Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Thanking Lilian for letters, asking her not to send ‘Chums’ [magazine] as it gets torn and not to send too many presents as there was not enough room, and telling her that every afternoon they went to the coastline where soldiers were digging trenches. John also mentions that they had thought that there was a Zeppelin warning when the telephone rang at the school, that he had a nice present from Aunt Lily, and that there was a fight going on (between the boys) as he was writing.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling his mother that he was happy at school (and that it was much nice than Mr Egerton’s school) and outlining the daily routine. John tells her that he has been in fights and only lost a few, that “nurse” was in a bedroom next to the boys’, several boys bite their nails and get [hit with] the slipper [as punishment], his telescope had arrived and his fountain pen was useful, he had recruited someone to the Navy League, they saw a lot of ships, and a mine had exploded near the shore [at Broadstairs]. John also asks for some seeds and bulbs for a garden he was sharing, some stamps, and a badge of the [Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Comprises two separate letters written on the same piece of paper. John thanks Lilian for plant bulbs, tells her that he is learning how to signal Morse code with an electric torch that he had bought, asks her to send wool and needles to he can knit a scarf, tells her about playing football, that they had not been to the coastline for a long time as it was too cold, that he often sees aeroplanes and is recruiting people to the Navy League. John tells Herbert about playing football and that he finds Latin very easy.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling Lilian about a half term tea party, including the games that they played.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Apologising for not writing to her and Herbert, telling Lilian about exams, asking her to send some paper to wrap up plant bulbs that he wouldn’t have chance to plant, thanking her for puzzles and mittens, and telling her that he is getting on well with knitting. John also tells Lilian about translation of a French [poem or story] and that Mr Seal calls him Jeavers because his hair sticks up.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Thanking her for a letter and saying that [Herbert Pendlebury] should share her letters as he doesn’t have time to write to both of them; telling her that he is sending back plant bulbs, that it has been too wet to play football, that his telescope had improved, that they had been to Chapel, and that “Tubby” still plays “chus chus” [with trains]. John also tells Lilian that there is a monitor [Warship] just off the foreland, and they often see a destroyer [Warship]. The letter is finished with lots of kisses and a drawing of a hug.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Asking for more stamps and writing paper, and listing the Christmas presents he wanted. John also tells his father that he and Basil were lending each other books for the holiday, how Tubby had translated “that night” into Latin, about his activities at the school, and that it was his turn to read in Chapel. John mentions a walk that Herbert and Lilian Pendlebury went on with him when they visited Broadstairs, and that Herbert had played football during that visit. John asks after “Dickie and the love birds” and Nannie, and says that Mummy must be excited about the holidays.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Wishing his father [a happy birthday], apologising for not having written sooner but he had been helping to make an aeroplane out of a knitting frame. Also telling Herbert that he had made a boy called Lawrence angry at lunch; that someone gives John a “hack” every time they play football; and that they see warships (monitors and destroyers) with a drawing of a destroyer.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling Lilian that they had heard a German aeroplane and that there had been a “Zeplin scare”. John also says that there are 2 new boys at the school (Greenall and Barron) and a flag sticker at the top of the letter was given to him by “Bossie (Jumbo)”.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Two letters to Lilian ask her to send items for a pretend war, and gives details of which boys are on each side. The questionnaire from Herbert (filled in by John) asks details about the school and Lilian had written “Daddy’s Jest!!! Please excuse him!” across the top.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Saying that he was at last allowed to write, and had only had the chicken pox “very slightly”. John asks Lilian not to send items for the war [between dormitories] as they wouldn’t be having it that term, and that Basil [a boy from the opposing dormitory] had spent £1 and 10 shillings on items for the “war” (and was calling it “war economy!”). John asked for Lilian to send him nuts and bolts for an unarmoured car he was making.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Comprises the first page of a letter (the second page was for “Nanny”). Telling Lilian that there was a Taube [German aeroplane] near the school, and they had seen British and French aeroplanes chasing it; that there had been bad weather but it had improved enough to play football; that he had dressed up in his Indian outfit; that “Little Bob” and Malcolm had been to visit but Pat [had been ill]. Also asking for some prayer book markers to give to Basil [who was ill]; to please only send letters twice a week; and to tell [Herbert Pendlebury] that exams start on Monday.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Comprises a letter started on Saturday evening, and finished on Sunday. Telling Lilian that they went to the “dug out” on the previous Sunday and heard guns and the [Air Raid Siren]. John also tells Lilian about building armoured cars and Tubby and Gerald having a disagreement, seeing [photographic] slides of Portugal, that Basil was ill and asking Lilian for bible markers [for Basil]. Also sending love to Nanny and hoping she will be better soon, and asking after “Dicky and the love birds”.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Thanking Lilian for letters; and telling her that he had marks back [from exams] but he would explain them when he was home, that Malcolm and “Little Bob” were going home tomorrow, he was planning what to do in the holidays, that Basil liked the bible markers, and that they were “called up” on Friday night. John also asks how Nanny is.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling Lilian about his garden [at St George’s School] and that they had played cricket, and asking her for a peacock or pheasant book marker and to get “Scout”.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling Lilian that: he had received a bathing suit, Ponti had come back [to the school], they were going to put up a tennis net, there was a Zeppelin over [the school] on Friday night, and they were looking for Viscount French [Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces of the British Army] on Thursday but didn’t find him. John also asks Lilian to send a paint box.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Thanking Lilian for letters, sending crosses for his parents’ bible, telling her about his garden and that they had seen some destroyers [warships] firing at a submarine.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Thanking Lilian for letters; asking for a butterfly net, 2 Royal Flying Corps badges, and a bad egg to throw at Mr Martin’s white waistcoat “Basil’s idea”; telling her they saw several submarines escorted by a destroyer [warship], that he had hit “old Martin” with a bat, that Basil had received a telegram to say his parents had arrived safely in Plymouth, that Mrs Meyrick was “hung up at the Ritz”, and about his garden.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian about his garden, a good game of tennis and that he had hit Mr Martin’s cap off with a ball. Asking for a different kind of Royal Flying Corps badge to the one she had sent, and for her to send a letter on to his grandfather. John also tells Lilian his exam dates and for her to send something for Tubby.