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 7, Sep 1919-Mar 1920; Eileen Younghusband archive, Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick (MSS.463/EY/J7)

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

Sunday September 21th 1919.

We went to the Stores and to leave a note for Mr SheppardLink opens in a new window at St Martin's Vicarage on Friday afternoon. Kathleen came to tea and stayed till 7 o'c which was nice She has got a violent crochet mania so every remark she made was punctuated by "one, two, three, four, five" as she counted the stitches in her pattern. Uncle Vesey and Hugh Childers came to dinner, that was the last time we shall see Hugh before they sail for India as they go on Saturday and he has gone back to the country. It is rather hard on them, they are not told where they are to go till they get out to Bombay so he and Mrs Childers may have to go anywhere between Baghdad and Burma!

Yesterday morning Shortie and I went to the bank to get out the silver which was sent there when we went to [ deleted: Bath ] Scotland (I really am getting quite daft I don't know what I'm writing.

Kathleen came round at 2 o'clock and Daddie took us on a steamerLink opens in a new window to Richmond. We sallied forth quite happily for a pier near Westminster Bridge to catch a steamer which was supposed to go at 2.30, we got there at 2.15 to find it had gone as they said somthing or other about the tide being low at 2.50. The next steamer was supposed to go at 3.30; it came in at a little after 2.30 and we skipped on board with great joy but it didn't depart till 3.30 and took 2 1/2 solid hours to get to Richmond but it was a lovely day though windy and very pretty on the river; the view of Richmond from the water is really lovely. Happily it turned round and came back as soon as it got there but we took the same length of time to get back because the tide by some mysterious process was against us both ways. We didn't get back till 8.30 and our poor families were beginning to get very worried.

This morning Shortie and I went to St Martin's. The sermon was by a Canon MastermanLink opens in a new window all about prohibition in America and not very exciting except that he had been all over America to see it and says it is working well.

Daddie went to see Cousin Florence this afternoon.

Mummy, Daddie and I went to the evening service at St Martin's. Mr Sheppard preached a wonderful sermon, I think he is the best preacher I have ever heard.

I have written to Nina Meade today and Miss Medd-Hall to ask her if she could give me lessons here this term because Mummy doesn't want me to start with Trinity College because we may not be here the whole term.

Tuesday September 23rd 1919.

Yesterday Miss Idie and I went to a beautiful Memorial Service at St Martin's for officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 2^nd Sportsmen's Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers who fell in the war. The music was very fine and was played by the band of the Wesh [ Welsh ] Guards.

Shortie and I went to the Stores and one or two other places in the afternoon.

This afternoon Mummy, Mrs Idie and I are going down to stay with Mrs Henniker at Earlswood Common for two nights. We have lent the flat to Mrs Fraser from Thursday till Tuesday as she has to be in London to see doctors and people. We come up on Thursday and Mummy goes down to stay with Cousin Tottie that evening (Aunt Vallie will also be there); Daddie goes to stay with the Danes in the New Forest and I to my great joy go to stay with Uncle Claude and Aunt Di. I hope very much to see Mrs Fraser and Charlie (he will be here for one night) when they arrive.

Friday October 10th 1919.

The Cottage-in-the-Park Ashtead

It is so long since I have written my diary that I don't know if I will be able to remember all that has happened. The reason I havn't written it being that I came down here without it only expecting to remain a few days and now Shortie has just sent it down with some other things which I asked her to send.

Mummy, Mrs Idie and I went to stay with Mrs Henniker for two nights and had a very nice time. We came up on Thursday morning. Daddie had gone off to the Danes before we arrived so we didn't see him. Mrs Fraser and Charlie arrived in the afternoon, it was so nice to see them again and Charlie and I nearly talked our heads off! Mummy and Mrs Idie went off down to Cousin Tottie. Uncle Claude came to tea to see Mrs Fraser and then he brought me down here with him in the evening. Aunt Di met us at Epsom in the motor, it was awfully nice to see her again, I had only seen her once since I stayed here in April. Aunt Lil is staying here and there was a very nice and amusing Mr Brooke who is a very great friend but he went away on Wednesday. When we left London on Thursday there was much talk of a railway strike and on Friday at midnight it began. All the railwaymen in England and Scotland struck (it was for continuation of the present wages). Public opinion was against them and the Government organized things very well, made Hyde Park a huge dumping ground for provisions, closed its to the public and had food supplies conveyed by motor lorries which worked splendidly. Thousands of people volunteered to fill the place of the railway men and by the end of the strike 3,800 trains were running daily. Long distance motor services were started from all over England to London and one saw motors from every part of England on this road. The thing which angered people most was the fact that the strikers deserted their horses and left them to starve, mercifully they were fed and looked after by volunteers.

Aunt Di and Aunt Lil are in London which is partly the reason why I am writing my diary but now I must go and do somthing else although there is a great deal more to write.

Having done the "somthing else" in less time than I thought it would take I will proceed.

We went into Epsom on Friday (the one before last I mean) and got a lift in in a huge motor van which was very amusing and draughty. There were all sorts of extraordinary things on the roads; we saw one man riding a bicycle with a bath chair tied on behind and a lady sitting in it! another couple were riding two bicycles connected by a box between them in which were several children and of course the grandfathers and grandmothers of all motor had been dug out and pressed into service in very considerable quantities. On the way home we met a soldier who had bicycled from York that day with despatches and had got to be at Aldershot by seven, he was very nearly dead beat.

On Saturday Uncle Claude motored Mr Brooke and me to a place about 5 miles from here to see a motor which a friend of Mr Brooke's wants to sell and which he is thinking of buying.

On Sunday a friend of Mr Brook's came down for the day. On Monday and Tuesday as far as I can remember we walked into Epsom and on Wednesday went to call on some people in the direction of Leatherhead but they were away.

Uncle Claude motored up to London that day and coming down in the evening when he was at the top of Wimbledon hill a car suddenly came out of a side street with no warning; he crammed the breaks on and the car skidded and crashed into the kerb and broke one of the back wheels, luckily there is a garage at the top of the hill so he was able to leave the car there and get another one to bring him home. Someone else motored Uncle Claude up on Thursday. They have got to make a new wheel for his car or mend the broken one and it will take at least a fortnight.

Thursday was Aunt Di and Aunt Lil's birthday and surprising to say we walked into Epsom.

On Friday they decided that they must buy a small car as it was very difficult to manage in the strike without one so we set out for our daily walk to Epsom determined to buy a car. On the way in we met a friend of theirs called Mr Davey driving a Baby PeugeotLink opens in a new window which to the uninitiated I may as well explain is about as long as a perambulator and half the height.

Tuesday October 14th 1919

Buckingham Gate

I got interrupted in the writing of my diary the other day by the arrival of some visitors at sight of whom I took to my heels and fled.

Well to continue - Mr Davey consented to sell them his little car and brought it over on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday we went to Church and to luncheon with Mr Meres and when we got back Uncle Claude took me out in "the Baby" as we christened the little car; it was a horrid day and a thick fog; we went up onto Walton Heath and when we got up there somthing went violently wrong with the top gear which made the most weird noises, we had visions of spending the night on the heath but managed to crawl home all right. The young mechanic who comes to them every day examined the engines and found that they were fearfully dirty so he cleaned them out and they had them burnt out at the garage in Epsom and all went well till a day or two later when the boy took her out to try somthing he had been doing and both the differential and the top gear went! so now she is at the garage and they hope to have her home tomorrow. Poor Mr Davey was very upset and wanted to take her back.

On Sunday evening we had a telephone message to say the strike was overLink opens in a new window. The Government agreed that the railwaymen should have the present wages till September of next year instead of February.

Wednesday October 15th 1919.

We didn't do anything particular on Monday. Uncle Claude went to London and Aunt Di and Mr Brook walked into Ashtead in the afternoon.

We went to an intercession service on Tuesday morning and afterwards to see the Rallis who came home on Monday. In the afternoon we walked into Epsom and out again which we considered a fearful feat.

Mr Brook went away on Wednesday morning. He is awfully nice and most amusing.

I was wrong about the intercession service, it was Wednesday morning that Aunt Di, Aunt Lil and I went to it. That evening we all went to dinner with the Rallis.

On Thursday afternoon we walked down to the village and met a friend who we brought back to tea. Six ladies known as diosisen [ diocesan ] messengersLink opens in a new window were visiting the parish for a fortnight; they wore navy blue uniforms with a big white cross on the front and they went to every house visiting the people and held services and discussion meetings.

Two of them, Messenger Lavinia and Messenger Joyce came to tea on Thursday; they were excessively nice and cheerful Messenger Lavinia was the Bishop of Winchester's daughter; it wasn't supposed to be known who any of them were but her identity had leaked out much to her annoyance.

On Friday Aunt Di and Aunt Lil went to London for the day. I took Timmy for a walk in the morning and read Baroness Orczy's new book "His Majesty's Best Beloved"Link opens in a new window, it isn't particularly good. In the afternoon I wrote this diary and then applied some brilliant pea green paint to a sign board for Aunt Di. They arrived back from London a little after 4 o'clock, I went down to the station to meet them taking Timmy who had an altercation with another dog in the village and got his muzzle off (I mean Timmy's not the other dog's); mercifully I managed to get it on again and lug Timmy off. Aunt Di had been to London to look at houses because they want to take a house in London for the winter; she went to look at a most charming one in Brompton SquareLink opens in a new window but unfortunately it was let two days before.

On Saturday morning I painted a gate and myself the aforesaid pea green; I was a truely lovely sight when I had finished it, my hands and my arms up to my elbows were covered with green paint in streaks and splashes and my faces was coverd with pea green spots.

In the afternoon Mr Davey came in his big motor and took us into Epsom and then came back to tea. Mr Meres came in in the evening to say "good-bye" because he was going off to Paris for a month.

Aunt Lil wasn't very well on Sunday and stayed in bed. Aunt Di and I went to church.

Thursday October 16th 1919.

The Curate and Mrs Curate came to luncheon; he is a most original curate and Uncle Claude and Aunt Di were fearfully pleased with him. The Rallis came to tea.

I was going to go up to London with Uncle Claude on Monday morning but he had a bad cold and had to stay in bed so Aunt Di asked me to stay on for another day which needless to say I was nothing loathe to do.

I gave the gate another coat of paint in the morning and got myself in an even worse mess than before! Altogether we had a very happy day.

Uncle Claude wasn't allowed to go to London on Tuesday so Shortie came down to Epsom to fetch me and so much to my sorrow I left the cottage at 11.45 that morning; Aunt Lil came into Epsom with me.

We arrived in London in time for luncheon and I peacefully had luncheon here and directly after discovered a letter from Cousin Nell asking me to luncheon with her that day! After luncheon Shortie and I went to look at a house in Chester Street for Aunt Di. To our unbounded astonishment the door was opened by a Japanese sailor! He was most nice and showed us over everywhere and we had a long and animated conversation down in the kitchen with two more Japanese sailors!

Aunt Mabel came to call after tea.

I went to luncheon with Peggy yesterday and to tea with Aunt Mabel and Aunt Vallie who is staying with her and who is trying to get a passage to South Africa as she has bought 40 acres of land at Sundays RiverLink opens in a new window Settlement near Port Elizabeth and is going out there to do farming or grow oranges or ostrichs, she doesn't seem quite sure which!

Daddie went down to Bristol for the day yesterday for a meeting of Clifton College Council. Laurie had luncheon with him and behaved as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth which probably means he was contemplation some particularly violent peice of mischief.

Friday October 17th 1919.

Kathleen came to see me yesterday morning. She is very excited because they are going out to MentoneLink opens in a new window on November 4th. When she had left Shortie and I went out and did some shopping and then Mummy, Daddie and I went to luncheon with Sir Vere and Lady Fane at the East India United Service ClubLink opens in a new window; she is Cousin Alys' sister and he is a cousin of Aunt Di and Aunt Lil and we knew them in India. Lord and Lady InchcapeLink opens in a new window were there to luncheon too (he is the head of the P and O and a good many other things) and they were all most amusing.

Shortie and I tore out just at tea time and I bought some yellow wool to make a jumper. I think it is very brave of me to embark on another jumper especially a yellow one. You can have no idea what a fearful adventure it is for me to make a yellow one, Mummy isn't fond of yellow so I never wear yellow but I want to try something quite different from blue or pink; I am not at all sure if it is going to be a success.

Aunt Vallie came to tea. After she left I went downstairs to see Sir Harry and Lady Emma Creighton who were very nice. Mrs Webb (Mrs Fraser's sister-in-law) came to dinner.

We (Mummy, Mrs Idie and I) are going down to Cousin Gerty's today until Tuesday.

I telephoned hard yesterday to try and find a house for Uncle Claude and Aunt Di but I'm afraid without much success. I had a long conversation with Aunt Di and Aunt Lil on the telephone last night and Aunt Di has asked me to go down there again when I come back; she is an Angel.

Dear Mrs Fraser left such a beautiful present for me. It is an evening wrap made of white ruched chiffon and edged with a lovely mixture of swansdown and ostrich feathers.

Poor Lilac is terribly unhappy because she was engaged to a cousin – Vere Bennett-StanfordLink opens in a new window - and now he has written to say he doesn't care enough for her and has broken off the engagement. Aunt Di told me she was engaged when I went down there and while I was there came the news that he had broken it off; they are very angry with him and think he has behaved abominably. I wrote to poor Lilac to tell her how sorry I was and had such a charming letter from her.

Tuesday October 21st 1919.

We got down to White Hill Farm in time for tea on Friday. Cousin Gerty had got down a boy of between 18-20 a nephew of Cousin Noel's by name Foulke Agnew to amuse me. He was fearfully and alarmingly shy at first but got better after a time, the subjects which really thrilled him were motor cars and motor bikes about which he really did know a great deal. He had his motor bike down there and it was intended that he should take me out on it and teach me to ride it but unfortunately he got a telegram from his mother on Saturday morning saying his grandfather (Sir James Wolf [ Wolfe ] MurrayLink opens in a new window) had died and asking him to go up to London for the day to see her so he went up in the morning and came down again in the evening but had to go up altogether on Sunday morning.

Cousin Gerty and I went to church on Sunday morning and she showed us all the animals on the farm and was very kind. She has asked me to go down there next June and take another girl and two men and to do just what we like which is very kind of her.

We left yesterday afternoon; there was a bad fog and we had a very slow and tiresome journey.

I had a charming letter from Lilac this morning. Poor child! she is so grateful for any little thing you do for her. She came back to London yesterday, I rang her up this morning and she has asked me to go to tea with her on Saturday.

This afternoon we are going to stay with a Mrs Howard at Sibton ParkLink opens in a new window near Sandling in Kent. She is a great friend of Mrs Inge's and there is a house near her which she thinks would suit us so she had asked us to go and stay with her to see it.

Saturday October 25th 1919.

We got back last night from a perfectly delightful visit to Mrs Howard. We left Charing Cross at 3 o'clock and went to Sandling where a motor met us and took us to Sibton Park. Mrs Howard is most charming and amusing and kind and original and there is a very nice boy of 21, Bobbie by name. Her sister-in-law who married a Russian and her daughter (the sister-in-law's) who is also married to a Russian were staying there. They had terrible experiences in Russia, the daughter was nursing and was taken prisoner by the Germans and the mother saw one of her sons shot before her eyes by the Bolshevists.

On Wednesday morning they took us to see two houses, one called Lower Court was most attractive, it was a very pretty house, had a good garden with masses of fruit and a garage, greenhouse etc. After luncheon we motored over to Sandgate to see a house called Enbrook but we couldn't get into it, the house didn't look very thrilling but it stood high up and had a wonderful view over the sea. Afterwards we went to see Nina Melville who is at school at Sandgate. Mrs Howard was very kind and wanted me to take her back with me for the night but it was against the rules of the school. Nina is looking ever so much better. We went to tea at Sandling Park. Sir Herbert and Lady Cohen came to dinner; she was most fearfully amusing and we were in fits of laughter nearly the whole time.

I had a long letter from Aunt Di that evening. She is still looking for a house and is very nearly crazy over it.

We started off again at 11.30 on Thursday. First we went to Chartham to see the manager of some paper millsLink opens in a new window there which belong to the Howards. Daddie and I were taken over the mills, they were most fearfully interesting especially at the stage were the paper suddenly turns from pulp into paper. They make and watermark paper for stamps and bank notes there and it has to be very exact and very carefully guarded and looked after; until quite recently there used to be a Government Detective there watching it the whole time. When we left there we motored into Canterbury and had luncheon at the County HotelLink opens in a new window, then we went to look at several impossible houses and one which might be possible (it is called Neckington House) although it is too big and wants a great deal doing to it. From there we went home. We didn't get back till 5.30 so we had a good day of it. A very clever and nice girl by name Miss Blake arrived to stay that evening. She recited and sang extraordinarily well.

Daddie had to leave early yesterday morning. We left at 2 o'clock from Lyminge and went into Canterbury to show Mrs Idie the Cathedral and see a house agent. The Cathedral really is glorious.

We had tea at Canterbury and left at 5 o'clock; the train went very well at times and we got to Charing Cross at 8 o'clock.

Miss Medd-Hall came this afternoon and gave me a lesson, I hadn't had one since before we went to Scotland.

I am just off to have tea with Lilac.

Sunday October 26th 1919.

I had tea with darling Lilac yesterday; she is very unhappy and she is so sweet.

Daddie and I went to St Martin-in-the-Fields this morning. Mr Sheppard preached for money for the Vicar's General Fund; he said he loathed doing it and if people gave what they ought it wouldn't be necessary; he asked were the clergy of the parish paid a living wage? he said they were but it was no thanks to the congregation that they were; who did we suppose rang the bells? were they rung by invisable hands? and so on. I think and hope he got a good collection.

A Mrs Gunning who is Cousin Florence's sister and her boy Robert who is 18 came to tea. Dear Aunt Lil also came to tea, it was awfully nice to see her again.

Aunt Di rang me up last night. They are still looking for a house and poor Aunt Di is getting so worried. I do wish they could find somthing.

Victoria sent me a most killing photograph the other day; it was a press photo of Shortie dashing up to her as she was coming out of church after her wedding!

Tuesday October 28th 1919.

Mr and Mrs Tucker were in London for a few days and they came to luncheon yesterday.

I went to see Mr Sheppard in the afternoon about being confirmed; he was perfectly charming and so kind. He said he expected that I was very frightened at coming to see a strange parson and that he wanted me to look on him as a sort of elder brother and to ask him any questions and tell him any difficulties I had. He gave me a book to read called "The Religion of the Church"Link opens in a new window by Bishop Gore which he said was very dry and uninteresting but which put things better than any book he knew. He said I was to read it carefully and take my time over it and then come and see him again when I had finished it and ask him about anything which puzzled me. He was so kind and gentle and understanding and he didn't ask any worrying questions.

Cousin Ruth came to tea and Mrs Leigh and Peggy also appeared at tea-time much to our surprise.

I had a most awfully nice letter from Cousin Gerty this morning.

Daddie has gone off to stay with Sir Henry NewboltLink opens in a new window for the night; tomorrow he is going to Clifton for a Council meeting and then on to Oxford to spend the night with Aunt Ethel who is there with Robin who has gone to Merton College.

I had a horrid disappointment this afternoon. Lilac was coming to tea with me this afternoon. She was coming early and I thought we should have a nice long afternoon together but just before luncheon Mrs Porteous rang up to say poor Lilac had got fearful toothache and they were just off to the dentist. Poor dear! I am so sorry for her, I know how it hurts. I have written to her.

Shortie and I went out shopping.

Uncle Claude and Uncle Holly came to tea to see Mummy on business. Uncle Claude awfully kind (so is Uncle Holly) and very pleased to see us and they think they have got a very nice house in Chapel Street; I do hope they have it will be so near here.

