Sunday, 29 March, 1942

 

The Nurses Home, General Hospital, Nottingham

Sunday, 12.15 a.m.  

My dear Stan,

You will no doubt be surprised to see “Sunday” written on my letter when I said that I wasn’t going to write until Wednesday but I just could not wait until Wednesday to write to you.  I must thank you, Stan, for the lovely time you gave me whilst I was at home and I did really enjoy being with you, you know.  I have thought seriously about things since I came back (tried to think, I should say) and I have come to the conclusion that I am losing the second round!

I did promise you a snap but have not been to collect them yet so will send you one in my next letter.  How about you sending me one of yourself?  I suppose you will say you haven’t got one.  If you have not I am going to see what I can do about a camera when next I go home, or maybe you are camera shy!

How do you feel after your vacation?  I felt pretty miserable yesterday but am getting over it now.  I have had plenty of work to keep me busy and then the thought of another week-end soon – well – it is rather cheering.

I have not any news for you.  I suppose our letters will cross in the post, that is, of course, if you do write to-day, as you promised and I think you will.

Bye-bye for now.  Yours with love,

Grace xxx

Comments

  1. Roger30 March 2024 at 10:53

    Interesting to see Grace use the word 'vacation', which I grew up knowing as American for 'holiday'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Liz Whitehouse30 March 2024 at 21:08

    Yes, it surprised me, too. However, the American influence was very active through the number of Hollywood films people saw in the 1940's, so this is likely to be where she picked the word up from.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for your comment. I will post it on the page as soon as possible.

Popular posts from this blog

Friday, 20 March, 1942

The Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham 20/3/42 Dear Stan, Thanks for your letter.   I am so sorry to disappoint you but I shall not be going home until Tuesday.   I start my nights off on Sunday but have a lecture Monday evening from 6 – 7 p.m. and it is too late to go home after 7 p.m., so I have to wait until Tuesday morning.   I shall leave here at about 9.40 a.m. and arrive in Doncaster at about 12.20 p.m. at the Waterdale Bus Station and catch the 2 p.m. bus home, so if you are not doing anything of importance on Tuesday – well – I will leave the rest to you.   By the way, a bus leaves Grimethorpe at 11 a.m. and arrives in Doncaster at 12 MD. I suppose if I tried hard enough I could get Monday’s lecture excused but I have decided not to as I take an exam a fortnight on Monday and I must pass it, I should hate to fail and have to sit it again. I am looking forward to my nights off, I feel so tired these days, I feel ready for a little relaxation.   I think that night
Read more

Tuesday, 21 April 1942

Nurses Home, General Hosp. Nottingham. 21/4/42   My dear Stan,   I am writing this letter under great difficulties, they are as follows:- 1.  The wireless with “Music while you work” being played loudly in my right ear. 2.  On my left Kit and another friend having a very loud debate upon some subject or other. 3.  A nurse close behind me who will persist in talking to me so if it is a poor attempt you know the reason why.  I will do my best however and first I must apologise for not giving you father’s verdict in my last letter.  It was pretty good so stop worrying any more about it.   The second piece of good news I have for you is that I have got my holidays from May 19 th  to June 8 th .  I hope you manage your leave the last week of my holidays .   Oh dear!  It is almost hopeless trying to write – nurses keep popping in and out  – all feeling very depressed as they are taking their preliminary state exam.  We have not got our medical results yet.  Sister-Tutor has promised them for
Read more

Going to a Dance

On 6 February, 1942, two young people were at home on leave in Grimethorpe, a coal mining village in what is now South Yorkshire (at the time it was part of the great West Riding of Yorkshire). Stan was 22 years old, a Corporal in the Royal Signals.  He had been in the Army for two years, having been just the right age to be conscripted in 1939. Grace was just 21 years old - her birthday was 2 February and she may have arranged her leave so she could be at home for her 21st birthday.  Grace was training to be a State Registered Nurse at the City General Hospital in Nottingham. Both their fathers: George Bristow and William Skuse, were involved with the Nursing Association in Grimethorpe and were part of the organising committee for a dance being held at the Welfare Hall.  Neither Stan nor Grace were particularly bothered about going to the dance, but both were persuaded by their fathers to turn out on a cold February night.  As the evening progressed a fight broke out on the dance floo
Read more