100 Years of Cox

Frances

I am telling the story of ten siblings from the Machell Cox family, through the letters they wrote to each other. They were born in England between 1868 and 1884; seven of them lived in England and three lived abroad, in the Colonies. One of the siblings was my great grandfather.

  1. AUG 9

    S4E13: 1945 - War and Atomic bombs

    Send us a text Frances reads more letters from 1945, in which the siblings describe VE Day, VJ Day, the atomic bombs and the July 1945 General election. The siblings are horrified at the devastation in Japan after the atomic bombs were dropped. After 80 years, the stories are still shocking. You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    33 min

  2. AUG 9

    S4E12 - 1945: VE Day and VJ Day

    Send us a text Frances is reading letters from 1945, as the Machell Cox siblings experience the end of WW2 and VE Day in May and VJ Day in August. In this year of 2025, as we acknowledge the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2, the opinions and observations of the siblings clearly bring the events of 80 years ago to life. Seven of the siblings are in England - Enid, Edmund, Arthur, Bernard, Cuthbert, Avice and Vera, commenting from where they each live. Aldwyn is still working for the Mission in Malawi, Africa - and his letter survives, describing how they celebrated peace in Europe. Neville and Wilfred, the remaining two siblings, had died by this point.  You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    36 min

  3. MAR 24

    S4E11: Aldwyn and his coffin sofa bunk

    Send us a text This continues Aldwyn's story from the previous episode - listen to S4E10 first. In 1912 Aldwyn took 3 months to travel from Likoma island, Lake Malawi, to Folkestone on a German East Africa steamship, describing plenty of details on board ship. Anyone for a coffin sofa bunk? After being delayed at Zanzibar Aldwyn writes " I hope this time I am fairly under weigh." July 1912 - he is finally back in Sydenham, ready to remove antimacassars from armchairs (his pet abomination) and the family are delighted to have him home. You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    29 min

  4. MAR 23

    S4E10: Murder in Malawi in 1911

    Send us a text This is Aldwyn's story, in Africa, in 1911 in Nyasaland (now Malawi) - continued in the next episode. He is Anglican clergy, responsible for a large Mission station, at Kota Kota, on the west side of Lake Malawi in central Africa. But the Bishop wants him to move to Likoma island.  And then a murder happens.  His siblings follow the news, by letter, from England. You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    29 min

  5. JAN 14

    S4E9: Endhall & Wibbly Wob - 1912

    Send us a text Frances reads letters from 1912 from the Machell Cox siblings about visiting Enid and Cyril's house, Endhall in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton. Family letters also discuss Wibbly-Wob, Women's Suffrage, pears, jigsaws, Vera's knee and the anxieties in Europe that might lead to war, finishing with Christmas at Sydenham, and another Christmas Budget, written by the siblings. You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    29 min

  6. 09/25/2024

    S4E8: Endhall in Wolverhampton, Suffragettes & Vera's knee

    Send us a text Frances reads letters from 1911 and 1912 from Enid about their new house, Endhall in Tettenhall Woods, Wolverhampton. The family all give their opinions and Frances finds where the house used to be located. Edmund wants to know what the siblings all think about Votes for Women - please give details - and they do. Vera suffers a knee injury during the England v. Ireland Ladies' International in March 1912, her hockey friends are devastated and then Vera describes a marvellous trip to Norway as she recuperates. And the siblings continue discussing the suffragettes. The militant ones, WSPU – (Women’s Social and Political Union) and the law-abiding women - NUWSS (The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies.) You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    32 min

  7. 07/25/2024

    S4E7: Planes and Motor Cars

    Send us a text Frances reads letters written by the Machell Cox siblings where they discuss the first planes to fly in England as well as motor cars. The letters in this podcast are from 1907 up till WW2. If you have forgotten which sibling is which, or you are new to this podcast, S3E4 Ten siblings - Who is who - will give you a recap. Bernard (No.6) was a wealthy London stock broker and owned two cars in the 1930s, mainly to benefit his siblings; he never learned to drive and had a chauffeur. Vera the hockey player (No.10) had a car and drove it herself. Cuthbert, (No.8), HM of Berkhamsted School had a car; he didn't learn to drive and also had a chauffeur. Enid (sibling No.1) and Alfred also had a car. The other siblings couldn't afford to drive a car. You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    1h 19m

  8. 02/25/2024

    S4E6: International hockey at Richmond & the Brooklyn Nursing Home

    Send us a text Frances reads some letters written in April 1910 by the Machell Cox siblings. Edmund is yet again a delinquent, he is late writing his letter and thinks he should resign from the Budget. Avice is in Torquay with Bernard where he is recuperating after removal of his appendix and they tell their landlady all about booby traps. Enid describes Vera playing in an exciting hockey match at Richmond, Scotland v. England on 16 March 1910, and she also describes the sectarian riots in Liverpool. Bernard describes what it was like being ill at the Brooklyn nursing home and comments on everyone else's letters.   You can contact Frances by email - machellcoxletters@gmail.com or X/Twitter - @CoxLetters or Blue Sky - @Coxletters.bsky.social All content is subject to copyright and belongs to Frances Thompson and the Bodleian Library.

    41 min
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About

I am telling the story of ten siblings from the Machell Cox family, through the letters they wrote to each other. They were born in England between 1868 and 1884; seven of them lived in England and three lived abroad, in the Colonies. One of the siblings was my great grandfather.

Information

  • Creator
    Frances
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    74
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 100 Years of Cox
  • Show Website
    100 Years of Cox