1.10.57

Hongkong Bank,
31 Dalhousie Square,
PO Box 158 Calcutta.

Dear Mum, Dad and Alan,

Thank you for your letter from Richmond and also the one before which I did not answer. Biddy Sawtell unfortunately lost her baby girl at birth - even more unfortunate because it was a girl which they wanted and also because she has a rh-neg blood group as she ought not to have a third child. Do not worry about sending anything at the moment. Firstly because we do not like to ask people who offer, to do too much and secondly because it is more simple for Margo to put the details in her letter home. Margo hasn't written to you for the same reason that I have not written to Sydenham. The effort required is just too much (the pen I am using is slipping from perspiration) and we do well to write our own individual letters. Perhaps the cold weather will revive us but this third year in Calcutta is telling - thank goodness we do not have to complete a fourth. Our lives are pretty dull too which gives less incentive to write and my own past record has been badly spoilt - I ought to have written to Jan, Reg & Henry, Douglas and half a dozen others - but my mind has been to concerned with the office which just never settles down - I haven't had a moments peace since March, always something new to worry about and all problems seem to have to remain pending, which I detest - I always like to clear things up and I am just trying to adjust my ideas and accepting things as they come. I look forward to inspecting your new decorations which must have changed things considerably - our newest piece of furniture is a telephone which was installed this morning. We have been waiting long enough and are the last in the bank to have one put in. Just in time too for Margo is leaving the office in two weeks time and I shall be able to phone her at home. The baby, due in November, is according to the doctor, to be another girl so it looks as though I can have (?) future waited on hand and foot by my daughters. Names, provisionally, will be Michael John or Adrienne Elisabeth. I think numbers would be much simpler, names take a lot of working out and we have only just agreed on these - I think.

Our famous Puja holidays which would have given us from Saturday to Thursday next have been wrecked by the strike which started on 18th. You cannot imagine the chaos. Clearing of cheques has stopped. Some banks have no one in them. We have the foreign staff and local girls working and have been able to do an hours cash pay out and in daily. Without any assistance I have been endeavouring to handle bills, receive cash and pass entries grant loans & trust receipts even issued some letters of credit and organised deliveries of goods from the godown. Balanced my major accounts on Sunday with surprising success and hope to get some bills ready for payment in the next two days but it will be pretty hopeless if it keeps going. Each transaction involves so many slips, stamps, keys, registers and searching for documents, exchange control licences and contracts - using cupboards, drawers and safes handled by two dozen clerks that the backlog of untouched incoming mail is already of large proportions. Still we have achieved a great deal - more than many other branches, some of which have just not bother to try. The annoying thing is the intimidation of clerks who would normally come in. My supervisor has put in an appearance for the last two days and I am hoping he will last. two other clerks who would be invaluable have phoned to say the are just too scared to come in - maddening as with them I could really get cracking. Still it is all experience and odd to do all the donkey work on entries which on a normal busy day one just has time to initial. We have taken to-day off by the manager's instruction, thus you are receiving this letter - but if there is a long gap you will know that I am occupied fully. There are indications that it will spread to other parts of India as Bombay, Delhi and Patna have had demonstrations.

Arissa is South of West Bengal and Golpalput is in the South of Arissa, 350 miles from Calcutta. (Dad has drawn a map on the letter - Editor).

Cannot think of any particular books that you can send - not much help am I? Your last selection were well read but a bit light for my taste. I think the best choice is historical or biographical - you can send me a tie if you can disguise it as a letter but don't worry - Your card is all that is specially looked forward to.

Cheerio for now and all our love,
Caroline, Margo & Peter

Temperature 98F
Humidity 96%
Monsoon has officially ended.

(First mention of my sister Adrienne. Little did Dad know that he would have four daughters to wait on him hand and foot.)