Former Parliamentary Clerk Basil St George Drennan (1903-1976) was educated at Keble College, Oxford University. He later became President of the Keble Association in 1971. Drennan began his parliamentary career in 1926, where he remained until his retirement in 1958. This included attachment to the Select Committee on National Expenditure (1940-45) and the role of Clerk of the Financial Committees (1948-52).

In this letter to his mother, Drennan describes his visit to the 1948 London Olympic Games. He informs her of the rainy weather conditions during the 5000 metres race, and that the arrangements of the Olympic stadium were "excellent".