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Thanking Lilian for a “the crimson lake” [book?]; telling her about boats, including destroyer warships, that he could see from the school, and that the air raid sirens had sounded but it turned out to be a fire; discussing visits by the other boys’ mothers, a possible tea party at Miss Whitwick’s, and asking her not to come too often as the other boys would be jealous; asking her to take him to see aeroplanes at Westgate, and to ask Basil to tea when she visits; telling her about exams, his garden, meeting the Barrons on a walk, that Basil had caught a butterfly, and that he was looking forward to getting model ships at the beginning of the holidays. John also asks Lilian to tell Nanny that he was looking forward to her visit tomorrow.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Sending a letter for Lilian to forward to Basil; telling her about new students, how the dormitories were arranged and that he was captain, that Mr Martin had left, that it had been too hot for football and they were going to the coast that afternoon; asking her not to send too many books as there wasn’t room; and thanking her for stamps, a letter and [toy] soldiers. John also mentioned that Tubby had thrown a chair at his head in anger, and asks if Lilian had had champagne.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Asking for pistols and caps, a whistle and a torch.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian about the boats that had been passing, and a wreck that they could see on the Goodwin [Sands]; commenting that the kitchen maid had caught a spy; asking for two boxes of [toy] Zulus, plasticine and cotton wool (to make headdresses) for his birthday, and for her to send a bib for Tubby and a lanyard for his whistle; telling Lilian that he had taken photographs of ship, aeroplanes, the lighthouse and house and planned to take one of the “dug out” [air raid shelter]; discussing a lecture on flying and asking her to tell [Herbert Pendlebury] that there was a picture of Rammeses II trying to fly and Icarus flaying into the sea; telling Lilian that a new boy (Hamilton Kerr) was very nice and he and other boys were playing and “making war” on the small dormitory, and that there was a nice new teacher called Mr Simon, and he had lent ‘Child of Storm’ [book] to Bunny. John also asked after Nanny, Dicky [dog?] was a whether he had a bath yet, and if the lovebirds had escaped again.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Comprises a letter that John tried to make a long as possible [as he knew his mother liked long letters]. Includes news about the weather, activities at the school (including that they had seen a “dug out” at the lighthouse where valuable papers were kept), that they had seen a lot of gunboats (with drawings of the boats) and Orient boats [passenger boats], and asking her not to write too often and saying that “the Imperial Kitten has turned into a cat”. John asks Lilian not to send toy Zulus as they might get broken, to tell [Herbert Pendlebury] that he would rather go to Ramsgate or Margate than play football when they visit, and to seal her next letter with gold wax to “create a sensation!” John also says he is glad that Granny liked her postcard and asks Lilian to give her his love, and asks after Nanny, Dickie [a dog?] and the love birds.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Thanking Herbert for a book about Chaldea [birthday present], describing his other birthday presents and that they had not finished the cake yet. Also tells Herbert about a lecture on Russia, that they had danced, and the boats that they could see.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Thanking Lilian for a cake and sweets [birthday present], describing his other birthday presents including a photograph from Aunt Violet of “High Jinks” with “all of them” grouped around it. Asks her to send him a postal order for the Navy League, and says that Pontie’s mother and Malcolm (who had a tutor in Broadstairs) had visited.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Hoping that she and [Herbert Pendlebury] were better, saying that he had written to Granny to thank her for a [birthday] present, and discussing a lecture they had on Canada. Includes news about the weather; that they had seen boats, submarines, a wreck and two mines explode; and that they had watched a [football] match that Malcolm’s brother played in. John asks Lillian to send a book about the British Army, writes that “the Imperial [cat] has begun to scratch” (with a picture of a cat), and hopes that Dicky and the love birds are well.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent, shortly after Lilian had visited. Telling her about a lecture on Japan, a thunder storm and that the weather was still too bad to go out, that [a present she had given him] an elephant looked beautiful above his bed. John also asks Lilian to give his love to Nanny and tell her he had done his puzzle, to visit in the “twenties” of November if at all, and to “give Daddy a thick ear for me”.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Asking Lilian to send his Meccano so that he could make a rival fort to someone else’s.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian that his Meccano had arrived and they were making armoured trains, and that it was very windy and the patrol boats were struggling because of the waves; asking for her to send his “75” [air rifle], more nuts and bolts, and his stamp tweezers and magnifying glass to detect forgeries; and asking after the birds and for her to “give Daddy a thick ear” and tell [Herbert Pendlebury] that Winchester scholarship papers had arrived.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian that he was looking forward to her visit [with Herbert Pendlebury]; about a German Smack [Q-ship] being captured near Broadstairs and taken to Ramsgate Harbour, an aeroplane crash-landing into the sea, and field guns being placed nearby; about Jumbo getting a telescope from his mother and John receiving foreign stamps. John also asks her to tell [Herbert Pendlebury] “that the mathematics are awful” and to bring some stamps as he needed them for stamp approval sheets.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent, shortly after Lilian [and Herbert] had visited. Mainly discussing naval engagements and action that he had seen or been aware of. Also telling her about a lecture on Rome, an auction they had at the school, that exams started the next day and Ponty was nervous, that Douglas had called him a cow, that they finished a cake she had made, that they were going to chapel and he had received [something to read] in Greek. John also asks Lilian to send his love to [Herbert].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian about exams, his guns [air rifles?], and that Douglas was having his gun mended. Also asking Lilian if she knew anyone who saw a Taube [German aeroplane] over London, and how Daddy and Nanny were. Includes drawings by John of a monitor [warship], his redoubt [gun], the boys’ game of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift’, and a cat scratching someone [John as an Imperial Cat].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Apologising for not writing sooner, and answering that he wanted “one with no tunnel at all if not one with two”. [It is not clear what he is referring to here].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Giving Lilian news of his friends at school (Tubby, Ponty and Douglas); telling her that he had been tidying up his Meccano and they had just finished [reading] ‘A Boyscout in the Balkans’; and asking how Nanny was, and to tell [Herbert Pendlebury] that he had been learning Greek. Also includes a small map of Europe drawn from memory, and a press cutting of an advertisement for a toy tank.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian about a concert at the school in which he had recited ‘The Battle of Naseby’ by Lord Macaulay, and had helped make the programmes for (an example of which he was bringing home). Also mentions that he wouldn’t bring his Meccano home for the holidays because it was too heavy.

