Dr Charles Edward "Charlie" FENN [18]

   Cause of his death was heart failure.

  General Notes:

Sponsors at Charles baptism were Rev C A Smythies, Theodore G Fenn RN, Ada Frances Hunt.

Charlie was educated at Haileybury College 1887.3 to 1890.3, Graduating Durham University, M.B. 1898. M.R.C.S. 1898, L.R.C.P. 1898 then Kings College London 1902. He was a House Surgeon at Worcester and Colchester Hospitals. He then moved to London where as a junior partner he resided at 34 Streatham Hill (existing 2003 near to the Christchurch Rd. intersection), in practice as Fuller Drake & Fenn. He moved on to 1 Leigham Ave, Streatham (a large house on 2 acres now demolished 2003), as senior partner of Fenn & Hudson, then retired.
Served in the R.A.M.C. WW I Capt, as a surgeon, stationed Sailsbury Plain. Retired early due to poor health to the Rosaries Dedham (next door to Castle House), then to Polstead (the New/Old house) followed by a further move to a small house without staff in Worthing as Charlie lost money in the Wall St crash. Nancy did the last three years of High School here.
After several further moves, Charlie then inherited Alston Court after the death of Edith Fenn in 1938, they let the property before moving in, in 1942. War time conditions made living at Alston Court very difficult and in 1943 Charlie and Edith moved to 8 Priory Rd. Kew London after selling to Alston Fenn.

Haileybury Register 1887.3
Fenn, Dr Charles Edward, M.D.,b. 23 Sept. 73, s. of E. L. Fenn, M.D. C87.3-91.2. D. at Kew, Sy.,30 Apr., 47.

CHARLIE'S CONFESSIONS 1891
MY FAVOURITE VIRTUE: Honesty
MY IDEA OF HAPPINESS: Going to a theatre
MY IDEA OF MISERY: Going to school
MY FAVOURITE OCCUPATION: Boating swimming tennis
MY FAVOURITE COLOUR: Red rose lily of the valley
MY FAVOURITE FLOWER: Pink heliotrope
MY FAVOURITE POETS: Milton Tennyson Hood
MY FAVOURITE PROSE AUTHORS: Miss Braddon, Rider Haggard.
MY FAVOURITE PAINTER: Vicat Cole Solomon J Solomon
MY FAVOURITE FOOD: Turky Ices Curry Goose Tipsy cake
MY FAVOURITE NAMES: Jack Dorothy Charlie Cyril Harry
MY PET AVERSION: Bread & butter pudding
MY FAVOURITE MOTTO: Never put of till tomorrow what may be done today

Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons.
Past examinations: Charles E Fenn, King's College.
The Times 8 August 1893.

Julius Jottings No 5 June 1901.
Charles Edward Fenn has been appointed House Surgeon at the General Infirmary, Worcester.

34 Streatham Hill, SW.
July 3rd 1914
My dear Van,
Just a line to tell you that I am engaged to Miss Ella Shuttleworth, daughter of Dr Shuttleworth, he used to live at Richmond. It was the inevitable result of the Swiss tour in which Ella, Dolly and myself took part.
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn

Marriages.
Fenn-Shuttleworth. On the 14th April, at St Peter's Church, Belsize Park, N.W., by the Very Rev Dr Hackett, Vicar, assisted by the Rev E. V. Fenn (brother of the bridegroom) and the Rev F. H. Lacy, Charles Edward Fenn M.D., of Streatham Hill, eldest son of the late Edward Liveing Fenn, M.D. of Nayland Court, Essex, to Edith Elizabeth (Ella), only daughter of Dr and Mrs Shuttleworth, of Hampstead (formerly of Aancaster House, Richmond Hill).
Ref: Unsourced paper clipping 1915.

1939 Register
Vicarage , Towcester R.D., Northamptonshire, England
Charles E Fenn 23 Sep 1873Married Medical Practitioner Retired

Fenn Dr C E 8 Priory Rd Richmond 5927
Ancestry: London Phone Book 1945/46

Charlies grave reference: Section 13, grave 10075. (London Borough of Richmond on-line burial search).
His daughter Nancy's ashes are in the same plot.

  Research Notes:

Charlie & Ella were living at 34 Streatham Hill when their daughter was born.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, Royal Albert Asylum Scotforth Lancashire. George is recorded as head of house unmarried aged 24 Superintendant of Asylum BA Lon MD MRCS Eng LSA born Edgbaston WAR

2. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, 1 Portland Tce The Green Richmond SRY. Charlie is recorded as a son, a scholar, aged 7yrs, born Richmond SRY.

3. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, Haileybury College Lt Amwell Hertfordshire. Charlie is recorded as a pupil aged 17 occupation Student born Richmond SRY

4. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, Worcester Hospital. Charlie is recorded as a medical Officer aged 27 single employed as a House Surgeon born Richmond SRY

5. Charlie's Schoolboy Letters: To his Brothers, 19 Feb 1889, 27 Mar 1889, 1 Mar, Haileybury College HRT. Haileybury College
Hertford
Feb 19th 1889
Dear Vandy
Many happy returns of the day I hope you will have a very happy Birthday. As Haileybury is a very bad place for presents I am afraid I must postpone mine till Easter. We have had a great deal of snow lately and it was collected into an enormous heap and then the boys tobogganed down it. Tobogganing is a game in which you get a piece of wood and sit on it and then slide down the hill. Are you learning French now I think you were going to this term. I am sending you a few stamps I hope you will like them but I am afraid they are not very good ones. Last Monday Week we had a splendid snow fight all the boys played in a large field and we attacked and stormed a great many snow forts. Last Saturday we had a football match against a picked team from the Cambridge University and we won. Please give my love to Father, Auntie Polly, Nanny Goat, Cyril and Emperor BAA.
From your loving brother
Charlie.
On notepaper headed with the family crest immobilis.

Haileybury College
Hertford
Mar 27th (1889)
Dear Harry
Many happy returns of your birthday and I hope you will enjoy it very much. I am very sorry I could not write before but I had no stamps. Are not you glad Oxford won the boat race? I am awfully missing page
Do you know that Aunt Margaret's children and herself have arrived from New Zealand a few days ago. Father has just written to me and says that I am going to leave Haileybury after next term and go to a clergyman in a little village near Hanover in Mecklenling Scharuin so that I will be able to learn modern languages. We will have great fun in the holidays Auntie Polly says I must go in for boating a good deal and it would be very nice if we two could go for little rows up to Kingston and back etc. You must get on with swimming too and then we will always be allowed on the River together. There is only a few more days to the holidays now isn't it nice. Thanks awfully for the stamps you have got for me I think I will buy some in the holidays because I want to get 1000 very much. The influenza he is dying of now . . . . . did Auntie Polly tell you I had been in the Sick House again. There is a disgusting old nurse their who used always to pick her nose. So one day while she was doing it in our room I said to her fellow "What are you consider the most disgusting habit" so he (we had arranged it before) said "Oh I think to pick one's nose" the nurse took the hint and smoked so till she was nearly purple. Anyhow she did not pick her nose in our room again. I have been having a good deal of toothache this term and have been twice to London to have them sent to I have had none out.
Love to Fritz and Alexed?
From your affec/te brother
Charlie
He's getting a big boy now He's 12 years old And can blow is own nose He's getting a big boy now
I will postpone my present until the holidays when you can choose what you like.
On notepaper headed with the family crest immobilis.

Haileybury College
Hertford
Mar 1st
Dear Harry
Thanks very much for your letter and the stamps some of them were very good especially the Nova Scotia and the Chinese ones. I added up my stamps yesterday and found that they came to the total of 1312 so I have gained a lot this term next term I am going to get the total up to 1500. Next holidays I am going to buy a very good Album one of Senfs nearly all the stamps are illustrated & it is beautifully bound, it will be a tremendous business to move the stamps into it, but I shall do it gradually. It has been very hot weather here with us. There are a lot of cases of measles in the school about 40 and a few of chickenpox. I went in for a Divinity Prize the examination came off last Saturday next week the lists will be up I hope I get it though I have not much chance as there are several good men in for it. Auntie Ada wrote to me last week and I have written to her has she written to you? When do you come home for the holidays we break up on the 9th of April. I am sending you these stamps as swaps the two St Helena are very good for they are unused. There have been several good paper chases this term. Some fellow fainted in the last one when they came an for it was a very hot day. Afraid I have no more to say.
Love to all both great and small.
Especially Futy & Bertha so tall
From your affect brother
Charlie Crusoe Dick Fancy (?)
A schoolboy signature of sweeps and letters.

6. Charlie Fenn's Plays: Confess & Cleopatra's Needle by C E Fenn, Unknown.
The Fenn boys enjoyed staging amateur drama (very amateur I imagine ?)
Cast includes Harry Fenn brother, and Dolly Cotes cousin.

