John Alfred Berry letters

Note: the footnotes are not part of the original letters

Except were indicated, the original copies of the letters are in the possession of Dennis Jackson.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO ELIZABETH BERRY (FORMERLY BROWN)

Original copy of this letter is in the possession of Margaret Wollard in Philadelphia, USA.

Friday July 22 / 04

My Dear Wife

It is three months tomorrow since I came away. I had a letter from Cunard copy to say that I shall have to pay $7.50 more if I come back on the Lusenia a week tomorrow which I had written for, so I shall have to write again today to see what can be done and let you know by Tuesdays Mail all being well.

& now my dear I have a little news for you at last & that is I have bought a Farm of about 40 acres it is about as far off here as Badby is from Northampton it is very very good land & there

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO HAROLD JOHN BALL AND LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

My Dear Son & Daughter

I was so glad to get a nice long letter from you a few days since & to know you are getting along all right & that Harold is still mending in health I do hope he may get thoroughly strong again soon. I have no doubt it was a blow to you all the passing away of his brother[1]. How sad to think the results of that terrible conflict are still going on with quite a number even amidst all this great prosperity & luxury.

I was only reading last night about a widow woman who had four sons in the w war one was in an insane asylum two others were shell shocked & and comparitively helpless only only the youngest came out of any use to help keep the house on with her taking in sewing it seems the money they get from the government goes into the Bank & cannot be used till the death of the one who has to be put away that poor woman has her hands full of much trouble.

I am glad you were at Northampton to see the folks also that the children are well you must not let the little plump one get on her feet to soon Edith & Chris little girl was fat also & did not walk very quickly. I think there is nothing like spring water for whooping cough. I had a nice letter from Eva around Xmas & she sent me a nice pound birthday cake that tasted good I think they are doing all right.

Am glad you like your new home[2] and trust please God you may have good health to enjoy it many years as you say it is nice to have a car to get around in it. I bought a delivery truck for taking out my fruit last spring but did not learn to run it only had one lesson but I do hope to be able to use it another year it is such dreary work going out with the waggon & the roads are so very bad for horses & they get so slippy at times. We had an abundant crop of apples last year & have still lots left to sell. I wish you get some of our delicious & Boldmans to eat.

Now I hope you will not be so long in writing again I wrote a letter to you after Mother sent me the baby's photo[3] and then left it on my muddled up writing table so long I did not post it however I now thank you for it and also in the anticipation of the next one.

Uncle J is pretty good just now he has been helping Simeon to cut down some of our old & useless trees & sawing them up for fire wood & the exercise seems to do him a lot of good. Sim looks well but is longing to get back to California he has been working in Phila for two weeks but was up here about a month previously. Now my dear children accept my love & all good wishes & greetings & kiss the bairns for me affectionately father Berry.

[1] Bertie Cyril Ball, died 22 July 1926 aged 33. He had been living at Knockgray House, Spratton, Northampton.

[2] They moved from 37 Brook Street, Luton to 288 Leagrave Road, Luton in May 1926.

[3] Margaret Noeline Ball was born 22 December 1925.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO HAROLD JOHN BALL AND LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

My Dear Son & Daughter

We were all so glad to get a letter from you after so long silence as you put it. Well dear Lillie I heard from Mother several times how you were getting along & so knew how it was with you & know also that you would write sometime when you could find time.

Very pleased the children are growing nicely & tell Leslie I will be looking for a letter & give her a kiss as payment in advance. It is a great denial to me that I cannot see my own dear ones in that far off land of course folks all pile it on to me this isolation but you may rely on it I do not enjoy every thing I do.

I am answering your welcome letter at once as today I started out to go to church & the folks I go with had gone & so came back as the boys are here.

Very glad you had a little outing this summer & felt all the better for it a friend of mine took me down to Atlantic City in the spring time for a day & I certainly did enjoy the sea air. These motor cars are wonderful things to get one about & I only wish I could drive. But somehow I have not caught on to the thing yet. John has built me a garage that would hold 4 cars abreast if needed but hope to use some of the space for my fruit etc. I will enclose a snap of John and myself taken during erection of the place.

John certainly is a very clever chap and I hope & trust he may have a much happier future than he has had in the past with so much affliction.

We had a very good crop of early apples but the late ones were less than half crop have about 8 or 9 barrels of Delicious left but Boldmans are nearly all gone had 50 bushels or more on 3 trees yes indeed I also wish you could all could have some of the fruit of the farm.

Now my dear children I will wish you all a very happy Christmas & a very good year if the Lord is willing may you all have good health & prosperity.