Thursday October 30th 1919.

I went to luncheon with Aunt Lil yesterday and when I got there she asked me to stay to tea too which I joyfully did. She was awfully nice and kind and I enjoyed it so much.

Uncle Claude and Aunt Di have got the house in Chapel Street from the beginning of December; it sounds charming.

Aunt Vallie came to dinner and was most funny. She hopes to start for South Africa on Saturday if she can get a passage.

Daddie suddenly appeared back about 8 o'clock having decided not to go to Oxford as he wouldn't have got there till rather late.

Major Dunlop came to luncheon. I hadn't seen him for ages.

Lilac came to tea; she is such a dear.

Friday October 31st 1919.

Mummy, Shortie and I went to the Stores this morning to choose a breakfast and tea set. We chose a white breakfast set with a turquoise blue border and a white tea set with a mulberry red border.

Kathleen came her a little before 3 o'clock We talked here for a bit and then went and had tea with Pompey stopping at her house on the way to see something. Daddie also came to tea at Pompey's about 5 o'clock and we laughed and talked nonsense a great deal and had great fun; Kathleen and I had a free fight and ended by trying to tear each other’s hair out. On the way back Kathleen suddenly decided that she wanted to go to "The Merchant of Venice" at the Court Theatre tonight and asked me to go too but Mrs Corry said she couldn't go and Daddie said he couldn't go and then I wanted to ring up Lilac and ask her to go with us but they said we couldn't go only with her at night. So then we decided to try for a matinée tomorrow but they had no seats, then we said we would go to a matinée at the Old Vic, if there was one, on Monday and then we came home where we hadn't been for very long when Kathleen rang up to say there wasn't a matinée at the Old Vic but should we go to "Afgar"Link opens in a new window? I said alright and rang up Lilac and she said she could come on Monday but then I discovered that there wasn't a matinée of that on Monday so I looked up the only three things there were matinées of and rang up Kathleen who said she meant to try and get to "Afgar" tomorrow afternoon but I knew Lilac couldn't go because she is going to "The Choice" with Aunt Lil so I said firmly that I had asked Lilac for Monday so we must go on Monday so Kathleen agreed and now I have got to ring up various box offices.

Saturday November 1st 1919.

The very first box office I rang up last night had three seats in the second row of the dress circle so that was alright. It is "A Temporary Gentleman" at the Kingsway Theatre and everyone says it is very funny.

Directly after breakfast this morning Shortie and I tore off to St Pancras to see off Mrs Webb who has gone back to Australia today. There was a great crowd at the train and at first they would only let passengers on to the platform but after a time we managed to get on and found her and she was awfully glad to see us. Afterwards we went to Lloyds Bank in St Jameses Street and chanced a cheque and then we went to Marshall where I bought some stuff for a coat and skirt, it is navy blue (I think serge) and has a very fine white pin stripe - very smart.

Mrs Porteous came to luncheon. Lilac couldn't come because she was going to a play with Aunt Lil.

I am in a state of wild and hilarious excitement because I had a letter from Jack Parker this evening asking me to dine with him and Gwen and Vivien at Claridges on the 13th.

Tuesday November 4th 1919.

On Sunday morning Mrs Idie and I went to St Martin. The Precentor preached a very good sermon. At 3.30 Shortie and I went to a service for the People which is a new thing they have started there in continuation of the war services for men and women in uniform which they used to have. The band of the Welsh Guards played and there were four hymns and a few prayers and a splendid address by Mr Sheppard.

Lilac came to luncheon yesterday and we went to the Kingsway Theatre after and were met by Kathleen. The play was most amusing and we enjoyed it awfully. Kathleen came back to tea with me, Lilac had to go off off to a tea-party so she couldn't come. Kathleen and Mrs Corry started off for Mentone this morning so Kathleen and I had to say a fond farewell.

Uncle Claude, Uncle Holly and Mr Hoare ("Toby") came to see Mummy on business. I saw Uncle Claude for a moment also Mrs Hoare. I didn't see Uncle Holly but he brought me masses of lovely pears and I wrote to thank him and put no number on the letter so perhaps he will never get it.

Yesterday was Daddie's first day of being President of the R.G.S. There was a lecture in the evening at the Aeolian Hall on "Kurdistan" by a Major MasonLink opens in a new window to which we went; Aunt Vallie (she hasn't got her passage to South Africa) and Aunt Mable met us there.

This morning I went to see a tailor recommended to me by Kathleen about a coat and skirt.

The other day Cousin Nell sent me two ticket for a variety entertainment at 46, Upper Grosvenor StreetLink opens in a new window in aid of St Saviour's Church Hoxton. It took place this afternoon and Aunt Lil went with me. Miss Lena AshwellLink opens in a new window recited some "Elizabethan Love Lyrics" most charmingly to music and various other people sang and played and recited. I had to leave early as Cousin Ruth had asked me to go with her to a meeting of the Lend-A-Hand Club at Lady Dorothy Hope-Morley's house 42 Grosvenor Square. The Club consists of ladies who go and help at girls clubs and visit at hospitals and do various other work among the poor. Mr Sheppard gave a very good address, I am sorry to say I missed the first part of it but apparently he talked about the railway strike and said we ought to try and see things from the other side's point of view. I heard very nearly half an hour of his speech. He spoke the whole time without any notes and was very amusing at times; he said he didn't know why it was that if a girl wasn't very successful at dances and was crossed in love people immediately said "oh"! let her go and work in the East End thats what shes fit for" whereas they wanted the popular and successful girl just as much. He said the great difficulty with those societies was that the heads were "so infernally efficient" themselves and they expected the raw young helpers to be perfect and never make mistakes with the result that many people got hopelessly discouraged. He also said that he believed tact and humour were gifts from God and that we ought to use much more humour and laughter and fun and joy and courtesy and kindness and love in dealing with the poor. Mummy took me to the house and stayed for part of the address but went away before the tea. Cousin Ruth brought me home. Mr Sheppard also said that we mustn’t forget the charity which begins at home when we went tearing after the poor and that a lady who went to the East End and then came home and bullied her maid or her governess had much better not have gone at all and he said that the rich are sometimes far more lonely and in need of friends than the poor and he laid great stress on not beginning any work unless you meant to stick to it.

Thursday November 6th 1919.

Shortie and I went to the store yesterday morning.

I went to tea with Lilac, Poor Mrs Porteous was in bed with a cold. I had a long talk with Lilac, she is a really splendid person.

Lady Kintore and Uncle Vesey came to dinner. Lady Kintore was very amusing. Uncle Vesey told us that Uncle Douglas has adopted a baby girl of 2 months old; he (Uncle Vesey) is going down to Ashtead this week-end.

Lady Cohen came to tea with Mummy.

I haven't been out at all today which is very naughty.

Mummy and Daddie went to a big luncheon party given by Lord and Lady Curzon. Mummy sat between Edmund GosseLink opens in a new window and Sir Auckland GeddesLink opens in a new window and Daddie between Lady Geddes and Sir Maurice HankeyLink opens in a new window.

My beloved Aunt Di came to tea. I was overjoyed to see her and she was just as dear and sweet as ever and has asked me to go down to Ashtead the week-end after next if Uncle Claude hasn't asked anyone and if he has one week-end after. They are probably going to be in London (with Aunt Lil) in the middle of the weeks till they get the house in Chapel Street.

Saturday November 8th 1919.

Mummy and Shortie went down yesterday to look at furniture at a house called Brickhill not far from Winslow where there is going to be a sale on Monday.

Mrs Idie and I went out for a bit in the morning and Lilac came to tea with me and we laughed and talked a good deal.

This morning Shortie and I went out to do various things for Mummy and when we were in Day's library we met my beloved Peggy and Mrs Leigh and Peggy and I promptly tore off for a walk in the Park and had a good talk then we came back for Mrs Leigh and Shortie and all walked together to Hyde Park Corner.

Daddie and I went to call on Mrs Fraser this afternoon (they were coming up on Wednesday to the house they have taken for the winter); we thought the address was 3, West Eaton PlaceLink opens in a new window but that turned out to be a boarding house, we then tried nearly 1/2 a dozen houses in West and South Eaton Places but with no luck, it is a great nuisance not knowing where they are.

Aunt Lil rang up this morning and asked me to go to tea with her so Daddie dropped me there about 3.45, she was just as kind and angelic as ever and I enjoyed it awfully.

Poor Miss Medd-Hall has had influenza mildly.

Cousin Nell came this afternoon.

Monday November 10th 1919.

We didn't go to church yesterday morning but Shortie and I went to the Service for the People at St Martin in the afternoon, it was very nice and the Church was packed but unfortunately Mr Sheppard didn't preach, he put the Chaplain of the WarspiteLink opens in a new window in at the last moment as he said he was sure we shouldn’t like to miss the opportunity of hearing him and he had just tuned up. He was very good but not like Mr Sheppard.

We dashed home and had tea and then went off for the evening service, it doesn't begin till 6.15 but the Church was nearly full when we got there 1/2 an hour before that time. Tuesday is the anniversary of the Armistice and they are going to have a procession round the Square from St Martin; they had a rehearsal last night and Shortie and I took part, we were formed into fours and marched round the church and into the crypt singing hymns.

Tuesday November 11th 1919.

I had a fearfully amusing letter from Kathleen yesterday. It was apparently written in the train between Paris and Mentone and was full of very clever little pencil sketches.

Shortie and I went to see Wolfie yesterday afternoon when we got there we found an elocution class conducted by Miss Fillippi [ Filippi ] in progress. They were acting "Alice in Wonderland" and they really were most awfully good and it was very funny.

Wednesday November 12th 1919

Yesterday morning I went for a long walk with Lilac. The King asked everyone to keep silence for two minutes at 11 o'clock in remembrance of the ArmisticeLink opens in a new window and the dead. We were at the Palace at the time; there was quite a crowd of people and at eleven they set off maroons and the Church bells rung and all the traffic stopped and then there was absolute silence, it was most impressive.

We walked to Kensington High Street Station where I met Shortie and we went on to the tailor and I was fitted.

Aunt Ethel came to luncheon, she is staying with Aunt Madeleine and Uncle Jack for a few days.

I went to Miss Hammonds and had my hair washed in the afternoon with the result that it has fluffed out all over the place and in now absolutely unmanageable and I look like a delapidated charwoman.

Aunt Vallie came to dinner and directly afterward she, Mummy and I went off to St Martin's. Mummy didn't go in the procession but Aunt Vallie and I did. It took some time to get it all formed inside the Church but they did it wonderfully well; first came Mr Sheppard carrying a cross, then the other clergy, then the scouts; then the Salvation Army Band, then the voluntary choir and then the rest of the people. We marched right round the Square and back to the church and although it was often cut by the traffic it was wonderful how the procession kept together. We sang "All the People That on Earth Do Dwell", "Onward Christian Soldiers" and "O, God Our Help in Ages Past". We were rather far back and one couldn't hear the band or what the people more than two rows ahead were singing so it was rather difficult. There was a service in the Church at 9 o'clock at which the band of the Welsh Guards played; the Church was full to overflowing and people were standing all along the aisles. While Mr Sheppard was speaking one could hear the sound of the people shouting in the square and letting off fireworks. He wasn't quite so wonderful as usual, he seemed as if he wanted to speak desperately hard but he couldn’t put it into words. I think he was tired and worried with the arrangement and anxiety of the procession.

This afternoon Mummy, Daddie, Shortie and I went to "The Mikado"Link opens in a new window at the Princes Theatre. It was too ripping and fearfully funny and awfully good music. The man who did the Lord High Executioner was very good indeed.

I am dining at Claridges tomorrow night with Cousin Jack and Gwen and Vivien.

On Friday to my great joy Aunt Di has asked me to go down to Ashtead for the week-end.

Wednesday November 19th 1919.

Poor diary what gaps I leave!

On Thursday night as I remarked above I dined at Claridges. I wore a white chiffon dress with a ditto sash with sequins on it tied like this

(neither of these give any idea of what I mean) and the chiffon and swansdown wrap, which Aunt Augusta gave me. Shortie took me to Cousin Gwen's flat to meet her, Cousin Jack and two other men were there and we all went on to Claridge'sLink opens in a new window. Hubert came up from Cambridge for the party, there were 20 people and we had a ripping dinner and cocktails of which I partook and liked them very much and altogether I enjoyed my first real dinner party enormously. After dinner we sat in the lounge and talked and laughed and ragged each other and I think very nearly got locked in the hotel for the night! Cousin Gwen brought me home and I didn't get back till 12.15!

Aunt Di called for me on Friday morning to catch a train from Waterloo at 11.37, we got to the station about the time the train was due to leave (Aunt Di couldn't get a taxi) but luckily it was late coming in so we caught it alright. The motor met us at Epsom and took us to the Cottage. It was great joy to be back there again. Uncle Claude came down in the evening feeling very tired and terribly cold; Aunt Di got him to bed and sent for the doctor and his temperature went up to 101. He had malaria and felt very ill at times, sometimes he seemed so much better then he would get worse but I think the last two days he has been decidedly better and he was coming down for the first time today.

On Saturday I was driven into Epsom alone in the car to do some shopping which I enjoyed throughly. A very nice gentleman Mr Alfred Gordon came to luncheon on Sunday and the Rallis came on Saturday. A Mrs and Miss Furze came to tea on Monday. I was supposed to leave on Monday but Aunt Di asked me to stay until Tuesday because she wasn't going to London till Tuesday, then when Uncle Claude wasn't well enough to go up on Tuesday she asked me to stay and keep him company while she went up for the day. I had been going to luncheon with Lilac on Tuesday but I telephoned to her and asked if she would mind my putting it off and she said not at all. Finally Aunt Di didn't come to London till today. It is terrible for Uncle Claude so often being ill, he is always worse in the winter too and he gets ill so easily.

We went over to see Miss Denshire and Mrs Wingfield yesterday morning. In the afternoon we shopped and left notes in the motor.

I did so enjoy being at Ashtead and Uncle Claude and Aunt Di were both so perfectly charming and so wonderfully kind. Aunt Di calls me her little ADC She came to London by the 12.10 from Epsom this morning and brought me with her and dropped me here.

Thursday November 20th 1919.

I got a letter from Cousin Gerty yesterday morning asking me to go to luncheon that day (it had been delayed in the forwarding) and to go out afterwards to look at hats (she had promised to take me out hat hunting when we were at Dane End). I rang up Cowley Street from Ashtead and found that it was all right so I went to luncheon there; she was most awfully nice and has asked me to go to luncheon or tea there any time I like. First we went to Bradley and they had several hats we liked very much but none that we went crazy over so then we went to Liberty and saw a very pretty velvet sort of tam-o-shanter but it had gold embroidery on it which Cousin Gerty didn't like. Then we went to Maison LewisLink opens in a new window where we saw several awfully pretty hats and in particular one cap made of blue and gold brocade and with beaver fur round it; I was hesitating over the price of it (4 1/2 guineas) when Cousin Gerty said "I should like to give it to you" which was ripping of her; it is going to be copied in red and gold brocade.

I rang up Aunt Di last night; of course she was awfully kind and said they missed me very much.

We have had a great agitation with poor Shortie. She has had a pain in her side for some time and she saw a doctor the other day and he said she must go to a hospital and have an operation so this afternoon she went off to St Marys Paddington and the operation as far as we know is going to be done by Mr Clayton Greene on Saturday. They say it will be quite a small operation; I hope so; she was very cheerful.

Daddie has gone to Bangor in North Wales for the night to give a lecture.

Lilac was coming to tea with me but she rang up just before luncheon to say she had a sore throat so didn't want to go out.

Aunt Vallie and Cousin Tottie (who is her sister) came in the afternoon. Aunt Vallie is fearfully excited because she sails for South Africa on Saturday.

Phyllis came to tea and was quite charming and delightful and most amusing.

Did I ever say that my yellow jumper is finished and has got brown fur round the collar and cuffs and is a perfectly enormous success.

I have started off on the awful worry of Christmas presents!

Saturday November 22nd 1919.

Yesterday morning Phyllis and I went shopping together and I went back to luncheon with her. Dear Aunt Augusta was very nice. After luncheon we again went shopping and then we returned to her house where Mummy fetched me and we went to tea with Aunt Mabel. Aunt Vallie, Cousin Tottie, Cousin Florrie and Miss Waller were there, the latter is going to be in London for some time which is very nice.

My hat came last night and it is most awfully pretty and Mummy likes it so much.

We went to Paddington this morning to see Aunt Vallie off. She went by the 10.30 to Plymouth and all her sisters went with her to see her off. She seemed very happy. The ship is the "Aeneas".

I was going to tea with Lilac but poor dear! she is in bed with a sore throat and a headache.

Shortie was operated on this morning and they rang up to say that it had gone off very well and the trouble was quite local, which was a great blessing.

Sir Henry and Lady Emma came to tea and brought their grand-daughter Emmy Seeley who is about 20. The Seeleys have bought Cousin Gerty's house No 11 Smith Square; she built it for Cousin Dot.

Mrs Idie came up from Bath this afternoon.

Sunday November 23rd 1919.

Mummy and I went to the 3.30 service at St Martin's this afternoon. The Church was absolutely packed and Mr Sheppard gave a very good address in which he said what we really wanted was Mercy and not Justice which we talked so much about; he said the phrase he disliked more than any other was "I've never done anyone any harm".

Aunt Lil was coming to tea and bringing Miss Philcox a great friend of her's who is staying with her and who is very fond of Mummy, but at the last moment she couldn't come. Miss Waller came to tea and was most charming and most amusing. I have written to Peggy and Lilac

Tuesday November 25th 1919.

Yesterday Phyllis and I went out shopping together; the shops are so full that it took us all the morning to do three things. She came back to luncheon with me.

Mr Ahmed suddenly appeared to call in the afternoon and stayed to tea. Cousin Florence also came to tea, she seems very worried about Frank’s marriage which takes place on December 31st in Wales. She likes the girl he is going to marry but they only knew each other a week before they became engaged and she wonders if they know one another well enough. Cousin Ruth also came in after tea.

I had a very nice letter from Aunt Di yesterday.

Mrs Idie and I went out this morning and did one or two things.

I went to luncheon with my dear Lilac who was awfully nice.

Daddy and I went to tea with Pompey who was very amusing and played the gramophone for us.

Mummy went to see Shortie this afternoon and she is much better though still very weak. The operation wasn't as bad as they expected.

When we got back we found that Mr Ahmed had been and left a huge and very ornate box of chocolates for me, another for Shortie and a large and elaborately iced cake for Mummy and Daddie!

Thursday November 27th 1919.

Lilac and I went out shopping together yesterday morning; I asked her to come back to luncheon with me but she couldn't.

Daddie went to a Government luncheon at the Carlton given for some Arab mission. He sat next to an Arab with one eye who couldn't talk English so he talked to him in Hindustani.

Mr Wilton and Aunt Mabel came to tea. Aunt Mabel has asked me to go to a dance which is being given by a friend of her's on the 19th at the Grafton Galleries which will be very nice.

Poor dear Aunt Di has been very badly bitten; Timmy and another dog were having a fight and she tried to separate them and Timmy (I suppose by mistake) bit her left hand very badly, several bones are broken and she has been in great pain. We are all so awfully sorry.

Mummy went to see Shortie yesterday and today. She is better but her arm was giving her pain today, I suppose the operation has upset the nerves.

Mummy and I went to tea with Cousin Gerty who was very nice.

Tuesday December 2nd 1919.

