Stuk 19 - Letter from Maud Mark to R. B. McKerrow

Sunnyside, Prestonkirk.—Expresses condolences on the death of his father, and recalls some memories of him.

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Transcript

Sunnyside, Prestonkirk
East Lothian
8 Feb. 1920.

Dear Ronald.

Very many thanks for your letter about your father which I greatly appreciate. I sent off a note to you to the Reform Club when I saw the announcement in the Times, {1} but now I feel I want to thank you for all the particulars, and it was good of him to say you were to let me know. I am only dreadfully sorry that it is so long since I saw Mr McKerrow, for he was always such a kind friend to me and more my own contemporary than Uncle’s in so many ways, and I have thought so often of the many times he and Miss Brunlees came to the same holiday places with us which made it so much nicer for me at least. Uncle always had the greatest regard for him, and he was one of the old friends who was good in coming to see Uncle to the very end.

I can imagine that he would prefer to be buried in the quietest way & although one could not attend or shew one’s regard, believe me the regard is very real indeed.

I visit our own grave at Putney Vale as often as I can, and next time I am there I should like to walk down to the old cemetery. I don’t think he would mind me doing that?

It will be a sad miss in your life this loss, for your father was so fond & proud of you, and even although at his age you couldn’t have had him very long, that doesn’t make you miss him any the less now I know.

With kindest sympathy
Yours very sincerely
Maud Mark

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Black-edged paper.

{1} McKerrow’s father died at Southend-on-Sea on 27 January and his death was announced in The Times on the 29th (p. 1).