres) Rahway, with our Greenbaron is going through so George will be writing I have no doubt.

G. thinks your system of 3- year terms for elders is excellent. – I was interested to read of your guests of last Summer. The Roses, & the Barton’s, call of whom we know by name. (I mean the Young family.)

I think I told you how well Maggie’s son John has got on. He spent a day with us lately, with his ribbons, D.F.C., and George M., (the second comes next V.C.) He is as unassuming as ever, tall lad, of 26, but has become rather bald. He has now got a 3 months job to be Personal Assistant to Sir Lloyd. Air Marshall on Chief, Mad. Command & in flying him about will have very interesting contacts, & see Italy, North Africa, The H.Q. is in Malta.

And the old Home Guard are to “stand down.” No equipment to be given up till war is over, but on Sunday, at 1 p.m. all are to march past the saluting base, Royal Academy Princes St. I am to have lunch with friends there after church, and then be at the window of Over Seas Club to see them. Bands will play to. As George is Preaching in St. George’s parish Church, (near Prince’s St.) he will have a quiet change in the very & has arranged to join the crown on the march if necessary.

So with black-out lessened there are great indications that the end is near. What a joy to see streets lit up once more, even if restricted to a certain extent.

I hear that Robert’s daughter Fay, aged 19, is engaged to a Kentuckian. She was working as a stenographer with the American Air Force in Kingston, so this is the sequel Robbie is now in charge of St Coleman Fr. College, near Kingston, Jamaica.

We are, as a church, collaborating with St. John’s on a “Christian World Week.” There are missionary films, & tours round photographs & diagrams, and an art section.

We were sorry that you would be disappointed on Nov. 7. - By the way, two days before Wendell W. died I dreamt about him. I came down to Breakfast & said I had dreamt that he was drowned in the old “Davaar” (boat which ran from Gourock to Campbeltown) & I didn’t know he was ill, nor had I thought of him for long. It must have been Telepathy I think.

Well, I must close-

This Iona Cathedral is being brought into use now adays, for training Church workers as well as ministers.

Yours affectionally

Bessie C.