Airmail letter
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Johore Bahru
West Malaysia
Dear Mum and Dad,
Thank you for your letter. We are enjoying the first day of Hari Raya, the two day holiday that ends the Muslim month of fasting. It depends on the sighting of the moon so we do not know the day until the night before the first one possible - if it is not that, say 10th then it must be the 11th. So this morning I went at 9 am to the Istana and had coffee and cake with the Sultan, to wish him Happy New Year. The next HNY is the proper one and the next is Chinese New Year in February, after which one can get down to 1970. We had very heavy and continuous rain, resulting in floods in Singapore and to a lesser extent in Johore. The banking in front of a house near us slid and a few trees went into the road. I drove through fairly deep water to get to the bank yesterday and was lucky to get through. The rain has stopped today giving the water a chance to run off. Hope that is the end of it as otherwise it may be a problem getting Margo to the airport. I do not expect to buy CRA directly but the Investment club of which I am a member has taken 100, so I have a 20th share. The club started in July and after 4/5 months is up 8%. It lasts for 5 years and it will be interesting to see the outcome. We have a broker and a fairly wealthy planter on the buying committee and I am the third, although so far I have gone along with their ideas. We are pretty conservative. We have had Mrs Forsyth staying with us for a couple of days - the widow of a former manager. The Sultan knew her when he was a Tunku so Margo took her along on Monday for a chat and the usual coffee.
Love for now,
Peter & Margo
Sunday, June 9, 2019
24th November 1969
Airmail letter
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Johore Bahru
West Malaysia
Dear Mum and Dad,
Thanks for your letter. I had noticed that companies going in for takeovers these days have a habit of offering convertable stock but it may be an advantage sometimes if capital gains tax is avoided. I hav sold the Waterval Platinum. It will probably go up more but a 35% profit in 4 months is not bad. I hear there is a "buy" signal out for CRA and intend to look into it tomorrow. Hope Di is ok - will write to Hilda and Ian, what a list of hospital news. Do hope they can clear things up for Ian it must be wearing to have a thing like that all the time. Adrienne is ok and has passed her music exam. Susan did too with good marks so all is well with the children. Thank you for looking after Adrienne's music case - we should have thought of that one. I still think piano and violin are too much but must leave her to sort it out. Margo will be arriving at Gatwick on 16th Dec now about 1.30 pm but do not meet her because the time can be variable on Charter. Margo will phone you soonest. She will be picking up Elisabeth on 17th and then on to Dover to pick up the other girls on 18th. HOpe nothing goes wrong with the timetable. Margo has decorated the downstairs with new curtains and chair covers. A wonderful improvement and at a dinner part last night it really looked smart. Please give Di and Alan our love, do hope Julie's eye clears up. I imagine that corrective treatment is required it will have to wait until she is a little older for exercises or glasses, but I guess Di knows how to get the best advice.
Cheerio for now and love
Peter
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Johore Bahru
West Malaysia
Dear Mum and Dad,
Thanks for your letter. I had noticed that companies going in for takeovers these days have a habit of offering convertable stock but it may be an advantage sometimes if capital gains tax is avoided. I hav sold the Waterval Platinum. It will probably go up more but a 35% profit in 4 months is not bad. I hear there is a "buy" signal out for CRA and intend to look into it tomorrow. Hope Di is ok - will write to Hilda and Ian, what a list of hospital news. Do hope they can clear things up for Ian it must be wearing to have a thing like that all the time. Adrienne is ok and has passed her music exam. Susan did too with good marks so all is well with the children. Thank you for looking after Adrienne's music case - we should have thought of that one. I still think piano and violin are too much but must leave her to sort it out. Margo will be arriving at Gatwick on 16th Dec now about 1.30 pm but do not meet her because the time can be variable on Charter. Margo will phone you soonest. She will be picking up Elisabeth on 17th and then on to Dover to pick up the other girls on 18th. HOpe nothing goes wrong with the timetable. Margo has decorated the downstairs with new curtains and chair covers. A wonderful improvement and at a dinner part last night it really looked smart. Please give Di and Alan our love, do hope Julie's eye clears up. I imagine that corrective treatment is required it will have to wait until she is a little older for exercises or glasses, but I guess Di knows how to get the best advice.
