Michael Richey - Pigotts Farm., 01/01/1938-12/31/1940

7 ALS written by Michael Richey to his parents from Pigotts Farm, High Wycombe. In the letter dated 1/20/1938 Richey refers to Eric Gill and Sister Freda. *from Richey's notes: "My Carmelite sister Freda met the Gill family when she was a schoolgirl at Haywards Heath and they in the community at Ditchling. Her great friend and contemporary was Petra, Gill's second daughter. It was through that connection that Freda became a Catholic. All this emerged when I was already at Pigotts." The letter of 10/13/1938 refers to many people whom *Richey has noted: "Laxton was a largely Catholic back-to-the-land 'colony.' Patrick Heron was one of a large family who formed a folk-singing group known as the Singing Herons. Anthony Foster, one of Gill's apprentices, married one of them: Wendy. Michael Lindsay-Clarke was the son (if I am right) of a well known sculptor whose practice he took on. George Speaight, brother of Robert, the actor and biographer, was at Pigotts working on the farm...Peter Anson lived at Macduff (where the Goodwill, in which I was sunk was registered). He had been a monk at Caldey when it was Anglican and later (I think) at Prinknash which the converted community founded. A great authority on Scottish fishing vessels. Page was Page Huidekoper, an American who lived with us and worked for Ambassador Kennedy. Latterly Page Wilson, in Georgetown. She remained a lifelong family friend." In undated letters, reference made to Father Lopez, Tom Burns, Rene Hague, Anthony Quaile, and to the role of the artist and the role of the workman. *from Richey's notes: "Capel is Capel-y-ffin where Gill and family lived after Ditchling. Betty is the eldest Gill daughter. Ishbel Macdonald was daughter of the labour Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald."