My dear Freda,

Until I hear that all our letters have gone, I shall not bother to send you any more. I believe that the letters at the Camp Post Office are 2 feet deep and no attempt has been made to expedite their censorship.

However today many lucky people have received mail and some have even received parcels. Lucky they.

Today I have seen the Peking Chronicle of the 29th April in which our alley, Peabody Buildings appears. Our house being the first is clearly visible and George Wallis can be seen working on his door. I wonder what impression you had when you saw these. I wonder whether you have deduced that this place does not deserve to be called a Civilian Assembley Centre, but a Penal Settlement. Today for the first time since our internment have we had sufficient to eat, which also means that no bread is consumed.

Yesterday, a guard presented himself at our house and offered to do a little purchasing for us I gave him my order, and late last night after the departure of our nightly visitors, he slipped in carefully c1osing the door behind him. He produced 3 pkts Mosquito Coils, 2 tubes brown shoe polish, 2 black and 1 tin St. Charles Milk, small size, 1 carton of Waldorf at $50, 2 jars apple jam and bottle of beer free - the total came to $103.

I expect he has got his cut but nevertheless we gave him $10. for his trouble.

Yesterday morning a Trappist Monk obtained 1 lb of sugar for me for $5. For which I was extremely grateful. I sugared the marmalade with it, but unfortunately Sid in his zeal and sore finger dropped the pan and we were only able to salvage the top layers. So instead of 2 whole bottles of marmalade we only had 3/4 of one.

Sid had a spot of bother with Mrs. Dreggs. It is unfortunate, but the Dreggs came worse equipped than us with stores and she, like a fussy mother hen fearful for her young ones, rushed over to the pile of sweets brought by Sid for the alley and commenced to pick the choicest ones. Sid closed the bag and said that she wasn’t to do it, but just to pick 50 sweets at random. She accused Sid of being rude and Sid declared he did not want the wardenship, etc. Hot words were exchanged. Little later Sid, I think apologised, but I saw she did not leave it at that but continued to utter justifications. Pity. Sid called Alfie in and gave him our empty beer bottle ostensibly to call it quits. As earlier on she gave me her empty pineapple tin in which I put my soap ends.

I hear that Claire Abbis and the Kelseys expect to be here soon, as a matter of fact gave the 1st May as the probable date. But I fail to see how they can be accommodated unless the Catholic Fathers are sent to Peking. The sanitation here is appalling, in fact more often than not there are only 5 lavs for 1000 men the cesspools are overf1owing, the huge blue bottles are here. It is dreadful. For days, the ladies’ main road lavs were not working and the only other is a Chinese type only a concrete dip with a runaway for urine into a common trough, halfway partitions and stable doors for the use of 700-odd women. But amazing though it may seem we manage to live these things down and keep cheerful.

The lights are fused. Fred Marsh has come to report to Sid about it.

So must stop.

May 10th 1943 ...

(actual letter written to but not sent to Freda in ?)

My dear Freda:

I hope that you will receive this without much delay – mails are very irregular these days. Our children have had a good Easter, they each received a chocolate egg from Joerg after all. The weather is extremely warm, 101 in the shade, I got into my bodice-shaped beach top today but feel slightly uncomfortable with the clergy around – feel too naked – so for supper – 6.30 I wear a bolero. I can sympathise with Eve, how she must have felt to resort to her fig leaf skirt.

Christine is now trying to get on her feet, she hauls herself up as far as her knees by holding on to the side of her cot. I am unable to do any communal work as she is still a handful. Even have to rise at 6p.m. to cope with the washing. Peter is a handful too – poor children they are completely out of hand and the poor parents their temper is frayed to a frazzle. You’d be surprised to see the number of children who are getting their long waited for spanks. Gay has resumed Russian with Mrs Dreggs. I am also resuming Russian and also art – we are all doing physical labour but we are now feeling the need for intellectual labour – I’ll have to take Christine with me when I attend classes because Gay is busy at school and Sid is pumping during the day. Kathleen Carter was baptised yesterday and Sid and I were her godparents. She is a sweet child and we feel it an honour to have been asked. I demurred at first suggesting that perhaps Mrs Faulkner would stand but she insisted. The baptism took place in the dormitory/chapel of the Tientsin Franciscan Mothers. I was surprised to see the mural behind the altar and actually how lovely the chapel looked. The Rev Burns (non-Catholic) came to witness the ceremony. As we have seven bishops, there will be no difficulty in getting her confirmed. Big George is magnificent, all day long he stands outside his hut making things, toasting fork, etc., the first picture printed in the Chronicle of the 29th depicts our alley, the 2 first windows and door are ours and you can see big George nailing up his name plate. Gosh it is hot. We live between the bakery and the baseball field. We have become baseball fans, the Peking American fathers have the strongest team. I think you’d like the life here although there are many drawbacks.

