\r\n<\/p>\r\n
Sydney talks at length about schooling for Frank and Renie and about their limited budget. Note that over half of Syd’s annual income of 300 pounds (say the equivalent of $65000 CAD today) is expected to be spent on Frank and Renie’s education for the coming year. In Canada today, that is about $30000, or about the same cost of private school for two students.<\/em> Therein explains the draw for English families to live and work abroad in the British Empire. At home, they could expect to live a very ordinary life; in the colonies, it was a life of luxury — servants, nice clothes, clubs, the racetrack, membership in the Freemasons and often, paid trips home. <\/em><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Tokyo <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n My own Sweet Girl,<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I am so sorry I was unable to write you on Wednesday as usual but my usual Tuesday evening at home was booked up this week by having to entertain a Japanese at the last moment.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I had no letter at all from you last week altho\u2019 one I believe did actually arrive on Saturday afternoon after I had left for the day. So on Monday I had two from you. I was pleased, it was ten days since I had heard from you and was therefore getting a little anxious.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n So you still weep over your Hubby, eh? That is silly! I thought you would have got used to it by this time! 4 months isn\u2019t it? How the time flies! Well, I don\u2019t care how quick it goes for I\u2019m longing for the time to see my precious darling here.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n By the way, I suppose you did not go to see Mr. Potter? Evidently not, or you would have mentioned it in your letter.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Well now, what about Renie\u2019s schooling? Am glad you have had a letter from Mrs. Broad, but are not the fees rather much? You must not forget that there is Frank to be considered also, darling, and I fear my limit of 90 pounds will hardly cover the expenses for two at the rate of 12 guineas per term each. There are clothes to buy, railway fares, pocket money etc. and then there is the extra expense of holidays. Our friends or relatives can hardly be expected to keep them for nothing and if they were to stay at school, the school fees will be higher still. I really think you ought to see Mrs. Broad, explain the situation and get her to quote you an inclusive fee to cover holidays and\u00a0clothes\u00a0if possible.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I am, of course, very anxious for Renie to go to boarding school as soon as possible, but as she will have to make the school her home for at least 2 \u00bd years I am not inclined to rush things. Otherwise, it may put me in a very embarrassing position. Three hundred pounds a year out here with a wife and 3 children is none too much and we shall be obliged to live a \u2018retired\u2019 life! Anything less will be \u2018pinching\u2019 to make both ends meet. I tell you this because the school arrangements\u00a0must\u00a0be left to you, and when you\u00a0know\u00a0how much I can spare you for making the necessary arrangements, well, you can go ahead!\u00a0\u00a0And 90 pounds a year is the absolute limit to cover\u00a0everything.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n The best thing, undoubtedly, is to go down to Hastings if you are bent on sending her\u00a0there\u00a0and see Mrs. Broad and \u2018knock her down\u2019 to the lowest she will take. It is much better than\u00a0all\u00a0the writing. You\u2019ll find she will come down alright. Pupils are not easily found nowadays. They cannot afford to throw away any chance of getting them even at low figure!<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I will send you 10 pounds to go on with and you can take a few days holiday at the same time and if then you can fix it up with Mrs. Broad, leave Rene there and at the same time you can look out a school for Frank. On second thoughts, with regard to Frank, it has occurred to me that Mr. Potter might speak to Mr. Ewart to get him into the Merchant Taylors School. There is one, of course, for the sons of gentlemen, and there is another branch, I believe, for boys, whose parents have only moderate means. I am writing to Mr. Potter and I\u2019ll certainly mention it to him. You might also write to him about it. It would be fine to get Frank there as he is just the age to be eligible for admission. Furthermore, there are no fees and 20 pounds a year would cover all his expenses.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I forgot to mention that Mr. Ewart is a Governor of the school and therefore if he will only interest himself on our behalf, Frank\u2019s admission to the school is assured. I don\u2019t care about asking him without first mentioning it to Mr. Potter so will wait to hear what\u00a0he\u00a0has to say.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Am so glad to hear darling that you are getting stronger. See what a little help will so for you! Now mind you try and keep that girl as long as you can! Otherwise you will go back again [into depression].<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n So Maurice is nearly rid of the ringworm, am so pleased! It has been troublesome, hasn\u2019t it?<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I still keep pretty well, occasionally have attacks of indigestion but am not troubled much.