Geoffrey Griffiths wonders whether Ida Carroll will fall asleep on his shoulder in the cinema. "Surely men's shoulders are rather bony structures, all collar bone and what not, and overrated generally. However if you say so, far, far be it from me to contradict! I have to depend upon the women novelists for a previous viewpoint, and they aren't all agreed about men's shoulders being comfortable."
He mentions Winnie (Myers?) who has pneumonia and was working as a "A.T.S. driver [Auxiliary Territorial Service] and she's just about ready to resign because they have replaced her with a man, and she loves to drive."
Chatting with his friend Harry who he hopes to go into business with by themselves after the war.
He noticed in himself recently "an awakened streak of the sensual" in his mind. "It can be allied with true respect or with something gross, and I think only with the latter does it become evil, unless displeasing in the former." Well this got deep real quick, Griff.
He asks Ida to destroy this letter as "it is awkward and pretty poor."
I'm really glad she didn't.

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths has visited Ida Carroll a few times lately, "a doubtful treat for the family," and is planning to take her to the cinema.
He is likely to have a walk and drink alone, and muses coyly/oddly over a woman he plans to meet (Ida herself), "She is lovely - the woman, not the inn or the beer, which are neuter gender in English and masculine in French, Italian and Spanish, for all I know or care. Such nice ears, eyes, lips, a nice nose and a nice chin."
He listened to the radio adaptation of the new Greta Garbo film, "Ninotchka". Thomas Beecham, Hallé conductor, presented some "very tasty, very sweet" Delius on the radio, too.
It seems Ida has asked him about seeing "an armless cathedral singer; maybe the surplice is a suitable medium for hiding it."

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths relays that the demand for railway tickets this July has been the highest in 5 years. Balancing the accounts will be hard work at the travel agency whilst it so busy. "I see nothing for it but to make shrewd guesses and leave the real balance until the afternoon of Tuesday."

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.

A simple letter in which Geoffrey Griffiths tells Ida Carroll how much he loves her, "the map says we are 1.5/16 miles apart, but the map is wrong, isn't it? We are very close in spirit."

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths sympathises with Ida Carroll about her anxieties and restlessness. He reassures her though that whilst it is "mostly fear of making mistakes, though on looking back I can't recall anything worth the anxiety." Ida is travelling to perform and he nearly went to Monsall (near Rochdale) to watch a cricket match that wasn't being played.
It sounds like a busy week with fire watch and sorting of the month's end accounts at the travel agents he works at. He misses the quiet days with her.

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths complains about it being a busy few weeks due to the Hallé - possibly rehearsing in the chorus?
He's heading to a concert with Ida's father Walter, "P.S. Shall not hold your father's hand. PS.II. But what if fall asleep and do unawares?" Uh oh, one should never mistake one's girlfriend's father for one's girlfriend.
There seem to be fewer men available for the chorus and he knows it will be all the harder for the women singing, "nine tenors on Friday and about four rows of sops!" (Which I hope is a nice term for a lady.) Possibly the shortage is due to the war?

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.

Looks like Ida Carroll has cajoled her way into the Ferry Boat Inn in Cornwall despite there not being quite enough room - landing a room for her and 2 others for a couple of weeks on the 10th August. Note to self: make every "letter of appeal irresistible" next time I can't find a B&B.

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust

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

Ida Carroll has ordered a chiffon dress and taffeta hat, in Stratford-upon-Avon of all places. Not sure what she was doing there - possibly a holiday?

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust

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

Cheekily using a bit of work's stationary to write to Ida Carroll, Geoffrey Griffiths writes about train options, "the Eavesham - B'gham service is mouldy. What bit I remember of the bus service (you have the only time table) isn't much better."

He's been invited to visit the Rileys (not sure who they are) and is working out logistics.

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths writes to Ida Carroll whilst she's on holiday in Port Patrick. He updates her about his day, writes about the cricket match he went to, supporting Levenshulme against their "ancient foes" Tyldesley.
He details the process of arranging tickets for her journey - it's a pretty meticulous and involved affair, claiming "if you read that through seventeen times and sup heartily on bread, cheese and onions, I can guarantee a Horrible Nightmare."
He chats about concerts he's heard on the radio and reviews he's read in the newspaper.
He hopes Ida is relaxing on holiday, "you are probably eating and sitting around, becoming f- (oops, sorry) finely browned by the dazzling sun." Cheeky.

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.

Official Magazine of the Northern School of Music, covering academic years 1964-65

Official Magazine of the Northern School of Music, covering the academic year 1963-4

Official Magazine of the Northern School of Music, covering the academic year 1962-63

Geoffrey Griffiths writes to Ida Carroll, "all holidays have to end sometime and you will enjoy being back at school on Monday, chasing poor Miss H.C. around." Ida was secretary for the Matthay School of Music (later Northern School of Music) with Hilda Collens as principal.
He details train options for her journey.
He laments the cooler weather, "I suppose it is too much to expect or hope for a continuance of rich sunshine for the whole summer."

