From: Biological Stn. Pearl Beach
Via Woy Woy
NSW

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

March 13, 1955

My dearest Margaret,

I am so sorry you have been worried about the floods. Fortunately we are about 60 miles away from the bad area which was in the Huutu River Valley. Our only trouble was with our local roads and a bridge over a small creek between this place and the village. I was held up in town owing to this. Unfortunately I wasn't well enough to attend the conference which was described to me by two delegates from government departments who called it "The most representative gathering of its kind ever held in Sydney." We carried our resolution to have the area set aside. It was a great disappointment to me not to be present.

I am very tired and find it difficult to get everything done. I must try to send you a map of N.S.W. 'Warrah' is the northern shore of Broken Bay into which the Hawkesbury River flows. That is the second largest river we have. The Huulu River is north of us. Woy Woy is on the railway half-way between Sydney and Newcastle. The response to the flood victims appeal has been wonderfully generous and has been answered all over the world. I hope it will result in rebuilding the towns above flood level.

Yes, I quite agree with your opinions about [atom] bomb results. Such immense disruptions to atmospheric currents must cause upheavals. Another thing is the mysterious breaking up of such enormous floes in the Arctic regions. What have those men been engaged in doing to those ice covered regions that some of them are now uncovered mountains! Is that the cause of the phenomenal rainfalls? We have had very little sunshine since December and seem to be enduring the same kind of summer as you had. Scientists seem to be like a lot of clever children playing with firearms they have never seen before. The whole business seems wrong to me. All our strength and all our intelligence seems to be used for destructive rather than constructive methods.

No news of the Duke of Bedford. I don't believe he ever saw my letter! The American girls are still here and they have 'Wiggles' as a greatly loved pet. I do not approve of their methods at all because I always want to see animals living a natural life, and with Wiggles that would mean not being in the house day and night; eating unnatural foods; and no likelihood of companions or a normal life in the future. However, I am powerless to do anything about it but will try to see it does not happen again.

Can you find any date or initials on your miniature of our Great-Grandmother? Try a microscope. I found initials and a date on a miniature of Thomas Lake C. (grandfather), dated 1836 T.C. I am sending a copy to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see if it is a Frederick Cruickshank, which seems likely. The smaller miniature of g.grandfather (I sent you a copy) does not show anything under the microscope but the painting of the flesh is wonderfully fine. Write and tell me more about yourself, Margaret. Are you feeling well? Loving thoughts, Minard