From: Biological Stn. Pearl Beach
Via Woy Woy
NSWTo: Miss M. C. Sadler
"White Lodge"
101 Northcourt Rd.
Abingdon, Berkshire
EnglandJanuary 30, 1954
My dear Margaret,
I was simply delighted to receive your letter with the broadcast talk and comments. Thank you so much for all the trouble you have taken upon my behalf, and upon behalf of all the lovely wild flowers, animals and birds. I say 'thank you' from my grateful heart! Our letters apparently crossed in the mail and you will now have mine. I hope you approve of it. How strangely things have worked out. It is such a marvelous answer to prayer to think that all these years I have been so keen on 'ancestors and animals', and in this strange way everything is coming together. It fills me with awe and makes me very humble indeed - showing me the wonderful power which prayer gives when it is used in a direction when wisdom has been sought first. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path..."
I have lost or mislaid your letter with the Crommelin-Brown group details. Would you please send it to me again? I want to send it to our Dutch kinsman who has been so kind (besides wanting it myself). It should be quite easy to trace up the duke's Crommelin connections - Bourkis or any of those people should have it at their fingertips.
In my ignorance I did not even know that Tavistock was the duke's second title. I remember quite clearly driving past the estates and having the great hot houses and glass houses pointed out to me [in 1936 during her trip to Europe]. I remember that the marquis was a great ornithologist and longed to see his gardens. Little did I know we shared a name as well as a great love for wildlife! Also we were both working under circumstances as far apart in position as in latitude, but meeting in our spirit and bound together by a passionate love of freedom for all the creatures of the wild - as well as for our own kind. Perhaps that ancient and slender blood connection is stronger than we realize and comes out in unexpected ways. I hope you will approve of the letter I sent to the duke. It was hastily written and typed, as you may gather, but I felt it should be sent right away.
I have so many interruptions during the holidays and our caretaker has been away, and my sprained ankle is troublesome so that I feel the work and the trip to the city very exhausting in the heat. I am thinking of you in the opposite cold of Britain just now and do hope you are comfortable and have sufficient warmth. Could I send you anything?
The Queen is due next week. They must have had a beautiful trip in New Zealand and I only hope Sydney and Australia will not tire or disappoint her. I am sending you an account of her rooms at Government House, Sydney. It is situated on Sydney Harbour and looks out over the water, so I hope it will be as comfortable as it sounds. The university sent me tickets for the arrival procession view on the following day's visit of the Duke but I felt unable to face the crowds and the heat so I did not venture to accept. I would love to hear them both speak.
I am eagerly looking forward to your next letter. Love from your grateful Minard.
Enclosure... My dear Margaret,
On the other side of this page you will see a rough copy of my letter to His Grace, and to you I owe the help and encouragement which enabled me to write it. I hope you approve of the wording. I thought it better to say 'friend' rather than 'relative' when opening, as I would not like the Duke to think I am stressing any relationship - only if he is interested in the name will he 'pick up the threads' himself. This goes with a prayer that it will be worthy of God's blessing and in that I am sure you will join me!With the letter I am sending a packet of photos, newspaper clippings and a small map. They are all going by air mail so there is a heavy postage bill this week! How I would love to be there - peeping over the Duke's shoulder when he opens the letter! I do hope he takes kindly to the idea. It is so very difficult to approach strangers when you do not know their characters and dispositions. I am looking forward to a reply with anxious expectations of your opinion.
Best love, and in haste... Minard
The Bedford Appeal