On Friday morning I went to help Aunt Lil move into her new flat which is in the same building but a floor lower down and a much nicer flat with larger rooms. We moved and arranged hard till luncheon time then we had luncheon in what was left of the drawing-room of the old flat and then moved again and then we sat down and rested and had tea. Aunt Di was there too and to my extreme excitement and joy she asked me to go back to Ashtead with her for the week-end. I couldn't stay longer than Monday because Mummy and I were dining with the Rajah of Kashmir (Hari SinghLink opens in a new window) on Monday evening. I rang up my family and asked if I might go back with Aunt Di and they said "yes" so we called here for my box on the way to Victoria, caught the 5.50 there and changed at Sutton getting into the train which Uncle Claude goes down from London Bridge by. When we got to Epsom we found a perfectly fearful fog, the motor had to crawl all the way back, we nearly ran onto the pavement several times and it took us 1/2 an hour to get to the Cottage from the station - 1 1/2 miles.

We went to see Miss Denshire and Mrs Wingfield (who live together) on Saturday morning; in the afternoon Uncle Claude and I went into Epsom in the motor and in the evening we all three dined with Mr Meres. After dinner they played bridge (there was another gentleman staying there) till 11 o’c, I sewed. Poor Aunt Di didn't feel very well on Sunday morning so she stayed in bed till the afternoon. Uncle Claude and I took Timmy for a walk in the morning and read most of the afternoon. After dinner we played patience and we all laughed till we were quite weak because Aunt Di cheated so much when she couldn't get it out.

I came up on Monday morning with some very nice people who had been staying with the Rallis and Daddie met me at Waterloo.

Aunt Di gets nicer and nicer!

Lilac came to tea yesterday – rather depressed because tomorrow she is going down to Aunt Di's old home Preston ManorLink opens in a new window near Brighton to stay with an Aunt (Aunt Di's half sister) who she is rather afraid of.

The dinner was at the Carlton at 7 because we were going on to a play after. There were 10 people, Hari Singh who talks perfect English and is very nice indeed; Lady Pinhey and two Miss Pinheys (one married), Lady very Anglo-Indian, girls very nice, a Roumanian Prince I should think rather a bad hat; an Englishman who was head of the kennel club and had travelled a good deal; a nice Indian and an extremely nice man (nationality unknown) who I think was Hari Singh's A.D.C. We had a magnificent dinner (turkey and a wonderful ice in a basket made of real ice) and I drank two glasses of champagne, one of ginger ale and one of water (the latter much needed). We went on in two motors, Lady Pinhey's and Hari Singh's to see "Tilly of Bloomsbury" which was the play I particularly wanted to see. It is taken from Ian Hay's book "Happy-Go-Lucky"Link opens in a new window and was fearfully amusing.

Wednesday December 3rd 1919.

Yesterday Daddie took Hari Singh to tea at Lowther LodgeLink opens in a new window (the Geographical Society); Mummy and I went too and it was very nice.

Aunt Lil rang up after dinner to ask me to dine with her one day next week and to go on to see "The Cinderella Man". She is taking Lilac and Colonel Benet (known as "Croppie"). Mr Nares is giving her a box and we are going behind the scenes afterwards to see him. It will be great fun.

Mummy and Daddy dined at the Savoy last night at a big dinner given by the Persia Society to the Persian Foreign Minister.

I went to luncheon with Phyllis today.

Frank and his betrothed came to tea; her name is Violet Pauling and she seems a very nice girl. They are going to be married in Wales which is so tiresome and they want me to be bridesmaid but it would be so dreadfully expensive.

Mrs Bisere came about 6 o'clock. They are going to Switzerland for a time and then on to Kashmir.

I have had an invitation from Aunt Mabel this evening to go to a dance at her house on the 31st.

Friday December 5th 1919.

Yesterday morning I went to see the dentist, mercifully he said my teeth were in splendid condition and he found nothing to do except a little scraping.

We were going to a bazaar in the afternoon but it was pouring with rain so we didn't go but we went to tea at Cousin Gwen's flat (they have gone to Switzerland) to say good-bye to Cousin Jack who went off to Rhodesia today.

Daddie dined with Aunt Augusta.

After dinner Mummy and I went to the Ladies' Gallery of the House of Commons thinking we were going to hear the debate on India instead of which they went on for hours about the case of an Irish Priest Father O'DonnellLink opens in a new window who had come over from Australia to fight in the war and who had been arrested and court marshalled on a charge of saying things against the King; he was acquitted but of course the Irish made a great fuss about it. Mr DevlinLink opens in a new window spoke for a long time and was very well answered by Winston Churchill, then several other people spoke and slanged each other well and there were some very amusing interruptions.

Alack and alas! Aunt Di and Aunt Lil called when we were out yesterday.

We lunched with Mr Wilton at Jules today, it was very nice indeed Pompey was there and a very nice Admiral and Lady Grant and another lady whose name I didn't quite catch.

We also went to a large bun fight given by Cousin Florence to introduce the quaking bride-to-be to shoals of cousins and people. Cousin Maud and Cousin Arthur and Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine and Cousin Cecil were there. I think the bride-to-be (I don't know yet if I can call her Violet) is very nice indeed. Frank did nothing but lament his terrible fate at having to assist at the ceremony.

I had a letter yesterday from Judith Waggett asking me to be an Angel in "Eager Heart" a mystery play in which she is acting and of which there is going to be about 6 performances at the Church House Westminster next week. I'm not quite sure whether I shall be able to do it.

Sunday December 7th 1919.

Miss Medd-Hall came yesterday but she could only give me a 1/2 hour lesson.

Daddie and I went to see Shortie in St Mary's Hospital; she was most fearfully pleased to see us and seems to be getting on well; the ward was very nice (the Manvers WardLink opens in a new window) and she is very fond of the sisters but complained bitterly of not having enough to eat - they have their breakfast at 5.30 a.m.!

We went on to tea with Cousin Cecil in Porchester Place. She is charming and gave me a beautiful Chinese fan with carved ivory sticks and made of white feathers with peacock feather tips and with little Chinese people on the white feathers.

Mummy went to luncheon with Miss Buxton.

Monday December 8th 1919.

Yesterday morning Mummy, Daddie and I went to St Martin. The Archdeacon of London preached.

Aunt Venetia is staying with Cousin Sophy and in the afternoon Mummy and I went to Amen Court and picked them up and went on to the afternoon service in the Cathedral; the singing was beautiful and Canon NewboltLink opens in a new window preached a very good sermon; we went back to tea with him afterwards Cousin Etta's two little boys Wilfred and Dorian are staying there; they are very nice children.

I had a long letter from Lilac this morning and also one from Peggy.

Robin is staying with Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine at the Tower for a few days. I went to luncheon there today and Robin took me to see "Little Women" which was most awfully good; "Jo" was splendid she was an actress named - I think - Kathleen Collande [ Katharine Cornell ]Link opens in a new window who I had never to my knowledge heard of before but who was quite extraordinarily good. Joyce CareyLink opens in a new window Lillian Braithwaite’s daughter was Meg she is very pretty indeed and very good. Altogether I enjoyed it very much. Robin came back to tea. He is a very nice boy.

Lady de L'IsleLink opens in a new window came to luncheon.

Aunt Venetia came about 2.30 and went at just on 7 so Mummy was able to have a good talk with her and I saw a nice little bit of her when I got back.

Tuesday December 9th 1919.

I went out and did a little shopping with Phyllis this morning. In the afternoon we went to call on Aunt Bobs (they have moved into Tilney Street) but she was ill in bed. We saw Joan and Antony in the hall; Joan smiled aimiably but refused to utter. We went on to Day's Library; Uncle Claude and Aunt Di and Major Dunlop came to tea and Mrs Rooke and Lady Barrington came to call and so we had a very nice party. I hadn't seen Lady Barrington since we left Wimbledon, she was as nice as ever. Poor Aunt Di hasn't been feeling at all well, she thinks it is the result of her hand. They are going to the Russian Ballet with Uncle Vesey this evening and going behind the scenes afterwards to see KarsavinaLink opens in a new window who is a great friend of their's.

Daddie is dining at the Alpine Club annual dinner.

It has been a terrible day.

Wolfie sent me some lovely apples this evening.

Thursday December 11th 1919.

I went with Phyllis to Vacani's yesterday morning and had a dancing lesson, there are a good many new steps - some rather nice ones. Afterwards we went to Kosky the hat shop in Sloane Street where there was a sale on and I got an awfully pretty hat for 30/-; it is made of thick cream stuff and trimmed with navy blue. Phyllis dropped me at home where Mummy and I mutually picked each other up and went to luncheon with Cousin Nell who was in one of her very best moods and quite charming. When we left we went to see Mrs Fraser but she was out. Cousin Margaret Magniac came to tea, she is very busy running the St Martin's Club.

Daddie and I went Christmas shoppingLink opens in a new window this morning, we tore round for 3 solid (very solid) hours by which time we were very nearly dead. Daddie got a very nice black and white silk woolie for Mummy (the contradiction of terms isn't as bad as it sounds "Woolie" being the familiar name for a sports coat) and a good overcoat for Mrs Simpson; we also got various small things at Liberty and elsewhere and 1/2 a dozen copies of Sir Henry Newbolt's "Book of the Long Trail"Link opens in a new window.

A very nice young Captain Gordon who is at Cambridge appeared after tea and Uncle Claude came for tea late and was as usual very nice.

Saturday December 13th 1919.

Daddie went down to Twickenham to see Sir Evan James yesterday afternoon and went to the House of Lords to hear the India debateLink opens in a new window when he came home.

Lady Treowen called and stayed to tea; she is a most delightful person.

Last night came the great excitement of Aunt Lil's theatre party. Lilac called for me in a taxi at a quarter to seven and we went on to Cumberland Mansions, I had never seen Lilac in evening dress before, she looked awfully pretty. Aunt Lil of course was charming and Colonel Benet is an awfully nice person and had stayed at the Residency in Kashmir in 1912 which thrilled me. The new flat will be very pretty indeed when it is finished. We had a very nice dinner and then went off in a motor which Aunt Lil had got for the evening to the Queen's Theatre where we found Mr NaresLink opens in a new window had given us the stage box so of course we saw perfectly beautifully. It was a very good play indeed and very funny in places, Renée Kelly was the leading lady and was ripping and so pretty. We went behind the scenes after the third act to see Mr Nares. I had never been behind the scenes before so was very excited; we went along endless passages and up endless stairs and at last came to Mr Nare's sitting-room a tiny but very pretty room. He was very nice indeed, we couldn't stay long because he had to get ready for the fourth act but at the end of the play we went back to see Mrs Nares who was nice but a tiny bit vulgar. I didn't get back till 11.30 and I let myself in with a latchkey and felt fearfully grown up.

Mummy and Mrs Idie fetched Shortie back from the hospital this morning she was rather weak and had her arm in a sling and she went down to her home at Streatham for a few days escorted by her nephew.

Miss Medd-Hall was coming this afternoon but she telephoned to say she couldn't come.

Daddie and I went to see Professor CollieLink opens in a new window who we met in Skye and he showed us some wonderful colour photographs he had done of Skye, the Rockies and other places; he is supposed to be the best colour photographer there is and the colouring was wonderfully true. He also had a lovely collection of Chinese carved jade etc. We had tea with him and then came home to see Cousin Cecil who came to tea and was charming.

Must go to bed now - am feeling very angry about something I will not tell the whole history of here.

Sunday December 14th 1919.

Daddie and I went to St Martin's this morning. Mr Sheppard preached a very good sermon on Christmas and on the Holy Communion. He said he thought we lived in the Kingdom of God those 24 hours of Christmas Day.

Aunt Lil came to tea and so did Colonel Benet who is a most delightful person. Aunt Lil was of course charming. Mrs Gordon who is the mother of Captain Gordon who came the other day and a Miss Potter who is a sister of one of the Stanhopes also appeared for tea.

Poor dear Aunt Di hasn't been at all well - in fact she felt very ill last night but was much better today.

Monday December 15th 1919.

We had a very nice time this afternoon; Mummy and I lunched with Pompey at les GobelinsLink opens in a new window in Heddon Street. Mrs Wilton was there too and we went on afterwards to see a thing called a Russian Isba ("Isba" being Russian for village) at the Queen's Hall; all the performers were Russian, they were dressed in very pretty peasant dresses and they sang Russian folk songs and danced and played and it was most extremely good. It was very sad though the hall was very nearly empty, I suppose people don’t know of it because it beautifully done.

Pompey and Mr Wilton came back to tea and Colonel Gabriel also appeared for tea, he has just come back from Italy.

Mummy has gone to a Geographical Society lecture at the Aeolian Hall. Daddie of course is in the chair.

I am glad to say Aunt Di is better.

Oh! I am so worried and unhappy Mummy has said that Peggy and I are not to see each other till I am confirmed and out. She has asked Mrs Leigh not to ask me there and to forbid Peggy to write, telephone or see me. I see Mummy's point of view and she thinks she is doing right but oh I can't think it is either right or fair after having been one another's (and still being) greatest friend for ten years that we should suddenly be cut off like this. All this has been going on and getting worse and worse for some time, Peggy told me that Mummy had asked Mrs Leigh not to ask me there any more at present when they came to the tea at the end of October I didn't say anything about it here for a long time because I thought it was possible that it would all blow over. Peggy didn't realise for a long time how serious it was and I don’t think I quite realized either how bad it was going to become though I was very worried but at last Peggy had realised throughly. I had a letter from her on Saturday (I had asked her to write once more). She says she will never give me up and a great deal besides that I am not going to write here and I wrote the same thing to her yesterday.

Tuesday December 16th 1919.

I had a very nice letter from Cousin Gerty this morning. I am going to stay down there from the 26th to the 31st.

Mummy rang Uncle Oswald up this morning and later he rang up Daddie (who was out) and I spoke to him, he was very nice and has asked me to go to tea there on Christmas Day.

Lilac came to luncheon; she is the only person who I have told nearly the whole of the Peggy story to (except Shortie who knows a little).

Wolfie came to see us in the afternoon, I hadn't seen her for ages.

Lady Cohen also appeared later and was very amusing. Aunt Venetia came to tea late, she had been tearing round since 10 o'clock and was nearly dead. She goes back to Croxton tomorrow.

I have had two letters from Shortie today. She says she is better which we are very glad of.

People have prophecied that the end of the world will come tomorrowLink opens in a new window and everyone is talking of it.

Friday December 19th 1919.

Mrs Idie and I went shopping on Wednesday morning. After tea Mummy and I went to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di who had that day arrived in their house in Chapel StreetLink opens in a new window (26, telephone Victoria 4527!). I had been in the morning to take them a little pot of white heather for luck. They were so dear and delightful and so pleased to see us and my Aunt Diana took me over the house which has just been done up and is extraordinarily pretty.

Cousin Gerty came to dinner and was in one of her very nicest moods. She asked if I would like to take another girl down to the Farm with me so I asked Lilac but the tiresome girl can't go.

Saturday December 20th 1919.

Uncle Oswald rang up on Wednesday and asked me to dine there on Thursday and go on to a big concert in aid of the Guards HomeLink opens in a new window, at the Albert Hall.

Daddie went (invited by Uncle Oswald) to give away prizes at a big boy's school in the city called - I think – St Saviour's and St Olave'sLink opens in a new window on Thursday afternoon.

I went out and did some shopping and had a dancing lesson.

Uncle Oswald sent a car to fetch me at 6.45. Uncle Vesey was in it and we went and picked up another gentleman at 31, Buckingham Gate, I forgot his name but it was somthing like Fortescue. Aunt Bobs was awfully nice and Anne welcomed me with great joy and took me up to see Joan who was splashing about in her bath with great glee attired in a bathing cap. Anthony Charles (usually known as "John") had just come out of the bath and was being attired for the night. Aunt Violet was there too and was very nice and so was Uncle Oswald. We had a very good dinner and then went on to the Albert Hall; we had very good seats in the stalls. The King and Queen and a large portion of the Royal Family were there. The Massed Bands of the Guards played; it was Colonel Mackenzie Rogan'sLink opens in a new window last appearance. Tom BurkeLink opens in a new window was the first singer, he has a beautiful voice but it doesn't fill that hall, he sang several things which weren't on the programme and "The Minstrel Boy" as an encore which was ripping. Clara ButtLink opens in a new window sang too wonderfully. I have never heard her before, it is a most glorious voice; she sang amongst other things "Where Corals Lie"Link opens in a new window, "The Soldiers Return"Link opens in a new window and "Have you News of My Boy Jack?"Link opens in a new window. Melba was supposed to have been there but she failed and so Clara Butt took her place and sang an encore after every song. Lady TreeLink opens in a new window recited rather tiresomely in "The Soldiers Return". Kennerley RumfordLink opens in a new window sang too. Altogether it was a most lovely concert, Aunt Bobs was awfully nice to me, she asked me to go there whenever I liked and she would - if it wasn't wanted - send the car to fetch me; to let her know if ever there was any Sunday concert I would like to go to and she would take me. Would I like to go to a cirus [ circus ] with her and the children soon? would I like to go to the ball at the Albert Hall on New Years Eve? and so on. I wonder if they really mean it and if I can manage to be really friends with them and with the rest of the family anyway I will try!

A very nice Major RybotLink opens in a new window who was up in Thibet [ Tibet ] came to luncheon yesterday.

I had a glorious and wonderful surprise in the afternoon. Major Dunlop took me to tea with Aunt Violet and Mrs Leigh, Rowland and my beloved Peggy were there! Aunt Violet had heard about the row, got very excited about it and determined that we should meet, she was trying to arrange it when she asked me to go there before. Oh! the joy of seeing Peggy! and Rowland was delightful and Mrs Leigh so kind and Aunt Violet charming too and Pompey is a dear!

I sat between Peggy and Rowland at tea and they both held one of my hands so that I could scarcely eat! We three went up to the drawing room after tea and had a good talk, then the other three came up and we held a council of war and finally decided that it is no good doing anything till I am confirmed. Poor Mrs Leigh seems very worried about it. Then we said a fond, very fond farewell to each other and Pompey and I left. Dear, darling old Peggy I did love seeing her. I had to leave early because Sir Fowle and Miss Buxton where coming to tea and Mummy wanted me to see them. They are charming.

Nina and Miss Dymond appeared yesterday morning and took me out shopping with them. They were in London for the night on their way up to Scotland.

Sunday December 21st 1919.

On Friday evening I dined with Aunt Mabel and company and we went on to a dance. "We" consisted of Aunt Mabel, a very nice Miss Hardcastle and her brother who is at Dartmouth; Harry Julian and a nice girl whose name was Cicely but I didn't get beyond that. The dance was given by some people called Pemberton at the Grafton GalleriesLink opens in a new window, it is a ripping floor and there were only about 60 couples so it wasn't overcrowded. I danced nearly every dance and the ones I didn't dance I sat out. We left about 1 o'clock. I stayed in bed for breakfast on Saturday morning and felt sleepy all day.

Mr Wilton called for me at 1 o'clock yesterday and took me to the Criterion for luncheon we had a splendid luncheon and then went on to the Criterion Theatre to see "Lord Richard in the Pantry" which was absolutely killing. Cyril MaudeLink opens in a new window and Conny EdissLink opens in a new window were in it and they were too funny acting together. Mr Wilton came back to tea with us; as far as he knows he is going to Tisham (don't suppose its spelt like that) on the 28th.

This morning at a few minutes after 10 o'clock Mummy and I started off to Wimbledon. We went to Church at St Paul's Inner Park Road; Mr Bailey preached a very good sermon and was so pleased to see us when we went round to see him after the service. We went to luncheon with the Lulings and were met there by Daddie. They were charming and very pleased to see us again. Rosamund is pretty and Peter is almost beautiful (this isn't rot) and a very nice boy. the little boy Jeffery, also appeared; Miss Medd-Hall considers him a genius at music; we met her going alone in the 'bus and she is coming to give me a lesson on Tuesday. When we left the Lulings we went to see Lady Barrington and had tea with her. She was very pleased to see us and most amusing.

