Papers of Mary Hodges relating to Tristan da Cunha

Single Item

Shelfmark: MSS. Atlan. s. 20

Held at the Weston Library

Letters:

(fol. 1) memo of Mrs Hodges
(fols. 2-3) letter from Peter to his aunt from a hotel in Sea Point. Peter wanted to stay on Tristan for a third year but after discussion with the Colonial Office he decided to return to Tanganyika (Tanzania). Cape Town, 14 Mar 1960
(fol. 4) letter from Peter to his aunt, writing that the situation in Tanganyika (Tanzania) has changed and a return is doubtful, so he has decided to settle down in Britain. Tristan da Cunha, 11 Apr 1960
(fols. 5-6) letter from Peter to his aunt, writing about a trip to Gough Island, where there is a weather station, to maintain sovereignty over the island; islanders start building new houses in Oct. Tristan, 24 Apr 1960
(fols. 7-14) letter to H. J. Hodges, Tristan Topics, fifth issue (contains: editorial, personnel, general, sewerage scheme completed, Prince Philip Hall, stamp issue, the crawfishing industry on Tristan, births and marriages, and tailpiece). Tristan, Jun 1960
(fol. 15) envelope to the letter fols. 7-14
(fols. 16-17) letter from Peter to his aunt: Tanganyika (Tanzania) will not agree to Peter spending a further year here, so he will return home. Tristan, 26 Sep 1960
(fol. 18) letter from Peter to his aunt: material is going to be brought to build new houses; a new office block has been built; and three young men are going to leave Tristan to go to the Falkland Islands. Tristan, 16 Oct 1960
(fol. 19) letter from Peter to his aunt: his assistant arrived with the material; houses are built. Tristan, 17 Nov 1960
(fol. 20) letter from Peter to his aunt, talking about family matters; Mary goes away from home to Uganda; the Days are preparing for Christmas. Tristan, 5 Dec 1960
(fol. 21) letter from Peter to his aunt, writing about Christmas and New Year traditions on Tristan. Tristan, 1 Jan 1961
(fol. 22) letter from Peter to his aunt, talking about their delayed arrival in Britain in May. Tristan, 1 Mar 1961
(fols. 23-24) letter from Peter to his aunt, talking about Tanganyika (Tanzania) and a job offer; met somebody to talk about Tristan and East Africa; invitation to a garden party in the Buckingham Palace. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 17 Jun 1961
(fol. 25) envelope to the letter fols. 23-24
(fol. 26) letter from Peter to his aunt, writing about visiting his aunt and about being introduced to the Queen. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 30 Jun 1961
(fol. 27) letter from Peter to his aunt, asking if it is possible to stay at his aunt's house on 13 Jul for one night. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 5 Jul 1961
(fol. 28) envelope to the letter fol. 27
(fol. 29) letter from Peter to his aunt; brief information about the date of arrival. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 25 Jul 1961
(fol. 30) envelope to the letter fol. 29
(fols. 31-32) letter from Peter to his aunt, writing about a job offer and about moving to a bungalow not far from his work; Penny took driving test; the Days are moving into another house. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 15 Aug 1961
(fol. 33) envelope to the letter fols. 31-32
(fol. 34) letter from Peter to his aunt, writing about the situation in East Africa. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 20 Aug 1961
(fol. 35) envelope to the letter fol. 34
(fols. 36-39) letter from Penny to Peter's aunt. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 8 Sep 1961
(fol. 40) envelope to the letter fol. 36-39
(fols. 41-42) letter from Peter to his aunt, talking about home and family, and starting work again. Newbottle, Northamptonshire, 15 Sep 1961
(fol. 43) envelope to the letter fols. 41-42
(fols. 44-45) letter from Peter to his aunt: he has begun his new job and likes it; new house; Julian's first day at new school; sends his new address. Leicester, Leicestershire, 4 Oct 1961
(fol. 46) envelope to the letter fols. 44-45
(fols. 47-48) letter from Peter to his aunt, talking about Tristan and the tragedy and what is going to happen; he thinks that the islanders will not have the opportunity to go back even if the volcano settles down and that they will not like Britain because of the climate. Leicester, Leicestershire, 14 Oct 1961
(fol. 49) envelope to the letter fols. 47-48
(fol. 50) letter from Peter to his aunt: plans to visit in Sep to meet the islanders; islanders must go to Redhill until their future is decided. Leicester, Leicestershire, 21 Oct 1961
(fol. 51) envelope to the letter fols. 50
(fols. 52-53) letter from Peter to his aunt, talking about the decision that the islanders will return to Tristan; six men went back to confirm that landing is suitable; some Tristans did not really try to settle down in Britain and were not very thankful; many of the young people and children like Britain, but they have to go back; decided to send an independent observer with the islanders; Peter thinks return will be hard for the islanders; and that there will be problems between the young and the old. Leicester, Leicestershire, 11 Aug 1962
(fol. 54) envelope to the letter fols. 52-53
(fols. 55-62) letter from Peter to his aunt: news from the family; children getting on well; moved into the new house by the sea; spartan on the food front, with potatoes in short supply; rationed sugar; a good supply of fish and beef; cats are coming back to the settlements; hens and cockerels brought by a ship; the island store is functioning; accommodation fixed up, but limited amount of material; islanders have repaired their houses, many of which were in a poor state; radio communication is working; and daily contact with Commander in Chief, South Atlantic. Ongoing problems, e.g., the beaches: if they are suitable to sustain a fishing industry, the islanders' future is saved; if not, the outlook is bleak, and it may take some years even if the beaches are suitable. Other islanders are going to come back soon; Day plans an establishment of a small fishing harbour, Colonial Service agrees; if the harbour cannot be established, the British Government should not agree to the return of the main body to the island, and should arrange to repatriate the others in the UK; if the UK does not want to, it should give money to build the harbour. Islanders have no idea of this; they build their houses. Another problem: everyone just works on his own and for his own purposes. Final problem: reestablishment of authority and maintenance of law without police; relationship with the islanders is friendly. (Continued: 11 Sep 1963) harbour engineer on Tristan; islanders are going to send back to Tristan. (Continued: 22 Sep 1963) A man from a weather station dies; it should be possible to build the harbour; the beaches are getting worse. Tristan, 23 Jul-22 Sep 1963
(fol. 63) letter from I.M. Shaw to Mary Hodges. Banbury, Oxfordshire, 15 Sep 1963
(fols. 64-65) letter from Penny to Peter's aunt, writing about living on Tristan again and their problems, talking about being a teacher in a school and her way of teaching the children, and writing about the situation when they first arrived in Tristan after the eruption. Tristan, 3 Oct 1963
(fol. 66) letter from Hilary (Peter's daughter) to her great-aunt, thanking her for presents and wishing her a nice time in Uganda. Tristan, 3 Feb 1964
(fol. 67) letter from Julian (Peter's son) to his grandaunt, thanking her for the presents, and talking about a camping trip they went on. Tristan, 14 Feb 1964
(fol. 68) letter from Hilary to her grandaunt, thanking her for a sewing basket. Tristan, n.d.
(fol. 69) postcard from Peter and Penny to Mrs Hodges, writing about travelling by ship, and the good accommodation on board. No location, 26 Jan 1956
(fol. 70) postcard from Penny to Peter's aunt, writing about their holidays in Spain. Spain, n.d.
(fol. 71) Christmas Card from the Days to Peter's Aunt. Tristan, n.d.
(fol. 72) photograph showing building worker on Tristan
(fol. 73) miscellaneous note
(fol. 74) short list with literature on Tristan.