7. Charlies Letters: To his Brothers Van & Harry, 19 Feb 1889, 27 Mar 1889, 1 Mar, Haileybury, London, Streatham London. Haileybury College
Hertford
Mar 27th
Dear Harry
Many Happy returns of your birthday I hope will (sic) have a jolly day. These stamps I am sending you are not of course a present for they would be of no use to you, but I will give you something in the holidays. I break up on April 9th and as you break up on the 10th very likely I shall be able to meet you at Victoria. Vandy is already at home & so he will go back to school when we have been home only for about a week which is rather a pity it will make him very sad at going back. Do you know that Father has said that I can have my camera next holidays, won't that be jolly, I have sent up for a catalogue from "Lancaster" which is a great place & when I have got it I will mark the one I want & send the catalogue & he will send for it. Won't it be nice to be able to get photographs, I think I shall make our dressing-room into a dark room we can easily wash in the other room & it is not wanted for anything else. Of course you know poor Father is ill, but he is better now, he is going off to the S of France when he gets right, viz about the Easter Holidays, we will be left alone in the house, I expect Aunt Isabella will come & stay there. The Athletic Sports are going to be held on Easter Monday and Tuesday, the heats are being run off now, I expect they will be very good this year as we have some very good runners. We have spent Good Friday exactly like a Sunday, we had hot or I ought to say cold cross buns for breakfast and tea. I am getting on well with my stamps, I added them up a few days ago & I found I had got 1378 so I ought to get 1400 by the end of this term which he is a good deal. At the beginning of the Holidays I am going to spend a few days with the Parkers I think I shall take my camera there and get some photographs of the country you know that they live near Tilford and I could get some photographs of the Jumps (The Devils Jumps?), Prospect Tree (possibly the Tilford Oak?), The Pond where I shot the frog etc which would be very nice. We have been having a lot of measles in the school but they are getting much better now. I can't think of anything more to say so I must shut up.
From your affect brother
Charlie

45 Gt Marlboro St
Regent St
April 5th 97
My Dear Van
Will you let me know when you are going back home, I am intending to bicycle back and want you to take back a handbag of mine, I will meet you at Liverpool Street if you will let me know when & where & give you the bag, it will give you no trouble & it is very expensive for me to send it per C.P. & Co. I saw the boat race on Saturday, being near the winning post, Oxford paddled past, an easy victory, afterwards I got into a boat with Jack Bateman & we were towed up the river to Richmond. In the evening Uncle Churchill Family arrived, there were Polly, Ethel, Ella & Ada; Ella has got very big eyes, I recognized them all besides them there was Uncle Arthur & Bessie, Aunt Ada, Joe Hunt & all the Batemans, 23 of us altogether. Is it true that G Cyril has passed into the Navy, I was told so at Bridge House but I have heard nothing about it from home perhaps the "Ra.ra.Paw" will be able to enlighten me. I had a long letter from Harry today, he is going to meet me at Witham on his bike and we are going to ride together to Colchester. As Cyril would say "I must stop now as the bell is ringing for tea (an awful whopper)", still I must shut up as I have to be off to the Spital Ta ta
Your affect brother
Charles E Fenny
PS I enclose addressed postcard CEF
Written on black edged note paper.

5A, Streatham Place,
Streatham Hill, SW.
Nov 7th 06
My dear Harry
I think that it is about time that I wrote to you again and besides this letter ought to reach you about Christmas so I am wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year in faraway New Zealand and your new sphere of work. I daresay it will seem curious to you to be spending Christmas in midsummer weather but you have an advantage over us. We have begun the wet and foggy season in London, yesterday morning the fog was so thick that I could not see across the road and when it cleared up a little it began to pour & has been pouring ever since, a nice prospect! and I was called out last night to see a case. A few, a very few patients come straggling in, but everything must have a beginning and I feel that I am getting a little more known, it is just a year today since I came to Streatham Hill and the first year is always the slowest. I was down at Nayland a few weeks ago but there was no one at home, even the faithful Edgar had departed to Oxford, so Chick had to entertain me, after stopping a few days there I went on to Colchester where I stopped with Dr and Mrs Day, during that time I amused myself by having teeth out, I had gas three times, I got quite accustomed to it. These various operations prevented me from seeing many of my old friends but I went to tea with Mrs Lockwood. Miss Kate Lockwood, I dare say you know died last June I wanted to see the Miss Thompson Smiths but I could not find time. They have been having exciting times at the Hospital since I left. They had to sack one of the House Surgeons because he would go away for a day or two without leave, a calm? thing to do, and then the House Physician took himself off so for a few days there was no resident Medical Officer at the hospital at all. I had a very pleasant trip to Norway last July though unfortunately the weather was not favourable I caught a few trout and we climbed some mountains the country is rather like Switzerland, with much more water in it, I was very much taken with the place and its inhabitants. We stayed several days at various hotels and so got to know the people well. We had games of Bridge in the evening, some of the Norwegian girls play very well, some of the Norwegian girls are very pretty.
Van paid me a visit a few weeks ago he has settled to go as curate to Cuckfield in Sussex. As he arrived for lunch, we patronised the Zoo in the afternoon, I had not been there for ages, some of the beasts are very smelly, I had a strong whiff from some old bears, full on the chest, and it nearly knocked me over. Curiously enough Mr Haides of Nayland visited the Zoo that same afternoon. How are you liking your work? I suppose that you are getting quite accustomed to it by now. It seems funny that you, who I suppose, had hardly ever been on a horse in your life, should now live mostly in the saddle, but it must be a very healthy life and ought to suit you much better than any indoor occupation, I hope that you have not had any asthma lately. I dare say you will be taking to yourself a wife, in the future, I very often feel lonely in the evenings and have thought about it, but I have not come across the right woman yet and anyhow to tie one's self for life to a girl requires a good deal of thinking over. Cyril fell madly in love with a girl he met at the theatricals at Nayland last June. I met her when I was at Alston Court in Oct, she came to dinner with the Greys and afterwards I was her adviser at Bridge. I must tell this to Cyril he will be green with jealousy.
Jack Bateman pays me occasional visits in the intervals between his exams. He is up again at Edinburgh preparing for another attempt. Dr Drake my partner, has bought a motorcar, a Lanchester, a very fine one & Dr Fuller has just purchased a Humber.
Well, old boy, I must end up with lots of good wishes to you for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
From your affectionate brother
Charles E. Fenn.

8. Charlies Letters: To Harry in NZ re fathers death, 19 Feb 1889, 27 Mar 1889, 1 Mar, Streatham London SW. 5A, Streatham Place,
Streatham Hill, SW.
May 7th 1907
My dear Harry
I hope that you are getting along well and flourishing like a green bay Tree. Just at present times are rather slack with me and as it is pouring with rain and I cannot go out, I thought that it would be a good opportunity to indite you a letter, though I don't think that there is anything very exciting to tell you.
Father I am glad to say, is still slowly improving, since his first illness he had two more convulsive attacks which were alarming, so I went to consult Dr Ferrier and he very kindly came down to an Nayland with me, he thoroughly examined Father and came to the conclusion that there was no very serious mischief but that all these attacks were caused by the condition of his arteries, that means that he is liable to have similar attacks in the future but that with proper care and treatment they may be staved off and that he may go on for many years. That opinion on the whole is reassuring, as I was afraid on account of the subsequent attacks that there might be some serious mischief such as a tumour present.
I went down to Ham last week and stopped the night, it is many years since I was there, in fact I do not think that I have seen Dudley since he was in sailor suits. They told me that poor Bertha's engagement had been broken off and that of the two girls were coming to London, this is a very unfortunate year for them to come, what with Father's illness and Uncle B's death and Uncle Arthur is letting his house again this year for the summer and Uncle Henry in lodgings. I feel that I am the only representative of the Julian Genus able to welcome them but unfortunately being a bachelor, I am unable to offer them the shelter of my roof, however I shall call on them when they are in town and offer my services.
I had a little burst of gaiety about 10 days ago when I went to three dances in quick succession one of them was a fancy dress in which I figured as Sir W. Raleigh in gorgeous costume and a short pointed beard, as was the only proper I danced with several Queen Elizabeth's. The dance was in London and the Streatham party went up in a bass which was supposed to hold 12 but 14 crammed into it so you can imagine the squash. We were somewhat uproarious coming back. I had also a very nice dance at the Streatham Town Hall where I met some very charming partners. I am trying to improve my cat run called by courtesy a garden, I ordered down yesterday a whole lot of flowering plants which I shall plant promiscuous like about the place. I put it in to climbing roses and am training up my verandah, they are getting on very well and several buds are appearing.
Jack Bateman is doing locum work, he is now at Brighton, he visits me occasionally in the intervals. A few days ago he sent me a photo of himself which made me recoil in horror he had actually grown a beard and more forbidding looking ruffian I have rarely seen.
I am discharging my deaf servant, she has been in the hospital for some time past with something wrong with her eyes so I gladly took the opportunity of discharging her, her mother is still stopping on. I had Edgar with me about a month ago for a few days, we went to see " Raffles the Amateur Cracksman" which is a play somewhat of the Sherlock Holmes type, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I hope that the sheep shearing has been successfully accomplished, I daresay you are quite settling in in far away New Zealand, all you want is a wife and so do I, but I can't find the girl.
Well mon frere, farewell, hope you are quite well in yourself and not troubled with any asthma.
Your affectionate brother
Charles E. Fenn.