Cheerio for now and love
Peter
10th November 1969
Airmail letter
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Johore Bahru
West Malaysia
Dear Mum and Dad,
Many thanks for your letter. Your holiday sounded most enjoyable and such unusual weather. What a summer it has been in England this year. I do wonder what my roses have done and whether the grass is too dry. Margo will arrive on 15th December but we have not got the flight details yet and will let you know. Have sold Waterval; if they meet my limit tomorrow. They may go up more but with markets uncertain I cannot resist taking a profit when there is one. We have a long weekend and as we are in the rainy season it is very sticky. Golf this afternoon is going to be muddy. Pen has run out on me and the new one is not flowing probably because of the weather. The girls seem ok although Adrienne is going through a bad spot. Rather like Caroline used to and imagines she is unloved. Also wants to give up music but guess Margo will sort this out next month. As far as we know their school work si up to standard. There are a lot of interesting changes going on in the bank just now as 1970-71 will see a number of the war time people leaving. Those taking their places will be in control for almost as long as I am in the bank as in number of years they are not much more senior. Curious to know who will get what jobs and it is of course always on the cards we will be moved in the shuffle but there has not been any hint of this.
Cheerio for now and all the best
Love Peter & Margo
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Johore Bahru
West Malaysia
Dear Mum and Dad,
Many thanks for your letter. Your holiday sounded most enjoyable and such unusual weather. What a summer it has been in England this year. I do wonder what my roses have done and whether the grass is too dry. Margo will arrive on 15th December but we have not got the flight details yet and will let you know. Have sold Waterval; if they meet my limit tomorrow. They may go up more but with markets uncertain I cannot resist taking a profit when there is one. We have a long weekend and as we are in the rainy season it is very sticky. Golf this afternoon is going to be muddy. Pen has run out on me and the new one is not flowing probably because of the weather. The girls seem ok although Adrienne is going through a bad spot. Rather like Caroline used to and imagines she is unloved. Also wants to give up music but guess Margo will sort this out next month. As far as we know their school work si up to standard. There are a lot of interesting changes going on in the bank just now as 1970-71 will see a number of the war time people leaving. Those taking their places will be in control for almost as long as I am in the bank as in number of years they are not much more senior. Curious to know who will get what jobs and it is of course always on the cards we will be moved in the shuffle but there has not been any hint of this.
Cheerio for now and all the best
Love Peter & Margo
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
22 Sept 69
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Johore Bahru West Malaysia airletter
Dear Mum Dad and Alan & family,
Thank you so much for meeting the children. It must be an effort to get up to the airport and then find the plane late. We had a good letter from Elisabeth which showed she had settled back quickly. I trust you are keeping well mother & not doing too much -y ou never seem to stop. We did enjoy having the children and it was not diffiuclt to fill in the time though before they came I did wonder about 2 months! Caroline has grown up and responds well to a more adult approach. Adrienne is now in a difficult stage and needs babying along a bit. Susan continues being near perfect which does not seem natural - hope she does not break out one day. Elisabeth makes good progress still and only wish she could go to a better school in the social sense but it would be difficult to beat the facilities at Westerham. I have sold my Tebran and made a little profit to offset other shares on the downside. Also won $500 on the sweep - the first ever so can managed to send Margo home for Christmas. She is not sure of sitting the children for their holidays and of course is worried about her parents so it seems a good thing to do. Have a lot to do in the office and have a bit of a cold but otherwise all is well.
Look after yourselves
Love
Peter & Margo.
