Christine Shaw's Letters

These extracts are from letters written by Christine (Beck) Shaw in Montreal, Canada to her husband Maurice in London between 1940 and 1944. Several of the letters between 1940 and 1942 refer to Guli Eades and family, and these are reproduced below. Thanks to Jonathon Shaw (Christine's son) for transcribing the originals and supplying these extracts. The Shaw's apartment was at 3636 Rue McTavish, Montreal.

The letters cast an interesting light on the Eades family's journeying, seen by an outside party. It is rather touching to see how Christine's rather unfavourable initial impressions change over the course of a year.

December 26th 1940

If we are here in the summer, which I reckon we shall be, we may not go to Guysboro' this year as the Porters may be too shaky to go. So it is possible that I may join up with Guli on a farm at Magog, which is just near Stanstead. I did tell you, didn't I, that she was settled in Stanstead? Lake Memphramagog is simply exquisite, & it would mean bathing & boating & animals for Jen & I suppose just possibly riding. I am afraid Arthur & Vera [Hickson]would not be there, as they have friends in Saskatchewan, & want to hitch hike over to them, but it would be fun to be there with dear fat old Guli again. Her children are all completely spherical! Barbara is 13, Sheila 10 & Robin 6, two days older than Jon. They eat all day long! Peanuts & ice creams & cookies & what not. Sheila is a darling, Barbara nice, but very mature & somewhat scornful of her easy going mother. Robin fat, sweet, rather spoilt. Guli just the same as ever, fat, humorous, indolent & loveable.

February 25th 1941

The summer holidays have been a little on my mind. Guysboro' is not likely to materialise again - Granny let it out that that our trip there cost them in the region of $400! I felt faint at the thought! Guli is very keen that we should go with her to Magog. Now tho' I love Guli, I can't bear the way she brings up her children - they lecture her, they grumble about the food & she spoils Robin - & tho' I may have storms, I am realising more & more that ours are coming on nicely.

April 5th 1941

Holidays are rather beyond me - the fares are so heavy - but I am putting by towards them. I am uncertain what is going to happen yet. Guysboro' is no go. Poor Granny delicately led me to understand that they couldn't run to it again - it apparently cost them nearly $400 to take us last summer! Isn't it devastating. $100 is nearly £22.10. There are one or two possibilities - one is that I join with Guli on Lake Memphramagog. It has these advantages - lovely country - farm life - with bathing & boating & woods & great freedom - & a very small fare - only about $4 each return - but fond as I am of Guli - I don't like her family life - it's all too sluggish & greedy & easy going.

Guli has just written to ask me & the children to stay for ten days! We can't go yet - but might get a short week at Stanstead - which would be just what I've been praying for!

April 14th 1941

Providence has stepped in, in the guise of an invitation from Guli for next weekend & I am hoping to be able to arrange to go with or without Jonathan. I think it might do him good to play with Robin. I shall see Vera & Arthur & all theirs - & be able to sift suggestions for the summer in case Peggy's scheme comes to nowt. I have now enough helpers here to make it possible to leave the children. They start school on Monday - after having been out for 5 weeks - it is really maddening.

I will break off here to say that I am staying now with Guli at Stanstead - which explains why some of the writing was so shaky - I did it in the train. She really is a dear - & Barbara 14 & Sheila - 11 are awfully nice children. Robin 2 days older that Jon is spoilt - but it's not fair to judge - because he is in the middle of whooping cough - very bad. Dear old Guli lets him go about & be sick anywhere he likes - we have been walking round with a shovel today - putting earth over the debris! & it is really pitiful to see his paroxysms - we never had anything like it with ours. I am very much afraid that they got it from Jen who I feel quite sure has had a second attack - she is whooping. In fact poor Jen has had mumps & whooping cough together & I never told anybody & I feel awful, but you see she didn't whoop or be sick until she'd had it for about 3 or 4 weeks & I thought that it was then over. I believed firmly that she was immune from a second attack - & now Lionel says the virus diseases can be repeated.

April 23rd 1941

My Darling,

I am writing this at Stanstead - where I have been having the most heavenly rest for four days. Guli is a dear old thing - comfortable & so sweet & so delightfully humorous. It has been exactly like a slice of my youth to be with her again. The same names have cropped up - we have reminisced & we have discussed all topics with that complete ease & frankness that can only be attained by having known each other all ones life. She is utterly without inhibitions - she is the frankest person I have ever met - & so kind.

Her girls - Barbara & Sheila are the same. Barbara finds life less easy that Sheila - because she has more of her father in her & is a bit pugnacious & also, poor dear - very conscious of her large plump figure, but that will all pass & she is a dear - with the sweetest face. She will be very good looking as she grows & gets slimmer. Sheila is a character - more intuitive than Barbara - not so clever academically, but with the formed opinions & ease & outspokenness of a woman - at the age of 11! She has views & air's them! at times is irritating - but I do feel that the life children lead with their parents is right - these two girls are poised already. I think our nursery regime goes on too long & that our children miss a lot. Our own are coming on a lot now on the same lines - & I am glad. Guli - for all her apparent lethargy is - I think - very clever. She lets her children form & express their own opinions, & though at times I think it goes too far - & can be irritating - I believe it is right. I feel so rested & calmed by her sheer bulk! that I believe I shall go home & act on it a bit.