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n The weather now is getting warm and indeed some days are quite hot. But. Of course, it is not wise to discard winter underclothing yet.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I went out on Sunday with one or two fellows to see a famous temple just close to us, one of the oldest in the country, about 200 to 300 years. You must understand, there is very little here that is really \u2018ancient\u2019 from our point of view. Therefore, anything that has stood for about 200 to 300 years is considered quite ancient!! Most of the houses being built of wood seldom last more than 20 to 30 years.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n I had a walk in the afternoon through Hibiya Park. The azaleas looked lovely! And immediately thought of you darling, and how charmed you would have been. There was also a fine band playing at the time and consequently great crowds of people. This was the first time I had heard a Japanese band. It was splendid. I understand they play every Sunday afternoon when it is fine during the summer, so shall make a point of going to hear it.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Things are going very well at the office and we are doing splendid business and making fine profits. So on the whole everything is looking \u2018rosy.\u2019<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Am sending a few more cards for the kiddies.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n With fondest love my own<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Ever your devoted<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Sid<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sydney talks at length about schooling for Frank and Renie and their limited budget. Note that over half Syd’s annual income of 300 pounds is expected to be spent on Frank and Renie’s education for the coming year. In Canada today, that is about $30000 for the average wage Syd is earning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":67,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stc_notifier_status":"","_stc_notifier_sent_time":"","_stc_notifier_request":false,"_stc_notifier_prevent":false,"_stc_subscriber_keywords":"","_stc_subscriber_search_areas":"","nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n Sydney talks at length about schooling for Frank and Renie and about their limited budget. Note that over half of Syd's annual income of 300 pounds (say the equivalent of $65000 CAD today) is expected to be spent on Frank and Renie's education for the coming year. In Canada today, that is about $30000, or about the same cost of private school for two students.<\/em> Therein explains the draw for English families to live and work abroad in the British Empire. At home, they could expect to live a very ordinary life; in the colonies, it was a life of luxury -- servants, nice clothes, clubs, the racetrack, membership in the Freemasons and often, paid trips home. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n Tokyo My own Sweet Girl,<\/p>\r\n\r\n I am so sorry I was unable to write you on Wednesday as usual but my usual Tuesday evening at home was booked up this week by having to entertain a Japanese at the last moment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n I had no letter at all from you last week altho\u2019 one I believe did actually arrive on Saturday afternoon after I had left for the day. So on Monday I had two from you. I was pleased, it was ten days since I had heard from you and was therefore getting a little anxious.<\/p>\r\n\r\n So you still weep over your Hubby, eh? That is silly! I thought you would have got used to it by this time! 4 months isn\u2019t it? How the time flies! Well, I don\u2019t care how quick it goes for I\u2019m longing for the time to see my precious darling here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n By the way, I suppose you did not go to see Mr. Potter? Evidently not, or you would have mentioned it in your letter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Well now, what about Renie\u2019s schooling? Am glad you have had a letter from Mrs. Broad, but are not the fees rather much? You must not forget that there is Frank to be considered also, darling, and I fear my limit of 90 pounds will hardly cover the expenses for two at the rate of 12 guineas per term each. There are clothes to buy, railway fares, pocket money etc. and then there is the extra expense of holidays. Our friends or relatives can hardly be expected to keep them for nothing and if they were to stay at school, the school fees will be higher still. I really think you ought to see Mrs. Broad, explain the situation and get her to quote you an inclusive fee to cover holidays and\u00a0clothes\u00a0if possible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n I am, of course, very anxious for Renie to go to boarding school as soon as possible, but as she will have to make the school her home for at least 2 \u00bd years I am not inclined to rush things. Otherwise, it may put me in a very embarrassing position. Three hundred pounds a year out here with a wife and 3 children is none too much and we shall be obliged to live a \u2018retired\u2019 life! Anything less will be \u2018pinching\u2019 to make both ends meet. I tell you this because the school arrangements\u00a0must\u00a0be left to you, and when you\u00a0know\u00a0how much I can spare you for making the necessary arrangements, well, you can go ahead!\u00a0\u00a0And 90 pounds a year is the absolute limit to cover\u00a0everything.