Dear Mum Dad and Alan & family,
Thank you so much for meeting the children. It must be an effort to get up to the airport and then find the plane late. We had a good letter from Elisabeth which showed she had settled back quickly. I trust you are keeping well mother & not doing too much -y ou never seem to stop. We did enjoy having the children and it was not diffiuclt to fill in the time though before they came I did wonder about 2 months! Caroline has grown up and responds well to a more adult approach. Adrienne is now in a difficult stage and needs babying along a bit. Susan continues being near perfect which does not seem natural - hope she does not break out one day. Elisabeth makes good progress still and only wish she could go to a better school in the social sense but it would be difficult to beat the facilities at Westerham. I have sold my Tebran and made a little profit to offset other shares on the downside. Also won $500 on the sweep - the first ever so can managed to send Margo home for Christmas. She is not sure of sitting the children for their holidays and of course is worried about her parents so it seems a good thing to do. Have a lot to do in the office and have a bit of a cold but otherwise all is well.
Look after yourselves
Love
Peter & Margo.
Sept 4th
4 Jalan Scudai
J. B.
My dear Mum & Dad,
Just a brief note to let you know that the girls return flight has been confirmed. BOAC flight BA 713 due at London Airport at 11.00 am on Sept 16th so they should reach the teminal at 12 noon. Cousin Jean is going to meet them & is driving them down to Folkestone & they are looking forward to this very much. I presume they will have lunch first.
The time is passing very quickly & a lot of the school children are beginning to return to the U.K.
I am enclosing a few photos - in some the girls look pale - but it is just the light.
We have had dull weather this week but am hoping to spend the day at the Tanglin Club tomorrow. I have been busy sorting through the clothes, replacing name tapes etc - Adrienne is growing so fast she needed new vests!
love from us all
Margo, Peter & girls
J. B.
My dear Mum & Dad,
Just a brief note to let you know that the girls return flight has been confirmed. BOAC flight BA 713 due at London Airport at 11.00 am on Sept 16th so they should reach the teminal at 12 noon. Cousin Jean is going to meet them & is driving them down to Folkestone & they are looking forward to this very much. I presume they will have lunch first.
The time is passing very quickly & a lot of the school children are beginning to return to the U.K.
I am enclosing a few photos - in some the girls look pale - but it is just the light.
We have had dull weather this week but am hoping to spend the day at the Tanglin Club tomorrow. I have been busy sorting through the clothes, replacing name tapes etc - Adrienne is growing so fast she needed new vests!
love from us all
Margo, Peter & girls
Aug 22nd 1969
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Johore Bahru, West Malaysia air mail letter
My dear Mum & Dad,
As you can guess life is a trifle hectic with the girls here! - Elisabeth doesn't like to have an idle moment. However at the moment they are splashing about in the pool which has been renovated so I can have a few quiet (I hope!) moments. Thank you very much for the cologne - it was something I really needed & I do get through a lot in this hot climate. We were thinking of Di & Alan on Tuesday & hope that the move went off successfully. We came back that afternoon from the Loyang bungalow after 4 carefree days there. We were lucky with the weather so that the girls wore swimsuits all day until they showered & changed into pyjamas. There is a boat at the bungalow & the gardener looks after the engine so we went everyday to "Frog" island which the girls enjoyed. They also had fun with the canoe which goes with the bungalow. Peter could only manage Sat afternoon & Sunday. We had several friends down for curry lunch on Sunday & a friend & her two boys for the day on Monday (Heather & I both worked in London & played hockey together (on opposing teams). - her eldest boy & Caroline were babies together in Calcutta. Adrienne is in Singapore staying with a friend & she comes home this afternoon. Yesterday I left Elisabeth & Susan with another friend in Singapore so that Caroline & I could go shoping for school pants & socks etc. We had lunch out at a nice hotel so it made a very pleasant day. E & S enjoyed being with the Langleys as they always have a lot of fun.
Must go
Love from us all, Margo.
