Mainly letters from Kate O’Brien, End Farm, North Leigh, Witney, Oxon, 10 Buckingham Street, Adelphi, W.C. 2, The Fort, Roundstone, Galway, Hotel Jardin, Avila, Spain, and Strand House, Limerick, to Elizabeth and Austin Hall at Illington Hall, Thetford, Norfolk, 34 Twisden Road, London, University College Hospital and Gowe[r] Street, London, referring to Christmas gifts, Austin’s education at Oxford, property, and health matters. Includes a letter from End Farm in Oxon, noting, ‘This place is lonely, simple and pleasant. I am about 35 minutes from Oxford on an infrequent bus. It is lovely country, and the old house I am in is shabby and warm and very easy on the eye. My landlady is an angel about fires, and rough comfort generally, but she thinks hot water and washing are mainly nonsense’ (28 December 1939). In addition, a letter from Strand House thanking Elizabeth (Betty) for a received gift, stating the following: ‘“Uninspired” you say. For Heaven’s sake anything but, a most, most welcome. Thank you very, very much. A great deal of whiskey could be got for such a present – but it won’t be here, when in my sister’s house life is rather teetotal. Good for me, for a change, I’m sure’ (7 December 1973). In addition, includes letters and postcards to Betty from a number of sources including a postcard from Mary O’Neill addressed to Summerhill, Leiston, Suffolk, from Roundstone, county Galway noting, ‘I am having an absolutely marvellous time here but it is too cold to draw or paint outdoors… Kate has two cats – a black & a little female tabby which growls when it plays’ (11 December 1950).