5A, Streatham Place,
Streatham Hill, SW.
Dec 17th 1907
My dear Harry
You will, of course, have already heard from Van by the last mail about the death of the dear old Dad. I came down on the Saturday evening Dec 7th, I do not think that he recognized me, he became more and more unconscious and died on the Sunday morning Dec 8th at 7 a.m. It was a terrible night and I often wished that I was far away, but he died very quietly and peacefully. You never saw him since his illness in February so you would not know how he had changed, I think if we look at the matter impartially we must realise that it is all for the best, for there is no doubt that his mental powers as well as his physical ones were failing and these would have got worse and would have led to softening of the brain, that is what he feared and he told me so in the summer. Very often, when I used to see him during this last year, I had many a pang when I contrasted him then to what I had known him as and to what you have always known him viz a dignified and stately gentleman and endowed with a magnificent intellect, and yet he always used to be thinking of you, I think that you were more in his thoughts than anyone, the Christmas letter that he wrote to you was one of the last, if not the last of his letters, it occupied him four or five days and he would go to Colchester to get your present himself. He was always delighted to see any of us when we went to Nayland and I think we bought back to him more forcibly the memory of our Mother and his first Marriage. We have indeed been born of good parents, the one an upright and conscientious Christian gentleman, the other a sweet, pure and saintly lady. Father often used to talk about his boys saying how good we were in writing to him he kept all our letters since his illness. Well it is all over and done with, he lies in his grave in the Nayland Cemetery next to Aunt Margaret and Uncle Sam. Van will have told you all about the funeral and you will also see the account of it in the local papers we sent you, on Sunday evening the service was a kind of memorial one, special hymns & Mr Grey preached such a beautiful sermon and amongst other things he told us what a splendid example our Father had given to all who knew him. It seems sad that you should be far away, the other side of the world, at such a time as this but I think that you realise that it was very probable that you would never see the Dad again when you bade him goodbye on board the Tongariro, and I think that he thought so too, but it is inevitable, death comes to all of us and only time can soften the pangs that it leaves behind.
Well I must get on to another subject and that is the legal aspect of the situation. Father in his Will left all his estate to the Mater for her lifetime when it will be divided equally among its those who survive her (except that the money which Father and advanced to me from his estate to buy this practice is to be deducted from my share). We five however come into possession of the property of our Mother, together with the Life Insurance on his life. The value of both of these is L6000 about, so that we should each get about L1200, in order that we may deal with your share, what is called in legal phraseology a power of attorney will be sent you for signature and this will be sent you by Willie Liveing who is managing the estate. What you will do with the money is for you to decide, I think that if you can live on your present income, it will be best to let both principle and interest accumulate until you want to use it or part of it in purchasing some sheep farm or whatever you are intending to set up in the future. It is always very useful to have a certain amount of capital in readiness.
Father also left you his gold watch, so you must let us know if you would like to have it sent out to you at once.
I hope that you are feeling all right again now and are no longer troubled with those wretched boils.
With my love to you.
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn
Written on black edged notepaper.

5A, Streatham Place,
Streatham Hill, SW.
Mar 27th 1908
My dear Harry
Many thanks for your letter. I received the Power of Attorney safely.
As you will see by the following that we cannot get 5% for our money with any degree of safety over here, the money is as follows, the Canadian Pacific Railway stock having been bought with the insurance money less the amount of death duties for our estate.
(i) L236 Canadian Pacific Railway 4% debenture stock worth L248
(ii) L226 5% G.W. Railway rent charge stock worth L416
(iii) L196 5% Ontario & Quebec Railway permanent debenture stock worth L245
(iv) L358 4% G.E. Railway Consolidated preference stock worth L383

(i) Brings in L 9-8-9 a year
(ii) " " L11-6-0 "
(iii) " " L 9.16.0 "
(iv) " " L14-6-0 "
L44-16-0
Capital if at present time sold would be worth L1192 which brings it out just under 4% interest.
Besides these are 80 shares of L5 each in the Alliance Economic Investment Company. These are worth very little and it will not be possible to sell. The interest is about 2% if it comes at all and so as we cannot divide them up, I am taking charge of them and whatever interest comes from at the end of the year I shall divide up amongst us five, so you may get about L2 a year from this source. We would sell them if we could but there is no market for them. If therefore you would like to have your money invested in New Zealand, I will, on instructions from you sell all your stocks and put them together with any dividends that may have come in, into Elworthy's bank. Let me know what is his London bank.
Farewell, old boy, I will write again soon, but I am in a great hurry today.
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn
Written on black edged notepaper.

9. Charlies Letters: Life in his practice, Estate dividend, 19 Feb 1889, 27 Mar 1889, 1 Mar, Streatham London SW. 34 Streatham Hill, SW.
November 10th 1908
My dear Harry
I have just realised that my Christmas letter to you will be somewhat late, which I hope you will excuse, there are no signs of Christmas here at present, except certain small boys who howl dolefully outside one's door, "While shepherds watched etc" they started that game the other evening when I was with a friend and he left his fox terrier at Maxton, there was a tremendous scrummage and the band melted instantaneously. I am quite getting settled down in my new house and have taken vigorously to gardening, I am at present planting bulbs most fatiguing work, so I hope I shall be repaid for my efforts in the spring. Nothing exciting has happened to me since I last wrote. I went down to Richmond last Sunday and did a round of visits, the Bateman's, like Quirks, Linnie is laid up with an inflamed vein, and Aunt Isabelle & Dolly. You will no doubt hear full particulars of the memorial window from eyewitnesses Aunt Isabella tells me that it is very beautiful, Cyril was able to get down for it, he is still very thick with Dosie Denlaw?. I believe that there must be something in it and so do the rest of the family, he carries her photo about with him everywhere and they correspond. The dancing season has commenced and I have been asked to an ordinary subscription dance, a fancy dress one and the dance at Bedlam, I have my doubts however about going to the Bedlam one. I took Dolly to the Coliseum last week, there was a very good programme & we enjoyed it immensely. We are just beginning the foggy weather now and consequently are kept a little more busy, we have been very slack up to the present. I suppose that you will be sweltering in torrid heat.
I hope however that you will have a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Au Revoir
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn
P.S. I hope the gun is going strong.

34 Streatham Hill, SW.
May 7th 1909
My dear Harry
Excuse a hurried letter but I want to catch the mail and I am very busy just at present as Dr Fuller is away. I shall be writing to you next week and shall be sending you a draft for L35 on the Bank of Australasia at Christchurch. The bank manager however told me that if Christchurch was too far away . . . . . your boss would cash it for you all to the total amount of money paid to your account is as follows.
L17-14-11 your share in the sum left over after a winding up the Trust Funds.
L6-16-0 G.E. dividend August 08
L5-7-4 G.E. dividend August 08
L6-16-0 S.E. dividend February 09
L5-7-4 S.W. dividend February 09
L42-1-7
L6-16-0 deducted for cost of gun and carriage to New Zealand
L35-5-7 Balance due to you.
I am sending you therefore by the next mail a draft for L35-0-0 leaving the odd shilling to be brought forward to the next accumulation.
You say that you have only received one dividend from the Canadian Pacific Railway, if you are quite sure of this you must communicate with them as another dividend ought to have been sent to you on July 1, 1908.
I am glad to hear that you are flourishing, I find that now I have moved on to the main road I am doing a little more but it is still very uphill work, just at present I am fairly busy as Dr Fuller is away for a fortnight.
No time for more, will write next week.
Your affectionate Brother
Charles E. Fenn

34 Streatham Hill, SW.
May 13th 1909
My dear Harry
I am enclosing you your draft for L35 which you must take to the Bank of New Zealand Christchurch to get cash or else your boss will change it for you. You must not be surprised to get another one next week, that will be a duplicate one and is only sent for purposes of safety, so if you have cashed the first one, the duplicate is of course useless.
Edgar has been staying with me for a few days last week, he came up to be measured for an artificial hand, by the time he goes to Ely in July, he ought to have got accustomed to it and to be able to make some use of it. I am still going in for gardening in my spare moments; as I have a fair sized piece of garden, it will repay my efforts. One of my partners Dr Fuller is away at present, so I am doing the heavy swell and rolling about in his carriage and pair. I have not heard anything much about the family circle lately. Jo Fenn (Josephine) wants to be a nurse so Aunt Margaret has written to me, she will probably be going to the Colchester Hospital shortly. My parrot is very flourishing and is learning a few more words, I forgot though, you have never seen her, never mind that will be a pleasure in store. Nothing much to relate, you will have a letter from me next week, in closing the duplicate. Adieu
Your affectionate Brother
Charles E. Fenn