Newspaper cuttings:

(fol. 75) 'Survey ship at Tristan during her research commission', The Times, 19 Jan 1961
(fols. 76-77) 'Back to the island paradise: Comments of Mrs. Day concerning their return to Tristan', Leicester Mercury, 22 Jan 1963
(fols. 78-85) 'The natives' return to Tristan da Cunha'. LIFE International, 3 Jun 1963
(fol. 86) Tristans return to their island, The Times, 25 Oct 1963
(fol. 87) 'R.A.F. plans for ocean filling stations', 3 Nov 1963
(fols. 88-89) 'Islanders home', Daily Mail, 11 Nov 1963
(fol. 90) Tristan da Cunha considered as ocean filling station, Nov 1963
(fol. 91) 'Tristan family (Mr. & Mrs. Green) back in Britain after one look', 1963/1964
(fol. 92) '40 islanders to return from Tristan - driven by urge for civilisation', The Times, 17 Feb 1966
(fol. 93) 'Return to Britain form Tristan', 12 Apr 1966
(fols. 94-95) '35 return from Tristan and shatter a myth', 3 May 1966
(fol. 96) 'Tristan - ten years after', Sunday Times. Weekly review, 12 Dec 1971
(fol. 97) Mr Day presented with the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) at a ceremony in British Embassy in Cape Town, n.d.

A scrapbook (26 pages) of newspaper cuttings (1959-1963) and five letters compiled by Het and Mary Hodges. The newspaper cuttings relate to the eruption on Tristan da Cunha and the return of the islanders to Tristan da Cunha.

Dates

Creation: 1959-1971

Extent

1 box

Language of Materials

English

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MSS. Atlan. s. 20, fol. 1].

Please see our help page for further guidance on citing archives and manuscripts.

Shelfmark:

MSS. Atlan. s. 20

Collection ID (for staff)

CMD ID 2409

Additional Description

Abstract

Papers of Mary Hodges relating to Tristan da Cunha.

Biographical / Historical

No biographical details are known about Mary Hodges. Peter Day was Administrator on Tristan da Cunha from 1959 to 1963. Some of the letters were written from Tristan and some from different places in Britain, predominantly Newbottle, Northamptonshire. Almost all the letters contain information about Peter Day's family, but some of them are about the situation on Tristan before and after the volcanic eruption. After his first Administration, Day returned to Britain in 1961 but was called back to Tristan as Administrator after the eruption and left Britain on 17 Mar 1963. One letter from Peter to his aunt (23 Jul 1963) is particularly interesting, describing the islanders' life and problems after the return to Tristan.