Thanking Hilda for notes, letters and papers; informing her that he was going to Kimolos [Kímolos, Nísos] and Syros [Sýros, Nísos] for a week from the following day, and that he had been to Thorikos and Markopoulo where he was “embraced by a tight Agrophylax”; news of people he had seen in Athens (Hill, [Carl] Blegen, Marinatos, Karousos, Miller, “Peche Melba”, Emile); sending the Heurtley’s address near Stroud (United Kingdom); informing Hilda he was going to play hockey and that one of the [British School] students (Vronwy Fisher) knew her nephew Jim; checking that Hilda was sending out a publication proof that [John] Forsdyke had returned and asking that she let him know when she received his report on an essay by Stubbings and his job application for the Disney [Professorship of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge].

Thanking Hilda for news and forwarded items, wishing that her exam went well and updating Hilda on his activities: trip to Kimolos [Kímolos, Nísos] and Syros [Sýros, Nísos] with [Gerard Mackworth] Young including sites that they had found; that he was about to go to Naxos and Paros with Vincent [Desborough] and Mercy [Money-Coutts]; John’s lecture at the British School which the Royal Family attended; dining with the Squire [R W Hutchinson], the de Jongs and Horsfields after John’s lecture; that he had seen Mrs Hill, Mrs Blegen, Miss Swindler, “old Petrococchino” and Mrs Atchly at the lecture; seeing [Oscar] Broneer’s excavations on the north slope of the Acropolis; looking at [Christos] Tsountas’ library which was for sale; and playing tennis. John also states he is glad to hear about the school for Joan, that he hopes David enjoys Malvern and that she enjoys Hunstanton, not to worry about “the Island envelope”, that he had lost Hans’ [Frankfort] address to thank him for a book and that he had sent cards to [David and Joan]. John also asked Hilda to tell Keith [?] that Calder is looking for Christian inscriptions.

Thanking Hilda for letters and a telegram, hoping David is better and asking Hilda to give David his love, and updating Hilda on his activities and news: details of a trip to Naxos with Mercy [Money-Coutts] and Vincent [Desborough]; comments that Vincent was better when away from the British School on a trip; [Carl] Blegen finding a Mycenaean palace at Pylos [Pílos]; Mrs Hill and Mrs Blegen sending their best wishes to Hilda; Piet de Jong having had an abscess in his throat; Edith Eccles having her appendix out; John having been to the top of Hymettos mountain range [Imittós Óros]; hearing from Walter Heurtley [that he had got £25 from the BSA?]; John having been asked to contribute a festschrift [for Johnny Myers]; having seen Helen Negroponti; [David] Iliffe [head of Jerusalem Museum] having been shot in Jerusalem; and details of finances from [Herbert] Pendlebury.

Thanking Hilda for a letter and enclosures, expressing pleasure that David is better, and updating Hilda on his activities: looking at Perakhora scarabs in a museum and plans for Mercy [Money-Coutts] to photograph and draw sides of the scarabs; plans to go to Mycenae, Kalamata [Kalámai], Pylos [Pílos] then Crete; and that he had managed to get £25 more from the school [British School at Athens, for excavations in Crete]. The letter also includes: details of how John was dealing with enclosures that Hilda had sent him (sending letters and asking Hilda to forward money to Stokes and a note saying he would “join them at Colwell on August 15th”); news that the British School was quite empty (just John, Vincent [Desborough], Vronwy Fisher and Austen), that [Edith] Eccles was getting better after having her appendix out, and that Mrs Swindler sent her regards.

Hoping that Hilda had received a telegram announcing that John had arrived in Knossos and that [David and Joan] had cards from him, and updating Hilda on his activities and news: having received a mysterious letter from the French School [in Athens] containing a carol service programme from Pembroke College and a letter from a bank manager to Mr Bayley; his trip to Pylos [Pílos] and Mycenae; news about [friends at Mycenae] Helen, Agamemnon, Costa, and asking Hilda if she got a “party spirit post card” signed by old Gianoula; a trip to Kalamata [Kalámai] and Pylos [Pílos] with Vincent [Desborough] which included seeing [Carl] Blegen’s excavation of a palace at Pylos [Pílos]; details of Blegen’s excavations; travelling back to Athens from Kalamata [Kalámai] then on to Knossos; work done in the museum at Knossos; hoping to go to Grabusa with Mercy [Money-Coutts] and the Squire [R W Hutchinson], then on to Lasithi [Lasíthi] in a month; and seeing the tholos [at Knossos] and doubting the dating. John also asks Hilda for her original pottery notes and sends love from “everyone, particularly Manoli”.