10. Charles Fenn: Home & Rooms in Streatham and WWI Service, 1910-1918, London.

11. Charles Fenn: His marriage to Ella 1915 & his family, 1915, London.

12. Charlies Letters: To Harry in NZ re death of Edgar sale Alston Court to A A Fenn, 15 Aug 1942, 31 Aug 1942, 10 Jun 1943, Lois Weedon NTH. Lois Weedon Vicarage
Towcester
Northants.
Aug 15 42
My dear Harry
You may have heard by now about dear old "Gillys" death. It occurred suddenly on Aug 7th and was due to a cerebral tumour causing convulsions and coma. He had left the Convalescent Home & was making good progress after his accident. He was only back again in Castlethorpe for a week. I am enclosing you a cutting from the Wolverton Express which gives a full account of the funeral. Van says he has never known such a thing as the Bishop (in fact there were two of them) sending letters of sympathy to be read at the Funeral Service. It all shows how much he was beloved and respected. We shall all miss him very much and especially Van. Van and I stopped at Castlethorpe for tonight's, I was at Miss Gregory's the Organist and Van stayed at your old hosts the Cooks who enquired affectionately after you. Edgar left me to be his sole executor, and I am determined not to have the appalling delays which occurred with Dudley, so I interviewed Mr Rands of Northampton the day after the funeral and am seeing him again in a few days as I am stopping a week with Van. After a few legacies he left all his property to be equally divided between us four. I do not know yet what the expenses e.g. Death Duties etc, will come to, but the residue ought to amount to about L4000 and I should suggest as I did before in one of my letters that you should pay Elworthy L1000 off his mortgage, it would I think make it easier to sell the farm and anyhow I could not get you such a high rate of interest as you are paying him. Trustee securities now range between 3 & 3^1/2%. By the time you get this letter you will probably be informed that a draft has been paid into your bank and I shall be sending you another as soon as I get your income-tax rebate, (curse them for their slowness).
I do not remember ever having thanked you and Margot for your most generous Christmas present, it was awfully good of you both andLoi the contents of the tins were delicious. Ella has often said how good and generous you both were and would, I know, join me in thanks if she were staying here.
We are living our life at Alston Court under difficult circumstances, it is very nice to be in the old Homestead again, but under the strict rationing system it is impossible to keep the house properly warm & lighted and all our cooking has to be done on a decrepit oil stove. The new vicar, Canon Wright, is a great success, he was inducted on July 8th and we asked him and his family together with Archdeacon and Mrs Buckley into tea before the ceremony and afterwards, the old "Beershop" himself came and partook of light refreshments. I had thought of taking a house for 3 or 4 months during the winter, with all modern conveniences, for I am training of the cold weather, my circulation is getting so bad, but Nancy wants to leave her farm at Ham and get on to one near Nayland where she can live at Home, poor child, she has been living in a good deal of discomfort at Kew and as well-meaning relatives & friends shower invitations on her, I fear she is not getting enough rest and he is getting Anaemic.
I hope you are progressing as well as one can expect and also Margot.
Best love to you both and also to E.L. what a jolly little chap he is growing into.
Ever your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn

Alston Court
Aug 31st 42
My dear Harry
After keeping the vouchers and claim for rebate which I sent them, in over 7 weeks the Income-Tax Authorities have sent me the enclosed. I did mention the matter to you in one of my letters about a year ago, but I suppose it never reached you, as you made no allusion to it, and as they paid up your rebate last year, I thought it would be all right. Since my last letter to you about poor old dear Gilles death, nothing much has happened. Ella and I spent a week in town to see something of Nancy who is working at the Ham farm, we also visited Richmond, Kew and Hampstead, and returned to Nayland a few days ago. Canon Wright the new Vicar here, is I think, going to be a great success, he is stirring up the village, which badly needs a little stimulus. Last Sunday there was a parade of troops, over 100 of them and they all came to Church. The Major in command read the first lesson and I read the second has Col. Rundall was away. Ella and I are still very busy with household duties, as we can get no help, so we live in a little corner in the South part of the house and have not been able to have any visitors to stay this summer.
Excuse short note, love from Ella and myself to you and Margot and also "His Nibs", E.L.F.
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn

Alston Court,
Nayland,
Colchester.
June 10, 43.
My dear Alston
Owing to my failing health and to the fact that neither Ella nor Nancy wish to stay on at Alston Court, I am seriously considering the question of selling the property. As you know it is an exceptional house, possessing as it does woodcarving supposed to be unequalled in East Anglia and 15th century heraldic and old Flemish glass. My father spent about L4200 in restoring it and if I put it on the market I should put a reserve of L5000 on it but I am prepared to let you have it for L4500 and to throw in the 8 valuable pastle portraits of the Alston family and also other rellies such as the original certificate of the appointment of Sir Edward Alston to be the president of the Royal College of physicians in Charles II reign. Besides the house there is a Meadow and Fennage which I let for L21.5.00 per annum, I am told they are worth a good deal more than that. The whole property covers 7.8 acres. I wrote to aunt Alison asking for your address and she may have sent you my letter as I gave her other particulars regarding the estate. I should like, if possible, and answer in the near future, as both Ella and Nancy wish to settle down near London soon.
I hope you and yours are keeping well.
Your affectionate cousin,
Charles E Fenn.
Written on 2 sides of a sheet of notepaper

13. Charlies Letters: To Alston Fenn re sale of Alston Court, 15 Aug 1942, 31 Aug 1942, 10 Jun 1943. Alston Court,
Nayland
Colchester.
July 15, 43
My dear Alston
Many thanks for your letter, I am glad to hear you are buying the old family house as it would have grieved me very much to have had to sell it to a stranger. The valuer appointed by Lloyds Bank came here on Tuesday last and went over the house and grounds. As regards the mortgage, I am quite willing to accept 4% per annum but should prefer to have it for 3 years without the option of renewal. It is quite probable that I may not last that time and I want to leave my estate in as simple a form as possible for Ella and Nancy. As we can mutually arrange many details ourselves, I do not think it would be necessary to employ 2 sets of lawyers, they only quibble and split hairs between each other and greatly increase the expense, so I should suggest a man I know in Colchester, I have dealt with him once, his charges are not excessive, he is on the spot and knows all about the title deeds of Alston Court, though our ancestors were lawyers, the title deeds were lost, which gave my father a good deal of trouble when he succeeded to the property and also myself when I was trustee for the estate, however they are all right now and in order. I have just succeeded in getting the little house at Kew which was lucky as there are now no more houses in that locality to be obtained except ruinous old hulks at enormous prices. Our own business ought to be settled by the next quarter day, and if you do not want to take possession of it at once it might be let. I am throwing in - as you are taking the place - the Alston pastel portraits, military honours and other photos of our ancestors with the exception of an etching of Jacobus Vanderzee which I had promised some time ago to my brother Van (Vanderzee), the tapestries and framed certificate in the solar room I am giving you also the antique fire irons in the dining room, library and solar. Regarding the pictures in the Hall (except my Father) they belong to Adria, but I expect she to would like them to remain in the old house, I will mention this when I write to her.
Do not trouble to send back the photos of the house, you may keep them, they are very good ones, I will also, when I have time, let you have a copy of the history of the house and the old glass etc, which I have compiled, at present I have only the one copy, also the book "Alstoniana" and "Portraits In Suffolk Houses".
No more to say now,
Your affectionate cousin,
Charles E Fenn.
Written on 3 sides of 2 sheets of notepaper.

Alston Court
Nayland
Colchester
September 6 43
My dear Alston,
Mr White of Brook Farm Leavee Heath called upon me last Saturday he wants to rent the fennage for another year from February next. He says that the rentage of the fennage are purely for grazing purposes and have nothing to do with the shooting over them. That you must apply to the fennage Committee. Mr Taylor the local schoolmaster has got the rights of shooting over some of them and he could give you full information, of course you can shoot over the Meadow and paddock belonging to Alston Court and I have often seen pheasants and partridges flying about. Mr White also said that he would buy the fennage from you but that he would prefer to rent them. The annual rent at present is L11.5.0 a year. He also said that if you wanted shooting he would let you shoot over his farms at Leavee Heath (about 2 miles from here) for nothing. Plenty of rabbits there I know. Adria is willing to leave the pictures in the hall and landing and oak settle, also clock as long as they remain in the house and I am willing to do the same with the Alston portraits the four poster bed and others on the list you sent by Dorothy, on the same terms. If however you have to vacate the house (which of course, I hope will not be the case) that they shall return to the original owners or their heirs to dispose of as they think best. This if you could send your consent in writing could be known as a "Gentleman's Agreement" and would save all the expense and fuss which lawyers so love to make, if they drew up an agreement of that kind. Adria's address is 1 St Luke's Villas College Road, Cheltenham. There are at present 3 tons of coke and one and a quarter tons of coal in the outside and inside coal houses, worth L14.0.0 at today's prices I will let you have it for L13.5.0. I believe Dorothy wants the Suffolk Corner Cupboard at L5.0.0 and the 3 electric stoves at 30/-each. Col. Sykes who lives next door, has similar stoves, so they ought to be all right.
Hope you are all well. We enjoyed seeing Dorothy and Alison last week.
Yours ever.
Charles E Fenn.
Letter on 2 sides of notepaper with a note on it "letter and cheque sent 16.9.43 L22.10.0"

