24/07/2004
1937 Letter - To Amelia Jane Sylvia Randall
(Later His Wife)
This letter was written by Arthur John (Jess) Matthews towards the end of 1937, while waiting to know when the boat date would be. Amelia Jane Sylvia Randall became Mrs A. J. Matthews on 8.4.1939. She passed away 1.10.1984.
Arthur Matthews
Garrison Reception Station
Abbassia,
Cairo,
Egypt.Dear "Millie"
Just another short note to make up for the little letter I sent you recently. Life is almost unbearable these days, unendurable heat, flies, mosquitoes and ants don't help to cheer us up at all. I am fed up to the eyes with being a soldier. It is a bore. I am very glad to be able to find a great amount of pleasure in writing to you. At times I feel like making these letters so long that you would need your annual vacation to read them properly. Before I started to write to you I tried lots of things to pass away spare moments. Building wireless sets was one hobby of mine. I have spent hours with all my bits and pieces, one set I made was a 6 valve and I got nearly every station.
Photography and stamps are still my reigning passion. Although I don't enjoy them like I did when it was new to me. I have a fair knowledge of French and can read, write and speak Arabic almost fluently. So you can see I haven't been idle. Of course I have learnt the secrets of a trade, "Motor Mechanics." I have had about 7 years experience so far. But on top of all that I like writing. A lot of people used to write to me and I suppose they got fed up. Anyway I was writing and got no answers so I packed it in. Now you have relieved me from my moroseness and lack of interest in the usual daily life. And now for something that may be of interest.
How about a trip from the garrison main gate to the Pyramids in our car? Alright, when you feel comfortable we will start. While you are getting ready I will explain a little detail. We are going by the main road, as it is a great sight to see the pyramids by moonlight we are starting off at 10pm. Are you comfortable? Right, let's go. We leave the garrison to travel a wide road to Cairo. Trees grow along the centre to separate the going and coming traffic. On our right now we have the Abbassia gardens, a wonderful layout of greenery with myriads of flowers. And now we are passing Manchet. A dirty mud and tin village where animals and humans eat and sleep in the same place. Another mile and on our left is a petrol filling station built like a great seaplane. And then we have nothing else but dirty houses until we get to Bab-el-Hadid Square. Here we pass the biggest rail terminus in the continent of Africa. Cairo Main. The outside has some fine sandstone carvings. Across the road from there is the Barracks of the Military Police. On we go through Cairo. The Shepards Hotel, largest and finest in the east, past the great Opera House and statue of Ibrahim Pasha, again on the right is the great Continental-Savoy Hotel. Now we must turn right into Soliman-Pasha Square. In this square is another great statue to a great man. These people like their statues. We speed on to Kars-el-Nil. On our right the barracks of the Irish Guards, on the left the residency, home of Sir Miles Lampson, British Ambassador to Egypt. Now we cross a bridge, the Khedive Ismail onto Gezira Island. We have slowed down so that we can admire the Moorish Gardens and the wondrous blooms of wild roses. Then over English Bridge. Turn left and we have a long drive by the river Nile on our left. All the way along are houseboats gaily lighted up and plenty of music. On our right is the zoo. Worthy of a visit during a cool afternoon. Now we are in Giza village. Animals strolling all over the road we stop to let a flock of sheep go by then on again to the great Mena road.
This road is dead straight for 10 miles. On each side we have cultivation but it is very dark and we cannot see it. There are no lights like there are in the towns. Our headlights are gleaming in the darkness, we are speeding along at a cool 70 miles an hour. What an exhilarating thrill. We rush through Mena village. Pass all the camals used by sightseers during the day and then we pass Mena House Hotel. This is right on the edge of the desert. Our powerful car carries us up the long climb of Mena Hill and at last we are at the foot of the oldest buildings in the world. Cheops Pyramid looms up high above us. It is now about 11.45pm. The moon is just coming up over the top of these mountains of stone. Isn't it a beautiful silhouette. A sight that will never be forgotten. We walk around for a while, the full moon shining down to light our way. It is too late to climb the pyramid. Too late to walk the desert to the Sphinx so we gaze at these wonders of an age that cannot be forgotten. It is getting very chilly so we must be getting back. As it is so late and we are very tired we have no time to pass comments on the things we pass on the way back. The roads are clear, we slide along the great shining motor roads and at about 2.40am we arrive back at Abbassia. I hope you have enjoyed your ride, it was pleasant wasn't it? You go to your suite in a pleasant little hotel to dream your night away and in the morning you have found yourself back in England. What made you dream of that ride through a romantic Egyptian town? Who knows. Don't you wish you could see it all? Still it was a good dream you say. And you tell the family at breakfast what a curious dream you've had. So I must close now. Cheerio. Best wishes.
Write again soon.
Good luck
Yours Sincerely
Arthur.And so with these thoughts we say Farewell to Egypt, land of mystery, romance and glamour, land of mystery, land of eternal sunshine.
P.S. I'll bet you're fed up with reading that lot.
My grandfather typed this letter out from the original letter that he sent my grandmother all those years before on the day he laid her to rest, 4/11/1984. Amelia Jane Sylvia Matthews died on October 1, 1984.
Perhaps you have an article to add to the site concerning our family's history? Contact me at the email address for consideration. nrbcpastorkev@yahoo.com.au
24/07/2004
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