[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]
NothingSecond World WarThe Blitz;c6 of any importance happened to me last week, except that I have decided to retire from London except for one night a week. ThatEnglandLondon;h1TSE as air-raid warden in;d5 means giving up the wardening, or rather, resigning from the local post and taking up similar duties in Surrey; but the justification is twofold. In the first place, I shall have two more days a week for work, and in the second place I shall economise. IMirrleeses, thesix days a week with;a5 shall of course stop at the Mirrlees’ as a paying guest; and the present arrangement means that I am paying also for a room at the London hotel. By being six nights a week in the country, I can give up the hotel; forFabers, thehost TSE in Hampstead during war;e8 I shall spend the one night in town with the Fabers. AsFlat 3, 11 Emperor's Gateshut up during Blitz;b7 for the flat, with Elizabeth away, it is not of much use to either the vicar or myself; so we have agreed to store the contents as soon as possible. I shall take away my clothes and a few books. I have offered to continue for a week or two, so as to give the wardens time for a reshuffle. But I trust that this rearrangement will meet with your approval.
IShamley Wood, Surreydaily and weekly life at;a3 am, indeed, feeling much better in health for getting so much time in the country, and perhaps also for better cooking than the good Elizabeth was able to provide. Life is, in any interesting sense, much less eventful than normally; and I hope to take advantage of that by doing a piece or pieces of writing: theLondon Libraryduring the Blitz;a5 great lack is one’s own books and the having to provide ahead for anything wanted from the London Library. But that is in these times a trifling complaint. ThereChrist Church, Shamley Green;a2 is a nice parish church within walking distance, the country is beautiful: myGibbs, Sir Philip;a2 male society consists of Sir Philip Gibbs, for whom I am grateful, as he is a nice man. As for the drama, I don’t know whether I can apply myself to that or not. MartinBrowne, Elliott Martinwar work with Pilgrim Players;d3, byMurder in the CathedralBrowne's wartime Pilgrim Players' adaptation;f9;a2 the way, is still touring about with Murder; the last I heard of him was from the Community of the Resurrection in Yorkshire, where the production was well received.
BesidesBelvedere Hotel, 9 Grenville PlaceTSE recognised at;a2, I am getting to be too well known at the hotel. AtMurder in the CathedralTSE recognised as author of;d3 least two people have accosted me to ask if I was the author of Murder in the C. AndOffenberg, Florence Constance Madeleine von;a1 theCobden-Sandersons, the;a2Cobden-Sanderson, Sally
I am longing for another letter, and please remember that nowadays especially all details of daily life, however trifling – reminders of normality – are comforting. IHale, Emilyreligious beliefs and practices;x1the issue of communion;a8 suppose that in communicating at the episcopal church you have the full approval of the vicar: in that case it is not for me to express my own views, which I think I have already made fairly clear (however incomprehensible they may seem) unless asked for. I merely pray that your mind may be changed in these matters. This letter should reach you during the election excitement: whatever way it goes, I am sure that there will be universal relief on this side at having it out of the way.
How I wish that I could be with you on your birthday. Next Sunday. May Heaven bless you.
1.FlorenceOffenberg, Florence Constance Madeleine von Constance Madeleine von Offenberg, of 3 Southwell Gardens, was born in Lithuania and naturalised as a British citizen in Dec. 1938.
4.E. MartinBrowne, Elliott Martin Browne (1900–80), English director and producer, was to direct the first production of Murder in the Cathedral: see Biographical Register.
1.SirGibbs, Sir Philip Philip Gibbs (1877–1962), journalist and author; Roman Catholic; famed as one of the five official newspaper reporters during WW1: his bulletins featured in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Chronicle. His many books included The Battle of the Somme (1917), From Bapaume to Passchendaele (1918), Ordeal in England (1937), and This Nettle Danger (bestselling novel, 1939). Gibbs, who worked during WW2 for the Ministry of Information, London, lived nearby at Old Stonnards Cottage, Sweetwater Lane, Shamley Green, Surrey.
1.FlorenceOffenberg, Florence Constance Madeleine von Constance Madeleine von Offenberg, of 3 Southwell Gardens, was born in Lithuania and naturalised as a British citizen in Dec. 1938.