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Letter to APS from Aunt Florie 1932
concerning Aunt Charlie's death.
at Swordling
Hillcrest Road
Hythe
Kent
June 8th 32
My dearest Pat,
It was a very great pleasure to receive your delightful long letter begun March 29th & posted April 19th, yesterday, forwarded from home - many thanks.
You will, I know forgive me for not having written to you for so many months & especially that I have not written myself to tell you about dear Aunt Charlie's passing to the other life on March 19th. You were much in my thoughts amongst all the other dear ones absent from us. Uncle Evie said he would write to you so I just sent a loving message then and meant to write see you soon but the weeks have slipped away without my doing so. I have had endless writings & business of all sorts to get through somehow, like a machine, or in a dream. Strengths, which had been trying to give out for some time just succeeded in doing so, rather like XXX - they said it was with the shock on top of the long months' of strain of the sorrow of Aunt C's illness etc. etc.
It was grevious to have the sorrowful news to send you & I knew what a sad shock it must be to you and the other dear nephews.
Daisy & the children too would feel it & I am so sorry dear Daisy & the chicks never saw Aunt Charlie.
My letter had told you how seriously ill she was, so perhaps that was a little preparation for what was to come later. I am thinking so much these days of your mother landing in England tomorrow - the news could not have reached her before leaving NZ we reckoned, but now she surely knows. I wrote to her at Toulous & others of the family did too, poor dear. Sad news for her to be greeted with waiting at the end of her weary, long voyage.
Aunt Charlie's passing came as a terrible shock to all, it was so entirely unexpected then, just when she was thought by doctor, nurse and all to be making a marvellous recovery. She, herself, like us all, so greatly rejoicing in it. On Friday 18th she was looking & seeming better & brighter than I had seen her for months. Improvement had been going on for some time & she had been wheeled in a chair to another room as a change from hers, spending afternoons lying on the sofa in my bright front one by the window with the glorious view. She did not like a front room for herself on account of noisy winds at times, so her own was on the land side, overlooking the garden.
For a few days she had been taking little walks in her room from the bed to window & back, then on the Friday she was so well that she walked to and from my room, a little way along the passage quite strongly, without any help.
Next morning, Sat March 19th she said she was 'feeling splendid' & she looked it. I looked in as usual at 7.30 & towards 9.30 when dressed after my breakfast, I went in to sit with her a bit taking in my morning letters which I read to her & we discussed & and we chatted about all sorts of things. She was so bright, then soon after 10 I said it was really time to be off to interview the cook, Sat morning & as I left the room we were laughing and joking. Nurse went in to give the usual morning massage & she and her patient were teasing each other. Suddenly when nurse had turned her back for a minute to take up the powder for the massage she heard Aunt C say something that sounded like 'Oh!' perhaps. She turned quickly to ask what she said or wanted & saw the awful change, opened the door and called to me to come quickly. I was just outside, not more than 2 mins since leaving her and collecting housekeeping keys from the other room. When I went in it was to find my darling quite unconcious. I thought at first only a bad faint, but as nurse & I stood beside her she gave 2 or 3 little sighs and passed to the best of Homes. It was a beautiful, gentle call for her & so we must all feel thankful - no suffering & when she was bright & happy. The doctor said a clot of blood had XXX formed in an artery & suddenly touched the heart.
Your Aunt Jamie and Uncle Evie arrived late that evening & it was good to have them both. XXX Wed following came Vera, Mary Freeman & Dorothy Short, Uncle Fran wisely did not come, it was best for him to stay quietly at home. Janet Cleeves and the Maycrofts drove over from Dawlish on the 24th & Mary Bigbie (Frank' s widow) from Exmouth when we laid Aunt C to rest besides your dear Granny in Torquay cemetary, a lovely spring day, sun shining brightly & birds singing sweetly.
It seems almost impossible to realise even now that she has left us never to return. It was so totally unexpected just then. But though she was recovering so wonderfully well I could not help feeling rather anxious about the future after such a very serious illness & now she can never know that or go through again & we must rejoice. Even with the greatest care taken, there might have been a return of all the trouble ere long.
Before this reaches you, you will probably know that dear Vera decided a few weeks ago that she would like to share my home & be a help & comfort to her old aunt. I feel greatly blessed in having her - I can't tell you how loving & good she has been to me. When Dr Gibson considered it possible to manage the journey, he insisted on chasing me away for a few weeks' change - rest from home. Uncle Edie and Aunt Hilda begged me to come to them. Vera, WyXXX & I left home on May 23rd - Vera parted from us at Paddington, going to Richmond to stay with the Shorts - whilst I went (+ WyXXX too) to the Paddington Hotel for 2 nights rest there as commanded by the doctor., before coming down to Hythe where the Uncle & Aunt are spoiling me dreadfully & I hope to pick up good strength to take back to Torquay, rather a slow process but it will surely come by degrees! Weather is not very helpful at present, more like Jan than June.
A few lovely days last week when I was able to have long chair out in a sheltered corner of the garden & get some good bakes, then by the end of the week winter again & so wet, Sat & Sunday - the latter was said to be colder than Boxing Day. I'm sure it felt much colder than our Boxing Day in Torquay which was glorious and sunny. I do hope it will soon turn summery & nice. I feel sorry for your poor Mother having such a wintery greeting at the end of her long voyage - cold does not suit her, I know. Vera said she would be at the station to meet her.
I am now finishing this on the 9th. Have just received a dear letter from your Mother written after receiving mine at Toulon - she posted it off Southhampton yesterday. It is milder this morning Aunt Hilda says & when the mist clears off the day may be nice. I, old lazy-bones, am still curled up in bed at 9.30. I hope to see your Mother in London, week after next if she can manage to look in, I fear I shall not be able to get to Aunt Jamie's to visit her there - am only going to stay 2 nights again for rest between journeys and business with the lawyer who is to collect various papers to bring me to sign etc. which will save some of the endless writing.
We stay here until 20th and home 22nd. Vera meeting me at Paddington for the journey down. She seems to be having a pleasant time at Richmond, enjoyed going to the Derby (?) with with Dorothy last Wed & so on.
All your news, as usual, was XXX interesting. Oh how sorry I am for all your worries & troubles - much very loving sympathy goes out to you & Daisy. I think you have been treated simply abominably by the Authorities - instead of with the greatest consideration as it ought to have been. Poor old Pat, it is frightfully hard on you. I do trust you will soon get a purchaser for the farm & be able to clear out & have done with it for ever. So sorry too about Daisy's knee. I hope it is quite all right now - I am sure it has been most painful & she would feel dreadfully not being able to walk about & help so energetically as usual. Splendid of her to get you a violin. I am sure it is first rate for you to have the joy of playing with her.
I hope the chicks are very flourishing, time passes so quickly, little Pat will soon be doing his bit in helping big Pat, his good Pa! & some day prosperity will come, I trust, at last & you will all be able to come home. What a joyful day that will be for us all.
Daisy will probably know, before this reaches you, of her old friend Ruthe Hardinge's engagement to that Dan Hambury, Sir Thomas Hambury of La Mortola's 2nd son. He is a very nice man & lost his charming wife at the beginning of last year. He has a lovely villa at Alassio & and does much good in the place amongst the Italians & the English. His English home is in the New Forest.
Now XXX must end - with very best love to you all in which I'm sure Uncle E and Aunt H join.
Ever your affect. auntFlorence E Story.
Thanks for telling me about the 'arms' tax (?). I will talk to your mother about them.
For the moment I am keeping Bingfield, but may, very probably move into a much smaller & cheaper house next year. If so you will know well in advance & be consulted about your precious possessions . I hope to be able to care-take them for you but it is doubtful.
The letter was forwarded to APS at his in-laws house at Leigh so they must have already moved from the farm at Ohaupo that Florie refers to.
| Date | 1932 |
| Linked to | Arthur Patrick Story; Florence Emily Story |
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