Letter, Howard Jones to Barry and Stewart Jones, 3 September 1942
Description
- Creators
- Jones, Howard, Author
- Jones, Barry; Jones, Stewart, Recipient
- Media Type
- Image
- Text
- Item Type
- Correspondence
- Description
- A three-page (front and back) handwritten letter from Howard Jones to his sons Barry and Stewart Jones. In it, he reminisces about where he and the boys were three years beforehand and wonders about how they have changed since he last saw them. He also speaks about the farm and the broadcast he and his wife recently participated in at the BBC offices in Pattingham where they recorded a message for the boys. He also mentions a letter by Margaret Jones that will be accompanying his.
A program entitled “Hello Children” was broadcast by the BBC where parents would record short messages for their sons and daughters living overseas in countries such as Canada, the United States, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand for the duration of the war. Shortwave broadcasts were then probably recorded by the local broadcasting services allowing them to rebroadcast on local radio stations. There is some evidence to suggest that letters were also sent to the foster families to alert the children that a broadcast from their parents was due.
The letter was provided by E. Ann McRae. - Notes
- The Pate-Jones Collection consists of some photographs of the family members and a large group of letters. The majority of the letters are written by Margaret nee Wilson, and some by her husband Howard Jones, to their sons Barry and Stewart Jones, or to Mr. and Mrs. Pate. From 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, Barry and Stewart lived with Margaret’s second cousin Andrew Wilson Pate and his wife Mary Herron nee McClure at the Brantwood Farm. The original farm was founded by Andrew’s father James Pate, and was situated on the south side of Powerline Road and Gretzky Parkway, which at that time, was considered part of the County of Brant.
The correspondences cover from detail Margaret Jones’ dilemma in settling her boys with virtual strangers, her return trip to England to rejoin the war effort there, news of farm life in England, the concern that England might lose the war, and the anguish of both families when Andrew Pate died in 1944, leaving his teenage son to run Brantwood Farms. These letters are therefore a fascinating way to conceptualize how the war affected daily life in Canada locally, and in England.
In recent decades, the original Brantwood Farm that was situated on the south side of Powerline Road was sold by the Pate family for development. The farms are now located on the north side of Powerline Road, and consist of several farms belonging to several Pate families, mostly within the County of Brant, remaining a thriving local establishment to this day. - Inscriptions
- Copley .
Pattingham .
Wolverhampton .
3 Sep. 1942
My Dear Chaps,
The date reminds me that the war has been going on for 3 years and that it is over two years since you went to Canada. Time flies and from the photographs we’ve had from you you are getting big chaps and from the photographs you will get of [we?] you will think I am getting an old man. Well its not quite so bad as that – I’m not bald yet although there are a few hairs missing at the front and the hole on the top is getting a wee bit bigger. Stil, the barber charges me full price for a hair cut so there must still be a fair amount left.
I wonder if you remember what you were doing three years ago today. I do! You were at Criccieth for a holiday and you both had whooping cough and you were sick every now and then. The day the war [started?] was a Sunday and the following weekend I came to Criccieth to fetch you home. We had a lovely weekend and I well remember coming down to the beach to find you on the Saturday afternoon and when you saw me you came running to meet me and how you told me all about your adventures old Stew told
(2)
Me how to pronounce the word Pwllheli, you know the Welsh town beyond Criccieth; and I remember he told me to say Puthelly – Well that’s a long time ago and neither of you could swim then and only paddled but you enjoyed it all the same. Now you can swim better than I can I expect. I’ll have a race with you someday so you had better keep in good practice.
Last time I wrote I told you about the farm and in his reply Barry asked me some questions. He said what is a float? Well ------- it’s a float If you know what I mean. ----- No That isn’t an answer but it isn’t easy to explain --- It isn’t quite like a “buggy” which is what I think they are in Canada. It’s really a [illegible] cart for a pony to pull. It has [rubber?] tires and deep sides so that we can put sheep, pigs or calves in it to take to market and it is also quite nice to ride in. I wonder if I can draw one, lets try [drawing] It’s something like that only the wheels are quite round.
Then he asked about the house – Is it big or little – Well its much bigger than [“Netherfeld”?] or The White House and really as big as [illegible] but not the same shape. Its something like the Burtons horse at Pasford, you know where Ruth and [Ward?] live. It has 2 [illegible] rooms, a nice hall, a breakfast room, a kitchen and a back kitchen
(3)
2
Or scullery, a dairy and a cellar. Then it has 4 good bedrooms on the next flor and then on the 3rd floor it has 3 attics and a box room. Your bedroom is quite a good size and will be plenty big enough for you however big you grow but if there isn’t enough room you can go up the [illegible] to one of the attics – I think that answers all the questions oh except the electric [train?] --- That’s still knocking around alright although I’m afraid I don’t have much time to play with it myself.