Love Ida

13th May 1945 ...

My Dear Freda,

Last night, I went to a most interesting lecture given by a Trappist Monk. It was a unique feature, I do not think a lecture of this kind has ever been given in the annals of history. The fact that we knew him, of course, was added zest. He went into great detail regarding the historical side. That St. Benedict, who lived in the dissolute era of Rome decided to get out of the way of corruption, so left society and descended into a ravine in the mountainous regions of Eastern France. For five years he as fed by a kindly neighbouring monk who lowered his meal basket by a rope and a bell was attached to it to warn him.

Eventually after much vicissitudes St. Bernard drew up a very rigid set of rules by which the present Cistercians still abide. The Trappists - because their founder monastery was called La Trappe, France - are really called Cistercians, and were invited out to China to help found Cistercian Monasteries. Because in the Bible we are told that the Angels are unceasingly worshipping God, each order has to interlink their worship of God so that there is an endless continuity. The Trappists go to bed at 7 and rise at 2 in the winter and in the summer go to bed at 8 but still rise at 2. There is a continuous series of devotions and meditation from thence till.

7.30, when anyone requiring dry bread and water may do so. Lunch is at noon. Frostulus (?) it is called. After lunch there is time for a short nap and without a single exception, everyone does hard manual labour for 2 1/2 hours. The supper, lecture prayers in the Church which ends with the Salve Regina and so to bed at 7 p.m. The Trappists endeavour to avoid being a burden on the other communities and towards this aim they work. They make the well-known cheese. They also endeavour to have sufficient to share their wealth with the local destitutes.

As regards food, they eat neither meat, fish nor eggs.This latter was after a slight pause, to which the audience responded with great gusto, as Father Scanlon is the Chief importer of black-market eggs. We all laughed heartily.

Their monasteries are surrounded by high walls and no women are admitted. At the word walls, we broke out into laughter again. As it over the wall that we do black marketing. The discipline is a handle with several knotted ropes which is used on themselves once weekly. It is not true that the monks beat themselves to blood. As a matter of fact Father Scanlon says that any man can hurt himself as hard as he likes.

He invited all those interested to visit the Monastery at Yangchiaping and that they would be made as welcome as it is possible, but that he and his colleagues who are here with him would only give the guests their best smile and pass on.

They do not sleep in coffins, nor dig their own graves. It is true that it is a life of meditation, contemplation and mortification and chastity which they lead. It was hard to get used to sleeping in their clothes and not in their pyjamas, and when a Cistercian died his cowl was brought forward to cover his face out of reverence for the dead and buried in his clothes without a coffin. Most abbots are French as they hold the vote being the largest in number.

All orders base their rule on some chapter in the Bible. They follow that which says “Prayers and contemplation of the Majesty of God will help to save mankind” and the founder of the Cistercian order had decided on this epithet in consequence they have no external contact with their fellow men. Father Scanlon was greatly applauded and as many were turned away he has been asked to give a repetition. It was heard that some ladies were disappointed because he did not give the recipe for Trappist Cheese.

15th May 1943 ...

Dear Freda,

I have been conferred a great honour, Father Scanlon came along with 5 oranges and has asked me to make him marmalade. He gave me 3 lbs sugar (black-market) I succeeded in making about 7 lbs marmalade, as I took a lot of trouble with it. I think it is very good. One of the Trappists has been down with typhus and it is for him that I have been making it. Poor chap must have acquired the virus on his long journey from the Mongolian border.

We have heard that no letters have left Camp. I don’t think the authorities would allow any letters to reach the outside world until each and everyone is incarcerated.

22 Peking people arrived on the 13th morning at 6.30 they had to walk here from the station. I think women and children came in rickshaws. They have brought fantastic news – fantastic as they are they seemed to be too good to be true. That Norvorissish, Kharkov and Smolensk have been retaken. That the North African campaign was over, that the Italian Government was endeavouring to sue for peace, that the German people were demanding peace at any price.