Harold should rig up a steam box there seems nothing like that for such infirmities. Sim is still here as well as John the latter has been kept busy over this building & he is now anxious to get a job in Phila and now find love & kiss I am your affectionate father J A Berry

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO HAROLD JOHN BALL AND LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

Davisville Pa

My Dear Son & Daughter

I thank you ever so much for your kind & thoughtful letter of De 2 / 28 & now as this is my birthday may as well give myself a little pleasure in replying to it for as you say time goes bye so quickly it may be a long time in I write unless I do it at once. This has been a lazy day for me did not get up till about 10am for I heard the rain pattering on the tin roof of our porch & saw it was so foggy & dull that considered that the best place then after I had breakfasted and idled around a bit Sim & I started in to make a good big plum pudding for my birthday & that took some time I tell you & it is boiling now on the stove post 10pm.

You see my dear children I am an octogenarian today isn't that a long word and it represents a long life as man life goes. However I've had no congratulations on the event nor even a small present and up to now no news from Clare St for Xmas I trust all is well there.

I am so pleased to know you are all well & getting along all right have just been looking at the photos you sent me in 1928 Nov & in the letter you tell me of Harold's physical condition after his discharge from the army. I conclude that now he is all right. There is nothing so good as a vegetarian diet - folks here tell me I get about like a young man and truly I have a lot to be thankfull for and many mercies. The Lord has protected me in many dangers & critical times & I can do nothing now but praise his Holy name & Jesus my saviour is very precious to me now. I thank you most sincerely for the photos they do me a lot of good by sort of bringing my dear ones nearer to me. Certainly this has been a strange experience to me but it has taught me how wonderfully the Lord can supply our every need.

Sim has just taken the wopping plum pudding out of the boiler & says how good it smells.

Sim has been a great help to me this summer & fall. I was knocked down by my waggon & hurt pretty badly a few weeks since & he has taken me out in his car with a number of my ideas but he still longs for California says it is such a lovely county & now my Christmas card is late but I hope the children may like to look at it. Fond love to all

Your affectionate father J A Berry

Uncle Jonathan & all the others are well Chris is now in Boston. This Watt Mason writes a piece after this style each evening I think they are good. Father

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO HAROLD JOHN BALL AND LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

Davisville Pa. Augst 3rd / 30

My Dear Son & Daughter

It is very kind and thoughtful of you to write again. I have just been reading the one you wrote last Dec. which I have kept in my pocket to answer some time but really I am not feeling very much like writing letters now. I think the photo of Harold is very good & life like. I often wonder how the Reading folks are making out[4].

You will me glad to know that I am much better in health & sleep pretty good over nite now. But more & more I seem to miss the thought of mother not being in the old home While mother was there there seemed to be something to work for hoping against hope we might have her here to enjoy some of the fruits of our labour.

However I try as you say in your letters to think of her as better off & waiting "over there" as the Hymn says[5].

How do you like your new home?[6] Have you still some garden! the weather here is rather trying for garden stuff so dry & hot. and in some districts they have to haul water a long way to give their cattle. our well has not run dry yet I am thankful to say.

Our chief misery now is the plague of Japanese Beetles. they swarm by thousands say millions & millions. some places they catch them by the ton.

Our early apples were so badly eaten it was a serious loss to us there seems to be no good and effective may of dealing with them yet they are too wise to poison we can only hope the Lord will find the remedy & not let us be too much discouraged.

Jonathan & his two boys were here all last week as he was laid off from his work & I think it did them a lot of good they all looked sun tanned.

We expect Chris & his family the last two weeks of August this month from Boston. Chris very much likes to be here.

Charlie Stubbs was here & Eva last year & I wrote to see if they could come again but have not heard from them for nearly a year I can't understand why.

I do hope as you say you will be able to persuade Annie to visit you I am sure she needs a change. I wish they were here. I am trying not to be down hearted but I sometimes wonder why I am waiting here. Now I will try & write a few lines to dear little Lesley I do prize her letter.

Sim is diving at the bathing pool with some of Jonathan's people.

with fond love I am you affectionate father

J A Berry

[4] Frank William Ball and Grace Tryphena Berry, living at 653 London Road, Reading.

[5] His wife, Elizabeth Berry (formerly Brown) died 29 November 1929.

[6] They moved from 288 Leagrave Road, Luton to 3 Marlborough Road, Luton in 1930.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LESLEY BARBARA BALL

[letter undated, but probably written in December 1930]

Davisville Pa U.S.A

My Dear Granddaughter Lesley

Thank you ever so much for your nice little letter and I think you write well & clear.

I cannot tell you how sorry I was to hear of your fall breaking your teeth[7] off does it make much difference to your eating. Two of my front teeth a broken off but mine are only store teeth now. I had good teeth when young like yours & now they are all replaced with others. However I hope you will shape up in time.

Yes your cousin Margaret is a sturdy little girl Ruth her elder is just a slim & tall.

I would very much like to see you all & speak to you but the next best thing is for you to write to me as often as you can.

We have only one horse on the farm now. Two of our horse have died they were old as horses live one was born on the farm 22 years ago.

Now my Dear child I send you my love I hope you have a very happy Christmas.