Telling Hilda he had just got her letter from Hunstanton and she shouldn’t worry because if war did start then John would be in the best place, and if it didn’t then the excavation would continue as normal; informing her that he had answered Fairman [?] and that he would be “inclined to strangle the Sheikh’s wife over the nurse question”; sending Hilda an extract of a conversation at Mycenae which had taken place between the Italian ambassador, Helen and Orestes about an apple; updating her on archaeological work (sorting out finds from Karphi, Mercy [Money-Coutts] finishing drawing the corpus, Zakhary working at the museum); apologising for a “Caldy-Malvern misunderstanding” and mentioning that Robin [Mabel Dickinson’s son] was accommodating refugees and the house at Malvern was going to be closed up because of [Herbert] Pendlebury’s work in London; mentioning that he was writing a “rather good article” on Cretan topography for the Johnny Myers Festschrift; and saying that it was nice to have a letter from David “but don’t force it”. Also includes news that Little Sphakianakes (the school master) had left [Knossos], that George [Markogiannakis] had pneumonia, that John had arranged for an inscription on a pentelic marble slab for the fountain at Vitsilovrysi, that Kosta Kourales (who had been to Mount Ida with them) had died, and that [the excavations in Crete] had been given £25 more funding from the British School and £10 from London University.

Telling Hilda about a trip around Western Crete with Mercy [Money-Coutts] and the Squire [R W Hutchinson] (to Khania [Chania], Kiramos, Trakhila/Selli, Agios Sostes, Gravousa, Phalasarna, Platanos, Polysslenia, Rokka, Kolympari and Khomia). That Naxakes had joined them for part of the journey and had been “an extremely pleasant companion”, and that Mercy and John had been mistaken for spies. John also thanked Hilda for a review from [the Illustrated London News] and told her where a stub for a check for Rex was, informed her that “poor old George” [Markogiannakis] had died, and that he had enjoyed getting David’s letter.

Apologising for not writing sooner but the weather had been bad, containing news about the excavation at Karphi (and Koprana) including details of finds, that “two old masons out of Chaucer” were building a hut, and that the hut and the fountain at Vitsilovrysi would have been finished [if the weather had not been so bad]. Telling Hilda that the Squire [R W Hutchinson] and Miss Benton had arrived (the Squire looking unwell) and had been to Toplou and Krista; Eleutheria was cooking very well; everything was quiet apart from “the usual casual rows”; they had 2 Albanian criminals (that had escaped during the Italian invasion, the police had “wished” onto them) and a sheep stealer from Arogeia working on the excavation; Petrou was visiting the excavation and John hoped for a visit from Lord Lloyd; John had gone to a dance evening of a the Youth Movement which started very late; that it was predicted that there would be earthquakes and volcanoes would erupt on the 16th; and comments on the village of Kera (Crete). John also asked Hilda tell Alan [?] that [Hugh] Last would like to go to Mycenae, and for her to send him a list of recipients for offprints of an article on Trapeza [‘Excavations in the Plain of Lasithi. I: The Cave of Trapeza’, Annual of BSA 36].

Thanking Hilda for letters and news; giving her news of the excavation including details of finds, that the weather had been very poor and volcanoes were predicted for the 17th [of June]; describing the house that had been built [at Tzermiado] including the furnishing and that they had held a dance on the roof; telling Hilda about his walk to Knossos to fill in/send an income-tax form and “old Louka” accompanying him on the return journey; and discussing a review of [‘The Archaeology of Crete’] by Theophanidus, John’s criticisms of an article about Tell el-Amarna, and receiving an article by James Strachey who John had met at “the Exhibition” [British School or Egypt Exploration Society Exhbition].

Thanking Hilda for letters, photos and forwarded items; giving her news of the excavation including details of finds; telling Hilda about an enjoyable lunch he had at Psykhro [Psychron] with Kasapes and 2 engineers that were staying at Psykhro [Psychron], where he told stories in Greek; asking her if she had heard Kasapes’ story about a Swedish archaeologist; informing Hilda that Dikaios was arriving at Tzermiado, “Portly Petrou” was there and that Zakhary was also there working on pithos; and telling Hilda that he had a letter from Frank [Thompson] saying that being in Tzermiado had been the happiest time of his life and he wanted to be an archaeologist.