So you heard our broadcast alright – That’s fine! It would have been grand if you had been speaking to us at the other end – Perhaps you might someday – I should like to hear your voices and to know whether you talk like Canadians or Americans or still like you did at Codsall. Can you still say Elarstoplarst (lets try to write that again) ELARSTOPLARST. Actually it is spelt ELASTOPLAST but when you were at [Clare?] College you used to say it something like I wrote it first --. That’s what they call an Oxford accent.
It was quite thrilling going to the B.B.C to send our message. We had to go to the studio at Birmingham and the lady who spoke on the wireless, They called her Betty, told me how to do it. It was not quite the same as speaking to the Dictaphone
(4)
But it felt like it a little bit. You remember the Dictaphone I expect and how you used to answer yourselves with it at the office. I’ve still got it --.
There were quite a lot of mothers and fathers in the station with us but when it was our turn ot speak we went into a little private studio so that we did not feel quite so nervous as if we had spoken with everyone else there. Bob Gillin went to Birmingham with us as he was spending his leave with us at the time. It would have been nice if he could have spoken as well but there was so little time and it is doubtful if they would have given permission anyway.
Heres hoping we may either hear your voices or be speaking to you again before very long.
We are now in the midst of Corn harvest. We have cut all the corn except 12 acres of wheat and [have?] carved 10 acres of Oats. Unfortunately the weather has been very [Showery?] [over?] [cast?] Saturday and we have not got on very fast. We might have done some Thursday [illegible] from the field if the weather had kept dry hot I’m afraid the corn will have to go [illegible] the risk first now to go dry and hard enough before we can thresh. The corn crops are very good indeed and all we want now is some nice dry weather to get it safely in
(5)
3.
Do you get any rabbits in the corn in Canada. We have had quite a few in ours. In one field we killed 40 when were cutting. I [illegible[ quite a lot and the men and boys [ran?] the rest and caught them. Jean and Pat were staying with us at the time and they quite enjoy watching the fun.
We have a sheep dog now and his name is Ben, perhaps mummy has told you about him. You will see his photograph on one or two of the snaps we are sending. He is a very good dog and is nice to have about the place. We shall be getting some sheep very soon and he will be very useful then.
You had a good time with uncle Ted at Toronto and that was a fine letter Stew wrote telling us all about it. As I said on the wireless its good to get your letters – we love having them.
By the time this letter reaches you it will be the fall or Autumn as we call it. By now you will be getting the land ready to plant wheat. We shall not be very long before we do the same. As soon as the harvest is in we shall be busy getting ready for the next. Then there will be the
(6)
Potatoes to harvest and after that the Sugar Beet and by the time that is all cleared it will be Christmas and then we shall be getting ready for the Spring planting -------- and so we go on. There is no stopping with the land – It is one continuous round and a good thing it is or where would our food come from.
This letter is being [cent?] [for?] Mail so I must not write any more pages or it will be too heavy as Mummy has a letter to put in as well.
So then, I must finish now – but not without sending my very best [greeting?] to Mr Mrs Pate and the family with a special word to Marion whom I congratulate most heartily on her graduation. The pictures were delightful and I can understand what a great day I must have been for her and all of them.
Well all my love, dear chaps, keep the flag flying, we will at this end.
God bless you and all my love
Yours ever
Daddy.
P.S. When Daddy says corn he means Wheat, Oats, + Barley. - Date of Original
- September 3, 1942
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Jones, Howard ; Jones, Barry ; Jones, Stewart ; Gillin, Bob ; Pate, Marion
- Local identifier
- 2017AM001.060
- Collection
- E. Ann McRae Personal Collection
- Language of Item
- English
- Geographic Coverage
-
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Ontario, Canada
Latitude: 43.1334 Longitude: -80.26636 -
England, United Kingdom
Latitude: 54.61667 Longitude: -1.86667
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- Copyright Statement
- Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Recommended Citation
- Letter, Howard Jones to Barry and Stewart Jones, 3 September 1942. E. Ann McRae Personal Collection, Item No. 2017AM001.060
- Terms of Use
- The information and images provided are for personal research only and are not to be used for commercial purposes. Use of this information should include the credit "provided by Ann McRae"
- Contact
- County of Brant Public LibraryEmail:digitalhistory@brant.ca
Website:
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12 William Street
Paris, ON
N3L 1K7 | @brantlibrary