From your affectionate

Grandfather

[7] During the summer term (probably June 1930) Lesley Barbara Ball was attending Norton Road School, Luton. Returning to school after lunch she tried to jump over the front garden wall at 3 Marlborough Road, Luton, caught her foot on the wall and fell breaking two front teeth.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

Davisville Pa U.S.A

Feby 3rd 32

Dear Lillie & Family

Thank you so much for your letter of Nov last enclosing such a nice lot of snaps taken in Devonshire. They are especially interesting to me as they carry my mind back to the time I took a trip down the river Dart it is not very wide but certainly very picturesque. I did not go on the moor. We were doing most of the coast towns & went as far as Plymouth.

I am so glad you had such a nice holiday no doubt Harold feels he needs this rest & change. I wonder whether he is now getting stronger as I haven't heard you say lately. Why don't you try & get a look at us here in the States. So many people now are taking advantage of the six months excursions. We would certainly much appreciate a visit from some of the home folks. The days & weeks months & years go on and there does not seem much chance at present for me getting to see you all much as I would like to do so.

Yes dear Lillie Barbara is now with us and so you truly say we are faring much better in many ways. I do a bit of digging & planting trees etc when the weather is suitable & to come in to a nice warm meal instead of having light the fire sometimes & get something for oneself.

Now I have just received a beautiful letter from Annie telling me a lot of news bless the child she writes in a cheerful mood altho things are far from rosy with them at home especially as Joseph is so short of work. I sincerely trust things things will brighten up for them this year. I am glad Jonathan is now working again at his old job as he earns good money while at work & he surely needs it with his family. Sim & Barbara have been doing quite a bit of house cleaning & making things a lot more tidy around the old farm house. Now it is about my bed time & so I will draw to a close with my love to you all and also from Sim & Barbara hoping you are all well now & don't get any more flu if you can help it from your affectionate father J A Berry

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LESLEY BARBARA BALL

[undated but type of pen, paper and handwriting suggest it was sent with another letter on 3 Feb 1932]

Davisville Pa U.S.A

My Dear Lesley

It certainly was kind and thoughtful of you to write & wish me a happy Christmas & I thank you sincerely. I see you are able to write nicely already. So glad you enjoyed your holidays in Devonshire. It is such a beautiful fresh green looking place so many sunshiny showers & you will remember this with thankfullness all your life.

It is good to think you enjoy your school & are getting along so well.

Your cousins from Germantown were up here on the farm quite a few times last summer and they enjoyed running around gathering the eggs & climbing trees and other games. They unfortunately had the whooping cough which troubled them quite a bit but I think the good fresh air we have here did them good & they seem much better in their health lately. Allen goes to school & Craig the younger one is in the kindergarten at present for an hour or so each day. Now dear Lesley I hope to have another nice little letter from you when mother writes again. With love from grandfather Berry.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

[written on notelett or greetings card]

[undated]

for a dear little Grand daughter

Margaret from Grandfather

My Dear Grand daughter Margaret

Thank you ever so much for sending me such letter & Christmas card it certainly is very nicely written. I hope you had a very happy birthday & that Xmas & you visit to Grandpa Ball was also very enjoyable. I wonder if I am writing this plainly enough for you to read.

you will be glad to hear that I had letter from my Grand daughters in Canada & New England for Xmas

God bless you dear Margaret. Grandpa

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO HAROLD JOHN BALL AND LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

Davisville Pa U.S.A

July 23rd 33

My Dear Lillie & Harold

I had a letter the other day from Annie & she tells me that Lillie has had an accident & had to go in the hospital but Annie did not give any particulars as to what it was or how it happened. So we are all wondering how things are going on.

I was glad to get your letter beginning of the year and as you truly said it was a long time between letters from you to us but really I must confess that I get more & more negligent in that respect & somehow the less one does the less one cares to do. I find I can excuse myself on any pretext what ever.

I hope you are all well I hear Leslie was at Northampton to tell Annie of the news I expect she is growing quite a young woman now dear me how my grandchildren here are growing up. Ruth Jonathan's first girl is now in high school I expect you have heard that Jonathan has an addition to his flock this spring a wonderful boy as everyone that sees him says. Well he certainly is a lovely little chap so good natured & contented.

Jonathan has had some hard times the last 3 years like ourselves it has put the clock back quite a bit financially but thank God we are all keeping fairly well in health it is a great blessing to me having Barbara here to look after our creature comforts no one knows how it is to have to look out to get meals for men go out marketing to sell produce to keep things going & then come home in the middle of the night to make ones own bed & get a little rest but after all I often feel it was my own fault had I placed more faith in my Heavenly Father who gave up His only beloved Son to purge away our sin seeing that He did that great thing I ought to have trusted Him to provide & like Abraham left all and come out as your dear mother said lets sell up up and all go but things were so bad for selling property in 1904 & 5 I was afraid to venture & so & so had all those years of trial & the loss of your mothers society. Yet God has been very good to us all among all these small trials as small they are compared with troubles that beset others. We can still praise God & say hitherto has the Lord helped me.

