I am telling the story of ten siblings from the Machell Cox family, through the letters they wrote to each other. They were born in England between 1868 and 1884; seven of them lived in England and three lived abroad, in the Colonies. One of the siblings was my great grandfather.
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Send us Fan Mail Frances describes her recent visit to the Bodleian library to read Budget letters. Frances also visited Great Comp to give a presentation on Vera, and describes the house and garden, for those who have not yet been able to visit Kent and experience Great Comp. She also visited The Hockey Museum in Woking, who have received a new bequest, including more photos of Vera and her…
Send us Fan Mail Frances reads more letters from 1945, in which the siblings describe VE Day, VJ Day, the atomic bombs and the July 1945 General election. The siblings are horrified at the devastation in Japan after the atomic bombs were dropped. After 80 years, the stories are still shocking. You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky -…
Send us Fan Mail Frances is reading letters from 1945, as the Machell Cox siblings experience the end of WW2 and VE Day in May and VJ Day in August. In this year of 2025, as we acknowledge the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2, the opinions and observations of the siblings clearly bring the events of 80 years ago to life. Seven of the siblings are in England - Enid, Edmund, Arthur, Bernard,…
Send us Fan Mail This continues Aldwyn's story from the previous episode - listen to S4E10 first. In 1912 Aldwyn took 3 months to travel from Likoma island, Lake Malawi, to Folkestone on a German East Africa steamship, describing plenty of details on board ship. Anyone for a coffin sofa bunk? After being delayed at Zanzibar Aldwyn writes " I hope this time I am fairly under weigh." July 1912 - he…
Send us Fan Mail This is Aldwyn's story, in Africa, in 1911 in Nyasaland (now Malawi) - continued in the next episode. He is Anglican clergy, responsible for a large Mission station, at Kota Kota, on the west side of Lake Malawi in central Africa. But the Bishop wants him to move to Likoma island. And then a murder happens. His siblings follow the news, by letter, from England. You can contact…
Send us Fan Mail Frances reads letters from 1912 from the Machell Cox siblings about visiting Enid and Cyril's house, Endhall in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton. Family letters also discuss Wibbly-Wob, Women's Suffrage, pears, jigsaws, Vera's knee and the anxieties in Europe that might lead to war, finishing with Christmas at Sydenham, and another Christmas Budget, written by the siblings. You can…
Send us Fan Mail Frances reads letters from 1911 and 1912 from Enid about their new house, Endhall in Tettenhall Woods, Wolverhampton. The family all give their opinions and Frances finds where the house used to be located. Edmund wants to know what the siblings all think about Votes for Women - please give details - and they do. Vera suffers a knee injury during the England v. Ireland Ladies'…
Send us Fan Mail Frances reads letters written by the Machell Cox siblings where they discuss the first planes to fly in England as well as motor cars. The letters in this podcast are from 1907 up till WW2. If you have forgotten which sibling is which, or you are new to this podcast, S3E4 Ten siblings - Who is who - will give you a recap. Bernard (No.6) was a wealthy London stock broker and owned…
Send us Fan Mail Frances reads some letters written in April 1910 by the Machell Cox siblings. Edmund is yet again a delinquent, he is late writing his letter and thinks he should resign from the Budget. Avice is in Torquay with Bernard where he is recuperating after removal of his appendix and they tell their landlady all about booby traps. Enid describes Vera playing in an exciting hockey match…
Send us Fan Mail Frances reads two letters, written by Aldwyn in Nyasaland in Feb and April of 1910. Aldwyn drew a sketch map of the mission station at Kota Kota (now Nkhotakota), showing the church, school & hospital buildings. I found his sketch, including the many buildings. The kitchen is separate to the dining room building (due to the risk of fire), and Aldwyn even drew the mud huts where…