Marjorie Marshall Cornwall - 16th March 1946

36 Cadogan Place
SW1
March 16 1946
Dear Mr Stapledon
Many thanks for your letter of the 12th March. Your arrangement with Mrs Striemer is a good one, I think, and I hope will work satisfactorily. Thank you very much for your kind trouble. With regard to Northam House, I do very definitely require the tennis court to be relaid as before with grass in the same state as Mrs Donnell took it over. I have now written twice to Mrs Donnell about this matter and asked her to pay over the cost of the above work if she cannot get it done herself. Could you give me her reply, please, after consultation with Mr Heris Smith? I think that the agreement suggested about the dilapidation costs might not turn out to be a good one for me. I think Mrs Donnell will have left the house in much better order than the Youngmans are likely to leave it, and that dilapidations might be a good deal more after they leave than after Mrs Donnell tenancy.
Can you get me an estimate through Dr Youngman of the costs of the redecoration he requires and of the alterations he wishes to make. I am afraid I do not know on what legal ground dilapidations are settled. If there are rules would you please advise me.
After the very unpleasant action they took via Seldon & Ward, I feel the Youngmans are going to be difficult tenants, and not easy to satisfy. Therefore I think I must hold to what I said before, £150 rent.
I could come down to Northam for a day on Friday or Saturday if you could get us a double room at Knapp House, or at Tarrants Hotel. It might be easier and quicker as we should make the settlement as quickly as possible. Meanwhile would you ask Blackmore if he could find me a tenant at £150.
With many thanks for all the dirty work you are doing for me, which I very much appreciate.
Yours very sincerely,
Marjorie Marshall-Cornwall