Eva & Charlie from Canada are here with their two children June has grown a big girl. Certainly she was a tiny mite when she came here first with her mother. Dick is a bright little fellow. They have all gone to the swimming pool except Barbara & I. Some Germans who bought a small farm adjoining ours have made a nice swimming pool which is great for us here. Simeon has been working on the making of this pool & he says it is more profitable than farming. Things certainly are difficult. I do hope you are fairing better in England now with all our best love & good wishes I am your affectionate father J A Berry

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

July 30th / 33

Dear Lillie

When I wrote the letter to you I could not find yours of last December to address my letter. Since then Barbara as located it & I have reread it & I see you say you tell folks I was 82 last January. I was born on Jany 1st 1849. So you see that makes me 84 last Jay. Thank God I have a lot to be thankfull for, but it is nothing but what one might expect that at times I am aware that I am no longer a young man. I was glad to see you say Harold is holding fairly well in health & I hope all the others are well & that you will have recovered your health and at home again. I never hear from Grace and it is a long time since Edith sent me a letter.

Eva Charles Stubbs & the two children left here for Canada about 8 o/c yesterday morning taking Ruth Jonathan's eldest girl with them for a holiday.

We are now feeling a little quiet the days are very hot & rather trying here in July & Augst. Now I will say good bye & hope to here from you again quite soon.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

Davisville Pa U.S.A

July 30 / 33

Dear Margaret

Thank you my dear for sending me love & kisses I can surely tell you that I value what you say very much.

I would very much like to see you all. There was a lady here the other day when your name sake Margaret Berry & Ruth were here from Germantown also also Dickie & June Stubbs. This lady said Mr Berry you have a fine lot of grandchildren. Yes I said & I have quite a few that I have not seen. So you see I am living in hope of you coming to see us all. Now I send my best love to you & all

from your affectionate

grandfather

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY) AND HAROLD JOHN BALL

[envelope addressed to Mrs Harold Ball 3 Marlborough Road Luton England, postmarked Davisville PA Mar 16 AM 1934]

Wednesday March 14 / 34

Dear Lillie & Harold & Grandchildren

I've been reading over again your very consoling & interesting letter you sent me. I certainly was glad to get it & to know you were getting on so well after your accident[8]

It certainly was a mercy you was not still more seriously injured. What a blessing it is to know that all my dear children are under a loving fathers care & protection. I am praying for you all every day that you may realise that such is the case you know the Scripture says the eyes of the Lord run to & flow throughout the whole earth strongly to help those that a perfect in heart before Him & when we are the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus God looks upon as Jesus is not as were are very imperfect but what a comfort & blessing it is we can pray for each other my dear mother & may of my friends I knew used to pray for me. When I was a young man as you know I used to have to travel quite a few thousands of miles by train every year sometimes there were accidents on the line & trains had to wait but all the years on my journeys I was never in a railway accident which was a great mercy to me & my friends and now in my age and small infirmities my Saviour's care is the comfort of my days & the consolation of my nights as the burden of years increase the more ones need is felt. I am so glad you are getting along so well after the accident and trust no after effects will occur you really look well in your pictures that you sent also Harold & the children please give my love to them & I am sorry have no pictures to send you at this time.

I expect you have heard that John was married last Nov. he seems to be well suited in his partner her name is Catherine & she really seems a very sensible person a few years his junior and has a position with a firm at present I am so glad for John's sake he has had a rather uneven sort of a life up to now and what with his poor health & having to travel around so much. I do not think he can have had much comfort. I myself like to see the beauties of the world quite well but I would like to have a little comfort with it.

Jonathan has been a home bird and has a nice home & as you say 5 children now & I can assure you the last addition is a real splendid looking boy. Christopher has a good steady job & seems to be well appreciated by his firm. Now as you say it would indeed be a treat if you all could come over the pond & see us I do not see why you should not so very many Americans regularly visit Europe year by year & seem to think it is only their due as a vacation of course they are not farmers as we have to pull our dollars out of hard work and I am sorry to say as far as most farms around here are concerned they cannot make ends meet ourselves included last year our fruit crop was almost a complete failure but Simeon had some work outside that helped us quite a bit.

We had a very good field of horse corn & we sell a bushel or two of that at times that gives us a dollar once in a while and I am glad to say we have not gone into debt so far we have had a very trying time so far as weather goes the last six weeks or so & Barbara & Sim have kept me in bed till about noon most days as they said there was little I could do & I could keep warm there the thom has gone down many degrees below zero at times & we have had such a lot of snow.

Well now I suppose I must begin to draw to a close or I will tire you out.

I expect you see we are having Chas Dickens life of our Lord published in our evening paper & it certainly is very encouraging to know a man like Dickens should have do so much for his young children we also have a man that puts a sermon in the paper every Saturday evening which is I think a great blessing to many I will send you last weeks & if you are writing to Grace perhaps you would send it on to her.

I do wish I could hear from them occasionally now with my best love to all I am affectionately Father.

[8] Luton and Dunstable Hospital had a fair (organised by Thurstons) in the early summer in Wardown Park, Luton (only a few hundred yards from Marlborough Road). On a Friday evening, Margaret Noeline Ball (then aged 7) wanted to go to the fair. Margaret Noeline Ball and her mother (Lilian Alice Ball) went on a ride. As it went round and round, faster and faster Lilian Alice Ball slipped off the seat and was flung off and cut her head. She was attended by a St. John's First Aider and taken to hospital. The insurance for Thurstons was covered by several companies including Eagle Star. The policy had been arranged by John Ball (her father-in-law) and as a result Harold John Ball did not make a claim against Thurstons.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

Davisville Pa U.S.A

May 6th 34

Dear Margaret I composed these verses for you on receiving your dear little letter

Grandfather

My Dear Grand daughter Margaret

I certainly was very much cheered to receive your loving little letter & Easter card and thank you very much for them and now the summer is close at hand and we are very glad of some nice warm weather for as you have read in the news papers we certainly have had a hard winter and the frost has killed some of the rose bushes but I think most of our raspberry canes & blackberry are still alive.

I am glad to know that you are able to go to school again it is not nice to get so much behind there is it ?

Your name sake Margaret Berry from Germantown was up to see me this afternoon her uncle John brought her up in his car & we had a walk in the orchard together & I cut her some nice blossom off the crab apple & cherry trees & she gathered a nice bunch of violets but the violets here do not have any perfume like the violets that grow along the hedge rows in England I am sorry to say but our front yard as they call it here is like one blue carpet.

I do hope you all may come to see me before long it would be a nice outing for you all we have your uncle Christopher & family and uncle Charles Stubbs & family several years and now dear Margaret I send my fond love to you & Lesley & hope to hear from you again soon

from Granpa Berry

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

Davisville P.a. U.S.A

Dear Lillie and all others

We were indeed glad to get your nice letter & to know that you were all well & that Harold is still making some headway towards robust health. We seems to be much as usual excepting once in a while getting getting a cold excepting John & he does not escape quite so well. The fact is this climate does not suit him & he longs for Arizona the place where it is all shiney weather & clear air. While he was there for a couple of years it seems he had splendid health. However we try to make the best of things & keep warm by the fire heat when we can. Barbara says she will write to you sometime soon however Barbara is working these days out & does not have so much time to spare.

I am glad to hear of Mr & Mrs Ball's golden wedding it is fine to think they have been spared to celebrate that event if your dear mother had not been so terribly hurt[9] it only needed a couple of years to make us a golden wedding[10]. However I know that she is better off & I try not to repine but I do miss her letter & the thought that mother is no longer in the old home.

I am sorry to say our farm was not so profitable the last few years and has not paid expenses. Our fruit was an entire failure but we had a good crop of corn that is maize for our horses.

I thank you for birthday wishes yes if I live till the 1s of Jay that makes 86 which at one time looked a very long time but to look back it is but a flash of memory to my boyhood days "and let's have a game at marbles". We are having some nice sunny days here now & I hope it will not be as cold as last year now. I will draw to a close & wish you a very happy year & hope things will improve still more in England. With love & all good wishes I am your affectionate father J A Berry.

P.s. We received the beautifull calendar you sent it certainly is enchanting. Have enclosed a copy of some lines I composed for the New Year. With best love father.

[9] The trams in Northampton were single decker, double carriage articulated vehicles. Some time (probably in 1927) Elizabeth Berry was getting on one of these trams. The conductor was in the front carriage, he rang the bell and the tram started off. Elizabeth Brown fell off the rear platform, she didn't let go and was dragged along behind the tram. She was confined to bed thereafter.

[10] His wife, Elizabeth Berry (formerly Brown) died 29 November 1929, they were married 26 July 1881.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

Davisville P.a U.S.A

My Dear Grand daughter Margaret

It certainly is very very kind of you to send me such a nice Easter greeting card and also the pretty calendar & letter telling me of your rambles after early spring flowers. We have lots of violets around our house but they do not have any perfume like the wild English violets.

My grand daughter Ruth came up from Germantown to see us a week yesterday and gathered a number of large bunches to take down to her friends. Primroses & Hyacinths do not grow wild here.

I am so glad you like to go out & gather these pretty flowers. I know how I used to enjoy doing so when I was young.

I was sorry to hear your dear mother has a sore ear & I hope it is not as sore as mine was last year. I had to go to the Hospital quite a number of times & have two pieces taken out of my ear but I am glad to say thank God for his mercy it is now quite well & I am well in other ways.

We have had a deal of cold weather this spring but now it is beginning to be nice weather. We are hoping mother's ear is now quite well & that you all are enjoying good health. Barbara your aunt who takes care of me sends her love to you all and also uncle Simeon your uncle Jonathan was up to see us yesterday with two of his sons.

