19 Anerley Park
London S.E.
18 May 1890
My dear Chris
You certainly seem to miss some of my letters, but that is not to be wondered at. Your last letter to me was over three months on its way, however I am glad to know by it that you and Alex were fairly well off, although you had rather too much water.
I was at Lancing with the children when I got your letter. We went there for three weeks and fortunately Mrs Porter took my house for the time and gave me three guineas a week so that helped to pay the expenses. She enjoyed her time here and would like to have had the house longer. It gave her an opportunity of having her mother and also Katie and Edgar and their baby. Jim Porter is home also.
May had her seventeenth birthday last week. Can you imagine such a thing? She is very small and childish for her age and would pass for fifteen. All the other children are growing fast. Noel is going to be tall I think.
I hope the Sobraon will be in in another ten days time. We have had favourable winds lately so they may make a quick run. They left St Helena on 22 April. This were only eleven days from the Cape there, so she seems to be doing well.
Your father seems quite tired of his sea life and besides has not felt well since his attack of influenza in Melbourne. So don’t be surprised if he does not go out again. He seems rather hopeful about selling the ship but I am afraid that is too good to come off. We have this house on until March 1891 so we are bound to stay here. He speaks of building a house at Lancing. It is a quiet and inexpensive little place and we might live very cheaply there. Only it would be very dull.
Edie and May were both well when I heard last. Do they write to you often? I dare say they will both come home for a few weeks in the summertime.
I had a letter from May Berkeley (cheque) yesterday telling me she had just arrived from the West Indies. She does not seem to be in good health. I am going to see her tomorrow.
Mr E???? comes to see us now and then. He was here last week and rejoiced the boys hearts by saying he would give them a cricket bat, a real good one. He told Mr Sansom to get one for them. He (Sansom) was on the Sobraon for five years and then joined the P & O. He soon got sick of that for the same reason you did. Now he has joined his mother in keeping school, and by and by he will have the school himself. It is a very good one. Mrs S has been at it for the last seventeen years. That is where the boys are at school. They are well taught and well looked after. They have cricket on the Crystal Palace grounds every evening during this term except Saturdays. Archie will go and play with them sometimes.
I have been very busy spring cleaning and gardening. The grass had five weeks growth so you can imagine it was very long. We had to cut it with shears first and then the grass cutter and it took us several goings to cut. I was terribly punished by the gnats. They seem to poison me in some way and are worse than mosquitoes. They itch for days and are quite hot and cerate. I can quite feel for Alex. My wrists are a sight now and my neck also. I am glad to say they don’t care for my face or else they have a consideration for my beauty.
I hope you are coming home this year. I am sure it is time you had a little change from that wretched place.
May is going to write to you so I shall leave some room for her.
I have not sent the Household Works as I had a fine of 3½ the other day for it, and if you are served in the same way you will bless me. I had better save them up and send by parcels post, or is there any other paper you would like?
I will write to Alex another week. Give him my love and this to read. Did I tell him I met his friend Cross Johnson from Bedford with his mother in the Palace one day?
With much love dear Chris
Believe me, ever your affectionate Mater
Cecilia Elmslie