THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Wheatfield

Friday [14th July 1922]

Beloved Boo

It was a joy to get your letter this morning – no pc from William¹ but perhaps E had it – Rain set in yesterday – but not all day & R had a delightful ride to Easington (?) & after sup called on the Kennedys who had left a note offering to demonstrate how to work the bath!
[…]
I think I forgot to mention R & the Queen – She & a lady in Waiting arrived to the second² – & after the Pilgrims Progress (w^h was done better than it has ever been) Ralph & several others were beckoned to the front row & Allen² then presented Ralph to Mary who was standing up.  I give the interview after shaking hands.
Queen –  Are you the composer? – I mean the composer of the 1^st opera?
R    Yes, Mam
Queen –  I thought the dresses were very nice – and the scenery quite charming.
R.    The students did it all themselves –
Then he received a gracious bow of dismissal & the next man was presented.
Then everyone settled down again to listen to the Dickens opera but had hardly done so when the Queen got up from her chair & of course everyone got up too but R says as far as he c^d see she only wanted to shake or scratch herself & soon settled into her chair again.⁴
[…]

R says ‘this is much better than France’ he admires the huge elms so much – what I like is to hear the bees in the limes  outside the gate […]

Your A.

1. No postcard from William Fisher, AVW’s brother. Perhaps it was sent to Emmeline, their sister.
2. Performance of The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains in the Parry Theatre at the Royal College of Music.
3. Sir Hugh Allen, Director of the Royal College of Music.
4. The one-act chamber opera A scene from Pickwick by Charles Wood.