Roslyn

Claremont grove

Woodford

13^th May 1898

My dear husband,

I am sorry to find that my forbearance & silent endurance this past week has not produced a better & kindlier spirit in you, sorry to see that there is no shame or repentance for the months of inconvenience & suffering I have borne since we have been in this house only.

Remember if you have worked hard, so have I, as those who have seen me at work can testify - & also that for nearly nine months I have earned my own living - & now, when I have given up that living at your request  you calmly refuse to maintain either myself od the child, and you can sail out in the morning & leave us to obtain our dinner from anyone who is charitable enough to give us one, knowing you can get yours comfortably enough in town.

Now it is the end of the week again & I am in the same predicament as I was last Saturday, & I must take the same means of making provision.

I wish to be candid, to give you no grounds for your usual accusation – on Saturday last I borrowed the money to telegraph to my parents that they must either bring or send me money & of course my mother brought it & whatever we have had for our dinner I have provided with that money.

The account that is running at Mrs Chapman’s by no means provides us with suitable living – could you live on bread & butter & tea, or rather do you?

You are no doubt full of dark & bitter thoughts against myself, - take a little while to think over your own shortcomings & failure, search your own heart & see what it reveals.

Yours sorrowfully

Georgie Hockley

On a scrap of envelope is written in pencil..

You say that you have no money. I do not believe you. However, I leave you some as the butchers shop is not yet open I find

The Last part of this letter........

P.S.

The enclosed came this morning (Thursday) I opened it because I thought it would be better for forwarding, & I thought you would not mind as I already know of the matter.

Artie has got diarrhoea shall I give him castor oil or not? He is rather nasty tempered – perhaps it would do him good. I don’t want to weaken him either.

Part 2

So.. still all terribly sociable. Artie doesn’t seem so well, and there is a new name ‘Bell’.

…………………. Mrs Jeffrey came over & enquired after you. Oh! & Mrs Robins came over tonight in consequence of what I said to Bell & said how sorry she was to have appeared rude or unkind.

Dr. Marmion came yesterday but as Artie was asleep would not have him disturbed. He said eczema should be kept as dry as possible, no water at all when the ‘weeping’ produced scab, that should be moistened with sweet ril until the scab could be gently lifted off with a piece of white paper, i.e. an envelope. I told him the ear seemed to be progressing most favourably & that if I required him I would send for him; at the same time I asked him to rate the medicine as if I found the boy wanted a tonic I should send for some His ear is nearly well all the puffy skin is worn off, the only sign of there having been anything, being a very slight redness of the skin. At present he is developing no more. He does not eat quite so well as when you were here & when the cab had driven away on Monday he sobbed & cried till I didn’t know what to do with him. He is now in bed & his message is “that he is going to write a letter to you by the first post in the morning”.

By the way, dear, did you take your dirty nightshirt? I cant find it anywhere. Perhaps the table spoon is wrong – I have not that time to examine. Have you heard from your mother yet? I feel anxious to know where to spend Bank Holiday. I hate the excitement brought on by having tidings of you at last, has not made her ill. She is very old you know. I feel that you ought to go to her quickly.

I have remembered what you told me when you left – though there is no sign of anything wrong. I should imagine that owing to the frequent rubbings & strokings previously inflicted upon the organ in question by myself, all calculates to harm, had been cleaned off. My dear Duck I wish you were here now. With very much live, believe me your loving Geo

25/07/1896

Part1….

 It seems that Mr & Mrs Hockely have been terribly sociable....

Bobbing

Wednesday

My dearest old man,

Your parcel received this afternoon, for which many thanks! I was very glad to find that all was well as regards your being late but of course, I thought it would be. I wanted very much to run down to the gate but I was not washed & neither was Artie, besides which he had not had his breakfast. So though I very much wished to do so, I was forced to abandon all idea of it.

Fancy that old Watkins! Did you tell him the previous Monday that you would be away? What is it to him whether I am at home or not - & what other questions did he put? Surely it is not possible for my father to have seen him; if he so wished he could learn more from Catts than Watkins - & he would have to make enquiries first as to who was our landlord. I should say, myself that Mrs C. or someone else told him (Watkins) an exaggerated story of what occurred a time ago & he doubtless thinks I have skedaddled. Ah! If only he knew!!

The vicar come in about ½ past five this afternoon so of course I gave him the seeds & cigar. He was so nice, & he told me to thank you very much, he said he thought he would sare the cigar and smoke it with you when you came again, unless it tempted him very much.

Mrs Goord came in this evening to ask me to thank you for the umbrella. She is most awfully in love with you – I shant say all she said - & gave us an invitation to tea at any time. Mrs Knight came in on Monday & again on Tuesday, made very kind enquiries after you, asked when you were coming again was quite effusive in fact. He has not yet put in an appearance. All the waters were at the gate, to see you off, but you could not see them & the old man watched the train go by……………………………

Skedaddled - love this word, not heard it since I was a little girl!

Please pay special attention to the picture on here, and see how Gerogies writing is losing its neatness – I kind of imagine here sitting there with her handkerchief to hand!

Envelope

Post date 08 Sep 1898 from Brentford

A. Hockley Esq

“Roslyn”

Claremont Grove

Snakes Lane

Woodford

Essex

Brentford

Thursday 8^th 98

My darling husband,

They want me to go to Gainsboro’ – I have had another letter this morning – must I go? – I will not stay here, & the managers seem all right though they want a lot for their money. I’ve also heard from Exeter again but I don’t care about it much.

Oh my dear husband wont you let me come home instead – oh I’m quite sure I’ll be good & I wont want my own way or anything else & I’m sure I’ll do exactly as you tell me & so far as my parents are concerned I’m sure I never will deceive you.

I cant write any more – my agony of mind is too great but oh ! my dear, my dear if I am to go – let me see you before, say good bye to me – if I once go I feel as if it would be forever  there I cant write anymore

Always yours

Georgie

They want me on the 19^th inst

Small School, with House, WANTED Sep-

tember, Elderly Certified MISTRESS. Good refer-

ences. Essex or Cambs preferred. – Mistress, Laindon

Hills School, Romford                                    67d

Part 2...

……… Now until I can earn my own again, what am I to do? Indeed, I had no money, until I took steps yesterday to obtain some – steps I was forced to take for the child’s sake – our dinner during the week swallowed the amount I had reserved for the washing, and I could not be with nothing for today.

If you think it will be better or rather, that you will be better, if I relieve you of my presence at once, say so, candidly & honestly – but you know, last year, when I spoke to you on the same subject, you reminded me that I know you had this house on your hands - & that fact is before me now – but perhaps you may be able to make other arrangements – if I have failed in my duty in any way, I cannot help it – I have done to the best of my strength & ability – as far as anything else goes, I can only say I am human, very human, with the exception of my honour & there I am not quite so human for I show a perfectly clean sheet.

I have just read over what I have written, but it does not in any way express what I feel, & what I have been experiencing – I am heart broken – for you know, as I have always told you, when you have been angry, I always remember the times, years ago, when you were kind to me & in thinking of the good put away the bad. Why, it is three years ago since you kissed me! Think what that means to a woman & a woman who is naturally demonstrative & affectionate & who only loves once in her lifetime. But you will never, never understand your nature is different altogether you cannot enter into my feelings & this is all beside the question of what am I to do until I can provide for myself.

Always your loving wife

Georgie Hockley