moving house in 1958

My mother wrote this about moving house in 1958. I have transcribed exactly as she wrote it just after she had moved in to the council house in Starbeck where I was born. She was expecting me at this time.

Dear Auntie Grace

I am writing early for Xmas this year to let you have our new address. We moved in Dec 12th and aren’t even straight yet. It is a council house, one of a block of 8 in a road of private houses. It was filthy, but when we had cleaned the dirt the paint & decoration were very good. Really nice wallpaper everywhere. It is only small, but rent is only 26/5 a week (£1.33 in today’s money) with 4 rent free weeks a year. We could do with it as financially we are in a bad way. Jim’s firm closed a few weeks ago & although he got another job the next day it is £5 a week less. Actually, we shan’t notice the small rent to begin with as we have had to buy all our lino & carpets on HP am afraid as we couldn’t do otherwise. Fortunately we had enough furniture as there are only 3 small bedrooms, a through lounge and large kitchen also separate bath & toilet.

I am sorry we didn’t manage to come to see you this year. We did buy a motor bike and side car last Xmas. A lovely bike and a very big sidecar. We came south for 3 days at Easter, but unfortunately had a nasty accident on the way home. As is usual in these cases it wasn’t even our faults. Jim hit his bad leg again and I cut my face, head, mouth and knee so badly that it still won’t stand much weight. Anyway we were lucky really as neither of the boys were hurt. We hired a car 2 weeks later to return to Hgte (Harrogate) & the car broke down. We had returned to Epsom (where my mother had been brought up) as we were nearer there, also it was three months before the bike was alright.

We returned to Epsom for a week in Sept, but I am afraid I wasn’t too well, so we didn’t travel about much. We are expecting an addition to the family in March, we must be balmy (Barmy?), but it just happened. (!!!!) Actually it is due to the baby that we got the house, so bless it, even if we can’t buy it much, it will have loads of love.

I am very sorry I couldn’t send you a present this year. I am afraid I haven’t even managed to buy Mum one. We just haven’t a penny left after moving and Jim’s big cut and didn’t dare spend what I hadn’t got by borrowing, as I still have lots to get for baby. Anyway, we all send our love and very best wishes for Xmas & the New Year & I hope you and Daphne like the enclosed snaps of the boys (my dad was into photography). They have real Scotch kilts on and look lovely in them.

Sorry couldn’t send to Daphne separately. I don’t know her married name.

All my love – Eileen. Xx

I remember Auntie Grace vaguely. Towards the very end of her life there was a bit of scandal because she used to drink a lot of sherry. I still write to Daphne at Christmas who was an only child and as far as I can make out has had a refined sort of life. She used to visit and have sewing sessions with my mother up to her death.