Letters home - Rev Paul Cook - 24th November 1949

There is nothing in this world worth having, that can be obtained without hard work, so strive hard...

Y.M.C.A.

55 Promenade

Cheltenham

Gloucestershire

Dear All,

I hope you are all very well at home now, and that Father and Winifred have recovered from their colds. I have had another cold, but not bad enough to keep me away from work. It starting coming on Saturday, but I took some tablets which John said were very good, “Phensie”, and they certainly did the trick. On Monday I had a bath and washed my hair which bought it on a little, but I am glad to say, not badly.

Thank you very much for the parcel containing my vest, trousers, etc which arrived on Tuesday, and also for the parcel containing my spare, although slightly small and dilapidated, raincoat which arrived yesterday. I enclose a postal order for 13/9, Mother, made up as follows;

Vest - 11/7

Postage on the same + extras - 1/1

Postage on spare raincoat - 1/1

Total - 13/9

I enquired on Saturday at several cleaners who were willing to mend my raincoat for about 6/-, but also wanted to clean it, which doesn’t need doing, which would have brought the cost to 10/-. Another cleaner wanted 17/0 to med it. At last I found a cleaners who were willing to mend it for 7/6, this is accepted and will be collecting it on Friday (tomorrow). I expect it would have been too big a job for you Mother and you probably wouldn’t have been able to get it done for much less than 7/6, and there would have been two-way postage.

Thank you for your two letters which arrived with the parcels, Mother.

It was, I consider, well worth it to come home the other week, and my only regrets were, that I would have liked it to have been longer, and that I saw very little of Richard.

The grey pair of woollen socks I sent to the Co-operative laundry were shrunk to smithereens. So, if you don’t mind, I will avail myself to your offer to wash my vests and socks. Would you mind if I put an occasional shirt in to make up the weight? I don’t think registered mail parcels will be necessary, as long as we get a receipt each time, as the other boys have always got theirs all safely.

I was really pleased to hear that the gift day was such a grand success, and that the Woman’s Fellowship made such a wonderful gift, although I was shocked to hear how badly behaved Ronny Bowers-Garlick behaved himself.

I expect it was a shock to most people that Mr Martin had passed into higher service. From what I have been told, Mr Martin was a great power for the Lord on this earth, although I cannot remember him well.

On Sunday I took the chair at the Y.M.C.A’s epilogue, which consisted of prayer, Bible reading, notices etc, while Mr Daldy gave a very good message. I am glad to say that through the Grace of God it was quite a success. It looks as if I will have plenty of opportunities here.

I am going to become a full member of the Y.M.C.A. having now the qualification of three months associate membership. To become a full member, one must sign a declaration and be a true Christian. Becoming a member, one has power of voting a representative on the governing committee, and the right to voice an opinion. You are first interviewed by the secretary and two full members.

I went to the income tax office on Saturday, as I have paid 16/1 in 13 weeks on an emergency code. They told me that the firm should have let them know, and that I probably will not have to pay any tax, as most of the other boys, and get my money refunded.

Psychology classes are getting very interesting, and we will be discussing fully next week the question of a God. Of course, I will be prepared to heatedly oppose any suggestion to the contary, which no doubt will be equally heatedly. It’s going to be good fun, and they certainly won’t argue me to a standstill. The Professor is a very fair man, and rarely gives his opinion, but is very open minded, carefully considering different theories, and respecting others opinions.

Yesterday I saw Professor Indermülle, and asked him whether there would be any chance of getting two extra days at Christmas, Thursday and Friday, which would give me another weekend. He told me to fill in a form, which I did, and he would consider them together. Unfortunately, quite a lot of boys have the same idea, and there have been a lot of applications, but I and the other boys who don’t live in London, Cheltenham or Wales, numbering about four, will probably get preference.

I am having my Christmas cards printed this year, with a text in the right hand corner. What do the following want for Christmas; Mother? Father? David?

The Youth for Christ was another great success. 575 in all being present and half young people. Next time it is being held at Cambray Baptist Church, so that there will be more room, and the speaker is Roy Hessian, late of the Young Life Campaigners, and now of the Pocket Testament League. I was a “fisher” before the meeting. I.e. Giving out tracts and asking people in. Mr Honeysett played the violin, and also the piano during the hymns, and very good he is too. We had a converted opera singer who had a beautiful soprano voice.

I hope you had an enjoyable weekend in Morecambe, Richard. I hope you can manage to get to Cheltenham for a month.

Thank you very much for your letter Winifred. We have been having poor weather, with fogs last weekend. I am glad you did well at the squash, and managed to control yourself with respect to nerves, which you must remember everyone suffers from. I suffer quite badly sometimes, although I can always control them fairly well. I was very nervous last Tuesday-week taking the prayers in the Y.M.C.A. chapel. Remember that there is nothing in this world worth having, that can be obtained without hard work, so strive hard and continuously at your practice.

You ask me any ideas on a children’s course. Well, here they are:-

1. Yes, I do think it will suit you.

2. They all aren’t good jobs, but the ones worth having certainly are.

3. There are very few of the “good sort” going now. Reasons - (a) there are only 40 people earning over £10000¹ now, as compared with 8000 before the war when money was worth more. (b) Most people who offer good jobs, are gentry², who require people of good education. I.e. H.Sch. Certificate or University. This doesn’t mean that they will snub you because you have no such qualifications, but that the qualifications speak well of a person, and these people are obtainable.

I think your best policy would be to take shorthand and typing and train as a receptionist as there are many good jobs in this line and no matter how many qualifications one has got, they will not obtain the job if they do not speak well and impress the interviewer with grace and charm.

I have been put on to an idea in the Y.M.C.A. by one of the residents, on a Theory (Psychological) which if put into practice and patented would revolutionise the whole of Smith’s alarm-clock industry at very small cost, and also run other firms out of the market, if the public could be convinced. I will tell you at Christmas. Must close now,

Paul.

1. Nearly £300,000 in today’s money.

2. An upper or ruling class.