This transcript reproduces Eileen Younghusband's writing as accurately as possible, including errors of spelling and punctuation. When personal and place names are misspelt, we have attempted to include the correct versions of the names in square brackets [ ] after the misspelling.

The language and opinions found in the diaries reflect the ideas, attitudes and events of the period. Some of the terminology and language used at that time may cause offence today but the content has been made available unedited. We hope that the context of the material will be taken into account and apologise for any offence caused.

Links in the text highlight images, publications, biographical information and other contextual material, including primary sources held by other archives, museums and libraries.

Suggested citation for this volume: Diary 11, Mar 1921-Jun 1922; Eileen Younghusband archive, Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick (MSS.463/EY/J11)

Images of the original diaryLink opens in a new window are available through Warwick Digital Collections.

Wednesday March 16th 1921.

Sir Beetom [ Beethom ]Link opens in a new window and Lady Whitehead and Mr Whitehead and Sophie Macpherson came to tea on Monday.

We dined with Colonel Gabriel at an Italian restaurant in Frith Street Soho called the Isola BellaLink opens in a new window and had delicious Italian food and it was great fun; I had never dined in Soho before.

I went to the Club yesterday morning and then came back and went to bed to rest before dining and dancing at Claridges with the Buxtons. I wrote Alice a long and illegiable [ illegible ] letter in answer to a long and delightful one from her on Monday.

The party was great fun, there were six couples besides Mrs Buxton and Lady Whitehead. They were, Joyce Anstruther,Link opens in a new window Cicely Whitehead, Joyce Sainthill, Correse Soames (who says she remembers me at Miss Wolff's) a very nice Mr and Mrs Muir MackenzieLink opens in a new window (he was private secretary to Lord Haldane), Mr Barnes, Mr Wilind, Mr Fellowes, Mr Buxton and [ omitted name ] and her man whose name I don't remember. They were all very nice and I enjoyed it greatly.

I had a music and singing lesson this morning. I went to tea with Lilac and then to meet Mummy at an At Home given by Mrs Eustace HillsLink opens in a new window where I met Cicely Whitehead again and two nice Miss Hills.

I have had long and amusing letters from Lil and Daisy, they say it is lovely in the country. I also had a letter from Mary Meade this evening, she wants me to go and stay with them for Easter, it would have been very nice but I can't go.

Saturday March 18th 1921.

On Thursday morning I went to the Club and then Margaret and I went to the exibition of tapestriesLink opens in a new window at the Victoria and Albert Museum; the Beauvais tapestries are lovely, we didn't have time to see them all. We dashed back here and found a large crowd of visitors, I was expecting Eveline Bosanquet and possibly Violet Butler but we found both of them and Lady Barrington and Mrs Whitbread and Judy Whitbread and poor Mummy tackling the whole lot.

Mummy and Daddie dined at University College that night and Daddie gave the Foundation OrationLink opens in a new window which sounds very grand and apparently was a great success.

Yesterday morning I had a music lesson and went to St Martin's at 1.25 to hear Mr Sheppard who gave a beautiful address.

Mummy and I went to Chesterfield HouseLink opens in a new window to a concert and thé dansant organized by the Duchess of SomersetLink opens in a new window in aid of the Russian refugees. There was some very good Russian music and singing but we didn't stay for much of the thé dansant.

Monday March 21st 1921.

Shortie and I went to a very good concert at the Queen's HallLink opens in a new window on Friday evening for which Miss Buck the Secretary of the Guild of Fellowship sent me tickets.

It was given by the Oxford HouseLink opens in a new window Orchestral and Choral Association and was remarkably good. They did Hiawathis [ Hiawatha's ] Wedding FeastLink opens in a new window amongst other things.

On Saturday I went to luncheon with Miss Gerry; Thelma CazaletLink opens in a new window was there and three other Americans who were perfectly killing, Miss Gerry was very amusing indeed and they all talked together at luncheon and Thelma and I roared with laughter.

Mr WiltonLink opens in a new window has got back from Lithuania and came to luncheon on Saturday and I saw him when I got back from Miss Gerry.

Daddie and I went to an At Home given by Lady de Bunsen; they are charming people but At Homes are fearsome things.

Shortie and I went to a Guild of Fellowship Social in the evening.

Yesterday morning I went with Anne to Grosvenor Chapel and Bishop GoreLink opens in a new window preached a very fine sermon though I didn't agree with all of it. Afterwards we went and did Church Parade which is a cold and depressing performance. Mummy, Daddie and I went to luncheon with Mr and Mrs Repton the two boys were up from Aldershot for the week-end and there was also a Mr Alexander there. It was awfully nice.

I went on to see poor Peggy who had an operation for adenoids and tonsils on Friday and is feeling very miserable, she can scarcely talk and she can't eat and altogether, poor dear, she is having rather a bad time. I went to have tea with Aunt Lil to meet Edward Stuart-WortleyLink opens in a new window who is an amusing young thing and also a perspective dancing partner. Lilac was there too.

We went on to St Martin's and didn't get there till after the sermon had begun. Margaret came to dinner.

I had four letters this morning, one from Uncle Oswald thanking me for a birthday card, one from Mary, one from Phyllis Moore and one from my beloved Alice.

We have bought a new piano! Brimsmead [ Brinsmead ]Link opens in a new window sold all their pianos by auction the other day and we got a beautiful upright grand the ordinary price of which is £157.10s for £72. It has got a lovely tone.

Thursday March 24th 1921.

Aunt Di and Aunt Lil came to luncheon on Monday. Aunt Di and Uncle Claude are thinking of going to Italy in May for three months because Uncle Claude must have a thorough change. They want me to go out with Aunt Lil and join them at Como in June or else for us all to go, it would be rather lovely.

I went with Miss Wolff to a recital by Lily West's pupils in the afternoon, some of them played very well indeed. I went back to tea and Sylvia Trollope,Link opens in a new window Margaret Nolam and two other girls were there. Margaret Nolam used to be at Miss Wolff's almost when I first went there 8 or 9 years ago, she has a most lovely voice, she used to sing to us a good deal in those days and now her voice has been trained and she sang to us and it was really beautiful, just like a lark singing. They have been living in America for some time but now they have moved over here.

On Tuesday I went to the Club and then Daddie and I went to the flower show which was lovely.

Mummy and I went to Bach's Passion (St Matthew) at St Paul's Cathedral, Mrs Inge had sent us tickets and we were right up in the dome under the whispering gallery, we went up endless flights of stairs in the clock tower and then along broad stone passages. We thought we shouldn't hear much up there but we heard every note. It was quite beautiful and the singing was wonderful. It began at 6 o'c and we got back at 8.30.

Yesterday morning I had a music and singing lesson; I am beginning to get quite excited over singing! Mr Ward-Cooke came to luncheon. I had a letter from Alice in the morning saying they are going to give a thé dansant on April the 23rd and consulting me about who to ask. I wrote her a very long letter.

I went to tea with Peggy who poor dear has been having had neuralgia and her throat is still bad and altogether she feels rather wretched. I went from there to St Michael's Chester Square where Mr SheppardLink opens in a new window was giving an address, it was beautiful; he said if we always really wanted to help people and tried to however much we appeared to fail we should be like Christ. I met Joan Egerton when we came out, she was looking for Lady Mabelle and I was looking for Mummy, while we were still looking for them Mr Sheppard came out and saw us and said "hello children!" and we talked to him for a minute or two and he offered us a lift but he was going in the opposite direction. Joan walked home with me. Margaret came here after dinner and she and Mummy and I went to the Chapel over the road to hear Stainer's "Crucifixion"Link opens in a new window which is beautiful and was very well done.

I had a music lesson this morning, then went to the Club and then Margaret and I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the rest of the tapestries and then on to Lowther Lodge (the Geographical) where Daddie had a tea party consisting of Lady Treowen; Mr and Mrs Repton, George Repton and his friend Mr Alexander, Lady Kintore and Lady Hilda Keith-FalconerLink opens in a new window and Professor and Mrs Whitehead.

I am writing this in bed whither I retired before dinner being dead tired.

Saturday March 26th 1921.

We went to the three hours service at St Martin's yesterday. The Bishop of KensingtonLink opens in a new window preached very well. Mummy went to St Peter's Eaton Square where Dean IngeLink opens in a new window was and she says she never heard such a wonderful address.

I went to tea with the Bevans and Anne and I went on to be stewards at a mission service at the Strand TheatreLink opens in a new window organized by St Paul's Covent Garden and St Martin's. We were in the first two rows of the pit. It was simply crowded. The speakers were Canon Addeley, Mr R.J. Campbell and Mr Sheppard; the first two spoke very well indeed especially Mr Campbell but I thought Mr Sheppard much the best though he seemed dead tired; he said he only understood very, very little of what the Cross meant.

Daddie and Mr Wilton went down to Kew and Mr Wilton came to dinner.

Mummy and Daddie went to Ashtead for the day and I went with the Bevans to the country. Mr Bevan, Anne, Mr Blackburn and I went to Chorley Wood and then walked out to a dear little village called Chenies where we explored a bit and then Mr Bevan and Mr Blackburn went for a walk and Anne and I bought some new laid eggs at a farm and then walked to some woods and picked primroses and violets and then came back and all met for tea at the Inn. We got back to London at a quarter to eight having had a ripping time.

Monday March 28th 1921.

Shortie and I went to St Martin's at 10.15 yesterday morning and stayed on for the morning service. Mr Sheppard preached a very fine sermon; he said he felt so happy on Easter Day that he just wanted to stand still and shout "hurrah!" I met Anne afterwards and she walked back with me.

We went to the Service for the People where Mr Sheppard preached a really beautiful sermon. He said he would bet anyone his bottom dollar - or all the money he was going to get in the collection - that if they would take the plunge and trust Christ they would find He would give them power to conquer and rise above all the evil and darkness of their lives. He was simply bubbling over with joy, I wish I could remember more of what he said, he made me so cheerful that I was smiling broadly all through "Onward Christian Soldiers".

I went and had tea with Lady Synge. Margaret and Mr Wilton came to dinner.

I had a long letter from Alice this morning; they aren't coming back till the 7th or later now.

Mr Wilton took me to luncheon at the Savoy to-day and on to see "The Wandering Jew"Link opens in a new window which is quite wonderful; it is based on the traditional story of the Wandering Jew and it opens with an upstair room in Jerusalem on the day of the Crucifixion; the procession passes underneath and a woman at the window describes it and you see the tops of the soldiers spears and of the Cross and hear the yelling of the crowd and the Wandering Jew rushes out and spits on Christ because He refused to cure a woman who is in the room dying of fever unless she goes back to her husband and child (which seemed, somehow, unlike Him). He says to the Jew "I will not wait for thee now but thou shalt wait for Me till I come to thee again". The Jew comes back trembling hating Christ yet fascinated by Him and then you see him down the centuries first as a Crusader, then in Sicily where his wife leaves him to go and become a Christian and enter a convent, then in Spain in the middle ages where he is a doctor and all the people love him. At first he is thoroughly bad but you see him slowly getting better and better till at last he becomes a splendid person. Always he is longing for death and cannot die but at last he is condemned to be burned by the Inquisition and in the last scene which is marvellous and nearly made me howl, you see him being burned at the stake, the stage is in darkness and you can just see figures moving about in the light of the flames which are leaping round him; suddenly a light from heaven streams down on him, someone screams "whats that?", he says 'it is the great deliverance' and Christ has come for him again. It is marvellously staged and the acting of Matheson LangLink opens in a new window as the Wandering Jew is very fine.

Mr Cobb & Cousin Ruth came to tea and Lady Evelyn came after tea.

Wednesday March 30th 1921.

I did nothing in particular yesterday till the afternoon. I had a very nice tea party consisting of Christina and Anne, Margaret Adam and Margaret. Margaret Adam is a charming girl. Margaret stayed on to dinner and then took me to "A Night Out"Link opens in a new window which is very amusing. Phyllis Monkman,Link opens in a new window Margaret BannermanLink opens in a new window and Leslie HensonLink opens in a new window are in it; Leslie Henson is frightfully funny, we shrieked with laughter in some parts.

This morning I had my last music and singing lesson this term and then went to luncheon with Peggy who has quite recovered from the operation.

To-day was the day of the boat race.Link opens in a new window The Goldmans had a big party of nearly two hundred people for it at Walpole HouseLink opens in a new window on the Mall at Chiswick. We went down there and saw it splendidly from a big stand they had had put up on the river bankLink opens in a new window in front of the house. It was a perfect day and there were crowds of people. When they came in sight they were about equal but Oxford got a little ahead in front of us and a good deal ahead going round the bend because they had won the toss. However to our joy Cambridge won by a length.

Colonel Howard-BuryLink opens in a new window who is the leader of the Mount Everest expedition came to see us this evening. Daddie is very happy because Mr MalloryLink opens in a new window who is one of the two who are to make the final attempt has just produced a very good man by the name of BullockLink opens in a new window to succeed poor Mr Finch who had to be turned down because of the bad account the doctors gave of his health.

Lady Dynovor [ Dynevor ]Link opens in a new window motored us back from Chiswick which was very nice.

The miners are threatening to strike again for the maintenance of the flat-rate method of pay which the owners want to abolish.

Friday April 1st 1921.

I went to the Club yesterday morning and to tea with Margaret Adam.

Colonel Howard BuryLink opens in a new window the leader of the Mount Everest expeditionLink opens in a new window came to luncheon.

Mummy has gone to Bath for a day or two and Shortie and I went to see her off at Paddington.

Kathleen and Lilac came to tea. I have made an extraordinary discovery which is that Lilac was born in the same year, the same month and on the same day as Alice; their birthdays are both on April 27th.

I made Daddie a splendid April Fool to-day. Mummy suggested sending him a letter supposed to be from someone who wanted to go up Mount Everest so we concocted the following letter

Excelsior House, Richmond

Dear Sir,

Hearing there may be (possibly) a vacancy in the Mount Everest expedition I beg to offer myself having had great experience of climbing on Ben Nevis etc: I can give you the highest references to the Moderator of the Church of Scotland and others. My age is 64. My weight is between 18 and 20 stone, as this may prove a drawback I am endevouring to reduce it by running with the beagles. I have a University education and am very musical. I am sure to be popular with the other members of your party as I am always a social success. I should be prepared to advance a large sum towards the cost of the expedition provided my request is granted and I am permitted to take my private cinema operator with me as I like to keep a record of my achievments and have no doubt of my ability to set my foot on the summit of Mount Everest which has been the ambition of my life ever since I scaled Ben Nevis.

It is unlikely that your secretary Mr Hinks will remember me as it is 20 years or more since we last met at the Chrystal [ Crystal ] Palace.

You will, I hope, excuse my writing through my secretary (a lady of the greatest discretion) as I recently became paralized in my right hand and am not yet proficient in the use of the other.

I should be glad of an early reply as I am a man of scant leisure.

I beg to remain

Yours faithfully

Eustace Pilkington-Jones

Margaret copied it out for me yesterday and one of the girls at the Club signed it in a very shaky left hand writing. We never thought Daddie would be taken in by it except for the first minute or two but he swallowed it absolutely whole! He came into my room this morning and read it to me while I was in bed; Mummy and I nearly had hysterics. I told Colonel Howard-Bury about it and he roared with laughter and said Daddie had shown it to him and Colonel John BuchanLink opens in a new window and several other people; this afternoon he had an Everest meeting and he showed it to several people there including the President of the Alpine Club and Mr Hinks (who denied that he had ever been at the Chrystal Palace but tried hard to remember Pilkington-Jones!). I told Daddie about it at dinner to-night and he roared with laughter and said he was going to read it out at the Geographical dinner on Monday night!

The coal strike has started to-day.

Sunday April 3rd 1921.

Daddie and I went down to AshteadLink opens in a new window for the day yesterday. It was a glorious hot sunny day; the blossom was out all along the line and the garden was just beginning to look lovely. Uncle Claude and Aunt Di were charming but Uncle Claude didn't seem at all well. We went to tea with Miss Denshire who lives close by and is very nice. Uncle Claude and Aunt Di are going to try to get off to Italy on Tuesday week, they are going for four months for Uncle Claude to have a thorough rest and change. We got back at 7.30.

I was frightfully excited on Friday night because I got a letter from Alice saying would I go and see her between 5.30 and 7 o'c yesterday (she was coming up to be bridesmaid to a friend) of course I couldn't because I was going to Ashtead. I sent her a frenzied post-card and she rang me up as soon as they arrived yesterday and I spoke to her and Lil on the telephone and this morning soon after 9.30 I went to see them and found them still at breakfast. It was lovely to see Alice again. They left to go back to St Leonards soon after 10.30 and dropped me near here on their way. As far as they know they all come up for good on Wednesday or Thursday.

Peggy is coming round to see me any moment now.

I played a splendid April Fool's trick on Anne too. Mr Blackburn and I consulted about it coming back from the country the other day and suddenly a brilliant idea struck. Anne wrote to some film people the other day who advertised for people to ride for the films. So Mr Blackburn wrote out a letter "Dear Madam, we hear through friends in the film world that you are contemplating taking up film acting as a profession. We should be much obliged if you could sign the enclosed contract etc: etc: then there was a long contract with things about a salary starting at £2 a week and rising to £10 when actually engaged at work in their studios. The name was Bean, Gawn and Dunnett (copied from an April Fool of Uncle Vesey's) and the address was 23, Saville RowLink opens in a new window which is the address of the Alpine Club who Daddie has asked to forward any letters that go there. I got Kathleen to type it and send it off. There is no result yet because Anne is with Esther and Betty for the week-end.

Thursday April 7th 1921.

Oh what a gap!

Peggy came to see me on Sunday morning. Shortie and I went to the Service for the People and then went to help in the canteen. I saw Mr Sheppard to speak to and he was perfectly charming. We went to the evening service and Mr Studdert-KennedyLink opens in a new window preached a very fine sermon. Poor Margaret couldn't come to dinner because she was ill they think through eating a poisoned sardine.

I went to the R.G.S. with Daddie on Monday morning. Uncle Romer and Aunt Alys who were in London for a few days came to luncheon. Peggy came to tea and we had a long discussion on character. Lilac came to dinner and went with me to a Geographical lecture on "The Natural Beauty of Greece" the lecture was good but badly delivered, the slides were very good. Lois is back from Scotland and was at the lecture.

On Tuesday I went to the Club; Margaret had recovered from the sardine and went off to Bideford that evening. Daddie and I went to the flower show which was beautiful but a great squash. There was a daffodilLink opens in a new window shown by Bain with a pink trumpet which created great excitment. It was sold for £50 a bulb. I went to tea with Lilac. Mummy came back from Bath after dinner; I think her ears are better.

Anne came to luncheon yesterday and she and I went to see "The Wandering Jew" in the gallery, we got into the front row and saw and heard everything.

Lois came to tea; poor child she is very unhappy because she has broken off her engagement. I think it is really better because although shes awfully fond of "Rowly" its not quite enough to marry him.

I went to the Club this morning, Daddie fetched me and we went on to the R.G.S. where Lois and two friends met us and Daddie showed us all the cameras and other instruments which are going on the Mount Everest expedition. They have three big plate cameras, one No 1. Kodak special and two vast Pocket Kodaks all fitted with the best lenses.

The strike looks very serious; negociations between the miners and the owners have broken down, pits are being flooded all over the country and the railwaymen and transport workers are thinking of joining the miners, which will mean that everything is disconnected.

Sunday April 10th 1921.

Phyllis and Charlie came to luncheon on Friday (they were in London for a day or two) it was so nice to see them again; Charlie has grown enormously.

I went to tea with Millicent and Mrs Sayres who are very nice.

Nothing much happened yesterday. Kathleen came to see me in the morning and Lois came to tea.

The strike prospect has been very bad indeed the last few days but it is better to-day. The owners refused to meet the miners unless they allowed the pits to be pumped - which they refused to do, then they refused even to hold a conference on pumping but now they have agreed to allow the pits to be pumped so they will meet the owners to-morrow. Kensington Gardens has been turned into a military camp and is all locked up. Thousands of volunteers are enrolling. Several battalions have been brought back from Germany and Silesia and Lloyd George has telegraphed to all Lords Lieutenant and Majors telling them to enrol volunteers. People everywhere have been talking of "Revolution".

Wednesday April 13th 1921.

I went to tea with Lois on Sunday and to church at the little chapel over the road.

