Letter from Colonel Robert David Perceval Maxwell to Edith Maxwell, 18 June, 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Colonel Robert David Perceval Maxwell

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This letter was written by Colonel Robert David Perceval Maxwell (b.1870) to his wife Edith Grace Perceval Maxwell (1872-1928). Col. Maxwell was wounded twice while serving with the Ulster Division in the Great War. Two of their children, Richard and John served in France. Richard was killed in action in July 1918. Maxwell thanks his wife for her letters and expresses appreciation for her consulting him on various domestic/business matters. He comments on the state of some buildings on the farm, including the ‘big house’, and gives advice on works which should and should not be carried out.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Perceval-Maxwell Papers D/1556/27/1/1/3 https://letters1916.ie/item/2334 English Colonel Robert David Perceval Maxwell 1916-06-18 Edith Maxwell Male Country and City Life Politics World War I (1914-1918) Country and City Life

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 18/6/16 My darling I got two lovely letters from you yesterday - all your letters are delightful and I love you consulting me about things You must not think that it bothers me a bit it only makes me feel that we are nearer together & writing every day juse just as one talks makes things much nicer. Now I must try and answer your questions in turn. You were quite right to get Morrison to make up the books for you - It is all the better really for him to have an idea as it will make it easier for him to make up income tax returns another time. I agree with you he is quite discreet and as I said before it would'ntunusually-spelled text matter really if he was not though of course one would rather he was discreet. In the future I would still make him do the work. It is much better. As to the UV7 fund I think £20 would do very well. We can always give more later on if necessary & I have not given anything locally. If a Regt subscription should be got up I would not go beyond a fiver anyhow & I don't think it is likely at present. As to the house at the Sheep Shed unless you actually have to put a man into it I would not spend any money on it anyway till I have seen it. Of course I would keep the roof good otherwise I wd not put it in living order. It is not a very suitable place for anyone except perhaps a herd or trapper & it can always be done if you have a man for it. Once you do it, it has to be kept up & it is very likely to get out of repair unless occupied. About the I suppose you mean the big house at the top of the hill not the cottage where Cargo lived. I would not do anything to the cottage but the big house if really bad should be put in proper repair as to roof an essential parts. Love wants a lot of watching & unless watched is dear though he is a good & fairly honest workman. Timber I know is exceptionally dear now. If you think it should be done I should send for Whiteside & get him to go into the matter make a specification & estimate & let Love tender & make Whiteside pass the work. If Whiteside thought it would last without material damage for another winter I would chance timber being cheaper next summer but it would not pay to let damp in. Home grown timber would be no use as we have nothing sufficiently seasoned Colonel Robert David Perceval Maxwell Letter from Colonel Robert David Perceval Maxwell to Edith Maxwell, 18 June, 1916