8 Priory Road,
Kew,
Surrey.
Sept 24th 43.
My dear Alston,
Many thanks for your letter and enclosed cheque. I will write to Mr White and ask him to communicate with you, when the lease is due for renewal. We have been in the throes of removal, hence my delay in answering, but I have been packed off to Hampstead and do not go to Kew until tomorrow the 25th. The day I went to town I signed the lease in the lawyer's office so they are getting on with it, regarding the past about Mrs Raine, I sold it to her before I had any idea about selling the house; in August 1942 she asked me if I would sell a small portion of my land in order that she could have a little garden to her cottage, it is down in the woody part beyond the "Barbary Hut", but I had gone away in the winter and could not get hold of a necessary paper so the matter was held over until the spring. I have laid down certain restrictions so it will not cause the slightest inconvenience to the owner of Alston Court. I enclose a draft of our agreement it covers everything required. I have left behind some gardening tools and a ladder for your use as Spooner, will want something to go on with during the autumn and winter. With regard to the ladder he borrowed it some weeks ago to fix up some tiles on his roof, I told him to bring it back, but as far as I know he has not done so if you don't see it about you will know where it is. I have paid him his wages up to the end of this week. After this week he will be only able to work two ana half hours a day and in the middle of October he did not have his tea interval but worked from 4 to 6. After that he could not work much more than one hour a day and I paid him accordingly. I have left you a shed crammed full of wood which will come in useful for firing etc also a quantity of flowerpots and seed pans. Spooner thoroughly cleaned out the cesspool a few days before we left so it will not want seen to until March 1945.
If there is any more information you want let me know.
Yours ever,
Charles E Fenn.
Written on 2 sides of a notepaper.

No. 3 War Office Selection Board
Locko Park,
Derby.
TEL Derby 55743
Draft of Gentleman's Agreement.
With reference to the various articles (pictures, furniture, books etc), which belong to you and which you have very kindly decided to leave and Alston Court, I undertake that they shall not be removed from the house except with your permission or on receipt of your instructions. I undertake to take the greatest possible care of them so long as they remain in my charge and recognise that you have the right at any time to dispose of them as you may think fit. Further I undertake to notify you or a member of your family at once if ever I should decide to relinquish the ownership of Alston Court.
Sent to Charlie on 3.10.43 AAF.
Sent to Adria on 8.10.43 (8 pictures, oak settle, and clock) AAF.
Written on army notepaper address above struck out.

14. Charlies Letters: To Alston Fenn details sale Alston Court Nayland, 15 Aug 1942, 31 Aug 1942, 10 Jun 1943, Priory Rd Kew London. 8 Priory Road
Kew
Oct 7th 43.
My dear Alston,
Many thanks for your letters, I am glad to hear you are having a much-needed holiday. My tenant is Mr A C Biggs, the son of old Biggs the mechanic, the father is a decent old chap, but I cannot say the same for his son, who is a somewhat truculent individual. There was no legal agreement between us, only a verbal one and since I gave him notice, he has told me that a farmer need not pay any rent for the last year, I spoke to Asher Prior about it and they tell me that he ought to pay his rent only I must give him compensation for what he has spent on the land, I do not think he has spent 1d it is not as if it was arable soil. Any how he has not paid me any rent since last March. The agreement was for the meadow, so you can use the paddock. Biggs has apparently made use of the paddock for his cows which used to stray into the garden, causing damage, Spooner hates him like poison, the rent agreed was L10 a year and his time is up on March 1st next. As he has paid no rent, I do not see why you should not use the meadow as well, especially as so far this year he has not used the meadow for grazing purposes. Since Dorothy's visit I have heard that the Angel Hotel Colchester is much cheaper than the George, but have had no personal experience of it. I enclose an invoice from Keeman & Davie evidently intended for you, so sorry you were unable to obtain more.
Yours ever
Charles E Fenn.
p.s. Forgot to say that Biggs lives with his father and A C Biggs Nayland Colchester would find him. I had a very good crop of blackcurrants last year & this year but the old bushes want a great deal of pruning. Hope your Fruit Farm will be a great success.
The plot sold to Mrs Raine can only be used as a flower and vegetable garden, it cannot, be built upon, or used as a tea garden, probably Asher Prior will include the agreement in the Title Deeds.
Written on 2 sides of notepaper

8 Priory Road,
Kew,
Surrey.
Oct 22nd 43.
My dear Alston,
I had intended to write to you before you left Nayland, but have been laid up for a few days with a slight feverish attack, so my correspondence has been neglected. Many thanks for your letter, I heard from Archer Prior yesterday and they tell me that the sale is completed. Your idea about payment of interest on mortgage is an excellent one my bankers are Barclays Bank Ltd. George St. Richmond. Surrey. There were 3 matters I had ordered to be put in hand some time before I left Nayland.
(1) Replacement of some tiles which had fallen out of the roof in the new wing, Biggs told me that as the tiles had come out in embedded in mortar he could have done the job in quarter of an hour if he had had the necessary ladders, so I told Deaver about them, they, as usual, promised to do so but never did, Deaver has so few men and also government contracts to do that I really think it would be better to call in Webb for any local job at present, though I don't know anything about his work.
(2) Plastering the cupboard on the passage outside South bedroom, Deaver were also going to do this, they repaired the roof above, in which there was a leak.
(3) Repair of sink in pantry next to dining room, Biggs was going to do this, + you probably have found the lower lavatory devoid of water, Biggs inspected the cistern above it and told me it was all right and that when it was filled, a tap must have been left running.
All these items I will pay for when the work is being done.
I hope you enjoyed your visit to Nayland and were able to put in some work in the paddock. I find that the 2 books I promise to give you have been removed here viz "Alstoniana" and "Pictures in Suffolk Houses". I will let you have them when you take up your residence at Alston Court. The village will be glad to have a Fenn there again.
Yours ever,
Charles E Fenn.
p.s. I doubt if I have told you that I have written to Mr White, Brook Farm, Leavee's Heath and told him that you had no objection to his renting the fennage from you, the grazing has nothing to do with the shooting, an owner of fennages can always shoot over them, White said you could always shoot over his farm lands whenever you wanted to.
Written on 2 sides of a notepaper

8 Priory Road,
Kew,
Oct 28 (43).
My dear Alston,
Many thanks for your letter which I only received last night, as I have been away for a few days staying with my mother in law, while Ella and Nancy have been gallivanting in Bath. I went over to Richmond this morning to get a registered letter which I was told was waiting for me, it was from Asher Prior containing a cheque balance of your purchase money, they charged me L42 odd as expenses, but gave no details, your bill seems very stiff but I expect it was mainly composed of stamp duties and other Govt charges, I should certainly ask for details if they have not sent any, so far they have been fairly moderate in their dealings with me, but I loathe having anything to do with lawyers. Ella is going down to Nayland next Tuesday, to bring back our cat, she will take with her the books "Alstoniana" and "Pictures in Suffolk Homes" and leave them in the S bedroom cupboard. As regards the picture of dogs and a cat, I found it lying in the loft with a lot of other lumber. Adria had written to me before and said she had no use for it, it was an awful daub at the best, so, as we were clearing out the loft we put it in the sale with some other rubbish and the whole lot fetched the magnificent sum of 1/-. The two pictures flanking the pastoral scene on the landing are I think good ones, I remember them well in the drawing room of Portland Terrace, Richmond, but whether they came from our grandfathers house at Stourbank all my maternal grandfather am not quite sure but am pretty certain on the whole that they were from Stourbank. I am glad that Mrs Kerridge made you so comfortable and that you were able to make the acquaintanceof the Caulfields and the Sykes, as well as the Vicar.
Wishing you all success in your fruit growing schemes,
Yours ever
Charles E Fenn
Written on 2 sides of notepaper endorsed answered 31.10.43 "Query re-upkeep of cottage fences near tennis court" in Alston Fenn's hand.