Mr Wilton came to dinner and brought me two most attractive Bohemian glass jars which he got in Bohemia, they have got little black silhouette figures all round them. He has been appointed Minister to the Balkan States and he went off to Riga on Tuesday.

Uncle Claude came to luncheon on Monday. Kathleen and I went out shopping in the afternoon and tore all over the place and bought nothing. After Daddie and I went to say goodbye to Uncle Claude and Aunt Di before they went off to Italy yesterday morning. They have gone first to Menarggio [ Menaggio ] (?) and they think they will be away altogether about 4 months; it was very sad saying "good bye".

Lil and Daisy got back to London on Monday and Alice got back yesterday. They rang me up when they got back and I went round there early yesterday morning and went out shopping with Daisy. I'm so glad they're back. I had a long talk with Alice on the telephone this morning.

Daddie and I went to luncheon with the SpeakerLink opens in a new window and Mrs Lowther yesterday. They were awfully nice and it was very interesting seeing the house and all the portraits. I sat next to the Speaker and he was very amusing; he said he had been that morning at a meeting of the King Edward VII hospital at which the Prince of Wales presided and afterwards he (the P of W) had made a speech in which he said it was a work of national in fact great national interest and the Speaker called across the table "you might almost say Grand National interest" (the Prince has got a craze for riding in steeplechases).

I went shopping with Lois again yesterday morning. In the afternoon Anne and I went and sat in the park and discussed the strike till our heads turned round. Kathleen and Lil and Daisy came to tea.

I went to the Club this morning and to call on Cousin Gerty on the way home but she was out. I spent the rest of the day painting a thing for Kathleen's Daub and Scrawl Club. Daddie and I went to see Dr Woolaston [ Wollaston ]Link opens in a new window off by the evening train to go to India to join the Mount Everest expedition; he is the last one to start.

The strike outlook is very good. The Railwaymen and Transport Workers decided at 8 o'c on Tuesday that they wouldn't strike at midnight that same night but they have decided to strike at 10 o'c tomorrow (Friday) night. There have been continual conferences between the miners, the owners and the Government but they have all broken down.

Saturday April 16th 1921.

I went to see Alice yesterday morning and went out shopping with her. It was lovely to see her again. I went to luncheon with Peggy and we were both very silly, they are probably going to Paris to-morrow for a week.

Mummy fetched me and we went on to tea with Lady Yate because Lois wanted me to sign somthing about my pass for the canteen in the Park. They had been in all day arranging it all and the telephone rang incessantly while we were there.

Daddie took the chair last night at a lecture on "The Spirit of India" by Sir Rabindranath TagoreLink opens in a new window at the Shakespeare Hut Y.M.C.A Indian Student's Hostel.Link opens in a new window Mummy and I went; it was simply packed mostly with Indians who were very enthusiastic. It was a very fine lecture. Tagore is a remarkable looking person with a large beard, he had on a black velvet cap and long flowing robes.

The railway and transport strike was suddenly cancelledLink opens in a new window yesterday afternoon on the grounds that they didn't approve of the miners refusal to meet the owners at a conference on the wages of the lower paid men. I rang up Lilac to-day and she says she was rung up by Lois at 10.30 this morning and told to get ready to go to the canteen immediately as it had suddenly all started, apparently no one knows why.

I was going to the National Gallery with Anne this afternoon and she was coming back to tea but she rang up to say she was awfully sorry she couldn't come so Mummy, Daddie and I went to the London Museum instead; they have got a war room there and it seemed so extraordinary to see all the old familiar recruiting posters and the "Take Cover"Link opens in a new window and "shelter during air-raid" notices.

It was a weird day yesterday, there were violent snow storms at intervals all through the day and it was bitterly cold; Wednesday was blazing hot and one was really melted in a thin coat and skirt - at least this one was!

I had a post-card from Aunt Di from Bowil on their way through yesterday.

Monday April 18th 1921.

Shortie and I went to St Martin's at 10.15 yesterday morning and stayed on for the next service. Mr Matthews preached a very good sermon rather on the side of the miners which was such a relief.

I didn't go out for the rest of the day because it simply poured. Enid Stanhope and her brother came to call in the afternoon and Mr Cobbe came to dinner and was very nice.

I've just been having tea with the Kleinworts; Lilac was there and Enid and Dorea Stanhope and Alannah.

Thursday April 28th 1921.

Oh heaven!

I did nothing in particular on the Tuesday before last except go to the Club. On Wednesday morning I went for a walk with Alice. Kathleen came here directly after luncheon and she and Daddie and I went to an exibition of Munning's [ Munnings' ]Link opens in a new window pictures, his horses are quite wonderful. Then Kathleen and I and a friend of her's went to Soho and then Kathleen and I went to Rumpelmeyers [ Rumpelmayers ]Link opens in a new window to meet Mrs Corry and Mrs Gwynne-James and Hugolyne and had tea there; Shortie came tearing in in the middle to drag me home to rest because Barbara Bentinck had rang up to ask me to dine and dance there that night; it was a party of about 16 including Christina and Mrs des Gras and was very nice.

On Thursday morning I went to the Club and in the afternoon Aunt Venetia arrived to stay for a couple of nights on her way to Patsy at Dawlish. It was so awfully nice to see her again. Kathleen and Lilac came to tea. I dined with the Stanhope's that evening a party of about 14 (Kathleen was there) and after dinner another party came in and we danced; it was great fun.

On Friday morning I went out with the twins. Esther and Betty who were up for the night came to luncheon and after luncheon we met Anne and went out shopping. Anne and Esther went off to have tea at Rumpelmeyer's and Betty and I shopped till after 6.30!

Friday April 29th 1921.

Aunt Venetia went off on Saturday morning.

Nina Melville was passing through London and she came and had luncheon with me. They have been in Switzerland and had a very good time there.

The Kleinwort's thé dansant took place that afternoon and was perfectly enormous fun; their big drawing room was ripping to dance in and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Anne and Christine came and Kathleen, Betty, Lois, Dorea and Enid Stanhope, Lilac and "Simon" and Barbara. I took Edward Stuart-Wortley as my partner. There were about 30 couples altogether. It was ripping. The twins had very pretty bright blue frocks and Alice had a lovely grey frock with touchs of misty green on it.

Lois and her sister came with us to St Martin's on Sunday morning and in the afternoon Shortie and I went to the Service for the People. Mr Sheppard was back (he has been having 'flue) and it was simply packed; he preached splendidly. I went on to have tea with Aunt Lil.

I was playing tennis with the Kleinworts on Monday morning but it poured with rain so we couldn't which was very sad. I went to tea with Anne at 3 and stayed till 7.

On Tuesday I went to the Club then for a walk with Lois and then to tea with Joan Crichton Stuart and then to the flower show.

I started off at Trinity College again on Wednesday. In the afternoon Daddie and I went to a very fine lecture by John MasefieldLink opens in a new window at King's College on Shakespeare,Link opens in a new window it was simply packed. I dined with Alannah at their new house - 3, Wilton TerraceLink opens in a new window - which is quite charming and she and a cousin and a Miss Hirsch and I went to "Paddy the Next Best Thing"Link opens in a new window which is quite amusing and well acted.

Yesterday Club and then I went to tea with Lilac and Alice and Daisy were there too. I went to the de Bunsen's dance last night, they had theatricals beforehand then the dance. Anne and Barbara and Alannah were there. I took Edward Stuart-Wortley as my partner. It was awfully nice, I knew a good many people there and enjoyed it enormously.

I went and sat in Belgrave Square with Alice this morning and we talked about lots of things. Anne came to luncheon and again we talked of many things.

Mummy, Shortie and I are going up to Newstead to-morrow to stay with Aunt Augusta till Friday. I'm looking forward to it so much, it will be lovely to be in the country.

The coal strike is still going on, there are prepetual conferences but nothing seems to get settled.

Sunday May 8th 1921.

We had a perfectly glorious time at Newstead and enjoyed it enormously. We left St Pancras at 1.37 on Saturday and arrived at Newstead at 5.30. Aunt AugustaLink opens in a new window was charming and so kind and so was Phyllis. Charlie is such a nice boy and so interesting; he is a violent Sinn Feiner and says if it wasn't for his family he would go over to Ireland and join the Irish Republican Army; he is also a Socialist and was a Bolshevik but that has toned down a bit. He is very keen on history and poetry and has read a great deal, and he always takes up the cause of the under dog. We talked a good deal about books and things. I think hes the nicest boy I know.

Newstead AbbeyLink opens in a new window is quite lovely, it was built by Henry II as part of a penance for the murder of Thomas à Becket and was a monastery, the monks were turned out at the Reformation and the Church was destroyed by Cromwell so that only the bare wall of the front of the Church is left standing. The house is gigantic and far too big for them to keep up so they are living in a bit of it. I never saw a house with so many staircases, there are two big main ones, four or five smaller ones and several secret ones in the walls. Byron lived there and in his bed room there are various things which belonged to him and in the garden there is an enormous monument which he put up over the tomb of his dog Bo'sunLink opens in a new window and where he wanted to be buried himself. There are supposed to be twelve ghosts in the house though no one has seen any of them for some time. There are beautiful old cloisters and a chapel in the house. The gardens are lovely; there is a big old walled garden and a Japanese garden and a stew pond where the monks kept their fish and a long pond 40 feet deep where the monks are supposed to have thrown in all their treasures when they were turned out and on which there is a curse that whoever drags it will die. There are five lakes with jolly good fishing but all the fishing and shooting is let. It was all looking quite beautiful because the first green hadn't yet lost its freshness and we went for walks and found masses of bluebells and anemones and cowslips and primroses and violets. We played tennis (very badly) and went on the lake and in the pony-cart and Charlie and I pillow fought. One morning Phyllis took Shortie and me in the pony cart to HucknallLink opens in a new window a small mining town about 5 miles away where we saw the grave of ByronLink opens in a new window in the Church. The town was full of miners standing about the streets with nothing to do; they were beginning to get very short of fuel and cutting down all the brushwood they could find and also breaking down palings and taking them off for firewood; we saw some of them doing it as we drove in. Soup kitchensLink opens in a new window are being started to feed the children. The feeling all about there is very much on the side of the miners; someone Mummy spoke to in the train said they would have expected wages to come down if food prices had come down but the big wages didn't really come to very much for a man who had a wife and family.

Aunt Augusta's eyes are much better but she seems to get very tired. Violet Carnegie's children (the sister who is in East AfricaLink opens in a new window) were there - David and Bobby aged 6 and 3 1/2, they are dear little children and talk broad Scotch! Charlie has passed his exam to Magdalene and goes there in October. Phyllis is delightful and still as full of amusing stories - most of which I think she invents!

We all left on Friday afternoon; Mummy went to Thrumpton near Derby to stay with Lord ByronLink opens in a new window for the night. We were motored into Nottingham, changed at Trent where we caught the Scotch express and had a very good journey though the train was packed.

Daddie went down to Cousin Con at Haslemere for the week-end yesterday and Mummy was going to join him there.

Wednesday May 11th 1921.

Barbara gave a thé dansant on Saturday afternoon; it was very nice indeed. I went with the Kleinworts and went back and dined with them which was great fun though I was feeling too depressed at being back in London to enjoyed it as much as I should otherwise have done.

Shortie and I went to St Martin's on Sunday morning and Mr Sheppard preached a very fine sermon. Peggy came to tea with me and we had a long talk.

I did nothing in particular on Monday except to have a music lesson and go and see Miss Wolff. Daddie got back from Haslemere at luncheon time and Mummy at tea time. They enjoyed it very much indeed.

I went to the Club yesterday morning. Margaret is back having had a lovely time in Devonshire. Daddie fetched me and we went to the flower show, there were masses of tulips and it was beautiful. Anne, Lil, Alice and Therese de Caramen Chimay [ Caraman Chimay ] who used to be at Miss Wolff's came to tea. Millicent Sayres dined with me and we went to a performance of scenes from "The Merchant of Venice" given at the Hyde Park Hotel in aid of a babies home. Bettine Maryon-Wilson, Di Darling and Elisabeth Hills were acting in it and it was extremely good. Mummy and Daddie went to dinner with Lord and Lady Sondes.

I had a music and singing lesson this morning, I have been promoted to a song, it is called "Rose Softly Blooming"Link opens in a new window and is extraordinarily pretty. I went to tea with Audrey Meakin (Lady Sondes' girl) who I haven't seen for years and years, she is so nice; then I went on to a Bevan bun fight which I enjoyed greatly.

Friday May 13th 1921.

I went to the Club yesterday morning. Lil and Lilac came to tea and I went to a dinner party given by Miss Gerry, there were 22 people there a good many of whom were Americans and it was a little terrifying, Thelma Cazalet was the only person I knew there and she was very nice indeed. We had a wonderful dinner and then danced after dinner.

This morning I had a music lesson and in the afternoon I played tennis with Anne at the Botanical Gardens, they are very nice courts and we had an exciting set. I went back to tea with her and we started talking after tea with the result that I didn't leave till nearly 7.30!

The Strike is looking very bad, the railwaymen have refused to handle imported coal.

Thursday May 19th 1921.

I went out with Alice on Saturday morning and to tea with Peggy in the afternoon.

Shortie and I went to St Martin's at 10.15 and stayed for the next service at which Mr Sheppard preached a very fine sermon on the need for someone to come forward and lead the country steaking all on moral principles.

We all three went to tea with Cecil who was delightful. Margaret came to dinner.

Sunday May 22nd 1921.

I went out with Alice on Monday morning, it was Bank holiday and we went and sat in Hyde ParkLink opens in a new window and behaved like two trippers.

I went to luncheon with Anne tête à tête, we played tennis in the Botanical Gardens and then went back to tea and after tea had a long discussion.

On Tuesday morning I went to the Club and afterwards did a little shopping and the rest of the day was more or less peaceful.

On Wednesday I had a music and singing lesson and in the afternoon played tennis with Anne, Lil and Kathleen at the Botanical Gardens; it was great fun but Kathleen was horribly good. Lil and I went back to tea with Anne. Harry came to dinner and made great efforts to teach me a desperately complicated card game after dinner.

Phyllis and Charlie came to luncheon on Thursday, they were in London for two nights on their way to France and both seemed excessively cheerful.

I sat in Belgrave Square Gardens with Lil and Daisy on Friday morning. Alice, Lil, Edward Stuart-Wortley and I had tea at the Botanical Gardens that afternoon and played tennis there.

I took Edward S-W to a little gramophone dance the Bevans had that evening; there were only six couples and it was simply gigantic fun, everybody had gone quite wild by the end of the evening.

Yesterday I went to luncheon with Aunt Madeleine. George has just got back on leave from Egypt, he is such a nice boy. We went down to Hulingham [ Hurlingham ]Link opens in a new window and met Uncle Jack there and had tea, it was looking lovely (Hurlingham not the tea!) and there were masses of people all in summer clothes, it was ripping after the dustiness of London. We watched polo after tea - most thrilling and the first time I'd seen polo since India. We dined with Mr and Mrs Hilliers friends of Lady Tyrell's. Lady Tyrell was there and several very nice Americans.

Daddie and I went to St Martin's this morning and since then nothing much has happened.

The coal strike is still unsettled.

Wednesday May 25th 1921.

On Monday I went to luncheon with Margaret Adam, there were several other girls there & it was very nice indeed. I went to a tea fight at the Kleinworts, Anne and Christina, Alannah, Enid Stanhope and several other girls were there.

We went to the Geographical lecture in the evening, the lecture was given by Mrs Rosita ForbesLink opens in a new window who has just made a journeyLink opens in a new window across the Libyan Desert to Kufra where an Arab tribe called the Sennussi [ Senussi ] live. She is only 27, very smart indeed and lectured very well. The Aeolian Hall was absolutely packed and several hundred people had to be turned away.

I went to the Club yesterday.

I went to a small dance at the Hyde Park HotelLink opens in a new window given by Mrs Donaldson; Lady Mercer who is the mother of David Mercer a friend of the Kleinworts asked me and I took Anne and Christina and our partners were Edward, Mr Blackburn and Colonel O'Gorman.Link opens in a new window We were very merry and enjoyed ourselves awfully.

I had a music and singing lesson this morning and this afternoon went down to Hurlingham with Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine to watch the polo; the English team were playing the "Rest" and it was most exciting, the English won by 8 goals to 7. It was quite lovely down there and boiling hot, we had tea there and I saw heaps of people I knew.

Monday May 30th 1921.

On Thursday I went to the Club and Daddie and Anne met me there and we went to the Chelsea Flower ShowLink opens in a new window which was even more lovely than usual this year. Anne came back to tea and Mummy had Lady Kintore, Mrs Bevan and several other people to tea.

I did nothing in particular on Friday till the afternoon when I had a small bun fight consisting of Lil, Margaret Adam, Alannah and Eve Ferguson-Davie.

I was going to play tennis with Anne on Saturday morning but it fell through because we couldn't get the court so I went to see Lil. Aunt Augusta who was in London for a night or two came to luncheon. I went to Barbara's thé dansant in the afternoon with Edward as my partner, it was great fun. We dined with Sir David PrainLink opens in a new window at Kew, the gardens were looking wonderfully beautiful and Sir David was very nice and kind.

Yesterday was a hectic day. Daddie and I went to St Martin's and we had a beautiful congregational anthem, a poem of Whittier's beginning "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind".Link opens in a new window I went to luncheon with Lois. A large and excited crowd appeared here for tea quite unexpectedly; Margaret, Mrs Fitzroy Stanhope, Mr Hinks, Miss Beattie-Crozier and Mr Weigall.Link opens in a new window

Mummy and I went to see the Kleinworts after tea and stayed some time. I had a long talk with Lil but scarcely any with Alice because she was talking philosophy to someone else. She was looking terribly worried and seemed quite remote and far-away; Lil is rather worried and unhappy too, I know why but of that more soon.

Miss Buxton came to dinner. I went down to see Sir Harry and Lady Emma after dinner.

This morning I shopped with Lil and she came back to luncheon which was ripping. I looked at pictures with Kathleen in the afternoon; we discovered a wonderful picture of the Crucifixion by Tom MostynLink opens in a new window at a picture gallery in Bond Street. I went to tea with Kathleen and then dashed to the Aeolian Hall for the annual meeting of the R.G.S. at which Daddie gave away the medals and awards and delivered his Presidential address which was on Everest.

And now thank goodness I can go to sleep!

Wednesday June 1st 1921.

Yesterday morning I went to the Club. Alice came to tea and told me a great many things and was more sweet than ever.

I went with Daddie to the anniversary dinner of the R.G.S. at the Connaught Rooms last night, it was great fun & I enjoyed it enormously. There were 250 people there, I sat at a table near the high table & just underneath Daddie, I winked at Daddie several times and the French Ambassador (Saint Aulaire)Link opens in a new window saw me! One table consisted of Mr & Mrs Hinks, Colonel & Mrs Jacks, Colonel Macleod, Captain Royds R.N.Link opens in a new window & myself. The big wigs included Lord Chelmsford,Link opens in a new window Lord Buxton,Link opens in a new window Bishop Gore, Walter de la Mare,Link opens in a new window Sir George PerleyLink opens in a new window (High Commissioner for Canada), Sir Frederick Sykes,Link opens in a new window Sir Percy ditto,Link opens in a new window the French Ambassador & General Bourgeois who is the gold medallistLink opens in a new window for this year. The speeches were very good, Lord Chelmsford & the French Ambassador spoke amongst others & poor Daddie had to speak twice, he read out a telegram which came that evening (carefully stage managed!) from Colonel Howard Bury to say that the Mount Everest expedition had entered Tibet.

I went to have a singing lesson this morning but Miss Hall never appeared. Then I went to be fitted for my bridesmaid's frock for Lilac's wedding, they are a lovely wedgewood blue. Cousin Violet Bond & Cousin Randall Skeffington-Smyth came to luncheon & this afternoon Anne & I played tennis in the Botanical Gardens & had tea there, they are a splendid place those gardens.

Friday June 10th 1921.

Oh dear, this is awful but there never seems to be any time to write.

I went to the Club on Thursday. Peggy came to tea with me and in the evening Daddie, Margaret and I went to the Naval and Military Tournament at Olympia, I had never been before, it was extraordinarily good, we had seats in the Royal enclosure and saw very well.

At the screech of dawn on Friday I went round to Belgrave Square and was immortalized in oils by Lil, she did it in an hour and a half and it really was very good indeed. I saw Alice for a minute or two before and after. Anne met me there and we went for a walk together. Daisy came to tea with me.

