11 blank unused postcards depicting: 107- Cathedrale de CHARTRES. Fragment du Tour du Choeur (XVI siecle). ND Phot. Revolutionstage in Berlin - Nach der Einnahme des Marstalles. 6 Loches-Bas Relief ornant la Tour d'Agnes Sorel. -LL. Kleinschmalkalden I. Thur. 24 Loches. - Le Chateau Royal. - Le Lede Louis XII et la Tour Agnes Sorel. -LL. Meiningen. Marktplatz - Stadkirche. Auto mit Maschinengemehren des Arbeiter. und Soldatenrate am Brandenburger Tor. Berl. Jllustr. Ges. Berlin. Nationaldenkmal Kaiser Wilhelm I. Berlin. Palais Kaiser Wilhelm I. Berlin. Konigl. Universitat. Berlin. Die Garde Du Corps am Zeughause im Zuge Der Fahnenkompagnie.
08 September 1914. Letter from J. Towyn Jones expressing his sympathy for the circumstances Ifor and his parents find themselves in. -- 20 October 1914. Letter in reply to Mr Evans letter to Mr David Thomas concerning his son. It gives the legal opinion of the Foreign Office that caution money should not be paid out for prisoners. -- 11 November 1914. Letter from Thomas Cook and Son, Bankers and Tourist Agents. Confirms they have received instructions for transferring 100 marks to Ifor L. Evans. -- 12 November 1914. Letter from J Keir Hardie regarding the caution money required for Ifor's release. -- 25 November 1914. Letter from Equ A. Crowe stating that he has been directed by Sir E. Grey to write that the United States Ambassador to Berlin has been requested to make enquiries and in some cases representations in cases where bail has been demanded. He write that under the circumstances money should not be sent. -- 27 November 1914. Letter from the Foreign Office stating that all that can be done via the United States embassy. It also states that it seems likely that the prisoners have been transferred to a prison camp, likely Ruhleben.
Jones, Josiah Towyn -- Thomas, David. British Foreign Office -- Thomas Cook and Son. Bankers and Tourist Agents --Hardie, J. Keir -- Crowe, Equ A. -- British Foreign Office, London, UK.
January 1916. Mary Harold discusses their sons and how they expect them to return changed by their experience and the stories they will have when they return. One of Mary's sons was home for Christmas, he has finished his training and may be sent to France at any time. She also provides some information on a gentleman who can get money to prisoners. -- 24 January 1916. Mary is very sorry to hear of Mrs Evan's recent accident, but glad that it is not serious. She is grateful for the letter forwarded on to her from Mrs Dale, detailing how the Germans hold on to some of the things they send. Though she does mentioned that the Germans turned a blind eye to the prisoners celebrating the new year. She also details the progress they have made with the camp school and her son's recent attempts to develop his cooking. Then goes back to the subject of parcels.
January 1915. Mary Harold is wondering whether Ifor has received any of parcels sent out to him, having received 2 postcards from John claiming not to have had any. She has contacted Mr Gaston requesting more information but received no reply as yet. Mary has sent another parcel for John addressed to Ifor, in case he should be away, having dispatched letters to both explaining the situation. -- 02 February 1915. Mrs Harold sends thanks for news on the parcels sent to their boys in Germany and exchanges the information she has received. She is grateful for the newspaper cuttings sent by Mrs Evans regarding prisoners of war, which she had not seen. Mary is keeping copies of the papers for her son so he can read what has transpired in his absence. Mary wishes it were possible for the two of them to meet and discuss the situation together, she finds it difficult not having anyone nearby in the same situation. She has heard of a Russian girl and shared classes with her son in Marburg than has never been heard of since she left to go home.
Mary is sending thanks for the newspaper cuttings Mrs Evans has sent. She is concerned that she has not received any postcards of late from John, fearing especially that he has tried to send too many and his cards are being held back. Mary is also sorry to hear that Mrs Davies is ill. Still she remains optimistic that nothing is seriously wrong. Mary also brings up the subject of all the young men that are being killed and wounded in the war.
Letter (copy) from Leisterer to unknown recipient: In reply to a postcard of 14 August. States that Ifor gave up his lodgings at the beginning of July, in order to visit southern Germany. They have sent him money twice but on one occasion it was returned as it had not been collected. -- According to news sent by Ifor, he was being watched by the police because of his nationality, but was otherwise alright. Then a post card from him dated 31 August informed them that he had been imprisoned in Nuremberg.
