Letter, Margaret Jones to Barry and Stewart Jones, 3 March 1943
Description
- Creators
- Jones, Margaret, Author
- Jones, Barry; Jones, Stewart, Recipient
- Media Type
- Image
- Text
- Item Type
- Correspondence
- Description
- A three-page (front and back) handwritten letter by Margaret Jones to her sons Barry and Stewart. In her letter she mentions that their cousins Jean and Pat had been to the farm on the visit, as had “George the Dutchman.” She also describes the new Persian kitten they have gotten to deal with the mice and Bill Gillin’s new baby daughter. She mentions sending an Airgraph to [Ceylon?] to Bob [possibly Bob Gillin.]
The Airgraph was invented in the 1930s by the Eastman Kodak company alongside Imperial Airways (now British Airways) and Pan-American Airways as a way to reduce the weight and bulk of mail carried by air. Letters were written upon an airgraph form and then photographed and sent as negatives on rolls of microfilm1
1. The British Postal Museum. Airgraph. June 12 2012.
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
- Wed. March 3rd.
My Dearest Boys –
I hope you got last week’s letter because it was mostly from Daddy --- Also it was written in Stewart’s birthday! ---- And Daddy is quite well again this week + is out at a meeting this evening ---- I really ought to have written last night but was late in getting home + rather weary! – I had been into town getting Jean + Pat on the train - -- they came for a long week-end “Mid-term” + we had a very happy few days! – George the Dutchman was here on Saturday + of course Jean is very fond of him – he takes her for a ride on the bar of his bicycle + he
(2)
plays cards with her - - She would play “sevens” + clock patience by the hour – Pat is in the middle of a jig-saw craze, + she had ½ done jig saws in every room. Then this seems to be the skipping rope term at school + every spare minute they were doing + practicing new kinds of skips ---- They were also very taken up with Steve (the kitten) + really she is an adorable little kitten --- Did I tell you about her? - - Her mother was Joan Wiseman’s cat + comes from a long line of house—cats (Persian) - - she was 6 weeks old when she came + was perfectly house-trained - - She has never
(3)
made a mess of any kind – I’ve had her because there are mice about + she is sure to develop into a good mouser because it’s father + mother both are – she lives in the kitchen really but she does love to come into the parlour. I hope your young dog is settling down - - Ben is never in the house these days he is so busy with the sheep but there are some going to market every week now.
A perfectly lovely letter came from Stewart yesterday - - It came very quickly for it was posted on Feb 9th - - + was typed + telling all about your school work --- I thought it was very interesting + enjoyed it very very much. But you have certainly had
(4)
a real winter this time haven’t you? - - I [shall?] have to report that we have had no wintery weather but it is almost cold enough for snow today. Your 2 letters to Liverpool arrived safely + they were delighted to have them. Then last week we had the letter with the joke (Ha! Ha!) - - + it also gave news of your music program. It was funny – I was reading the letter aloud + when I read the title “Will ye no come back again” I looked up + said to Daddy “That’s the Blue Bells of Scotland really” - -- Then further down the letter Barry ponted out that the correct titel was the Blue Bells of Scotland. The day before your letter came
(5)
last week we had a note from Bill Gillin but he said nothing about the arrival of his baby daughter. I said to Daddy that I wish he had told us + then almost the first sentence in your letter was “Bill Gillin has a baby daughter” so that was very interesting! – Sent an Airgraph to [Ceylon?]to Bob the other day in reply to one he sent there. He seems to be liking it there.
And of course we are pleased to have news of Mr Pates’ progress + I hope that when you were again he’ll be at home. --- Please
(6)
tell Mrs pate I’m often thinking of her + will write when opportunity + inspiration arrive at the same moment –
And of course we are thinking of you all the time, every day ---
Lots + Lots of Love –
Keep Writing
Mummy - Date of Original
- March 23, 1943
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Jones, Margaret ; Jones, Barry ; Jones, Stewart
- Local identifier
- 2017AM001.070
- 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, Margaret Jones to Barry and Stewart Jones, 1 August 1943. E. Ann McRae Personal Collection, Item No. 2017AM001.070
- 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
