Ettie writes to Norman

65 College St

Balmain

18/11/17

Dear Norman

I received your most welcome card and very pleased to hear you had a pleasant trip. Your Mother told me you wrote in a letter that you were resting while the music was playing  too much style about you. Last Sunday was Children's Day. The service was very nice and the Church was decorated very nicely (thanks to your Mother). Mr Manning received a nice lot of gifts for the poor. I'm sure you would have loved to have been here to see them.

You remember Elsie Hodgekiss  the poor girl died and the 8th Nov, the anniversary of the SS Picnic. All the girls miss her very much, she was so well like by them. He Mother will mis her but I'm sure whe will not wish her back, only those who saw her since she took to her bed know how she suffered. Her body was brought to the Church where a beautiful service was held. All the girls from the Club came to see the last of their Dear friend. Mr Manning was very good to Els, he visited her so often and she was so pleased. ..so poor Els has gone where there will be no suffering, she lived such a good life.

How do you like England. It will be nice to see an English Christmas quite different to ours, but I think you will be thinking of dear old Balmain. The Bazaar is being held on the 30th of this month I hope it will be a success they seem to be working very hard to make it so.

We heard the other day that Fred Whitehead has been wounded, I hope only slightly. I hope you meet Frank Grose in England, he will be pleased to se you. We had letters from Jack; he met such a lot of the boys from Balmain but a few have been killed since. Well Norman there is no more news at present so I will conclude

with kind regards

from Ettie