19 September, 1959

Dear Linus,

Many thanks for your letters and for the map. You could have kept the map in Geneva; I have left some things there in a box.

Things are quite a lot better. Julia and I have had a number of discussions; I think she genuinely just does not realise, very much, but if we communicate, that is I tell her what my view of things is then she tries pretty hard to fit in with what I want.

I have begun writing my thesis and doing the pictures. I have decided that 1959 looks better than 1960 and so must work hard for a bit. It is a little boring, but has to be done.

Would you please lend me 1100 dollars for a period not more than one year, to be found by me in the next year from the proceeds from the Merc. I wrote Crellin several weeks ago and have not had a reply, but have written again with more or less an ultimatum. If he cannot come through, I am fairly sure I can sell it myself through my friend Bart Locanthi, who has just passed through and has always made tentative enquiries for it. We wish to buy a little suburban house out in the sticks of east Finchley for £2900 and I cannot quite get hold of it all. I should appreciate your advising me fairly soon whether you are willing or not.

This man Locanthi is quite an interesting cuss. He is a consultant to Jim Lansing, and he thinks their new 2 1/2 or 3 inch metal cone tweeter is very good. He is sending me some details of it. He did not think a great deal of the Quad electrostatic I sent to him, not loud enough and not low enough. He thinks highly of the Shure mono arm that came out three years ago or so, with a damped vibrator to remove the resonance involved in the lateral inertia of the arm and the compliance of the needle suspension. He thinks probably their combined head and arm which has not come out yet (only a separate head) will be good. I worked over my GE head, cleaning and straightening and regluing and so on and it works pretty well. I fixed the bad hum, the smoothing capacitor in the 12 volt DC heater line had fallen out of its socket.

I shall also pay you back the $276 I owe you from 1956. This man Locanthis told us a number of hair raising stories about observing Air Force attempts at various records for the FAA. He flies as a hobby and seems to know the right people to get in on things. He is interested in some other things too which are quite fun.

This little house has a few disadvantages; it is out in the sticks (15 minutes on underground and 10 minute walk from the lab) but it has been modified to be quite a convenient family dwelling. The kitchen is 12 X 26 feet, partially glassed, which will be the real LIVING room, two interconnecting reception rooms and three bedrooms. Julia has found a school for the boy; it seems a good school. He starts Monday. At the moment he must go in the afternoon, they are full up, but we hope he will get in the mornings soon. It is about 15 minutes walk from this house. Both Julia and Thomas are in pretty good spirit.

I don't know what you told the parents but they sure are full of bright ideas.

Much love from

[Peter Pauling]

19 September, 1959

Dear Parents,

[...]

We are trying to buy a little house in East Finchley, about the same distance North, but about a mile west of Whitehall Lodge. It is a reasonable family house, the kitchen has been extended to 26 feet by 12 feet, to allow a sort of living room kitchen. The two sitting rooms are connected by a double door, and there are three bedrooms, bath and W.C. It is a ten minute walk from the station and about 15 minutes from Thomas' school. I don't think it is ideal by any means, but it will do for a while.

I think Thomas' school is a good one, it is a private non profit nursery school. When Julia first went with him it was very hot and all the little kids were naked out playing in the sand pit and the paddling pool. He has to go in the afternoon now because they are full in the morning, but we hope there will be room in the morning soon. It is quite expensive.

Dr. Aaron Klug from Birkbeck will be in town later. He is working on viruses.

Much love from,

[Peter Pauling]