15. Charlies Letters: To Alston Fenn re Alston Court, and Margot Fenn in NZ, 15 Aug 1942, 31 Aug 1942, 10 Jun 1943, 8 Priory Rd Kew London. 8 Priory Road
Kew,
Surrey.
Nov 14th 43.
My dear Alston,
I am afraid I have been somewhat behindhand in my correspondence for various reasons. Many thanks for your letter, I think you are going to turn the Alston Court Gardens into charming grounds, your idea of having an orchard on the east side of the house is very good, it always has been somewhat of an eyesore. I am sorry the cistern for the downstairs lavatory is leaking, I had Biggs in to repair it about a year ago, he did so and reported that he had made it right, it was a mad idea in the first place to have a separate system there. If you can get on to the main water supply, you ought to be able to sell the pumping engine for a good sum.
Now you were asking about the ownership of the fences of the cottages, I so rarely ventured into those parts that I really forget how they were built, but the owner of a fence is the one on whose side the upright posts and transverse beams are. Several horrible fungy appeared in the passage leading to the library and in the library itself and they are caused by damp, however I think I have removed the cause. When I took over the house from my tenants the Praclls (sic), I noticed that the gutter in the courtyard was broken and water had been streaming down the side of the wall there, I called in Deaves and he discovered it was much more serious than a broken gutter alone, that it was due to the rotting away of some of the timbers in the roof above and that it and the tiles with it had slid down into the gutter, I had new timbers put in and the tiles imputed on it in mortar and now it is quite all right, but the damp will remain for a time, if ever I found a fungus, I used to paint the pest with paraffin after I had removed it and I should advise you to get Mrs Kerridge (she is very obliging) to paint that part and the steps leading into the hall with paraffin every few weeks, the wood skirting round the lavatory and passage to it was liable to rot and my stepmother had a deep damp course (I think that is the correct name for it) built but there is some woodwork in the passage between the Hall and the library which will require removal.
I hope you and your family are keeping well.
Yours ever,
Charles E Fenn
Written on 2 sides of notepaper endorsed answered 28 Nov 43 in Alston Fenn's hand.

8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
My dear Margot,
As I said to Harry in my last letter to him, I feel quite ashamed of myself in not having written before to thank you for the stream of presents you are so generously sending us she's, but, honey and last but not least that magnificent Christmas Cake, which is brought out on state occasions and which we are still enjoying, a triumph of culinary skill. Then too there is the New Zealand illustrated paper and the many snapshots of your beautiful Edward Liveing, what a fine little boy he is, no wonder you and Harry are so proud of him. We are settling down here and Van and Adria up paying visits to us next month but as we can get no outside help and Nancy is away all day and comes back "dead beat" at night household work takes up nearly all our time, I have however hung most of the pictures & china and Ella is gradually getting most of the rooms in order. The blackout has been a bit of a problem as the authorities are so particular about it being complete. I hope the end of this year will see the end of that tiresome regulation, though I am afraid that rationing and many other wartime conditions will continue for some time. We spent a quiet Christmas day at home, I managed to get to Church in the morning, the former Archbishop of Canterbury (Lord Lang) preached he has a house on Kew Green just by the Church and we saw him as he walked across from his house to the Church in his full Canonicals making a picturesque & Medieval figure in his purple & scarlet robes against the old Georgian buildings on the Green, after the service we saw him again and he gave Nancy a beaming smile. Nancy is working on her farm, most disagreeable at this time of year, as the first three hours are in complete darkness and icy cold. She gets lifts back, in all kinds of strange vehicles, the latest one being a "Black Maria", in which she travelled with two policemen and on her thanking them at the end of her journey received the gallant reply "you are as welcome as the flowers in May". Ella and Nancy are going to Bath tomorrow (Jan 15th) for a weeks holiday and I am being packed off to my mother-in-law, Mrs Shuttleworth, as I cannot travel long distances now, especially in the winter time and when the trains are so crowded and especially now as the movements of troops (preparatory I hope to another Front) are so extensive. Nancy is very keen on anything in the 18th century so naturally Bath is a happy hunting ground for her. Col. Alston Fenn to whom I have sold Alston Court, is very enthusiastic about the house, he has an energetic wife and two charming daughters, both I believe, musical, who will prove a great acquisition to the village, as for myself it was a great wrench to leave the old place at first, but I now have got accustomed to this nice little house at Kew and am relieved of a great deal of worry and in any case, it would have been too great a burden to have handed on to Ella and Nancy. I have written a small booklet about the history of Alston Court which I must give to Alston when I can make out a fresh copy. I often visit the Todd's at Wentworth House, the two poor old ladies are having a hard time of it, especially Adria, on whom all the burden falls, now that Mabel has had a slight stroke. She is getting better now. When I went there about Christmas time, your cake was brought out for tea amid fresh eulogies. I do hope poor old Harry is not suffering much from his osteo arthritis, take my advice and sell the farm now the going is good you may never have such a favourable opportunity again.
My love and thanks again to you and Harry, and love to little E.L.F. from his old Uncle Charlie.
Your affectionate brother-in-law
Charles E. Fenn
Written early 1944.

8 Priory Road
Kew
Surrey.
My dear Alston,
Many thanks for your letter. Regret not having answered it before, but Christmas is always a busy time. I think the clauses in your Will regarding the disposal of Alston court are excellent and well thought out. I hope you all had a good time this Christmas, we spent ours quietly here and attended the service at the Kew Parish Church the preacher being Lord Lang, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, he lives on Kew Green. We had our new years dinner with Mrs Shuttleworth at Hampstead. Ella and Nancy are going to Bath for a week on Jan 16th and I shall be staying with my mother in law. I can't travel any distance in the wintertime I feel the cold so much.
Thank you and Dorothy very much for your card and good wishes.
With love from us all,
Yours ever,
Charles E Fenn.
Written on 2 sides of notepaper undated but clearly early 1944

16. Charlies Letters: Life in War Time London, His Wife Ella's Death, 15 Aug 1942, 31 Aug 1942, 10 Jun 1943, 8 Priory Rd Kew London. 8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
Sept 7th 44
My dear Harry,
It was so good of you and Margot to send us that delightful present, we have already started on the honey which is delicious. We all thank you both so much for it. We were so sorry to hear of your various illnesses and do hope that the precious E.L.F. has quite recovered from his croup. From Aug 31 to Sept 4th I spent a perfectly delightful weekend at Nayland. Dorothy and Angela (the younger girl) made everything so comfortable for me and I saw most of my old friends, I also read the Lessons in Church, my "Swan Song" I told them, but I was howled down. They are working hard in the garden and the house and are making many improvements. I am very glad you were pleased with the sum remitted to you, the N. Zealand exchange must be very favourable to you. I have now the Defence Bonds (L163) which will not be paid before Nov 15th., as the authorities require six months notice, also your rebate and a final sum which is lying to your credit at the bank, so there is still a nice little bit of money. There are still those wretched Illinois Bonds which seem almost impossible to sell, however Rands (of Northampton) is attending to them. Dorothy has asked Van to come to Nayland and I hope he will go, I wrote to him today to that effect. I hope you are settling down happily in your new house, as I felt at Nayland, it must have been a great wrench to leave your old "Homestead". Still it will be a great rest and relief to you all.
With love from us all to yourself Margot and little E.L.F.
Your affectionate brother
Charles E. Fenn

8 Priory Rd
Kew
Surrey.
Phone: Ring 5927
July 15th 45
My dear Harry,
Thank you very much for your long chatty letter telling me all about your home life, also for the photo of Margot and E.L.F. How very much he resembles what you were like at his age, when you were photographed in petticoats holding a hoop and with long curls, how the fashion's alter! I must have been a most objectionable child in the my earlier years in I usually am depicted with a discontented, scowling expression. Aunt Ada used to tell me later on that I usually had a grievance, the whole universe was against me. The family at Nayland are settling down very happily there, Alston has been demobbed and is now living the life of a country gentleman. Aunt Alison (his mother), Aunt Bertha that was, who has been bombed out of London and was temporarily living at Northampton where she found Van's visits a perfect godsend, left their for Eastbourne the other day, she got permission to motor the whole distance and stopped at Kew on her journey through town, she brought her maid and the chauffeur and Ella and Nancy had prepared a veritable Lord Mayor's banquet for them all which the old lady enjoyed four she wrote to us a very grateful letter of thanks afterwards. She is staying with Olive at present until she can find good rooms in a Hotel which will take a long time under present circumstances. I am trying hard to obtain a crossword puzzle book, but they are not printing them now, I have applied at Smith's and Boots without success, I sent you one or two some years ago but whether they ever reached you is doubtful. I occasionally go into Richmond and at a large "At Home Tea Party" I met Lucy Bateman, she does not look a day older than 65 and yet she will be 80 next year how time flies. Dolly B is still in her chronic ill-health, I dare say you knew that Jesse died a few years ago, otherwise they are all fairly well. The two dear old ladies at Wentworth House are having a hard time, or rather Adria is for she has to bear all the burdens and anxieties, bombs have on two occasions almost destroyed the house, they are without maid's, Enid Routh and a weird friend of hers called Hamilton Fraser I have never met her but she seems to be a somewhat hypochondrieal sort of person, she hails from New Zealand, somewhere in your locality, I think Adria finds her more a trouble than a help, poor Adria, she was so long that petted lamb of the family and now in her old age, to be the drudge, but she bears it all nobly. Ella and I have the greatest admiration for Adria Todd.
Ella and I went out to Hampstead a few weeks ago and met Dolly Cotes who was staying a week with Mrs Shuttleworth, I had not met Dolly in some years, but I thought that she had aged very much, she still keeps on moving about so I never know her address, but at present she is somewhere in Bournemouth. I believe Van has got our old "Ye Christmasse Pille" and I have suggested that he should send it to you this Christmas, as now there will be no risk, Margot I am sure would like to see the queer old card and to read its history which I wrote out on its 30th birthday, next year please send it to me (if I am still in the land of the living).
July 16th., Have just received your most kind and welcome present, but really old chap, in the present state of your finances you must not send me any more of your generous presents and in any case don't send any honey in the summer, Van who received his parcel a few weeks ago told me that the honey was losing all over its container and in my case, it must have arrived dripping externally, for the P.O. Authorities had to open it and remove what they called the "perishable article". We have had a heatwave (Temp 85 and more) and terrific thunder and storms all over the country. Ella and Nancy are going away for a change soon, if they can secure accommodation, they both need a change especially Ella who has not been very well lately. But time is now getting short for Margot and by the time you receive this letter it will be all, I trust safely over and may the wee mite turn out to be a blessing and pride to you both.
With much love from us all,
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn.
P.S. you seen to have altered your address it used to be at Park Street Gleniti and now it is Gleniti Taiko RMD, (whatever that may mean)