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The best thing, undoubtedly, is to go down to Hastings if you are bent on sending her\u00a0there\u00a0and see Mrs. Broad and \u2018knock her down\u2019 to the lowest she will take. It is much better than\u00a0all\u00a0the writing. You\u2019ll find she will come down alright. Pupils are not easily found nowadays. They cannot afford to throw away any chance of getting them even at low figure!<\/p>\r\n\r\n I will send you 10 pounds to go on with and you can take a few days holiday at the same time and if then you can fix it up with Mrs. Broad, leave Rene there and at the same time you can look out a school for Frank. On second thoughts, with regard to Frank, it has occurred to me that Mr. Potter might speak to Mr. Ewart to get him into the Merchant Taylors School. There is one, of course, for the sons of gentlemen, and there is another branch, I believe, for boys, whose parents have only moderate means. I am writing to Mr. Potter and I\u2019ll certainly mention it to him. You might also write to him about it. It would be fine to get Frank there as he is just the age to be eligible for admission. Furthermore, there are no fees and 20 pounds a year would cover all his expenses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n I forgot to mention that Mr. Ewart is a Governor of the school and therefore if he will only interest himself on our behalf, Frank\u2019s admission to the school is assured. I don\u2019t care about asking him without first mentioning it to Mr. Potter so will wait to hear what\u00a0he\u00a0has to say.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Am so glad to hear darling that you are getting stronger. See what a little help will so for you! Now mind you try and keep that girl as long as you can! Otherwise you will go back again [into depression].<\/p>\r\n\r\n So Maurice is nearly rid of the ringworm, am so pleased! It has been troublesome, hasn\u2019t it?<\/p>\r\n\r\n I still keep pretty well, occasionally have attacks of indigestion but am not troubled much.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The weather now is getting warm and indeed some days are quite hot. But. Of course, it is not wise to discard winter underclothing yet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n I went out on Sunday with one or two fellows to see a famous temple just close to us, one of the oldest in the country, about 200 to 300 years. You must understand, there is very little here that is really \u2018ancient\u2019 from our point of view. Therefore, anything that has stood for about 200 to 300 years is considered quite ancient!! Most of the houses being built of wood seldom last more than 20 to 30 years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n I had a walk in the afternoon through Hibiya Park. The azaleas looked lovely! And immediately thought of you darling, and how charmed you would have been. There was also a fine band playing at the time and consequently great crowds of people. This was the first time I had heard a Japanese band. It was splendid. I understand they play every Sunday afternoon when it is fine during the summer, so shall make a point of going to hear it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Things are going very well at the office and we are doing splendid business and making fine profits. So on the whole everything is looking \u2018rosy.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n Am sending a few more cards for the kiddies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n With fondest love my own<\/p>\r\n\r\n Ever your devoted<\/p>\r\n\r\n Sid<\/p>\r\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"authors":[],"root_bruce":[852],"tags_bruce":[],"history":[],"media_bruce":[],"history_bruce":[],"families_bruce":[],"eras_bruce":[1022],"class_list":["post-2894","bc_posts","type-bc_posts","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","root_bruce-bruce","eras_bruce-1900-1949"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bc_posts\/2894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bc_posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bc_posts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2894"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bc_posts\/2894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8085,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bc_posts\/2894\/revisions\/8085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"authors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/authors?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"root_bruce","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/root_bruce?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"tags_bruce","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags_bruce?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"history","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/history?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"media_bruce","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_bruce?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"history_bruce","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/history_bruce?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"families_bruce","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/families_bruce?post=2894"},{"taxonomy":"eras_bruce","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newearthvillage.com\/spriggs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/eras_bruce?post=2894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
27 Apr 1911<\/p>\r\n
27 Apr 1911<\/p>\r\n\r\n