1 Nov. 19th My dear PR. Don't read this aloud till you have read it through See how you've grown thanks to your recent experiences.
So you have decided ! It has just got to be a success & you & Mrs
Borton are 2 excellent pullers if you don't fall out, & begin kicking
at the traces. Any how I back the p r , & as we haven't done much
for charity this year when formerly it has been a golden rule to give 1/10th
the little pr may take her pen & write quickly her biggest cheque , & put 100 as Capt & Mrs WBS ! contribution to the fund. Do it as unostentatiously
as you can. I'm afraid I take an added pleasure in this in putting you
a little bit more in your right position in the matter, & perhaps in letting the
others see that they must do their bit. Please do not mention this in
either family. If you can't enter it in the funds yourself give it to Lady C
after the next meeting or send it by post now. Now as to advice: 1/ How would it be if you ran over to Ireland?
Not very nice just this time of year & rather expensive but it might be well to
have a confab with some of the local people & see how they intend working.
& whether you are to be a separate organization independent& but mutually helping,
or to work more intimately together. If you go over I suggest you ask Mrs
Sclater or someone you know well to take you in so that you may not
actually be staying with those running the show (? Mrs Wheeler). 2) Can you get your father to advise you how to get wholesale terms i e to
get recognized as an agency. If you have difficulty in this write, using
my name, to Mr James Cunningham Belfast & consult him. I think do
so in any case as there are local firms Gallahers tobacco Marsh biscuit Haylet supply etc who should
give their help gratis, if only in memory of my Supply Committee days. I am sure it will be wise to take time & get your ground work on
to a satisfactory basis. Don't let the use Harrods or some big stores simply 2 because it makes things so much easier. It is just possible that Jessie's brother might suggest someone who
could act as packer in his spare time , but this would probably make too
much of a demand on your organization at present. Write to Sir George & say what you are doing & that I thought he
might possibly have at his office a spare typewriter machine ,& if so could he let
you have the loan of it. Get carbon sheets & make copies of all your letters. I rather hope Oive & Ivy will come & help you occasionally but at
present it is of course impossible while they have other duties of flat hunting.
You are all having a rather exciting time. I have a suggestion to make &that is that you should speak to Jessie & ask
her first & if she agrees ask Mater whether you can have the use of the
study as your private room whilst you are there so that you can keep your
papers etc in the desk. I am sure when she understands your work she
will be glad to do this. I think you ought to offer to pay for the fire, & if
you(r) stop on long I should like to settle up for your keep generally. She may
decline but I hope not if you stay for any length of time, as she allowed
Mab to contribute earlier. As to your future I expect you still feel that
your own flat would be best especially with the 2 maids in view. Otherwise
it might really be worth while considering whether you would not stay on at
24 in which case the study would be essential, & perhaps you might
then move from the spare room to my old room. I am not giving this
as a hint as to my wishes, only as a possibility if you find flat
hunting & house management too much to undertake in present conditions. You will probably find the old system of filing all right except
that instead of the letters ABC you may find a reference by battalions
etc more useful. This you could paste over. If you can give Mater any work I am sure she would appreciate it
& it would be good for her, but it must be simple & if it worries her
she must give it up. do not choose anything which needs constant reference to 3 you but something which she alone, or with Jessie could quite well undertake. Mater had promised us the desk in the study, but I am not very
willing to deprive the study of it permanently. I am sure however you
could very well ask for it for your office if you would find it useful, &
you must get yourself comfortably settled if you are to do proper good work,
& if you want to be able to show what you can do without expense to your
funds. Your committee will not all of them be a help, I expect, but
it will be a case of an inner cabinet. Mrs B will be a little restive
at helping unless she is on the Committee, I fancy but I should try
& get her on later after she has shown what she can do. Let her position
as assist Hony Secybe quite clear from the first. If Lady Lonsdale's
figures are as accurate as Sir John's were ! you would soon be in a
mess. Later on you will have reason to rejoice that you are an HonySecy
make this clear from the start to any who try the "our Secy touch". Very little news of my own. I shall be out all day with the Gen' & unable to write. I have had a morning to myself ie
without the R s for 2 1/2 hours almost for the first time & tho'
of course constantly interrupted it has been the freest time I have
had, so that I have been able to dictate a long letter which I
hope may be of some use. Thanks for the Castlefield Report. That Rubber should boom is a
most unexpected surprise, & tho' we must not expect it to continue after
the war when people with motors will be far fewer than before, it will 4 help both us & the Govt to tide over the bad times in store later if
we act wisely. Must end now, best of luck & some love for my p r
Your own B W WBS. PS. Tho' I give the names of OC battns never address
personal letters but always write to O.C. You have a better
chance of getting an answer.