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Transcription of Letter
From
Mrs E. A. Derbyshire
Lister House
105, Boughton Green Rd
Kingsthorpe, Northampton
England. NN2 7LS
To
Lynette & John Derbyshire
15 Chestnut Street
Huntington
New York 11743
U.S.A.
November 27th 1994
My darling Rose & John, Princess & Little blob, not
forgetting
Boris,
it was lovely speaking to all last Thursday, although it was all by phone, I felt my family were altogether. I was
wonderful to hear Nellie say
"Nanna" so clearly from 3000 miles away & to be able to speak to Rose. I do hope you are feeling better
Rose & that your dinner
party went off well, it was a big undertaking for you dear when you were feeling so low. Do take care love, rest when
you can. I know that's not
easy with a lively, mischievous sprite like Nellie, you need eyes all round. I pray for your well being &
happiness Rose & that you will have
a lovely healthy baby, I think you are a wonderful wife & mother dear & Nellie is a great credit to you. I only
wish I could help you out more
in practical ways, I feel so helpless stuck in this useless frame I can only say my love & thoghts are with
you every minute & I am very
proud of you. I loved it when you called me mother, it made me feel that
you really love me & that in
some small way I can help you bear the loss of your own mother. I like to think that somewhere she is watching over you
& she knows how much I
love you. I know John will support you in every way, he loves you dearly & when your baby is born his lovely
family will be all in all to him.
John darling, this is really Rose's letter, she'll need all the love & support we can all give her it's not
easy coping with a lively 2 year
old & another pregnancy, feeling sick & facing the long months ahead, but at the end it all seems worthwhile
& another child will bring
you as much joy as little Nellie has. Now, Rose seems to have more friends this time
Spring & Summer is ahead
& you have much to be
thankful for my son, keep me "posted" & take good care of yourselves. Rose, I'm told ginger is very good
at this time & used
greatly in Chinese medicine & is a great help with sickness in pregnancy. I love ginger
myself.[1] Get all the help you can, dear. Take care, Love, love you Mother.
X X X X X X X X
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Notes
- True. Ginger was a very occasional treat in my childhood. Somebody — a grateful relative of one of Mum's patients, probably — brought back a porcelain jar filled with pickled ginger from some overseas trip. We ate the ginger with great gusto, and the jar was an ornament on the windowsill of Mum & Dad's bedroom for years afterwards.