Lists songs, piano solos and recitations to be performed.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian four short stories, and about the cold weather, that there was a new boy called Roderick, and that Hamilton [another boy at the school] couldn’t return to the school as he may have an infectious disease. John also asks Lilian to send him stamps. The letter includes drawings of a submarine and [cats].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. About [a prank], that there had been snow, his friends and their activities at the school including that Hamilton had returned and Douglas had a “4.7 gun and is very dangerous”. John asked Lilian to send his love to everyone, and what she thought about America and new food regulations.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Saying that he was sorry to hear of Granny’s death and that he would send a wreath. Also telling Lilian that they had been tobogganing, he had hit Douglas, and that stamp collecting was becoming popular at the school. John asked Lilian to send him some stamps and whether she would be visiting or that was an “extravagance in war time”.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Sending a postal order and thanking her for a book of stamps.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Telling Lilian about a lecture on the artic regions (with a drawing of a polar bear), thanking her for sending the chain for his watch, telling her that he had bought some stamps and that it seemed as if she hadn’t visited. John signed his name in Greek.

Sent from the Foley Arms Hotel in Malvern [during a holiday]. Addressed “Wot cher Dad!!!”. John tells Herbert that there were two men there who spat on their hands when playing croquet, that it had been quiet as “her myrmidons” were not there, and that he was glad that someone else was “undergoing the torments of the “lingua Greecorum”.” John signs the letter “yours till death from your very most affectionate son with a lot of filial love etc.”

[Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent] over 2 days (Sunday and Monday). Thanking her for a card, sending love to “the children” and telling her they had been picking hops.

Written from Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden. Telling Lilian about his new school, that is was “simply ripping” and that someone had tied up a hedgehog in a handkerchief, and that he had seen tanks on the way to the school the previous day. Also asks Lillian to send his swop book [of stamps].

Written from Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden. Asking Lilian to send his camera, 2 rolls of film and his stamp magnifying glass “for burning things”. Telling her about the school, that he had 2 birds eggs, and that she could give things away except for a green and red engine [toy train].

Written from Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden. Thanking Lilian for sending his camera and asking for her to send off approval sheets [stamps].

Written from Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden. Thanking Lilian for sending his camera and magnifying glass, and asking her to get him a rifle to shoot rooks. Telling her about the school, his stamp-swopping and that he should learn to ride a bike.

Written from Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden. Thanking Lilian for [photographic] films, and telling her about photographs he had taken. Making arrangements for her to visit. Telling Lilian about the food and activities at the school including a cricket match, that he had learnt to ride a bike and his stamp swopping. John also asks Lilian to tell Aunt Tottie that he was sorry that Phil had been killed [in the War], and asks how Nanny and the birds are.

Written from Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden. Telling Lilian about activities at the school, a game that the boys at the school had invented, and about other students including that David Egerton was going to try for a Winchester scholarship at the same time as John. John also says that he was looking forward to Lilian visiting and asks her to bring items with her.