Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Willie Hodgkins
Date
22 Aug 1941
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Object Detail
Date
22 Aug 1941
Transcript
Chapel Farm Berks. Aug 22nd 41
My Dearest Willie
I have just come out of Newbury Hospital. Don’t be alarmed. I have made a wonderful recovery from a major operation for ulceration. It has been a source of trouble for some long time & I have had considerable pain & discomfort.
I had hopes of curing it by dieting. In April while staying with my friends, the Pipers at Henley & trying to do some painting, I became very ill suddenly & was rushed off to the first Hospital that could take me. After some hectic phoning was given a private ward & a fortnight later was operated upon but not for cancer as feared. There was some risk naturally on account of my age but I am tough & came through minus 2 stone & every drop of blood. Then followed 2 painful months of treatment & semi starvation – there was very little food about – no fruit – only grapes at 18/- lb. The Hospitals are badly hit & there is serious shortage of all medical things – especially oils. I was wonderfully well looked after & had good nursing & a specialist surgeon from Reading Hospital & a doctor who both knew their jobs & now when I am well enough to come out the Wests who have a Dairy Farm 5 miles out of Newbury (a lovely herd of Jersey cows) are being frightfully kind & good to me fattening me on creamy milk & their own poultry. I can now walk a little distance but not far. Naturally I am weak & wobbly on my legs after 2 months in bed. My main need seems food – food – food in increasing quantity & what do you think has happened in answer to my prayer? Frances & Issy have send me butter (arrived) marmalade – tongues – still on the way & not yet come thro’. Isn’t it a miracle of sheer kindness & friendship? I am terribly touched. Issy not too well as you know. The tragedy of these grand old Families – Clans – is heart breaking. When you think of them one by one singly, but when you take them as a whole across a half century of history there’s grandeur & dignity.
I have written a quick line to Frances notifying receipt of butter & will confirm it again by next mail next week. By then I shall be back in Corfe Castle. An old friend with whom I stay when there is fetching me by car tomorrow – 70 miles through Hants – Dorset – a goodish way. So no more. I’ll write again in duplicate – transport is risky. Don’t be jittery about me or write any letters wanting news. I am promised a reasonable spell of health & work but of course must take it easy for a bit.
Have had immense sympathy & kindess shown me & some practical help I’ll tell you of later on. Fortunately I am financially alright at Bank I have enough to pay Hospital expenses. Leicester Gallery is giving me Show in Oct. no commission.
Be discreet please in which you tell people Dear Willie.
I was grieved to hear your beloved little friend was killed.
It is Paradise to be without pain.
I have a lovely wound – or ugly scar which you will.
Send me a card when you get this.
My Dearest Willie
I have just come out of Newbury Hospital. Don’t be alarmed. I have made a wonderful recovery from a major operation for ulceration. It has been a source of trouble for some long time & I have had considerable pain & discomfort.
I had hopes of curing it by dieting. In April while staying with my friends, the Pipers at Henley & trying to do some painting, I became very ill suddenly & was rushed off to the first Hospital that could take me. After some hectic phoning was given a private ward & a fortnight later was operated upon but not for cancer as feared. There was some risk naturally on account of my age but I am tough & came through minus 2 stone & every drop of blood. Then followed 2 painful months of treatment & semi starvation – there was very little food about – no fruit – only grapes at 18/- lb. The Hospitals are badly hit & there is serious shortage of all medical things – especially oils. I was wonderfully well looked after & had good nursing & a specialist surgeon from Reading Hospital & a doctor who both knew their jobs & now when I am well enough to come out the Wests who have a Dairy Farm 5 miles out of Newbury (a lovely herd of Jersey cows) are being frightfully kind & good to me fattening me on creamy milk & their own poultry. I can now walk a little distance but not far. Naturally I am weak & wobbly on my legs after 2 months in bed. My main need seems food – food – food in increasing quantity & what do you think has happened in answer to my prayer? Frances & Issy have send me butter (arrived) marmalade – tongues – still on the way & not yet come thro’. Isn’t it a miracle of sheer kindness & friendship? I am terribly touched. Issy not too well as you know. The tragedy of these grand old Families – Clans – is heart breaking. When you think of them one by one singly, but when you take them as a whole across a half century of history there’s grandeur & dignity.
I have written a quick line to Frances notifying receipt of butter & will confirm it again by next mail next week. By then I shall be back in Corfe Castle. An old friend with whom I stay when there is fetching me by car tomorrow – 70 miles through Hants – Dorset – a goodish way. So no more. I’ll write again in duplicate – transport is risky. Don’t be jittery about me or write any letters wanting news. I am promised a reasonable spell of health & work but of course must take it easy for a bit.
Have had immense sympathy & kindess shown me & some practical help I’ll tell you of later on. Fortunately I am financially alright at Bank I have enough to pay Hospital expenses. Leicester Gallery is giving me Show in Oct. no commission.
Be discreet please in which you tell people Dear Willie.
I was grieved to hear your beloved little friend was killed.
It is Paradise to be without pain.
I have a lovely wound – or ugly scar which you will.
Send me a card when you get this.
Pages
3 pages
Sender's address
Chapel Farm, Berkshire
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-45
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-45.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22397035
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22397035