My dear Harry,
Thank you for your letter. Since I last wrote to you, the most terrible calamity has been fallen upon me. My beloved Ella has died. She was attacked by a growth, but at first the treatment she was receiving did her so much good that the doctors held out high hopes, but afterwards secondary growths appeared which spread with terrible rapidity and she sank & died on April 9th. She lies buried in Richmond Cemetery, the service was at Kew Church and I was so glad that Van was able to conduct it, Nancy and I are alone here now & you can imagine the blank that has fallen upon our lives, but Nancy is a wonderful girl and is the greatest comfort and help to me. Ella had been wondering if you & Margot ever received a little garment she embroidered for little Katharine, the last piece of embroidery she did. It was sent out about the beginning of last December. Yes we received safely the Julius family tree, but Nancy had been keeping it to show to Van and now she wants to keep it to show to Muriel Julius who has just returned from Cornwall but I want to send it back at once. Nancy and I are continuing to live here, anyhow for my lifetime, it is a nice house and suits us both, and it is easy to run, I hope that you and Margot and of the two two (sic) dear children are all keeping fit.
Love from Nancy and myself to you all,
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn
8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
April 24th (1946)
To you both
Since daddy wrote this I have received Margot's letter to mummy: thank you so much for it I was delighted to hear that the little coat arrived safely - m - often wondered if it had - and near the end she had a dream about chalk to children and she said they had found the parcel - so that quite satisfied her. She was so splendoured and brave throughout her illness - I was able to nurse her myself - which was a great comfort to me - except for two or three times a week when a very nice retired nurse we'd know (who helped us with D last year) came an did to be few things I couldn't manage myself, we wandered a beard of all service for her- and with the many friends - the music & flowers - people told us afterwards that we had succeeded. We entered on a note of triumph with "Praise my Soul the King of Heaven" - Uncle Van's suggestion - and I asked everyone to sing. I feel that to mourn it only to show self-pity - m - must be happier out of this troublesome world, but we were such great friends it seems terrible to be parted. Daddy has been splendid & I been so busy I hardly had time to think - m was very keen I assured continue with my singing which is a great interest. I lunched at a Chinese restaurant today - with my Uncle Lee. Afterwards I saw my Grandmother who is very ill & I am afraid cannot last long - everything comes at once - I hope the future will be brighter - the spring blossoms at Kew are lovely - how kind of you to think of parcel - tongues and dried fruits would be most welcome - All love Nancy.
Both letters together written on an Air Letter.

17. Charlies Letters: To Harry in NZ thanks for food parcels.London after the war, 15 Aug 1942, 31 Aug 1942, 10 Jun 1943, 8 Priory Rd Kew London. 8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
My dear Harry,
Yours and Margot's very welcome presents reached us two days ago, it is most generous of you both to send us them, especially as I know you are hard up. I had some of the marmalade for breakfast this morning it was the most delicious I have ever tasted. Just imagine you keeping some of my Haileyburian letters, do you remember that awful contretemps I made when I was at Temple Grove when I wrote a letter to you beginning "Dear Cocky Lockey Kiri Kik etc and sent it to Father by mistake, and you received my letter to Father. I had a regular stinger from the Dad by return, and he reported the matter to Mr Edgar and I went about for some days afterwards looking like a whipped hound. I wish I could give you some definite news about these infernal Illinois bonds, but what with my own out of pocket expenses and Rands bill and the Banks, I don't think there will be much left for us when it is divided into four. After that has been paid off there will only be these mysterious postwar credits, your share is about L9-9-0. Nancy is splendid looking after me and the household, her cooking is wonderful. At present she is cooking fish, with our greedy cat in close attendance. We have had Van. In the lead in the side of last week, he and Nancy did the Academy, went to Hampton Court and one day Van looked up the Bateman's and Todd's and explored the cemetery where he found several fresh graves including old Mr and Mrs Todd and others, he seems to like doing that sort of thing. He looked fairly well and Nancy fed him up, I fancy he leads rather a Spartan like existence with that awful William. Nancy is getting on well with her singing and is singing at a big private party early next month. I hope Edward acquitted himself well as a page. Your description of Katharine shows what a sweet baby she must be, Nancy could say "Dad Dad" long before she could say Mum Mum, much to her darling Mother's grief. My own health is none of the best I just exist and can manage to hobble down to Kew Green and watch the cricket on a Saturday afternoon, but it has been such miserable cold weather lately, we have not really had any summer.
Best love to you and Margot from Nancy and myself and many many thanks again for your generous present.
Your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn.
Written after April 1946.

8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
My dear Harry,
Yours and Margot's stream of presents shown no sign of slackening and I really do not know whether I have thank you for all of them, anyhow I think you are now it is most kind and generous of you both. Van sent me a cutting from the "Times" about George Julius death and also another cutting which you had sent him some time ago both of which I shall put in my big album. What a marvellous brain he had, I had no idea that he had held so many important posts. By the way one cutting says he left two sons have either or both survived him? If so the Fredrick Gilder Julius branch is not extinct I had always thought that when Dudley's son says Saul was killed in the war that he was the last survivor of our branch of the Julius line. You ought to have received by now that wonderful genealogical table which George sent you. The stamp on your letter interested me, it was a clever idea of Audry's to have the plate glass window at the back of the altar looking out on that beautiful view. I rather envied him still hoping to be able to drive a car, I have long given that up for with my "elephant" legs I can only crawl about and my balance is so bad that I keep on tumbling, unless I have Nancy on one side of me. I am afraid my deafness is increasing, I have ordered a fresh pair of spectacles which I hope will improve my eyesight. American "red tape" still holds up the sale of Edgars Illinois Railway Bonds when this wretched business will be settled I really cannot tell, let us hope in my lifetime, for I am the sole executor. Glad to hear that Edward likes his school and is beginning to read quite well. Nancy is having a gay time and her engagement book is usually full up, today in she is lunching at the Ladies Carlton Club with her cousin Mab Dalton, then she is going on to tea with her Aunt Inez (who married Lee Shuttleworth) and in the evening is going to a Concert where Anna Shuttleworth (a wonderful cello player) is performing. Anna is the daughter of Inez and is Nancy's only first cousin on the Shuttleworth side of the family, so I am left alone with the precious Persian cat Cymbeline, of aristocratic dissent and whose real name is Lord Wirelscombe. Your Labour Govt and our Labour Govt are doing their best to ruin and bring to bankruptcy our respective countries. Alison Fenn daughter of Alston is engaged to be married, she will be married from Alston Court, I was trying to think when there had been a wedding from Alston Court, certainly not in my lifetime, and as Uncle Sam & Aunt Margaret were both single, it may have be our grandfather T H Fenn, surgeon when he married Maria Alston somewhere about the year 1840.
With love to you both
Ever your affect brother
Charles E. Fenn
Written on an Air Letter after June 46.

8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
My dear Harry,
Many many thanks to Margot and yourself for your kind and generous gifts, which Nancy has been taking full advantage of. She is going to two weddings in the near future, one to a friend of hers on the farm at Ham and the other to Alison Fenn's marriage to a Major Redman at Nayland. The latter will be a great event all the village agog, Church Bells ringing etc they wanted Van to marry them but he would be unable to do so as the wedding is on a Saturday. I thought at first I might go if I took a motor there and back, but as I cannot walk about and am very deaf, I came to the conclusion it was not worth while. It is the first wedding they have had from Alston Court since our grandmother Marie Fenn married Thomas Fenn (our grandfather) 106 years ago. Nancy is not stopping the night and will return the same day. Perhaps you have heard that Mabel Todd has had another stroke, but it was only a very slight one and she is rapidly recovering from it. Mrs Shuttleworth died two or three weeks ago she had run through nearly all her money but luckily they will be able to sell the leasehold of her house at a good price and her furniture ought to fetch good prices. Nancy is one of the executives and she is up at Hempstead at the present moment. I have just been making enquiries at my bank about those wretched Illinois Railway Bonds but they have had no further news. American red tape seems to be even worse than our own. Thank you for your many snapshots of the family, tall Agrippa is he not appropriate in one of them. Van sent me on Katharine's photo, a darling little girl she is. Adria is settling down comfortably in Cheltenham with all her Alston Court furniture around her, having to act the part of nurse attendant on Mrs ? is making a new woman of her and bringing out all her best qualities. Thank you for New Zealand illustrated papers, I pass them on to an old gentleman living in an Priory Road, aged 92, an aristocratic old boy and related to the late Earl of Dysart of Ham House.
With much loved to your wall from Nancy and myself.
Your affectionate brother
Charlie E. Fenn
Written on an Air Letter c Jul1946.

