From: Biological Stn. Pearl Beach
Via Woy Woy
NSW

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

October 20, 1953

My dear Margaret,

Here I am at the Women's Club in Sydney, working hard for my National Botanic Garden plans, but not apparently moving very quickly. Unfortunately influenza has kept me in bed for a little while so I have lost some time, and after my late illness (shingles) I feel I have not spent my time wisely by such weaknesses, then having for a time stopped activities...

It was so very nice to have your letter but I am sorry you have had rheumatism so badly. Have you tried taking a very tiny pinch of sulphur 2 or 3 times a day? You must be careful not to catch cold when doing so but I believe it often helps and seems to have benefited my sciatica. Of course old bones wear out but we can only try to keep them in repair...

It was so wonderful to see the pictures of the Coronation and to hear the broadcasts. Have you Evelyn Crommelin's new address, or better still, William's? I have a small sauce ladle for him - a belated wedding present - but don't know where to send it.

Mary Davy was my first cousin. My father's sister, Annie, married Samuel Gray, and Mary was her daughter. She married twice - a daughter (Joyce) by the first husband, Mortimore. And then she married his partner, Sir H. Davy, but he died many years ago. Mary was a fine woman who took great interest in affairs at Exeter. They gave her a public funeral at the cathedral and paid many tributes to her work there. She was injured in the first big bombing raid and her little grandaughter was killed. Joyce has never quite recovered from the shock.

In the library of the British Museum there is a folio by William Arden Crommelin 'Memorandum of the River Ganges at Cawnpore during the rainy season of 1857'...under Major-General Sir Henry Havelock KCB...with more pp11 Calcutta Gazette Press (Calcutta 1858, fol). In Forrest's 'History of the Indian Mutiny p496' there is a note re Crommelin and young Havelock, P497 re Capt. Crommelin of the Engineers. Also there are some notes re the 'Campaign of 1857-58' and Calcutta Review, Vol XXXII p.216, History of the Indian Mutiny (Forrest) re Lieut. Russell of the Bengal Engineers, Capt. Crommelin, & Col. Napier and Purnell. Also a long list of books by M. de la C. Crommelin including 'Over the Andes from Argentina to Chile and Peru' which I have heard is her most interesting book.

I am so glad to hear your nephew has married such a nice clever girl and hope they have a happy home. I often wish I had my National Botanic Garden project established. I would feel so happy to settle down knowing it is secured for the future and I could then perhaps sort out my interesting family papers and put them in order. Strange I should have these 'urges'! Of course the garden is very important but the other things not so engrossing. It will be wonderful if we have managed to do this and saved some part of the beauty of our lovely land.

So dear - so very dear to me - I do wish you could see it. But of course you will always love your own dear England best, and that is as it should be! Have you read 'The White Cliffs of Dover' - my feelings while I was approaching the dear Motherland. Strange isn't it? I feel it is a part of me too - just in the blood, I suspect. I will write again when I am home again.

Love from Minard