20 July 1919
Dear Dad,
I’m sure you and mum went to the Peace Day parades, in Cambridge. I was part of the Brighton parade and luckily, my prosthetic leg held out through the march, where we went from Church Street, along New Road, then up North Street and Western Road, then down Preston Street and back to the seafront, finishing at the Palace Pier. We were given tea and then watched the lovely Grand Confetti Carnival which had so many decorated cars and bicycles. Then there were some dancers and so many people in fancy dress.
I recognised many of my fellow soldiers with missing legs. They are fine men and it was an honour to march with the ones who could. But it was bitter, sweet due to many not finding as warm a welcome as I have had after the war. Unfortunately, a lot of my fellow amputees have not had much luck finding work as I have. A lot of their careers were reliant on their, now missing limbs and the extravagant celebrations caused a lot of the men to question how they could spend so much, when they were living rough.
The fireworks at the end of the celebration were a tough time for all of us. The crowds didn’t understand how the sounds and flashes of light were reminiscent of the commencement of barrage. It caused more than a few tears from the men and we all felt a sense of overwhelming camaraderie at the memories it invoked.
Even though we felt thrilled by the signing of the Treaty of Versailles at the end of June, the celebration felt more sombre to us servicemen. Patricia was concerned by my mood and took George home early to tuck him in. I don’t blame her, I was not in a party mood and the day had caused me mixed emotions and I was terribly tired after the march and the pinching from the prosthetic leg was becoming unbearable towards the end.
I think she was annoyed with me as when we had started the day, she was full of praise and saying how proud she was of me and how handsome I looked in my uniform, but when I returned home, she had gone to bed without me and turned off the lights.
I might buy her some flowers and see if they encourage her to be less austere than her current disposition.
Wish me luck,
Josh
10 September 1919
Dear Dad,
The job has been going well and I am teaching quite a few students at the boy’s secondary school. We are fast approaching the Harvest holidays and the boys are getting easily distracted from their studies.
The principal is a dear man, who reminds me a lot of you when you feel a lecture subject is needed. He pulled me into his office and gently, but firmly, told me that while he appreciated my obvious Italian and French educational background, he needed me to teach in the imperial system rather than metric. I pointed out that the British Association for the Advancement of Science has been pushing for the metric system to be adopted. But as you know the industries are adamant against the change, so I need to comply with the schools policy.
I hope they start to use the scientific standard soon, as I believe it will cause quite high confusion for future scientific careers and needed education for all British students.
Patricia is becoming very social. She goes to her woman’s group to play cards each week and is becoming very politically focused. Since she is under 30 years old, her group is actively trying to get a right for women to vote in a younger age group. They also are looking for broader employment types and to stop woman being excluded from employment after marriage. I guess it makes sense, since we lost so many young men in the war. But I still can’t picture a woman as a lawyer or engineer, just seems very strange to me. I swear this certainly is the age of change!
Thinking of you and mum,
Josh
7 January 1920
Dear Dad,
I think this silence has gone on long enough. I know you were quite upset. But I do think you over reacted a bit.
Patricia did not mean any offense by coming and smoking a cigar with the men after Christmas dinner. Apparently many women are now doing this and she is following the normal behaviour of the women in her circle. It may have seemed an inappropriate time to, as you said ‘challenge the authority of age’, but she is going through a phase and I believe it is better to support the women’s movement, rather than hinder it.
That being said, the comments about her hair and dress were also not very polite and I would ask that you and mum try to accept the new times without insulting my wife, when you come for another visit.
George is still growing like a weed and he really enjoyed your stories. Sorry, if you felt upset when you left, but just know that we really do appreciate your time and that we miss you when you’re not here. We hope to come up and maybe, celebrate your grandsons first birthday with you in the new year?
Hopefully hear from you soon,
Josh
9 February1920
Dear Dad,
I really hoped that our first get together after the cigar incident would have made a bit more pleasant than our previous visit. I had to try convince Pat to come and to bring George, who she said, did not want him learning unhealthy attitudes from you both. When mother commented that her bob cut hair style looked like a boys, she was horribly offended. Your comment over her skirt were also very rude.
You both need to realise that we are not stuck in the 1900’s anymore. We are 1920’s! This is a time for change and progression. Not only for us, but our children! I fully support this movement and think girls having the vote will be an interesting thing for them to do, apart from knitting. I often said that Pat needed more hobbies and this seems a really good one for her. You should hear her talk about the things she has learnt about the candidates and political climate. She is very interested in the first woman to take a seat in the house of commons, elected in 1919 as a conservative for Plymouth. Her name is Nancy Astor. Not sure if you would hear about that, as I know the newspapers consider it fluff news.
We keep getting told by the newspapers about the need to procreate due to the numbers lost in the war and while we sympathise, Pat has learnt a Dr Marie Stopes is apparently planning to open a birth control clinic sometime next year? Sounds odd. The need to stop producing a child, which is basically a woman’s main goal? Seems very odd to me, but times change for the better, hopefully.
I do have an odd worry that maybe if women choose not to give birth anymore then will we survive? Our species seems very lacking at the moment and I feel it is my duty to try talking Pat into us having a second child. George is thriving and I believe having a brother, hopefully, would be good for him. Not sure if Pat will agree, but I hope you look forward to a new grandson bouncing on your knee in a few months.
Miss you and mum,
Josh.
7 April 1920
Dear Dad,
Your second grandchild is on it’s way! We just got the news from Dr Freedman. He told us that the baby is growing well and is expected to arrive in November. We are very excited. Obviously due to the strain, Pat has taken a more subdued role in her woman’s group and I really hate to say that I’m pleased. I felt a bit like she was beginning to become a bit aggressive in her goals. While I agree the equality in some spectres, I also feel a bit like they may be asking for too much and will fail with the stress, if they ask for everything at once. Women often don’t understand that they need to be protected and fight without reason? I keep telling her it’s for her best interest, but she keeps getting more and more angry with me. Then I point out that due to getting angry and acting like a child, she should see that it was showing my point. She then threw a vase at my head. I think it’s just because her hormones are out of control due to the baby…
Hope you are well and please come visit when you next have a chance. We are looking at moving to a house rather than a flat soon to make room for the new baby. House hunting should be fun.
Let me know when you have some time,
Josh
Next part TBA