Oh! how glad I am we don't still live at Wimbledon!

Tuesday December 23rd 1919.

I went to luncheon with Aunt Di yesterday in the middle of luncheon Colonel "Croppie" Benet suddenly appeared having come up from Preston that morning; he came in and had luncheon and after luncheon Aunt Di and I went off to do some shopping; we went to Hamley were I bought presents for Joan, "John" Anthony, Brian and Patsy Robertson; then we went to a shoe shop for Aunt Di, then we went to Harrods where Aunt Di tried not very successfully to get a turkey and I got an awfully nice little engagement book for Daddy and "Little Women"Link opens in a new window for Mrs Idie. Then we went and tried again for a turkey with slightly more success, then we went in a 'bus to Mrs Porteous' house, Aunt Di came in for a few minutes (I was having tea with Lilac); poor Mrs Porteous isn't at all well.

Mr Wilton came to dinner.

We have been trying to get Christmas presents off today. I have sent Peggy a very pretty bead necklace which I made; Phyllis a little sort of work basket; Cousin Gerty a card case made of navy blue corded ribbon with her initials and a little design in steel beads; and Miss Wolff two lavender bags, one made of pink chiffon and bound with white and the other made of white and bound with blue ribbon.

Laurie came to luncheon on his way to Lincolnshire. He is a very nice boy and most amusing.

Anne came to tea, she is a perfect darling. She talked hard and roared with laughter and invented wonderful games and altogether was most delightful.

Christmas Eve 1919.

Mrs Idie and I went to the Stores this morning and were overwhelmed with surprise to find it was quite empty. We also went to Chapel Street and I left presents for Uncle Claude and Aunt Di; Mummy gave me an old book of very pretty Japanese prints which she had bought in a sale to give Uncle Claude and I made Aunt Di an awfully pretty round work basket of shot silk.

I sent off Christmas cards and finished various very much belated Christmas presents this afternoon. Lilac came to tea and after tea we went to St Martin's to see a Christmas mystery play; it was extraordinarily well done and was really beautiful, there was a good deal of singing and a violin.

Shortie came back this afternoon; she seems better and is very glad to be back.

Aunt Di rang up this evening fearfully pleased with the basket and they are coming to tea tomorrow which is delightful. Daddie called there this afternoon and thought the house very pretty. Poor dear Aunt Di was so hurt because she went to call at Tilney Street this afternoon taking presents for the children, she asked for Aunt Bobs and was told she was at home but was just going out in the motor so she couldn't see anyone!

Mummy had a charming letter from Mr Sheppard this morning, he says he has got a game leg and a bad foot; he was walking about with sticks in church this evening.

Wolfie has been showering lovely presents on us; several days ago she sent Mummy a beautiful pink begonia in a pot and a big white heath and this evening she sent Mummy some beautiful pink roses and me a dear little fir tree covered with imitation snow and a most ripping black fur motor rug lined with blue; it belonged to a very great friend of her's who died and she said some time ago that she was going to give it to me; it is a most handsome and beautiful thing.

Presents have been showering in all day, the front door bell has scarcely stopped ringing. Lilac has given me a nice photograph of herself which I am awfully glad to have. Mary has also sent me a very good photograph of her which is very nice of her, I wish all my friends would send me their photographs I love to have them.

Tuesday December 30th 1919.

We went to Church at St Martin's on Christmas Day. The Church was very full and it was a beautiful service and Mr Sheppard preached a splendid sermon. It was pelting with rain when we came out of church and we had some difficulty in getting a 'bus; we just had time to come home and tidy and then we went to luncheon with Cousin Nell who was very nice and who gave me a very pretty bracelet made of a gold chain with bits of turquoise hanging from it. Mr Freddy Wallough was there too; we had a very good luncheon and altogether it was very nice.

Wednesday December 31st 1919.

Afterwards Daddie and I went to Tilney StreetLink opens in a new window. I had been going to tea there but Uncle Claude and Aunt Di were coming to tea with us so we went to explain that I couldn't stay to tea. Daddie and Uncle Oswald started talking and Aunt Bobs took me up to the nurseries; Joan and Anthony were resting after what I gathered had been rather frenzied Christmas orgies; Anne was also supposed to be resting but she flung herself upon me with a wild yell of joy when she saw me and took me off to see a most beautiful rocking horse which "Father Christmas" had brought them, of course I had to have a ride on it and then she took me to show me her other presents of which she had masses; then Aunt Bobs took me over the house, it is very nice indeed with big light rooms but rather an Eiffel Tower. Anne then insisted that we should run races up and down stairs which as the stairs are at present uncarpeted was a very noisey and exhausting business. Aunt Bobs gave me three very good photographs of the children which were done quite recently. Uncle Oswald took Daddie over the house and when they came back we had to absolutely tear off home as we had left very late; Uncle Claude and Aunt Di were here when we got back and so we had tea almost immediately and opened the presents after tea. I had splendid presents this year. Mummy gave me a silver gilt set of boxes for my dressing table - two powder boxes, two hair pin boxes, two pin trays and two hair brushes. They had belonged to her. Daddie gave me a very nice button hook and shoe horn of silver with "E" engraved on them. Shortie hadn't had a chance to buy me anything but is giving me a photograph frame for my birthday. Mrs Idie gave me a very pretty black pin cushion with forget-me-nots tied with pink ribbon done on it in pen painting; Uncle Claude and Aunt Di gave me a ripping umbrella with a round stone top; My beloved Peggy gave me a very nice and roomy address book bound in leather; Pompey gave me a dear little folding mother o' pearl fruit knife; Aunt Violet gave me a most delightful little case made of black moiré and edged with gold for notes, cards and stamps; Anne, Joan and Anthony gave me an awfully pretty white single feather ostrich for the fan and Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs a perfectly beautiful pendant of seed pearls and turquoise; it is a really lovely thing; Aunt Mable [ Mabel ] and Uncle Eric gave me a very pretty pale pink single plume ostrich feather fan edged with grey. Aunt Alys and Uncle Romer gave me "Mr Punch's History of the Great War"Link opens in a new window which I wanted very much. Mr Wilton gave me a most beautiful book, it is called "Some British Ballads"Link opens in a new window and is illustrated by Arthur Rackham and bound in white vellum and belongs to a limited edition numbered and signed by the artist. Sir David Prain sent me a book about the Dardanelles. Nina (Melville) sent me a photograph of her in fancy dress. Lady Barrington gave me a very pretty cut glass flower vase with a silver top. Those are all I can think of, they were a splendid lot.

We went to dinner with Sir Walter and Lady Lawrence in Eaton Square. There were 12 people there including Sir George FramptonLink opens in a new window (the sculptor who did the Peter PanLink opens in a new window in the Park) who I sat next to and Mrs Clive Wigram the wife of the man who is always with the KingLink opens in a new window, she said the King and Queen had given them a magnificent gramophone for Christmas. We had a jolly good dinner and presents were handed round after dinner very prettily done up, I got a box of chocolates. Several other people came in after dinner including Colonel Gabriel. We got home at a little before midnight and altogether it was very nice.

At 9.15 the next morning a very nice maid of Cousin Gerty's came to take me down to White Hill Farm. Daddie went with me to Liverpool Street and we got there an hour too early (we had allowed so much time because of the difficulty of getting taxis and in case there was a crowd) so we went to see Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine at the Tower, they were very nice and Uncle Jack gave me 10 bob to buy a Christmas present and Aunt Madeleine lent me a book. We got back to the station in heaps of time for me to catch the train which went at 10.42. The journey took an interminably long time but we arrived at Ware at last and found a motor waiting for us which took us to White Hill. Cousin Gerty seemed very pleased to see me and so did all the rest of the party whom I knew. The party consisted of Sir Andrew, Aunt Geraldine, Cynthia, Uncle Raymond, Aunt Violet, Mr Franks and a very nice Mr Grey who is an artist and very musical and clever and knows masses of interesting people.

On Friday afternoon Cousin Gerty had an entertainment in the hut for the farm people. There were four performers, three men and a woman; they sang and did conjuring tricks and played and gave little sketches and altogether it was extremely good. After tea Aunt Violet sang, she has got a glorious voice. After dinner we danced wildly and madly, Aunt Violet and Mr Franks did the most extraordinary impromptu dances in which Aunt Violet sat on the floor several times and I ended by sitting on Mr Grey's lap!

On Saturday morning we played tennis in the hut. It was a badminton net and raquets and we only had soft wooly balls but it was great fun. In the afternoon we played some very strenuous games of rounders on a peice of ground covered with cinders and with several concealed barbed wire entanglements. Aunt Violet, Cynthia and I were so stiff and sore afterwards that for two days we could only sit down with much pain and great difficulty. Cynthia and I dressed up for dinner that evening - or rather Cousin Gerty dressed us up, she took enormous trouble over it and we really were a great success. Cynthia was a little Italian boy, she had on black satin knickers, a brilliant orange and red sash and a white lawn blouse and a little black velvet cap on her head. I was a Japanese lady, I wore a beautiful blue kimono with flowers and birds and things embroidered on it and a purple sash with some dull cherry pink just showing over the top and ending in a huge butterfly bow behind. Cousin Gerty did my hair beautifully in masses of loops and rolls and I had two pink roses over my ears. We hadn't got the energy to dance that evening.

The next morning I had developed a violent and very evident cold and was kept in bed to breakfast and not allowed to get up till after 11 o'c. Cynthia and Sir Andrew went to Church and the rest went for a walk.

I am just off now to dress for Aunt Mabel's dance so must continue about that most amusing visit tomorrow.

January 2nd 1920.

That evening we dressed up again; Cynthia was a sort of Romney [ Romany ] child in a pink dress, a cross-over bodice of black lace and a black hat with one big pink rose in it tied very loosely under her chin; she looked awfully pretty. Aunt Geraldine was a Chinese lady in her own evening dress and an embroidered Chinese coat over it and what we fondly imagined to be a Chinese hat on her head. Aunt Violet dressed up as a Spanish lady with her hair done in big rolls very high and a huge comb in it, she wore a scarlet and black underskirt made of a scarf (rather tight) and a black Shetland shawl draped over it. I was Nell Gwynne and I wore white shoes and stockings, a black crepe de chine skirt, a white lawn blouse (quite plain except for a frill down the front) with a little black crepe de chine coat over it and a big black straw hat tied under my chin into a sort of poke bonnet by a peice of orange coloured ribbon. I had a big bunch of roses at my waist band and slung on my arm by a peice of orange coloured ribbon I carried a basket of oranges. Needless to say most of our things were lent to us by Cousin Gerty. We really were a great success.

We danced after dinner and Mr Grey told our characters by our hands which was very interesting; he told me I was artistic, had a good head and plenty of logic and a pretty strong will, I was not impulsive but thought things well over before I acted; he was very much interested in my hand because when he looked at my right hand (the one you are born with) he said I was not at all impressionable and then he looked at my left hand (the one you make) and that showed that I am impressionable indeed which is true, so I have made myself impressionable.

Mr Grey went away on Monday morning. I was again kept in bed for breakfast but got down earlier and wrote some letters. Everyone except Cynthia, Aunt Geraldine and I went out in the afternoon. Cynthia and I read "Mary Magdalene"Link opens in a new window by Metternich [ Maeterlinck ] then we played the pianola and very nearly expired of heart, leg hand and breath failure. In the evening we played "consequences"Link opens in a new window and some of them were most awfully funny.

We all left the next morning having had a most truely delightful and happy visit. Aunt Geraldine, Uncle Raymond and Cynthia went by Hertford and Aunt Violet, Mr Franks and I by Ware. Aunt Violet dropped me here. I am most awfully glad to have been staying in the same house as her and seen so much of her - especially after what she did for us the other day because I never liked her much and she never seemed as if she wanted to be friends with one but this time she was most awfully nice and I rather wonder if the whole family hasn't mis-judged her a little at one time or another. She must have had a very hard life before she married and of course it is desparately worrying being so poor.

Laurie came to luncheon and Daddie and he went down to Wales for Frank's wedding.

I stayed in bed for breakfast on Wednesday and didn’t get up till quite late. Shortie and I went to GorringeLink opens in a new window in the afternoon. In the evening Mummy and I went to Aunt Mabel's dance which was great fun. Cynthia was there and also Barbara and her two brothers Arthur and Phillip, they are all very nice indeed. I danced every dance except one which I sat out with Cynthia and a very nice boy who she brought with her. I had asked Robert Gunning to go with me (Frank’s 1st cousin) but he was at Frank's wedding and Daddie and he didn't appear until 11.15! At 12 o'clock we all joined hands in a big circle and sang "For Auld Lang Syne" and "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and cheered in a manner calculated to raise the roof. New Year's Day is also my birthday and I have reached the terrific age of eighteen and feel a shock every time I think of it.

I can't remember whether I stayed in bed for breakfast yesterday morning - oh dear! yes I did how disgraceful!

Shortie and I went out in the morning and bought cakes for tea and tried unsuccessfully to buy crackers.

Miss Wolff came to luncheon and stayed till nearly half past four.

I opened my presents after luncheon and jolly nice ones they were too. Mummy gave me a round amathyst brooch set with diamonds and pearls and with a narrow band of white enamel, and also a cheque for £5. Daddie gave me a most delightful little bird carved in cornelian; he is Chinese. Miss Wolff gave me two lovely blouse lengths; one is white crepe de chine and the other is white and pink striped silk, she also gave me a very fine book of Joseph Israels'Link opens in a new window pictures. Aunt Geraldine gave me a most beautiful brooch, it is made of paste and in an extraordinarily pretty oblong design and it is a most convenient size. Uncle Oswald, Aunt Bobs, Anne, Joan and Anthony gave me a perfectly ripping brooch, it is a long narrow bar set with five big pearls - one for each of them. Aunt Augusta sent me a dear little azlea [ azalea ] bush in a very pretty fancy pot. I am so glad to have got so many brooches because I particularly wanted brooches - especially of the size that these are.

Aunt Di came to tea and lightened everything up and admired my presents greatly, she says my Christmas and birthday presents are just like a wedding! Poor Uncle Claude couldn't come because he has been ill in bed and although he was up the doctor said on no account was he to go out. Pompey also came to tea and was charming and brought me a most beautiful edition of the "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam"Link opens in a new window illustrated by Edmund Dulac.

Saturday January 3rd 1920.

We dined with Uncle Claude and Aunt Di that evening. The dinner was given for me and it was quite delightful. Aunt Lil and Colonel Benet were there and there was a "perfectly wonderful" dinner which they had taken great trouble to arrange for me. They all drank my health several times and we drank "to absent friends", "to our host and hostess" and they drank "to our guests" and "to our darling little visitor". They had a beautiful birthday cake for me too and all sorts of wonderful sweets and fruits. When we went upstairs to the drawing-room there were three presents for me to undo; a most beautiful brown suede handbag from Uncle Claude and Aunt Di, it really is a ripper, it has got a big middle bag which shuts, two side ones with a small pocket in the back one, a pocket in the outside at the back and under the flap at the front there are two small pockets one with a little mirror and the other with a little case to carry railway tickets in. Aunt Lil gave me an awfully pretty little violet growing in a pot from Goode and Colonel Benet gave me a Russian ikon, it is a copy of one in the Church of the Redeemer at Petrograd and he says there will be none to be had any more. We left about 10.30, they managed to get a taxi for Aunt Lil so she dropped us at home. I never saw anything so kind and dear as they are, Aunt Di says she feels as if I belonged to her.

I stayed in bed to breakfast again yesterday morning and Miss Medd-Hall came and gave me a music lesson.

In the afternoon Mrs Short, Mrs Idie, Mrs Simpson and I went to see "Three Wise Fools"Link opens in a new window, it was a treat from Mummy for them. It was a most amusing play and we all enjoyed it throughly. Margaret BannermanLink opens in a new window was in it. I don't like her awfully.

I had a bad headache last night and it was still going strong this morning so, as usual, I stayed in bed for breakfast.

Aunt Di telephoned in the morning and asked me to go to luncheon with them which very nearly cured it and then we went out shopping which quite cured it, we went to HarveyLink opens in a new window and WoollandLink opens in a new window whose sales have begun, they aren't much good. I got three handkerchiefs to send to Choat (Cousin Gerty's maid); a very pretty pair of pale pink silk slippers with white fur tops for only 3/11 and a pair of long white kid evening gloves for a price too terrible to mention. Then I went to luncheon with Uncle Claude and Aunt Di. Uncle Claude has been having great trouble with his foot and he has got a cold and altogether he feels rather seedy. Aunt Di was charming but a little worried; she took me to Aunt Lil's as she was going there and I was going to tea, she had to leave before tea because she had someone coming to tea. Daddie met me at Aunt Lil's and Admiral Bruce came to tea too. Aunt Lil was awfully nice.

Daddie has gone to dinner with Aunt Augusta to meet another gentleman. I telephoned to Aunt Violet this evening to tell her Aunt Augusta's address and she asked me to go to luncheon there tomorrow but I am not sure if I will be able to go.

Sunday January 4th 1920.

Shortie and I went to St John's Wilton RoadLink opens in a new window this morning; it is rather a high church and the service was the Holy Communion; it was very nice.

I couldn't go to luncheon with Aunt Violet because of the difficulty of getting there and back.

Mummy, Daddie and I went to a service at the Foundling HospitalLink opens in a new window this afternoon. The children sang carols and it was really lovely; there was one small boy with a most beautiful voice who sang several verses as solos.

Sir John and Lady Broadbent came to tea. After tea I took Shortie and Mrs Idie to Chapel Street to see the house; Aunt Di took them over and they were fearfully pleased with it. Uncle Claude, I am glad to say, is better; Aunt Di is the greatest dear.

Monday January 5th 1920.

I had two presents this morning; one from Phyllis of a very nice photograph of herself and the other one from Aunt Violet was a dear little brooch made of a fly in rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, it had been a tie pin belonging to dear Uncle Vernon and Aunt Violet has had it made into a brooch for me as a memento of him; I am so glad to have it.

Miss Medd-Hall came this morning.

About 1 o'clock Mummy, Shortie and I sallied forth to go to the salesLink opens in a new window most of which began today. We went first to Marshall and SnelgroveLink opens in a new window and Mummy tried to get me a coat but they were hideous and very dear so then we went and got some ribbon and then Mummy bought herself two woolies, one black and white silk and the other black wool, then we went and bought some gloves, I bought a pair of brown suede ones lined with some woollen stuff and Mummy bought several pairs. Then we went to Debenham where the coats were if possible worse but I got a nice pair of walking shoes for 55 bob.

Julian came to tea, he is a most nice and amusing boy; the others were coming too but Bridget wasn't very well, Harry had been having a bad time with the dentist,

Maurice started to come here, lost his way and wandered round for an hour and finally went home.

Aunt Diana has just rung me up.

I go down to Bath tomorrow to stay with Miss Tweed and Miss Daunt. I think it will be great fun and it will be so nice seeing all my friends again.

Mummy's French corset lady came to fit her and me this evening.

How I want to see Peggy!

Tuesday January 6th 1920.

The Shack Lansdown Road BathLink opens in a new window

Mrs Idie and I came down here by the 11.15 train this morning

Wednesday January 7th 1920.

To continue the above illuminating entry, Daddie saw us off at Paddington, there was only one other lady in the carriage but anything more cold than that carriage I seldom felt; the train came down here without a stop, it is a beautiful train. Brown Brown (our pet motor man) met us at the station and we went to Sydney Place to drop Mrs Idie's luggage and then to Tonar (the Vets) where I saw my beloved Joffie. I hadn't seen him since last February and he nearly went wild with joy at seeing me, then we came on here and Mrs Idie unpacked for me and then went back down to Sydney Place.

