Bobbing National School

Near Sittingbourne

Tuesday

30.04.95

My dearest old bBoy,

I thought perhaps you would like to know how we are getting on.

I got through the school yesterday splendidly. I like the children very much tho’ the last mistress did not appear to get on at all will with them. The girls are quiet angelic, & some of them so pretty – whilst the boys are quite bricks & the parents are very friendly.

The whole place appears to look upon Artie as a marvel – the vicar 7 he are great friends – he went & helped him garden? Yesterday, went into the church & heard the organ & finally desired to ring the bells for church, which the much-tried vicar thought best not!

He went to Mr Knight’s himself & asked if he couldn’t stroke his ‘baa-lambs’ & wanted Mr K to catch him a cuckoo. He is very good & quite obediently on the least sign of insubordination I don my war paint.

We are getting on all right as regards food, I walked into Sittingbourne tonight, so feel rather tired.

I think very much about you old dear; wonder if you do about us. I never eat anything but what I try to imagine what you are having too. I wish then thousand times it was possible for you to be here. It would do you a world of good – the air is simply lovely & the country delicious – if you were only here!! You know!!

Oh! I say – enclosed is for Childerditch, please forward I forgot it before. Its plenty soon enough, for you know, he has engaged a man on supply for a month.

If you come on Saturday or Friday let me know & we’ll meet you. If you really want to bring the fowls, I think you might manage to put them under shelter. Let me know. Artie has quite arranged that we are to meet you “in good time”.

With fondest love & hugs & kisses from us both

Georgie

Envelope – dated 08/07/1895?

Mr A Hockley

44 Eleanor Road

Romford Road

Stratford

London E

No larger envelope                         Bobbing

                                                           Friday Morning

My dearest Old man,

Your letter & paper to hand, for which many thanks. It is a little disappointment to find you are not coming on Sunday, but I quite agree with you that it would be a great pity to sacrifice 2 half days; perhaps you will come on the Saturday, will Mr Williams come with you?

Our treat is next Wed: or Thursday - & we go to Herne Bay, I believe. So perhaps you would like to run down. Artie does nt seem well – though he is certainly better than he was & I am really rather queer myself – the back rather troubling me. I thought I told you the address – Mrs Sanders

                                                                                                                                              10 Stork Road

                                                                                                                                               Warwick Road.

Its about 5 mins; from 44.

I don’t think its at all necessary to get a salmon for the vicar – you see, I am giving 3 or 4 hrs to their son, as far as I know, gratuitously .

And I think my time is worth something – so I think I am repaying them their kindness - & they certainly have been very kind.

When you come, I think ½ a ham would be very nice, it would make sandwiches so well if you wanted to go out anywhere. Tea & cocoa also please. I thought too, if you brought down the watch (which I forgot)  I could see if that man could do it for 7/6- its rather a nuisance to have no time. It would save you further bother too.

Unless there is an excursion you would find it better & cheaper to come down the night before & return the following day, supposing you came with us to Herne bay. I told Mrs Knight you were coming for a week & she expressed a hope you would come with us.

With fondest love from us both

Yours lovingly

Georgie Hockley                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ********************************************************************                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

**Stork Road is 3 roads away from Eleanor Road**

260 West Green Road

1.4.95

 My dearest Mother, 

You will think I am very late in answering your letter of March 20, but as you can understand I can always find plenty to do. 

Both my husband & myself can quite see by your letter that you are not at all desirous of bringing any strife between man & wife & that you are ready to do all in your power to conform to our wishes in the matter regarding the boy & not visiting the house, & we do not in any way hould you responsible for what has seemed but as it frequently happens, my dear mother, the innocent suffers for the guilty. 

The request made to my father was such a simple, & I think, reasonable one, that his refusal to (*)accete to it. Is without excuse & came as a surprise & a blow to myself.

You write in your letter “how should I feel were my child to forsake” ---- I do not forsake you nor give you up, to do so, is not, nor even has it been, either my husbands or my wish! But we cannot see that it is possible to write to you 7 see you without also being in a sort of communication with my father, I do not know whether you saw the contents of his letter to me & realise that such scurrilous changes mean when written against a man. You write to me as a mother, but I answer you as a wife. How would you feel if such things were written against your husband. I am sure you would certainly do no less than I am doing, indeed I question whether you would not go further. We are anxious to avoid giving for any unnecessary pain or wrong, but I am also anxious to spare my husband & that is the reason why my fathers letters will be returned unopened. It will still be open to him however if he can for your sake to enclose one in yours conforming to my wishes but of course the letter must be in perfect conformity with what is required otherwise it will be utterly useless. 

