Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Rachel Hodgkins
Date
09 Sep 1916
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Object Detail
Date
09 Sep 1916
Transcript
Noel Arms Hotel, Campden, Glos. Sept 9th - 1916
My Dearest Mother
A short line to say I am well but very busy finishing off pupils who depart tomorrow, leaving me with a residue of 2 only, and a further reinforcement of 2 new ones by the afternoon train. After that my season may be considered finished. The weather is perfect – clear & shiny with just a touch of Autumn sharpeness. I feel very tired & brain fagged – nothing left in the reservoir so to speak – but next week I can relax & take it easier – perhaps go black berrying & gather mushrooms. I am rather afraid to eat the latter tho’ I love ‘em they are almost as dangerous as Zepps. I stay on till the end of the month finishing my pictures for the International then back to St Ives & Ginger, who I hear is fat & arrogant & grown too big for his basket. I expect the 2 McLarens for a week. The country is looking sweet now – the horrible greenness has gone – we are eating blackberries – they are rather “eager” as they say in Glos & we are not allowed much sugar. I am on a large picture of bathing boys. There is a pool in one of the fields, rather public, & I have to dodge the villagers & especially the Superintendent of Police who suspects I have some stunt up my sleeve not quite quite. I bribe the boys to bathe at 1/- a head & buns all round. I have to go like the wind for fear of being caught, but I have nearly finished now. The pool is really rather a mud hole & full of rats, but it has a lovely old ruined gateway near it & makes a perfect setting for a pastoral. It is called Lady Juliana’s Gateway & is a marvel of elegance. This is only a line dearest – more next week. Hope you are all well & happy – war news is good & getting better every day now. Your loving Frances
My Dearest Mother
A short line to say I am well but very busy finishing off pupils who depart tomorrow, leaving me with a residue of 2 only, and a further reinforcement of 2 new ones by the afternoon train. After that my season may be considered finished. The weather is perfect – clear & shiny with just a touch of Autumn sharpeness. I feel very tired & brain fagged – nothing left in the reservoir so to speak – but next week I can relax & take it easier – perhaps go black berrying & gather mushrooms. I am rather afraid to eat the latter tho’ I love ‘em they are almost as dangerous as Zepps. I stay on till the end of the month finishing my pictures for the International then back to St Ives & Ginger, who I hear is fat & arrogant & grown too big for his basket. I expect the 2 McLarens for a week. The country is looking sweet now – the horrible greenness has gone – we are eating blackberries – they are rather “eager” as they say in Glos & we are not allowed much sugar. I am on a large picture of bathing boys. There is a pool in one of the fields, rather public, & I have to dodge the villagers & especially the Superintendent of Police who suspects I have some stunt up my sleeve not quite quite. I bribe the boys to bathe at 1/- a head & buns all round. I have to go like the wind for fear of being caught, but I have nearly finished now. The pool is really rather a mud hole & full of rats, but it has a lovely old ruined gateway near it & makes a perfect setting for a pastoral. It is called Lady Juliana’s Gateway & is a marvel of elegance. This is only a line dearest – more next week. Hope you are all well & happy – war news is good & getting better every day now. Your loving Frances
Pages
2 pages
Sender's address
Noel Arms Hotel, Campden, Glos.
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-32
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-32.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22784883
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22784883