On Saturday Mummy and I lunched with Mrs Eckstein at the Carlton;Link opens in a new window it was a "hen" party of 12 and very nice. Mummy motored down to Windsor with Miss Gerry that afternoon to see Lady Eva Dugdale.Link opens in a new window Shortie and I went to listen to some beautiful music at St Martin's and then went to see Miss Wolff.

Margaret got up a party to go to the Palais de DanseLink opens in a new window at Hammersmith that evening. I took Harry and twelve of us went including Joan Egerton. It is a weird place full of most wonderful people and it was great fun.

I went and sat in Belgrave Square garden on Sunday morning and stayed to luncheon with them. I went to tea with Lilac who was very full of all the wedding arrangements (it is on Wednesday).

We went to St Martin's in the evening and Margaret came to dinner.

Saturday June 11th 1921.

On Monday morning I went to see Alice and we sat together in the Square and discussed many things and I got very sad because it was the last time we should be together as she was going to the country for good on Tuesday. She is so sweet and wonderful, there is no one like her.

Cousin V came to luncheon and in the afternoon I went to sell at Mr Henniker's stall at a bazaar at the Hyde Park HotelLink opens in a new window for the Home of Rest for Horses;Link opens in a new window Timmy O'Neil who is a friend of the Bevans was selling at the same stall, she is a nice cheerful child. Cousin Ruth and Cousin Sybil (Miss Buxton promoted to a cousin) came to dinner.

I spoke to Alice on the telephone for a few wild minutes on Tuesday and said "good-bye" she was in a whirl of packing. I went to the Club and Mummy and I went to tea with Lady SondesLink opens in a new window (Audrey Meakin's mother). Miss Medd-Hall gave recital at the Steinaway [ Steinway ] HallLink opens in a new window that evening and played quite beautifully.

Monday June 13th 1921.

I had a music and singing lesson on Wednesday and went to luncheon with Peggy tête à tête but she had to go off to a wedding soon after luncheon. I went on from there to Belgrave Square where I found Lil all alone - Mr Kleinwort and Daisy having departed to Wierton – but very excited because we were going to a dance together that evening; we went and sat in the Square garden and talked and slept (?) and had tea there and Kathleen came to tea and was very amusing as usual. We came back here together and she dressed here and dined and Lady Hardinge took us to the dance in her car. The dance was at Claridges given by Lady Sholto DouglasLink opens in a new window whom no one seems to know but everyone was there and I never saw such a squash in my life, they said there were 1,000 people there. We took Mr Barnes and Mr Blackburn as our partners, Mr Blackburn and I waited in a queue for over 1/2 an hour to get into the supper-room – which showed great greed! Nearly everyone I know was there. We left about 3 and Lil went down to Wierton the next morning. I went to the Club that morning and Cecil came to tea.

That evening I dined with Sir CharlesLink opens in a new window and Lady Cayzer (Eileen Meakin), a party of 10 including Audrey M and we went on to a small dance of Lady Mostyn's in Cadogen [ Cadogan ] Place. I like Eileen CayzerLink opens in a new window very much.

On Friday morning I walked with Anne in the Park. I had a singing lesson in the afternoon and Lettice came to tea and we behaved quite abominably!

On Saturday morning I had a music lesson and went to Soho to get a pair of stockings and in the afternoon Mr Ward-Cook, Mummy & I went down to Roehampton to watch the Polo and saw the Americans play the "Parthians", the latter were given 10 goals so they won by 12 to 6 but I'm afraid the Americans are very much better than us. It was glorious down there.

Yesterday morning Daddie and I went to St Martin's and Mr Sheppard preached again - the first time for a month - and was wonderful, he makes one feel quite different somehow. Anne came back to luncheon with me.

Mummy and Daddie were lunching with Sir Charles & Lady Yate and we went and met them there after luncheon and all went down to Ham HouseLink opens in a new window near Richmond for tea. It is the most amazing place, a gigantic house in a big park with beautiful gardens and the most wonderful treasures of furniture, tapistry and pictures in the house. It is extraordinary that a place like that should exist so near London.

I have had two sweet letters from Alice.

Thursday June 16th 1921.

On Monday morning Margaret Adam, Kathleen and I went to a lecture at the National Gallery on the 18th century British School, we were taken round one of the rooms and it was really very interesting. I went back to luncheon with Margaret Adam, she is a charming girl. I went to tea with Kathleen, Alannah and Lois were there too. Mummy and I went on to see Mr Porteous and Lilac; Lilac seemed very calm and collected but said she rather dreaded leaving home.

I went to the Club on Tuesday and Esther and Betty who are in London for a week came to tea. Daddie and I went with Anne to an extraordinarily interesting lecture at the Royal Society's rooms given by Mr SastriLink opens in a new window an Indian who is on the Imperial Council and is India's representative on the council of the League of Nations. Mr Bevan was in the chair. The lecture was on the Non-Co-operation Movement in India; Mr Sastri knows a great deal about Gandi [ Gandhi ]Link opens in a new window who is the leader of it and he was very interesting about him and the ideals and aims of the Non-Co-operation Movement. He was wonderfully tolerant and seemed to have more than anyone I have ever seen the power of seeing all points of view and what is more of seeing the right through them all. He gave a very fine description of the movement but he said that he did not think it was a good thing or that it would be a good thing if it succeeded. There were continual interruptions from young Indians who were violent non-co-operationites and a heated discussion took place afterwards.

Lilac's wedding yesterday was extraordinarily pretty and everything went off very well. I enjoyed being bridesmaid very much - the first time since I was 3! - we had awfully pretty draped powder blue crêpe-de-chine dresses, silver shoes and stockings and long blue tulle veils with wreathes of silver leaves and we carried bouquets of blue delphiniums and pink Madame Abel Chateney [ Chatenay ] roses. Lilac looked so pretty, her dress was white brocade and she had a very long train of rather transparent stuff with silver things glittering on it. The Church was St Margaret's Westminster; it was decorated with white lilies and delphiniums and the sun shone through and it all looked lovely. The other bridesmaids were Phyllis, Barbara Campion (Simon's sister) Barbara Hunter, and Olga Chandos-Poole [ Chandos-Pole ]. Simon gave us all awfully pretty diamond arrow brooches. There was a reception afterwards at Stanhope Gardens. Aunt Lil was there of course & several other people we knew.

Esther, Betty and I went to the Russian Ballet last night, we stood in a queue for an hour and ate sandwiches & cherries & got into the first row of the pit & saw everything perfectly; they gave "Children's Tales", & "Petroucka" [ Petrushka ]Link opens in a new window and some Spanish dancers did some very clattery dances which we didn't care much for.

I went to the Club to-day and Anne came to tea with me.

Tuesday June 21st 1921.

Miss Hills gave me a music lesson on Saturday morning. I had letters from Alice & Lil. The Guild of Fellowship Quarterly Meeting took place in the afternoon; Anne and I went to listen to the music in the Church beforehand and then were there for the service, Mr Sheppard gave an awfully good address. There was tea afterwards in the Churchyard and a band played and some boys from the Oxford & Bermondsey medical missionLink opens in a new window did scenes from "Henry IV". It was a perfect day and really great fun. Miss Gerry came to dinner & was so amusing and Phyllis arrived to stay with us for a night or two on her way from Paris to Scotland. On Sunday morning Shortie & I went to the 10.15 service & stayed on for the 11.30 service which Daddie & Phyllis came for too. Mr Sheppard preached a beautiful sermon telling the younger generation not to differ from & look down on the older generation because they see a different aspect of the Truth; he gave a most lovely description of the Truth as seen by this generation. Phyllis was very much impressed & said he was the most wonderful preacher she had ever heard except a Dr Donald in the Scotch Church. Anne came back to luncheon and in the afternoon Phyllis, Anne, Kathleen, Ian and I went down to Kew and got a boat and went on the River and consumed large quantities of tea which we had brought with us; it was such fun.

Yesterday morning I walked with Anne in the Park. Phyllis and I stayed peacefully indoors all the afternoon and in the evening went in the gallery to a Scotch play called "Hunky Dory"; it was quite good & the Scotch accent was delightful.

Phyllis left this morning and went to stay with another friend. She is so nice. I went to the Club and then did a little shopping (two hats one 6/6 & the other 4/11!) and Daddie & I have just been to the flower show, there were masses of delphiniums & it was too beautiful.

I had a letter from Lil last night & another this morning & one from Daisy. Alice is apparently coming up to-morrow for a dance & staying Thursday night too to dine with Gwen so I hope to see her.

I see that with my usual bright intelligence I have left out Friday altogether; well, I sat in the park with Kathleen in the morning, in the afternoon had a singing lesson and went to tea with Margaret (Adam) who had two real live American girl friends there who were awfully amusing. Ian dined here and we went to Lady Robson's dance; I also had Mr King who is at the Austrian Embassy as my partner, Anne & Christina were there and lots of other people I knew & I enjoyed it enormously.

Wednesday June 22nd 1921.

I have been to-day to see the second of the polo test matches England v America at Hurlingham.Link opens in a new window Miss Gerry sent us two tickets and Ian and I went; there were crowds of people there and it was simply thrilling - it took years off my life; everyone was shouting and screaming and groaning and clapping all the time. One of the poor goal umpires was knocked down by one of the English ponies when the ball went behind the line once but they said he wasn't very badly hurt. We had bad luck all through, again and again we just missed the goal, the Americans were extraordinarily good and they won by 10 goals to 6; they won on Saturday by 11 goals to 4 so that means they have got the cup back. I am awfully glad to have seen it, it was a splendid sight.

Alice has nearly turned my hair grey to-day, I had a letter from her this morning saying nothing about when she was coming up or anything only "of course you'll help me dress to dine with Gwen" (on Thursday) a letter came from Lil at the same time which said "Alice isn't coming up to-day", then I discovered that Gwen's dinner was off because we were going there next week-end and she'd written to say they were both suddenly going to Paris to-day, however at luncheon-time I got Shortie to ring up Belgrave Square & they said they didn't know where she was and didn't think she was going back there but she'd dashed in this morning hearing which I tore out tufts of hair, then at the polo this afternoon behold who did I meet but Alice! I only saw her for a moment & everyone was talking at once, when I got back I found she had got someone to ring me up before I met her & I am going with her to a concert to-morrow afternoon.

Sunday June 26th 1921.

On Thursday morning I went to the Club and in the afternoon to my great joy went to the concert with Alice; it was given by Yvette GuilbertLink opens in a new window at the Wigmore Hall,Link opens in a new window she is French and she sang & acted old French songs - quite wonderfully. Alice came back to tea and we were able to talk a little of somthing which is making her very unhappy. She went off straight from here back to Wierton. Ian and I dined with Lady Annabel O'Neill (Timmy's mother) that evening and there was a dance there afterwards, Anne and Christina, Barbara and Peggy were there and various men I know and it was awfully nice.

I went with Harry to the Eton and Winchester on Friday; we went down to Eton by an early train and Aunt Mabel, Cousin Florrie, Cousin Lionel and Philip came later. It was lovely down there but grillingly hot and there were crowds of people. We left here at 9.30 a.m and got back at 9 p.m! I see in the paper this morning that Eton won by 8 wickets.

I had a letter from Alice yesterday morning. Miss Hills gave me a music lesson.

We went to a big League of Nations rallyLink opens in a new window in Hyde Park in the afternoon but it was so terribly hot that we left before the speaking began. Miss Waller came to dinner last night and was charming.

Daddie and I went to St Martin's this morning and it being Hospital SundayLink opens in a new window Lord GoschenLink opens in a new window the chairman of Guy's Hospital preached the sermon.

Peggy has been to see me this afternoon.

Tuesday July 5th 1921.

Anne and Christina and Phyllis came to tea the Sunday before last.

I had a singing lesson on the Monday morning and did "the Sales" with no result.

Mummy and Daddie and I went to luncheon with Mrs Porteous, they are feeling very lonely without Lilac. Anne came to say "good-bye" in the afternoon because they were going to Austria on Saturday and I was going away and should not see her again, I shall miss her dreadfully we have been together so much all the summer and we have so many things to talk and argue about and she is such a dear. They have gone for three months. I had a letter from her yesterday written on the steamer crossing to Ostend.

Nora Dawson who is staying in London came to tea, she is jolly nice. I dined at Lady Annabel O'Neill's that evening, they had a small dinner party and we went on to Mrs Galby's dance; I took Mr des Gras as my partner.

On Tuesday morning I went down to stay with the Waldegraves at Warren Lodge and was allowed to travel down alone in a first class carriage (with a 1^st class ticket!) and in charge of the guard!!

It was simply lovely to get away into the country, I have been pining to get to the country for ages and it is quite beautiful all round where they live - on Witley Common. Mr and Mrs Waldegrave and Esther and Betty were all there and so kind. Several people came to tea in the afternoon including a charming Mrs Bouverie who plays the piano divinely. Esther and Betty decided that it was very dull that I should sleep in my own bedroom so we rigged up a camp bed in Esther's room and I slept there the whole time. We had a ripping supper picnic on Wednesday evening, we and three others went to the pine woods and lit a fire there and cooked our dinner over it and drank ginger beer out of the bottles with much popping and guzling. We sat round the fire for a bit after supper and then went in the motor to HindheadLink opens in a new window in the direction of a heath fire we had seen over there, we all sat on each other's laps and were a very merry crew, hatless and hilarious. Of course there was no sign of the heath fire by the time we arrived but we motored round the Devil's Punch BowlLink opens in a new window and went up onto the Gibbet and then descended and sat in the motor and ate sardines spread on bread. It was too lovely motoring back over the Common in the half darkness. We got home at midnight.

Sunday July 10th 1921.

On Thursday we (Betty and I) went to luncheon and tea with Mrs Bouverie and played tennis and bathed in an open air swimming bath in their garden and then laid on the grass in the sun with nothing but towels round us and I realized suddenly the joy of the Garden of Eden.

Mr and Mrs Waldegrave and Betty went off to Dartmouth early on Friday morning to see John so Esther and I were left on our own, we spent a gloriously lazy day lying in the garden and reading most of the time. We spent nearly the whole of Saturday at a big girl guide rally at Guildford because Esther is the Captain of the local girl guides. We went to Church at Witley on Sunday morning and spent the rest of the day lying about in the garden. And then alas! we both came up to London.

I read a good deal especially poetry while I was down there; I read a good deal of Whittier, Browning, Francis Thompson, Blake, Carlyle's essay on Mahomet and "The Christian Tradition and its verification"Link opens in a new window & "The Conflict of Religions in Early Roman Empire"Link opens in a new window by T.R. Glover.

I spent a fairly peaceful day on Monday and on Tuesday went to the Club and had Esther, Timmy & Margaret H to tea.

On Wednesday morning I had a music lesson from Miss Medd-Hall. Alice and the twins came up to London for two nights; Daisy came up earlier to go to the dentist so she came and spent the afternoon with me. I was dining out that night so I dressed early and went round to Belgrave Square soon after 6. Lil was very lively and cheerful and Alice was just Alice, I went to the latter's room while she dressed for dinner and we had a lovely talk. I dined with a Miss Gartside in Upper Brook Street who is very nice; there were 32 people at dinner & a dance afterwards. Harry was there & I quite enjoyed it but I don't like dancing in the summer.

I am now going to write as much as I can remember of Mr Sheppard's sermon this morning before I forget it because it really was rather beautiful. He said most people think the outstanding fact about our Lord was this wonderful love and kindness to the outcast and His passionate enthusiasm for humanity whereas really it was His perfectly amazing faith in God, no one has ever trusted God as He did. He believed that God made the world that He is working in the world and in and through men and that good must ultimately triumph and He staked all on this up to the final great experiment of the Cross, to give one instance as He was going to heal Jarius' daughter messengers came and said "thy daughter is dead why trouble ye the Matter further?" anyone else would have turned back and said "dead, well that settles it anyhow" but He risked His whole reputation and everything and went on. One gets very tired of the pessimism of people to-day, we simply won't let a ray of light penetrate anywhere, we say "well I never was a very hopeful person" and to ourselves "and I've got no intention of being one"; most of our troubles really come from anticipations and forebodings and worrying about the future, all this is so unlike Christ who believed that God is Love and that He is always working for the good and it shows what a low ebb our faith is at. I think He loved men & women so much because they were most like the Father of anything in the world and it is to me the most wonderful thing in history that He who was the most wonderful person who ever lived should have had such amazing hope for everyone because He saw the Father working in and through every man and He had hope not only for the individual but for the whole world. We should be different if we did really believe that God is like Him, that He is the image of our "Invisible King" and He said "he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father". This a very poor account of the sermon & I've left a good deal out also his enthusiasm and intense ernestness must make a great difference.

Wednesday July 13th 1921.

On Thursday morning I went shopping with Esther and she came back to luncheon with me. Mummy and I went to a reception to the Dominion Prime MinistersLink opens in a new window and the Indian representatives at the Imperial ConferenceLink opens in a new window at Lancaster House (Stafford House). The Duke & Duchess of Sutherland were receiving & the Duke of York was there and it was very nice. I went on to Portman House to meet Alice and the twins who were there watching tennis with Mary Dawson-Damer. We stayed there for a little time and then I went back to dinner with them, Sylvia Harrison came to dinner but left soon after to go to a concert. I had to leave early too because Mummy and I were going to the Court Ball, Daddie couldn't go, which was a great disappointment, because he was in Paris representing the R.G.S. at the centenary of the French Geographical Society.Link opens in a new window I wore a cream satin dress with a tulle overdress and rows and rows of ribbon ruched onto the tulle and in my hair a band of silver ribbon with wild roses at the sides. I enjoyed it greatly; unfortunately there was such an enormous crowd- over 2,000 people - that we didn't see much of the state quadrille but occasionally we could see the head of the King or Queen or Princess Mary (the latter smiling broadly) or the King or Queen of the Belgians and we saw them all very well when they went into supper. Lois was there & Timmy, Helen & Lettice, Joan Bentinck, Margaret Tyrell & Lady Tyrell and a great many of Mummy's friends. I didn't get any dancing but I didn't mind that because I looked on it more as an interesting show. The scarlet of the men's uniforms made such a difference & it was very nice not to see the ordinary black evening clothes; there were wonderful dresses and jewels. All the wonderful gold plate was on view lit up by invisible electric light and there were Beefeaters at the doors and along the passages. We met Uncle DouglasLink opens in a new window who pointed to a door in the wall and said "I've got the two Kings boxed up in there and I'm watching for them to come out"! It ended at 1 o'c, the King bowed to the room and the Queen curtsied and then they went off and left us.

On Friday Mummy & I went with Sir JohnLink opens in a new window & Lady Miller & Peggy Miller to see the King open the new George V dockLink opens in a new window which is an extension of the Victoria & Albert dock. We were the guests of the Port of London Authority and the little bill for the whole of the day's proceedings (not for us individually!) was £25,000 - enough to put the League of Nations Union on it's legs or pay off the debt of a big hospital. We were put on a steamer at London Bridge and taken down the river about 10 miles to the new dock; it was extraordinarily pretty going along because all the wharves and ships were decorated with flags and there were crowds of people on the banks. We met Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs on the ship and they were awfully nice, we also met Mrs Fish of Bath who was charming and it was so nice to see her again. When we arrived we were put in a big stand at the side of the dock and after a little time the King came sailing though in Lord Inchcape'sLink opens in a new window yacht breaking a silk cord as he came through. They landed at a platform near us & there was a great deal of handshaking & the King made a speech & Lord Devonport (chairman of the Port of London Authority) made a speech & the King declared the dock open and trumpets blew and the band played and we shouted and then we went and had tea and eventually we started home again on the steamer but we didn't get back here till 9 o'c having started soon after 12 o'c! We found Daddie just back from Paris having had a very good time there.

Daddie and I went to the Eton and HarrowLink opens in a new window on Saturday morning and Kathleen joined us there, it was most exciting but unfortunately we had to leave before the end which was a pity because the boys had a free fight. I'm sorry to say Eton won by 7 wickets, poor Harrow has been beaten for so many years! Shortie and I went to a tea party in the Church-yard of St. Martin's to members of the electoral roll; there was very pretty old country dancing by children and then sports. Mr Sheppard playing musical chairs nearly gave everyone hysterics. I've never seen anyone cheat so much! Mummy came in for a little while. Shortie and I went to the Communion service on Sunday and stayed on for the second service.

