Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Rachel Hodgkins
Date
29 May 1907
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Object Detail
Date
29 May 1907
Transcript
Pennock’s Hotel Dordrecht May 29th
My darling Mother
Here I am only 4 miles from that little village of Rijsoord where you remember I spent a summer nearly 4 years ago – History repeats itself. I had a perfect crossing to Flushing last Friday – the sun was beautifully warm & there was no wind to speak of. I reached Flushing about 6 in the evening, got through the Customs & then caught a train on here where I arrived at 9 o’clock very hungry & sleepy. The Nickalls didn’t come with me – they were prevented at the last minute. I discovered Mr Moffat Lindner on board whom I had met many years ago at Caudebec. He comes twice a year to Dordrecht but this time was going to a small village not very far from here & coming here later. Almost his first words to me were “Do you know we have got a baby?”. This is really a more than ordinary occasion for rejoicing for they have been many years without. Tell Miss Richmond if you happen to see her, she will be interested. This is a nice quiet homey old hotel where I can live for less than 30/- a week – the people are so kind and the cooking quite good. The Dutch cooking is more like our own – they don’t give us quite so much sauce as the French & things have a taste of their own & we have plenty of vegetables & fruit. The Dutch cooks motto must be “Don’t spare the butter” & they certainly don’t. There are not many people here – the ubiquitous Yank of course, two of them an elderly etcher & his friend nice old boys who very nearly emigrated to N.Z. when they were young & who now do something or other in Manchester unconnected with etching. They know a thing or two about art & we have great old talks over dinner in the evening.
This morning early 2 of my pupils arrived by the night boat & they are now asleep so I have not had much opportunity of judging what they are like. They are both elderly & the sort I associate with board schools & the suburbs. It is evident they are infants in art. Two more arrive on Sunday from Paris & these I know are more promising. It hasn’t been too warm & I still keep on all my woollies. I am going to do a lot of little sketches for Wellington. If I know of anything that would pay better than painting I would do it. That was a lucky find in Dunedin for the wife of Smith the butcher. Did you see about it? The Watteau that was discovered. That was something like a bad debt wasn’t it. I hope my Rembrandt will turn up trumps. Mr Paterson told me of a small head (girl’s head) by him that was sold the other day for £1000.
This week there is a kind of fair, a Kermis, & the town is full of organ grinders & wandering minstrels. I like a foreign town & all the quaint sights & sounds & I often long for you to be here, on this side, where we could make a home together. But Sis wouldn’t like this – you might like it for a time but I’m afraid you would soon sicken for N.Z. & the family – you could never exist for long without some grandchildren.
When I was in Scotland I bought a Shetland shawl for you but it was so woolly & warm & I felt so shivery & cold that I kept it for my little self & every time I wear it I have a conscience qualm. I hope there will be a letter for me in a day or so. Thank Girlie for her letter all about Chch. It was very interesting. I hope dear you are all well. Give Sis my love & much to yourself. Your loving daughter Frances. Love to Bert.
My darling Mother
Here I am only 4 miles from that little village of Rijsoord where you remember I spent a summer nearly 4 years ago – History repeats itself. I had a perfect crossing to Flushing last Friday – the sun was beautifully warm & there was no wind to speak of. I reached Flushing about 6 in the evening, got through the Customs & then caught a train on here where I arrived at 9 o’clock very hungry & sleepy. The Nickalls didn’t come with me – they were prevented at the last minute. I discovered Mr Moffat Lindner on board whom I had met many years ago at Caudebec. He comes twice a year to Dordrecht but this time was going to a small village not very far from here & coming here later. Almost his first words to me were “Do you know we have got a baby?”. This is really a more than ordinary occasion for rejoicing for they have been many years without. Tell Miss Richmond if you happen to see her, she will be interested. This is a nice quiet homey old hotel where I can live for less than 30/- a week – the people are so kind and the cooking quite good. The Dutch cooking is more like our own – they don’t give us quite so much sauce as the French & things have a taste of their own & we have plenty of vegetables & fruit. The Dutch cooks motto must be “Don’t spare the butter” & they certainly don’t. There are not many people here – the ubiquitous Yank of course, two of them an elderly etcher & his friend nice old boys who very nearly emigrated to N.Z. when they were young & who now do something or other in Manchester unconnected with etching. They know a thing or two about art & we have great old talks over dinner in the evening.
This morning early 2 of my pupils arrived by the night boat & they are now asleep so I have not had much opportunity of judging what they are like. They are both elderly & the sort I associate with board schools & the suburbs. It is evident they are infants in art. Two more arrive on Sunday from Paris & these I know are more promising. It hasn’t been too warm & I still keep on all my woollies. I am going to do a lot of little sketches for Wellington. If I know of anything that would pay better than painting I would do it. That was a lucky find in Dunedin for the wife of Smith the butcher. Did you see about it? The Watteau that was discovered. That was something like a bad debt wasn’t it. I hope my Rembrandt will turn up trumps. Mr Paterson told me of a small head (girl’s head) by him that was sold the other day for £1000.
This week there is a kind of fair, a Kermis, & the town is full of organ grinders & wandering minstrels. I like a foreign town & all the quaint sights & sounds & I often long for you to be here, on this side, where we could make a home together. But Sis wouldn’t like this – you might like it for a time but I’m afraid you would soon sicken for N.Z. & the family – you could never exist for long without some grandchildren.
When I was in Scotland I bought a Shetland shawl for you but it was so woolly & warm & I felt so shivery & cold that I kept it for my little self & every time I wear it I have a conscience qualm. I hope there will be a letter for me in a day or so. Thank Girlie for her letter all about Chch. It was very interesting. I hope dear you are all well. Give Sis my love & much to yourself. Your loving daughter Frances. Love to Bert.
Pages
4 pages
Sender's address
Pennock's Hotel, Dordrecht
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-18
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins
to
Rachel
Hodgkins
and
Will
Field.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-18.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23122219
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23122219