Thursday, August 8, 2024

"Breakfast Makes Us Britons": A William Hope Hodgson Letter Discovered

William Hope Hodgson married Bessie Gertrude Farnworth in Kensington, London, on 26 February 1913, and the newlyweds soon settled in Sanary, Var, on the south coast of France. First they stayed at a villa called Les Mimosas, but by July they had settled in the nearby Chalet Mathilde, where they would remain until after War broke out in August 1914, when around October they removed to England. Bessie settled in Borth, in Wales, joining Hodgson's mother and his younger sister Lissie. Hodgson went to London to join the Officers Training Corps. 

Richard Bleiler recently discovered a letter from Hodgson, published in The Daily Mail for 16 October 1913, sent by Hodgson from the Chalet Mathilde in Sanary. Thanks to Richard for letting me share it here.

The humorous note has little literary value, beyond telling us that Hodgson read the Continental edition of The Daily Mail, but the snarkiness is at least diverting.

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