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths muses about sleeper trains and offers the details of his recommendations to Ida Carroll for her journey to Portpatrick.
He's listened to some concerts and comments on Thomas A's "Territorial activities" - possible the Territorial Army?
His card playing friends as the "greatly reformed Night Club" look "absolutely dead tired and washed out." Despite that "we were all on Superior Party manners and had dignified conversations, even listening to a serious talk on the radio." Everyone perked up for cake.

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.

Ida Carroll writes to a Mr Gibbins re his book. He wishes for a friendly debate it seems about its subjects but she fears she will agree with most of it, "in fact I have not backed out so far that I am completely extinct." She recommends that he arrange a chat with Hilda Collens instead if he wishes for debate.

Ref: CARROLL/IGC/3 GG
With thanks to the Ida Carroll Trust

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

Geoffrey Griffiths remarks on the crank household, "Father came home with a cold, Mother was annoyed because of his cold, and Auntie had fallen out with the weather."
He's enjoying Gladys Mitchell's book "The Devil on Susan Hill" but it's influencing his grammar.
The Burch Choir seemed to have welcomed some new sopranos but "young Newhouse made a quick start and was last seen disappearing into the blackout towards Anson Estate with two of them." Young Newhouse is in a bit of trouble now it seems, "if we have no exact information we invent some. We should make very good Ministers of Propaganda!"

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.

Ida Carroll's membership card for the Manchester branch of the Music Teacher's Association. Well connected to the association, the school could invite speakers to visit the school such as Stewart Macpherson.

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths remarks of the post office corner where he meets Ida Carroll, "I hardly remember it before the blackout but it must have been positively distracting," with how busy it is even now. The cinemas are still pretty busy it seems.
He promises to return her gloves is they can meet on Tuesday and has stocked up on novels, including "Shabby Tiger" by Howard Spring set in Manchester.

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths describes, in quite spacious detail, the concert seat and area that Ida Carroll has booked for him. He saw her father Walter Carroll and a couple of faces from the Matthay School of Music (Northern School of Music) - Diana Lockhart and Eileen Chadwick. He felt sleepy during Mozart but Brahms woke him up.
He's going to see the Mikado, Gilbert and Sullivan opera, but has to go alone as none of his family will go with him.
He's looking forward to the choir resuming at Birch Church (which Walter Carroll directs) but is unsure about where all the new people will be as there's not much room.
Speaking for everyone ever he remarks that "Afraid I say I don't like gossip, yet I enjoy it secretly."
He writes about letter etiquette, adjectives and abbreviations. Remarking on possible unemployment he tells Ida not to worry, his family at least have enough money to sustain his parents.
He asks her to another play, "The Women", with a cast of 40 women "-no men!"

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths wishes Ida Carroll good luck in her Red Cross training, likely for the war as an Air Raid Warden. He enthuses that "you will be the perfect collaborator when we write a detective story. You, now know everything about anatomy, and poison I see, all the best thrillers have poisonings, murder and injuries."
He complains that where they usually meet at the P.O. corner (possibly the post office at the corner on Lapwing Lane where Ida lived?), "is becoming noisy, especially on Saturday nights and I don't like being distracted in certain ways, it upsets me."
People have remarked he's gloomy and depressed and he worries about her working too much, hoping she gets at least 1 night off this week.
He chats about previous crushes (dangerous territory, Griff) and says "I may look at other woman, and still use the trick of comparison, and still to their disadvantage."

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.

"This letter is all wrong and out of place", writes Geoffrey Griffiths. He's a couple of letters on the go and has his dates mixed up. He wonders if he can entice Ida Carroll out on walk, around Piccadilly or All Saints, or even along Oxford Road although that's "hardly respectable."

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.

Geoffrey Griffiths writes to Ida Carroll about an opera on the radio, "it was Modern, and modern opera I can't stick. So the knob was given a firm turn to the left - off. In forty years time I may be stroking a long white beard and televising the same opera with relish."
He references a tension in people, "I hoped lots of people would be drawn together more because of the war but nerves probably act as a counter-balance."
He arranges visits to friends, including someone with a new radio (very exciting.)

IT IS DATED! I think it's the only one out of the hundreds I've seen. OMG. Anyway...

Written just a couple of weeks before the start of WW2. Geoffrey Griffiths, in this epic multi-day letter to Ida Carroll refers to the Hallé's season, hoping for Mendelssohn's "Elijah" but happy to settle for other things to study and sing.

He worries about the "painfully enforced lack of exercise" which he thinks is making him gain weight.

He went home from meeting her, at about 1100 at night which she may think late but "in Lourdes in 1937, or just outside the town border, gaiety not being allowed during Pilgrimage time, a quite respectable group of tourist agents might have been seen going home at four in the morning; I know, because I was with them." He dismisses accusations of being a trouble maker, saying he usually sticks to the "middle" groups depending on their choice of entertainment but relives when "they even made me dance, but I must have been under the influence of Drink."

He discusses seaside resorts, liking Eastbourne but "Bournemouth wasn't as good as Brighton - well, I arrived there one afternoon from the Rye district and fled screaming (silently) on the first available train to London."

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.