Letter, Margaret Jones to Barry and Stewart Jones, 11 March 1943
Description
- Creators
- Jones, Margaret, Author
- Jones, Barry; Jones, Stewart, Recipient
- Media Type
- Image
- Text
- Item Type
- Correspondence
- Description
- A two-page (front and back) handwritten letter by Margaret Jones to her sons Barry and Stewart. In her letter, she tells the boys that she has written a letter to Mrs. Pate, that the farm’s sheep have finally had their lambs and describes the visitors they are expecting on the upcoming weekend. She also describes the difficulty she has had stretching rations with all the guests they have had upon the farm. She hopes to hear that Mr. Pate’s health is improving and congratulates the boys upon their typing.
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
- 11th of March.
My Dearest Boys,
I thought that maybe we would have a reply to our cable before I wrote this week, but that is still to look forward to! --- The week has flown as usual - - I can hardly believe it is Thursday –
Daddy is tidying out his desk + the furniture is nearly sailing on a sea of papers. – Steve (the kitten) wants to sit on my knee even when I am writing - - it seems to think that that is the right thing to do for an hour in the evening. Actually it deserves consideration this w[illegible] because it has caught 4 mice today. - - at last it realises why it is here! – I think it is the first it has caught - - but now a start has been made, the mice will soon all be cleared out.
(2)
I wrote a letter to Mrs. Pate whenever I got hers (before I sent the cable even) so I hope she gets it safely - - I shall mention the fact that I have written to her in next week’s letter too, because I want to make sure she knows.
We have some lambs at last - - 3 sets of twins + one single - - + lovely weather for them - - just a little ground frost in the morning + not windy . – I hope they all do well – Also, all the corn sowing is finished - - Barley + Oats this week. – Potato – planting will be the next job. ----
There is quite a big week-end on again this week (but last week-end we had quiet --- very nice + I got the lawn cut etc) – It so happens
(3)
that 3 people asked if they could come for a night + we had already asked the Dr + his wife, so I’ve got Auntie Janette + Uncle Frank to come along (I like when Auntie Janette comes - - she’ll always help me) + now that air-man who has come to Wolverhampton rang up Daddy this morning to ask if he could come along - - so we’ll have quite a party! – I hope the Rations stretch out - - We’ll have to fill up with potatoes!! –
What is this Weiner that Mrs. Pate mentioned in her letter? – Barry was cooking it when she was out - - shall I be able to go out + leave you to cook your supper when you come home? I
(4)
cooked Daddy egg + chips tonight - - I think that is one of his favourite suppers but I can’t always find enough fat for chips. ----
Well I hope we’ll be having good news of Mr. Pate when the cable comes - - I spoke to Dr. Curtis about him (I was there on Monday evening when Daddy was in London) + he thinks that Mr. Pate must have been an excellent patient to get on so well. ----
And we’ll be having another letter soon - - your typing is excellent - - It is very good of Betty to let you use her machine –
Give my love to everybody - - With lots + lots to yourselves
Mummy
P.S. Daddy wrote 2 weeks ago. - Date of Original
- March 11, 1943
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Jones, Margaret ; Jones, Barry ; Jones, Stewart
- Local identifier
- 2017AM001.071
- 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, 11 March 1943. E. Ann McRae Personal Collection, Item No. 2017AM001.071
- 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:
Agency street/mail address:County of Brant Public Library (Paris Branch)
12 William Street
Paris, ON
N3L 1K7 | @brantlibrary
