Beech Hill Nursing Home
Barnstaple
Tel : 134
February 17th 1938
Andy
I am enclosing the wage cheque made up as follows.
| Wages 1st week | 2-5-8 |
| Wages 2nd week | 2-5-8 |
| Montgomery | 6-0 |
| H. Bells | 14-0 |
| T. Bells | 14-0 |
| £7-14-8 |
Will you please stamp Tom’s card for me and
cancel the stamps. I am glad my letter had the desired effect on Tom, I have had to put off going to London this week as I really don’t feel well enough to travel.
My account may not be quite correct, but let me know when you write again.
I do hope that you are all well.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford
Bob told me that Montgomery’s happy to be back. I’m so glad. WH
Have the rabbit hampers been returned yet? They told me that they have sent them back. WH
If the other labourers only get 2/6 a day plus food. They are getting less than I pay them. WH
Chapelton Farm
W. Burleigh
N. Devon
Dec: 6th 1938
Andy McHugh
I shall be over all being well on Tuesday next. I am staying with Capt. Moore in Omagh and not at Seskinore. I shall be out however on Tuesday afternoon I am looking forward to seeing you all again. I do hope all is well at home. I have been rather ill again I am writing this from my bed. I hope the sale will be a good one. I felt with my health as it is- it was the only thing to do. I shall only be staying a day or so- so will you have everything that requires my attention ready for me. I have been waiting to hear from Bob Moses about the gravel for the Church paths. Will you ask him if he has found out how much will be wanted and let me know?
W.H.Joynson.Wreford
I am so glad the Mistress’s Garden is looking well
WH
*
Chapelton Farm
W. Burleigh
N. Devon
Dec 30th 1938.
Andy McHugh
I enclose two cheques – one for Booth and one for Campbell. Will you please pay them for me I had a telegram from Russell today which has annoyed me very much. I don’t know if You gave him my address if so you had no right to. If people want to get hold of me they can do so through the House. Anyway his account has been paid – I have been too ill and busy since I returned to attend to matters and on Monday I go into a Nursing Home. I don’t mind what news You send me good or bad, but I will not have people sending me telegrams.
I think the news about the Church is too terrible – Keep in touch with me and let me know all that is going on at home.
With best wishes to you all for the New Year.
W.H. Joynson. Wreford
Thank you for my card and the one for Miss. Xenia.
I left my umbrella behind in the car when I left. I hear it was handed to one of the men at Seskinore to be sent on to me. Please see that it is well packed with wood Each Side otherwise it will get broken in the post.
WH
Chapelton Farm
W. Burleigh.
N. Devon.
Jan 1st 1939
Andy McHugh
Many thanks for your letter. I enclose a cheque for the wages including the 6/- for Montgomery. Do you really find that you have enough work for the men now..? If not let me know.
While McCausland is trapping – he is paying for his wages, but when that is over we shall have to see what we are going to do. Tell Caulter to get the Saw Mill engine mended as we must have that working. It is such a pity that you didn’t drain off all the water when the frost came or even if it was frozen that it wasn’t thawed out properly.
Did the burst pipes in the house do any damage please let me know? If there are stains from water coming through you could probably “touch up” the places yourself. I noticed when I was over that the Calor Gas people had removed the faulty switches but had not made good the walls. Would you see that the holes are properly filled-?
I wish you all a very Happy New Year and do let me know if anything goes wrong at Seskinore.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford.
If you send me Condy’s cards and any others I will get them stamped. Has Tommy got his card yet?
Or let me have details of what is owing on cards and I will send you a cheque
—
Burland House.
Bittadon.
Barnstaple.
Devon.
11 Jan 1939
I am writing for the Captain as he is not well enough to do so himself.
He has asked me to send you the enclosed cheque for the Insurance cards, and to tell you that he has had to pay £2-14-2. for Tom Bells card, half of which will have to be deducted gradually from his wages.
He also wants to know if the rabbit hampers from Wilcox have been returned.
I hope you and your family are all well in spite of the cold weather.
We have had no snow here and only 3 degrees at the worst but some parts of England have suffered terribly.