If my father to gratify his pride, is willing so easily to give up me & wound you then I am sorry I cannot find it in my heart to value such love – love that holds so lightly two who ought to be near & dear to him.

I am more than grieved to cause any pain, but surely you can see what with me do not lie the blame.

I held but that which would restore matters to their old footing but my father would not have it.

Hoping you are enjoying good health & with much love

Believe me

Your affec daughter

Georgie

 ********************************************************************************

It seems to me that this letter was written a little in a hurry, as some of the words were difficult to make out, and the writing wasn’t as neat as it usually is.

(*)accete. Looks like accete… but a little difficult to decipher.

 **Another new word!**

de·sir·ous/diˈzīrəs/

Adjective:	Having or characterized by desire: "peoples desirous of peace".
Synonyms:	wishful - eager - anxious - longing - covetous

260 West Green Rd

14 April 1894

Dear Mrs Hockley

If you still require a good trustworthy servant capable of taking charge in your absence – one whom you may trust with anything I can tell you of one

Faith” You

Geo Lowe

p.s. She may want £14

GL

Of interest – West Green road as it is today

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?pq=260+west+green+roads.+tottenhammay+8th+1894&hl=en&cp=34&gs_id=1h&xhr=t&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=910&bs=1&wrapid=tljp1327239716549036&q=260+West+Green+Road+South+Tottenham&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x48761c11da912c0f:0x131185c63905c251,260+W+Green+Rd&gl=uk&ei=PxIcT5mTI4vY8QPP1eCVCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCMQ8gEwAA

My Goodness!

I just wanted to share with you that the audience so far on this blog other than UK has reached: Ireland, Spain, United States, Portugal, Germany, Canada and Italy and today it has travelled as far as Russia!

I'm so so glad that you are enjoying these letters - keep reading!

Dagenham School Board

North Street

Romford

5^th May 1894

Dear Madam,

I am in receipt of your note. – The school house is quite ready and I will arrange for some one to be there to hand you the keys on Monday.

I do not think it would be worth while to open the school on Tuesday the 15^th **** but this we will discuss upon your arrival.

Yours Faithfully Mrs Hockley

Charles Smith

**********************************************************************************

For information:

Schools:-

A School board of 5 members was formed 7^th December, 1874; C Smith, North Street, Romford, clerk to the board; John William Freshwater, Chadwell Heath, attendance officer.

Board (boys, girls & infants), Becontree Heath, built about 1877 & enlarged 1893 to accommodate 400 children; average attendance, 230; George William Patmore, master; Mrs Harriet Patmore, mistress; Miss Cudby, infants mistress

Board (infants), built in 1874, for 150 children; average attendance about 120; Mrs Sarah Howes, mistress

Ford's Endowed, founded in 1828 by William Ford, of Dagenham; the buildings include a master's residence & will hold 120 boys & as many girls; in Whalebone lane, Chadwell Heath, is a branch school connected with this charity, built in 1857 & available for 100 children; these schools have an annual endowment of £300, arising from money left for educational purposes by William Ford, who died March 6th, 1756; (boys & girls), John Doubleday, master; Mrs Emma Doubleday, mistress

Metropolitan Police station, 3 sergeants & 12 constables

Railway Station, Edward Foreman, station master

Hainault School

Chigwell Row

20.11.94

My darling Old – horror!

The enclosed came this morning.

We are all right – no burglars nor nothink – only just a little dull in the evening. Artie is most angelic - was so good yesterday that I began to fancy he was not going to live.

A bed time he announced his intention to wait supper for “my father” so I persuaded him you must have lost your train. This morning before he came down he called out “Has my father gone? He didn’t say goodbye to me”

See how you live in our memories!!

I don’t think you’d better bring any meat – there seems to be plenty ; though if you come to dinner on Saturday something will be necessary then.

Hope you were able to propitiate the landlady to your mutual satisfaction.

Fondest love from Artie & the poor White Slave

Tea                                       )

Coffee                                  )

Butter                                  )

Salt                                       )              I do not know whether you want

Rice                                      )              to order tomorrow for Saturday.

