THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

Sunday [?27th August 1933]

Dear Diana

Thank you so much for writing – especially with so much on yr hands.
It is grand news about the Hostel¹ – I hope the Warden is just the person you approve of.
Uncle R has been getting on very well but there is some way to go yet and without wanting to make a fuss perhaps you could put in a word about him to the Bulmers.² He has quite abandoned crutches for a stick & he is beginning to walk well without one – only he can’t hurry – and I don’t know how he could get in & out of a small car yet – he has managed to get into a large one all right – taking his time – Besides the fracture he has had a lot of rhumatism.³ But he is prepared to enjoy Hereford very much & if he doesn’t over exert himself it will do him all the good possible. I feel a safety in knowing you are there! So keep well yourself & don’t wear yourself to a frazzle – Love
Yours affectly

Adeline VW

Marvellous that you got yr case returned – empty of course.

Bob is home again having walked from Salisbury to Exeter – a success on the whole but he overdid it – his shoes wore too thin!⁴

1. A hostel for tramps which was founded, with help from John Masefield, by Diana Awdry in Pauntley, Gloucestershire.
2. VW was due to stay with the Bulmers while visiting the Three Choirs Festival at Hereford, see RVW p.195. He had broken his ankle on 27th June.
3. sic
4. Robert de Ropp, a relative of Adeline’s who was staying with them.