Esther Julia Hawkins

BMD birth reference - Lambeth

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I think Esther Hawkins is the writer of this letter in my possession, to my gr grandmother - & her niece- Emmie Dadswell in South Africa:

31 Walton Crescent
Oxford
Nov 27/40

My dear Emmie

Just a line to wish you all a very Happy Christmas. We here in Britain will be working but no one troubles that is getting on with the job. We mustn’t waste time for we want to get this war finished. The more he bombs the more determined we are to smash the Devil, for I am sure he is Satan on earth the prov[? ]of the Bible are coming true. He is trying his hardest to wipe us out. it is heartbreaking to see the damage he has done, but people in London & elsewhere don’t care - just carry on & help those that need it. It is very terrible to see the places down.

George tells me he sends you his letters from me so must read each others, then you will get it all. I hear from Ettie. She doesn’t seem very well. Get her to go to hospital if she should. I ought to have an operation, but at my age – 71 next birthday – you don’t feel like taking the knife, so I shall just carry on as it isn’t very urgent, and Gladys would miss [me]. Don’t know what she would do. So I think it best to take care and rest all I can.
Bessie’s place has its windows all smashed and their Rd & roundabout is all down Johus Dip [Diep? Diop?] & now his place of business have been shattered. Bomb went down on the Lawn 40 feet deep; blew ceilings, doors down. Had narrow escapes.

Arthur has been gassed in a Shelter; taken to Hospital that [was] bombed the next night; taken to another that was bombed also; so he is now at Harrow, but nowhere is safe. We got Wailing Winnies [air raid sirens] when they came over to the West. Have had it pretty often lately. That means no bed: we have to stay put because of Glad, but are very lucky none on the city yet, though we have & hear their very near. We worry about our men - it is their places they are after. Well we have only to die once, but I hope when my time comes I shall be in Bed & no Jerrys overhead.

Write me soon. Tell me all about your girls & Boys. Must include Dave.

With fondest love from us all to you all

Your loving Auntie.

'[Notes from Sharon Doubell 2013. Most punctuation added by me. Beautiful handwriting for a 70 year old – but only one or two full stops :-)' 'Emmie, the recipient, is my mother [Patricia Thelma Doubell] ’s grandmother. Dave is her husband, David Peebles. Dates in this letter suggest this Aunty was born in 1870, and Emmie Dadswell had a maternal aunt called Esther Hawkins born in that year. George & Ettie are Emmie’s brother & sister, but I can’t figure out who Gladys and Arthur , the soldier, might be. I don’t know if Esther married and had children herself.' ]