JOHANNA' LETTER'S 1958 TO 1961

JOHANNA'S LETTERS 1958 TO 1961

LETTER FROM JOHANNA DUFFUS SHORT

61 A Grange Court Drive
Bexhill on Sea
Sussex
February 7th, 1958

Dear Emma,

It was very nice to get a letter from you which came exactly on my 98th birthday. The postman had a lot of things for me.

I had two telegrams, 17 cards & 8 presents, so I felt well remembered.

I like this place as it is warmer & less rainy than Wales.

We do not have many friends yet, as my son-in-law only retired
here last year, but we are nearer the grandchildren. I hear often from my sister Jeanie in Dundee.

Love from Auntie Joey

LETTER FROM JOHANNA DUFFUS SHORT TO VIOLA DUFFUS (daughter of George Duffus who was the son of John Duffus born in 1840)

61 Grange Court Drive
Bexhill, Sussex
April 8, '59

Dear Viola,

Just a few lines along with this photo. I want you to have it. Our neighbor is a very good photographer. As we had our niece from Edinburgh he thought he would like to take us all. So here it is.

Thanks for your letter & programme of the Welsh service.

Sorry to hear about your sister Lillian hope she is a lot better.

We have had very happy times lately. Two of my great grandchildren ages 15 & 13 came to visit us for 10 days. Then their mother & father came for the week-end & took them home.

One morning they took me to the front to see the sea. It was a lovely day. Mable's husband had the dinner all ready when we came back.

With love

Joey

LETTER FROM MABLE HEATHER TO VIOLA DUFFUS

April 1959

Dear Viola,

Mamma always likes to see a letter from Florida. It is nice of you to keep in touch.

We have had much better weather lately, in fact, it was like summer when the children were here. They rolled about the garden in their bare feet. We have a patch at the bottom where they can play cricket. We have the decorators doing our one top room & next week they are to do the hall. In between times, we are having my eldest son & family of two. they all like to see great granny & find her great fun.

It's amazing that she can stand & what a good digestion, she has & how she can do practically everything for herself. I am indeed lucky when you hear of people being bedridden.

That's all for the present,

Kind regards from

Mable Heather

P.S. Could you please let Emma see it.

LETTER FROM JOHANNA DUFFUS SHORT

61 A Grange Court Drive
Bexhill
June 24th, 1960

Dear Emma,

I thought you would like a letter from me just to tell you that I'm still alive. Your letter for my hundred birthday came that very morning. What a wonderful day I had.

Friends & Mable & neighbors called all day long & had cups of tea & bits of cake made by a local shop. It was very lovely indeed.

The house was full of flowers for 10 days afterward.

I am still keeping well and able to take my walk each day.

This week a gentlemen called with his car & took us to their lovely house, where we had tea, saw their coloured photos of their Scotch holiday.

We had some of the great grandchildren & their mothers & fathers & soon we will be having some more.

I have sight.

Love from

Aunty Joey

LETTER FROM MABLE HEATHER

Dear Emma,

We were very sorry to hear of Viola's death. I didn't tell mother what she died of, because she would have grieved a lot. She was very fond of Viola through her letters, although they had never met. It seemed so sad to die like that when we thought she was enjoying a happy retirement.

I hope Lillian is better by now & that you are enjoying good health.

Mother keeps wonderfully cheerful & can dress herself although she is slowing down quite a bit.

We have a lovely garden simply full of colour at the moment, with all the roses out, so she sits in a little snug corner out of the draught, enjoys watching the birds. She still knits her squares for blankets. I wonder if you go away for a summer vacation or holiday as we call it.

Kind regards from

Mable Heather

LETTER FROM MABLE HEATHER (Johanna Duffus Short's daughter)

61 A Grange Court Drive
Bexhill, England
Feb. 1961

Dear Emma,

I have rewritten the family tree, so I hope this is what you want. We were interested to see all your family. What a nice lot of young folks. They are the ones to keep us young & lively.

We are so sorry to hear you haven't been well, but I hope by now you are feeling more like your old self.

Don't think all the family died young. Grandpa Duffus died about age 86. Perhaps you are going to follow him. Illness always makes one look on the gloomy side. Here is Johanna still alive & cheery at 101 so never say die.

I was appalled to read of the terrible snow storms in New York. They must have been very trying to beat. I hope they are over for the season.

We are lucky in S. England & have really had a mild winter, if rainy, up to now.

Mother had an enjoyable birthday. We did not have any of our relatives as they are too far off to come & bring their young families just for the day.

Kind regards from

Mable Heather

Thanks also for the pretty card.

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LETTER FROM MABLE HEATHER (Johanna Duffus Short's daughter)

61 A Grange Court Dr.
Bexhill, Sussex, England
Dec. 1, '61

Dear Emma,

I thought you would like a photo some friends took this September, so it is quite up to date.

The old gentlemen is my brother-in-law & the young girl is his daughter. You'll recognize Mamma & the others are myself & husband. It is taken outside, our lounge, where we sit out in the summer. The glass partition keeps the wind off us nicely.

I'm pleased to say Mamma is still thriving & looks as though she will still be here for her 102nd birthday on February 4th. She isn't walking out now but I have a wheeled chair in which I take her a little way. We stand on a hill, so it's a bit hard pushing on the return journey. What she likes to do is to go & visit friends.

She is going out to tea on Saturday. People seem to live longer these days.

We have had a very full time this summer. As we can't get away, all the friends have to come to us. & as all my children have cars now we see them more often which we like very much. We are very interested to watch what your President is doing. What a task for one so young & his wife too.

We listen to Allistair Cooke talking from America about American affairs to the British. I wonder if he speaks on your radio too.

I expect all your young ones are looking forward to Xmas. They look a very jolly crowd from the photo you sent & I expect you have lots of fun when they are all together.

Mamma spends her time cutting up material for stuffing toys which a crippled girl went next door makes & sells. Mamma can also knit desclothes so all her friends get one.

We are following our Queen's visit to Africa in the newspapers & have enjoyed seeing Princess Margaret's new joy. David he is to be called.

Very many good witnesses for Xmas-tide.

Yours sincerely,

Mable Heather

Design by David Duffus