THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[March 1934]

Dear Mrs O’Neill

You mustn’t mind if I write one word.   It has been a great privilege to have the friendship of both of you and I want at this moment to tell you so.  I first saw him years ago, when he was quite a boy – he seemed to me to keep his essential youth to the end.
Forgive me for writing & of course no answer¹
Yrs

R Vaughan Williams

1. Presumably there had been a request for no letters of condolence on the death of Norman O’Neill, the composer and conductor who had died on 3rd March 1934. He was, with Balfour Gardiner, Cyril Scott, Percy Grainger and Roger Quilter, a member of the so-called ‘Frankfurt Group’ – he was best known for his incidental music for the theatre.