Letter, Margaret Jones to Barry and Stewart Jones, 1 July 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 describes her recent visit to Scotland and says that she saw their Uncle John and his ship (an Aircraft Carrier) and Uncle Giller in Glasgow. She also discusses various jobs around the farm and says she is sorry to hear about Mr. Pate’s setbacks in his recovery from his illness.
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. Last day of June I think!
My Dearest Boys,
Actually I got back here on Sat. evening, but there has been the usual getting home rush. The very moment I get here, the people who have been responsible for my jobs just down tools + rush off! - - But it is very nice to be home, + on Monday morning 3 letters arrived from you - - Too much of a good thing did you say? - - Not at all, not at all, + one of Stewart’s I have read so often, I know it almost by heart . - - There were 2 from Stewart + one from Barry + in one letter was enclosed a letter from Betty - - I was most delighted to have it + will certainly write to her. – The dates of the letters ranged from May 13th – May 30th - - telling of visitors, parties, school (+ the [Empire?] day programme), the beauty of the spring + varied
(2)
reports of Mr. Pate’s progress. - - It is most disappointing to hear of set backs after such a splendid recovery - - - - As Betty says, Mrs. Pate has a lot of extra work at such a time, so I do hope you two are doing all you can to help where you can. –
Well, the hay harvest is safely over - - the weather picked up in time + there was no difficulty in getting it - - and now it is the Early Potatoes. - - We are hoping to get them off in a week or so (we have a gang of women from Wolverhampton) but there is a bit of a glut so they may not get off so quick. –
I’m jam – making + bottling. Unfortunately the first [caught?] the black-currants this year + the crop is very poor but I think the raspberries will
(3)
be fairly plentiful. –
And I suppose you are finishing another term at school - - Are you sending your reports? - - I hope they are not lost in [illegible] as last years were – Will Barry be in the top-class when he goes back? – And be sure to send news about where Marion goes – We are most disappointed that Fred Right hasn’t got here yet. –
It was very nice seeing Uncle John in Scotland + he took me all over his Ship – an Air-craft Carrier. – They set out to sea the very next day so it was very lucky that I just managed to see him. - - Also I met Uncle Giller Friday in Glasgow.
(4)
It made me a day late in getting home but he was not free until the Friday but we had a grand day. – He was in excellent spirits (he likes being in Glasgow) + of course was asking for news of you - -
I hope you get the cards I sent you - - sent one each week. - + I took the picture I have of you + showed them to everybody - - Everyone agrees about how good they are. –
Gramma + Granpa Jones are off to Llandudno on Sat. for a fortnight - - Do you remember Wales? - - The hills + the sea - - We went to Criccieth when you had Whooping Cough. –
Bye Bye for now
All my Love –
Mummy - Date of Original
- July 1, 1943
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Jones, Margaret ; Jones, Barry ; Jones, Stewart
- Local identifier
- 2017AM001.079
- 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 July 1943. E. Ann McRae Personal Collection, Item No. 2017AM001.079
- 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
