Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 400
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[Page 400]
4.
although we have exchanged letters several times. He is something high up in the Dept. of Public Works.
On Saturday last Mother & I went to lunch at Gowan Brae, Sir James Burns' place, about two miles outside Parramatta. His daughter Mrs. Williams has a husband in the Naval Air Service, so that makes a bond with the parents of a boy in the R.F.C. His three sons went on active service. One was killed about the same time as Roger. Another is back here, very much broken down in health. The third is still at the Front somewhere. Burns himself is a good sort of citizen, – you may remember Uncle John's phrase, "a good citizen" – & subscribes most generously to all war funds. He is a very rich man, & has a beautiful house & grounds. Mother came away richer by a ruby, several green sapphires, & an opal, which he gave her out of his museum at Gowan Brae. One lady who was at lunch said laughingly to me "I hate to go into Sir James' museum. As sure as I admire anything, he wants to give it to me!" He was in Europe since the war began & was allowed to visit Ypres, & he has various interesting mementos of his visit there, including a Rococo gilt angel which probably adorned the organ in the Cathedral of Ypres, & which was picked out of the débris.
I am posting you a copy of this week's Bulletin, with paragraphs about your Mother & Cicely, but to make sure of them reaching you I am enclosing the page with this letter.
Your photographs by Beresford arrived yesterday. I like the side face positions best, & there is one good one where you are looking over your shoulder, but