Soda                                     )              Of course all are most absolute

Currants                              )              necessities.

Candied Peel                      )              If you’d rather not bother.

Suet                                      )                                                                             

Meat                                    )

**********************************************************************************

And so – another word that I’ve never stumbled over before:

pro·pi·ti·ate

   /prəˈpɪʃ iˌeɪt/ Show Spelled[pruh-pish-ee-eyt] Show IPA

verb (used with object) -at·ed, -at·ing.

to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.

*************************Take note of last line!!*************************

Hainault Bo School

 28.9.94

My dearest Hub,

Drawing exam went off perfectly splendid – the colonel & I “palled” on to a “t”! He put down Excellent for the lesson I gave, & Derbyshire was so pleased with the specimens on the wall that he took away some, & gave several boys 3d each.

I asked about the stable, & Mr D said that that matter was on for discussion last night but they did not get to it. Owing to the amount of work they had to get through – as it was they did not rise till 10.20.

I say I don’t know that I meant what I said last night about you getting killed.

Artie all right

In great haste

Yours lovingly

Georgie.

July 5^th 1895

Bobbing

Monday

My dearest old Man,

You will be glad to learn that we got down here safely, though both of us rather done up. I was unable to get anything to eat for Artie till we got to Chatham, & he seemed quite faint from want by that time. For myself I shall never attempt to come so early again – if they cant wait till the 10 train they can so the other thing.

Artie has been a very good boy, but I don’t think he is very well – he is very spotty, & last night, after he went to bed, I heard him sobbing, so of course I ran up – he said “I want my father & he wont come”. So I told him I was commencing a letter & I would tell you & the first thing he asked this morning after he woke was whether I had told you in the letter that he wished you’d make haste & come.

Mr Stevens & Alice met us at Sittingbourne, & we got help with our various parcels. When we got here, we found all right. I think you had better try to come on Sunday as they are now gathering all the best fruit, & will be for the next fortnight from now. So let me know, dear.

With much love & kisses from both believe me.

Your loving

Georgina Emily Maude Jane Hockley

(Dates ?? 12/08/1895)

Bobbing

Monday morn

My dearest old man,

The enclosed came on Saturday afternoon -3.45- & as I could not post it to you to be of any use, I left it until this morning to send with my usual letter.

We had a dreadful storm here on Saturday evening & night – thunder & lightening terrific.

In the middle of the night, (Saturday) Artie woke up with a nasty croupy cough, which got worse. By the morning he seemed to have got quite a touch of bronchitis so I put on a poultice & kept in bed all day - & he is there still for if I let him get up there is no knowing into what draught he’ll get. He has got a little girl to read to him so is quite content. He was very good indeed to have his poultice on – never moved. He is going to write & tell you. Strange to say, he ate better yesterday than all the week – quite a good appetite.

I am anxious to know how you got on yesterday. I kept “thinking of you” (absolutely true mind) all day, trying to imagine your meeting, putting myself in your place & all sorts of things.

You need not send Artie a new pair of shoes, thanks. The gloves are very nice, just the thing – though of course I’ve not worn them yet. The Vicar  is very pleased with book. Thanks you very much.

Hope you will be able to run down Thursday.

Much love from both & hugs & kisses.

Yours lovingly

Georgie

Envelope dates 06 August 1895 from Sittingbourne

A Hockley Esq

44 Eleanor Road

Romford Road

Stratford

London E

Bobbing

Friday morn

My dearest Old Man,

Thanks so much for your letter of yesterday. I was so very much relieved to find that you were ready to accept my explanation of the affair – it helped a very great deal to make the day a pleasant one, though I was awfully sorry to find you had decided not to run down. You see, I did not like to write again till I heard from you, or I should have arranged for you to have got a letter on Thursday morning. On Wednesday morning, as the spots on Artie’s chest had not disappeared, & I was not at all sure that it might not be infectious, I sent for Dr. Fisher – but Marmion came. Strange to say the boy likes him best –he is a good deal jollier & really he was most nice & gentle. He overhauled the boy thoroughly, sounded him back & front, took his temperature, saw to his throat, tongue, eyes & everything else he could. He said he evidently had a tendency to throw off any little disorder in the form of these spots, that it was nothing infectious or dangerous, but due to great heat of the blood & excitement. He said he might safely go to Herne bay so long as he didn’t rush about & then get into draughts, in fact, the sea air would do him much good, the more he had the better, so long as it was air that suited him. He spoke strongly against eating rubbish & said he should take quaker oats, bread & milk, light puddings etc Otherwise, except for this he said he thought his Constitution was a good one & that he was strong & healthy & beautifully formed. He made the boy laugh he sat on his knee quite friendly. He sent him a powder & some med:, but the med: makes him sick, the powder acted very well.

