Love Letters: Leonard Woolfe and Trekkie Ritchie Parsons, 1941-1969"It was the middle of the Second World War, and Trekkie, a painter and book illustrator, was married to the publisher Ian Parsons, who later became Leonard's colleague. Leonard was 61, Trekkie 39. He wanted her to get a divorce and marry him but instead she persuaded him to move next door in London and spent the weekends with him at Monks House in Rodmell. When Ian came back from the war, the Parsons moved into the flat above Leonard's, and also bought a house near his in Sussex. Trekkie was a feisty, principled, Scottish feminist - she had never wanted a husband and now, it seemed, she had two at once. She spent the weekends with Ian and the week with Leonard: she took holidays with them separately, acted as hostess for them both, and told no-one about the way they lived. The arrangement worked smoothly for the next twenty-five years - an inventive and honest solution for a woman who loved two men in different ways at the same time.When Trekkie and Leonard were not together they talked by post - a letter scribbled while she cooked the dinner could reach him before breakfast the next morning. Apart from a handful of letters, no one has read their correspondence, which Trekkie sea |
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Page 59
... Monday morning whether I have to come up on that day or Tuesday so if it is just the same to you it would be safer to say Wednesday for you to come to supper at Meck . Sq . But if you would prefer Monday let me know as in that case I ...
... Monday morning whether I have to come up on that day or Tuesday so if it is just the same to you it would be safer to say Wednesday for you to come to supper at Meck . Sq . But if you would prefer Monday let me know as in that case I ...
Page 141
... Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , & Thursday , & then come down here & spend the whole of Friday , Saturday , & Sunday entirely alone writing a gigantic unending letter to you . The only thing which I want to do when I'm away from you is ...
... Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , & Thursday , & then come down here & spend the whole of Friday , Saturday , & Sunday entirely alone writing a gigantic unending letter to you . The only thing which I want to do when I'm away from you is ...
Page 218
... [ Monday ] 10 May 1954 [ postcard ] 2.45 [ Barcelona ] We have arrived here & have to wait until 4.45 before going on . Brilliant sun superb light . Do hope you are ' going on ' & that the kitten is still alive . love T. 267 : Monday ...
... [ Monday ] 10 May 1954 [ postcard ] 2.45 [ Barcelona ] We have arrived here & have to wait until 4.45 before going on . Brilliant sun superb light . Do hope you are ' going on ' & that the kitten is still alive . love T. 267 : Monday ...
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Common terms and phrases
afternoon arrived asked August beautiful believe called cold coming course darling dear Dearest dinner don't door everything eyes face feel felt flowers Friday friends garden give glad head hear hope July kind last night leave Leonard letter Lewes lithography lived London look lunch mean meeting Miss Monday Monk's House morning never nice October once painting Parsons perhaps Press probably published rain returned Ritchie Rodmell Rose round seems sent September side sitting stay Sunday suppose talk tell Thank thing thought Thursday tiger told took trees Trekkie Tuesday turned usual Victoria Square walk weather Wednesday week wind wish Woolf write written wrote yesterday