I was so sorry to hear of the damage to Seskinore Church, but I am thoughtful that no one was injured.
With kind remembrances to you and to your family.
Christabel Gladwell.
Beech Hill Nursing Home.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
February 1st 1939
Dear Andy
I was glad to get your very kind letter and hear the news. I am sorry I made a mistake with McCausland’s wages – but I will put that right on the next account. Tom’s card I will get stamped and sent to you. Regarding Bell I heard from Mr. McCoy today saying that he had a better job and was leaving – I intend to find out if this is so or if he just wants to go on the dole. Will his going leave you short-handed?
If so you must get somebody else. McConnell or Montgomery I will suggest – but that I leave to you entirely.
I hear from Mrs. Darling how good you and Tom are in looking after them all. I am glad of this – but when you are short-handed as you are now I’m afraid they must come last and the place first, but I expect that is what you are doing. The news about myself is bad – but I am trying to get fit enough to have my operation. I seem to have been in bed a long time.
I do hope “The Garden” is looking very lovely now, thank you for sending my umbrella.
I am always glad to think I have you looking after my interests at Seskinore. I would like some snowdrops sent when they are up. I shall hope to hear from you again soon. I am writing to Bob tonight.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford.
I do hope you are all well.
Beech Hill Nursing Home.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
February 5th 1939
I only got your letter yesterday with the money order – as it had been returned from London to Seskinore and then on here. Thank you very much for it – it was a pleasant surprise! I am enclosing the wages cheque including the work owing to McCausland. I think the milk money should be paid as from the date of the sale but only but only to those who are still in my employ. I conclude that the 2/6 a week that Tommy is paying is 2/2 and 4’ a week towards his unemployment – is that so? I think if you send the wage account every 2 weeks that will do. You will let me know if bell goes and if you want any more help won’t you? As I don’t want the place to “go down” at all.
Would you ask Bob if he would add his remarks to the enclosed document for me? As I don’t know what the answer is. It will be interesting to see if Bell has got another job, he tells Mr. McCoy that he has. If this is true I am only glad for his sake, but if he is leaving just to go on the dole and you still want him I shall not be at all pleased.
I’m afraid I can’t report any improvement regarding myself. I am not nearly fit enough to face the operation.
I got some snaps from Major Darling of “The Garden” – they were fairly good. If we are going to let any land when ought Dick to know about it?
I do hope that you and yours are all well and that Seskinore is looking as well as possible.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford.
Beech Hill Nursing Home.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
February 6th 1939.
Thank you for your letter received this morning. I think perhaps you had better write to me at Chapelton Farm although I expect I shall be here for some time yet. I told Mrs. Darling that Tom could wash the car for her but never gave permission for him to look after the horses. I am writing to her today to say that this must stop. Is my hay and bedding being used – or have they their own? Please let me know this. When you are so short-handed there must be more than enough work for Tom as it is – I wish you would tell me honestly. Why is it that people don’t seem to wish to work for me any more, what is the grievance? You tell me now that Tom wants to go on the dole. Why is it aren’t his wages fair? – if so let me know. If there is trouble going on I shall just get an Air Ambulance for a day or so and see what it is all about. I shall probably nearly kill myself in doing so, but I will not have people taking advantage of me when I am away.
I know it is no fault of yours, but I mean this about coming over.
You had better get Quigley to see about the Saw Mill engine at once. I feel that the place cannot be kept tidy as things are and this worries me very much. What about the leaves have you been able to get them in yet? There is always Condy to fall back on – he may be slow – but he is at least decent. I am very worried about things and want you to tell me frankly how many men you want to keep the place looking as I like it to look. Please let me have a reply to this letter by return and also with the next wages account, let me know what I owe you for stamps for writing to me.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford.
I am grateful to you for all you do for me, but I feel the other men are behaving rottenly.
Beech Hill Nursing Home.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
February 11th 1939.
Andy.
I enclose a letter that I have written to that little swine Tommy for you to see and hand on to him. I will not have more than one hour a day devoted to Mrs. Darling – I only allow that as the car belonged to the Mistress and I want it well kept. I have never given permission for my bedding and fodder to be used – so will you charge them up for every bit of it at full price.