This is a nice little house on Lansdown Hill just by the Lansdown Grove HotelLink opens in a new window. Miss Tweed and Miss Daunt are so awfully nice and kind and so anxious I should see all my friends. After luncheon I went up to Lansdown Crescent to see Mary but they had gone off to a party, I saw Mr and Mrs Meade and then I went to see Mrs Carey, Miss Carey was in too and they were both delighted to see me; they are dears. I like then as much as anyone in Bath. I stayed to tea with them and they sent a maid home with me.

This morning I wrote several letters and then I went up to the Crescent to fetch Mary and she and Diana (her younger sister) and I went for a walk together. May has grown enormously tall but hasn't altered much in other ways; she is a very nice child.

This afternoon Miss Daunt and I went to call on Mrs Gwynne-James but she wasn't at home so then Miss Daunt left me at the bottom of Pulteney StreetLink opens in a new window and I went along to Sydney Place to see Mrs Idie who was very pleased to see me and Joffie went quite wild, I had one tea with her and then she and Joffie walked with me to the Rockliffe Hotel at the bottom of Pulteney Street where I was having tea with Cousin Arthur and Cousin Nora and Patsy, the other cousin Nora was there too and it was very nice. I came home in the 'bus which comes up the hill and which for about the first time in it's existence happened to go at a most convenient time.

I met Miss Cockburn three times today and she was very pleased to see me (there is nothing like my retiring modesty).

It is great fun being up on Lansdown again and seeing all the people.

Saturday January 10th 1920.

I had dozens of letters on Wednesday morning; one from Daddie in which he says poor Cousin Lance Farmer died on Tuesday night, he had been ill for a long time and was very frail so perhaps it is better. I also heard from Aunt Di and several other people and from Mummy and Shortie by the second post.

Mary came in here about 11 o'c and she and Miss Daunt and I went down to the town and I bought a pair of gloves and looked at coats in Jolly's, then Miss Daunt gave us hot chocolates and Bath buns then Mary and I tore up the hill as I was lunching with Mrs Fish, it was ripping to see her and the Archdeacon again and they were charming. Mrs Fish's sister-in-law Mrs Girdlestone and her little girl Martha are staying there. The Archdeacon has asked me to go with him to the tennis tournament at Wimbledon this year and they want me to come and stay with them some time, I would love it.

When I left there I walked as far as the Parish Hall with Mary, Martha and Miss Hare (they were going to help out at an infant's school treat) then I went to Miss Cockburn and we talked for some time and then Miss Douglas (we didn't know them at all well, they are very nice ) came in and we went down to ForttLink opens in a new window for tea, there was also a Miss Price Mostyn there, it was Miss Douglas'es party but Miss Cockburn cheerfully tacked me onto it!

Joan Carey came to dinner; she is 19 and a most awfully nice girl.

I had a letter from Mummy yesterday morning and a long one from Lilac.

Mary and I went down to the town together and met Miss Tweed and Miss Daunt and shopped and then they went off home and I waited to meet Cousin Nora, she came just before 1 o'clock and took me back to luncheon with her, she has got a very pretty little house right at the end of Sydney Buildings. She gave me a very good luncheon and was very nice indeed. I left a little after 3 o'c and went and fetched Mrs Idie and Joffie and we went up into the town and into Kings to look at coats, I found one very nice navy blue one with a pin stripe and a big white collar which they are putting away for me; it is 8 1/2 guineas. Then I went to tea with Miss Sartoris in St Jameses Square, she was very pleased to see me and horrified at my age and she walked home with me. Mrs Idie had tea with the Fares (the nice builders).

Sunday January 11th 1920.

I had a post-card from Aunt Vallie from Cape Town yesterday with a picture of her ship on it. I also had a letter from Mummy saying Daddie was coming down yesterday for the weekend.

It poured all the morning which was a great nuisance because I had arranged to go for a walk with Miss Bessie Mostyn and it was so wet we couldn't go. I went to luncheon with the Meades.

Miss Tweed and Miss Daunt were giving a little party for me in the afternoon and we decided to dress up so Mary and I came down here early bringing a bundle of dressing up things of theirs and then Mary and I proceeded to dress up with the aid of Miss Tweed and Miss Daunt. Mary was splendid, she had one of those big hoopsLink opens in a new window so we dressed her up as an early Victorian, she wore my pink evening dress but it wouldn't reach the whole way down being too tight so we put my accordion pleated petticoat which has a good many frills and flounces underneath it and that covered it up well and did beautifully being very full. She had a long lace scarf round her neck draped in a sort of fichu and tied very loosely and with long ends hanging, white stockings and black heel-less shoes, black mittens and a black ribbon velvet around her neck and her hair parted in the middle and plastered down each side well over her ears and done in a flat bun behind. The whole thing suited her extraordinarily well and she looked so pretty. I was a Chinese lady in a long Chinese coat belonging to Miss Daunt and with my hair done very high and Chinese orniments stuck in it. The Russells sent down a big bundle of dressing up things and the Bradshaws brought a bundle with them.

Daddie suddenly appeared about 3 o'clock looking very pleased with life, he didn't stay very long because he said he must go off and pay calls but he came back for tea and enjoyed the party very much.

The party consisted of the Meades, the Bradshaws, Martha Girdlestone, the Miss Mostyns, Mr and Mrs Meade and Mrs Bradshaw. We dressed up all the children before tea and some of them were extraordinarily funny; Diana had a little Bo Peep dress of her own on; Jim had on an enormous kilted tartan skirt, an 18th century coat, a lace tie at his neck and a small comic man's hat put on very sideways; Henry Bradshaw had a wonderful quilted yellow shirt and over that a sort of green smock with short sleeves and a gold head band set with diamonds encircled his brows tied on with ribbon (he fancied himself very much in the last named article!); Katy Bradshaw had on her father's old uniform and with her bobbed hair she looked exactly like a little drummer boy; Martha had on a sort of Elizabethan dress consisting of a very full quilted crimson skirt and a little pointed bodice, she has lovely golden hair which was done up on top and she looked too killing. We had a lovely tea and then played charades in which the younger members of the party became very excited and usually ended with a free fight, talking all together at the tops of their voices. Then we played dumb cramboLink opens in a new window and at about 6.30 the party departed to its respective homes having I think, enjoyed itself very much. It was great fun.

It is pouring with rain so we can't go to Church which is a great pity.

I have had such a nice letter from Cousin Gerty this morning.

It is most amusing everybody here thinks I am 16 and they nearly have a fit when I tell them I am 18; the children all look on me as an interesting kind of animal - and rather wonder if I'm going to bite! Henry expressed a great desire to see me with my ordinary clothes on and my hair done the ordinary way so they are coming to fetch away their bundle of dressing up things after luncheon and to see me "grown up"!

It has been so awfully nice being in Lansdown again and seeing the people and everyone has been so very kind.

I am sorry to say we leave tomorrow.

Monday January 12th 1920.

Mary and Henry came down after church yesterday and I went to their respective homes with them and then Mary walked home with me!

There was a terrific wind all day and at times one could scarcely stand; it also poured torrents most of the time.

Daddie came to luncheon and after luncheon we went to call on the Fishes; Mrs Fish I am sorry to say was at Sunday School (I do not mean I am sorry she was at Sunday School but that we did not see her) but the ArchdeaconLink opens in a new window was at home and very nice. From there Daddie went to call on a cousin some way off and I went to say "good-bye" to the Careys who were charming, I also went to see Miss Cockburn but she was out. I then went back to the shack and picked up Miss Daunt and we went to tea with Mrs Gwynne-James who seemed very pleased to see us. Daddie came in late and Miss Daunt left when he arrived. He and I went to see the Mostyns on our way home, they showed great enthusiasm at seeing us and the dear old Canon was as smiling as ever.

We came away by the 10.4 train arriving 12.40. It was fairly full but we got corner seats and had no difficulty in getting a taxi at Paddington. Mummy had gone to Cousin Lance's funeral, which was at Cheam, when we got back. Shortie welcomed us with much enthusiasm and Chi Chi with none at all.

I found a ripping surprise waiting for me when I got back in the shape of a most awfully good photograph of Peggy, it is the best one that has ever been done, I asked her to send me a photograph of herself for a birthday present and this is it. I range her up after luncheon and we had a good talk, dear thing!

About 4.30 I had another ripping surprise Uncle Claude rang up and said he was in the hall and told me to put on my things at once and go down to him. When I got out with him I found a huge motor in which were seated Mummy, Aunt Diana and Cousin Roderick, they were on their way back from the funeral. They had asked Mummy to go back to tea at Chapel Street and she said she couldn't go without me so they came and fetched me of which I was very glad. I had got Phyllis and Charlie coming to tea so I telephoned to Shortie to ask them to go round to Chapel Street and we had a very jolly party; they are both charming and Charlie is an extraordinarily nice boy.

I got a delightful letter from Aunt Di after luncheon.

The sugar ration is going to be reduced from 8 to 6 ozs.

Tuesday January 13th 1920.

Mummy and I went to ShoolbredLink opens in a new window this morning to buy remnants of carpet which make very good hearth rugs; we got some very good pieces and several pretty cushion squares. Then we went to the stores and then home.

I met Aunt Di at FenwickLink opens in a new window in Bond Street at 3 o'c to look at afternoon frocks for me, we saw several very pretty ones and very cheap 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 guineas; then we looked at the shops in South Moulton [ Molton ] Street and saw an awfully pretty one at a shop called "Earnam", it was dark blue with little frills of black ribbon down the sides but it was 9 guineas. Then we tried Madame Elizabeth, they had several pretty quite plain ones but all 10 guineas and over so we departed to Debenham where they had ripping ones but all too old and 15 to 20 guineas; then we went to Mercie MachardyLink opens in a new window where the climax was reached when we saw a lovely blue charmeuse dress trimmed with pink for £23, after that we drove to Chapel Street in a taxi which tore along and narrowly missed running over three people and into nearly every other motor. At Chapel Street we picked up a boy of 11 - Paul Grey - who is both Aunt Di's and Daddie's godson and brought him back to tea here. he is a nice little boy and very much all there.

Miss Waller came to see Mummy this afternoon and Mummy took her to Day's Library and then to tea with a Mrs Parr who is Sir Horace Plunkett'sLink opens in a new window sister and who Miss Waller wanted to see. they returned here between 6 and 7 both dead tired. Miss Waller is a dear, she talks at about 50 miles a hour, very indistictly and with no punctuation.

A cheerful young person rang me up in the evening and greeted me with great effusion, no one could make out what he said his name was for a long time but finally he turned out to be Laurie asking me to go to a theatre tomorrow which will be great fun.

Wednesday January 14th 1920.

Mummy went to see the dentist this morning and Shortie and I went to Gorringe where I bought photograph frames for my photographs of Peggy, Nina, Anne and Hugolyne.

Laurie came to luncheon and we went off to "The Crimson Alibi"Link opens in a new window a most lurid and thrilling murder mystery play with pistol firing in the dark and all sorts of thrills. Kyle [ Kyrle ] BellewLink opens in a new window and A.E. George are in it.

We went to tea with Wolfie to meet Renée NortheyLink opens in a new window who has been back from East Africa about a month. She is a very nice girl and pretty.

Mummy and Daddy went to see Mrs Howard this evening.

Miss Edwards is making me a very pretty shirt of the pink and cream striped silk which Miss Wolff gave me for my birthday.

Friday January 16th 1920.

Yesterday morning Shortie and I went out shopping, we went first to Harvey's where we spent some time with no result then we went to Marshall's where I bought an extremely pretty walking coat, it is made of gabadine in deep powder blue with grey collar and cuffs and in a very good style. It was 6 1/2 guineas which considering the price of coats was extraordinarily cheap.

Lilac came to tea; I hadn't see her for ages.

Laurie came to luncheon and he and Daddie and Phyllis and Charlie and I went to "Charley's Aunt" which is perfectly killing. I had seen it before but I enjoyed seeing it again enormously. We were all doubled up with laughter, Phyllis and Charlie came back to tea here, Laurie had to go off back to Clifton.

Mummy went to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di in the afternoon because Uncle Claude hasn't been at all well I am sorry to say. We went round to fetch her away and found she had left some time ago, we saw Aunt Di for a few moments, she seemed very worried, poor dear! Mr Porteous was there. Uncle Claude was in bed with a high temperature and feeling very ill; he had 8 teeth out yesterday and the gas didn't work properly and gave him very bad asthma. Mummy went round again this evening; Sir John BroadbentLink opens in a new window went to see him and says he is suffering from congestion of the lungs.

I had a reply paid telegram from Nina this morning asking me to dine on Monday.

Saturday January 17th 1920.

This morning I had a most delightful letter from Anne beginning "Darling Eileen" and asking me to tea at 3.45 (!) on Wednesday which is her birthday. I also had a card from Lilac and a letter from Nina.

Shortie and I went out shopping this morning. We had first to enquire after Uncle Claude, we met Aunt Di and Aunt Lil in Chapel Street; Uncle Claude had had a bad night but Sir John had just been to see him and said he was a little better, we left a bottle of champagne for him as a present from Mummy because they hadn't got any in the house. Poor Aunt Di seemed very tired. We went first to Fenwick where I ordered a dress like one which Aunt Di and I saw there on Tuesday, only that was black and mine is to be navy blue. Then we went to Marshall where we made an enquiry for Mummy and hunted for bargains and bought some furniture webbing (not a bargain!) and a damask cushion square of a most lovely of shade rose pink. Then we came home with extreme difficulty owing to its being luncheon time Saturday and the consequent extreme overfulness of the 'buses.

Wolfie and Pompey came to tea. I was going to tea with the latter but - !

Mummy went round to Chapel Street after tea and Daddie went to fetch her away. Uncle Claude, I am glad to say, is a little better.

Sunday January 18th 1920.

Daddie and I went to St Martin's this morning, it was very full and Mr Donald the head of the Rugby Mission preached an extremely good and very amusing sermon on the evil of reading the bible in snippets.

Mummy went round to Chapel Street this morning and saw Uncle Claude.

A Frenchman who rejoices in the name of TilhoLink opens in a new window and who has come over from France for a few days mainly to lecture at the Geographical was coming to tea but he wasn't very well so the friend who is with him came and Lady Emma Crighton [ Creighton ] also came up to tea. I didn't see them because Aunt Di had asked me to meet her at Chapel Street at 4 and go to tea with Aunt Augusta with her.

Mummy took me to Chapel Street, when I got there Major Porteous ("Jack Porteous") was there; he is Lilac's father's brother and I was thrilled at seeing him because I have heard so much about him; he is very nice indeed.

We went to tea with Aunt Augusta who was charming and Aunt Di liked her so much. Phyllis and Charlie were out, there was a lady and gentleman there (cousins) whose name I didn’t catch. Afterwards Aunt Di and I went to call on Major and Mrs Campbell in Eaton Place. He is Uncle Claude’s partner and they are charming and Mrs Campbell asked me to go and see her sometime. I went back to Chapel Street with Aunt Di and after some time (to be quite accurate as soon as the Frenchman had gone) Daddie came to fetch me. Uncle Claude is much better and not so tired. I have told Aunt Di a little about the Peggy muddle; she agrees with me that is very un-necessary and was so charming.

Tuesday January 20th 1920.

I spent an uneventful day yesterday, it poured hard and fogged most of the time and I read "David Copperfield" so I had a throughly lazy day.

I had been going to dine with the Melvilles as they had intended to be in London for the night but I had a letter from Mrs Melville in the morning saying Nina wasn't very well so they wouldn't be coming to London for a few days.

Miss Medd-Hall came in the afternoon and gave me a lesson and in the evening we went to a Geographical Society lecture at the Aeolian Hall by the tame Frenchman on Central Africa; he lectured in French and it was very good. Sir Henry Macmahon [ McMahon ]Link opens in a new window and Sir Harry JohnstonLink opens in a new window spoke shortly afterwards; Sir Harry is a short, fat, cheerful little person - not the least like I imagined him to be. We didn't get home till 11 o'clock.

Mummy, Daddie and I went to luncheon with Mrs Howard in Charles Street today. She is the most delightful person. There were several other people there - two men whose names I forget, one founded the 1900 clubLink opens in a new window and the other is the captain of the Kent eleven; Lady Blanche Cunninghame who I don't care for and Frances Lady de L'IsleLink opens in a new window who is a great friend of Uncle Claude and Aunt Di and Lilac and extremely nice. It was a most amusing little party.

Cousin Gerty fetched me and took me to an exibition of drawings by Charles ShannonLink opens in a new window at a gallery in Bond Street; it was quite small and took no time to see so afterwards we decided to go to exibition of War Memorial PaintingsLink opens in a new window at the Royal Academy but as we were going there we suddenly recollected that we had neither of us got a birthday present for Anne tomorrow so we rushed off to Hamley in Regents Street where we rummaged for ages without finding quite what we wanted and then we alighted on some most attractive little minature fruits and vegetables and cakes so we bought masses of these and a delightful summer house covered with rambler roses and with seats and a table; and flower beds and borders and wonderful clipped yews and two little dolls to sit in the summer house and partake of the cakes and fruit and vegetables. We were so pleased at playing with this and putting it together which we did for some time in Hamley's that we were late for tea to which the two Frenchmen came; Cousin Gerty was splendid with them and talked French hard.

Wednesday January 21st 1920.

Shortie and I spent a large part of the morning trying to get a small basket like a minature fruit hamper to put Anne's fruit and vegetables in, we finally found two which were nearly what we wanted at a shop in Victoria Street so we got them and also a peice of green baize to put down to look like grass.

Mummy went out driving with Lady Emma this afternoon.

Cousin Gerty called for me about 3.30 and took me to Anne's birthday party.

I had no idea it was going to be so big, there were masses of children and grown ups. Our present was a great success and kept the whole of the youthful portion of the party occupied till tea time. Aunt Di and Aunt Lil were there and of course charming, I sat with them a good deal. Aunt Violet was also there and very nice. There was a most "sumsious" tea and a beautiful birthday cake for Anne and masses of crackers and after tea there was a very good cinematograph I came away with Aunt Di and Aunt Lil and Cousin Gerty; Cousin Gerty got a taxi which dropped Aunt Di at Chapel Street and me here and took her on to Cowley Street. Anne is a perfect darling and has such pretty ways, this was her eight birthday. Daddie went to call at Tilney Street after I left. We had arranged that I should come away with Aunt Di if it was late before he came.

Betty Waldegrave rung up this morning; they have taken a house in Eccleston Square for the winter.

Friday January 23rd 1920.

Yesterday morning Mummy and I went to Wimbledon to see Mr Bailey because Mummy thought he had got a confirmation class at his house at 12 o'clock which he had asked me to come to but it turned out to be at the school where his little neice is and as we didn’t get to his house till 12.15 we had to come back to London without seeing him because I was lunching with Cousin Gerty at 1.30. Uncle Claude was there out for the first time and apparently nearly well; Mr Grey was also there (I like him very much) and a Mrs PackLink opens in a new window, Lord Colebrooke's daughter who is pretty and amusing. Shortie came to fetch me but Uncle Claude took me back to Chapel Street with him so Shortie went to the Stores and then came and fetched me and took me to Lilac's; Lilac and Mrs Porteous were very nice indeed and I stayed there ages till I was fetched by Daddie at about 6.30.

I didn't go out at all this morning but I went to Trinity College in the afternoon and had a lesson from Miss Medd-Hall and then went and had a look round Marshalls and bought two pairs of very nice black Lisle thread stockings with silk clox and a pair of grey gloves.

Aunt Mabel and Miss Buxton came to tea and Mr Ward-Cooke is coming to dinner.

Tomorrow is Peggy’s 19th birthday and I have made her - and sent her - a work basket like I made Aunt Di for Christmas but of black and purple shot silk.

