Correspondence from Betty May to David Garnett*

 

     

 

248 High St

Rochester

Kent

 

 

12th 1961

 

 

David,

 

I am so unhappy Billy is behaving dreadfully.

 

He has even deprived me of an old age pension, which he quite easily have paid.

 

Do you know David I have lived with Billy for twenty four years & we are both the same age [illegible].

 

He has fallen desperately in love with (married with one child age 2). She is aged thirty yrs & very attractive.

 

Of course he has had affairs before but not anything [illegible].

 

She is a Publican & Billy has neglected me & he is always in debt. He never leaves the pub until they close.

 

All through this I am forced to go on Public Assistance for I cannot countenance going on like this.

 

You did say you were really my friend David.

 

Now I have written this letter to you because I am so unhappy & I thought if you would just write a note to console me for I am utterly miserable.

 

My love David

 

Betty May.

 

 

* David Garnett (1892–1981) was an author and wrote eleven novels as well as his autobiography; he edited the letters of T.E. Lawrence and the novels of Thomas Love Peacock. He and Francis Birrell started a bookshop; he helped found the Nonesuch Press and the publishing firm of Rupert Hart-Davis.

 

 

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