I went to luncheon with the ArchdeaconLink opens in a new window & Mrs Fish at the Stafford Hotel, Joan Carey was staying with them there, she is the Archdeacon's Secretary now. They were so nice & have asked me to go & stay with them any time before the middle of August. Phyllis came to see us in the evening, full of spirits & enjoying her "London season" enormously. Margaret came to dinner.

Eileen Cayzer and Sir Charles and Audrey Meakin and Lord Sondes came to tea at the Geographical on Monday.

Thursday July 14th 1921.

On Tuesday I went to the Club and in the afternoon Mummy and I went to Miss Leigh's At Home; Phyllis was there & most amusing about her experiences at the Caledonian Ball, she was going up to Scotland yesterday. I went back with Mrs Leigh to see Peggy.

Yesterday morning I had a singing lesson and in the afternoon went to an At Home at the Speaker'sLink opens in a new window House. The Witley's [ Whitley's ] are very nice people but I think find it fearfully difficult starting off there. We went and sat on the Terrace afterwards.

This morning I shopped with Lady Mullett's neice, a nice girl who we met at tea yesterday and she came back to luncheon here. I went to tea with Therese then to see Peggy for a moment and then to Cecil who poor dear has been having an awful time with her leg, she got a bad microbe into the bone and had to have all sorts of things injected and her leg in an iron splint and is still very dot and carry one. I think she is the most generous person I know, I asked if she knew where I could get a cotton frock cheap & she promptly presented me with a cretonne frock which she bought yesterday & which is too short for her.

The great week-end at Wierton comes off on Saturday, it has nearly turned all our hair grey!

Thank heavens there is a truce in Ireland! and all bloodshed has stopped on both sides. Lloyd George asked De ValeraLink opens in a new window the President of the I.R to come over here and discuss terms of peace so both sides declared a truce and he has come over with four or five others and they are staying at the Grosvenor Hotel just by here. The Speaker was very interesting about De Valera, he had been talking about him to General Smuts - who had charge of the preliminary negociations in Dublin - the day before & the latter liked De Valera very much and said he was a "good sort of chap" and straight. It is so nice to hear someone speak good of them; the "Morning Post" is quite rabid about the whole thing.

The coal strike was settled about a fortnight ago.

Wednesday July 20th 1921.

Mummy, Shortie and I went off house hunting on Friday. We left Waterloo at 12.50 & went to GuildfordLink opens in a new window and from there took a taxi and went to Albury to look at the Old RectoryLink opens in a new window which is for sale, it is a charming little old rambling house but rather far from the station and a little on the small side.

We went on to Westerham in Kent from Chilworth station by a most fearsome and intricate system of connections, changing at Redhill, Towbridge and Dunton Green. We went to see a house called Farley Croft which we are thinking of taking unfurnished for a time, it is a square red brick house with nice big rooms and looks comfortable, there is a good garden. We got back at 10 more dead than alive.

Shortie and I went off to Wierton by the 9.45 train to Maidstone on Saturday morning. Mr des Graz and Mr Barnes came down by the same train. It was lovely to be at Wierton again, it really is beautiful with it's sloping lawns and big trees and wonderful view over the weald of Kent. We went into Maidstone soon after 12 to watch the cricket it being the first day of the Maidstone cricket week. We sat in the car and had luncheon there and spilt everything over our laps and in the afternoon walked about and another man who had come to stay - Mr Brandt - appeared and Mrs Kleinwort came for tea and we all had tea in the barrack tent. We got back to Wierton a little after 6, dined at 7 and went to a dance given by Lady Agnes Macleod for her grand-daughter Alice Walters. A boy came over from Chatham to go with us to make the numbers even and it was enormous fun, there was a lovely garden to go in between dances and Mr Barnes and I went off and discovered the kitchen garden and ate gooseberries which we found with the aid of matches! We got home about 1.30.

I went into Alice's room at 7.30 the next morning and laid on her bed and we talked, then I went up to Lil and did likewise. Lil, Daisy, Mr Barnes and Mr Brandt went to Church in the morning and Alice, Mr des Graz and I went for a most wonderful drive in Alice's little motor (we had been out in it the evening before in the interval of getting home at 6.15 and dining at 7!) it is a ripping two seater Wolseley with a dickey seatLink opens in a new window behind. Mr des Graz drove and we went over 40 miles up hill and down dale through beautiful Kentish villages over the tops of hills with miles and miles of country stretching below us and passed a wonderful old grey castle called Leeds CastleLink opens in a new window with a moat all round it. We touched 50 miles an hour on one long straight bit of road where Mr des Graz opened the throttle to see what she could do. There was a big tennis party in the afternoon, 25 people altogether and there were some most exciting men's sets. We walked about in the garden after dinner and saw the most glorious view of the whole weald of Kent lying below us in the moonlight.

Alice and Lil and I talked till past midnight and I went to Alice at 7.15 next morning and woke her up and we had a good talk and then I went to Lil and had a good talk there too. Mr Barnes and Mr Brandt left before we were up and Mr des Graz and I left at 9.30 and were back in a hot and stuffy London soon after 11 o'c. It was too lovely there and I was miserable at leaving. I can scarcely bear London I long so much to be in the country.

Daddie went down to Gwen's for the weekend and had a very good time there

Miss Heathcote took Mummy and me for a lovely drive in Richmond ParkLink opens in a new window on Monday afternoon, I had no idea it was such a fine place. Yesterday I went to the Club which was extremely hot and then shopped and went to see Miss Wolff.

We have been having a tremendous heat wave for about a month now, it has been as much as 93 in the shade and everywhere you got in the country there have been fires because the grass is so dry that the least thing sets it alight.

I had my last singing lesson this morning. Miss Hall says my voice is coming on well and I shall probably have a good soprano.

There was a big show at the Geographical this afternoon, Princess Louise Duchess of ArgyleLink opens in a new window unveiled a bust of Sir Clements MarkhamLink opens in a new window presented by the Peruvian Government. There were about 100 people there & tea in the garden afterwards. I was presented to the Princess who was charming and made us go and stand with her at the ceremony. Lord Milford HavenLink opens in a new window was there and I had a long talk with him, he is so nice. The Peruvian Chargé d'Affairs [ d'Affaires ] made a speech in Spanish & Sir Maurice answered in the same lingo.

Charlie is coming for the night tomorrow.

Wednesday July 27th 1921.

Lady Emma came to luncheon on Thursday and in the afternoon we went to the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, there were 5,000 people there and we saw heaps of people we knew and it was very nice indeed, incidentally they had most excellent raspberries & cream. Mr Asquith was there looking very remarkable also BeattyLink opens in a new window and Lord Robert CecilLink opens in a new window and SastriLink opens in a new window and a good many Indians.

Charlie arrived about 8 o'c in radiant spirits at having escaped from Tours which he hated.

I went to see Lilac on Friday morning, they had just got back from their honeymoon and were in London for day or two. They were very cheerful and gave a most amusing account of their progress through Italy without a word of Italian.

I lunched with Cecil and Daddie and Charlie fetched me and we went to see Sir Dyton [ Dighton ] ProbynLink opens in a new window who unfortunately was out. Charlie left at 4.30 to go down to Wellington (his old school) for the week-end.

Mummy, Shortie and I went down to Cousin V at Lingfield for the week-end on Saturday and Daddie went to the Hobhouses' at Monkton FarleighLink opens in a new window near Bath. It was very nice at Lingfield, Cousin V was very kind and Moyra was there and of course Brian and Sheilah. We went to sports in the afternoon and spent a good deal of money on coconut shies, houp la's and swing boats. On Sunday morning we motored into Tunbridge Wells to Church (they are Christian Scientists). It was the most lovely drive of about 16 miles and I enjoyed it enormously. A very nice cousin David Ponsonby came to dinner and played the piano too divinely, he is thinking of taking it up professionally.

On Monday morning we motored into Sevenoaks another lovely drive with the most wonderful view from the top of Ide Hill. We went to an agent in Sevenoaks to try & hear of a house but they produced nothing which was any good. We came up by train from there and arrived back here at about 2.15. Charlie was here for the day, we had a very lengthy conversation and I took him for a walk in the park and he went off to Edinburgh by the 10.30 train.

I didn't do anything much yesterday, except to go and see Margaret, till the evening when Daddie and I went to Miss Gerry's dance which I really did quite enjoy in spite of the fact that I am very tired of dances. The Duke of YorkLink opens in a new window was there and Sir ArthurLink opens in a new window and Lady Hardinge & several people I knew. I took Edward S-W as my partner.

Mummy & Daddie went to see the Maharao of CutchLink opens in a new window and Sastri receive the freedom of the City of London to-day & afterwards went to luncheon at the Mansion House.

Miss Wolff & Miss Heathcote came to tea and the former gave me a very pretty pink bead necklace and two miniatures of Mummy and Daddie which she gave me some time before but which she has had framed.

I have just read Yeats' poems, some of them are lovely especially "The Countess Cathleen".Link opens in a new window

Friday August 5th 1921.

On Thursday morning I went to the Club for the last time for a bit because it has closed for a fortnight or three weeks.

Mummy, Daddie and I were taken by Mrs Hinks to have tea with the Rev: Costley-WhiteLink opens in a new window the headmaster of Westminster & he took us all over the schools which was excessively interesting; they have got a most beautiful old Georgian house which is mainly used for class-rooms.

I dined with Nina & Mrs Melville at the Ladies Army & Navy Club & we went to "Out to Win" a most thrilling & bloodcurdling play of the two rival groups of financiers & the Man with the Great Discovery variety.

Nina & I went out together on Friday morning & I lunched with Cecil at her club & went shopping with her in the afternoon & went to tea with Peggy at 5.45! Rowly was there & awfully amusing, also a tiresome youth who refused to go so I scarcely saw Peggy at all which was sad because she went away the next day & unless she is passing through London we probably shan't see each other for 6 months because shes going to America at the beginning of September.

Mummy went to Bath on Saturday. I did nothing till the evening when I dined with Cecil and she & Peter (her little boy) and I went to "Ambrose Applejohn's Adventure"Link opens in a new window a most amusing & ridiculous play with Charles HawtreyLink opens in a new window as it's shining light.

We went to St. Martin's on Sunday & to tea with Cecil. On Monday I lunched with Cecil and we went & watched cricket at Lord's (Lord's schools v the Rest) and I was with her till 7.30. She is a dear & a splendid person.

On Tuesday Daddie and I went down to Westerham to look at the house we were thinking of taking there & finally decided it wouldn't do, then we went on to Sevenoaks & looked at a house there we really think may do (I wish it might be so!). Mummy & Daddie have gone down to-day to look at it again. I went to tea with Kathleen who was in London for the night on the way to North Berwick; it was ripping to see her again & we were very foolish, we went to buy an umbrella & talked of it as if it was a tennis racket, "do you think its got a good grip?" "Its a silk & cotton mixture but of course you can always have it restrung if it wears badly" & so on, the assistant thought we were a little mad but giggled loudly all the same.

On Wednesday afternoon we went to Paddington to meet Laurie who had two hours to kill in London but there were three trains from Westbury all within five minutes of each other and we tore frenziedly between them and managed to miss him but by a strange coincidence we met Pompey who had come up from Devonshire & he came to dinner that evening.

Yesterday Shortie & I went down to Purley to see Miss Wolff who has taken a house there for the holidays she was awfully kind & very pleased to see us. We went on a tram which took two hours but was rather fun.

I found a letter from Alice when I got back. She is staying with her sister Mrs Renner at the Hague & I think and hope enjoying very much. I also had rather a depressed letter from Lil; they are going to Holland on Wednesday.

I haven't done anything in particular to-day - thats to say I have written & read & sewed (I've made myself a frock) a good deal but haven't done anything out.

We're going down to Gyldernscroft for the week-end to-morrow.

I have read a cleverly written & interesting but a bit superficial novel by Rose Macauley called "Potterism"Link opens in a new window and also a book called "Irish Impressions"Link opens in a new window by Chesterton, his views on Ireland are excessively interesting & convincing & I am glad to say he appears to agree with the ideals of Sinn Fein.

Saturday August 13th 1921.

We went down to Gyldernscroft on Saturday afternoon & it was very nice there and the weather quite lovely. Uncle George of course was there and Cousin Maud, Cousin Roderick, Margaret, Cousin Nell and a nice Miss Bartie. Some Americans came to tea on Saturday & we marked out the tennis court. On Sunday morning we went to church and in the afternoon went on the river in a big steam launch with some people called Tuck (Tuck's post-cards).Link opens in a new window The river & the scenery were beautiful and we went from Marlow to Henley which is 9 miles. We passed by Medmenham, the new owners have put a front on St Mary's which corresponds with the Abbey & is a great improvement. On Monday morning we played tennis & in the afternoon went on the river in the punt taking our tea and afterwards read & slept. Margaret is a very nice girl indeed, she is eighteen & has her hair up. Cousin Roderick has a mania for pedigrees & is very happy because he has discovered that we (through the Murrays) are descended from Lucretia [ Lucrezia ] Borgia, the Guises and William the Silent!

We came back here on Tuesday.

On Wednesday afternoon I went out driving with Mrs Greville and she came back to tea here. I dined with the Ecksteins (Mrs Eckstein, Herminie,Link opens in a new window the boy who is nice,Link opens in a new window & two other men) and we went to the first night of "The Trump Card" a new farce at the Strand, I had never been to a first night before, it is most amusing, there are wonderful looking people in the theatre, the actors & actresses forget their parts & have to be prompted & a nervous & guilty looking authorLink opens in a new window creeps round the curtain at the end. The play wasn't very good it was "hot" & full of rotten insinuations & jokes but funny in parts. It was awfully kind of the Ecksteins to ask me and cheered up the dullness of London a bit.

I met Cecil at her club on Thursday & went out with her and we ended up with iced coffee at Meyers and I went straight on from there on the joyous errand of meeting Lil and Daisy who were arriving at Victoria at 5.38 and crossing over to Liverpool Street on their way to the Hague. It was heavenly to see them again and we were most hilarious.

Mr Kleinwort's secretary met us at Liverpool Street and what Alice calls "took us firmly in hand", they had dinner at the hotel there and their train went at 8.30 so we were together for nearly three hours. Lil is a dear - and so of course is Daisy only Lil wants one more (wants one's help & advice I mean).

Daddie & I went to Kew yesterday it is lovely but the grass is quite brown. Nothing has happened to-day.

I've been reading Bernard Shaw's latest book "Back to Methuselah"Link opens in a new window which is his idea of evolution, his new religion & his idea of ultimate destiny of mankind. There was a great many interesting things in the preface and a pretty open attack on Lloyd George in "The Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas" but I got annoyed with it towards the end because it left room for nothing but the intellectual. Chesterton says "Bernard Shaw has founded a universal religion it is not his fault that he is the only member of it" which expresses the case very well. I have also read a funny book, "The Holiday Round"Link opens in a new window by A.A. Milne.

I heard from Kathleen the other day, she doesn't at all like North Berwick they know no one there & it is wet & cold. Poor Kathleen! I also had an amusing letter from Charlie.

Monday August 15th 1921.

We had a great excitment on Saturday night; about 9.30 there was a loud noise overhead & someone ran down stairs making a terrific clatter, we went out onto the landing & presently one of the porters tore down equally fast and we discovered that two burglars had been in the top floor flat which was empty as the maid who is "caretaking" was out shopping, when she came back they dashed past her & tore downstairs and she screamed loudly and with much enthusiasm. They left behind them her attaché case packed with silver but got away with some jewellery & a cheque. No one can make out how they got in as apparently they didn't force the lock. One of them came here about 3/4 of an hour before they were discovered & asked if Miss Somthing of the Gaiety Theatre lived here so I suppose they went to all the flats till they discovered an empty one.

We went to St Martin's yesterday morning. Mr Sheppard preached, it was such a joy to hear him again, he began by saying "it is a very dangerous thing to believe in God" some of the greatest harm in history has been done by people who believed most enthusiastically in God, in Zeus or Thor or Odin or Jehovah of the Old Testament. The only God is the Christian God our Invisible King whose portrait we see in the face of Jesus. God has only one weapon that is love but that is the most mighty thing in the world.

A nice & interesting Mr Soames came to tea, he is a friend of the Kleinworts & knows a good many of our people.

Mrs Luling & Peter who has just got back from climbing in Switzerland, came to tea at the Geographical today & we saw the first photographsLink opens in a new window which the Mount Everest Expedition have sent back; some of them are very good but there are none of Everest itself.

I hope to see my beloved Alice to-morrow on her way back from Holland.

Wednesday August 17th 1921.

I had a perfectly splendid time with Alice yesterday. We got to Liverpool Street at 9 o'c because someone had said they train got in then, however it wasn't supposed to arrive till 10.39 so we sat on the station platform & waited which made it all the more exciting. I thought she would go down to Wierton by the 11.55 but she said she wasn't going till the 2.10 which was simply ripping. We went first to Belgrave Square (Shortie went straight home) and left her luggage there, then we went & sent off some telegrams and then to one or two shops, then walked slowly from Regents Street to Gunter & had luncheon there, then picked up her luggage and went to Victoria and she went off at 2.10. It was such a joy to see her and she is so utterly sweet and sympathetic and so satisfying. It left a fearful blank when she left even after those few hours. She has had a lovely time in Holland and really enjoyed it and met interesting people. I believe I forgot to mention before that Marieke has got a little boy.

Sunday August 21st 1921.

On Wednesday afternoon Daddie & I went to the Natural History MuseumLink opens in a new window & saw some beautiful butterflies.

On Thursday a nice Mr & Mrs Bolton & their son, Americans whom we met at Gyldernscroft, came to tea. Cousin Aimée Brazier-Creagh (Cecil's mother) came too & stayed to dinner.

On Friday we went down to Westerham to look at Mrs Blandy's house there which she wants to sell. It is dreadfully ugly; she hasn't been there long & it is much too small to hold her things. From there we went on to Riverhead a village 1/2 mile from Sevenoaks where we saw a beautiful old Queen Anne house called Riverhead House;Link opens in a new window it has little panelled bed-rooms and a lovely old garden and enormous trees and looks straight over Montreal Park. It would suit us splendidly but alas they want £7,500 for it which is far too much for us.

Nothing much happened yesterday except that Pompey came to see us in the evening.

I had a long letter from Anne the other day; they are at a place up in the mountains & seem to be enjoying it enormously.

This morning Daddie & I went to St Anne's Soho and Mr Clarence May preached extremely well; he has a very fine voice.

I embarked on Festing Jones' biography of Samuel ButlerLink opens in a new window the other day but there are two large volumes & I didn't feel it was sufficiently interesting to read them both so gave it up about half way through the first and am now reading the life of Canon Scott-HollandLink opens in a new window (a strange contrast!) and have just finished a charming book by the author of "Elizabeth & her German Garden" called "In the Mountains".Link opens in a new window

Daddie and I are, I hope, going up to Scotland on Monday week.

Thursday August 25th 1921.

Mr Cobb came to luncheon on Sunday & in the evening we went to St. Martin's.

Pompey went with us to see the Mt Everest photographs at the Geographical on Monday morning & came to luncheon here. The twins came back from Holland on Tuesday morning at the same time as Alice & I went to meet them at Liverpool Street; we went & did some shopping at Gorringe & they came back to luncheon here & went down to Wierton by the 2.10. It was lovely to see them.

Saturday August 27th 1921.

Daddie & I went to an election meeting on Tuesday evening. There were three candidatesLink opens in a new window for the Abbey division of Westminster (which includes us) they were: Colonel ApplinLink opens in a new window Conservative anti-waste (run by the Harmsworth Press) General NicholsonLink opens in a new window independant Conservative & Mr LuptonLink opens in a new window Independant Liberal. Our meeting was in support of Nicholson, it was crowded & people got very excited & several were put out. We shopped hard on Wednesday & Pompey came to tea & in the evening we went to Nicholson's eve-of-the-poll meeting, it was very dull & no one got excited. He has got inLink opens in a new window by a majority of over a 1,000, I think hes about the best of the three. People thought Applin would get in.

Thursday morning we shopped & in the afternoon Mrs Eckstein & Herminie came to tea at the Geographical.

Yesterday I went with Cecil to the country for the day (she was up for a night or two) to see how their new house at Walton-on-Thames was getting on. I think shes going to make it very pretty. She came back to dinner here & Pompey came too which was very nice.

We shopped all this morning.