This morning he is so excited over your letter, that I’ve had to promise to whip him. When I took it upstairs to him, he blushed and trembled so that he couldn’t open it. “Oh” he said “so he’s had time to write at last” He wont part with it, but has got it in his trousers pocket. This time next week I hope to be home. Either on Wed: or Thursday – most likely Thursday.

With much love from both

Yours lovingly

Georgie

**separate note with same letter**

Artie thoroughly enjoyed himself yesterday at Herne B. Beautiful day, but not too hot. He paddled to his hearts content & this morning looks much better. I don’t think he has taken any harm. I am so glad about your mother. It is very nice foe her to take so kindly to the thought of myself, when of course, I might be the most horrid thing under the sun for all she knows. I’m not, so it’s all right! Unfortunately I cannot as yet reconcile the boy to the thought of her, he says he doesn’t like old people only Mr Waters, they are always ill & he likes well people. “Has she got a bent back” he wants to know. “What’s her face like” till I could give him a good shove. He also wants to know if you caught any fish when you were at Boston.

Hello and Welcome!

Welcome to all of my Facebook friends! I started this log during the christmas holidays, just out of interest and it seems to be be very popular. I have now posted all the letters to date on this Blog, and have caught up with the daily posting that I have been putting on FB.

All going well I shall post another letter each day until they have all been done. Be patient if I miss a day as it can be quite time consuimg to read through them all and juggle the every day needs of work and family.

As always, I welcome and enjoy your comments.

Keep reading and ENJOY!

Mags

Seven Sisters

Wednesday

My dear Husband,

I have thought over all that was said yesterday, & I am ready to comply with your wishes, bring the boy back, inform you where we have been & do my duty to you in all things. But I expect to be treated in a proper manner – with just a dash of respect thrown in. I do not expect to have to be afraid to hear your key placed in the lock – indeed to DREAD it – as I have done sometimes. If I come back, I hope & trust, it is to begin afresh, to forget & to forgive all that is gone, to SINK SELF ( I think, yes I do, that is necessary on both sides) & to try to be happy. In this case I will come home tonight * bring the boy. I can send for my portmanteau afterwards.

Thank you very much for sending my mac;

Georgie

Another new word learnt!

Portmanteau

1. (formerly) a large travelling case made of stiff leather, esp one hinged at the back so as to open out into two compartments

Envelope

IMMEDIATE

A Hockley Esq

“Roslyn”

Claremont Grove

Snakes Lane

Woodford, Essex

Brentford

August 24^th 1898

My dearest Husband, 

The boy and myself returned here last night from Bournemouth after a rather tiring (to me) fortnight. The place of course is pretty enough, but oh! Dreadfully RELAXING. However Miss Winifred has said Bournemouth, so Bournem’th of course it was – though really it has made me more dead than alive & I thought of & longed many time while there for SUTTON, if it had only been one breath of it & then I know if you had not been there, I should have been discontent.

Oh! My dearest, do, please let me come home – I am very sorry for my part in the differences that arose between us – I should come over to Woodford today, but that CHAINED DOOR is too much for me, it turns me cold & faint to think of it. And yet I am afraid you will never write to me here, but you know you sent a message to me by the old caretaker, so my dear old man, you might send another. And you know until I get a school, I’ve absolutely no other place to go to. And I am afraid that even here, we are beginning to wear out our welcome. They think that you ought to be made to support us – and all the rest of it, but oh my dear boy you know I could never take up that position towards you – it would just break my heart ALTOGETHER – if you wont have us, why of course I’ll work – but dear, even if this is to be, even if you wont have us, cant we be FRIENDS, oh, don’t be angry still, please forgive all I said & did, I am punished enough if you only knew all & no one can tell how bitterly I repent coming away & yet at the time I felt it was a WISE thing to do, I felt it would make a break in the feeling that existed between us & then too I felt in such a dreadful state of mind that I scarcely knew what I did. I only know I felt very queer & that I was so after I came here.

