A letter from the past…

This letter came into my possession recently, It was sent to my mother, a few days before her wedding to my father, Denis, in October 1948. I remember Aunt Gert but only vaguely. My paternal grandfather, Victor, was one of eight children and he and at least two of his siblings, died in 1968 when I was 11/12 years old. Memories of sitting outside the church in the car, during what seemed to be an endless series of funerals, abound. So, finding this letter gave me quite a jolt. Knowing my mother’s love of dogs makes it all the more special.

The letter itself is quite hard to decipher, so I have reprinted it for ease of reading.

The letter:

My dear Pat,

Just a few lines my dear as well as a card. I have heard a lot of nice things about Denis, so want to congratulate both of you.
I shall be watching the clock Monday and thinking of you all, and shall be popping down as soon as you get back, and seeing my new nephew, that’s the seventh, my hat! Can you believe it?…
…I remember all your baby ways, as with each of my nieces and nephews. Like your old aunt, you were very fond of dogs & you went to fetch the family’s dog, three times bigger than yourself and thought you had secured it to the line while you had dinner but much to your dismay, the line snapped…

…Well, cheers, my dear & all the very best to you both.
Fondest love,
Aunt Gert. XX

P.S. It really only seems the other day when I went to your Mum and Dad’s wedding, your Dad in Khaki.
________

There is something so intriguing about this letter that takes one back to those post war days and back further to the first world war at the very end in the postscript. Such old expressions, ‘My hat!’ made me smile.
I do wonder what happened to the dog?