The Salvation Army Band is playing in the Churchyard nearby and it is disturbing me –
so adios.

16th May 1943 ...

Dear Freda:

I heard a rather wonderful sermon today, about Mary.

I think I’ll try and set it down, because it is most delightful.

Jesus Christ gave us his Mother at the foot of the Cross when He said to St. John, His beloved disciple “here is thy Mother”, and turning to Mary He said, “here is thy Son”. St. John here represents us, the unborn children of God. In the Old Law God was feared and men were called upon to sacrifice to appease His anger, but in the New Law, man was likened to a child and to love Him. So throughout the generations God nursed this Virgin, and you will recall the Angel Gabriel welcomed her with these words, “Hail full of grace, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb which thou shalt name Jesus”. Mary was frightened and replied: “How can I, when I know not any man?” But the Angel assured her that God had chosen her and so mankind waited for her answer, at length she answered, “Behold the handmaiden of God and let him doeth as he willeth.” At these words the Holy Ghost filled her womb and she conceived. If we were asked to chose a mother, would we not choose the kindest, the fairest woman for our mother? So did, Christ. He could have come on earth a fully grown man, but he wished to sanctify every stage of manhood. When the shepherds came to worship Him in the hills at Bethlehem, they found him at his Mother’s heart, suckling. It was His Mother who presented Him at the Temple. It was on His Mother’s heart that He lay when he fled Egypt. It was His Mother who took Him to the Temple when He began His public life. It was His Mother who influenced Him to perform the miracle of Cana. It was His Mother who watched over Him and cared for Him so tenderly in order that He fulfilled His redemption. Jesus honoured His Mother by making her our special Mediatrix. Through her we receive our graces, our echelon of brace is thus, God, Christ, Mary and ourselves. He appointed His Church our spiritual mother to care and watch over our spiritual welfare. The priest every time he uttered the word Mother, he said it with such love and reverence that each time when heart would miss a beat.

Dear Freda:

On Saturday 8th May, Sid and I became godparents to Kathleen Carter. The ceremony took place in the dormitory of the Franciscan Nuns of Tientsin. The ceremony was very simple. The altar extended from the door to the corner wall, and the long wall was tastefully painted in pastel shades. Father Kenneth Gangsman performed the baptism. One Protestant clergyman, especially asked to be present. I wonder how this affected him. The following day Kathleen made her 1st Communion accompanied by Sid. She is a nice girl. We had a small breakfast party.

23rd May 1943 ...

Dear Freda:

Mr Joerg arrived yesterday and there has been much in the way of rumours being circulated. Some say that he met 2 garbage dumpers outside the gate and managed to talk to them before the Camp Authorities met him. He went to Mass this morning, Mr Kogo, a Shanghai Japanese speaking excellent English as well as a Catholic accompanied him. Girlie Cameron inadvertently sat beside him but she was too in awe to do anything.

However, I understand he showed thumbs up when asked how things were outside. I think he was quite favourably impressed by the camp on the whole. Little does he know that the sanitation is so bad, that hundreds could die from cholera, etc. as a result of this. Apparently, the Shanghai internees are housed in godowns which is pretty bad.

On Friday night we went to an entertainment. I didn’t care for it much thought Mrs Skobal, wife of Doctor Skobal did a monologue extremely well and which I enjoyed very much. Was surprised to learn on Saturday afternoon at a ‘get acquainted’ kindergarten mothers’ teafight(sic) that she is expecting her sixth. She has dark wavy hair, pleasantly plump and has a very sibilant‘s’. The kindergarten teachers Miss Roberts and her assistant Mrs Connelly came personally and invited me. The tea spread was a treat, there were thin slices of bread and peanut butter and honey and lettuce and something sweetish – Yum, yum.

It was Mrs Henning’s birthday so the kids went along with a hankie, and in the evening, we went along for coffee and drinks. Mr Henning opened his one and only bottle of whiskey on this occasion. I had a crème de menthe and enjoyed it. The Hales, Pat Beatty, the Robinsons and ourselves were there and had a good night. How one appreciates good liquor.

May 25th 1943 ...

My dear Freda:

Poor little Christine was inoculated against diphtheria today - so was Peter. She did not stir when the needle was put in, but began to cry after the serum was being injected for a minute and then ceased as soon as it was taken out. Peter began to moan during the time was being injected, and on his way home, as he was walking alongside the pram along the road called, Ludgate Hill, he waved his arm and shouted to all and sundry, “I have been inoculated”.