A most tragic thing has happened. Poor Sir Robert Synge who had been ill for some time fell out of his bedroom window and was found by Lady Synge lying in the courtyard and he died a few hours later. It only happened yesterday; it is most terrible. Poor Lady Synge!

Sunday January 25th 1920.

Eshter [ Esther ] Waldegrave rang me up yesterday morning and asked me to meet them at 11 o'c at Birbeck [ Birkbeck ] College off Chancery Lane for a lecture on French Literature which, not being able to think of a plausible excuse I said I would do. Daddie took me there; the lecture was by a Frenchman in French and I didn’t understand all of it but it was very good (what hopeless Irish!).

Shortie fetched me and I went to Fenwick's to be tried on for my new dress which I think will be awfully nice.

Mummy went out calling in the afternoon.

Daddie and I went to tea with the Waldegraves. I like Esther and Betty very much indeed. When we left we went to Chapel Street to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di (Aunt Di had rung up in the morning and asked me to go and see them in the evening. They asked me to stay to dinner to meet Mrs Birkenruth ("Birkie") Daddie was dining with Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine at the Tower and Mummy said she felt too tired to go out. I was delighted at staying. "Birkie" was very nice indeed and after dinner we taught Uncle Claude and Aunt Di to play "Coon Can"Link opens in a new window and altogether had great fun.

This morning Cousin Ruth called for me at 10 o'clock and took me to St Pauls. It is St Paul's Day so they had a special service; there was a procession of the choir and clergy round the Cathedral singing the Litany - the Bishop of London in a huge cope and mitre and holding a crozier and the Dean and Canon Newbolt and one or two other clergymen in copes. The cathedral was very full and the singing was lovely and the Dean preached a very good and ungloomy sermon. It was a communion service and we stayed to the end.

Mummy and Daddie both went out calling after luncheon and I laid on my bed and read and went to sleep over Miss Buchanan's extraordinarily interesting book "Petrograd The city of Trouble"Link opens in a new window. She is the daughter of Sir George Buchanan the last British Ambassador in Russia and she describes the things she saw in "The City of Trouble" from 1914 to the end of 1917. She was there during the Revolution and Kerensky's Government and for some time after the Bolshevicks came into power and it is extremely well written and most interesting.

Daddie and I went down to see Sir Harry and Lady Emma after tea.

Miss Wolff came to see us on Friday evening.

Monday January 26th 1920.

Shortie and I went shopping this morning, we spent the larger part of the time trying quite unsuccessfully to match a pair of stockings and arrived home very late for luncheon and nearly dead.

Mummy went to the service for Sir Robert Synge at St Peters Eaton Square this morning and says it was a lovely service.

I went to tea with the Miss Kleinworts in Belgrave Square. One of them (Marika) married Cousin Trevor Parker that is the connection. There were three of them there today, all extremely nice girls and quite unspoilt, there were about eight other girls there and it was a very nice little tea party.

Sir David and Lady Prain, Mr Wakefield (who we knew in India) and Cousin Florence came to tea. I got back in time to see them.

My new dress has come from Fenwick. It is dark navy blue taffeta with a very broad peice of serge reaching from about the hips to the bottom and with serge motifs appliqued on all round where the serge joins the taffeta and round the neck and cuffs and the panel at the back. It is very pretty and Mummy and Daddy like it very much.

Hari Singh has asked us to dine with him at the Carlton and go on to plays afterwards on Tuesday and Saturday nights. He starts back for India via Belgium and France on Tuesday week.

Aunt Di rang me up this evening to tell me what she had been doing to hear what I had been doing, she was very excited to hear my dress had arrived because she was with me and helped me to choose it.

Wednesday January 28th 1920.

Shortie and I went to the corsetiere yesterday morning and also at last managed to match those stockings.

I had been going to take Lilac and Phyllis to a concert yesterday afternoon given by Miss Janet Dunlop-Smith in aid of a children's hospital city - or garden city, but Phyllis rang in the morning to say she was very sorry she had got a violent cold and wouldn't be able to go so I took Esther Waldegrave instead. A Mr Eric Rice played the piano and Miss Dunlop-Smith sang, she has got a most glorious contralto voice. I saw Sir James there and Miss Dunlop-Smith too. Esther came back to tea with me.

We dined with the Meean Sahib at the Carlton at 7 o’c. It was a very nice party indeed and consisted of Lord and Lady CarmichaelLink opens in a new window, Sir Sydney ColvinLink opens in a new window (he was Resident in Kashmir before Daddie) and his son, a Mrs Grey who was nice and extremely good-natured and a son of the Nizam of HyderabadLink opens in a new window who came over with the Meean Sahib. We had a wonderful dinner with fresh young asparagus among other things and ice and a whole peach for each person with it and with a thick sauce poured over it. I do not wish to insinuate that the asparagus and the ice and the peach were all jumbled up together - the two latter were but not the former. We went on to see "The Whirligig"Link opens in a new window at the Palace; it was a revue and the dresses were splendid and the dancing good and it was extraordinarily funny in parts - and also pretty hot!

I went to Trinity College this morning and had a lesson from Miss Medd-Hall. I am torturing Chopin's mazurkas at present.

I went to tea with Miss Buxton who was very agreeable and discoursed on old London and Cousin Ruth came in just before I left. I went in to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di on my way home and found Mummy there. Uncle Claude seemed fairly well Aunt Di was very cheerful.

It is a wild night - pouring in torrents and a gale blowing.

We are having a small bun fight for the Meean Sahib tomorrow afternoon.

Thursday January 29th 1920.

I went out shopping with Aunt Di this morning, we went to first to the Times Book Club and then to Heals in Tottenham Court Road and two other shops in that direction, then to Hanover Square and after a fruitless search for a shop in Maddox Street which subsequently turned out to be in South Moulton [ Molton ] Street to Marshall and Snelgrove where Shortie met me and we came home.

Mummy went to luncheon with Mrs Porteous.

Our bun fight was a great success, it consisted of Aunt Di; Hari Singh; Mrs Maguire; Esther and Betty Waldegrave; Cousin Gerty; Lady Percy St Maur and Helen; Mr Leslie Childers; Lady Emma Creighton and Miss Eden (who we met down at Mrs Howard's). Lady Percy has taken a house in Thurloe Square. Helen is the most amusing person.

Mrs Henniker rang up this morning and asked me to go with her to a concert on Saturday afternoon.

Friday January 30th 1920.

An uneventful day mostly employed in reading the "Letters of Charles Sorley"Link opens in a new window a young poet killed in the war.

Mummy and I went in the afternoon to a film at the Palace Theatre showing the work of the Church ArmyLink opens in a new window in the war and incidentally appealing for money which they are badly in need of.

I rang up Peggy yesterday and today, and she was out both times - alas!

Sunday February 1st 1920.

Shortie and I went out shopping yesterday morning and in the afternoon I went with Mrs Henniker to a very good concert given at the Central Hall by an amateur choral society. They sang "Les Cloches de Cornville [ Corneville ]"Link opens in a new window arranged for a concert. Mrs Henniker came back to tea.

We dined with the Meean Sahib at the Carlton. A nice party consisting of a nice fat lady with a sister equally the former but not quite so much the latter (I mean "nice" and "fat" not "fat" and "lady") and an extremely nice nephew who did very well in the R.A.F and who I sat next to; I don’t know what their names were but they own 32, Beaufort Gardens which Lady Percy had one year. There was also a Mr and Mrs Stone, an extremely interesting Syrian Count with a name which left one gasping for breath and a Captain Arthur who ran the Meean Sahib when he came over. We went on to see "The Crimson Alibi" at the Strand. A truely lurid murder and detective play of the most blood curdling description which unfortunately I had seen before with Laurie.

We went to St Michael Chester Square this morning. A poor service as far as music and singing went but an extraordinarily good sermon from Mr MacCormickLink opens in a new window who is leaving very soon because he has been made Dean of Manchester.

Betty Waldegrave came to see me this afternoon, I like her very much.

Daddie went to tea with Lady Percy. Mummy went to call on poor Lady Synge and then I met her and we went to tea with Lady Robson. I was glad to see Diana not having seen her since the summer, her sister Kathleen who I hadn't met before was there and several men. We went on from there to the Lawrences who live on the other side of the Square (Eaton Square) and having pealed both loud and long on the bells of several wrong numbers we finally found the right number and incidentally the Lawrences from whom we went to Chapel Street where we saw Uncle Claude and Aunt Di for a few minutes and in those few minutes in walked Daddy quite unexpectedly.

We next went to call on the Sligos to give them a message about tickets for tomorrow night. We saw Lady SligoLink opens in a new window and the boy, down from Edinburgh on leave; he was almost the most cheerful little person I have ever seen, his face was wreathed in smiles the whole time.

I have had a present today – a very smart umbrella with a large red knob handle from Mrs Maguire who heard something about my having had a birthday lately when she was here the other day.

Tomorrow is Daddie's big Geographical meeting and I have got to be presented to the Prince of Wales!

Thursday February 5th 1920.

Oh dear! so much has happened the last few days! Uncle Claude and Aunt Di dined here on Monday night and we went on to the Meeting which was at the Central Hall Westminster, we met Cousin Gerty and Cousin Ruth and Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs and Uncle Vesey there, unfortunately we couldn’t all sit together. Aunt Augusta and Monsieur de Lasteyrie (her Uncle) and Uncle Jack and Aunt Madeleine were also there. Among the people on the platform were Lord Haig, Air Vice Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond; Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard, Colonel Amery, Winston Churchill, the Meean Sahib (who was one of Daddie's guests at the dinner) and a good many other people. There were 144 people at the dinner which was at the Imperial Restaraunt and the Prince brought Daddie down in his car after the dinner and he says the car went a fearful pace and all the traffic was cleared for them. The proceedings were commenced by Daddie who made a very good speech indeed and then Sir Frederick SykesLink opens in a new window gave his lecture on "The Air Routes of the Empire"Link opens in a new window; he had some very good slides mostly from photographs taken from aeroplanes, two were especially good, one was of the top of Veseuvius [ Vesuvius ] ( I have no idea how it is spelt - as is perhaps obvious) and the other of a sand-storm in the desert. Some people thought the lecture rather dull but I thought it was very interesting, he described the routes from England to Egypt; from Cairo to the Cape and from England to Canada. The Prince wasn't expected to speak but Winston told him he must because it would be such a great thing for the Air Force so he made a short speech got up on the spur of the moment, he was terribly nervous but he has got an extremely good delivery and he made a very nice little speech in which he said among other things that he wished he could fly out to Australia (where he is going to make a tour very soon). Sir Geoffrey SalmondLink opens in a new window then described his flight to India (he was the first man to fly there); then Winston Churchill made a very neat and amusing little speech and Colonel Amery (tempory head of the Colonial Office) followed him with a ditto ditto; then Haig spoke a few words and was greeted with wild applause and then Sir Hugh Trenchard muttered a few words in his moustache and the meeting was over.

Uncle Vesey took me up into the platform room afterwards and presented me to the Prince who was very nice indeed, he is very fair and looks quite absurdly young and uses a good deal of slang when he talks and altogether it is very difficult to remember to treat him with due respect. I talked for a little time to the Meean Sahib who was quite delighted with the Prince (who was very nice to him) and the whole thing, he went off to Belgium on Tuesday morning. Uncle Vesey and I then re-joined the crowd and luckily found the rest of our party except Mummy who had disappeared but finally re-appeared with Daddie. Aunt Bobs took Cousin Gerty, Uncle Claude and Aunt Di, Cousin Ruth and me to our respective homes in a motor which they had hired for the evening.

The whole meeting went off extraordinarily well and everyone congratulated Daddie on the way he managed it all - he had taken endless trouble over it - and on his speaking.

I stayed in bed till a perfectly terribly late hour on Tuesday but I finally arose and went to luncheon with Lilac who is a most dear and charming person. Daddie called for me and together we went to see Cousin Nell and tell her about the meeting which pleased her very much. We returned here to catch a glimpse of Aunt Geraldine who had been to luncheon and to find Pompey who had come here to go with me to have tea with Aunt Di which we forthwith proceeded to do. Aunt Lil was there too having returned from the country the night before and we had a very jolly tea party. Mummy came in about 6 o'c and Pompey left soon after, he is going to St Jean de Luz tomorrow, Daddie also came in at about 7 o'c and we returned home at very nearly 7.35 to hastily dress for dinner to recieve Uncle Vesey and Uncle Douglas who were coming to dinner but mercifully arrived late because their lights had all gone out. Uncle Douglas was extremely amusing and most cordial.

I have had the joy of seeing Peggy today but of that more to-morrow.

Saturday February 7th 1920.

I had a music lesson at Trinity College on Wednesday morning. Miss Medd-Hall luckily is very pleased about my having lessons from Miss Hills oh dear! I quite forgot to say that Miss Hills is a very nice young music teacher who Miss Wolff found and she came and gave me a lesson on Monday morning.

Mummy and I went to luncheon with Lady Hylton who is delightful. Daddie came and picked me up and he and I went to Bedford College for a lecture by Walter de la MareLink opens in a new window the poet on "The Supernatural in English Fiction", it was a very interesting lecture, very amusing in some parts and very creepy in others. Esther and Betty went to it too and they came back to tea with me afterwards.

I dined with Harry that evening, Miss Hardcastle, who I have met there several times before, was there and a Mr Maurice who goes to the same crammer as Harry.

We played whist after dinner - not very scientific whist because we were laughing and teasing each other too much.

On Thursday I went to luncheon with Aunt Bobs, and Peggy and Mrs Leigh were there! Aunt Bobs told me on Monday that she was going to ask them but I didn’t know for certain that they would be there. It was so lovely to see dear Peggy, after luncheon we went up to the drawing-room alone and had a good talk, then we went up to the nurseries and played with Anne and Joan for a bit, then back to the drawing-room for another talk, then we all started off out together, Aunt Bobs went into a shop in Conduit Street, Mrs Leigh left us when we got to Regents Street and Peggy, Anne, Miss Collins and I walked round for a bit and then Peggy went into Miss Hammond's to have her hair washed and I brought Anne and Miss Collins back to tea here.

Oh how I wish I could see my Peggy often and fairly and squarely and above board.

Daddie went up to Loughborough yesterday to give a lecture, he got back this afternoon and says it was a great success.

Simpson and Shortie and I went to the Buckingham Palace Hotel for Mummy yesterday morning to look at the furniture which is to be sold by auction on Monday, mostly depressingly ugly and early Victorian.

Mummy spoke to Uncle Oswald on the telephone after luncheon and arranged to go and see them about 6 o'c. Shortie and I went out fairly early in the afternoon and did a little shopping and then went to see Wolfie who was very pleased to see us and gave us tea. We got home at 7.45 and a little after 8 o'c Uncle Oswald telephoned to ask Shortie to take me round there in a taxi so I hastily changed and we tore off. I went up to say "good-night" to Anne as soon as I got there, she was very excited at seeing me and wouldn't let me go and wanted me to get into her bed with her so I said I would go round to her one night in my nightgown because it would spoil my dress to get into bed in it. It is quite terrible the amount of untruthes I tell Anne!

There was a nice Captain Mansbridge at dinner. I hope to goodness there has been a reconciliation and that there will be no more quarrels and worries. We didn't leave till 11.15! oh dear! I hope it's all genuine! Aunt Bobs told me to ask Peggy to luncheon there any time I liked. Awful temptation!

I have seen Aunt Di today, poor Uncle Claude is not very well and in bed again. I must go to bed now.

Sunday February 8th 1920.

I went to the Stores with Shortie in the morning yesterday.

Daddy came back early in the afternoon and Wolfie came to call soon after and brought me a jolly nice leather bound edition of Chopin's Preludes and another one of the Mazurkas. She and Mummy went into the Buckingham Palace Hotel to look at the carpets and Daddie and I went to call on Cousin Gerty but she was out so we went to Queen Annes Gate to look at the Tennant picturesLink opens in a new window for a few minutes and then Daddie left me at the Waldegraves for tea. Dorrie Stanhope was there, her mother is a great friend of Mummy's. The Waldegraves want me to go with them to a matinée of "The Merchant of Venice" on Wednesday, I was going out with Cousin Ruth but I have written to ask her if she would mind if I put it off. Daddie fetched me away and dropped me at Aunt Di's and then went back and picked up Mummy at Lady Chesterfield's. Uncle Claude as I said was ill in bed - so unlucky he was feeling so well on Friday morning - but I saw Aunt Di.

Daddie and I went too St Martin's this morning and Mummy went to St Michael Chester Square because she can't stand in the queue at St Martin. It was of course a very fine service and Mr Matthews one of the clergymen belonging to the Church preached a very good sermon; he has got a voice almost uncannily like Mr Sheppard's.

I went to luncheon with Uncle Claude and Aunt Di. Uncle Claude was up but didn't seem at all well. Major Campbell called soon after luncheon and then Aunt Lil came and Aunt Di went out calling with her.

Mummy fetched me and we went on and had tea with Cousin Cecil where also we met Daddie, she is a most amusing and delightful person.

Monday February 9th 1920.

Miss Hills came this morning to give me a music-lesson; she is a nice little person - only 19 - and I think a good teacher.

I rang up Peggy but sad to say she was out, Mrs Leigh answered the telephone and was very nice and said she might be in any moment.

I arranged to have a lesson at Vacani’s this afternoon from my favourite teacher but when I got there she wasn’t there so I refused to have a lesson and booked one for Thursday morning instead. We did a little shopping and then I went to tea with Aunt Di who had got a small children’s party which she wanted me to help at. Mrs Sewell and her little girl, Diana, were there and Joan and Miss Collins (poor little Anne had a cold so couldn’t come) and Lady Rachel Sturgess’e’s’ little boy and girl – Pat and Pam aged 4 and 3 and such pretty children, the little girl is very like the photographs of her mother who is lovely. After tea we played various children’s games which they seemed to enjoy very much and they left a little before six. I stayed on a little while with Aunt Di. Uncle Claude is better.

Tuesday February 10th 1920.

Mummy didn’t feel very well to-day.

Daddie and I went down to Hampstead to have luncheon with Aunt Geraldine, Uncle Raymond and Cynthia and incidentally to see their new house, (Upper Frognal LodgeLink opens in a new window) which is old and very attractive but I should hate Hampstead to live in. Cynthia had been having an awful time at the dentist but is very pleased because they are having a small afternoon dance on Saturday. We came back here and had tea and then I went to tea with Cousin Gerty who had asked me to go late, she was extremely nice and very kind and I stayed till 8 o’clock!

Wednesday February 11th 1920.

I went to Trinity College this morning and had a very good lesson then tore back and had luncheon and then went with the Waldegraves to “The Merchant of Venice” at the Court Theatre. It was extremely well produced and acted and Shylock was a Polish Jew Maurice Moscovitch [ Moscovich ]Link opens in a new window by name, I believe it is the first time the part has been taken by a real Jew, he spoke English with a strong Jewish accent and acted wonderfully. Portia was an attractive little actress called Muriel Pratt. I felt very sorry for Shylock and think it is meant to be a satire on our “quality of mercy” which certainly was not very much strained in his case. Also the incident of the ring was a pity. I went back to tea with the Waldegraves.

Mummy and Daddie went to Sir Earnest [ Ernest ] Shackleton’s lecture on his antartic expedition this afternoon.

I had an immensely long and un-readable letter from Kathleen this evening illustrated with most amusing little drawings. She seems to be having a most gay time.

We are dining with Uncle Claude and Aunt Di to-morrow night.

Sunday February 15th 1920.

So much has been happening most of it very nice and I have had no time to write my diary and I haven’t got very much time now!