I am Glad that Montgomery is coming back and if you have any trouble with Tom sack him and take on Condy if you want him. I am going to tell Bob about this trouble (although I expect that you have already done so) and ask him to help you where he can. I really don’t feel well enough to compete with all this, but I am not going to have you taken advantage of in my absence.
I will send the two weeks wages next week, if you are asked to supply any extra labour for those in the house – you must say that you will ask me about it, I will not have everything taken for granted – after I have already done so much.
I don’t want you to worry in any way – as I always know you know you do your very best for me.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford.
P.S
I shall be so glad to get some of your tulips when they are ready.
What wages are other people paying their men?
WH.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
February 14th 1939.
Andy
I seem to have to write letters every day, which I find difficult.
I heard from Mrs. Darling tonight. She tells me that I Tom has never put a brush on one of her horses since they have been there.
Why then was I told that he had two horses to look after?
There must be something wrong somewhere. I should like an explanation which please let me have by return. I hear the ceiling in the Harriers Room has fallen down. If you haven’t done so already – please get George Booth to repair it at once and anything that happens like that must be seen to immediately as it would be if I were at home. I also hear that the rats are bad again in the house – they were there when I left and I meant to mention it to you. They must be done away with at once – so get a lot of poison from McAdam and Bates and put it down liberally everywhere, but warn Mrs. Darling that you are doing it – on account of her dog, will you also see that the stove in the dining room is patched up anyway – as I don’t want the damp to get into the house. Is it showing signs of dampness on any of the walls? Please let me know. The place must be kept in every way as though I were there. I enclose a bill I have had from the Gas Company. Will you let me know if it is correct?
Is the roof over the laundry holding up and the one on Bell’s old cottage? I don’t want anything to get in to dis-repair – as long as everything remains the same as when I left last year it will be alright but repairs such as the Harriers room must be seen to at once and try to fix the Dining Room stove even if it is only temporary.
W.H.Joynson.Wreford
The stove in the dining room is not a very old one is it?
It surely could be repaired.
WH
This is only because I have left you in charge of the house etc that I have to write to you about all these matters. There is nobody else to see to them.
WH
Beech Hill Nursing Home.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
March 6th 1939.
Andy McHugh
Thank you for your letter received this morning.
I didn’t reply to your previous one. I only write now when it is absolutely necessary. I am glad Booth has fixed the Harriers Room Ceiling, I hope you will be able to get the Dining Room stove patched up so that it can go back again. If you want gravel for the back avenue will you order it? It seems only a few months since we put on several loads there. Anyhow if necessary get it. Will you buy the seeds you require for the garden where you think best and if you don’t require a great deal will you pay for them and let me know how much they are? If however you require any quantity – I should order them from McGreedy. Regarding the timber accept any offer you consider fair but push them up in price on principle as they always offer less than they are prepared to give. If in doubt consult Bob or Mr. McCoy but try and get a good price for me.
If the stove in the school is out of order – it will have to be put right the damned thing always seems to be going wrong. If it should be a big job, let me know first otherwise tell somebody to get on with it. I enclose the cheque for the wages to March 4th – I do hope that in spite of the weather the Mistress’s Garden is looking well – I know you are doing your best anyway. Did Bob Moses ever order the gravel for the Church paths? I told him to do so last December. But have heard nothing since.
I’m afraid I can’t give you very good news about myself, but I hope to get better so that something can be done to me. If McCausland gets a job he will have to pay for his house – he really should be paying now as he is getting quite a lot on the dole. Will you ask Bob what he thinks about it?
W.H.Joynson.Wreford.
Am glad the men seem to be working well now.
WH
Beech Hill Nursing Home.
Barnstaple.
N.Devon.
March 17th 1939
Dear Andy.
I am enclosing the cheque for the wages and also the money due to Cecilia for wages and Insurance – I hope to leave here by aeroplane on Thursday next. My address will be as before:-
KURHAUS
CLAVADEL
bei DAVOS
(Switzerland)
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