Cambridge Family History, Cruden Family Items.
Cambridge Family History, Cruden Family items: Photograph Album, RAF badges, sweetheart clutch bag, silk handkerchief, note and letter, belonging to George and Marie Cruden.
From my family archives collection. These items were donated to me from my aunt Joan Punter (formally Brown, nee Toller). They belonged to my great uncle and aunt; George and Marie Cruden.
You can read and see more about George and Marie Cruden by clicking on the relevant tags at the bottom of this article.
The blue bag which belonged to Marie is a beautiful chiffon feel, royal blue clutch bag with a material bar on the reverse as a hand slot for more security. It has a single front pop fastening, with a cream silk lining, one slip pocket at the interior front and a neatly attached matching clasp coin purse on the rear interior. A small label sewn inside says ‘British Made’.
On the front is attached a brooch made of sliver metal featuring a crown with red and blue accents, flanked by wings or laurel branches, decorated with red, clear and blue sparkling stones. Items like this were produced as patriotic souvenirs for the coronation of King George VI and his wife Elizabeth in 1937.
This handkerchief, which George gave to Marie, is a pale sage green silk square with a pink lace edging. One corner has a pocket sewn on and the opposite corner is embroidered with coloured thread depicting the Royal Engineers badge. It features the motto “Honi sort qui Mal y sense.” which is the motto of the Order of the Garter and means: ‘Shame on him who thinks evil of it’. The letters “GR” in the centre stand for “Georgius Rex” (King George).
This tiny little WWII pin of George’s, which was inside the purse, inside the blue bag, is a vintage Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) metal and enamel lapel badge. The badge features a king’s crown on top of a globe with an eagle, and the letters ‘RAFA’ are just about visible on the bottom band.
The military cap badge which was with George’s items, shown below, depicts a falcon perched on a banner that reads “STRIKE”. If you know anything more about this insignia please do get in touch via the form below or the Contact page, as it would be great to know about this.
A sweet little WWII Christmas card tag from Marie to George. Marie was from Irish Catholic stock and so didn’t like to call George by his name, as it was the English kings name, so she called him Peter Precious instead.
The card reads: Merry Christmas to my own dearest Peter Precious X and mat we be together this time twelve month, to share many happy days as before. Ever and always Your own loving Marie.
This letter in the pictures at the top of this page are from George to Marie, when she was staying in London. It is one of many letters between them, you can find and read this and more of their letters by looking at the Cambridge and UK sections of this website, or by clicking on relevant tags below.
The 1939 letter shown, from George to Marie, reads:
95 Oxford Road. Cambridge 11/9/39
My dearest,
Received your very welcome letter this am, glad to know you are feeling OK. again. Fancy Mrs Rout [Marie’s family member] drinking ale, that’s a marvel.
She may rally a bit and go on for years, give her my love. I am writing this at Arthur’s [brother Arthur Cruden, lived at 39 Maids Causeway, Cambridge], have come to tea with Mother and Bill [mother Ada Broom - formally Cruden, nee Hatchman, lived at 110 Oxford Road, Cambridge and brother Bill Broom], he is just finished at the fire station starts work tomorrow unless his boss gives him the sack.
I have heard from that chap, and he said the new members are not allowed to sign on full time unless they are qualified, I should have to sign for class B. 24 hours a week for 3 months first. That’s no good to me at present, so have written to London again to see what they say. If I can return to work and to that as well it means 3o/ a week extra.
In any case it just means something to show my ….
Expect you will get a letter for me from the Boss tomorrow, if its not good I shall look for a job here I think or go on the Corps.
So that’s that my darlling so you may see me tomorrow evening. This is all very well but I can’t keep away from you for months or years.
If you were here it would be alright.
Eddie [Alexander Edmund Toller, my grandfather and George’s brother in law] expects to go away soon. Connie [Constance Beatrice Toller - nee Broom, George’s sister] is all nerves she is afraid to go out.
By the way another little one is on the way. ?!! X
am sending the 5/. dear as I had some money from Arthur.
am sending love, soon be seeing you
Love from all here
Your own loving hubby
Peter x x x x x
The photograph album I will add on here separately so that I can scan all of the photographs to share with you.