On Thursday morning I went to Miss Vacani’s and had a very good dancing lesson from Miss Walton. On the way home I went into Heads and bought some beautiful soft and very fine dark brown Hebrides wool for a jumper which I am crocheting, the wool is so fine that it won’t look lumpy and crochet is quicker than knitting.

Mummy and Daddie lunched with Mr Ward-Cooke and I telephoned to Peggy.

Alice Kleinwort who is an extremely nice girl came to tea with me. Sir Arthur Hardinge called after tea.

Daddie and I dined with Uncle Claude and Aunt Di. Uncle Vesey and Mr Louis Du Cane were there and after dinner we played – or tried to play – Coon Can and altogether it was great fun. Mummy came along after dinner and we didn’t leave till 11.15.

Aunt Bobs sent me a post-card on Thursday saying that Anne was starting at Miss Wolff’s on Monday and the latter had suggested that Anne should go with me to some music they were having on Friday at 11.30 as she thought it would be the easiest start for her so I accordingly called for her and she and I and Miss Collins went to it. The two Mr Dressels played very well indeed. Anne was very solemn at first and I think rather overawed but became much happier when she Miss Wolff gave her Madcap to nurse. I went back to Tilney Street for luncheon. Aunt Bobs was most awfully nice to me and says she has seen a pale yellow evening dress which she wants to give me. Peggy and Mrs Leigh came to luncheon! I had a long talk with Peggy alone afterwards and asked her whether she thought Aunt Bobs was quite genuine, she says she is absolutely genuine and doing it because she is so sorry for me and that she wrote Mrs Leigh a sweet letter about me and she told Mrs Leigh a great many things some of which Peggy told me - enough to throw a good deal of light on things that have happened – or have not happened – in the last few years. I hope to and am going to try to get it all straightened out as far as I can soon. Oh! why must families disagree??! Anne and Miss Collins brought me home.

Nina came to tea and I dined with them that evening at the Hotel Rubens where they were staying and we went on to "Baby Bunting" at the Shaftesbury, a very amusing and well staged musical comedy.

Wednesday February 18th 1920.

I went out shopping with Nina and Mrs Melville on Saturday morning. Harry came to luncheon because he was going with me as my partner to a small afternoon dance Cynthia was having. Cousin Gerty very kindly motored us down with her. Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs, Aunt Violet and Mr Grey and Mr Franks were there. The floor was perfectly ripping, the music was good and the youths were nice and altogether it was great fun. We were dancing in sun-light at the beginning which was rather delightful. Cousin Gerty left early so Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs brought Harry and me back. Aunt Bobs brought an awfully nice girl called Dolly White who is a cousin of Helen St Maur's with her.

Daddie and I went to St Martin on Sunday morning and they sang that beautiful hymn "The Supreme Sacrifice"

Mummy and I went to call on Cousin Cecil and Aunt Lil after luncheon and found them both in. A nice cousin Geoffery [ Geoffrey ] Marsh by name came to tea and talked very learnedly about investments and the Stock Exchange which thrills me at present.

Miss Hills came on Monday and gave me a music lesson, I think she was slightly less horrified at my time than last time.

I went to luncheon with Cousin Gerty and Aunt Violet was there which was very nice. Cousin Gerty took me out shopping after luncheon and I got back at tea-time. Cousin Cecil came to tea and a Miss Booth who I met at the Kleinworts and who said her father had known Daddie in India; Daddie remembered him rather vaguely years ago and asked her as she was leaving to be remembered to him and he had been dead 6 years! however she seemed quite cheerful about it!

Mummy and I went with Aunt Augusta and Phyllis and Monsieur de Lasteyrie (Aunt Augusta's Uncle who is staying with them) to a Geographical lecture at the Aeolian Hall; it was by the Spanish Ambassador Signor Merry del ValLink opens in a new window on "Spain’s Work in Morocco"; he speaks perfectly English and it was very good but it lasted nearly 2 hours and then Sir Arthur HardingeLink opens in a new window spoke and went on for ages and refused to take all hints to sit down.

Yesterday morning Mummy and I went to the wedding of Canon Carnegie'sLink opens in a new window daughter in Westminster Abbey; we arrived with the bride (we always do at weddings) but were given splendid seats in the choir and saw it all perfectly. The bride was very tall and handsome and rather obscured the bridegroom who was short; the bridesmaids had very pretty dresses of cream satin and cloth of gold; there were about six little page boys in orange tunics and two angelic tiny little girls with short curly hair who clung tightly to each other's hands but were very self-possessed. The music was beautiful.

I went to luncheon with Aunt Di to meet Cynthia. Poor Uncle Claude has been ill again. Cynthia and I walked with Aunt Di to Woollands and then came back here and went out again with Shortie to do some shopping and then came back here for tea.

We had a little dinner party last night. We got a very nice parlour maid who comes in for the evening. Uncle Claude and Aunt Di, Phyllis and Monsieur de Lasteyrie, Mr Ward-Cooke and Sir Arthur Hardinge came and I think it was a great success.

Victoria appeared suddenly and without any warning at about 11.30 this morning. They have been in London since Friday staying with her mother; she went along to Trinity College with me where I had a lesson from Miss Medd-Hall but as I was half asleep most of the time I don’t think I was wildly brilliant! Victoria came back to luncheon and I took her with me to Bedford College for the second of Walter de la Mare's lectures which was on "Islands and Robinson Crusoe" and delightful, there is an extraordinary charm about his style. The Waldegraves were there and I went back to tea with them, it was very nice indeed because they were alone so we talked and laughed and were silly.

I have seen three accidents to-day.

The weather for the last two days has been quite lovely - brilliant sunshine and hot!

Friday February 20th 1920.

I had a letter from Anne yesterday morning asking me to luncheon there but I couldn’t go because we were lunching with Cousin Cecil at the Sesame Club to meet Uncle Romer and Aunt Alys. I rang up Aunt Bobs and she asked me to go there after luncheon and go with her to watch Anne having her riding lesson.

Shortie and I went to the bank and shopped in the morning and then wended our way towards the Sesame Club, in Dover Street we met Daddie and then Cousin Cecil. Uncle Romer, Aunt Alys and Colonel Armitage (Cousin Cecil’s husband) were in the club. We had a very amusing little luncheon party and Mummy came in after luncheon. Daddie stopped at Trinity Street about 3 o'clock and I rang up Peggy and had a talk with her and then went to the Duke of York's Riding School with Aunt Bobs to see Anne ride, she has got such a pretty little pony, he is smoke grey with a black mane and tail and he seemed to a large extent to work his own sweet will with Anne.

Aunt Bobs brought me home. Oh dear! she had told me so much, my head is still going round! She says she didn't drop me at all (as I thought she had done) but Mummy wrote to her and said I was never to see her again and she told me a great deal about this infernal family quarrel which is worse than I thought it was; and about the pictures from her point of view (I had heard Aunt Di's which is precisely different) and about Aunt Violet. I don't see any end to all these hopeless rows, if only people would be content to let other people go their own way!

Esther and Betty came to tea and I tried to teach Betty to do filet crochet but as I couldn't do it myself it wasn't much of a success.

Daddie and I went to the "Daily Mail" Ideal Homes ExhibitionLink opens in a new window at Olympia to-day. We took with us a friend of Aunt Ethel's who is also her landlady and who was going to look at patent ways of building for her. She was staying with a cousin in the Cromwell Road and we went to pick her up there and the cousin gave us luncheon because she said we should never get luncheon at the exhibition as it was so crowded. We arrived there about 1.30 and at the door we met Uncle Romer and Aunt Alys and Cousin Cecil; the two former looking throughly happy and the latter ejaculating very heartily "no more ideal homes for me". We went first to look at a wonderful new way of building called "Pisé de Terre" which consists in ramming earth very tightly between wooden shutters and thus building houses, it looked very firm and solid but I call it rather a glorified mud hut. There were inumerably exhibits of vacuum cleaners, electric and gas appliances, patent houses, furniture and paint beside chicken's foods, children's shoes and toys, gramophones and gardens. I expect there were some very good things there but it was very crowded and it would take a good deal more time than we had to find out about things. We left the lady there and came away after about an hour and a half and Daddie dropped me at Miss Wolff's. She was having a raffle of pictures for the Waifs and Strays SocietyLink opens in a new window. I felt rather out of it at first because there were a great many small juniors there and no one I knew but later on several old Wolfites who I knew came in; there were Sylvia TrollopeLink opens in a new window, Eileen and Joyce Nicholson, Joan Laking and Marlie and Ellie Raphael and Violet Guthrie; it was ripping seeing them all again. For practically the first time in my life I was lucky in raffles and won two awfully nice etchings by Mr NessLink opens in a new window; one is of a bit of the river (I suppose the Tay) at Perth and the other is a bit of an old Cathedral town in France. Mummy came in for a short time.

I rang up Lilac this morning, she has been in bed for two or three days with a bad cold. Poor Aunt Di has also been in bed with a rheumatic cold.

Saturday February 21st 1920.

Uncle Claude came to luncheon; I am glad to say he seemed very well but poor Aunt Di is still in bed.

Mummy and Daddie went down to Twickenham to see Sir Evan James and they haven't come back yet.

I went to tea at Tilney Street; Aunt Bobs asked me to go at 3.30 but as we got there we found Anne and Miss Collins going for a walk so I went with them. Poor little John has got a very bad cold which got onto his lungs and he has been rather ill. Anne, Joan and I played most noisy and exhausting games invented by me in a weak moment and after a bit were joined by Cynthia. After tea we went upstairs again and played a more peaceful drawing game but we hadn't been playing long before I was fetched.

The weather has now turned icy cold which is cheerful.

Monday February 23rd 1920.

Daddie and I went to St Martins yesterday morning, as usual a beautiful service.

Daddie dropped me at Cousin Gerty's and Uncle Claude met us there and we all three went to have luncheon with Aunt Violet who was very lively and amusing and gave us an extremely good luncheon.

We went on our way home to Tilney Street to enquiry after John and found them both at home and John better. From there Cousin Gerty took a taxi and dropped Uncle Claude at Chapel Street and me here and then went on in it.

Aunt Lil and Colonel Benet came to tea and Miss Wymer who is the daughter of the nice Colonel Wymer we knew at Wimbledon called after tea.

Miss Hills came this morning.

I have got a streaming cold (slightly less streaming now mercifully) and wasn't going out to-day but Colonel Benet rang up to say he had tickets for the concert of the Ukrainian Choir at the Queen’s Hall this afternoon and would I care to go; it was a thing I particularly wanted to hear so I accepted with joy. He came and fetched me and took me there and it was lovely - quite un-accompanied singing by men and women's voices and not the least like our own English singing, one thing is apt to be rather startling they don't end their songs like we do but stop suddenly without any warning. The women's voices were perhaps just a tiny bit hard but the men's voices were splendid. Colonel Benet came back to tea here, he is a most interesting and amusing person and has travelled a great deal.

I have written to Aunt Di to condole with her on being in bed.

Daddie has gone to a big Anglo-French dinner this evening.

What I hope will be a big chance for the better has taken place in the Peggy muddle to-day. Mummy and I had a talk about it and her this morning and she said she had written to Mrs Leigh asking Peggy to come here and showed me the letter so I took the opportunity and after luncheon rang up Peggy who was out but I got on to Mrs Leigh and asked if Peggy could come to tea on Thursday and she said "yes" so I am in a great state of joy, it is such a relief that anyway a large part of that worry is gone.

Tuesday February 24th 1920.

Mummy and I went to the Deanery St Paul's this morning to see Dean IngeLink opens in a new window about who should prepare me for Confirmation. He wasn't at all gloomy but very shy.

Miss Wolff called after luncheon still unable to find a house and Cousin Nell came later in the afternoon to talk with Mummy about the ex-service men.

Daddie and I had tea early and then went to the fortnightly Horticultural show at Vincent SquareLink opens in a new window; it was extraordinarily good - delightful little rock plants and bulbs in bowls and beautiful carnations and orchids. We tore on to a charity concert got up by the Duchess of Somerset at 35, Grosvenor Square. It was packed and consequently we by arriving late were put at the back and found it rather difficult to hear but it was extremely good. Among the performers were Margaret CooperLink opens in a new window; Cyril MaudeLink opens in a new window and Hubert EisdellLink opens in a new window.

Daddie is just off to the first conversatzione of a new club called the After Dinner Club.

Wednesday February 25th 1920.

Daddie has gone down to Bristol to-day for a meeting of Clifton College Council and he is staying the night at Bath.

I went to Trinity College this morning.

Aunt Lil and I were going out shopping together but it was so terribly foggy that she rang up to say she thought we had better not go.

I went to tea with Lilac and Mrs Jack Porteous who I have heard a great deal about from Aunt Di and who is a most amusing person was there. Poor Lilac has been rather ill and is going down to Bournemouth on Saturday to stay with some friends.

Friday February 27th 1920.

Miss Daunt rang up yesterday morning to say she was in London and wanted to see us and Mummy arranged that we should go and see her at 4 o'c which occasioned me some worry as I had asked Peggy to come at 4.30. We went to see Miss Daunt at the house of a Lady Donaldson in Cadogen [ Cadogan ] Place; Miss Daunt was delightful and we stayed to tea and got home at 5 o'c - a fearful rush and expecting to find Peggy waiting but she didn't appear till 5.30, however she had a quite fairly good reason. I had her alone and we had a good talk and she didn't go till nearly 7 o'c.

We went last night to a musical "At Home" given by the Duchess of SomersetLink opens in a new window which commenced at 10 o'c and ended a little before midnight. An Italian lady sang very well and someone else played the violin and someone else the piano. Helen was there and a very nice Miss Maryon-Wilson and we sat on a sofa and were very silly. The Grand Duche [ Duke ] DimitriLink opens in a new window (cousin of the Emperor) was there and the Grand Duchess MarieLink opens in a new window, I was introduced by the Duchess to the former but didn't catch his name till afterwards which was a pity. The Grand Duchess left early and Helen came tearing along and said in a loud stage whisper to Miss Maryon-Wilson and me "I've got a feeling the Grand Duchess has been sick" which reduced Miss Maryon-Wilson and me to helpless and loud giggles for the whole of the next song which unfortunately was a tragic one. It subsequently turned out that the G D had got toothache poor thing!

Aunt Bobs rang up this morning and asked me to luncheon (I had asked if I could go to-day or to-morrow)

Shortie and I went to Box and to the Pantechnicon to do various things and then she dropped me at Tilney Street.

Aunt Bobs and I were alone for luncheon and after luncheon we went up to the nurseries and played with the children, I was engaged in a wonderful game of visiting which usually ended in loud laughter and the hostess and visitors playing "Ring a Ring o' Roses"!

Aunt Bobs and I went in the motor to the Fine Arts Gallery in Bond Street to see an exhibition of pictures by Sir Ernest WaterlowLink opens in a new window - both oils and water-colours; they were very good but fearful prices. We went back and had tea and then the children came down and played games and I telephoned for Shortie who came to fetch me about 6 o'c.

Daddie is dining at his club to-night with a Mr Van der Bil.

Mummy went with Cousin Ruth to a lecture this afternoon.

Saturday February 29th 1920.

Miss Daunt came to luncheon yesterday.

Aunt Di was up for the first time on Friday and she telephoned yesterday and asked me to go and see her so I went in the afternoon and we had a long talk.

A Major and Mrs Bowling (she was a daughter of Mr Adrian Hope and a great friend of Mummy's) came to tea to consult Daddie about their eldest boy going to Clifton.

We went to St Michael's Chester Square this morning; it was very full because Mr MacCormick was preaching almost his last sermon there and it was an extremely good one.

We went to luncheon with the Buxtons in Eaton Place (the ones we met in Skye). They are going out to East Africa in a little less than a fortnight till Semptember. They are such nice people. I went on from there to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di and Mummy and Daddie went off calling. Anne was having luncheon with them and was very excited when I came in. We played various games with her and she was very funny. John and Tony and Miss Collins and the nurse came to fetch her. Uncle Claude went out to pay a call and Aunt Di and I wound silk and got it into a terrible muddle and talked. Daddie came at 4.30 and we went to tea with the Kleinworts in Belgrave Square. Cousin Maryka and her little boy John - very fat and cheerful - were there. They are all such very nice girls and one of the twins (the two youngest ones) who draws a good deal wants me to sit for her! She is a nice little thing.

Diana Robson is engaged to be married to a cousin who we met when we went to tea there several Sundays ago.

Monday March 1st 1920.

Miss Hills came this morning and tried hard to din a sense of time into me.

We went to luncheon with a most delightful Lady Margaret Watney who lives in a beautiful house with wonderful pictures in Berkeley Square (she is a sister of Mr Gerald and Mr Freddy Wollough). There was a very nice Miss Watney and a ditto, ditto boy aged 17 who was on long leave from Eton. There were 10 people altogether at luncheon. Afterwards Mummy and I went to see Wolfie were we stayed for some time and then we came back here where I found that Phyllis had called and left a message to ask me to go to a matinée of "The Young Visiters"Link opens in a new window, which immortal story has been dramatized, on Thursday which will be ripping.

Mr Toby Hoare came to call after tea, he is a most charming person.

Daddie is adorning a Geographical meeting and lecture.

A small but very versatile and energetic mouse has been exploring the drawing-room with an ardour worthy of a better cause all day long. Chi Chi turns the blind eye to the telescope and feigns not to see him.

Tuesday March 2nd 1920.

I went to luncheon with Cousin Gerty and I am very excited because she wants to give a small afternoon dance for me very soon, she has got a house in Balfour Place Mount StreetLink opens in a new window which she is trying to sell and which is empty and has got very nice rooms and she is going to give it there. To be accurate she wants to give two, one very informal where I shall do everything and there will be no grown ups and about a week later a little bigger and more formal one with a few grown ups. It will be great fun. We went after luncheon to see the house; it is very pretty with parquet floors nearly everywhere and a delightful panelled and gilt drawing-room where we should dance, it only wants cleaning and electric light fittings put up and perhaps a little painting. We went on to the agents to see about cleaning which they said they could get done quite easily and then to Maple to enquire about hiring chairs and sofas, and then back here where Cousin Gerty waited a little while to see Mummy but she was out and Cousin Gerty had to hurry off to tea with Cousin Nell.

Cousin Cecil came to tea and was most amusing. She has set up in business as an advisor on house decorating, furnishing etc. which is very enterprising of her, I hope she will get on well. She hasn't got a shop but has letters sent to care of someone in Regents Street.

I don't know whether I mentioned that Mr AsquithLink opens in a new window has been elected for Paisley.

Wednesday March 3rd 1920.

I had a very good lesson from Miss Medd-Hall this morning. In the afternoon Daddie and I went to Bedford College for the Walter de la Mare lecture, it was on "The Magic in Poetry" and wonderfully good and full of imagination. The Waldegraves were there and they came back to tea with me after it.

Daddie had the members of the International Fisheries Commission - or somthing like that - to tea at the Geographical.

Colonel Gurdon came to dinner last night and went on with Daddie to an Alpine Club lecture by Dr LongstaffLink opens in a new window.

We are very sad because dear Mrs Howard has died of pneumonia following on influenza. She was one of the most altogether charming and sweet people I have ever known and although we really only knew her for such a short time we seemed to have known her for years.

Friday March 5th 1920.

Yesterday morning as far as I can recollect I did nothing at all. In the afternoon I went with Phyllis to "The Young Visiters"; she had a very nice Miss Mackinnon with her and it was great fun. People have wondered a good deal whether it would be a dismal failure to dramatise "The Young Visiters", but it has been extremely well done and personally I thought it was a great success; there are several very clever touches, for instance all the scenery was done like a child's drawings and someone sang "Tu Ru Ra Bom de Aay" at the wedding reception and everyone joined in the chorus and it was extraordinarily funny. Mr Sheppard was there in a box with two ladies and seemed to enjoy it very much. He is still very lame and looks ill.

