A grieving brother's letter to his father

Feb 5th 1942[1]
                                 
Raglan House,
Somers Road,
Malvern Link,
Worcs.

My dear Father,

I enclose a copy of Lorna’s will which, as I mentioned in my last letter, was unsigned. I am informed that she therefore died intestate, and that you, as her next of kin, become sole possessor of all her worldly goods. The original of this document I have sealed in the presence of witnesses and sent to the bank.

I expect that you will wish that the terms of the will shall be carried into effect, but immediately certain difficulties arise.

The difficulties which immediately spring to my mind are these:

1. No dividends from any of her holdings can be credited to the estate unless now endorsed by you.
2. Such balance as she has in the bank cannot be invested unless authority is given by you.
3. She appears to have Daphne Bird’s musical thesis[2] at the bank under her signature for safe keeping against the possibility of destruction by air raids. There may also be other similar documents. These therefore are not removable except by your signature.

There will probably be many other snags which will arise in the course of time.

That everything should be sent to you for authorisation is an obvious impossibility; there is too much risk of loss[3]. I suggest, therefore, that you send me an authority to take letters of administration on the estate, in my name, and in Mother’s name. This, of course, would have to be done through a solicitor. However, I can do nothing until I hear from you.

We laid our darling to rest, most beautifully this afternoon in Malvern Wells Cemetery, very near Dennis Weston, of whom she was very fond[4]. We made everything as sweet and simple as she would have loved it to be. A plain elm coffin, with no metal of any kind, coupled with pure white silk surrounding her, made her look like a lovely alabaster statue. She looked so peaceful, released from all her pain - and it was, towards the end, very great. She died with a smile on her lips.

Mother was wonderful, and continues to be so. She can have no regrets for she has been as devoted in her service of Lorna, as no-one could ever have been. I do not forget that she saved my life when I was ill[5] in Bristol. Her life has always been one of unbounded love to us both. I did my best to sustain and uphold her as you would have done, had you been here. Much of her trial is yet to come, but with God’s help, I shall do my best to ease her suffering.

I hope my little daughter[6] may in her innocence and babyhood, help to fill the gap God has seen fit to make in all our lives.

Ever your affectionate son,

Theo

[1] Lorna died on 2nd February 1942 aged 28.
[2] Daphne Bird was Lorna's fellow student at Girton College, Cambridge and the first Head of Music at Bretton Hall College. She has been described as 'a delightful Senior Music Lecturer, known nationally for her developments in music education and also with the  Guide movement. See http://www.bretton-hall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/David-Wigley-Reminiscence.pdf
[3] It is believed that Lorna's father Albert was away on active service at this time.
[4] See Lorna's tribute to her step-cousin Dennis Weston following his death on 29th May 1941 https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2713317883613547817
[5] Theo was suffering from pneumonia.

[6] Lorna's niece born in June 1941, who supplied much of the material that has been blipped in this journal.

Tomorrow we will blip another contribution from Theo.