Gladys Bayner Berry letter 1966 August 7

Note: the footnotes are not part of the original letter

Original copy of this letter is in the possession of Margaret Wollard in Philadelphia, USA.


LETTER FROM GLADYS BAYNER BERRY[1] TO BARBARA ELLA BERRY

59 Stimpson Av
Northampton
England

Aug 7 / 66

Dear Barbara,

I expect you will wonder why I am writing just now, although I do think about you, + wonder how you are getting on. We don't get any younger do we? + have to go a bit slower than we used to do.

I thought I'd better write just in case you don't hear from anyone else, but Maud Kinnersley came to tell me that Lottie had passed away suddenly at the end of July[2]. I believe she had had to take heart tablets for some time but the last time I saw her was at Joe's funeral[3]. That only leaves Lily living in England I believe[4].

Are Jonathan + Chris[5] still living near you? I'm afraid as one gets to 3 score years + 10 it is inevitable that friends + relations pass on. Hope you are able to get around for trips to sea or country. I've been with a friend to Plymouth in June, + we visited Dartmoor, Looe, Polperro etc. The weather was good but we have had lots of cold + wet days since.

Cousin Alice (at Wakefield) was 90 recently[6]. She has a good housekeeper but is deaf + nearly blind so there can't be much joy in life for her. With love + best wishes for you.

Yours sincerely

Gladys


[1] Gladys Bayner Berry was the younger daughter of Henry Edward Berry. She was born 10 November 1895 and died 2 February 1975.

[2] Charlotte Victoria England (formerly Berry) died 28 July 1966. Primary cause of death given as coronary thrombosis.

[3] Samuel Joseph Edward Wilson Berry died 4 February 1965.

[4] True - for the children of John Alfred Berry. Lilian Alice Ball (formerly Berry) died 13 May 1968.

[5] Jonathan Wright Berry had died 28 December 1961; he had been living near Philadelphia, USA. Christopher Arthur Berry died 29 October 1967 in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA. John Alfred Berry was still alive and living in Arizona; he died May 1968

[6] Alice May Berry died 22 November 1968 aged 92. She was the youngest daughter of Daniel Arthur Berry. Death certificate includes "senile deafness and blindness" along with cause of death.