#4 To Susan Owen

18 April 1908 — Alpina (aged 20)

My own dear Mother, I must send you another little note while I have got the chance, as Leslie is now doing his homework, (that is I am doing one half of it, & Auntie the other.)

Gordon did not get up at 6 to go bug-hunting, but he is going this morning. I think it is going to be fine although it began to rain this morning.

Yesterday we had beautiful weather, the sun was out nearly all day. We went to the lantern service. I did enjoy it; the pictures were very beautiful, thirty-nine in all & all selected by Mr. Moore. He explained all the slides, so that each was quite a little sermon. The Church Room was crowded, so that about 20 people were standing at the doors!

After some of Mr. Moore’s graphic descriptions there was a great deal of suspicious blowing of noses & one person fainted at the door. I don’t think I told you Mr. Moore’s text yesterday morning. It was Pilate’s sermon, as he called it: ‘Behold the man’ He told us a lot about Pontius Pilatus, & then about ‘The Man”. In this he referred to Mr. Macdonald’s sermon on ‘man’ (Gen. 2. 7.) on Thurs. afternoon. — did I tell you we went to church on Thurs. with Dorothy?

It was a very good address. He took the meaning of the word ‘man’ in Hebrew where it means ‘a weak, feeble one’. In Greek mng: ‘one who prays’ In Latin mng: ‘a strong one’ & in Eng. mng: ‘one who has the power of thought.’

Well I must stop this letter now, as I suppose Harold will like a note. Love to Father, hope your poor cold is gone.

Your loving boy Wilfred

#3 To Leslie Gunston
15 — November 1907 Shrewsbury

Dear Vera & Leslie, At last, (by the way how often I begin my letters thus, I notice, too, that you have commenced so, no less than 4 times!) But I have no time for trifles now for I have much to say yet little time. I’m afraid that this scribble will have to be the last ‘Soc. letter’ before I make my proposed visit, (to which I look forward with the keenest delight).

For in less than 4 wks the exams will be upon us, & between that time who knows what I’ve got to do! Well I must get to the point. On thinking over the Rules, (for which I believe I have never yet thanked you) a new subject came into my head, that of Mountain Climbing. It is, as you will see, an almost essential branch of each of our studies, and mountaineering is also to the ambitious & strenuous outdoor naturalist, not only the noblest but the most insatiable of all noble sports.

I propose that the aims of the movement shall be: (1) The promotion of scientific study & exploration of certain glacial regions. (2) — The cultivation of Art in relation to mt. scenery. (3) — The Christian education of the inhabitants to an appreciation of their mt. heritage. (4) — The encouragement of the mt. craft, & the opening ofnéw regions as a national playground. (5) — The preservation of the natural beauties of the mt. places, & of the fauna & flora in their habitat (with special reference to V.) It is hoped that you, V. will become the Photographic Representative, for what is Astronomy without its sister-art Photography? & some pictures showing strata, etc. would be invaluable to me. Hence I earnestly hope you will accept this office, for none is better fitted for it than you, surrounded as you are by some of the foremost works in Alpine Photography.

As for You, Les: I don’t know what you will think of me for not writing to tell you of the lecture on Nov. 7. (I certainly did get ‘flurried’ when I received a second letter from you!) The lecture was by A. R.HINKS. M.A. chief asstnt. to Sir Robt. Ball, Cambridge. It was entitled — ’Our Place in the Universe’ & the slides were as excellent as the Lecture was instructive. It really was, however, too boring to sit there in pleasure, knowing you were missing it all. I am glad you like long letters, (I do of course) but I really can’t stay at it much longer, I will answer your last letter as soon as possible. And V. dear I will write to you but if my epistles are long you must expect them to be ‘far between’. How are you progressing in your Bot: studies at the Tech:? Amor ad omnes omnibus mittitur est! (as this flowery ending is wrong don’t try it) I remain, not doubting that you are equally faithful, A most zealous member of the A.G.B.S. W.E.O.

P.S. I hope you will get this before Sunday, so I am going to the post myself tho’ it’s 10 P.M. It is a lovely night — a brilliant moon, & Orion looks superb in the Eastern sky. Have you seen it? It is nice, tho’ we are separated by hundreds of miles to be able to gaze on the same objects! If possible would you tell me how to find Mars. I am rather vague as to its position at present, so I would be grateful for some directions.

W

#2 Susan Owen
Saturday 19th (April 1902 - Age 9) — (Underdale Road, Shrewsbury)

Dear Mother,

Grandpa has given me as much garden as what you see from the dining room window only where the bricks are and I have got about six potatos planted, I have made another path and on the right side of it is the Vegetable Garden and on the left is the fruit and the one you saw is the flower. It has just been raining a little for the first time but now it has stopt.

We are going to Market this afternoon and I might buy some seeds. I know the children next door they have got a horse and carriage which will fit me comfortably and the path slopes like Grandpa’s and I can go down without anybody touching me, I can sit or stand which ever, I like. I look something like this standing. I’m glad Mary is better I expect Harold is. Now I must stop, my hands are begining to shake.

Kisses for all.
From your loving Wilfred

#1 To Susan Owen Addressed Mary and Mother with a pattern of kisses (1898 - Age 4/5) — (Birkenhead)

My dear mother I no that you have got there safely. We are making huts. I have got a lantern, and we are lighting them up to-night. With love from Wilfred I remain your loving son Wilfred