Now I will thank you very much for your very nice letter & card & with my best love and good wishes I am your affectionate grandfather J A Berry.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

[undated, but probably written May 1935]

Davisville P.a. U.S.A

My Dear Daughter Lillie

Margaret tells me you have a sore ear[11] by this time I trust it is quite well & I sincerely hope you are all in the best of health.

We here are at present well & are looking forward to some warm & genial weather this has been a very cold spring. I am not sure that I told you that last year I had a very sore ear in fact had to have two pieces taken out of my left ear a tumour had formed & was causing me quite some trouble. There had been a sort of wart on the edge of my ear for years & I said to Simeon I think I could get that wart off by tying a silk thread around & choke it off. Well it was all but off & I asked Sim to see to it & when the pulled it there was a thread left & it pulled up a nerve that bled & caused me a lot of pain & then I expect it must have got infected & trouble began. However thank God for his healing mercy it is now quite healed & sound again but I do not hear nearly as well as formerly & so do not go to church as often as I used not being able to hear all the preacher says but I am glad to be a & read at home for there is a very good sermon every Saturday night in the Bulletin & a week last Sunday it was especially good for Mothers day. I was looking up the paper to send it to you but cannot find that one we must have torn it up or something but this is a sample of his sermons & so I thought I would send one anyway.

I was at church on Mothers day & enjoy myself very much folk said it was some time since they saw me.

We keep muddling along as best we can. Jonathan has pretty steady work for some time I am glad to say all three boys here are now working in the Midvale Steel Works. Simeon does his best to keep things straight & Barbara is working when there is work for her but things are still very uncertain here as you know John is married and has a splendid wife & they seem very happy & I can assure you I am truly thankfull they were up here on Sunday & again last night they come to see me as often as they can. Catherin's very kind to me & gave me a $5 bill to spend for Xmas & now with all our united love I am your truly affectionate father

J A Berry

[11] A boil in her ear that eventually burst and effected her hearing.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

Davisville Pa U.S.A

Augst 11th 35

My Dear Granddaughter Margaret

I see it is just a month today since you wrote me such a nice letter and dear Margaret I must tell you how it cheers my heart to know you think of me and I pray God that should you live to be as old as I am you may have one loving grandchild or more to write to you to cheer you.

Now I will tell you a little bit of history. An old lady married Mr Bligh who used to come to see her brother a Mr Delph when my aunt Tryphena was housekeeper & I used to stay as a lad. When I saw how nimble she used to trot about at the age of 90 I was surprised.

However she told me that when she was a young girl and was going to church of Sunday morning if she saw any old folks sitting on the seats as they often do on the village green she would ask them should they like to go to church & so she would help them along being arms & feet so to speak for them and she thought the Lord had given had given her the good use of her limbs and senses in her old age in return.

One thing dear Margaret the dear Lord the author & giver of all good things is never a debtor to any one.

I am so glad to hear you are to spend your summer holiday in Devonshire. Yes Combe Martin is a small place near Ilfracombe & there is another small place called Berry Narbor is Clovelly Lintor is pretty. We stayed there one night when first I was holiday making in Devon.

I do hope you will have a very happy time all together & get back home all the better for the change. I send you all my best love & hope to have another nice letter from you very shortly. I am your affectionate

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

Davisville P.a U.S.A

My Dear

Daughter Lillie

This is Sunday's morning & it is wintry & cold I thought of going to church this morning as I did last Sunday but it seemed to damp & cold for a walk about two miles so decided to hang around the house & read Dr P.... sermon instead

I must indeed thank you for last letter & sorry I cut off the tail end of the sermon it must have in a nother column. I am very glad to have the sermon to read myself when I cannot get to church.

Well it is nice to know you have been to Ilfracombe where your mother & I spent our honeymoon ah me how short life is & how fleeting our days we ought to make the best use of them for the Great Eternity that is to come I am not surprised you had showers in Devon for that is generally so then & was while I visited on several occasions but the sun generally get out again afterwards & being so hilly the road are not so bad. Exmoor is a dreary place in bad weather but there are some lovely spots in North Devon.

Was glad to hear that Margaret is going well & that Lesley is also fond of the water. I know it was my chief delight when I was young but there was no provision made in those days in the way of public baths etc. I had to go down to the river & sometimes get away the weeds on to what we used to call Barnshole over Westbridge however while I was at Daventry I had a good time in the reservoir there being about 130 acres of water

I am pleased to hear the children get on so well at school how old is Leslie now that she has passed the Cambridge exam?

Yes you may surely know how delighted I am to receive letters from Margaret or any of my grandchildren.

Well I expect you wish to know how we all are I am thankfull to tell you that so far as health is concerned we are just now all quite well Barbara had a cold a week ago but is has passed I & glad to say Barbara work is nearby & she only has to take her lunch her other meals & etc are at home Simeon is working night shifts at his place lately so that he is able to do some of the farm duties in the evening and morning. I potter around in my garden I feed the chickens etc & keep thinking I am work work but it does not amount to much as in former years & now I must conclude that I do not weary you my fond love to you all & hope to hear from you again shortly

Jonathan & his family are well also Chris & his family I am enclosing another of the Saturday evening sermons & remain your affectionate

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

Davisville P.a U.S.A

Dec 5th / 35

My Dear Grand daughter Margaret

It is very kind and thoughtful of you to send me a nice letter again.