My dear Mum & Dad,
As you can guess life is a trifle hectic with the girls here! - Elisabeth doesn't like to have an idle moment. However at the moment they are splashing about in the pool which has been renovated so I can have a few quiet (I hope!) moments. Thank you very much for the cologne - it was something I really needed & I do get through a lot in this hot climate. We were thinking of Di & Alan on Tuesday & hope that the move went off successfully. We came back that afternoon from the Loyang bungalow after 4 carefree days there. We were lucky with the weather so that the girls wore swimsuits all day until they showered & changed into pyjamas. There is a boat at the bungalow & the gardener looks after the engine so we went everyday to "Frog" island which the girls enjoyed. They also had fun with the canoe which goes with the bungalow. Peter could only manage Sat afternoon & Sunday. We had several friends down for curry lunch on Sunday & a friend & her two boys for the day on Monday (Heather & I both worked in London & played hockey together (on opposing teams). - her eldest boy & Caroline were babies together in Calcutta. Adrienne is in Singapore staying with a friend & she comes home this afternoon. Yesterday I left Elisabeth & Susan with another friend in Singapore so that Caroline & I could go shoping for school pants & socks etc. We had lunch out at a nice hotel so it made a very pleasant day. E & S enjoyed being with the Langleys as they always have a lot of fun.
Must go
Love from us all, Margo.
Friday, July 6, 2018
10th August 1969
Written on The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation airmail letter from Johore Bahru
Dear Mum and Dad,
We have not had a letter from you for some time and perhaps one has gone astray. The girls are continuing happily with their holiday. Last night we had other children in and we all had quite a party. Cooking their own food on the barbecue and playing table tennis and other games; they did not finish until eleven. today an Indian couple brought in a curry which C and A enjoyed and we are spending a quiet evening. Next weekend we are all going to stay at the bank bungalow at Loyang - the family from Friday to Monday. I have had some pineapple planted in the garden having got the plants from one of the biggest growers and canners here. The garden is doing very well and have reconcreted an old paddling pool for Elisabeth to splash in. It has had fish and a turtle in it up to now. The concrete is a light green and it looks smart. Hope it will be ready next week. Rubber now over 83 cents and my rubber shares are up. Still waiting to here that the land has been sold. Someone recently purchased a very large amount at 3/- so I am pleased with my 2/9.
Margo and the girls and friends are going round the state Istana tomorrow to see the museum which it contains. This has to be arranged through the Sultan's private sec and Sultan has asked them to go to his place first. I do not know what he has in mind for them but there are lots of animals there and he may show them items in the house. I have heard there is a gold service which is quite fabulous and wish I was going too. Now that I have been given another officer I hope to take a week off in October and go to a hotel on the east coast. Understand there are good beaches there and if it does not rain it should provide a restful holiday and I am already looking forward to it. Will have been out a year next month which also completes nineteen years in the east.
Love from Peter Margo and the girls
xxx
Dear Mum and Dad,
We have not had a letter from you for some time and perhaps one has gone astray. The girls are continuing happily with their holiday. Last night we had other children in and we all had quite a party. Cooking their own food on the barbecue and playing table tennis and other games; they did not finish until eleven. today an Indian couple brought in a curry which C and A enjoyed and we are spending a quiet evening. Next weekend we are all going to stay at the bank bungalow at Loyang - the family from Friday to Monday. I have had some pineapple planted in the garden having got the plants from one of the biggest growers and canners here. The garden is doing very well and have reconcreted an old paddling pool for Elisabeth to splash in. It has had fish and a turtle in it up to now. The concrete is a light green and it looks smart. Hope it will be ready next week. Rubber now over 83 cents and my rubber shares are up. Still waiting to here that the land has been sold. Someone recently purchased a very large amount at 3/- so I am pleased with my 2/9.
Margo and the girls and friends are going round the state Istana tomorrow to see the museum which it contains. This has to be arranged through the Sultan's private sec and Sultan has asked them to go to his place first. I do not know what he has in mind for them but there are lots of animals there and he may show them items in the house. I have heard there is a gold service which is quite fabulous and wish I was going too. Now that I have been given another officer I hope to take a week off in October and go to a hotel on the east coast. Understand there are good beaches there and if it does not rain it should provide a restful holiday and I am already looking forward to it. Will have been out a year next month which also completes nineteen years in the east.
Love from Peter Margo and the girls
xxx
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