Describing life at the front and some 8 days leave from the front that he has had due to illness in January. He is currently present as a surgeon linked to an infantry regiment at the front.
Describes in response to a letter from Mr Evans the conditions of camp life and Ifor's state of being. He also discusses an article he has written lately, his move tomorrow to London and representations he is making to reduce the medical standards for exchange.
Translation from Welsh:-- Dear Leslie, -- Thank you for your letter. I think that my last letter made you quite agitated. -- Firstly let me congratulate you on your success in the exam, although of course I did not expect anything less. I hope you will continue to work easily during the coming years. -- Many thanks for the third book that you sent me. I have now read all three and I must say that they are very interesting in their simplicity. -- Now to the main topic. I can quite understand that you are tired of waiting for me come to some agreement. I am nearly always unsettled in my mind or rather long in coming to a decision. I am very sorry that I cannot promise to be your intended wife, and as you are determined to receive an immediate answer, I now have to break any connection forever. I can imagine what you will think of me after you have read this news and you will be dissatisfied that I did not say this to you before now and think that the little correspondence between us was a waste of time. I would never had agreed to write to you if it wasn't for the fact that I loved you better than any other boy that I have met and I do not regret thinking about our relationship, because it was completely platonic. -- I hope that you will continue to be a friend to me (perhaps in some light-hearted way) but I think that we will see each other only infrequently. -- I can't see my way clear at all in preparing myself to be a wife to you. Circumstances are totally against me as I will have to return home before the end of the year, more's the pity. -- I am having a good time on this island, and am learning to swim and row every day. We wander quite a lot here as well. -- I will finish now, hoping that you will have a good holiday this year as last year, as I believe that this will do so much good to you physically but even more spiritually or mentally. -- Farewell for now with best possible wishes for your future. -- From Anne -- P.S. Don't think that someone has influenced me in this choice. I have not asked anyone for advice or anything and no one knows my circumstances. I shall do my best to be fair with you. You will now be free to arrange your future as you wish.
Mr Dale is overjoyed that the Ruhleben prisoners are soon to be released. He does not know when exactly Ifor will get home but hopes he will get this letter soon. Mr Dale hopes to visit a friend in Kerry on 14 December and wonders if it would be possible to visit Ifor on his way home. He has no idea where Kerry is but hopes it is not far from Aberdare.
Mr Dale writes to inform Mr and Mrs Evans that he has been included in the list of prisoners transferred from Ruhleben to Holland. He has taken this opportunity to send Ifor's parents a few lines informing them that their son is well and in good spirits. He writes that he wishes there was some hope of Ifor being transferred soon, but it would appear that the exchange was limited to those who had suffered either mentally or physically. He says that in his case he is physically fit but writes that not all is as it should be; Mr Dale expects to get better treatment now he is in Holland. Mr Dale is finding the Hague a very pleasant place and will be going to see an opera (Madam Butterfly) for the first time in 4 years. He says that Mr and Mrs Evans need not be anxious about Ifor as Ruhleben is a very different place to what it was 1914-15. Though he writes that most of the improvements have been implemented and paid for by the interned themselves. The best that can be said of the Germans is that they left them alone. Mr Dale goes on write about Ifor's work in the camp school, claiming that everyone that has ever had anything to do with him has nothing but the highest opinion of his abilities. He hopes to pick up his friendship with Ifor again in the near future.
He was delighted to hear from Ifor and wishes he was in a position to accept his offer to spend a weekend with him and his parents. However his future plans are currently uncertain and he is unable to consider anything of the kind at present. Mr Dale explains that he has plans to visit Gibraltar 14-20 January, though has had trouble getting his passport. So much so that he dare not leave town in case he is summoned to attend the Passport Office. He will be travelling overland via Paris and Madrid; he will return via Rome and Paris. He writes that all this travelling has given him an excuse to retire from his post at St Stephen's. He asks what Ifor is planning to do with himself before saying that if he thinks of coming to town before he leaves, he will be most welcome to stay.
He dare not attempt the journey from Kerry to Aberdare. He has an important engagement in Emma on the Tuesday and could not possibly make the journey from Kerry to Aberdare and then be home again by Monday.
