A Letter to a Returning FEPOW (13th October 1945)

My father, Robert (Bob) Percy Edmunds,  was a prisoner of the Japanese during the Second World War. I have a number of letters written by family members upon hearing that he was alive and coming home ...

The following is the text of a letter sent by Hannah, the wife of my Dad's brother, Albert. The letter is addressed  to "a.c, 2 R. P. Edmunds, Ex P.O.W. C/o PO Box 164, London". It is dated October 13th (1945) and the senders address is given as "137 Barkers Hill, Donhead St Andrew".

"My Dear Bob

We are all eagerly counting the days now time doesn't really go quick enough to please us, but the weather is lovely at the moment, lovely sunshine all day and hot too. We shall have a lot to talk about and when you see all these boys around, Arthur is much taller than Bert and Bertie he thinks he is quite grown up. Bert is just outside Bremen now waiting to be disbanded, he says he may come back over here, he has had his medical for demobbing so it won't be long now before we get him back and Cliff. I had a nice day in Salisbury with Cliff while he was home, I really never thought he meant to take me, your Dad is off to auntie May for the weekend. I am just about to go to work so will say cherio and all the best till we see you, from Hannah & family"

Notes:

Bert is Dad's older brother (Albert Edmunds)
Bertie and Arthur are Bert and Hannah's sons (Dad's cousins)
Cliff is also Dad's brother (Clifford Edmunds)
Auntie May is Dad's auntie, his father's sister.

Recent Visit to Barkers Hill and Donhead St Andrew

Monday 11th November saw us in The Donheads for the funeral of my mothers dearest friend Amy Ruth Mitchell (nee Else). Finding ourselves with time to spare we knocked on the door of Hilltop, the old Edmunds family home on Barkers Hill. We couldn't have had a warmer welcome from Martin, the present owner. He gave us a guided tour of the cottage and Mum was able to tell how it had changed from the time when Dad had lived there. It was good to know that, although the inside of the property had been somewhat opened up, many of the original features remain. Mum was able to point out where Mrs Edmunds had her shop and remembered that my Grandfather had dug a well in what was now the drive.

The present owner moved to the property in 2010 and told us that they found that the house had very little insulation in the roof and on the front of the house, being very difficult to keep warm their first winter there.

Work on the house, however, has revealed some interesting Edmunds memorabilia! Whilst work was going on in the loft three wage slips were found in the name of Edmunds. The earliest is dated 29th October 1937 and the latest 2nd June 1939. As the wage slips are for the Wiltshire and Dorset Bus Company it is certain that they relate to Dad's brother Clifford, my Uncle Cliff.

Also found, were some cigarette packets and cards, these  possibly having belonged to my father - Dad was never a smoker but he was an avid collector of cards in his youth and we still have his collection today.

We are very grateful to Martin for his kindness to us and for his interest in the history of those who used to live in his house! We are also very pleased to have an invitation to tea when the weather is better!

Donhead St Andrew Church Choir c.1930

This is a photo of Donhead St Andrew Church choir, taken (I would guess) around 1930. My father, Robert Percy Edmunds (usually known as "Bob") is seated in the middle of the front row. Dad identified those in the picture thus:

Back Row Boys - Left to Right: Roy Scammell, Tom Gray, Clyde Higgins, Walter King, Lewes Bartlett & Jim Gray

Next Row (Men) - Left to Right: Reg Wagstaff, Mr Lovett, Tom Sanger & Reg Andrews

Next Row - Left to Right: Norman Gray, Ernest King, Major Hill, Canon Clark, Frank Logan (?), Ern Howell & Reggie Head

Front Row - Left to Right: Frank Lampard, Bob Edmunds & Peter Mullins