THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

March 21 [1937]

Dear Sir¹
I have already had a favourable letter about you from Dr. Wellesez² and that and Dr. Davison’s name inclines me to help you all I can – but – (1) I do not usually give private lessons and (2) holidays start about the middle of July and I may quite possibly be away from home during July and August.
But if you decide to come to London let me know when you arrive and we will at all events have a meeting – I am afraid I don’t know much about the cost of living in London but I do happen to know about a young compatriot of yours (Mr R.G. Barrow) who lived with his mother at
16 Clifton Villas
London W.9
not a family or boarding house but rooms kept by some nice Welsh people.
If you wished to be in a boarding house I think this would be more expensive than the rooms I have mentioned – probably £2.2-0 to £3.3-0 a week per person.
My usual fee for a lesson is £1-1-0 but I expect that in your case definite lessons are not to the point and I would much rather (always supposing that the times can be fitted in) that we contented ourselves with some friendly talks about yourself and your work.

Yours sincerely
R Vaughan Williams

1. Helm was a composer and musicologist; VW went on to teach him.
2. sic