Letter
Walter Carroll, Ida Carroll, Geoffrey Griffiths, St James Church Choir at Birch-in-Rusholme
Northern School Of Music (NSM)
1941

Griff writes to Ida proclaiming it warm, "and we even turned off the gas fire for a while at Princess Street," travel agency. That pivotal moment in the British year when you bravely turn off the heating. "Writing in a scantily clad condition" makes him feel rather spring-like.
He went for a walk but the radio programme at home wasn't very inspiring. He relays some advice from an electrician about her own radio set's troubling monotonous hum.
He's changing his plans. Instead of going to Princes (Theatre/Cinema?) he's heading to Birch church for the final rehearsal of some choir friends of his.
He's been to 9 Albert Square and seen her father Walter who was in high spirits.
He assures Ida that he would never tell her to shush when she is talking over her troubles. "I shall just continue to offer the shoulder and the ear of sympathy!"
He reckons she will stay at the school for the moment, "though you are a fine teacher and might well enjoy much added opportunities of training the minds (and fingers!) of the musically young."
He admits that "there are times when I feel unsettled, as you know, before the war I was prepared to sell out more or less, if a certain business could be secured, and now I should welcome a change that would occupy the day more; before it was for more monetary gain; now it's for more brain work."

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.