Letter written on "Licoricine"
(acts like magic) note paper. Printed
around a white window is: "Cures Coughs Colds and similar complaints.
Painting novelty. The Aquagraph. Acts like magic. You will be surprised.
Directions: Get your water colours, or ink, or Mother's blue bag, or even
pencil will do. The blue bag must be
wet. Use an old bit of rag with the ink, or paint with the water colours, from
top to bottom of blank space and with magical results. If you have any difficulty, write to: Mandall
and Co. Stepney Rd, Newcastle on Tyne. Provisional patent applied for."
Note: contained in very small formal
envelope without stamps, postmark or other markings.
[starts on
obverse] 'and I still have to find an
envelope' 11/12/24
Dear All,
Do not get a shock when you see my new paper
but the fact is that am on my way to Paris and on reading the paper in the
train saw a mail was going out today at 6pm will post this from Folkstone if
possible and let you know that I am still O.K.
Bill has gone to Cornwall and I join him on
23rd after seeing a bit of the continent.
London has been under a fog for 36 hours now
and it is a wonderful sight to see the electric signs shining dimly through the
soupy stuff at midday. It is supposed to
be the worst fog for many years and I can tell you it is none too nice to
[take/toxic] anyway. I have still been
flying around London and on Sunday went to see some friends of the Treloars at
Bushey on Sat we saw the old AJF headquarters and ye olde curiosity Shoppe down
Portsmouth St.
On Monday we saw Cambridge Uni and went all
over the Colleges which of course was most interesting and enjoyable. On Tuesday I spent the morning fixing up this
trip and in the afternoon saw Oxford/Cambridge football match. It was a good match and O won 11 to 6 and I
barracked for the winners.
Yesterday I spent at the fat cattle show and
saw some of the King's prize herd which of course won out there too. They have some great animals in this
country. On Thursday last week we went
to the Tower of London and had a great time with the Crown Jewels etc contained
in that wonderful [old] place. That is
all that has happened since last I wrote I think so will leave the subject of
sightseeing and go on to generalistics instead.
We are having quite a good time still
enjoying London more every day I think as the place seems to grow on one I come
back here on 20th and leave for Cornwall on 23rd and then back to sail on 2nd
Jan so this is one of the last letters you will be getting from me as I
should be home about 2 weeks after you receive this. Well hoping you people are all well and
thanking the Strand Magazine for the paper I will close. Love regards
Gordon
[superscript: 'I summoned an envelope from a
chap in the carriage but the inventory is not too good ']