»  Letter: Wednesday, April 19, 1978

 

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  Transcription of Letter

From
J R Derbyshire
62 Friars Avenue
Delapre
Northampton
England

To
John Derbyshire
126 Stevens Avenue
Valhalla
New York 10595
U.S.A.

62 Friars Avenue     19-4-78

Dear John,

We received your letter with Photos today & its always a red letter day when we hear from you, although you dont tell us much, or not as much as we would like to hear but we mus' nt grumble as it is a tonic to us to know you are happy & content

I hope you dont feel upset if Mum when she wrote & asked you some questions of the nature I dont know but judging by your last letter I thought she had upset you. Firstly about the braclet she did'nt buy & about your girlfriend friend. You must at all times remember we are your parents & our only wish is to know you are happy & would not say or do anything to upset you, but you must allow us to tell you when we think you are on dangerous ground of what we have experienced in our life, at your age, & in a simalar position. The world is a big place, but common to the people who live in it. Situations & emotions are the same its only the scenery & climate that is different & the advice we give you, or the questions we ask you, are the same any parents ask all over the world. I give you the benefit of my experience but only as advice. I know you are old enough to live your own life. But we dont want to be in the position of hearing you say, if thing go wrong "Why didnt you tell me" […] there is no doubt she is feeding you up that is why you are getting fat. At your age I was 15 stone 5lbs & not an ounce of fat ore flab & playing tennis 8 hours a day in Temp 90° & I was that weight till I was 50 yrs so you have nothing to worry about Anyway I will change the subject but I must tell you in your position you have no say in what will happen its the woman who decides. In my day there was no pill you chanced your luck but now with the pill its in the hands of the woman & remember, in her eyes you are a good catch so tread warily or get out.

Well the weather here is wintry snow east winds very cold this is the third winter with no summer in between  I dont think I can stand another winter like this. I hav'nt been warm since last Sept: ther is no end to it, even when the sun does come out ? its freezing with East winds. What with the cold weather & the state of the country & the world the end can't be far away. We have even ceased to be a nation  ordered about by every nation in the world, they are replying to the time when they did'nt dare to answer us back when we ordered them to do something. In my lifetime I have seen the full circule from when we ruled the world to when we are just a small colony of the world. good job we have the Bomb we can take them with us. You will see a change when you come, the Black boys mugging old men and women in broad daylight also vandilying everything, breaking in robbing & plundering, night time is a time to lock yourself in doors. you dont pick anyone up in your car without you want a knife in your back, everything over priced. Shop keepers just stick any price they want no one to stop them. instance, we are due for bread strike this week end so Judith asked us to get her some flour to bake her own. So I got 1 bag at 35p & Mum got one from another store 44p same flour but 9p dearer. Police are not interested  Beaks^[1] on the Bench & Judges not interested. Law & order ceased to be  they had a case in Daventry, a man caught holding up a Bank his third time, armed, & the Judge let him free & another judge let a man off for rapping a girl his third time, the whole country is mad. Children only go to School when they feel like it no Attendance officer dare do anyone or else he is beaten up  I thought I would put the position to you so you wont be taken in when you come home. You wont the old Town its 14p to go to town by Bus thats 5/8½ return^[2] in old money  in 1952 I used to go to town before 9 o clock 1 penny Return 2 pence an other time in 25 yrs its gone up 83 times what it was. Small apple cost 10 pence old money every week prices go up. little girls of 10, Tessa's age Raped & murdered no respect & tyey get away with it. a murderer, if caught, can apply for parole after 2 yrs & get away with it. Well I hope I have'nt put the wind up you. We have a gang called the National front, kind of Hitler set up & of course every one is against them. I hope they take over it would do us good. That is what is wanted someone to tell us what to do not ask us. We have no government or no one to make one they are all the same  I wish we had a good Dictator roll on.

Well all for now I hope I have'nt depressed you to much  Mum is busy behind me making a patchwork Quilt  its lovely  worth about £250  £300. Well look after yourself & remember all our advice is only for your consideration

        Love from Mum

        X X X  Dad  X X