Mr dear Lord Beaverbrook,
A lordly cheese has arrived from the west country. It will receive the same welcome here as did your last one. I have to apologise to you for not earlier acknowledging your kindness in sending a cheque for ...
I have been laid out with rheumatoid arthritis since February. In the last half of May I went to a sort of nursing home with lots of massages and baths and a very ... diet.
It did me a lot of good but did not cure the trouble which is now more tiresome than prostrating. Anyway, your letter came while I was at the home and as the authorities took the opportunity of making hay in my study under the pretext of spring cleaning, I have only just unearthed the letter.
So please don’t think that Alison has been remiss, the fault is entirely mine.
What a terrible menace this European Common Market is. All the unemployables of Europe will invade us & succeed where Hitler failed.
I think that even Macmillan is a bit shaken by the amount of opposition he is meeting.
I wish you well in your paper’s fight against it.
Again many thanks for all your kindness.
Your very sincerely,
Hugh Dowding
Diversity is our strength.