Mr. and Mrs. P Schultz Mrs. G Wrightson
72 Derwent St 186 London RD
Island Bay Twickenham
Wellington NZ Middlesex UK
Sat Nov 11th 1967
The Weather here is like a normal NZ winter
Dear Sandy and Pete
In answer to your letter, which we collected from the bank today.
First Tim does live in East Sheen. I laughed when I heard it. I immediately thought of Tony Hancock and East Cheam.
We have already been in touch with him and he got us tickets for the All Black Match.
In the stand, what’s more.
He’s in good health and in a good flat.
Better than his NZ ones.
I received a letter from Frances last week so I presume, you have heard of our news till then, as I answered her straight away. I am an excellent letter writer lately, I have written so many. Did Dave Holey get my letter before he left? I hope so. He should arrive here soon we are expecting to hear from him.
Glad to hear about Marilyn, Give her my love and tell her I want to hear from her sometime, I already know about Mr. Barr, Don Markwell told me.
We went to dinner at his house a couple of weeks ago. It is very nice.
A detached house, you don’t see many of these in England they are nearly all joined together. We had a lovely evening and he arranged an interview for me at Unilever Research Lab in Isleworth. I went and was offered a job in bucket chemistry (Product Development) on shampoo, that’s about all they do there. I accepted and start on Monday. Tell Grant and Colin, whoever is in charge, I will write and tell them when I am settled. Salary £700 a year. Not too bad for here, I was quite pleased.
Once again a young crowd and I am working with a young chemist Mike Whiteside. They have a pub in the building everyone goes there for lunch.
Below: Bit of a sing a long with my workmates at Unilever Isleworth
More about that later.
Dale too has a job, in an agency in Knightsbridge. (Harrods the Posh Store is close by).
His office overlooks Hyde Park. He doesn’t start till Monday week.
It is funny starting a job here you have to get National Insurance and the tax is shocking.
I hate to think what wage I will bring home.
We have a flat that we have been in for week now, in Twickenham.
Once again a detached house. Nice and big.
We have what used to be the billiard room. One large lounge, bedroom same size, kitchen, (plus washing machine and drier, most uncommon here, everyone uses the Launderette) and our own bathroom and toilet.
Below: Guess who? in the Kitchen
Isleworth is about 2 miles from here and the bus passes the gate.
We are 3/10 mile from the rail station and shops. Quite a good position. £9 a week.
Meat is a terrible price but canned foods are cheap.
Everyone lives out of cans even boiled new potatoes.
Mushrooms we eat a lot only 4/- a pound.
I have so much to tell you Sandy and so little room. We love London.
We are even accepting the fumes in the city. You come home from town filthy.
Today we went up to see the Lord Mayor’s parade, This is a big parade.
Train fares are expensive cost us 16/- in traveling. Today was expensive, my first trip on public transport. We went on a train, the tube and a double decker bus. How about that for one day? You see, we handed over our hire car on Thursday.
What a tragedy. From now on we walk. Can you imagine it.
TV is marvelous, I sit in front of it every night and swap channels.
With 3 channels you get a good night entertainment.
I have changed my drink from Whisky Sour to Rum Punches. We had them in Trinidad. You would love them, even Pete would. I could drink them all day and get rotten as well, they are rather potent.
We are working out how to mix them. When I have the recipe I’ll send it.
Glad to see you move to Auckland is working our fine.
Today we saw the All Blacks beat Wales on TV, we couldn’t get seats unfortunately.
A great match. To beat Wales is a big thing.
Tell Murray not to worry himself into a frazzle about the wedding. Tell him it’s nothing
You know!
How’s dozy Joan? Still with you? Hope she is behaving.
We went to Hyde Park Corner the other Sunday. What a laugh, the speakers are hilarious, we must go up again soon.
Soho was disappointing. Not half as sordid as Acapulco or Panama.
Rick Christie is here and Eddie Bisdee, hope to see them soon. I’m afraid you can’t say much in aerogrammes but it is a bit expensive to send ordinary air mail to everyone. give my love to Nan and Grandy. Did they get my card. Hope to hear from you soon.
Love Gillian and Dale
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