Thanking Hilda for letters and a list of offprints sent; discussing reviews [of ‘The Archaeology of Crete’]; telling Hilda about Dikaios’ visit, a glendi they had on John’s name day, that they had been to the school prize giving ceremony, that Zakhary had to leave the excavation to go to another excavation at Agia Triadha [Agía Triáda] but John hoped he would be back; giving her news of the excavation including details of finds and that he thought they would finish Karphi that year; telling Hilda he had heard from Alan [Wace?] that there was to be an excavation at Knossos in 1940 that John would be asked to be part of, and that Schaeffer would be digging at Isopata; and John’s plans for finishing work and returning to [Cambridge] by the end of [June], and mentioning the tennis lawn and cat [in Cambridge].

Expressing concern that Hilda wasn’t getting his letters, hope that she wasn’t “overdoing it” and asking about her show [a play]; news of the excavation at Karphi including finds and that the site was looking excellent from Mikre Koprana; telling Hilda about the Kasapides going to lunch at Karphi and the men dancing afterwards, and plans for visiting the Kasapides’ [when the group leave Karphi] and to travel via Gerontomouri, Kastamonitza, Mokhos [Mokhós] and Khersonesus [Khersónisos]; asking Hilda to find copies of photographs used in [‘The Archaeology of Crete’] for Hans [Frankfort] to use in his lectures to be given in Chicago, and to send a note to George Sadly asking for Wroth’s catalogue of Cretan and Aegean coins; discussing a positive review [of ‘The Archaeology of Crete’] in Nature (journal) by Johnny Myers, and a book that John had ordered the previous autumn; telling Hilda that a branch of the Anglo Hellenic league had been founded in Candia [Iráklion], that John had been made a member of the committee and had been called to a meeting on the day of the meeting. Also thanking Hilda for sending notes by Stephen Glanville about Tell el-Amarna [Amarna], asking if Ron Jenkins was planning on going to Crete that year, sending love from Sphakianakes [?] who had returned, and including 2 poems [written by John] about an old wolf [possibly referring to Ron Jenkins] and Manolake [foreman at Knossos].

Describing life in the training unit and the other cadets and officers training with John (particularly those sharing a room); telling Hilda that they were to start their training the next day and that the course was around 3 months with breaks at weekends and Easter; mentioning a possible course in Intelligence in Cambridge and that after that he had been promised an “action job”; asking Hilda to send him items forgotten, order trousers, meet him in London at the weekend and book a hotel and a theatre show, and not to “forget your marriage lines”.

Thanking Hilda for sending items, describing training, mentioning that there was now hot water, and that he was looking forward to [seeing her] on Saturday.

Comprises a letter, written whilst on guard duty, describing John’s training on horses, that he was feeling better and that it had been a good party at the weekend, and asking Hilda to send a shaving mirror and boots. Also includes mention that John was glad to get Hilda’s telegram, and asking her to let him know about train times to Cambridge and if she heard from Northampton.

Comprises a handwritten letter headed “G.B. Sunday” describing a journey via the New Forest, Bordeaux, Cette, [Marseille], Ajaccio (Corsica), [Bizerte, Tunisia], Malta, Corfu and Phaleron (near Athens); mentioning people that John had seen in Athens ([George] Young, Helen Thomas, Frank Stubbings, Mrs Hasluck, Alan [Wace], “old blasted Will”) and that Vronwy Fisher had gone home; mentioning that it was strange being somewhere that was not blacked out, the weather, and that he hoped she had told [his father and step-mother] of his arrival; sending things for the R. G. S. [Royal Geographic Society] and asking Hilda to send a cheque book and stamps. Also includes a note (headed “Tuesday”) telling Hilda that he was going to be Vice Consul to Crete.

Describing a short trip to Western Crete, and that Elliadi was instructing John how to be Vice Consul; telling Hilda he hoped to go to Lasithi [Lasíthi] with the Squire [R W Hutchinson]; stating that they didn’t get much news [about the war] but that “if England was overrun we’d fight from the colonies”.