Dreggs certainly persists to behave in a very uncouth manner. We have our garbage box outside Block No 8, as Blocks 6, 7, 8 & 9 share it. It is forbidden to throw in food and slops; the kitchen garbage containers are meant for that. People have been on the watch for him and at last he was caught red-handed. When chided his answer was to the effect that others were doing it, so why shouldn't he? No community spirit about him - there is no mistaking that.

It has been a very hot day and it is amusing to see so many people leaving their shirts out like I have been doing since Christine was on the way.

Love Ida

May 28th ...

Dear Freda,

There is a certain amount of excitement in camp here now due to the fact that a new committee is being elected. There are three groups who have to elect their committee members so that in all there are 9 members. Chinwangtao, Peitaiho, and all wayside stations up to and exclusive of Tientsin come under Tsingtao, Tientsin form group II and Peking Group III.

The Tsingtao Group re-elected their members en bloc - and much fun was expected at the Tientsin election, but contrary to expectations there was not much *debating and indecision. Bill Chi1ton, wrongly informed the audience that he and *Bill Christian opened the camp, which was incorrect - in actual the Tsingtao folks opened the camp and how grateful we are to them too.

The reception we received from them and the manner in which they looked after our welfare.

*Vicky Waters, the man in charge of quarters and whose job came into being with the arrival of the Tientsin internees has antagonised very many people and it is unlikely that he will be re-elected. We were allocated our quarters by the Camp Authorities the morning following our arrival. But contrary to this Bill Chilton etc. started running their own show upon arrival and they are to be blamed for dissatisfaction, I think there are 23 families of four in one room. We have 2 rooms and so have many others. But not Tientsin.

I hear today that all old mail has gone which may or may not include Costains and my last postcard to you. I hope you do not think that you are a case of, “out of sight out of mind.” It is not so as I have written every week. I hope that I'll be able to write and send letters regularly.

The first Catholic baby was born on the 26th, it is a girl and weighed 5 lbs. I’ll go and pay the mother a visit as soon as I can. The name is *Diane Winslow.

The quality and quantity of food are going down day by day - I expect it must be the depreciation of the FRB.

We hear that a battleship was sunk and that the Navy had an encounter in the Straits of Malacca. We are expecting to be out before September, but are nevertheless making much preparation for a probable stay here during the early part of the Winter.

31.5.43 ...

My dear Freda,

As I thought that one of my postcards has gone off to you, as well as my letter Captain Costain, I wrote a postcard to Mother today.

Mr Shirekawa, now chief manager of the K.M.A., came to pay the ex.K.M.A. a visit yesterday and today. The rumour soon spread around that he had brought comfort parcels. Naturally, we were conjecturing as to the quantity of cigarettes, jam, etc. which would be coming our way. Went so far as to wonder whether the men would each receive a carton of cigarettes, we had much fun wondering and it eventually turned out that only a small supply of miscellaneous goods were brought by Mr Shirekawa. In fact, 3 ladies, Mesdames Pryor, Allen and Faulkner were requested to distribute them. It was decided that articles would be divided into units for fair distribution, 1 tin jam, 2 units, 1 tin *powdered milk, 7 units, 1 tin sausages, 2 units, 1 pkt cigarettes, 1 unit. We had 1 unit of a tin of sausages and 1 unit of *powdered milk (7 tablespoonsful). We were very happy. But the Wallingtons had a unit of milk and instead of being satisfied as expected were the contrary and exchanged their share for something else. The Wallises are dying for milk, and only got 1 unit of sausages and 1 unit of jam.

As I was going into the camp post office, I met Mr Shirekawa and his suite. He spoke to me and recommended me to keep well! Little does he know that were it not for our private resources I would not have been able to keep even tolerably well on the camp food. The last ten days we have had scarcely any meat as a matter of fact some days there was none to be had.

Managed to buy some black-market strawberries at $6.00 per lb. Got 2 lbs. and Marie made jam. It is a little runny but just the same they are delightful. We have absolutely run out of money, I think Sid has borrowed $30. from A.C. Hennings.

We are hoping to receive our allowance soon, although we have today signed a petition requesting an increase for the allowance for children. We received last month $80. per couple and $30 thereafter for each child.

Love Ida

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