For the descendents of Richard Dearie and his son John Russell

Mary Mossop's letters to Madeleine Russell.

79 Butler Road, Harrow

May 11th 1923

My very dear Madeleine,

Thank you for your kind card of remembrance, but I was so sorry to hear you had more anxiety about your dear boy. I do hope you will let me have a good report of his improvement when you can find the time. I expect you loved those few days of tropical heat but they did not last long- and we have it quite cold here now. I have been wondering about you! Grace has been home for a month it has been very dull for her- as she has had no invitations-and this is a quiet little house- but she was very good and helpful all the time. She went back to school last Tuesday quite pleased to start another term- I expect have received some of the “Division” of your grandfather’s estate and you will note that the despised” small piece of land in Garrett Lane” that has been bring in 6d a week between 8!! legatees fetched nearly £600!!! When Mr Syms attended to it! After my urging them on- what curious business methods I have decided to have that lovely ribbon- work of your dear Grannies preserved by framing and glazing and made into panels by a really good firm as I find it is beginning to wear and I want it to last as I am very proud of its beauty- Of course I cant afford it but I am going to and as I know you were so kind and affectionate to her, and would appreciate her wonderful handiwork I am going to have to leave part of all of it to you Dear Madeleine I shall ask Aunt Lillie in to see to this for me. It is not done yet but I have given orders to Debenham and Freebody’s art and antique needlework Department to proceed with the Order and you will probably see it in my modest little drawing room on your next visit! I have been over to see poor Mildred lately I am afraid she is great sufferer I was sorry not to see her splendid “Charlie” but heard quite a lot about your family at Freshwater Hoping that you are quite well and that you are no longer anxious but will be able to enjoy your favourite Yarmouth

With much love

your loving

Aunt Mary.

79 Butler Road, Harrow

October 25th 1924

My dearest Madeleine,

Forgive the delay in acknowledging your overwhelmingly kind note and the large but wicked libel photograph No indeed I do not like it. How could I? for it gives an utterly wrong impression of your mouth. I can’t imagine how the photographer could have been satisfied to publish such a libel!! I would take the train back to Bournemouth and insist on having a likeness not a caricature. I was so sorry that the weather was so very dreadful last Tuesday & I do think it was so good of you to have come tho it was unfortunate also that there was only a slow train at the time you left from this little station It would have been better to have changed at The Hill for a quick one where they are much more frequent. It was a long and tedious journey for you but your coming as it always does, gives such pleasure- that you will not regret it- & it makes up to me for all the neglect and indifference of the rest of the family- Your kind & generous thought & sympathy is very greatly appreciated & what you have done has indeed helped me to “carry on” very considerably- both literally & with the knowledge of your sympathy and affection, With much love,

from Aunt Mary.

17 Princes Terrace, St Kilda Road, Melbourne

1st June 39 My dear Madeleine,

At last I am writing to you, I know I am dreadfully lazy, because writing letters is not one of my favoured jobs. I had now two of your letters for which I thank you very much. I hope this letter here will be in your hands before you start your holidays on “Lentune”. We wish you a very pleasant trip and a lovely brise (sic) and sunshine. Our mind will be with you all the time and we already look forward to the time, when we can see all this beauty spots again. I do not know if I told you that Fred had some sailing here, no pleasant cruising but racing on big boats, he was just tired out after it, but he likes it very much. Of course it is wintertime now here and no sailing last Sunday, it was Witsuntide by the way by the way it is no Monday holiday here we had some morning frost and very cold weather during day time, we were thinking a lot of last years time we had in Lymington, it was such a wonderful time though the whole June, our last month we had together in England. We will be always thankful to you because it means such a lot to have something nice to remember, when you are in Australia. It is quite true, that the people here are not very nice, most of the time we are alone and happy, than we can talk what we like. You never can say anything nice about England if you are together with real Australians and when they hear that we are going back after some years, they hardly speak again to us. Maybe we are not knowing the right people yet but we don make much effort to meet them. One gets used for everything and I say to Alfred, only 3 years after August, then we can go back to England. Times soon goes perhaps to quick for our money making part, but with or without we do come back. Dearest Madelaine I am putting my card new card in this letter, there you will see that we changed our name, how do you like it?

All our love to you and your family,

yours Mary

Please remember us to little John.