Telling Hilda he had been on a trip and that’s why he hadn’t sent a telegram, and asking her to tell Mercy [Money-Coutts] “about thirty if allowed” [?].

Thanking Hilda and [Herbert and “Dickie”] for letters, and saying there was “no cable this week”.

Comprises a letter on “British Vice-Consulate, Candia” headed paper (started in Iráklion, then finished in Athens): telling Hilda that they had bought a puppy called Kaltsoni from “the old Krone”; that the Squire [R W Hutchinson] and “the old lady” [his mother] had been away for 3 weeks but were back that night; hoping that letters were getting through, that she got a telegram on their wedding anniversary and that everything was peaceful in Wales; telling Hilda that he had been to Vianos and Amira on their wedding anniversary, and that there was a heat wave; complaining that it was hard not having news of the war and that he was jealous of people in action in England and Africa; and describing an Italian skipper in Crete getting annoyed with people asking why he doesn’t leave. In the second part of the letter (from Athens) John says he had seen Will Miller and Petrocochino, gives Hilda news that Frank Stubbings was unwell and Nicholas [Hammond?] was in Palestine, and asks her to tell David he hopes he does well next term.

Sending happy returns for Sunday and asking Hilda to give books and stating he had “grand butty for Krone” [puppy from Krone].

Saying letters had begun to arrive, that all was well and there was “hope of quiet review”.

Asking if Hilda got his telegram from the 14th [of Sep] and asking her to send paper-back books.

Saying that a birthday telegram was delayed in London, and clarifying that it was a puppy that he had bought from [“the Old Krone”]. Stamped with “No 96, Censor”.

Thanking Hilda for his birthday telegram, apologising for hers being delayed and asking if any letters had arrived. Stamped with “No 79, Censor”.

Saying he was glad that letters had arrived, and that he was buying a horse for the daily trip to Candia [Iráklion].

Thanking Hilda for a telegram and stating that Greece was “behaving grandly” [in the war], that he was proud of Crete and that he had reverted to his “proper” [military] rank. Stamped with “No 108, Censor”.

Telling Hilda that he is glad she is better, all was well, and that the address was the same as before for forwarding post.

Comprises a handwritten letter and 2 typed copies of a letter with annotated corrections. John asked Hilda to forward the letter on to others as he was only allowed to write a one-sided letter. John wrote about: Greece’s role in the Second World War and Mussolini’s complaints about the use of the sword and bayonet and “savages from Crete”; his life in Crete being very busy and that he had been making speeches and was carried around on people’s shoulders; that old friends in Crete were well and the puppy called Satan had grown a lot; that he had to shave off his moustache after disease got into it; news of the Squire [R W Hutchinson] and “his dam” [mother]; meeting lots of people who had been to Winchester College and that he had had a dinner with them and some people who had been in the Officer Cadet Training Unit (Cavalry) at Weedon; coded messages, being told off by authorities for using the word “bastard” in a coded message to the Minister and that he thought the authorities were like Greek “grannies…apt to stand on roofs scolding people”; and his confidence that the allies would win the war.

Thanking Hilda for letters and telegrams, hoping that his Christmas letter gets home and saying all is well but sedentary. Stamped with “No 128, Censor”.

Wishing Hilda a Happy Christmas, telling her all was well and “not me on radio though present have reverted to army thank god”.

Thanking Hilda for a telegram, telling her that all is well there and that Khronis, Kosti, Manoli and Maria [in Crete] sent love to Hilda, David and Joan.

Telling Hilda he had only just received letters from her dated the 4th and 19th of December, and hoping that some of his letters had arrived.

Telling Hilda all was well there and that he had just received a letter from her which she sent in October.

Comprises a letter written in pencil telling Hilda that letters she had written in September and October were still arriving, and asking her to address them to the Military Head Quarters in the Middle East and to “Captain”; hoping that she had received his telegrams; asking Hilda to write to Westminster Bank about his pay as he should be on a Captain’s wage and thought that he wasn’t; telling her that he had blood poisoning; asking Hilda if ‘Karphi’ had been published, and how Little Arthur, Myres, Mercy, Marion and “all the vogues of yester year” were. John also wrote that: people asked after Hilda, David and Joan; that he sometimes managed to go to Villa [Ariadne]; that his [house] was run by the Krone; that he had started to keep a diary but “so much has for the present to stay unwritten that I gave it up after 2 months”; they seemed as safe in Crete as Britain, but that could change; and that he had nearly lost his fear of caiques but not of rowing boats.

