THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Monday smorn [31st August 1936]

Dear One

It was heavenly to have yours –
(1) from train on way to Hudder & by 2nd post (2) yours from Hereford.
I feel so certain about Dona itself but remembering the Leeds choir singing Gustav’s Keats I do expect they are not sensitive to words or pp. I quite expect you will have to conduct!²  I enclose Mrs Statham’s – Carrow repudiates you!³
All is as well as poss with us all here – such a gale all night but brighter now – We fetch E & M⁴ for shopping & tea Hon⁵ has taken Sheila to Redhill.  I shall drive with Hon to Haven to fetch E & M.
Reeves is sending yr trousers direct  He swears you’ll get them tomorrow but they are not finished yet!  I also send an old thick shirt – in case its too cold for the others – for the rest of yr thick blue shirts were never sent to laundry so you have only thin ones with you – & its not summer – wear a vestico under the thin blue ones.
I’m so glad you have such a lovely view & I’m sure one is going to look upon it as a holiday as much as you can – and be easy in your minds about all here.
A

Nothing from Goldsmith⁶

1.  But judging from the postmark it was not posted until 5th September. It is addressed to VW at The Elms, Aylestone Hill, Hereford, home of …
2.  VW went to a rehearsal of Dona Nobis Pacem at Huddersfield on his way to the Three Choirs Festival at Hereford. The reference is to Holst’s Choral Symphony performed by the Huddersfield Choral Society two years earlier [check if it was Huddersfield CS in GH Cat]. See 340413.
3.  A letter from the wife of Heathcote Statham, the organist of Norwich Cathedral who was to conduct the first performance of Five Tudor Portraits in Norwich on 25th September. VW had stayed with Miss Colman at Carrow Abbey in October 1930 for the first performance of Job (see VWL871) and perhaps this had been suggested again.
4.  Probably Emmie and Morris
5.  Honorine Williamson, who lived with the VWs.
6.  S.O. Goldsmith, a music copyist who did work for VW.