Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.1. Correspondence, Private letters
1969 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to May Beveridge, 10.12.1969
Source: Archives of Rural History (ARH), Elizabeth McLoughlin Papers
Dearest May. It is ages since I wrote to you, I can’t remember if I wrote to you since I sold my land on 19th September, I got a good price for it £7.000 but the deal is not closed yet so I am very scares of cash at present. The Nolan family who lived in the cottage on that land were coming up to live with me here and I was looking forward to having Mrs Nolan to look after me for the rest of my days. I took you to see them when you were over here. Well, I decided to sell off surplus furniture as Nolans has quite a bit to bring up here, and I said to Parkie that we should sell our family Silver and plate and extra things which I would not now need. So we had quite a large auction of things on 28th October here in the house. It was a fine day and the stuff was on view in the sitting room and sun-parlour and was held up at the door of the sun-parlour so they people had to stand out on the gravel and lawn. There was only one small shower when the linen and blankets were being sold and they went very cheap. But we got very good prices for our Silver and plate. Parkie had got the Silver valued in Dublin and we got £20 more that the valuation for it at the auction. Of course it was extra good and old. One old Irish spoon dated 1725 was sold for £13-10-0 and half a dozen punch ladles dated 1801 for £40 and five for £37. My Bobbett cousins from Meath came and bought a lot of the PMB spoons which will go to the fifth generation of Bobbetts. They also bought the Hare in glass case which was a wedding present to my Father from a Coursing Club in 1896. I am dividing the money from that auction between my brothers so I shall have a nice cheque to send them after Christmas. Now for my sad news. Mrs Nolan (Nellie) was up helping at the auction and in great form, and got tea at 6.30 pm for all the Bobbett cousins, and left here at 7.30 pm to walk home. She would not let me get my car to drive her home. She got a stroke at 9 pm that night and was dead at 8 pm next evening. She was taken to Wicklow Hospital, and when we went in to see her on the Wednesday morning she was in a deep coma and no hope for her. RIP. I am heartbroken and cannot get over the shock and loss. I was so much looking forward to having her look after me for the rest of my date. People were saying to me the day of the auction they heard I was going to live in Dublin, I said No. I am not leaving Kilbride, but having given up Farming I am now retiring from Housekeeping and going to take it easy. I am resigned to God’s Holy Will and pray he will guide me to do it. Tom Nolan and son Eugene have moved up here and the married daughter stayed a month with us, and the younger daughter who is hairdressing in Dublin will come home every second week-end and is a great help.
The two daughters will be here for Christmas, and I am going to Jennie McElligott for Christmas, as if weather was not good, the journey to Parkie to Donabate would be too much for me. Also, I was with Parkie for a week end recently, and will go there on 13th January for Kitty’s 70th birthday on 14th January, and stay a few days. They are both keeping very well as also Willie in London. I am attending my local doctor for bloodpressure treatment. It is a bit high with recent shock, but I have put on weight and feel well, except that I feel ‘‘in a dream’’ I cannot realise dear Nellie is gone.
Tom and Eugene are all kindness and concern for me and do as much as possible to help me in housework. I have no Farm work now except a few hens, I have not got to sorting out all my papers yet, and am hoping to start writing my autobiography in the new year. May God spare me to finish it as many people are most anxious that I should write it.
Enough about my self. I hope May dear that you are feeling very much better and that Jim is also keeping very well and all the family. Hope Elizabeth has got over her sinus trouble, I often heard it said the operation was the surest cure for it. I think your last letter to me was the one in September in which you sent me the snaps taken here this summer, at Wicklow and Arklow and a lovely one of Jim and Ethna and me taken here in colour.
A neighbour sent over a TV set to my auction and Tom Nolan bought it. He sold his Gas stove for £21 and bought the TV for £19-10-0 and it is a very good set. we have it working at present in the kitchen but will get it set up in sitting room after Christmas. I don’t care much for TV it is too much a ‘‘time waster’’.
The weather has been wonderfully mild and dry this winter so far, not a bit like Christmas, though they had some snow in Dublin one day recently. It is on the Wicklow mountains but not near here. I am not sending Christmas cards this year so I wish you all a very happy Christmas and many many blessings in the New Year. Fondest love from Lillie.
PS I had a letter from Meg Beveridge on 28th October the morning of my auction. She had been over with her sister in England and was returning next day to Canada and asked for your address, she would be going south for the winter. With all my sorrow, I did not reply to her letter yet.