You certainly can do more than I for it seems you can use a typewriter.

Well I was so pleased to know you had been to Devonshire & to hear you visited so many places of interest. I liked Devon myself when I was there three times it is a wonderfull fertile county for grazing cattle it rains so often but soon drys up again. I am glad to tell you we are all well this side of the world & sincerely trust you are all keeping well. I am wondering when you all will be able to come and see us here. Your cousins from came again again last summer & they say they had a good time we have not a very choice place to offer anyone but most folks seem to like to come again.

Barbara sent mother a Christmas card she tells me so perhaps you will excuse me as I seem to get out of the way of sending Xmas cards.

However I send you and all the best love I have and I do hope you have a very happy Xmas I am enclosing a sermon for your dear mother and all. I am your affectionate Grandfather J A Berry.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

[undated, but probably written 1936]

Davisville P.a U.S.A

My Dear Grand daughter Margaret

This short letter is to let you know I have received both your very kind letters & the beautifull Christmas card you sent me. The picture on the front of the card with those galloping deer is quite enchanting.

Well dear Margaret I am glad to see you are getting quite an adept at typing it's nice to have the opportunity of practicing at your fathers office I try to imagine how you look just there most of us here are well but I am not feeling so well just now we are having such a cold winter here now & we all seem to feel the cold especially me however I am sure the land needs the snow & it will do the poor farmers good. I only go out on the porch to walk up & down it bit like walking on the deck of a ship it is too cold for me only I put on a fir lined coat & try & keep warm. I was not out of the house yesterday it was too cold we have a nice young cow that gives lots of milk & so we have plenty of milk tapioca etc pudding for me to eat the chickens find it too cold to lay eggs we only get about one a day it takes them all their time to keep warm.

& now my dear grand daughter I hope you are well and able to read this God bless you & give saving grace & wisdom from on high. With love from grandfather Berry.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

[envelope addressed to Miss Margaret Ball 3 Malborough Road Luton England, postmarked Davisville PA APR 3 P.M 1936]

Davisville P.a U.S.A

My Dear Granddaughter Margaret

Your very nice and thoughtfull letter came safely to me about a month ago.

And now I will try & answer it. The wind is very cold to day & I do not like the cold wind since I have been sick.

Yesterday it was just the same but Monday it was beautiful & warm and I was out most of the day one thing I did was to work with my bees I have two hives alive through this hard winter one lot damped off as sometimes they do & all die on that account. However the other two lots seem very healthy and are raising lots of young bees.

I cannot do very much work outside now like I used to do - but I am trying to be thankfull to our Heavenly Father for giving me strength to do a little.

So you have quite a walk to school. I am sure it is good for your health & I am glad to know you have some school friends for company.

Our hens are laying good now we get about two dozen most days & they a big fine eggs & the cow is still giving us all the milk we can use & some to give away & we make cottage cheese of quite a lot of the milk.

Yes I dare say you would find the cold very trying here in the winter I did not mind it so much when I felt well but now I often wish for warmer weather in the winter.

I am wondering whether you can read my writing I will enclose last Saturdays sermon for mother to read.

Barbara tryed to get the Episcopal Church for me last Sunday on the radio but somehow we could not get the one we wanted.

Now dear Margaret I will close with fond love to you all many thanks for egg cosy

The eggs I get are generally to hot to eat but this little cosy is pretty

Dear Lillie & Harold

I hope you are both in good health & that business is going on smoothly.

What a great blessing good health we do not always appreciate it as we should till one is sick. However I still have a lot to be thankfull for. Barbara & Simeon are very thoughtfull for my comfort God bless you & your dear children

father Berry

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

Davisville P.a U.S.A

July 16 / 36

My Dear Grand daughter

I have been thinking of writing to you for some time for I thought I owed you a letter.

I am so glad you came out so well in your exams however I know that was not done without an effort I am glad you think it worth while to try.

You say have we many flowers. Well yes I must say we have lots of roses our bottom drive out from the house in the middle of June is one great show. There are such a lot of bushes of what is thousand beauties and it looked as though there were thousands but millions of blossoms. We also have such a lot if honey suckle on the top lane. I have a nice lot of beautifull roses on bushes that came from England altho some sorts have died.

I have been to Tewkesbury but never did business there it is a quiet place like nearly all cathedral cities and now dear Margaret I hope you will all enjoy your holiday & come back all the better for the outing. With my fond love and all good wishes I am your affectionate

Grandfather

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

[Written on headed notepaper "J. A. BERRYS & SON, OLIVET FRUIT FARM, DAVISVILLE, PA."]

