Letter from Billy Turner to James McBey (Letters and Memorabilia Belonging to James McBey)

RecipientReceived by James McBey (Newburgh, Scotland, 1883 - 1959)

SenderSent by Eileen Arbuthnot Robertson (1903 - 1961)

Datec. 1931

Object NameLetter

Mediumpaper and ink

ClassificationsMcBey

Dimensions18.4 x 14.1cm

AcquisitionPresented in 1988 by Mrs Marguerite McBey.

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDAG008357.7

Keywords

About MeLetter from Eileen Arbuthnot Robertson, known to the McBey's as Billy Turner, dated 22 October, explaining that the above address (Higham Hall, North Rochester, Kent) is "an office from where I'm convalesing for the attentions of far too many doctors."

The reason Billy was staying in this hospital was because she had just undergone the curreting procedure, explaining that she now felt fine but "it is my dignity, that is done in for ever." Billy also goes on to say that, "No doctor ever fell in love with a patient he curetted."

Billy talks about her post-op experience where; "The nurses, with much girlish merriment, kept up my strength daily by driving blunt spikes, called by courtesy above hypedermics, into my bottom, so that it now looks like a collender."

She then thanks McBey for the card from Jerusalem and says she is off to South Africa on 18 January with Henry, her husband H. E. Turner, so can't see McBey for ages. They were planning to travel back up the east coast and stop at all the little forts, so didn't expect to be home till May.

Billy then explains that both were having great luck with their second film "Loving Things", which was "still running in London and earning handsome." She also explains that for the fourth time, "I CAN'T WRITE, - that's NEVER COULD and worse still NEVER SHALL." She thinks this may have something to do with the operation, as she exclaims "It is humiliating to find that one does one's literary work with one's uterus!"

This object is part of an archive that belonged to Marguerite McBey. As a result of her generosity, Aberdeen Art Gallery holds the largest archive of James McBey's work, including prints, drawings, sketchbooks, oil paintings and memorabilia such as this letter.