I went back to tea with Phyllis and Shortie fetched me and I went to Chapel Street for a few minutes. Uncle Claude was dead tired and Aunt Di didn't seem very well and was worried about Uncle Claude. Aunt Lil was there and very cheerful.

Daddie dined with the Society of Electrical Engineers last night - an enormous dinner - 410 people - and he had to make a speech on the spur of the moment.

I developed a headache last night and felt rather rotten generally so I retired to bed directly after dinner and Mummy made me stay there till nearly luncheon time to-day.

Mummy and I went to the Memorial Service for Mrs Howard at St Mark's North Audley Street in the afternoon; it was a beautiful service.

Mr Box's car, which he had very kindly lent, containing Shortie and the luggage met us in North Audley Street and took us to Paddington as Mummy was going down to Bath by the 4 o'c train. She has gone down to Sydney Place for a few days and I think the rest will do her good. The car took us for a little drive round the Park and then brought us back here, John Laking and Lily Kleinwort came to tea, they are both so nice and I enjoyed it very much.

Cousin Gerty rang up and asked me to go out with her to-morrow morning to see about my frock for the dance. I then rang up Peggy and asked her advice about what day to have it, who to ask what kind of music to have etc: she is very excited about it.

I wish Lilac would hurry up and come back.

Saturday March 6th 1920.

I have had a perfectly glorious rush to-day! I met Cousin Gerty at her house at 11.20 and we went to Septimus in Mount Street to see about my frock, I tried on several including one black one which suited me perfectly beautifully but wasn't quite suitable for a dance. We haven't decided what to have yet because they hadn't got quite the right colour but they ae going to try and get some more patterns on Monday. Cousin Gerty is going to give me the frock which is most awfully good of her. She dropped me here between 1.30 and 1.45. Meanwhile Aunt Bobs had telephoned to say that the children couldn't come to tea (they were coming this afternoon and Cousin Gerty was coming to see them) because they wanted to take them to the Pony Show and would I go to luncheon there and go with them; I telephoned when I got in to say I couldn't go to luncheon (it being very nearly 2 o'c) but I would like very much to go to the pony show. In the mean time I had telephoned to Peggy to ask her to tea because Cousin Gerty wanted to see her to discuss the best day, music etc. for the dance, she could come to tea but said she would come at 5.45.

Daddie took me to Tilney Street and I watched them have luncheon (Uncle Oswald came in for luncheon at 2.20!) and then Uncle Oswald and Aunt Bobs, Anne, Joan and Tony Mansbridge (the little boy who rides with Anne) and I went off in the motor to the Agricultural Hall IslingtonLink opens in a new window where the show was, we thought it was going to be a thing where you walked round and looked at ponies but it was much more amusing than that. We all sat in a huge stand and there were competitions in the space below, we saw the polo stick, musical chairs (most amusing) and jumping competitions and it was awfully exciting. I went back with them but didn't go in to have tea because it was 5.30 so the car brought me straight home. Cousin Gerty was here, she and Daddie had had tea and discussed the dance, and Peggy arrived about 1 minute after I did, she and I had tea and talked about the dance and decided to have it on Saturday the 20^th as Saturday appears to be the best day and that will give us plenty of time. Cousin Gerty left soon after tea and Peggy and I had a bit of a talk and then she went too. I had been going to see Aunt Di and Uncle Claude but it was then 6.30 and I had been out all day so I decided not to go but I had a long talk with her on the telephone instead.

I have written to Mummy this evening.

Sunday March 7th 1920.

I went with the Waldegraves to St James's Picadilly [ Piccadilly ] this morning to hear Mr Cronshawe preach, he was very good indeed but they said not so good as usual. I went back to luncheon with them,

Shortie fetched me and we went to the afternoon service for the People at St Martin's. Mr Sheppard was back and preaching for the first time since his illness, he was wonderful and it is altogether a most beautiful service, he preached on the difficulty of living up to our Sunday resolutions in the week, it sounds so dull put like that but the things he said were far from dull. Thank Heaven he is back.

I went to tea with Cousin Cecil and met Daddie there. We went on to see Aunt Di, there was a nice Mrs Wood who knows Mummy there, Uncle Claude was being rubbed.

Tuesday March 9th 1920.

Miss Hills came and gave me a music lesson yesterday morning and then I went on to Vacani's for a dancing lesson; Peggy also came and had a lesson and Mrs Leigh and Cousin Gerty came too, the two latter went off together and Peggy and I walked together to Walter Jones in Sloane Street and then we got a 'bus home and she went home.

Daddie went off to a committee of Guy's Hospital directly after luncheon and I met Cousin Gerty at Cowley Street at 2.30 and we went round looking for dresses in other shops before deciding on Septimus. We went first to Jays where mannequins paraded for us in what I thought were hideous dresses then to Mercie MacHardy then to Elisabeth where we saw a very pretty yellow linen summer dress and then in dispair to Septimus where we found they had got some more patterns in and one was almost the colour we wanted so we decided to have it, it is rust red georgette with a good deal of rose red in it. I went to tea with the Waldegraves who were very nice, and from there I went on and saw Uncle Claude and Aunt Di who were both charming.

Daddie went to a meeting of the Aristotelian SocietyLink opens in a new window last night.

I wrote invitations for the dance most of the evening and a large part of the morning and also a letter to Mummy to tell her how things are getting on. I had a very nice letter from Alice Kleinwort this morning accepting and Helen rang up and said she would be very pleased to come and would bring two men.

After luncheon Daddie and I went to the Horticultural Show in Vincent Square. It was a jolly good show but very crowded. There was a splendid new very bright yellow Daffodil called "Magnificence" and an extraordinary coloured new carnation with a delicious clove smell called "Allwood's Claret" or something like that. Daddie went off to the Geographical from there and I went to see Wolfie and stayed to tea with her and a good long time after. She is going to lend me her piano for the dance and she helped me to think of girls and she also gave me (nothing to do with the dance) some ripping books of music which she bought in a sale the other day; there are the vocal scores of "The Mikado"; "Patience; "The Pirates of Penzance"; "Utopia"; "Les Cloches de Corneville" and "Lohengrin" and a "Solemn Mass" by I forget who and several other things.

Cousin Gerty telephoned this evening to say she thought Mummy would like it better if she and Uncle Claude and Aunt Di and Cousin Nell all gave me the dress.

I had a note from Mummy this evening. She says she is coming back on Thursday.

Friday March 12th 1920.

I went to Trinity College on Wednesday and had a lesson from Miss Medd-Hall.

Daddie went to Cambridge for the night to give a lecture; he was the guest of Trinity College (the other Trinity College!)

Cousin Nell came to see Mummy and stayed to see me.

Peggy came to tea and stayed till 7.30 till Mrs Leigh rang up and inquired what had become of her! We had a very long talk and argument (not a quarrel we love argueing) and were very happy.

I went to dinner with Aunt Di (Uncle Claude was dining out) and we had a lovely time.

Yesterday morning I stayed in bed for breakfast and dawdled leisurely up and then we went to the stores. Daddie came back in time for luncheon having had a very good time.

We went out in the afternoon to change some books at Day's and look at shoes for my dance frock. We met Cousin Gerty (quite accidentally) and she went with me to look at shoes in Bond Street we spent a long time in Rayne and the London Shoe Company but they hadn't got exactly what we wanted then we tore home in a taxi because Alice and Lily Kleinwort were coming to tea with me. They are such nice girls and we had great fun and we are going to try and get up a party to go to the Devonshire House Ball on April 14th.

Mummy wrote this morning to say she was coming back by the 4.40 train.

I have had a fine rush today. When I saw Cousin Gerty yesterday she had been lunching with Aunt Bobs and was very agitated because she had thought they would have liked to be included in the frock and Aunt Bobs said they would have liked to very much but of course it would have been quite useless to put them in because Mummy would have objected violently but Cousin Gerty said they didn't mind being included with out Mummy knowing so then we decided if they liked they could give me the shoes and stockings; Cousin Gerty suggested this to Aunt Bobs and this morning the latter rang me up and said she would like so much to give them to me and would I meet her to-day and so I arranged where to meet her.

I had a lesson at Vacani's at 12 o'c and Peggy and Mrs Leigh were there and after they took me to 10 Conduit StreetLink opens in a new window where I met Aunt Bobs and parted with Peggy and Mrs Leigh. Aunt Bobs had the motor to meet us and we went to Dickens and Jones and two shops opposite with no success, then back to Tilney Street for luncheon.

A Mrs and Miss Wilson-Fox came to luncheon. I played with Anne for a time after luncheon and the Wilson Foxes didn't go till 3.30 which was rather worrying as Aunt Bobs had to take Anne to the Doctor at 4 o'c. We tore off to Selfridge and found nothing there then back for Anne and Miss Collins, the Doctor kept Aunt Bobs ages after which we went (all this in the motor thank goodness!) to Harvey Nichol where we found almost but not quite the right thing then Harrods - no luck Gooch ditto, Randell ditto, Yapp ditto, Gerrett ditto Dutton ditto and lastly almost in despair the London Shoe Company (Sloane Street branch)Link opens in a new window where thank goodness! we got them! they are dark grey suede court shoes with a big tongue and we are having dull sort of grey-bronze buckles on them and by extraordinary luck we found some stockings which almost exactly match the colour of my dress. Then we went and had tea at a place almost next door because we thought it would look odd if I arrived home at just on 6 o'c having had no tea. I was jumping about like a cat on hot bricks because Mummy must have got back soon after 5 o'c however she didn't ask me where I had been or what I had been doing.

I think she seems better for the change and I do hope she is less tired and not so worried.

Sunday March 14th 1920.

Yesterday morning Mummy, Shortie and I went to the Mayfair Catering Company to arrange about the tea for my dance, which I think they will do very well.

Cousin Gerty came to tea to discuss the dance with Mummy. Mrs Manners-Smith (widow of Colonel Manners-Smith who was Resident in Kashmir) also came to tea and Marlie was coming too but she rang up at nearly 6 o'c to say she had been to a play and thought it was too late to come. I went round to see Aunt Di who of course was charming.

Daddie and I went to Grosvenor ChapelLink opens in a new window South Audley Street this morning, the service was the Holy Communion and Bishop GoreLink opens in a new window preached a very good sermon on St John's first Epistle. He is very like a picture of St Peter or St Paul.

Shortie and I went to the Service for the People at St Martin's. The Church was packed but we got there 3/4 of an hour before the service began so we had good places. The music was beautiful and so was Mr Sheppard's sermon on the 23rd chapter of St. Matthew which he said was an outburst of wrath against the Pharisees occasioned by our Lord's intense love for the people.

Geoffery [ Geoffrey ] Marsh came to tea, he hopes he has found a job.

Tuesday March 16th 1920.

Two terribly hectic days and I'm half asleep at the moment!

Miss Hills came yesterday morning and then Mummy and I went to 4, Balfour Place where we met Cousin Gerty and Cousin Nell and looked at the house which will look charming for the dance.

I went to luncheon with the Kleinworts and Alice and Lily and I discussed plans and frocks and everything for the Devonshire House Ball, Shortie fetched me at 3.30 and we tore off to Tilney Street to get my shoes which had arrived and are awfully pretty.

Marlie came to tea with me and was very nice and of course became immersed in my stamp album.

Mrs Inge called to see Mummy who unfortunately was out, but she stayed to see me for a few minutes, she is charming.

Daddie had a big Geographical dinner last night to which Uncle Claude went. Mummy and I dined with Aunt Diana, there was a Mr Hawley there who had a motor and we all went on in it to the Geographical Lecture at the Aeolian Hall which was by a Professor Meyers on the Deodekanese [ Dodecanese ] Islands (Rhodes, Patmos etc.). Venezilos [ Venizelos ]Link opens in a new window was there and he made a very good little speech in French afterwards.

This morning I went to Vacani's and had a lesson, Mrs Leigh came in to say Peggy couldn't come as she had to go to the country for the day. Walking along Brompton Road after I met Helen and Aunt Bobs almost at the same moment, I went shopping with the latter and Shortie met me again at Woolland's (where Aunt Bobs was buying hats) and took me to luncheon with Cousin Gerty (I was going on with her to be fitted at Septimus), soon after luncheon a note came from Lady NorthcliffeLink opens in a new window – whose neice Cousin Gerty had asked to my dance - to say she would be delighted to come and would I go to a thé dansant there to-morrow, Cousin Gerty got very excited and said I must go and I must have a frock so we tore off to Septimus and I was tried on and by great good luck we found a most charming crab pink sort of silky muslin frock with innumerable little tucks and frills and drawn thread work which suited me very well and Cousin Gerty has been sweet and given it to me.

Too tired to write any more now.

Thursday March 18th 1920.

Shortie met us at Septimus and we all three went to the London Shoe Company to get the shoes and stockings, we found some awfully pretty black velvet shoes with big pointed tongues and I had some little paste buckles which Cousin Cecil gave me some Christmases ago put on them and they dyed the stockings to match the dress. Then Shortie and I tore off to the gymnasium in Sloane Street where I was to meet Helen and Lettice and Lucia and go back to tea with them. The gym was fearfully funny and the most undignified proceeding I ever saw! Helen, Lettice, Lucia and I went quite mad on the way to their house and when we got there we charged through Harrods and along the street and after tea we strummed on the piano and sang songs and danced and ended in a free fight. They are awfully nice girls. Helen kept using awful expressions and Lettice world turn to me with a face of mock horror and say "isn't she coarse?" I went on from there and picked up Alice and Lily and we went to consult Aunt Di about the Devonshire House Ball; she was splendid and rang up the Duchess of Albany'sLink opens in a new window Lady-in-Waiting and found out all about it for us.

Daddie went to an At Home given by Lady Boyle that evening; Mummy was going but she was too tired.

I had a lesson from Miss Medd-Hall yesterday morning and on the way home we fetched my shoes and stockings from the London Shoe Co and my frock from Septimus and left a note for Miss Wolff.

I rested after luncheon till it was time to get ready for the dance. My frock looked very pretty and I wore the little gold Dutch cap which I had for the Royal Garden Party. The dance was at 1, Carlton GardensLink opens in a new window; there were about 12 couples and a good many extra men which was a good thing as they hung about and smoked and talked. The dance was given by Lady Northcliffe for Maryella Douglas-Pennant who is a great friend of Peggy's and who I met at tea with Audrey Townsend in the summer.

Friday March 19th 1920.

Peggy and Mrs Leigh were there and Mary Egerton who was staying with them and several other girls I knew. I enjoyed it very much.

In the evening Mummy and I went to the little At Home of the Waldegraves to hear an Indian Sardu [ Sadhu ] Sundar SinghLink opens in a new window Sardu who had a wonderful conversion to Christianity speak. He was a very fine looking man and spoke well.

Mummy and Daddie went to luncheon with Miss Buxton yesterday.

I had a dancing lesson in the morning.

Peggy and Mrs Leigh and Mary Egerton were there and we went shopping together afterwards.

I rang up Aunt Bobs after luncheon to ask if the petticoat which she was going to give me to go with my frock had come and if so if I could fetch it. She said it had and she would meet me at Harrods at 3 o'c (I was going to meet the Kleinworts there).

On the way there we met Wolfie who was on her way here to ask when her piano which she is very kindly lending me should go into Balfour Place. She was going to Harrods too so she went with us there. I met the Kleinworts and then Aunt Bobs came and gave me the petticoat which is the same colour as my dress and made of soft satin. Then Alice, Lily and their elder sister and I went upstairs to look at the models for the dresses for the Devonshire House Ball; they only had four or five models all of the quilted petticoat and powdered wig variety and rather dull.

After tea I went to see Uncle Claude and Aunt Di, I saw Uncle Claude for a few minutes before he went to be rubbed and I was with Aunt Di for some time and Mummy and Daddie appeared and I went back with them.

I have had a nice letter from Hubert Parker saying he is so sorry he can't come as they are moving house.

My dance is to-morrow hurrah!

Sunday March 21st 1920.

Shortie and I went out and did various things yesterday morning; we went first to leave a note for Lady Northcliffe and then to the bank to change cheques; then to Douglas where I had my hair done for the dance, they have waved it in front and did it in a big round bun behind. Then we walked down Bond Street and I saw Peggy and Mrs Leigh on the other side of the street and tore after them and nearly got run over and they went with me to Marshall and Evans and I went with them to Libery [ Liberty ] where Shortie came on and met us and we all walked together to Septimus and Peggy and I had a long talk; in Davis Street we met Wolfie and Mrs Leigh and Peggy went on and we walked with Wolfie and then came back here for luncheon. I rested for a little after luncheon and then dressed for the dance, my frock is awfully pretty it is made of rust red georgette with a good deal of rose in it; it has a round neck and comes straight down to a little below the waist and then it is accordian pleated, there are lines of beads of varying lengths up the bodice and the sleeves which come to the elbow. Quite a good drawing till I put in the arms and feet! the latter look as if I was on roller skates.

Shortie and I went in a taxi to the house (Mummy and Daddie had already gone) and arrived there just after 3.30. The dance was supposed to be from 4-7.30 but Helen said there would be a dreadful squash then and she was coming earlier so she arrived at almost the same time as us bringing a Mr Goschen who was quite nice; I had asked Alice to come early too so she soon appeared then Oonah came. Meanwhile Mrs Cooper who was to play the piano and who apparently is the person to have on these occasions didn't arrive till nearly ten past 4 (she wasn't due till 4) and people began to roll up and no one could play and then when she did come no one would start off for some time but finally one more brave than the rest asked me a for a dance and then all went swimmingly. The floor was good and the music was good and the sun poured in and everyone seemed happy.

I had better say next who were there with as far as I can remember the names of the men they brought.

Helen. Mr Goschen and another name unknown.

Alice. Mr Entover and Mr D'Oyle.

Oonah. -

Miss Gray and two brothers.

Anne Keppel and Midshipman Rodd.

Princess NinaLink opens in a new window and Princess XeniaLink opens in a new window and a cousin name unknown but the son of one of the Emperor’s sisters.

Joyce Anstruther and man name unknown.

Miss Maryon-Wilson. -

Esther and Betty. Mr Crawley.

Cynthia. Mr Throgmorton.

Phyllis. Captain Trower.

Elsie Raphael. -

Peggy. Mr Finlay; Mr Abel-Smith and Lieutenant (naval) Stockwell (?).

Miss Douglas-Pennant. Lord Oscelston [ Ossulston ]Link opens in a new window; Captain FitzClarence; and I think someone else.

Robert Gunning.

Captain Repton.

Tuesday March 23rd 1920.

It was a glorious day and quite hot but the room didn't get too hot because there were French windows all along it which we had open and we went out on the balcony in the intervals.

I had a splendid time and enjoyed it throughly, I danced every dance and was often booked up eight dances ahead and once I got muddled in the counting so I found myself with four partners for one dance! so I made them toss up for it.

Cousin Gerty was there for a little while and thought everything went very well and Uncle Claude and Aunt Di, Lady Northcliffe and Mrs Waldegrave also came in. We danced till 7.30. I think it was a great success - at any rate everyone said so and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.

Daddie and I went to St Martin's on Sunday morning and Mr Sheppard preached a splendid sermon.

I went to luncheon with Cousin Gerty who seemed very pleased about the dance. Oonah was there too and says they don't like Lingfield where they are living.

Alice came in the afternoon to see me about the Devonshire House Ball but Mummy was out so we couldn’t talk about it to her. I was going to tea with Aunt Di so we walked along there together and I am sorry to say our behaviour on the way was disgraceful.

There were several people at tea including Aunt Lil. Mummy and Daddie fetched me.

I must wait to write any more till I can go to the Stores and get a new diary.