Daddie, Shortie & I are really truly going off to Scotland on Monday morning, its simply lovely. I'm awfully sorry Mummy isn't coming too, shes staying here to try & arrange somthing about getting a house which is very tiresome for her. We're going first to Lady Nina Balfour at Newton Don Kelso.

Sunday August 28th 1921.

We went to the Holy Communion at St Martin's this morning & stayed on for the other service, Mr Matthews preached very well indeed. Mr Wakefield came to tea.

I've been sorting out old letters; they are desperately depressing things & make one suddenly realize how much one unconsciously looses as time goes on; there are Cousin Gerty, Aunt Bobs, Lilac & Peggy all of whom seem to have slipped, dear Lilac is always just the same but I seem somehow to have known her much better a little time back. I am beginning to get really worried about Peggy, I wrote to her about three weeks ago & asked her to write to me, she was in London for the night & rang up that evening & said she'd come & see me the next morning or ring up if she couldn't, she did neither & she hasn't written to me either; she comes up to London on September 1st & sails for America on the 6th & won't be back till February. I can't understand what is wrong, I couldn't bear to lose her, we have been such friends for so many years. I am in rather a depressed mood tonight & almost feel I don't want to go – having been longing to go away for several months past - its all nonsense of course & it will be alright tomorrow. We've been here almost continuously for nearly a year now & it will be quite funny to get away.

I read over some old 1917 diaries this evening, very comic in more ways than one. I must say I did write my diary very much better then but there was so much more time. I must have been a funny child! It is amusing to think how one's point of view has changed. All the war part might have been really interesting if only one had written for the future, luckily for me I hadn't started to think about things in those days & didn't the least realize the horror of it all.

Thursday September 1st 1921.

Our first visit in Scotland has ended very sadly indeed; Mr BalfourLink opens in a new window died very suddenly of heart failure yesterday afternoon, he had been ill for over a week with bad rheumatism but not at all dangerously ill and was much better yesterday and then suddenly this came and he died. It is terrible. We left yesterday afternoon and are now in Edinburgh.

We had a very good journey to Scotland leaving Kings Cross at 10 o'c & arriving at Kelso at 7 via Berwick. The train was packed but we arrived early at the station and got corner seats. We left in glorious sunshine but after Yorkshire there was a thick grey mist and pelting rain.

We arrived at Newton DonLink opens in a new window just in time to change for dinner. Lady EvelynLink opens in a new window was there and "Archie" and "Jamie" & his wife and a young Mr Warren and Sir William Garstin.Link opens in a new window Lady Nina was at her very best frightfully amusing and most kind.

Tuesday was a perfect morning and the view from Newton Don was too wonderful one looked across big irregular herbaceous borders and brilliant green grass to the Don winding like a silver thread in the park below and then in the distance was the blue-grey line of the Cheviot hills. Newton Don house itself is ugly outside but the park and gardens are quite beautiful and the grass and trees looked blazingly green after the dried up south. We went for the most gorgeous motoring expedition on Tuesday morning taking luncheon with us. We all went (including Mrs Balfour, Mr Balfour's step-mother a very nice old lady whom I forgot to mention) and altogether we motored over 95 miles. There were three motor loads of us and we went right through the Cheviots up hill and down dale often along grass tracks 1400 feet up and got the most wonderful views of hills and moorlands all round us as far as we could see, it was simply marvellous. The object of the expedition was HermitageLink opens in a new window an enormous ruined Castle which was built in the 13th century & used to be held by the Warden of the border and Mary Queen of Scots stayed there for a time. We came back a different way through Harwick [ Hawick ] & it was almost equally lovely.

Friday September 2nd 1921.

Mr Balfour suddenly had a heart attack at about 11 o'clock on Wednesday morning; the country was scoured for doctors and they injected strycnine, he very nearly died but recovered from it and then about luncheon time he had another attack, they couldn't give him any more strycnine and there was no oxegen to be had nearer than Edinburgh and that couldn't arrive till 5. Lady Nina tore down in the middle of luncheon and bolted some food and said it was still very serious and then suddenly at 2.30 he died. It is frightfully sad and it was all so sudden, we were laughing and joking and playing about at breakfast with not the slightest knowledge of what was going to happen.

We and Sir William Garstin left Newton Don almost immediately and came to Edinburgh. We stayed the first night at The North British HotelLink opens in a new window but it was very expensive so the next day we left & are now in quite nice rooms in Great King Street.Link opens in a new window

Friday September 9th 1921.

Polmaise, StirlingLink opens in a new window

We did a good deal of sight seeing in Edinburgh, saw HolyroodLink opens in a new window and the Canongate and twice went up Arthur's SeatLink opens in a new window and had a perfectly marvellous view over Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth right to Ben Ledi and Ben Lomond (60 miles away) on one side & the Pentlands & Lammermuir Hills on the other sides. On Monday we went over to North Berwick for the day to see Kathleen & Mrs Corry, it was a lovely sunny day & North BerwickLink opens in a new window looked very pretty & the golf links were extraordinarily green and Kathleen and Mrs Corry were very nice. Kathleen and I bathed which was freezing cold but gorgeous and then had a picnic luncheon on the sand dunes.

In the afternoon Mrs Corry took us in a motor to see Tantallon CastleLink opens in a new window which is a fine old ruin standing on the edge of great red cliffs by the sea. They very much wanted me to stay with them there and there was a spare room in their appartments so I stayed and had a lovely time. Kathleen & I went for a walk by the sea after dinner, it was all too beautiful and we had a long talk about all sorts of things. I do like Kathleen so much.

Shortie came over the next day bringing me the necessary articles of clothing and remained there for the day; she also brought me a perfectly sweet letter from Alice about Captain Balfour. Kathleen played a round of golf in the morning & I went round with her & kept her score and in the afternoon we went out fishing in a rowing boat & caught quite a lot of fish. We dashed about the town on Wednesday morning and in the afternoon a friend of her's Mr Montgomery came for the night. We all went in an electric launch to the Bass RockLink opens in a new window that afternoon; it was a clear sunny day and the sea was a deep green and it was too marvellous to see all the birds, the sky was white with them like a snow storm and there were hundreds on the cliffsLink opens in a new window and we saw some little grey baby gulls in their nests. I forgot to mention that we had a glorious bathe in the morning, it was quite warm & we stayed in for half an hour. In the evening we went and collected Dorea Stanhope who had just arrived for two nights & all went down to the harbour to see the pierrotsLink opens in a new window who were really awfully good & we were a most cheerful party. I slept with Kathleen that night which was great fun, we talked till midnight & I woke up sometime in the night & wondered what she was & tried to kick her out of bed but otherwise we were fairly peaceful. I left very sorrowfully on Thursday morning & joined Daddie & Shortie in Edinburgh & we came on here.

It is very nice here, we are staying with Major & Mrs Murray. Poor dear Shortie was suddenly taken ill yesterday soon after we got here, she had a fearful pain in her side & couldn't speak or move, we got her to bed & sent for the doctor & he injected morphine & she became delirious & talked of things which happened in London, wondered if everything was packed & if she would catch the train & she didn't know people. We all got a most terrible fright but this morning she was much better & the doctor came & she has gone to a nursing home where I saw her this evening. It was perfectly awful because we don't know what it is except that it is somthing internal. Her great friend is the house keeper here (Mrs Maclennan & she looked after her but she was in a great state last night because she was so ill. Poor little Shortie.

Wednesday September 14th 1921.

Glen Dye Banchory.

We went to Dunblane CathedralLink opens in a new window when we were at Polmaise and to Doune Castle.Link opens in a new window We left early on Saturday morning and came here via Aberdeen. This is a most lovely place 10 miles from Banchory which is the nearest place at all except for a small village seven miles away. We are right in the middle of knolls and moorlands and the Dye runs along the bottom of the Glen just by the house. It is all absolutely wild no garden or park or any thing cultivated. There are nine people here altogether. Sir John & Miss Gladstone, Lord Powis,Link opens in a new window Sir AlfredLink opens in a new window and Miss Codrington, Lord SoutheskLink opens in a new window ("Bob" Carnegie's - Phyllis'e's brother-in-law - brother) Captain Burn and us, Lord Carnegie was here for a night. They were grouse shooting on Monday and yesterday and Miss Codington & I went with them part of the time. I thought it very dull and I hated seeing the birds shot but it was too beautiful for any thing on the tops of the hills, hills and moors in all directions as far as you could see and wonderful blues and purples and the lights & shades changing every moment. Daddie walked 4 miles yesterday to the top of Mount Battock which is 2550 feet. It poured all this morning but cleared up in the afternoon & Daddie and I went in the car which took the shooters to the top of Cairn-o'-Mount which is 1450 feet and from there we had a gorgeous view over the mountains & out & the plains and some way out to sea and very faintly as far as the headland by North Berwick which is over 70 miles away and then over all the mountains by Balmoral.

Monday September 19th 1921.

Batten Robie

Carr-Bridge

Thursday was a beautiful clear day and in the morning Daddie and I climbed to the top of the mountain behind the house Clach na Ben [ Clachnaben ] ("the hill of the stone") which is 1700 feet high and from which we got a glorious view over the mountains by Balmoral and the flat Aberdeenshire country. There is an enormous rock at the top with a cliff quite 25-30 feet high on one side of it and there was a tearing gale blowing so we had to be flat and scramble over the rock on all fours because one would have been blown off one's feet if one had stood upright. In the afternoon we motored over to see Farquarson [ Farquharson ]Link opens in a new window the artist who has a very pretty place call FinzeanLink opens in a new window about 10 miles away, unfortunately he was out shooting so we didn't see him. There were some sheep such as he paints in so many of his pictures grazing near the house & looking very blasé. I suppose they had posed for many a lovely moorland scene.

We left Glen Dye at 8.30 on Friday morning; I was very sorry to leave, it is a truly lovely place & we had a very happy time there. We took over eight hours to get from Glen Dye to Carr-Bridge where we now are staying with Cousin Con; we changed at Aberdeen & again at Craigellachie where we had to wait 2 1/2 hours, it is a very pretty place on the banks of the Spey; we came from there to Boat of Garten, a perfectly lovely journey all along Spey-side. At Boat of Garten we got a motor & motored over here (about 4 miles). Cousin Con has a very pretty cottage which she built herself on the banks of the river. She is very kind indeed. Hubert returned on Saturday, he is a nice boy & I believe very clever.

It is lovely country all round here, pinewoods and flat stretches of moorland and hills, in some ways it is very like Gulmarg in Kashmir except for the absence of snow mountains. The Cairn Gorms [ Cairngorms ] the highest range of mountains in Scotland are quite near, they are wonderful, a long line of great rugged mountains rising out of the plains and always with the most marvellous colourings. When we arrived they were green & pink with a beautiful sheen on them and to-day they were misty blue and purple.

On Saturday we went for a luncheon picnic with the Bishop of Ll somthing and his family who are staying here. We went along by the river & it was lovely. Yesterday we went to tea with the Maryon-Wilsons who have a beautiful place called Kinveachie [ Kinveachy ] ("the point of the birches") which is on a hill and looks straight across to the Cairn Gorms. To-day Daddie & I took our luncheon with us and went through a wood of splendid Scotch firs and climbed a hill & got a very fine view.

Shortie is much better and has gone back to Polmaise.

I had a very nice letter from Peggy when I was at North Berwick: she sailed for America on the 10^th

Wednesday October 12th 1921.

3 Buckingham Gate.Link opens in a new window

This really is too awful but there was no time for writing in Scotland because we were out all day long.

We didn't do very much the last day at Carr-Bridge because we were going out to tea and the car never came so we couldn't go which was rather a pity because they said the drive was lovely. We left on Wednesday and went to stay with the Porteouses near Laurencekirk; we went by Perth and all that country between Carr-Bridge and Perth was quite indescribably lovely, first wild lonely moorland with clouds drifting over the tops of the hills, then Glengarry and then the Pass of KilliecrankieLink opens in a new window which was quite marvellous with the turning leaves of the birch and rowan berry trees. The Porteouses live at Lauriston CastleLink opens in a new window which is a mile from the sea and about six miles from Laurencekirk; the country is rather uninteresting like most of the east coast but Lauriston itself is pretty and there are some very find red sandstone cliffs on the coast. Lilac and Simon were there and Phyllis and two Porteous Uncles; Colonel and Mrs Porteous are remarkably kind people & I loved being with Lilac though she and Simon were very much occupied with one another! I suppose newly married people usually are silly. I teased them quite unmercifully and we were all very merry; I like Simon most awfully & Lilac of course is a dear.

We went for a scrambling expedition on the seashore one day and saw the Castle of MathersLink opens in a new window built on the edge of a rocky craig by a Barclay ancestor of ours who boiled a Sheriff alive and some say subsequently ate him and for this was outlawed and forbidden to live on land or sea.

We left on Monday and went to dear MoniackLink opens in a new window to stay with the Frasers. Shortie met us at Perth, very cheerful and apparently quite well, she had been back to Polmaise and then to stay with her other "baby" Marjorie Hamilton. Moniack is seven miles beyond Inverness so we went through all that wonderful country again and then on the other side of Inverness saw the Ross-shire hills deep sapphire blue and the Moray Firth lying white and calm in front. Aunt AugustaLink opens in a new window and Phyllis and Charlie were alone at Moniack and it was ripping to be back there again. Phyllis went into Inverness to see the dentist on Tuesday and I drove the pony cart back from the station and Charlie came to meet me on his bicycle & broke the chain and had to do strange balancing tricks clinging onto the pony cart to get back. We went for a lovely walk on the moor on Wednesday and on Thursday I went fishing in the burn and caught seven fish and was thrilled! we had a tea picnic up at Rebeg taking the babies (David and Bobby) with us. On Friday we had a tea picnic to a vitrified fort about three miles away, it was at the top of the hill and we built a fire of sticks and boiled some horribly dirty burn water to make our tea and altogether had great fun. On Saturday poor Phyllis developed a fearful cold and took to her bed and remained there for some days. We went to tea with the Maxwells at Beauley [ Beauly ] that afternoon stopping on the way to look at Beaufort, Lord Lovat's place, an ugly house but beautiful grounds. The Maxwells are a delightful family, there are twelve of them, six boys & six girls, the oldest being thirty & the youngest four! Mary Maxwell the eldest girl is a ripper and I should very much like to know her.

We went to Church on Sunday morning and the Minister, Mr Macinnannon [ MacKinnon ] preached one of the most beautiful sermons I have ever heard.

Lady Southesk came for the night on Friday on her way up to Torridon.

Charlie was going shooting with a friend on Monday but it was so wet they weren't able to go so they went on the next day instead. He came fishing with me in the morning & the burn being in spate the fish were taking very well (worms!)

That afternoon we motored over to tea at a most lovely place called Eilean Aigas, it is an island in the Beauly about 3/4 of a mile long, the house is built on it and on each side is the river now thundering and roaring between tall grey cliffs and now making deep calm salmon pools which I longed to fish. The island is covered with beautiful trees and is altogether the most lovely place imaginable.

Poor dear Shortie got very ill again on Saturday night but this time the pain was different; the doctor came on Sunday and gave her morphine which made her very drosy and dizzy the next day but after that she got better.

Thursday October 13th 1921.

I fished most of the day on Tuesday and portions of the Maxwell family came to tea. Wednesday morning I fished & again in the afternoon and Mr Macinnon [ MacKinnon ] came to luncheon.

On Thursday Lady Encombe, Mrs Maxwell's sister, came to luncheon brining one of the Maxwell's with her, she is quite charming. I fished for the last time on Thursday; it really was perfectly lovely in the glen, the sides are very steep and covered with all kinds of trees mostly changing to beautiful autumn colouring, and at the bottom the burn tears along, sometimes only two or three feet wide where it forces it's way through rocky cliffs and then makes a foaming waterfall into a big black pool beneath. Phyllis and I went for a walk in the morning & to tea with some Americans who had taken a house close by. There was a glorious red sunset flaming over the hills and making them look on fire. We left on Saturday morning.

I did love being there because they are all three so interesting and broad minded and so much interested in what is going on. Charlie has a perfect passion for literature especially poetry, I love talking to him about it and he really does know an enormous lot especially about modern writers.

We motored into Inverness to get the train and bust a tyre on the way which was not an unmixed evil because it gave us time to stop and look at the view which was beyond all words lovely, in the foreground the Moray Firth and the irregular lines of hills with sudden misty hints of further hills in the far background; they were deep, deep blue with sudden patches of gold-brown where the sun struck them.

We went to Aberdeen by Elgin and Craigellachie and stayed the week-end in a hotel there.

Friday October 14th 1921.

We went to luncheon on Sunday with Professor and Mrs Baillie who are friends of Daddie's and live on Dee-side about 8 miles from Aberdeen, they are incidentally Kathleen's Uncle & Aunt & Kathleen and Mrs Corry were staying there, so Kathleen & I were able to have a good jaw wag! They went South as far as Crewe and then on to Wales on Monday and we were able to see them off as our train left 1/4 of an hour after their's. We came by North British leaving Aberdeen at 9.45 and arriving at King's Cross at 10.5. It was a wonderful journey, first thick mist then beautiful white misty sunshine on the Firth of Forth turning it into a silver sea with Edinburgh like a fairy city in the distance, then brilliant sunshine and a deep blue sea and red cliffs and bright green grass, then a lovely red sunset with grey mists, then York in half darkness with the station lights flaring then moonlight and oh! the thrill & excitment of tearing and thundering along in the Scottish express in the moonlight - if only we'd been going towards the border! but still imagination can do a good deal.

Daddie was met at King's Cross by a "Times" man with the news that a telegram had just come from Colonel Howard Bury saying they have found a possible way up Everest. The telegram was sent off from Phari in Tibet that morning & reached the "Times" office that same evening.

Mummy seems fairly well.

Lil was in London for the day on Tuesday and came to luncheon; Cecil came to tea & Uncle Leslie and Aunt Kathleen who have just got back from India, to dinner.

On Wednesday I went to tea with Miss Wolff, yesterday to with Margaret and to-day to luncheon with Margaret Adam. I'm going down to the Waldegraves for the week-end to-morrow.

It was very sad to leave Scotland and come back to rushing, restless London but Scotland seems so far away and unconnected with this that I don't feel very dismal.

I've started to make an anthology of poetry in a loose leaf book, I think it will be very interesting and copying them out is good for one in many ways.

Robin came to luncheon yesterday.

Charlie goes to Magdalene to-day. I wonder how he will like it all.

Friday October 28th 1921.

I went down to the Waldegraves on Saturday and stayed till Tuesday and had an awfully good time; the weather was lovely and they were all so nice. Betty has gone to Florence for six months to study singing.

I came up on Tuesday morning and went straight to Belgrave Square to see Alice and the twins who were in London. I stayed to luncheon with the twins and saw them splendidly (Alice went to luncheon with someone else) then Alice came back and picked up her luggage and went down to Wierton and I went to Charing Cross with the twins to see them off to St Leonards. Mummy fetched me and we went to see Margaret and then came home.

I went to the Club on Wednesday and Esther came to tea. On Thursday I went to luncheon with Kathleen and we spent the afternoon trying to get the "Daub and Scrawl" into some sort of shape and she came back to tea with me and we thumped heavily on the piano and sang songs.

Friday morning Shortie and I went to St Martin's for the Navy League service and Mr Sheppard preached. I went to luncheon with Marjorie Hamilton at the Empress Club, then shopped with Kathleen, then went to the Geographical where Daddie had Mr & Mrs Adam and Margaret and Sir Evan JamesLink opens in a new window to tea to show them the Everest photographs. On the way back we went to see Mrs Stanhope and Enid and Uncle Leslie came to dinner.

Mummy and Daddie went to the country for the day on Saturday to see Mrs Douglas. I did nothing except go to Day's and to see Miss Wolff.

We went to the 10.15 service at St Martin's on Sunday and stayed on for the next service. Kathleen was coming to see me in the afternoon but she couldn't, I was sitting here reading when they telephoned up to say a lady had called to see me and in a few minutes the door opened and in walked Alice! I really thought she was a ghost! She was with her sister at Hampstead for the week-end and thought it would be fun to suddenly appear without letting me know. Lady Mabelle Egerton & two Americans came to tea. I went up to St Martin's in the evening for a rehearsal of the voluntary choir which I am singing in at two meetings Mr Sheppard is getting up the week after next.

Margaret and her sister Cecil (Mrs Hunt) came to dinner.

Tuesday November 1st 1921.

