From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Humorous newsletter, 'Mr. Pobottle's News Letter No. 19', discussing men's domestic lives during wartime.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 143\3\ scan0188 | |
| Date | 11th April 1940 | |
| 1204 Mr. Pobottle's News Letter No. 19 APRIL 11th, 1940, SLOUGH THE BRAVEST MAN WAS CAPTAIN BROWN . . . (Or: WHAT IS HOME WITHOUT A MOTHER!) RIGHT at the beginning of this war we ourselves happened to be in the country. When we announced our intention of coming back to the precincts of the Doomed City, they clustered round and shook hands with us and wished us good-bye with tears in their eyes, and had the band out to play us off. There was even some talk of running us in for attempted suicide. Odd thought nowadays, isn't it ? Still—there it is. This war bears out the dear old saying: “Things are never as bad as you expect. They're only a helluva sight duller.” Nevertheless, even if no one strikes a medal for the Men Who Stayed at Their Posts nowadays, there are still a lot of households where the Women and Children have taken to the Boats and rowed off into the middle distance, leaving the Captain Browns like you and us to rattle around alone in the family mansion. Now women, as Mr. Don Herald has remarked, are not much, but they are the best other sex we have, and although in time of peace it is a standing puzzle how wives spend their time, there is no doubt about it that it feels very odd to be married to someone in Cornwall or the Wye Valley. It alters the relationship in a curious way. Judging from our own experience Male War Ménages tend to divide roughly into the following types :— (a) The Affluent. Typical of this class is one outfit we know where three gilded gents joined forces in the absence of their wives and each brought a butler. Imagine hanging around in a house which pullulated with butlers ! When last we heard of this set-up the butler who was playing on his own ground had pretty well got the other two down. He took all the hats and brought all the drinks and the other two just stood around and pined. (b) The Domesticated. This type has taken to bachelordom like a duck to water, and potters around vamping up delicious little meals out of a tin of sardines and a nutmeg grater. We met a man the other day who used to be a well-known Rugby tough, and he was carrying home a few chrysanthemums he had just bought for the drawing-room. Another has nearly finished knitting himself a jumper. We understand that the rumour which suggests he is expecting a happy event in the Spring is unfounded. (c) The Indifferent. This type, although it may have noticed that its wife is no longer there, hasn't even started to do anything about it. It just goes on exactly as before, and anything which depended on its wife just doesn't happen. We met one of these the other day taking home two dozen new plates and cups and saucers. He said all the ones in his home had been used now, so he had had to buy some clean ones. SONG :— Through Blackpool and Harrogate though we may roam Though it's all slightly dusty, there's no place like Home. The lights have all fused and that mutton's decayed, We've ordered no coal and the bed's still not made. Home, home, sweet, sweet Home ! If you don't have to live there, there's no place like home. Pobottle Printed by Vacher & Sons, Ltd., S.W.1. | ||