Item 201 - Letter from Adeline Vaughan Williams to Elizabeth Trevelyan

The White Gates. - They are happy that Bessie is home again, her 'courage rewarded'; she must 'feel so satisfied at having got through so brilliantly'. Hopes she will have a 'satisfactory report of Mrs [Alice] Elms'; her own cook has fallen and broken her arm, and will be away for six weeks, luckily they have a 'substitute'. Returns Mrs Löwenbach's letter; was glad to see it as they have heard from her 'but not at so much length'. Believes it will be hard to persuade her to stay with them, as she will be 'so scrupulous', but hopes to see her as she remembers her as being 'very attractive'. They expect a visit from 'Bob de Ropp and his Eileen on Monday'. Notes in a postscript that 'work for LHMC [Leith Hill Music Competition]' is 'in full swing'.

Alice Elms had an operation in April 1939 [see 15/103]; she died in April 1940 [see 15/118] so this letter cannot have been written in 1943 as suggested by the editors of the Letters of Ralph Vaughan Williams project. Robert de Ropp married Eileen Trinder in early 1939, and Bessie herself had an eye operation.