Wednesday 25 June 2014

Billet-Doux - Love Letters - A 1950's True Love Story









FLASH FICTION, NON-FICTION, POETRY, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK

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Here is my entry:                                                           




BILLET-DOUX
LOVE LETTERS
(A 1950’s true love story)

The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘billet-doux’ as – a love letter.  Its origin is from the late 17th Century French and literally means ‘a sweet note.’

Cynthia married James in 1945; they had a five year old daughter and six month old son when she left the marriage and the children in 1951. The reasons for the breakup of the marriage are not clear in family history.
James and Cynthia were divorced in 1959 and Cynthia married Denis in 1971. 
James, Cynthia and Denis have now all passed away with Denis being the last one to go at the beginning of this year (2014).  

Denis’ love for Cynthia shines through at the beginning of their relationship, 1951/1952.

The notes are written on scraps of paper, the backs of business cards, torn flaps of envelopes, some are written in pencil, some in pen, the stick drawings obviously meant something to Cynthia and Denis.  

 Darling


Was unable to get rid of Jim. He is telling me his life story.
Will see you 9.30.
All my love
Darling
Xxx





Darling
See me in drive after food
All my love
Dear
YOH
Xxx
P.S.
Am still waiting for first post.





Will try & make it by 11.15 or 11.30.
Chin up my Darling
Love
Xxxx





All my love darling
Chin up
Xxxxxxxxx




In the box is written:  I STILL DOES XXX
Come on
Darling, lets
Have a
Smile.


 
 Sat 6.15
All my love Darling
Am just dreaming of
The day when you and I
Can be together for the
Rest of our lives.
Look after yourself Dear.
God Bless You
Your Loving
Den
Xxxx








Dear Cyn Cyn Cow flop
I still does,
more than ever
God bless you
My darling
All my Love always
Your own
Den
Xxxx





THANK YOU.

Bienne Aimé
Xx
  




Oh, those eyes
Oh, those lips
Oh those _______________
There goes my right leg again
___________     ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____________
Xxx
I suppose I have lost my halo again.





I AM VERY GOOD AT FITTING SHOES LADY – TRY ME SOMETIME
___________
All my love Den
Xxxxxxxxxx





 All my love
Darling.
Xxxx
Have you had any
EXPERIENCE” in repairing
A HALO Darling?
Y.I.N.A.R.M.H




 Here is £4 darling, to be going on with, I shall bring some more with me
On Sunday, let me know if you are short.
Have a good time Pet &
Look after yourself.

Give my love to Jan.
Got to fly for the post now.
All my love Darling.
Cheerio
Den
XXX

Dear Cyn Cyn
_____________
I shall have some more cash with me on Monday 
so if you run short again get a sub from Pat.
Xxxx CWT’s of love. Den
This may be the first Christmas card:
 

Cyn, my darling
Here’s
Wishing you    Good luck, good fortune, good prospects too,
May this NEW YEAR ring in for you.
Good health, good friends,
Good work, good play
And all the best from day to day.
And with this wish my darling you
have my heart and all my love always
From
Your own loving
Den xxxxxx
  




A longer letter to Cynthia written on a Tuesday morning. 






Tuesday am
Hello my darling

Please forgive me for having been so long in writing to you dear – you know the reasons – work trouble & never having much spare time, life seems one long made rush at present trying to get the Wolseley finished & taking all the old dears Xmas shopping and my head, it just keeps on whirling. What a life. Roll on the holidays and the South. 

Oh my darling, how I am longing to see you and be with you, to take you in my arms and kiss those loverly lips & to see those 2 little devils in your eyes again.  I just love you and love you and love you & love you with all my heart.  You know something darling? I think you will need that amount.

Cyn, I know you are missing the children, it’s a hell of a time for you to go through, but do try to keep your chin up, look ahead and plan for the day when you & I & the kiddies are all to-gether again. 

Have as happier Christmas as you can darling, hope you will like the parcels & don't go making a little piggy of yourself with the chocs.

Well I must go now darling, Cheerio, will be with you very soon.

All my love dearest.

God Bless You.

Den.

Xxxxx

P.S.
No cracks about the photographs or else – xx



A longer letter to Cynthia written on a Saturday:


Saturday
My darling Cyn

Well, here is your medical card and the photographs, also the leaflet on assistance grants.   I am sorry I have been so long in sending them to you Cyn, but as I said on the phone, I have been feeling so very rotten and tired, & when I have been up and about & feeling reasonably OK, they have kept me so very busy, what with the decorating and pulling in the driving as well, that I just have not had a minute to myself. 

It has seemed a dreary week without you darling, but being able to hear your voice on the phone each night has helped it a long a bit – broken the miles down and made me feel a lot happier.

Darling, I love you so very much & am just wishing I could be with you, to give you a little comfort and care during this very trying time.  But Cyn dear, don't feel lonely & depressed, you never leave my thoughts & remember I will always stand by you and & give you whatever help you want.

Look after yourself Cyn, & get well & strong quickly – keep your chin up & come back as soon as possible. 

I will write a nice long letter to you in a day or two, that is if I can get 5 mins to myself & in Chapter 1 I will try to tell you in more detail just how much I does.

God Bless you Darling & keep you safe

All my Love

Den
xxxxx