Hoping that his letters were arriving more quickly to her than hers were to him (which were arriving from November, and one from January). With a handwritten note on the back “8.33, 8.49 Foregate St”.

Comprises a postcard with a photograph of Capri (Italy) containing a note about the image, sent to "Miss White" in Caldy, Cheshire.

Comprises a postcard with a photograph of [an old Church/ecclesiastical building]. Mac writes that he is going to [Areopoli], mentions letters of introduction and a visit from Vivian and Theodore, and thanks Hilda for sending films and for a letter. Addressed to Hilda in Athens.

Thanking Hilda for letting him see photographs of Crete and suggesting that she make maps of Crete to go with the photographs, expressing regret at not having seen her but that he "quite realised the situation with Joy etc", inviting her to visit when she could, and mentioning broken transport.

Comprises [early] childhood letters to “Dadde” telling John that he had been out for someone’s birthday and they had [ice cream], and that Joan sends love and kisses; and to “Mummie” telling Hilda that a kitten had arrived, it was black and they didn’t want a white one because it would get dirty, and that Joan sends love and kisses. With an envelope annotated as “taken from letters to father”.

Consists of an [early] childhood letter to “Mumme” hoping that she is having a nice time in London, saying he expects [she will like the sea] and sending love to [John Pendlebury] and love from Joan.

Consists of a childhood letter to “Mummy” sent from [boarding school] including a table of marks for Classics, Maths, French, English and History-Geography. Telling Hilda about a cricket match and that he was glad she was coming to visit.

Describing a day out at the circus that “Nannie” had him David to. Sent from 31 Barrow Road, Cambridge.

Comprises a letter to “Mummie” sent from Winstanley, Great Malvern, telling Hilda: that they had a lovely party for Joan’s birthday and that she liked her presents; that he liked school and didn’t like weekends; that he was good at needlework, and he and Joan could sing ‘God save the King’ and were given mugs with the King and Queen on by Janna; about the park and that he had an ice cream with Jonathan in the park; that he had been naughty at school; and that they were going to have a picnic with Barbara and Margaret soon. Signed by David and Joan.

Comprises a handwritten letter (difficult to read) apologising for not having wished John a Happy Birthday on the day; describing her illness; discussing David and Joan and how glad she was that David was enjoying his new school, Joan would start dance classes, and that John had told Hilda to rest; saying that Hilda had selected a good birthday gift for her; mentioning that Mrs Bevan [David and Joan’s nanny] would be with Hilda soon; and giving news about people that Hilda knew (Margaret and her Father, Dora, Pearl, Auntie Nellie and Norman).

Thanking Hilda for a letter and photographs of John, David and Joan Pendlebury; reminiscing about John as a child including that he liked reading and was very good at puzzles and making things from Meccano; hoping that Joan is better and that Hilda had been able to go and see David [at boarding school].

Subjects include: having just received a letter from Hilda dated February enclosing a Christmas letter from John [PEN 1/2/1/4/14]; sympathising with Hilda regarding the attack on Crete and telling her that Lieutenant Colonel J S Blunt had arrived back in Cairo from Crete and said that John was fine and enjoying himself; news [of her children] Paddy and Joan [Engelbach], and that O. [Oliver] Myers, 2nd Lieutenant Brian Emery (as a Staff Major) and R. E. Molly [or Holly?] were in Cairo; that Guy and Winnie Brunton had gone to South Africa; and measures taken at the [Cairo] Museum including Rex [Engelbach] and O Guerard taking it in turns to sleep there.

Sympathising with Hilda and hoping that she had heard some good news about John, and saying they heard he was fine when Crete was evacuated. Also includes news [of her children] Paddy and Joan [Engelbach], and that [Guy and Winnie] Brunton trying to return from South Africa.

Condolence letter sent after a report of John’s death, expressing sympathy and sorrow at John’s death, asking Hilda to pass on condolence’s to [Herbert Pendlebury] and saying that he had written to Helen [Wace].

Subjects include the official notification of John’s death, that the official report had come from Commander [Pool] and Wace had seen [Pool], the circumstances and details of John’s death, a story that John was in the hills with pneumonia (but Wace didn’t think it was true), and sending his sympathy.