On Monday (before last) Enid Stanhope came to luncheon, I shopped with Kathleen & Marjorie Hamilton came to tea and sang, she has the most wonderful voice and some great teacher has offered to train her for nothing if she will sing in opera. On Tuesday I went to the Club, Margaret Adam came to tea & Mrs Stanhope & Uncle Douglas to dinner. Wednesday I started music lessons with Miss Medd-Hall again; in the afternoon Kathleen and I went in the gallery to "The Co-optimists"Link opens in a new window an awfully good pierrot entertainmentLink opens in a new window with comic songs & serious songs & acting. I went back to tea with Kathleen. On Thursday Mummy & I went to Hilda de Bunsen's wedding to Captain Yerburgh at St Margaret's Westminster; the Church was packed

Kathleen & I went out together on Friday afternoon & Phyllis Moore came to tea. She is the girl I knew in Spa & shes awfully nice, they're in London for a few days on their way to Italy. On Saturday Daddie & I went down to Westerham to look at our house which we've nearly bought there. Its only about 2 minutes walk from the station yet the station is hidden & its not overlooked from anywhere; it has three sitting-rooms & eight bed-rooms & a dressing-room (which is to be my sitting-room) there are two acres of garden which more or less requires making but that will be fun. The house is ugly outside but I think we shall be able to make it pretty inside. The views are lovely. On Sunday morning I went to St Martin's on my own; Mr Sheppard preached a splendid sermon. We went again in the evening & Mr Sinclair the new curate preached a really very fine sermon. Margaret came to dinner.

Mummy, Shortie & Simpson went to look at the house yesterday. I remained indoors all day & Kathleen came to tea with me.

To-day I've been at the Club (most hectic) & to Day's Library. Lord NovarLink opens in a new window came to tea; he's very nice.

Monday November 7th 1921.

On Wednesday I had my music & singing lessons & then tore home & had luncheon & went off to sell programmes with Kathleen at a matinee of "Dear Brutus"Link opens in a new window by Barrie in aid of St Dunstan's.Link opens in a new window It is a most charming play. Kathleen came back to tea and we discussed the Universe in general. On Thursday I went to tea with Timmy O'Neill. On Friday morning Esther & I shopped together and she came back to luncheon and in the afternoon Mummy and Daddie and I went to an At Home given by Mr William Gillett at the Batchelor's Club;Link opens in a new window a really fearsome performance. In the evening I went to the Church House to be steward at the final dress rehearsal of the St Martin's PageantLink opens in a new window which they are giving six times this week. It has been written by Laurence HousmanLink opens in a new window and the music is by Gustav Holst,Link opens in a new window it is really beautiful. The beggar to whom Martin gives half of his cloak takes the Wayfarer and the Critic under it and they see the Spirit of Christ at work down the ages and the beggar explains it & answers the questions which the Wayfarer and the Critic ask. It is done in a series of tableaux some with speaking and movement and some quite still.

This week is the 200th anniversary of the building of St Martin's and they are having a great many things all through the week and also trying to raise £12,500 for the restoration of the Church.

I went out with Kathleen on Saturday morning, to music at St Martin's in the afternoon and Aunt Venetia came in the evening to stay for a few days.

We went to the 10.15 service at St Martin's yesterday and stayed for the 11.30. The Church was absolutely overflowing being the first day of Commemoration week and they had an overflow service in the Crypt. Mr Sheppard preached very well. He said the great thing was that we should pierce through the silence of Christ and find not the answer to our prayers but Him to Whom we prayed.

The King and Queen went to the Service for the People in the afternoon and when we went up about 4.15 to help in the canteen there was an enormous crowdLink opens in a new window all over the steps and along the road waiting for them to come out. We saw them most beautifully because they came down the stairs by the vestry from the royal box and we were the only people standing there. The queue for the 3.30 service must have been terrific, it started at 12.30 and at one time extended up to the Coliseum. They had a record number for tea in the canteen. We went to the evening service and Mr MatthewsLink opens in a new window preached his farewell sermon; he must be very sad at leaving.

Margaret came to dinner.

My dear Anne comes back to London to-day & I hope I shall see her to-morrow.

Monday November 14th 1921.

Lil came to London last Monday from Camberely [ Camberley ] where she had been for the week-end; she came here for luncheon and tea and we had a lovely time together. Kathleen, Margaret and I dined with Miss Leigh & went to the re-opening of the Geographical meetings where Daddie made a statement on the Mount Everest expedition.

Tuesday as usual I went to the Club and on from there to tea with Anne; it was heavenly to see her again after nearly five months & we had a long talk. I went to the Pageant that evening to act as steward; it was quite beautiful & went off without a hitch.

On Wednesday I had my music & singing lessons and Aunt Venetia & Kathleen came in the afternoon to a recital given by my singing mistress Miss Hall at Trinity College. I went to tea with Miss Wolff. There were several other girls there and it was very nice. I had my character & future told by Mrs Nightingale Miss Wolff's paying guest who really seemed to be wonderfully good at it. She told me I shall travel a great deal and be very interested in humanity & try to help it and I shall write, probably on philosophy, I shall always want to get to the bottom of things and am obstinate & have one great prejudice - this we couldn't discover because I can't think of anything in which I am prejudiced. I shall marry when I am 21 or 22 (she wasn't very certain about the date) several people are in love with me now (this is quite untrue) & I shall marry the right one & not say "yes" till I'm quite certain about it. This may possibly be amusing later on, other wise I should not record it.

I went to luncheon with Nina Seafield on Thursday and Anne spent the afternoon with me & stayed to tea.

Friday was Armistice DayLink opens in a new window and Shortie & I were in St Martin's for the Silence, and then for the Holy Communion service afterwards at which Mr Sheppard preached a beautiful sermon.

Kathleen, Daddie and I went to an exhibition of portraits at the R.A. in the afternoon. There was one most beautiful picture of a little child; "Miss Hope of Pinkie" by Hugh Riviere.Link opens in a new window We went to the St Martin's "Act of Remembrance" at the Central Hall at 6.30, I was singing in the choir. Mr Sheppard, Dr Gray and Mr Studdert-Kennedy spoke. They all spoke on the need of forgiving our enemies and the impossibility of war. Studdert-Kennedy was extremely good but he said the war had been no good at all and that the dead had died for nothing at all which, as a large part of the audience must have consisted of people who had lost people in the war seemed unnecessary not to say cruel. Mr Sheppard got up & said that he didn't want anyone to go home with that idea and that it needed their sacrafice to show us the absolute necessity of brotherhood and love.

On Saturday morning I went to see Kathleen and Anne came to luncheon and tea and we were able to have a through good argument.

Yesterday morning Daddie and I went to St Martin's and we all three went to luncheon with the Yates'; it was nice to see Lois again. I went to supper with Margaret and then on to the Coliseum where I was singing in the choir at the big St Martin's meeting. It was a most wonderful meeting; they had first pictures of scenes from the life of Christ shown on the screen with pieces of poetry in between and hymns which we sang; the band of the Welsh Guards played very softly all through and at one part Phyllis Lett sang "O Rest in the Lord" which was lovely. After the pictures Mr Sheppard came & spoke very simply entirely on Christ, he fairly surpassed himself and it was a wonderful thing to see one man standing alone on that great stage and holding spellbound an audience which filled that enormous theatre to overflowing. He said amongst other things that we must seek Christ entirely for Himself and lose ourselves and all thoughts of self. He had just got to the end of his address and smiled and said "well thats all" when he suddenly staggered back and nearly fell, someone pushed forward to him but he pushed them away and although he could scarcely stand or speak he gasped out "that you should believe in Christ our Saviour" then he let them almost carry him off the stage. It gave everyone a great shock but it was marvellous his refusal to go till he had finished, I think he just reached the climax of the long awful strain that this week and all the preparations for it must have been and that he was especially looking forward to this meeting; he got very excited in his address and it was fearfully hot and they say he was overcome by a sudden attack of giddiness. He came onto the stage again to give the blessing. In the evening paper it says he has quite recovered but is very tired.

Aunt Venetia & I went with Mummy to the Pantechnichon [ Pantechnicon ] this morning and Mummy has gone to Bath this afternoon to see about moving the things from there. Anne & I went in the afternoon to a matinee of "The Unseen" one of the Grand GuignolLink opens in a new window plays which was given for the benefit of the Society for Phsycical ResearchLink opens in a new window & which they sent Daddie a ticket for. It was rather a gruesome play but the acting of Sybil ThorndikeLink opens in a new window was quite wonderful. There was a heated discussion afterwards on the play and spiritualism generally by spiritualists & anti-spiritualists; it was most amusing.

Alice rang up on Friday: she was up for a night or two.

Saturday November 19th 1921.

I went to the Club on Tuesday and Daddie and I went to the flower show. Kathleen came to tea and Aunt Di suddenly appeared at tea-time; it was lovely to see her again because we hadn't seen her since they went abroad in the spring. She looks very well.

I went to see Alice directly after breakfast on Wednesday and we had a good talk. I went straight on to Trinity College from them. Aunt Venetia went home in the afternoon; it was awfully nice having her here. I went to tea with Kathleen and Daddie and I went to a concert at the Wigmore Hall in the evening for which Alice gave me tickets.

Kathleen and I went in the gallery to "The Burgomaster of Stilemonde"Link opens in a new window on Thursday afternoon. It is by Maeterlinck and Martin HarveyLink opens in a new window is the Burgomaster but I've seldom seen a more feeble play, full of sentimentality & descending to cheap melodrama at the end. I cannot think how Maeterlinck can have written it.

Yesterday I went to tea with Anne and she and Christina and I had a ripping argument. I do love those kind of talks; it was on "which is best Youth or Age?" Christina being Age & Anne & I Youth. We ended where we began but that was quite a detail.

Wednesday November 30th 1921.

On Saturday (the one before last) Daddie and I went down to Twickenham to see Sir Evan James and in the evening went in the gallery to "Abraham Lincoln"Link opens in a new window by John Drinkwater : it is a very fine play.

Directly after breakfast on Sunday I went round to Belgrave Square to see Alice and the twins. Daddie and I went down to Walton-on-Thames to have luncheon with Cecil and see her new house which she has made charming inside. I went to St Martin's in the evening and Margaret came to dinner and Mummy came back from Bath that evening. There was perfect pandemonium here on Monday with furniture being moved in and out. I went to see Kathleen early in the morning and then on to the Kleinworts and I went with them to an exhibition of portraitsLink opens in a new window at the Grafton Gallery and then back to luncheon with them. I went out with the twins in the afternoon and then went back and had tea with Lil in her studio and we roasted chestnuts over the fire and burned our fingers and swallowed a great many cinders.

On Tuesday I went to the Club and then went with Cousin Ruth and Joyce AnstrutherLink opens in a new window to a Lend-a-Hand Club lecture on Shakespeare. I went to tea with Anne and we had a most tremendous talk.

On Wednesday I had my music and singing lessons and tore off to St Martin's where I met Kathleen and we had luncheon at the canteen and then went to the Russian Ballet "The Sleeping Princess"Link opens in a new window in the gallery; we saw splendidly and it is charming. Nothing much happened on Thursday. On Friday morning I went to Days and met Aunt Bobs on the way and she was very nice. Anne came to see me in the afternoon and Lil came to tea. On Saturday afternoon I went with Kathleen and two cousins and another man to a football match Sandhurst v Woolwich at Queen's : I'd never been to one before, it was rather fun tho' I don't know the rules of the game! We went to tea with Uncle Douglas and Aunt Aimée and saw Rosemary who is such a dear little thing. I dined with Uncle Eric and Aunt Mabel and we & a boy from Sandhurst went to "A to Z" a revue and amusing in parts.

On Sunday Shortie and I went to St Martin's at 10.15. I met Anne afterwards and she and I went to Westminster Cathedral, it was the first Roman Catholic service I'd ever been to, there is somthing very beautiful and attractive about them. We went to luncheon with the Buxtons in Eaton Place. Lucy Buxton is engaged to Count BentinckLink opens in a new window who is in the diplomatic.

The painters came in on Monday so the pandemonium is well nigh complete, they are in the dining-room and drawing-room and we are practically living in my bed-room. I met Cecil at her club on Monday morning and we went to Harvey Nichols and had luncheon there and chose some patterns of cretonnesLink opens in a new window to bring back & show Mummy for chair covers here. I tore back to see Anne who was coming here and Cecil followed after. I went to tea with Kathleen. Mummy & I went to dinner with Lady Kintore and we all went to an R.G.S reception at Lowther Lodge; Aunt Augusta (who is in London for a week) and Alice & the twins came too.

I did nothing much yesterday except to go to tea with the Kleinworts. To-day I had my music lesson & in the afternoon went to the annual meeting of a society which looks after working girls with Margaret Adam.

Saturday Dec: 17th 1921.

On the Thursday I went down to Ashtead and stayed till Tuesday; Uncle Claude and Aunt Di were fearfully kind and I enjoyed it enormously. I came up on Tuesday to find absolute pandemonium; painters everywhere and the whole place smelling of paint. I went to Trinity College on the Wednesday and Daddie and I went to luncheon with Cousin Nell and then I went to spend the afternoon with Kathleen and have tea with her and we had a good gossip. On Thursday morning I went out with Anne, in the afternoon to tea with the Kleinworts and in the evening to dinner with Cousin Nell to meet Cousin Maud and Margaret who were staying there. On Friday morning I went shopping with Daisy and in the afternoon went to stay with Kathleen for the week-end, Mrs Corry having been extremely kind and asked me as things were so difficult here; it was great fun and I enjoyed it hugely. I went out with Anne on Saturday morning and in the afternoon Kathleen & I went to a children's party at Wimbledon.Link opens in a new window

Sunday Dec: 18th 1921.

Last Sunday Anne and I went to Mass at Westminster Cathedral, it was very impressive and the singing beautiful but we lost our places hopelessly and it was a great relief to go on to St Martin's where one knew exactly what to say and do. I came to tea at the flat to see Mummy who got back from Bath on Saturday night. Kathleen and I spent some time in the evening trying to design an evening dress out of some stuff she had bought. We shopped together all Monday morning and finally parted in Regent Street. I went to luncheon with Margaret Adam who had an extremely nice girl's luncheon party including amongst others Esther and Anne. I went to tea with Esther (she was in London for a few days) to meet Margaret and the Schroeders. I dined with Mrs Corry and we went on to an R.G.S reception; there were heaps of people I knew there and Esther, Margaret, Phyllis Porteous and I went round together and had great fun.

I stayed with Miss Wolff from Monday till Thursday (Daddie had already been there for some time). On Tuesday I went to the Club and to tea with Cousin Ruth who took me to Mystery Play got up by St Peter's Eaton Square and beautifully done by children. I went to Lady Seafield's dance in the evening with Mr De Graz as my partner; it wasn't very exciting as they did no introducing and we neither of us knew anyone there. I shopped with Lil on Wednesday morning and Kathleen and I had luncheon at the new rooms at St Martin's and then went to the Coliseum where they had the most wonderfully lovely dancing I have ever seen, the dancer had bare feet and wore light floating draperies, the stage was in darkness and then changing opalesque lightsLink opens in a new window were played on them as they danced! Kathleen and I simply clutched each other's hands and gasped it was so beautiful. I went to tea with Miss Buxton arriving at nearly 6!

Esther and I shopped together all Thursday morning and I went back to luncheon with her and then had a singing lesson, then collected my things from Miss Wolff's and came back here dead tired for a rest before dining and dancing at the Kleinworts. They had a dinner party of twenty four and more people came in afterwards to dance, there were, of course, heaps of my friends there and it was the greatest fun. Kathleen and I brought each other home in a condition of extreme drowsiness. I went to St Martin's on Friday to hear Studdert-Kennedy who spoke extraordinarily well. Cecil and Peter came after tea. I went to Barbara's dance in the evening. Alice and Lil went too and took me and brought me back; there were a good many people there who had been at their dance the night before and I enjoyed it greatly.

Yesterday morning I went out with Lil and in the afternoon went to meet Anne and she came back to tea here and we had a good long talk. Mummy and I went to dinner with Uncle Douglas and Aunt Aimee to meet Aunt Clare and Uncle Barney who have come over from Ireland after ten years. I woke this morning covered with a fearful rash which we thought was measles or somthing infectious (a most cheering thought) but when the doctor came he said it was only nettle rash and its beginning to go now, however I've been in bed all day.

Christmas Eve Saturday 1921.

I stayed indoors all day Monday and Kathleen spent the morning with me.

On Tuesday I flung descrition to the winds and myself into a 'bus and sallied forth. Lil came to tea and in the evening Mummy and I went to the big Everest meeting at the Queen's Hall; the slides were wonderful, things seemed so much clearer than in the photographsLink opens in a new window and to stand out more. Daddie spoke and Professor Norman CollieLink opens in a new window the President of the Alpine Club spoke and Colonel Howard Bury the head of the expedition and Mr Mallory leader of the climbing party gave most interesting accounts of the expedition and altogether it was a great success.

Shortie and I had luncheon about five minutes after breakfast on Wednesday and then went Christmas shopping and went at it hard till the afternoon when I went to see Anne who had the second operation to her nose on Tuesday, she was in bed of course but seemed very cheerful and we talked our heads off.

On Thursday I shopped with Lil (and bought one thing!) and in the afternoon shopped with Shortie and went to tea with Kathleen, alas to say good-bye to her because she went away yesterday for about three weeks so we shall probably be gone when she gets back. Dear old Kathleen! she is nice.

Yesterday I again had breakfast and luncheon in rapid succession and went off shopping then to St Martin's at 1.25 to hear Studdert-Kennedy who was marvellous; Shortie met me there & we set off on a career of concentrated shop. I went to tea with the Kleinworts, who were charming, returned to bed and felt considerably better by the morning and again set out shopping and parcel dropping.

We went to tea with Mrs Porteous this afternoon. Lilac and Simon were there, being in London for Christmas, and seemed very well and cheerful.

I can't believe that it will be Christmas Day to-morrow, it's come with such a rush. My pile of parcels is growing and I've got 24 sitting looking at me now, the contents of which I shall know this time to-morrow night. My presents to other people this Christmas consist of :- Mary Meade bangle; Kathleen little painted wooden birds; Margaret ditto; Phyllis "Bonnie Joann"Link opens in a new window Violet Jacobs new book of poems; Daisy painted parrot on stand; Lil china baby chicken; Alice "All Things Considered"Link opens in a new window Chesterton; Anne "On Somthing"Link opens in a new window Hilaire Belloc and Padraic Pearse's "Poems";Link opens in a new window Mummy "Les Silences du Colonel Bramble";Link opens in a new window Daddie pocket book; Shortie scent. Mrs Idie is going to have her presents when she comes up next week.

Saturday December 31st 1921.

We went to Church on Sunday morning at St Martin's; poor Mr Sheppard is still away ill. I opened my presents after luncheon, I had over thirty presents this year and some awfully nice ones. Mummy gave me a necklace of gold beads; Daddie a photographic colouring outfit and "An Anthology of Modern Verse";Link opens in a new window Shortie three books by Chesterton ("Charles Dickens",Link opens in a new window "All Things Considered"Link opens in a new window and Tremendous Trifles"Link opens in a new window); Uncle Romer and Aunt Alys a treasury note case; Cousin Nell a big black sash with flame coloured roses on it; Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine a hair wreath; Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs a pink sports coat; Anne, Joan and Anthony a jewel case; the Twins a scarlet leather handbag; Alice a leather vanity case; Mr Wilton a beautiful little ermine cape; Kathleen two pencils; Lady Barrington the "Stratford-on-Avon" edition of Shakespeare's sonnets;Link opens in a new window Miss Wolff Swinburne's "Poems of Childhood"Link opens in a new window illustrated by Rackham, a book of quotations from Blake and a beautiful edition of Browning; Lady Kintore a box of chocolates; Phyllis Padraic Pearse'sLink opens in a new window Poems; Anne a French book; Nina Melville a powder box; Lilac a handkerchief; Margaret a needle-case; Aunt Violet a handkerchief; Cecil a paste comb for my hair in the evening; Sir David Prain "Memoirs of Canon Ellacombe";Link opens in a new window Mary Meade handkerchieves; Mr Ward-Cook a little bag for the evening and Laurie a photograph of himself.

I went out with Lil on Monday morning but otherwise did nothing much. On Tuesday morning I went to see Alice and Anne came to tea. Wednesday I spent in bed with a cold. Lilac and Simon came to see me on Thursday afternoon. Yesterday morning I shopped with Anne and in the afternoon went to tea with the Kleinworts and Anne was there too.