 If I don’t write to you at any time don’t think it is because I forget you at home. Far from it, I never cease to remember, & my dear old husband, I beg of you, I implore you to let me come home. Goodbye – I am writing for two or three schools, I don’t want to stay here – but I want to come home please let me.

Always your loving wife

Georgie Hockley.

Picture of Claremont Grove as is today. Apologies for angel of photograph, but I cant quite figure out how to turn it - any advice very welcome!

Two envelopes

Dated 12 July 1895 posted from Sittingbourne

A Hockley Esq

44 Eleanor Road

Romford Road

Stratford

London E

Dated 25 May 1895 posted from Sittingbourne

Mr A Hockley

H.M. Customs

Crutched Friars

Cigar Warehouse

London E.C.

Crutched Friars as it would have been...

Envelope dated 26 July 1896, posted from Sittingbourne

A Hockley

44 Eleanor Road

Romford Road

Stratford

London E

Of interest if you wanted to see the house you can see it on google maps  - http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=eleanor+road+stratford+e15&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x47d8a791716c28a1:0x70ac02124a7c12b8,Eleanor+Rd,+London+E15+4AB&gl=uk&ei=BrIST6arA8rrOYeS3dUI&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA

Bobbing

Sittingbourne

Saturday

My dear old darling,

What in the world are you doing not to have answered my last letter.  Did you not get it? I made sure I would get a letter from you this morning if you did not mean to come down.  It’s ten to seven now, so I despair of either getting a letter or seeing you. I have kept hoping you would change your mind & come - & this morning when I got nothing from you I was half (nay, more) a mind to come along to “44” as Artie calls it. You must please send me the time of the trains for next Friday – if I see my way clear I shall keep a double session, but that depends. If I do I could catch a train, about 3, if not about 5.

Artie is splendidly well & good, appetite very good. I think he is friends with everybody in the place now. They are all so kind, always sending things & coming to see if I’m comfortable. The Vicar has sent me vegetable twice, & Mrs Vicar has come along twice & invited me round in a very friendly way. Mr K is most assiduous in his attention (Mrs K has dropped to pieces today) but she came up to see what I wanted before – said she did not know when she would be about again, so would make sure of seeing me first. They often ask about you & hope to see you – altogether they could not show a kindlier feeling. And yet you know I’m not satisfied without my dear old grumbler. Strange is it now?

Oh! We drove to Bobbing last Saturday all right. And there was no rice etc to leave, dear. I did not bring any with me. Got the “sch” all safely. Thanks so much.

WHY haven’t you written. I’m worrying a bit. Fondest love & many kisses from Artie & your loving old G.

***At top of letter written diagonally***

HOW are you managing? What a twin out I have next Saturday.

Friday

Dearest Old Man,

The enclosed came this morning – what is going to be the end of the horrid old parcel, How nice it will SMELL in a week or two!

I think we shall break up about 20^th August, but have not seen Mr Knight.

Artie seems progressing I hope, but diarrhea not stopped though rather slight. Let me hear from you quickly – I feel a little lost this week. Hope you are well – pray don’t go tearing & worrying about. I forgot to say I applied for that Enfield one.

Very much love in great haste form

Your very own Georgina Emily Maude Jane H

***And so we get to know her whole name***

Bobbing

My dearest old man.

Enclosed you will find a letter from your son their – the composition is his own, of course I guided his hand, & he spelt every word aloud after me. He is in a great ‘fantod’ about posting it.

Are you coming on Friday or Saturday?

What are you arranging for certain about your mother? I do hope you have heard from her.

Artie seems much better. I have discovered the cause of the trouble TWO ORANGE PIPS.

I’m in rather a hurry so with very much love.

Believe me

From your loving

Georgie.

 *******************************************************************************

So - A new word I learnt today!

‘FANTOD’ noun

Usually, fantods. a state of extreme nervousness or restlessness; the willies; the fidgets (usually preceded by the ): We all developed the fantods when the plane was late in arriving

My dearest father,

I am going to write to you a little letter. I took my castor oil very nicely. My ear is nearly quite better. I shall be very pleased to see you. I love you very much. My sister is waiting for me to make mud cakes.

With best love from your little boy

Artie Hockley.