THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates
Dorking

May 27 [1945]

Dear Mr Hawkes
I fear to my regret that I shall not after all be able to accept your kind invitation to be present at the first performance of Britten’s opera.¹ I find that the last train to Dorking leaves at 10.0 & I certainly shall not have time to catch it – so I must hope to be able to come to a matinée (if there is one) later on.

Thankyou very much all the same for your kind invitation
Yrs sincerely
R Vaughan Williams

1. Probably the premiere of Peter Grimes, at Sadlers Wells on 7 June 1945.