18. Charles Edward Fenn: Will, 4 Apr 1946, Kew.
Charlies Will dated 4 Apr 1946, was proved 15 Aug 1947 for L24,000 Leaves his entire estate to his daughter.

19. Charlies Letters: Family news and his failing health, 4 Nov 1946-15 Dec 1946, 8 Priory Rd Kew London. 8 Priory Rd
Kew Surrey.
My dear Harry,
Your family a group photo arrived a few days ago. Thank you for sending a copy, I think it a splendid one, quite the best you have ever had taken off you all, Margot and yourself are excellent, what a darling little Katharine looks, Edward appears a little alarmed, but he clings on to the arm of "tall Agrippa" you will by now have received a little money from me, Edgars bonds fetched more than I had expected, considering all the expenses had to be deducted, including lawyers & Banks fees and my own out of pocket expenses. I have been able to sell three years of your Post War Certificates as you were over 65, they came to L7 odd, the widows cruise is almost trained except for one drop viz your last P War Certificate which comes to L2 odd, when I shall recover it I don't know probably not in my lifetime for I get weaker every day though the process is very gradual. You were asking me about the two old men at Tilford, Cousin Kate married a Reginald Julius and Eggie or Egbart - was her brother-in-law Reginald was another brother to grandfather Julius, he Eggie had a stroke and thus was rather imbecile he had been a solicitor in Farnham. The other one was his brother I have forgotten his name but I think you will find it all down on Georges wonderful genealogical tree.
Nancy has been very gay, she goes to many Concerts etc including one at the BBC which was very interesting, she is developing a good voice and, I hope, will be able to make something out of it in the future. There is nothing much for me to tell you, we have come to the horrible month of November, damp and cold, and I rarely leave the house. Van paid us a visit a few weeks ago, he was looking very well in spite of the neglect of that horrible William; Nancy is making a few fresh friends, but they must have some hobby such as music or history, we gave a tea party here the other day and had very interesting discussions, history has always been one of my hobbies, so I could join in the talk as far as my deafness would allow me to. I have not been to Wentworth House lately so cannot give you any news of the Todd's.
With love to you all
Your affectionate brother
Charles E. Fenn
Written on an Air Letter dated 4 Nov 1946.

Dec 15th 46
My dear Harry,
I had intended to write to you sometime ago in order that I might send you and Margo our best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, but I am afraid this letter will be late. I have been ill lately, in fact I nearly "pegged out" owing to loss of blood from an extracted tooth, the bleeding went on until past midnight and then I staggered up to bed where I collapsed, Nancy in alarm sent for the doctor he found me stone cold and pallid, however with brandy and hot water bath's I revived but it left me very weak and I was in bed for some days. Thank you very much for all your letters, to me your one by ordinary mail has just arrived. I was shocked to read the news about George Julius's son most incomprehensible. The weather at present is appalling, thick fog and a freezing atmosphere, the worst possible combination, I never venture out of doors. Nancy and I are spending Christmas here and may entertain the Shuttleworth's (Lee his wife and daughter) if they can come. Nancy is very busy at present settling up her Granny's affairs she has got down here her baby grand piano and a very beautiful piece of furniture it makes our drawing room. She is getting on very well with her singing and this afternoon is away at a party which her singing mistress is giving to some of her pupils. Nancy has been chosen to sing a song and a duet . . . . She is a dear child and looks after me with loving care for now that my dearest Ella has died we are all in all to each other and I feel I must try and carry on though this weather is terrible for me and I often wish that I had not recovered from my illness the other day, however for Nancy's sake I feel I must keep on going. Your Christmas presents are most generous and most welcome, Nancy is sending the tin of fat to Mrs Shuttleworth's cook who is going to make us a plum pudding with it for our Christmas dinner. I dare say you have heard that Aunt Alston has gone to live at Nayland, Van will miss his weekly visit to her. We are having another cosmopolitan tea party next Saturday (Swedes, Norwegians, and Dutch) our last one was a great success, they are all musical and interested in history so Nancy and I have plenty of interesting topics to talk to them about, though alas I am getting very deaf. Hope the money draft has arrived by now, did not send it by cable this time, in order to save expense. Well old chap all good wishes to you and Margo and the family in the New Year from Nancy and myself
Ever your affectionate brother
Charles E Fenn.
A Air Letter giving address 8 Priory Road Kew Surrey to Harold L Fenn Gleniti Taiko RMD Timaru NZ

20. Charlies Letters: Family news Charlie's last letter to Harry & Margot, 23 Feb 1947-18 Mar 1947, 8 Priory Rd Kew London. 8 Priory Road
Kew
Feb 23rd 47.
My dear Harry
As this letter ought to reach you somewhere near your birthday, I take the opportunity of wishing you many happy returns of the day, I hope the money draft has reached you by this time the letter post takes a long time now, for I only received "ye Christmasse Pill" a few days ago. You did say that your Bank was the Bank of Australia Timaru, for that was where I directed the draft to be sent to, however alas I heard you had not received it, I caused enquiries to be made at my Bank, they have referred the matter to their Foreign Office Department but I have not heard from them yet. Van is coming to us for a few days on March 3 if a thaw starts, at present he is snowed up and has to give up all his visiting as he cannot use his bicycle, he and Nancy hope to see the King's picture exhibited at Burlington house, I shall be thankful when milder weather comes on, for these prolonged Arctic conditions are simply too awful and I feel the cold intensely. My darling Nancy looks after me with the utmost loving care, she is getting on very well with her singing and goes to numerous concerts and musical entertainments I have not put my nose out of doors for months and, as I think I have told you before, just exist! Nancy visited Wentworth house the other day, poor Adria is kept prisoner for Mabel weeps constantly if Adria ever leaves her, very selfish of Mabel. We have got a new vicar at Richmond, a married man with 4 children, they are going to give up the old vicarage, the ground will probably have large flats built upon it. There is also a new vicar at Nayland, I hope he will prove a great success than his predecessor Canon Wright. He comes from Cumberland and is a married man. I expect on his induction he and the Bishop will be entertained at Alston Court as we did when Canon Wright was inducted. I believe they are getting on well at Alston Court and keeping Aunt Alston warm in spite of the great fuel and electricity cuts though I don't know how they can manage it. Well old boy, much love to you, Margo and the family.
Your affectionate brother
Charles E Fenn
An Airletter giving address 8 Priory Road Kew Surrey to Harold L Fenn Gleniti Taiko RMD Timaru NZ.

Mar 18th 47.
My dear Harry,
Your most generous gift arrived a day or to ago, Nancy and I thank you and Margo very much for it, Jam, Marmalade, Honey are just what we want as they all cost a great many points and we are not supplied with many of these. My bank has just informed me that they have heard through their Foreign Office Department that your money is at the Bank of Australasia, Timaru, so if you have not got it that is where you must apply for it. I said Bank of Australia, perhaps they are both at Timaru. Van arrived yesterday and is stopping until March 2nd he has been completely snowed up for a few days. We have been very lucky and have escaped any damage from storms and floods at present England is like a tremendous lake. We are having our upstairs room made habitable by running a hot water pipe up there and putting in a sink the new district nurse and her husband are coming to live there, they came to tea here the other day both very nice people and will give no trouble. I hope your osteo arthritis is no worse perhaps they will be able to deal with that disease by the radium chemicals that can be obtained by the release of atomic energy. This letter ought to arrive about your birthday, so I take the opportunity of wishing you many happy returns of the day, thank you and Margo very much for all those interesting papers from New Zealand. Much love to you both.
From Nancy and myself
Your affectionate brother
Charles E Fenn
An Airletter giving address 8 Priory Road Kew Surrey to Harold L Fenn Gleniti Taiko RMD Timaru NZ. Endorsed CEF's last letter he died in April 47

21. Charlie Fenn: In later life.

Charlie married Edith Elizabeth "Ella" SHUTTLEWORTH [30] [MRIN: 10], daughter of Dr George Edward SHUTTLEWORTH BA (Hons) MD LSA MRCS [558] and Edith Mary HADWEN [2401], on 14 Apr 1915 in St Peters Belsize Park. (Edith Elizabeth "Ella" SHUTTLEWORTH [30] was born on 17 Feb 1881, died on 9 Apr 1946 in Kew London and was buried on 13 Apr 1946 in Richmond Cemetery..). The cause of her death was breast cancer.