{"id":7887,"date":"2025-08-09T09:01:44","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T08:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olddays.co.uk\/?page_id=7887"},"modified":"2025-08-09T10:32:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T09:32:40","slug":"buckner-letters-05-patrick-and-geoffrey-01","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ianwaugh.com\/archive\/buckner-letters-05-patrick-and-geoffrey-01\/","title":{"rendered":"Buckner Letters 05 – Patrick and Geoffrey 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

7 December 1969 Letter from Patrick & Geoffrey<\/strong><\/p>\n

This letter, co-authored by Patrick and Geoffrey<\/strong>, and sent from Flat 1, 70 Duke Street, Grosvenor Square, London W1<\/strong>, offers an intimate window into the post-war lives of a transatlantic social circle<\/strong>\u2014likely involving artists, expatriates, and intellectuals. It is full of affection, frustration with British bureaucracy, longing for American connection, and light-hearted commentary on social plans, health, and the coming holidays.<\/p>\n

Key Themes and Reasoning:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a01. Postal Frustrations & Missed Communication<\/strong><\/p>\n

The letter opens with an almost comic exasperation over slow UK postal service<\/strong> and concerns that letters (including one to Rae and Lionel) have not arrived. Patrick is especially upset at not receiving a reply and expresses this in emotionally charged yet humorous tones.<\/p>\n

2. Nostalgia & Emotional Dislocation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite living in London, the authors feel unsettled<\/strong>, homesick, and out of place. They refer to \u201cyou people\u201d (likely American friends) as having made them love and miss America<\/strong> so deeply that no other country has affected them this way. This conveys a real sense of emotional migration<\/strong>, where love and connection define home more than geography.<\/p>\n

3. Holiday Longing & Travel Plans<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s deep longing for reunion<\/strong>, specifically over Christmas<\/strong>. The authors jokingly threaten to show up at their friends\u2019 homes in D.C. whether or not there\u2019s room, noting: \u201cWe want to spend Christmas 1970 in D.C.!!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

4. Money, Health & Opportunity<\/strong><\/p>\n

A mysterious American woman<\/strong> is mentioned as a potential help with financial difficulties<\/strong>, though details are deliberately vague. Patrick reassures that money problems may not be \u201csuch a problem\u201d after all, a sign of careful optimism. Rae’s health is also mentioned as a concern, and the authors request updates.<\/p>\n

5. Artistic Lives & Community<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are discussions of exhibitions, studies, and personal work (perhaps artistic or literary). Geoffrey and Patrick seem deeply connected to their creative circle, offering a glimpse into the bohemian, intellectual lives of queer men<\/strong> in post-war London, still feeling a strong bond to their American peers.<\/p>\n