This morning Anne and I went saleing;Link opens in a new window she got a hat at RedfernLink opens in a new window and I got a frock at Pacquin;Link opens in a new window its navy blue serge and pink at the top with green embroidery (sounds awful but is really quite pretty) it was reduced to 8 guineas from 38! Lil came to tea this afternoon.

Its my birthday to-morrow and I'm going to be 20, terrible age!

Thursday January 12th 1922.

Sunday before last, as I said before, was my birthday. We went to St Martin's in the morning and after luncheon I had my presents they were – two bead necklaces a bead bag and a cheque for £15 from Mummy; Daddie, a bag and his new book "The Heart of Nature";Link opens in a new window Mrs Short & Mrs Idie a pair of fur lined gloves; Aunt Venetia a box of sweets; Miss Wolff two books on flowers; Lil and Daisy a bead chain; Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs a pink stone chain; Anne, Joan and Anthony, a folding leather photograph frame. I went with Cousin Ruth to hear carols at St Peter's in the afternoon. Miss Buxton and Nina Melville came to tea (I quite forgot to say that I dined with Nina and Mrs Melville on Friday and went to "The Truth about Blayds"Link opens in a new window by A.A. Milne).

Lil and I went out for a walk on Monday morning and in the afternoon Shortie and I went to the salesLink opens in a new window but I don't think we accomplished much. Nothing much happened on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning we again went saleing with greater success. Uncle Claude came to luncheon and he and I went to Anne, Joan & Anthony's Christmas party; it was a big party and they had an enormous Christmas tree and everyone got presents, mine was three pairs of silk hole-proof stockings.

On Thursday we saled again and I went to luncheon with Anne and spent the afternoon with her and she came to tea with me. We're going to write a novel together!

Daddie gave a lecture for young people at the Aeolian Hall on Mt Everest on Friday afternoon for the R.G.S. It was very good and he had beautiful slides. I had tea tête-à-tête with Lil.

I went down to Warren Lodge on Saturday morning and came back yesterday. Mrs Waldegrave, Esther and John were there and I enjoyed it enormously.

I went to tea with Cousin Ruth yesterday afternoon and we went to a Mystery Play by Laurence Housman at St Peter's; it was beautifully done.

Aunt Lil came this morning and Uncle Holly to tea. I've been more or less in a state of status quo all day with a splitting headache.

Mrs Idie and Joffie came up from Bath about a fortnight ago; the latter recognized me immediately and he hadn't seen me for two years.

Wednesday January 25th 1922.

On Friday (before last) I went to see Anne in the morning. She and I are writing a novel together so we did some of that. Cecil came to luncheon.

On Saturday Daddie and I went down to see how the cottage was getting on and took Joffie down with us to deposit with Mrs Idie who is staying there. Mummy had gone down the day before for the night. It was beginning to look extremely nice; they have got most of the furniture in but it wasn't properly sorted. My rooms look awfully nice; the bed-room has been painted golden yellow and the sitting room very pale yellow.

I went to St Martin's on Sunday morning and spent the afternoon with Anne and had tea with her.

On Monday morning I went out with Lil and in the afternoon Daddie & I went to the exhibition of Mt Everest photographs at the Alpine Club Gallery; some of them were lovely. I had a bun fight consisting of Margaret Adam, Phyllis Porteous and Barbara Bentinck.

On Tuesday I went to the Club & they greeted me with great enthusiasm being very short of helpers & not sure whether I was coming or not. Kathleen returned to London on Monday to my great joy and she met me at the Club and came back here to tea. It was great fun to see her again. Ruth Anderson who is Aunt Violet's sister and sub-editoress of "Vogue" came in the evening.

I think I either shopped or else went out with Lil on Wednesday morning. Anne came to tea.

Uncle Claude came to luncheon on Thursday and stayed to tea. Miss Buxton also came to tea and Miss Baker whom we made friends with at St Martin's.

Friday consisted almost wholly of shopping and a visit to the dress-maker.

Kathleen & I tore round London on Saturday morning and I went with Daddie in the afternoon to exhibition of paintingsLink opens in a new window by deceased members of the R.A and then to tea with Lil and Daisy.

On Sunday morning I went to St Martin's and Daddie came to fetch me back because there was a terrible fog & he was afraid I should get lost. We came back by Whitehall and Birdcage Walk; it was so bad that you couldn't see things three yards away and people were quite invisible till you knocked into them; all traffic stopped. In the afternoon it got better and I went to see Lil and had tea with her.

On Monday morning we shopped. I went and spent the afternoon with Anne and had tea with them; she had been in bed for some days with a bad cold.

Yesterday I went to the Club and then with Cousin Ruth to an extremely good lecture on Palestine and our rule there of which the lady gave a very gloomy account. I dined with the Eckstein's, a party of about 12 and very nice.

Shortie and I shopped this morning and I got a carpet and cretonne for curtains and curtain lining for my sitting-room all for £3.5s - the advantage of a small room! This afternoon Cousin Ruth took me to the gallery of St Paul's Cathedral to hear the oratorio of "St Paul"; it was too beautiful for words and there was one boy with a most marvellous voice.

The PopeLink opens in a new window died of pneumonia on the 22nd after a very short illness and Lord BryceLink opens in a new window has also just died.

Monday January 30th 1922.

On Thursday morning I shopped and then went to see Lil. After luncheon I went to the dressmaker; then to spend the afternoon with Kathleen; then to tea with Miss Buxton and then back to Kathleen.

On Friday I went to luncheon with AlannahLink opens in a new window three other girls there, all smart and more or less terrifying. I went from there to see Lil and found Alice radiant having just got back from Holland and having had a glorious time there. Shortie and I went to tea with Miss Baker at the Ladies' Army and Navy Club. Wolfie came in the evening.

Saturday morning we shopped. Kathleen came to tea.

Yesterday morning we went to St Martin's. Mr Sheppard was back after being away for two months with a nervous breakdown. He preached splendidly and the Church was packed but he still looks very ill. Margaret came to tea and she and I went to the evening service at the Abbey.

To-day has been a day of agitations and great surprises. About 9 o'c we got a telegram from Mrs Idie at Westerham "Am ill; have sent for doctor. Please come"; Mummy was very agitated and got hold of Sir John BroadbentLink opens in a new window who motored her down there in his car. She came back with him about two o'c and says it is an acute attack of sciatic rheumatism and they injected morphia. She has gone down there this evening to stay the night.

I went round to Belgrave Square after breakfast to see Lil in bed (she has had a cold and gets up late), I was waiting in the morning-room while the doctor saw her when Alice came in, took my wrists and said, "I've got somthing awful to tell you, really awful"; I laughed and said "what is it?" thinking she was teasing me and was going to say I couldn't see Lil or someone else had got a cold or somthing like that. We were both laughing and she kept saying "hold on tight, don't lose your breath" and things like that, we went on for some time in this way and at last I noticed that her cheeks were scarlet and the possibility of what it might be began to dawn in my mind and I said, "tell me, what is it?", she said, "its Paul!" and then I called her a little devil and we kissed each other a great many times and the only thing I could do was to call her a little devil and kiss her very hard because my breath was altogether gone. It is Paul – Paul Bridgeman whom I have met a good deal and like very much; he is one mass of theories but I don't think Alice is very likely to be "took that way". He has got one of the most charming faces I have ever seen - as Lil says he looks as if he'd been dropped from heaven in a band box! I only hope hes as nice as his face – anyway he is an excessively lucky man to get Alice.Link opens in a new window She has known him for about a couple of years and always liked him very much and apparently he always thought a good deal about her and wanted to marry her but had nothing to offer her and so did not propose. He had intended to wait another couple of years but just before Christmas he saw she had a good many friends and began to think he might loose her (he very nearly did last year too) so about three weeks ago he did the deed; she wouldn't give him a definite answer till she came back from Holland and on Saturday he came and did it again and she said she would (she says she said "yes" because it was so much simpler than saying "no!). Most of this was told me by an excited and wildly hilarious Lil; she is terrificly happy about it and very pleased with her new brother-in-law. It is a secret till the end of this week or the beginning of next but the strain of keeping the secret is almost too much for me; I've been bubbling and gurgling all day long, I'm so tremendously happy about it; I did so much want her to be engaged and to marry someone really nice and I think he is nice.

I went and practised at Miss Wolff's this afternoon and then went to see Kathleen who was in bed with a cold.

Wednesday Feb: 1st 1922.

Yesterday morning I went to see Anne and we walked in the Botanical Gardens which really did look rather lovely and countryfied in the sunshine. I went to tea at Belgrave Square. Kathleen and Alannah and several other people were there. Alice was having tea with her "mother-in-law elect" but she came back right at the end when almost everyone had left, absolutely incoherent and unable to talk sense with joy. She and I went off together and had a glorious few minutes, she trying to explain how happy she is and I how glad I am. It is heavenly to see her quite off her head with happiness because one always felt before that it was only more or less on the surface.

Kathleen and I walked back together bubbling and busting with it (they'd told her in strict secrecy) and unable to do anything but say "isn't it lovely?" "I am so glad about it", "oh I'm so happy" and so on. It finally ended in my going back to dinner with Kathleen and our making very foolish remarks which had a deep hidden meaning, in front of Mrs Corry and then going off into shrieks of laughter when we thought of Alice and Paul and our own extreme funniness.

I went to luncheon with Mrs Bouverie to-day (she is the nice lady whom I met staying with the Waldegraves) and in the afternoon we went to see an artist, Miss Sibyl [ Sybil ] Ashmore and her studio; she does charming water-colour pictures and portraitsLink opens in a new window and manages to express more in a few lines than almost anyone I have ever seen.

Mrs Idie is going on well I'm glad to say.

Wednesday February 15th 1922.

A fortnight appears to have elapsed with lightening-like rapidity since I wrote my diary and I have, on the whole, little or no idea of what has taken place in the interval.

I know that Kathleen entered into the scheme of things somehow on the Thursday before last - yes, I remember - Laurie had an hour or two to spend in London on his way to Sandhurst and I met him at Charing Cross and we went and had luncheon at the Florence and then I saw him off at Waterloo. Kathleen came to see me in the afternoon and Herminie Eckstein came to tea and was remarkably nice. Friday as far as I can remember, was a void till I went with Lil to a Bevan bun worry in the afternoon. At the end when everyone had left except Lil, Kathleen, Alannah and Barbara we started having a debate and all got very heated and excited and I think that sudden idea is going to be the beginning of a regular debating society. Daddie gave a lecture at the Royal Institution on Mount Everest that evening; the slides were quite beautiful.

I went to see Alice at the screech of dawn on Saturday morning and heard some more about the great event. Anne spent the morning with me and stayed to luncheon. Kathleen and a youth and I went to "She Stoops to Conquer";Link opens in a new window it was extremely well acted. I went to an At Home - terrible performance – of Lady Whitehead's and then back to Kathleen's.

On Sunday morning Anne and I went to low mass at Westminster Cathedral. Kathleen came to see me in the afternoon; I went to help at the canteen at tea-time and then to the evening service at St. Martin's where Mr Sheppard preached a beautiful sermon on love.

On Monday I went to tea with Miss Gartside and then on to tea with Lois, Kathleen was there and we came back together.

Tuesday I went to the Club and Mummy and I went to tea with Aunt Lil.

Wednesday morning I spent with Anne, it was a divine day and we went into the Botanical Gardens and discovered two swings there and swung on them. Kathleen, Daddie and I went to an exhibition of Cecil Hunt'sLink opens in a new window (the man who was to have gone with the Everest expedition) pictures after luncheon and then she and I went onto another exhibition and after that I went to tea with Barbara and Esther was there.

Kathleen and I went to the R.G.S on Thursday morning and she did a sketch of Everest from a photograph. In the afternoon we met again - in fact we've met fairly frequently lately!

Friday morning I went for a walk with Lois and after luncheon went to see Peggy who got back from America on Wednesday having been away six months. It was splendid to see her again; she had a lovely time but is glad to be back here again, she isn't at all changed. I went to tea with Kathleen, Lil and Daisy and Anne Talbot were there and we continued the debate.

On Saturday morning I went to see Peggy again and we dashed round and shopped. In the afternoon Lil and I went to a thé dansant which the Bevans gave for the attachés at the German embassy. That evening I dined with the Buxtons at Claridges, a party given for their nephew Egbert Barnes, and we danced afterwards and it was ripping. Anne was in our party and Alice and Paul, Lil, Mrs Renner and two other men came there to dance after the theatre and they brought me home.

I went to St Martin's on Sunday. Mr Sheppard preached a splendid sermon on "the lost radiance of Christianity". Kathleen and I went for a wild walk in the afternoon.

I went to tea at Belgrave Square and saw Alice and Paul for a minute or two and had a long conference with Lil and Daisy on the debating society.

On Monday morning I went to see Peggy. Daddie took me to a very good exhibition of nature photographs after luncheon and I went to tea with Margaret Adam.

Nothing in particular except Club happened yesterday.

This morning I spent with Anne. I am most fearfully sorry for them poor things; a cousin of their'sLink opens in a new window was the chairman of the Equitable Insurance Company which has just smashed up,Link opens in a new window he was also their broker and they have just discovered that he put all their money into bad companies and they are broke. It is awfully hard for them poor dears.

Kathleen and I went to John Galsworthy's play "Justice"Link opens in a new window this afternoon. It is a wonderful play and intensely gloomy.

Sunday February 19th 1922.

On Thursday I went to luncheon with Peggy and spent the afternoon with her; came back here for tea and went to see Kathleen after tea.

Friday morning I shopped with Daisy and in the afternoon went to see Miss Wolff and then to have tea with Aunt Bobs; they were all frightfully nice and the children most hilarious; Anthony who is three is very big and strong with rosy apple cheeks and a wicked grin. Aunt Bobs gave me a very pretty coffee-coloured georgette afternoon frock which she had bought for me and two photographs of the children.

Yesterday morning being quite glorious Kathleen and I went down to Ranelagh and she sketched. Anne came in the afternoon and we went in the park and there met Kathleen (by a fluke) and all went to tea with Lil and Daisy. Cecily Hambro was there too and we continued the debating. We became very noisy and were all, more or less, in slightly ruffled tempers by the end of it.

I went to St Martin's this morning. Mr Sheppard preached a continuation of his sermon last Sunday; he said we (the Church) thought of man as a half-tamed being who must be broken in and surpressed and made to do unnatural things before he could be made good, whereas the Master taught that men should break out. He trusted man and believed that he wanted light and more and more light and that the moral code would take care of itself when that need was satisfied. His only weapon was love and our only weapon ought to be love and if it was we should be the strongest and most invincable society that had ever been seen on the face of the earth.

Anne came this afternoon but wasn't able to stay long.

Mrs Idie is going on well.

Friday March 3rd 1922

On Monday morning I went out shopping with Lil. Then to luncheon with Cecil at her club and to tea with Mrs and Miss Whitley (the Speaker's wife and daughter) who are both nice. Kathleen came to see me after tea and in the evening Lois and I went to a lecture at the R.G.S by the naturalistLink opens in a new window of the Mount Everest expedition.

On Tuesday I went to the Club. Margaret Adam came to tea and I dined with them that evening.

On Wednesday morning I went out with Anne - and to tea with with Kathleen in the afternoon; Cicely Hambro and Katta Donaldson were there.

On Thursday morning I went to see Margaret and Mrs Adam off to Paris. Directly after luncheon Daddie and I went to see one of the Everest people off and then went to Sinclair in the Haymarket to see the cinema apparatusLink opens in a new window which is going with them. It is a wonderful instrument and cost £700.

Kathleen came to tea and we went to a lecture by John DrinkwaterLink opens in a new window on "The English Anthology". Mummy and I went to Lady Whitehead's dance that evening with Charles des Graz as my partner; it was quite fun.

Esther came in for a few minutes on Friday morning. Peggy came to tea and was here for some time. Margaret came for high tea and we went to the Chaliapine [ Chaliapin ]Link opens in a new window concert at the Albert Hall. He has a most wonderful voiceLink opens in a new window which filled the Albert Hall and then it seemed as though he was holding it back. There was wild enthusiasm and a great deal of encoring but he refused to give any encores because he had a slight cold. People wouldn't go at the end and he kept coming on again and again and shaking hands with people.

I went out shopping with Peggy on Saturday morning. In the afternoon Shortie and I went to the Guild of Fellowship quarterly meeting. Mr Sheppard was most amusing and awfully nice.

On Sunday morning we went to St Martin's and Mr Sheppard preached. I went to luncheon with the Whiteheads and spent the afternoon with Kathleen, then set forth to go to tea with Esther in Cadogen [ Cadogan ] Street, failed to find the street and returned home extremely damp.

On Monday morning I dashed round collecting garments to wear at Princess Mary's wedding which was on Tuesday. The debating society met at Kathleen's house in the afternoon. We read and discussed one of Clutton Brock's "Essays on Art"Link opens in a new window and it really went very well. I dined with Kathleen that evening and we and Lil went to Lois' dance. It was an extremely good dance and I enjoyed it greatly.

Monday March 6th 1922

We were sent two tickets for the Abbey for Princess Mary's WeddingLink opens in a new window with Lord Lascelles and Mummy gave her ticket to me. Uncle Douglas also very kindly sent a ticket for Shortie who was wild with joy. We started about 10.15; our taxi wriggled through the back streets of Westminster so we avoided blocks and then when we reached the Abbey with great presence of mind he cut into the queue which stretched right down Victoria Street so we got there without any difficulty at all. There were immense crowds outside the Abbey and the whole place was decorated with flags. Stands had been erected all along the nave of the Abbey and we had very good seats at the far end and could see splendidly. It was very amusing seeing all the people coming in and watching the efforts of the amateur steward to find people's places. There were gorgeous clothes and uniforms and it was really beautiful with the sun coming through the stained glass windows onto the scarlet carpet and the scarlet of the men's uniforms and all the colours of the ladies dresses. The service began at 11.30. All the royalties came first in a procession, then Princess Mary, looking very smiling, and the King, then the clergy who really looked wonderful in their embroidered copes. We couldn't see anything of the service because of the screen but we could hear quite well. LascellesLink opens in a new window looked very hang dog coming down the aisle, I suppose it was difficult for him not being a royalty to know what to do. We got out quite easily and walked home.

We went to the flower show directly after luncheon and then to see the presents which were on view at St. James'es Palace. I never saw such a collection, there were thousands and everything one can think of. We went to tea with Aunt Mabel to see Barbara and Cousin Florrie who were up for the wedding. Aunt Mabel had two spare tickets for "Bull Dog Drummond"Link opens in a new window that night and Daddie and I went with them to it. It is a terrific blood and thunder play and awfully good. I was reduced to a grease spot by the end of that day, however I slept till 11.10 the next morning and felt better. I was due at Anne's at 11 but didn't get there till 12.30, then I tore off to luncheon with Peggy and we went to see "A to Z"Link opens in a new window which is an amusing show.

On Thursday morning we went with Mr Rowett to the memorial service for Sir Ernest ShackletonLink opens in a new window at St. Paul's Cathedral. Daddie had made most of the arrangements for it and it was a beautiful service. Lil came to tea.

Friday morning I went to see Anne and Esther came to luncheon. Shortie and I went to hear Mr Sheppard speak at St Martin's in the evening.

Kathleen and I were going down to Ashtead for the day on Saturday but it poured so we couldn't go. She came to luncheon here and after luncheon we went to sleep and slept till half past three, then we went out and wandered aimlessly up the Mall and had hot chocolate and buns at Appenrodts and then feeling slightly better wandered back to Sloane Gardens and Kathleen painted and our tempers became even more uncertain than before and that was "the end of a perfect day".

Yesterday morning I went to St Martin's and Mr Sheppard preached. I went to a little luncheon party at the Sligos, it was very nice and Lady Sligo is charming. I came back here and picked up Daddie and he and I went to Marlborough House to see Sir Dighton Probyn; he is 89 and a wonderful old gentleman. He showed us a letter he had just had from Princess Mary thanking him and the staff of "Grannie's household" for their present and saying she was so sorry he couldn't go to her wedding but she had seen him on the wall of Marlborough House as she drove back; she ended up "with love, dear Sir Dighton, your affectionate friend Mary".

