Your interesting letter of Oct:5th has reached me today.  Many thanks for it & all the ???  thoughts & wishes for Christmas.  Yes, indeed we must hope that this will be the last war one, anyway on this side of the globe, there does seem every hope of that, but not much of the one that with the Japs being over in 45, however who can tell - those little Rats are getting it hot & it will be hotter still for them presently when the he Allies are less busy in Europe!

I am answering your letter at once, to give you replies to your family queries to the best of my ability.  That ??? Frances A Story who died in 1806 was almost certainly Mrs Joseph Story widow of the Archdeacon - she was daughter of Archdeacon Sneyd of Lisnamandra.  The beautiful old silver Loving Cup which I have here in safekeeping for you has the Sneyd Coat of Arms on it - you will also find amongst family papers which I have now sorted & packed away for you in the old Chinese cabinet, records of the Sneyd family.  Archdeacon Sneyd had, I think, 15 children & his daughter Arabella, 13 - or vice versa.  My memory is not quite clear as to which it was any way both families where large. Mrs Burrows & Mrs French were both Storys  - that is where our connection with Burrows, Frenches comes in.  Mrs Bury I'm not sure about.  I will look them all up when I find my family notes - the book is downstairs packed away.  It seems strange to me that you know nothing of Edward Joseph Story, but of course it really isn't, for you left home for N.Z when you you were still so young, also your own dear mother never knew him, he died long before your father ever met her! Vida's mother was very fond of him and he of her & the wee Vida of the early 'eighties'.  He was your Uncle Ted, my fourth brother, the one between your uncles Oswald & Arthur - tall & very good looking - such fun & altogether very charming, most dearly loved in the family circle & a favourite everywhere.Amongst the old Bingfield people he was called 'the prince' so some of them told me many years later - they said he had " such a way with him" & was so handsome & distinguished looking too!  He was a born soldier but could not get into the army on account of terribly bad spelling & other difficulties.  Anything to do with military subjects he tackled with ease & later on passed very well in musketry exams & he became an instructor in the Militia Regts.  He joined the 3rd Welsh & during summer months was usually attached to other Militia Regts.  Then came the Bechuanaland Campaign, Lord Methuen, then Col. the Hon. Paul Methuen raised a troop of Gentlemen to go out with Sir Charles Warrens who was in command of the Expeditionary Force.  Your uncle applied & to his joy was accepted as one of Methuen's Troopers.  They sailed for S. Africa about the end of 1884. Col.  Methuen thought very highly of your uncle from the first & gave him Musketry Instruction of the other fellows on the way out - later on in S.A.  he promised he should have a Commission in the Regular Army if he came through alright.  But alas he didn't.  In April he was taken desperately ill with Euteric??  & passed away a few days later, April 18th 1885 at Setlagole, Bechuanaland where he was buried the following day - Lord Methuen, his Col.  Had become very fond of him and watched beside him in his last days.  Everything possible was done for him, but of course in those rough days there were no nurses out there or the comforts and remedies of these modern days.

He was 23 years of age.  Many many years afterwards Lord & Lady Methuen stayed at Bordighera for a few weeks & Aunt C.  & I had the pleasure of welcoming them sometimes at Storietta - he remembered your Uncle so well & spoke of him with great affection.

Your brother Teddie was called after him chiefly (as well as after his mother's mother) & he was so extraordinarily like his Uncle in looks & various other ways we all thought it quite remarkable.

The Islington property was left to your Uncle Ted by father & your uncle left it to your granny to whom he was devoted & she of him.

Well that is a long history for you, but I feel you will be interested.  Uncle Fran and I are now alas the only ones left who can tell you about the family of old days.  When we are gone there will be nobody.  I have tried to to jot down various items in the notes which I hope you will find some day, but we must hope to meet again & have family talks ere long!

Your Uncle Fran is much better now I am glad to say - he has even been able to get out for a little while on a stray mildish & dry day & we hope he will soon pick up good strength again.

Yvonne Wallace, a married niece of Aunt Edie's is with them for this winter & he's a great help & comfort to them both.  Weather over here sometimes stormy & horrid - very cold & snow - feeling the last two days after some mildish ones.  Hope you are having a dry & pleasant summer & Belinda has lost that bad cold.

Had a book of N.Z views from Vera yesterday - lovely ones of your beautiful scenery.  Joyce rights happily from her new surroundings at Johannesburg.  The school seems nice & stance in large grounds with lots of nice shady trees.  I had hoped to hear from Joan for Christmas but now fear it is going to be to be impossible for her to come.  One reason & a very good one, is that Gladys has suddenly come home from India.  She is on leave at present & after it we must hope she will be given a job in old England.  She has been abroad for so long.

Now what must end up.  Best loved to all & so many wishes for 1945.  May you have your wish & mine that you may get home before it ends.