Dec 13th 1936

My Dear Grand daughter Margaret

I certainly was glad to get your nice cheering letter it does me a lot of good to think I have such a kind & thoughtful Granddaughter in the dear old England Land of my birth.

& so you enjoyed Gunpowder plot day by letting off fire works. I can well remember how I used to do the same. We boys used to go round to the houses "plotting" as it was called, & collect up pence from folks houses to spend on fire works & make a bonfire on a vacant lot Get some potatoes to roast & let off the fire crackers etc.

And now dear Margaret I will try & finish my little letter to you When I was writing this afternoon some friends came up & brought us a five gallon glass jug of drinking water which they mostly do the last few weeks as our well is very low & not fit to drink & scarcely enough for the cattle. Wells have gone dry that have never been known to do so before. The season has been so dry.

I am so glad you were able to go into Cornwall & right to Lands End you will remember these fine views as long as you live.

You say you were out & saw the Duke of Kent from your uncles office is it your Uncle Frank you speak of? I wonder so many times & never hear from them. are they all well?

The flower sprays came all right & they look as though they will keep quite a long time.

So your sister has started on something as an occupation dear me how my grand children are growing up. I expect your cousin Ruth here will soon be doing the same thing she is now over 16 I am told.

I think the Ladies in this land have a much better opportunity to obtain position than many folks.

Barbara your aunt & uncle Sim are well. I am glad to say.

Well now I really must draw to a close & wish you a very happy Christmas & a glad New Year & thank you ever so much for the nice letter you sent me.

I am glad you did not lose your luggage altogether[12].

Give my love to your sister Lesley & tell her I am glad to hear she has a steady job now & now I will say good bye for this time and I your affectionate Grandfather

[12] On the way home from the west country a Gladstone bag on a luggage rack at the back of the car came off without anyone in the car knowing. Another driver picked up the bag and eventually caught up with them after 5 or 6 miles and returned it.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO LILIAN ALICE BALL (FORMERLY BERRY)

[Written on headed notepaper "J. A. BERRYS & SON, OLIVET FRUIT FARM, DAVISVILLE, PA."]

Feby 17th / 37

Dear Lillie & family

This is just a few lines to let you know that I received your kind letter at Xmas. You will please excuse the pencil as I am sitting by the fire writing.

I was glad to know the children are getting at school etc so well and I do hope all will continue with you.

We have had an open winter so far just now we have the most snow of the season only about 2 inches.

I am sorry to say Simeon had a bad touch of flu & had to stay away from work one a week & now Barbara has a very bad cold & cough but she keeps about & attends to my creature comforts in my age & infirmities I get downstairs often as I can & is better for me.

I have no doubt you have heard from England of the passing of uncle Henry[13].

I was so glad cousin Arthur[14] could be to help with Henry's affairs Arthur is a wonderful good boy.

While I think of it I am so glad you did not send the book you spoke of for I have such a lot of reading I cannot get to and have had so many book offered me in fact a library I do read some but not so much now I must write to dear Margaret I have stamps ready & I hope to have some more I am sending another sermon I do think this is wonderful from your affectionate father J A Berry

Our kindest thoughts & love from all JAB

[13] Henry Edward Berry died 16 January 1937.

[14] Daniel Arthur Berry of 19A Corporation Street, Manchester shown as informant on Henry Edward Berry's death certificate.

LETTER FROM JOHN ALFRED BERRY TO MARGARET NOELINE BALL

[Written on headed notepaper "J. A. BERRYS & SON, OLIVET FRUIT FARM, DAVISVILLE, PA."]

Feby 17th / 37

Dear Margaret

At last I am trying to write you a few lines to you to thank you for your nice letter at Xmas & for the nice handkerchief you sent.

I was very interested in your account of the party where you had the 1/- given to you. I know how these things do interest and surprise us when we are young. We lived in London when I was young. I used to go to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School[15]. at Easter they used to give us three new pennies just of of the mint & Oh my they were pennies about 3 inches across it seemed to me[16] and looked like gold. They were very strict in those days & if boys misbehaved they gave them a good wacking and sometimes laid them on the writing desk & stropped them well there. Their chief object was to get them to learn all they could.

Well dear Margaret I have so much to tell my self I am much the same in health & try & get down stairs as much as I can. Our chickens have begun to lay a few eggs & we are glad of that. We have a kind neighbour who sells us a few dozen. She has just brought us some & milk and charges very reasonable. Also 2 quarts of milk our cow is dry. We expect a calf end of month.

Now dear Margaret I send you my best love & commend you to the care of our Heavenly Father & Jesus our Saviour. Grandfather.

[15] Saint Olave's Grammar School in Queen Elizabeth Road, Bermondsey, London The present school buildings are still standing in May 1992. They were built in 1896 and are adjacent to the southern end of Tower Bridge.

[16] The description suggests that these were copper pennies minted up to 1859. They were 34mm in diameter, 2.5mm thick and weighed about 15gm. In 1860 new smaller and lighter bronze coinage was introduced for low denominations (farthing, half-penny, penny).