Letter
Ida Carroll, Geoffrey Griffiths
1941

Griff writes to Ida, "at night following Ashton I am not in writing mood." After coming home from his shift with the Auxiliary Fire Service in Ashton, he has the energy to quickly meet her or have her over, "but if none of those happy events are possible, I sit down after tea and pass right out."
His five hour shift after work "takes its toll," especially as it's likely "we stand every change of obtaining the new government subsistence allowance, hours will have to be tightened up with a vengeance!" In 1941, the Manchester Emergency Committee agreed that part-time civil defence volunteers in the war effort should get a monetary compensation for their efforts.
He could maybe take up cooking so he would have something to do and eat when he's on his shift, "but a sad problem will be the obtaining of food to cook, unless I take a portion from home, or manage to live o lover - my position as firewatcher No.16 might qualify me for a nice piece of liver - from a butcher firewatcher - there are nine of such, so it may run to an occasional chop."
He's listening to the radio and worries about his dad who is alone for so much of the time, even with his auntie moving in after Griff's mum died. He discusses moving in together but that would mean that not only is his dad alone but that if Griff is called up then Ida would be alone too and he doesn't like the idea of that.
"It all looks so awkward at the moment, but love will find a way, sweetheart." They were together for nearly 60 years in the end <3

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust
Date is unknown.

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.