Letter from John Walkinton   

After Andrew Walbran and Jennie Dingly visited John Walkinton in England, and hand delivered a thank you letter from Geoff Broadhead, he wrote the following letter to Geoff. Geoff has translated this letter:

Letter from John Walkinton, dated 3rd September,2009

Click HERE to read the letter in John's own handwriting. (I will re-scan the letter at some stage to get it rotated the right way round - NC)

"Dear Geoff,

At long last I am getting down to writing to thank you for the lovely ……. Letter and the snaps - just like us here with the cars.

I thought it was Xmas when Jennie and Andrew visited me. The super framed letter and photos and the shirts!! Very proudly wearing them.

Just a thought at your next 'do' at "Kim's Birthday". This is for your eyes only (pro tem). Question: Did Kim lose any limbs during his lifetime? He had one finger that stayed bent down and was a hazard when sailing. He had the finger off and quite a lot of pain. Not sure which hand but think it was the left.

I sailed quite a lot with him on FAIRWIND. My son, John, has photo of Fairwind. Kim had a mooring at Bucklers Hard nr Lymington.

I am on the move to Abbeyfield Care Home. The food is fantastic, staff cannot do enough for you and a super garden. I enclose new address.

This is a good move, the children don't have to worry about me, and I like it. I do not like looking after myself after 64 years of married life!

I shall have a shower bathroom, loo sitting room and bedroom. I shall have an MG wall. Picture of Kim, Goldie Gardner & a classic MG.

Anyone over I expect Helen & Clive will bring them to see me.

Sorry about scrawl, but Anno Domino!!

Kind regards to all MG fans,

Your Sincerely,
John"

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In the June 2009 MaG a letter from John Walkinton, Bobby Walkinton's husband, was printed. This was a translation of the letter by Geoff Broadhead.

Click HERE to read the letter in John's own handwriting.

Clive and Helen Holloway are regular visitors to New Zealand – indeed, they are Members of Auckland Centre! It was Clive & Helen who, one day, mentioned to Cecil Kimber’s step daughter (Bobbie Wallinton) the Auckland tradition of celebrating Kimber’s birthday each year with Kimber’s Breakfast Run – something which is apparently unique in the MG World.

As a result, Bobbie wanted the Centre to have the memorabilia from Kimber’s desk which is now mounted on a superb wooden stand made by Tony Bushell. A thank you letter to Bobbie (largely written by Helen and John Hancock) arrived back in England only a day or two before she died. The letter reproduced in the MaG is from her 92 year old widow, acknowledging both the thank you letter mentioned and the subsequent Letter of Condolence (sent by John Hancock on behalf of the Centre). For the MG historians it provides a fascinating insight into life in the Kimber household in the 1920/1930s.

Geoff Broadhead