Guinness (Alec)

Guinness (Alec)

A large collection of cards and letters sent by Alec Guinness to his housekeeper, Mrs Cherry, mostly on his personalised stationery, all signed (“Alec Guinness” or “A.G.”), making arrangements (“I am now hospital and going down to the country, I expect I shall stay there for a good ten days. If convenient, would you continue to come on Tuesdays…have no idea of payment situation so I enclose a cheque for £10 which should cover 4 weeks”; “Here is £20- a small gift in case you’d like to get away for a day or two”, 13 April 1972; “Instead of a Christmas present this year I am giving you a bonus of £25, which I hope will be of some little help in your present circumstances”; “Lady Guinness tells me you would like to do a bit more each week and I have spoken to Matthew who I know would love you to go to their home twice a week on the same basis as you come here”), and private matters (“I think it’s going to take Lady Guinness some time before she can be active again; she tires very quickly, and although she says she feels no pain, she is obviously not very comfortable”, 31 January 1967; “I was so sorry to hear of our mother’s death. You really have had a wretched time these past few years and I would like you to know you have my greatest sympathy”, 14 April 1973; “It has not been a very good six months for us. Lady Guinness broke her hip in October, had a hip replacement, and although he gets around indoor fairly well (but slowly) she still uses crutches when out. And I have gone totally blind in one eye and may have to have an operation on it next month”, 4 April 1996); also including postcards Guinness sent while in France, Italy, Portugal and Greece; 15 letters, 18 cards, 8 postcards and 1 Christmas card, also including two letters from Lady Merula Guinness, 1960s-1990s (44)