| Notes |
- Agnes was a nun. She wrote the following letters to a relative that included some family history references. The pagination of the letters is not correct.
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Agnes Letter 1
March 13th 1966. Sunday......
BUCKHURST 1624
CHIGWELL CONVENT,
WOODFORD BRIDGE,
WOODFORDER GREEN,
ESSEX.
My very dear Marie (& Tom(my)!
I'm taking your lovely letter (2/3/66)
page by page, each page full of interest
and belie? (How do you spell "Belie with an
'ing'? See dictionary (belying!) - -
and belying your moon that your
education didn't prepare you for life! Your
letter disproved that! I'm taking it point by
point - horribly methodically! because I've
some things I can tell you - your dear mother
was not muddled, - Well, yes, The Moses
picture by my great uncle, John Rogers here
hangs in "The Moses Room" - used to be the
Peer's Robing Room, and I think the Daniel
picture (both murals) is in the same
room right opposite the "Moses" mural.
About 8 years ago I saw it, but my mind
does get a little confused, whether or not
both are in "The Moses Room" (They are, of course)
I claimed relationships with the artists and was
at once admitted privately.
Now about the Indian, - mother too, was correct.
You are evidently, like Ella, a descendant of artists.
1.2
more reasonably, please God, after I
Tuesday, 3 p.m., 17/5/66, when "to be or
not to be," - op. for Cataract! has been
determined! You see by this, that I can
see perfectly well to write, etc., so why
worry, - Aunt Lottie & Ella & my Superior
all recommend "Let well alone." Do say
a nice prayer for me at that critical
hour that we'll do what is best!
I do hope, dear, you keep "friends" with
our best Friend in the Tiny Tabernacle
are you near Him or isolated!?
My favorite photos are of your own
Wedding Group on the Church doorstep,
and the other of Mum & Dad's Golden
Jubilee! Do you remember picking me
up at Hounslow Station to be at the
lovely family celebration! Dear Mum my
own dear Rosa gone to God, since, R.I.P.,
Dad getting over his loneliness and in
the devoted hands of family, David & Win
but poor Win has a sorry day to day
task to help poor Ernie. Thank God for Ron!
1.3
I spent last Friday (week) 6th, - with Aunt
Lottie & Ella at Ella's, and we talked
and talked, fortified by fine fire and
nice dinner, etc. that dear Ella has
seen to before she off "to work!" She
is now away for a week or two with
her friend Ethel on a Sketching party!
Lottie went on to Hounslow where she
may still be, but I don’t know - she may
be back at Southbourne for Nicky’s sake
who is still there on long leave before
becoming classes "Adult." Speaking of
"Sketching" takes me back to your dear
letter at my elbow. The mural Moses' is
in what is now called The Moses Room,
formerly, The Peers' Robing Room. Date?
I guess in the 18 seventies, nearer 1870!
Your M.P. could easily find out. Being
a 'Mural' it is a fixture. Do you ever
come to London? If so, you should be
allowed to see it as I did, on the claim
of relationships to J.R. Herbert, R.A. the artist
1.4
His wife was née, Rezia Dedman, of 4
Wilham, Essex, sister of my grandma,
Mrs George Stewart, née Eliza Dedman,
Sister of Rezia. Is that all clear. Their
daughter, Agnes Herbert, was my godmother
hence my Christian name. Thereby hangs
a tale, too long to attempt here! As to
my being, an artist, I had little real
talent, only what I got as a pupil of dear
grandpa's School of Art, Eastbourne.
By the way, re: "unconsecrated ground"
this is scarcely true, - there was no
question of it! Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne
had its own Catholic section, - all our dear
ones lie grouped in that dear spot, - a student
priest. near "us" - old friends all round.
So that's that! It was a beautiful funeral,
my two brothers and I were there. Grandma
then went (her own Longing!) to Colchester to
her Brother-in-Laws, Major John Stewart, where
she died 6 weeks later, and was brought back
of old memories unite us, dear Marie & me!
But I'm sure I've put your mind at rest on
1.5
that score! And now on to poor Winnie, -
indeed, yes, - do get her over to your lovely
home as and when!! Ron is amazingly
helpful and reliable, - no anxiety either
when Dad has got David & Dorrie close
by! What a grand united family they
all are, thank God! Only how grand it
would be if we were all nearer one
another! Can you imagine popping in
to "the Convent" to see Auntie Agnes
ever SO often, etc, etc. Certainly, we are
too scattered SO far as distance is
concerned! Now is there any other point?
You have reached page 8, - let me not be
beaten! You are suggesting overproduction
and overwork in your lovely garden!
Thank God, Tom is SO, - such a dear, -
domesticated & home-loving! I cant
see why you should renovate antiques!
Latin uncertain, - have you a good
dictionary? But I love your birds &
1.6
I hope the chiff-chaffs will come
again! How dear Winnie would love
your bird family! I must confess I
had to ask the Convent gardener at the
voice of a happy pair in the tree
overhead is that a Blackbird or a
Thrush!? Thrushe, said he! All I know
is Willy Wagtail on the lawn and the
sparrows on my window ledge, and an
occasional Cow, Cow in near by Epping Forest
Now I'll leave you the honour of your Epps.
dears! Don't worry about me & my cataract,
I expect the "very special specialist" will
Say to me on Tuesday, My dear wonderful
exceptional vitality & sight, etc." You're OK.
But you'll hear all about it when I know
family who, I'm told, newer write "!!"
In the Sacred Hearts of Jesus Mary -
Sr. M. Gertrude Auntie Agnes X X
2.1?
May the Sacred Hearts of Jesus Mary be
everywhere loved!
Chigwell Convent
Woodford Bridge
Essex
May 15th, 1966.
My very dear Marie & Tommy!
Congratulations on the lovely
Silver Jubilee you had - though I was
rather jealous of Tom (Tommy is nicer!)
having family, and you hadn't, - but
all the same it was very nice, and
Mr. & Mrs XYZ Thompson look like
excellent Company! Captain Billy and
Greta, too, near "neighbours would have
further ornamented the happy group!!"
Well, well! I'm gradually learning at
85 3/4 yrs, that folk know their own business
better than "looking - on folk" who should
learn to mind x x - iness!!?
What a queer mood Auntie is in - NO
Only thoughts as they flash through the
wandering, wondering mind - forgive,
dearest, where necessary! I'll write
2.2
I'm sure you'll make a good job of the "finishing".
I know the picture very well and I'm glad you
have it, of family interest. Uncle Herbert married
Grandma Stewart's sister Eastbourne grandma
with whom your dear mother and I lived a long
time. Have you seen any of Ella's pictures?
She is very keen and successful, and shares
with her friend Ethel her lessons and holidays.
both do some beautiful work.
Now about your dear father, - how I wish
he would accept your invitation, - a grand
opportunity to distract him from his loss -
of course, he is lonely after such a long life
of devoted care, one of the other shared - so
faithfully thank God. How I'd have loved to be
at dear Rosa's Requiem, but I am not able to
get about out of doors now; I was grateful
to dear Rev Mother and her companion who
went to represent me. They told me how
perfect it was, and I had a nice letter from
Dear Charlie (your father) saying how it
comforted him. How I d love to have met you
all again! However, I think of you all every
day and pray for you. Dear Aunt Lottie went
back so quickly to Bournemouth for the sake
of Pym & Nicky and won't be up again until
Easter I suppose. We don’t write to each other
during Lent.
Now I must explain why I delayed so long
answering your letter. I wrote to Winnie when
I wrote to you to sympathize with her about
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1880 - 1976 (95 years)
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