"Doornkop, anti-capitalist fight" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner: Ruth Alexander MSC 26/2.1.12 |
| Archive | National Library of South Africa, Special Collections, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 14 December 1918 |
| Address From | 9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Westminster, London |
| Address To | Kalk Bay, Cape Town, Western Cape |
| Who To | Ruth Alexander nee Schechter |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Special Collections. The address this letter was sent to is provided by an attached envelope, with the final insertion written on it. Schreiner was resident at Porchester Place from early April 1917 until August 1920, when she left Britain for South Africa.
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1
Dec 14th 1918
2
3 My darling Ruth.
4
5 I was glad to hear from you.
6
7 You see the the last letter I had from you so many months ago you told
8me you felt ill & with j out power or energy - so strange for you - &
9when I never heard of you from anyone I felt sure something must have
10gone wrong. I'm so glad you are working at the University. I'm sure
11it's so wise.
12
13 I'm leading a strangely solitary life here, seldom see any one, often
14for six or seven days exchange a word with no human creature but the
15girl who brings up my coals. I sometimes see Miss Molteno but she is
16very absorbed in her Theosophy. She's a dear creature.
17
18 My nephew Oliver is engaged to a Miss Edna Fincham at the Cape; from
19her letters she seems a charming girl. He is still in Mesopotamia.
20When he can get free he is coming back to England & she is coming here
21to marry him, & he will finish his studies here.
22
23 Ursula's husband has just been over from France for a few days holiday
24but has gone back. Dot is working in the Wrens: she has got quite
25strong again. She has written a little book called "Hospital Studies,"
26by Frances Lyndall. They are rather good I think.
27
28 Good bye my darling May the New Year bring you good.
29
30 Olive
31
32^Have just heard your husband has been so ill. Am so sorry.^
33
34
35
2
3 My darling Ruth.
4
5 I was glad to hear from you.
6
7 You see the the last letter I had from you so many months ago you told
8me you felt ill & with j out power or energy - so strange for you - &
9when I never heard of you from anyone I felt sure something must have
10gone wrong. I'm so glad you are working at the University. I'm sure
11it's so wise.
12
13 I'm leading a strangely solitary life here, seldom see any one, often
14for six or seven days exchange a word with no human creature but the
15girl who brings up my coals. I sometimes see Miss Molteno but she is
16very absorbed in her Theosophy. She's a dear creature.
17
18 My nephew Oliver is engaged to a Miss Edna Fincham at the Cape; from
19her letters she seems a charming girl. He is still in Mesopotamia.
20When he can get free he is coming back to England & she is coming here
21to marry him, & he will finish his studies here.
22
23 Ursula's husband has just been over from France for a few days holiday
24but has gone back. Dot is working in the Wrens: she has got quite
25strong again. She has written a little book called "Hospital Studies,"
26by Frances Lyndall. They are rather good I think.
27
28 Good bye my darling May the New Year bring you good.
29
30 Olive
31
32^Have just heard your husband has been so ill. Am so sorry.^
33
34
35
Notation
'Dot's little book' is: Frances Lyndall (1918) Hospital Sketches London: Allen & Unwin.
'Dot's little book' is: Frances Lyndall (1918) Hospital Sketches London: Allen & Unwin.