From: Biological Stn. Pearl Beach
Via Woy Woy
NSW

To: Miss M. C. Sadler
"White Lodge"
101 Northcourt Rd.
Abingdon, Berkshire
England

January 30, 1952

My dear Margaret,

I wrote to you last year but have not had any reply so I am wondering if you received my letter - or perhaps if you replied, did you address it fully? In your first letter you merely put 'Woy Woy' in which is merely a locality indication for mail-sorting, and the address requires at least N.S.W. and/or Australia. I am so sorry I forgot to mention that. The world is a very big place and Woy Woy a very small town so your letter may still be looking for me!

We have had the most dreadful bush fires and heat this summer. Such a national disaster will mean great loss of essential food. The total damage runs into millions. Beautiful flocks of birds have perished and hundreds of homes destroyed. The heat has been so trying, it makes me ill and I have been in to see a doctor today - quite an unusual occurence I'm glad to say...

I sent you a paper with a short account of my work here (not quite accurate) by the University publicity department. Did you receive it? It was so very nice to hear from you and to have the family details, so I hope you will write to me soon.

Mary Davy died and was buried at Exeter a couple of days before Christmas. She had never recovered from the bombing injuries received in the first raid on Exeter when her only grandchild was killed. I am so glad I met her when at 'home' [visiting in 1936].

I have been very busy indeed and have far too much to do but hope things will be easier when I have my own quarters and not so many visitors in the house. Last fortnight I had eight! My only niece [Alicia ('Alison') Mary Crommelin Barker (b. 1926), daughter of sister Nellie Weston Crommelin and Claude Barker] came for a few days before her departure for Canada where she is going to marry a young Australian architect now living there. I hope you will write soon. With kindest wishes that this year will be a happy one for you. Yours sincerely, Minard F. Crommelin