I went to tea at Belgrave Square and saw Alice and Paul. From there I went to Egerton Gardens to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di who were staying with the Hoares and the latter very kindly asked me to stay to dinner.

I have been with Anne this morning.

Thursday March 30th 1922.

I have little or no idea of what has happened in this interval.

On the Tuesday after I left off writing I went to luncheon with Uncle Vesey at the Guard's Club and he took me to a charity matinée of "Bull-Dog Drummond". That evening I dined with the Eustace Hills, a party of ten and we went to her sister Mrs James' dance, it was tremendous fun.

On Wednesday morning I went to see Kathleen before she went away to the country for a week; then on to see Lil and we went out shopping. I think Peggy came to tea. In the evening I went to sell programmes at the St Martin's Pageant at the Church House Westminster. It was a really lovely thing - the same one that they had in the autumn reproduced for a fortnight.

I was going to Ashtead for the day on Thursday, in the end I didn't go and did nothing much except to pay a few calls in the afternoon, I rather think that Peggy and I did somthing on Friday but I have no very clear recollection.

Saturday is a complete blank – oh no it isn't! Anne came to spend the day; she came to luncheon and we sat in the park in the afternoon and then went to tea with Lil.

On Sunday we all three went down to Wimbledon to have luncheon with the Luling's; they are so nice. It was a wonderful day and Wimbledon was crawling with people. We went to see Lady Barrington after luncheon; she is as amusing as ever. Then we came back to London and went to tea with the Kleinworts.

I think I shopped with the twins on Monday morning. In the evening I went to the Pageant again.

I went to the Club on Tuesday and Daddie and I went to the flower show in the afternoon.

On Wednesday morning I went to see Anne. Lil and Daisy, Eve Ferguson-Davie and Judy Whitbread came to tea.

Daddie and I went down to Kew on Thursday morning. It was a dull day but the daffodils were out and looked lovely. I went to a bun worry at Bettine Maryon-Wilson's and in the evening to the Pageant for the last time.

Kathleen came to see me on Friday morning and I went down to Westerham for the night by the 12.15 train. Mrs Idie is still in bed and only able to walk a few steps with someone to prop her up. Everything is still in a great muddle down there. I came up on Saturday morning and went to luncheon at Belgrave Square and Lil and Daisy and the German cousin who was staying with them and I went to "The Bat"Link opens in a new window a thrilling murder mystery play. I went back to tea with them.

On Sunday morning I went to St Martin's and Mr Sheppard preached. I went to luncheon with the Jameses (the people who gave the dance the other day), they are so nice. I went on from there to see Peggy and then went to tea with the Kleinworts. Lil and Daisy went to St Leonards the next day.

I went to see Anne on Monday morning and in the evening dined with the Ecksteins and we went and danced at Ciro'sLink opens in a new window which was most amusing.

I went to the Club on Tuesday and then went with Cousin Ruth to a Lend-a-hand Club lecture by Edith SitwellLink opens in a new window on "Ultra-Modern Poetry", it was extremely good and very interesting though honestly I can't make head nor tail of ultra modern poetry.

I went to the Bentinck's dance that evening with Edward Boosey, Lil's friend, as my partner. Peggy and Rowly were there.

Kathleen and I went to the memorial exhibition of Shepperson'sLink opens in a new window drawings and painting on Wednesday afternoon; some of them were perfectly delightful. She came back to tea here.

Thursday I did nothing except to go and have tea with Peggy.

On Friday morning I went for a walk with Lois and went and did a little shopping in the afternoon and Cecil came to tea.

I went to luncheon and tea with Anne on Saturday. We had a picnic luncheon in the Botanical Gardens and gardened in their garden in the afternoon and after tea we talked.

Anne and I went to Mass at St Jameses, Spanish Place on Sunday morning and then to luncheon with Peggy; I stayed on to tea with Peggy and we had a most splendid talk.

Miss Wolff came to see us on Monday afternoon. I went to tea with Phyllis Porteous. Dorea Stanhope gave a dance that evening to which I went with Mr Greathed a nice youth whom I met at the Hills' as my partner. It was a jolly good dance; I was brought home by Grisel Hay; we were 7 inside the motor and when ever we arrived at anyone's destination we all giggled so much that we couldn't move.

Tuesday I went to the Club, then to the flower show then to tea with Peggy. They had Lord Leigh's car for the day and we went round shopping in it and felt very grand.

Yesterday morning I went to see Anne. I had a small bun fight in the afternoon consisting of Barbara, Enid Stanhope, Margaret Adam, Nina James and Joyce Banks.

Mummy and Daddie, Kathleen, two men (Captain Whiteford and Arthur Proctor) and I dined with the Eckstein's and afterwards Herminie and her partner and Daddie went to the Duchess of Somerset's dance and Kathleen and the two other men and I went to the Goldman's dance in South Street. It was a great squash but enormous fun and we stayed till it ended at 3 o'c.

Lois and I went to the National Gallery this morning. Some of the pictures really are quite lovely.

Daddie went to Newstead last week-end.

I think its rather a feat to have remembered all these things so far back even if it is all dully put down.

Saturday April 22nd 1922.

Currant Hill Westerham

This is going to be still more of an effort!

I did nothing much on the Friday after the Goldman's dance except to go to tea at the Geog.

Kathleen came to see me on Saturday morning and we went out shopping together then I went to see Peggy but we'd made a muddle about the time and she was out. Daddie and I went down to the Goldman's house at Chiswick in the afternoon to see the boat race.Link opens in a new window There were crowds of people but it wasn't very exciting because Cambridge led the whole way.

Kathleen rang up as soon as we got back and I went and had tea with her at 6 o'c and ended by staying to dinner as she was alone.

On Sunday I went to St Martin's and Mr Sheppard preached. Daddie and I went to luncheon with the DukeLink opens in a new window and Duchess of Somerset.Link opens in a new window Father Bernard VaughanLink opens in a new window was there and told a great many amusing stories. I tore off to see Peggy afterwards and then went to the Guards ClubLink opens in a new window where Mummy had two friends to tea. Anne came too and we talked for a long time and then went and walked in the Park.

Nothing happened on Monday except that Kathleen came to see me in the afternoon.

I went to the Club on Tuesday and to the flower show in the afternoon.

Wednesday morning I probably went to see - oh yes - I went to see Anne on Wednesday morning and to tea with them that afternoon to meet the Schröeders.

The whole of Tuesday except the Club part is quite inaccurate! Kathleen met me at the Club and we went to the National Portrait Gallery; then I tore home and changed and went to tea with Margaret Adam, a big bun worry from which I departed as soon as possible and went on to see Peggy and ended by staying to dinner with her.

On Thursday morning Lois and I went to the Tate Gallery.Link opens in a new window The pictures are wonderful. Lil came up to London for the night and I met her at Septimus in the afternoon and we shopped and then went to tea with Kathleen who had a big tea fight. I met Alice and Lil at Belgrave Square at 7.45 and we went to dine with the Bridgemans. There were eight people altogether and it was very nice.

On Friday morning I went to see Anne and we tore round shopping or rather paying bills and she came back to luncheon with me. I met Kathleen at her dentist after luncheon and as it was pelting we went back to Sloane Gardens and remained there for the rest of the afternoon.

I went to luncheon with Peggy on Saturday and spent the afternoon with her. Anne came to tea and I havn't seen her since because they went to the country on Monday.

I went to St Martin's on Sunday at 10.15 and stayed for the next service. Mr Gillingham the head of the Oxford and Cambridge Bermondsey mission preached. We went to luncheon at Mummy's Club. Kathleen came after luncheon with a small child in tow and we went to the zoo. I went to St John's Wilton Road in the evening.

I did nothing much on Monday except to go and see Miss Wolff.

On Tuesday I went to the Club and afterwards Daddie and I went to the flower show which was extremely good. Peggy came to tea and not long after she had got home she telephoned and asked me to go and dine with them and go with her to "A to Z" which I did.

Kathleen came round on Wednesday morning and we went to Cumberland Mansions to fetch a book and saw both Aunt Lil and Aunt Di. Kathleen came to tea and Daddie and I came down here by the 6.35 train.

Friday was Good Friday and last Sunday Easter Sunday.

Monday May 8th 1922.

Kathleen came down here for the day on Easter Saturday and again on Easter Monday and we went out primrosing and explored the country round which is lovely.

We had a very strenous time getting straight and are still pretty busy. It is a difficult business when there is a great deal too much furniture and it is all very big.

Shortie and I went up to London on Monday a week after Easter. Kathleen came to see me soon after I arrived; Peggy came to tea and Kathleen came to dinner. I shopped on Tuesday morning and went to luncheon with Lil; then I went to see Peggy and had tea with her, then dashed off to Kathleen. Then tore home and went with Mummy to a lecture on Everest by Colonel Howard Bury at the Queen's Hall in the evening.

Directly after breakfast on Wednesday morning Daddie and I went to the flower show. Then I shopped and went to St Martin's at 11.30. We went to Joan Crichton-Stuart's wedding to Dick Astell at St Peter's Eaton Square in the afternoon. We met Cousin Vi Bond at the reception and she took me in her motor to the flower show where I bought several rock plants to bring down here.

On Thursday morning I went to see Kathleen, found she was still sleeping after a dance so left and went and shopped. She rang up at luncheon time and we went and walked in the park in the afternoon, an awful thunder-storm came on just as we were leaving so I went back with Kathleen and had tea with her instead of Margaret to whom I was supposed to go, got to Margaret at 5.30, left at 6.30 and went to Peggy.

I went out with Anne on Friday morning and got a wedding present for Alice at Goodes,Link opens in a new window it is two glass scent bottles with flowers painted on them. Kathleen came to see me after luncheon - needless to say!

Daddie and I came down here by the 6.38. On our arrival we found an immense box of rock plants sent us by Kew Gardens. They promised them some time ago and we thought they had forgotten all about them. It really is very good of them, they sent 34 plants. We have started making a rock bed along a narrow border near the house and they look awfully nice there.

I went up to London on Monday to go with the Kleinworts to a dance that evening. I did a little shopping in the afternoon and Peggy came to tea. I dined at Belgrave Square, the party consisted of Alice, Lil Daisy and Kathleen with our respective partners (I took Julian for mine). The dance was great fun; it was given by Clare Sheridan'sLink opens in a new window (the sculptoress who went to Russia & did Lenin and Trotsky) brother in her studio which was perfectly fascinating, full of busts and pictures and delicious old furniture.

I went to see Kathleen at the screech of dawn next morning, she went back to the flat with me and Anne came later and we went out shopping. I went to stay the night with Margaret Adam and we slept together and should doubtless have talked all night if I hadn't been so tired that I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Tuesday May 9th 1922.

Margaret and I went to the AcademyLink opens in a new window on Wednesday morning. It is a good exhibition but there is nothing wildly thrilling.

I lunched with Uncle Romer & Aunt Alys at the Stores. Kathleen came after London and went with me to Sir John Broadbent (Mummy had decided I looked ill & must go & see the doctor!) from there I went to the dentist who stopped a tooth. Lil came to tea and Shortie and I came down here by the 6.35.

We have been having a heat wave the last day or two; it was 81% in the shade in London yesterday.

Miss Wolff, Aunt Alys and Uncle Romer were down here on Saturday.

Wednesday May 17th 1922.

We all went up to London on Thursday for Alice's wedding. I shopped with Kathleen all the morning. The wedding was at St Peter's Eaton Square. The Church was very full and it all went off well. The bridesmaids dresses were awfully pretty, they were pale apricot georgette and with big blue hats with long ribbons hanging down at the side. There was a reception afterwards at Belgrave Square. Alice looked very pretty and was excessively cheerful. Anne came back to the flat with me and we found Uncle Claude there. Later on I went to see Peggy.

Shortie and I went down to Bognor for the day on Friday to see Marjorie Hamilton's children Elizabeth and Gavin. It is a lovely journey through Holmwood, DorkingLink opens in a new window and Arundel and we saw millions and millions of primroses, cowslips and bluebells. They are such dear little children. Elizabeth is four and Gavin three. We went on the sands in the afternoon and made sand castles and paddled. We got back to London at 8 and I went off to spend the night with Peggy. It was great fun and I loved being with her but we were both so dead tired that we went to bed at quite a respectable hour.

Anne met me there the next morning and we went to Day's Library, then I tore home thinking we were coming down here by the 1.20 but we didn't come till 3.43.

I have learnt to frame photographs and pictures in passe partout.Link opens in a new window It is most exciting to do and so cheap.

Thursday May 25th 1922.

I went to London for the day last Thursday for a committee meeting of a thing which Margaret Adam has got me onto called Home Mission Union Helpers; it is a thing for looking after factory girls. I went to luncheon with Anne and then to Belgrave Square but when I got there they were going to a concert so I went to the flat and telephoned to Kathleen and she came out with me and we went shopping then I went and had tea with Peggy and then went to the station to meet Shortie and come down here by the 6.35. We have got two girls straight from school as servants and we brought them down with us, they seem to be doing very well so far.

Kathleen came down for the day on Saturday; we took our luncheon and went into Squerryes ParkLink opens in a new window and under beech trees and took off our shoes and stockings (mingled horror and amusement of passers-by) and talked our head off. After luncheon we staggered onto Crockham Hill from whence the view is marvellous but it was so grilling that we soon returned to the shade of the beech trees. We got back at 6 and then went to a farm to sketch pigs. She was going back by the 7.45 but we ran it so fine that she missed it (to our secret - very secret - joy) then there was consternation; we found she couldn't get back till 11 o'c and we telephoned to Mrs Corry and finally she stayed the night sleeping on the sofa at the bottom of my bed (the spare-room is at present occupied by Mummy). About 6 o'c I heard Kathleen's voice so I listened and it said - that my taxi? thank you very much", talking in one's sleep is a bad habit. She went back on Sunday morning.

Mummy & Daddie both went to London on Monday. I went to tea with Mr & Mrs Kean & there met Mrs Corry (not our one of course), Colonel & Mrs Tennison; Mrs Andrae, Mrs Bonham-Carter and Mrs and Miss Russell.

Daddie and I went to London for the day yesterday to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. I went first to Anne and shopped with her; then went to the flat & met Daddie and we went to the show which was quite wonderful - in fact it's wonderfullness was only equalled by it's warmness. It was 88% in London yesterday. I went from there to Kathleen; she had a cousin staying with her and we all went out shopping. I went to tea with Peggy, she had several other girls there but we were alone for a bit. We came down by the 6.35.

Thursday June 1st 1922.

I went to London on Friday to go to a musical evening got up by the Home Mission Union Helpers (here in after known as H.M.U.H).

Shortie and I went to Pontings in the morning and bought a very large quantity of stockings. I went to see Kathleen after luncheon and Peggy came to tea. I dined with Cousin Ruth at the "Cinderella" in Sloane Square and we went to the concert together. It was great fun because there were so many people I knew there, first of all Betty flew at me like a whirlwind in the hall and then I met two American girls who had been at Miss Wolff's and whom I hadn't seen since then. Margaret and Betty sang a duet amongst other things and the whole show was extremely good.

I went to see Lil on Saturday morning and we sat in the square and talked and afterwards I went shopping. We came down here by the 3.43.

Mr Wilton came down for the day on Sunday; he has just got back from Riga and it was very nice to see him again.

Mummy and Daddie went to London on Tuesday morning and Shortie and I went up in the evening. We went into the Club to see Margaret on the way from the station, she was very pleased to see us but looked awfully tired. Mummy and Daddie went to the R.G.S annual dinner in the evening. Peggy came to see me after dinner.

Shortie and I shopped yesterday morning, then I went to meet Kathleen at the Chelsea "Poly"Link opens in a new window and went to luncheon with her. Lois was there too, it was very nice to see her again, she's going to Canada for four months the middle of this morning.

Daddie, Shortie & I went to the Naval & Military TournamentLink opens in a new window in the afternoon, some of the things were awfully good and Shortie enjoyed herself enormously.

Daddie and I came down by the 6.35.

Anne is coming to stay to-morrow.

Friday June 9th 1922.

Anne came down last Friday arriving at 11.16. We all went to tea with Mrs Vincent here that afternoon.

On Saturday Anne and I went off about 11 taking food with us; we went through Squerryes onto Crockham Hill the way Kathleen & I went before. We laid under beech trees and on the common and slept & talked and Anne drew and we didn't get home till 8.15.

On Sunday morning we went to Church. Harry & Maurice were staying with the Miss Liddells for Whitsuntide and Harry came to luncheon and Maurice to tea.

We were extremely lazy on Monday and only went for a tea picnic on Farley Common.

Anne left on Tuesday after tea; it was lovely having her and we talked our heads off.

Kathleen was coming to stay on Tuesday but in the morning we got a telegram & letters from her saying that some cousins in Dorset to whom she had gone for Whitsuntide insisted on her staying on there because she hadn't been able to go till Sunday & it was a long way for only two nights.

I was very disappointed she couldn't come because I'd been looking forward to it so much.

Uncle Claude and Aunt Di came down on Wednesday and stayed the night and went back by the bus yesterday. It was so nice to see them again.

Daddie is wildly excited because there is a telegram from General Bruce in the "Times" this morning saying that Mallory, Somervell and Norton have reached a height of 26,800 feet on Everest without oxygen, this is 2,200 feet higher than anyone has ever been before and they also beat the record by sleeping at 25,000 feet.

We are going to London for the day to-morrow.

Thursday June 15th 1922.

Mummy and I went up to London on Saturday. I went straight to Kathleen and found her in bed having breakfast because she'd been dancing till 4.30 the night before. She got dressed by slow degrees and we went out shopping, then I left her and went to the library and from there to Anne for luncheon, she was alone and I stayed there most of the afternoon. Mummy and I went to Mr & Mrs Sheppard's house warming which was the real reason for our coming to London. They have gone back to the vicarageLink opens in a new window in St Martin's Place; it is a great big rambling Eiffel Tower house very like the Bath houses but they have made it very pretty. We went to see Margaret afterwards and came down here by the 7.20.

It has been raining hard for several days and nothing has happened except that Lil who was supposed to be coming here on Tuesday telegraphed to say that she couldn't come.

Thursday June 29th 1922.

Margaret & Cousin Ruth came here for the week end the one before last. We went out in a motor on Saturday afternoon to repay calls & got a good idea of the country round here which is lovely.

Cousin Ruth, Margaret, Shortie & I all went up to London together on Monday. I went shopping with the Kleinworts in the afternoon & to tea with Peggy. In the evening I went to Joyce Barkes' coming out dance at Claridges taking Margaret's sister's boy Gerald Bond with me.

On Tuesday morning I went to see Anne. Mummy, Shortie & I lunched at the "Cinderella" resterant in Sloane Square & I spent the afternoon with Kathleen and then went to tea with Lil & Daisy & we sat in the Square after tea & Kathleen came in too about 6.

I went to see Anne on Wednesday morning and in the afternoon Shortie & I tried to go & see the Prince of WalesLink opens in a new window arriving back from India but the crowd was so immense that we couldn't see anything. I came & Shortie waited till he came out on the balcony.

Mummy, Daddie & I went to Lady Sondes' dance at the Hyde Park HotelLink opens in a new window that evening. I took des Graz as my partner; it was an enormous dance (700 people) and I really enjoyed it.

Thursday morning I had a committee meeting of H.M.U.H and from there went to meet Betty on the steps of St Martin's; we had a hasty meal in the canteen and then went to join the queue at St Martin's theatre to see "Shall We Join the Ladies?" by Barrie & "Loyalties"Link opens in a new window by Galsworthy. We got front seats in the pit (there is no gallery) & saw perfectly. The acting was splendid. "Shall We Join the Ladies?" is thrilling and "Loyalties" most interesting being the story of a young man in Society who robs a Jew who is paying to get into Society of £1,000 & the way in which the former's associates & friends stick to him because he belongs to their "caste" till finally it is also lately proved that he did it & he commits suicide. My sympathies were almost entirely with the Jew. We dined with Lord LeighLink opens in a new window that evening; it was a party of 16 & very nice.

Kathleen, Betty another girl & I went to the Chelsea Baths at an early hour on Friday morning & had great fun there. Betty & I went out shopping in the afternoon & then went to tea with Kathleen. Betty sang, the first time I have heard her properly since she came back from Florence. She has a beautiful voice very full & deep & with a great deal more behind than comes out.

Kathleen & I shopped together on Saturday morning & I bought a very pretty yellow cotton frock at Walpole's. I went to luncheon with Peggy & I think she is coming down here this week-end.