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Diary, volume 22, November 1928 - August 1930

Extract from the first page of diary no.22

This transcript reproduces Eileen Younghusband's writing as accurately as possible, including most 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 22, Nov 1928-Aug 1930; Eileen Younghusband archive, Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick (MSS.463/EY/J22)

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

November 5th-11th

Monday Kathleen was in London for a fortnight & came to see me at the School in the afternoon.

Tuesday I was at the School all day. I had dinner with Blanche in the evening & she & I and Marnie Skinner went to the Group afterwards. There were a good many new people there.

Wednesday Kathleen came & had luncheon with me. I had dinner tête a tête with Joan and we had a nice talk. She was very excited about going to India.

Thursday I had tea with Miss HaskinsLink opens in a new window but the poor thing had a crushing headache. Norah Milne & I went to hear Alec PatersonLink opens in a new window lecture on Prison Reform at Morley College. The lecture was excellent but Norah had just had a wisdom tooth out so she wasn't feeling at all bright poor thing.

Friday I went to tea with Miss DingmanLink opens in a new window (the International Y.W.C.A Secretary) to meet two American neices. She was as nice as ever but the neices weren't very thrilling.

Saturday nothing happened.

Sunday was Armistice Day. They had the service for the CenotaphLink opens in a new window broadcast in the Church. It came through perfectly & the Church was simply packed with people standing all down the aisles & at the door. We went to luncheon with Mrs Busk, Douglas Busk & two American girls (nice) were there.

Nov: 12th - 18th.

Monday Mummy had been given two tickets for the Members Gallery of the House of Commons so Joan & I went & heard the end of the debateLink opens in a new window on the Socialist amendment to the King's Speech censuring the Govt. for its failure to deal with unemployment. No big wigs spoke except Ramsay Macdonald (who was very good) & Sir Laming Worthington Evans & it was rather dull on the whole besides being very difficult to hear. I went to dinner with Miss Heathcote.

Tuesday Kathleen & I had luncheon together & Ben fetched her.

Wednesday Daddie took me to a dinner of the Poets' Club at wh. he was the guest of the evening. John DrinkwaterLink opens in a new window was in the chair. I sat between a Persian author & an old lady who called all the literary lights by their Christian names. Various people made speeches afterwards including Stephen Graham.Link opens in a new window

Thursday little Sen came to say goodbye, before she left for India & we had a long talk on the possibility of her getting work out there. I went & had an interview with Miss CravenLink opens in a new window Sec. of the Howard League on a letter of introduction fr. Mr Lloyd on the present position in prisons. I went to dinner with Anne who hadn't been at all well & was feeling very sorry for herself & I was very sleepy so we weren't intelligent! The flat was beginning to look much straighter. Charlie had been up to Scotland for Shell but got back just before I left.

Friday I went with Joan to have luncheon with a friend of her's Miss Knight-Smith who is warden of Lady Mildred House [ St Mildred's House ]Link opens in a new window Settlement in the Isle of Dogs. It is very interesting down there & a fine big settlement house with a lot of nice young things running it. Joan & I said a fond farewell afterwards because we couldn't meet again before she left for India on the following Thursday.

Saturday nothing except work.

Sunday Church & Miss Jelf to tea.

November 19th - 25th.

Monday I went straight to the School & then back to Miss Wolff's. In the evening I went to a musical party at the Waldegraves at wh. Betty sang quite beautifully. Anne & Charlie & Christina were there and Daisy & the de Lyndons & Molly Schröder & various other people I knew.

Tuesday I was at the School all the day & had supper with Norah Milne in the evening. She is still job hunting.

Wednesday I went back to tea at Miss Wolff's to see a girl called Evelyn Whitelaw who Miss Wolff had got to come & give me advice abt. buying a car. I stayed on at the School for supper & went to a Union meeting at wh: C.E.M. JoadLink opens in a new window spoke on "The Future of Civilization", a brilliantly clever & amusing address.

Thursday I was at the School all day – Alice came in unexpectedly for tea. She has given the L.C.C. notice.

Friday coaching in the morning. I have got alpha for two essays running & am very bucked. Came home by the 3.30.

Saturday General & Mrs Currie & Mrs Harvey came to tea.

Sunday I went up to the Cottage in the afternoon. Mrs Idie is back here very much better for her change & looking very well & cheerful.

November 26th - December 2nd.

Monday I went to supper with Louie & Titmuss & Naomi Wilkinson who also shared the flat with Louie was there too. I went in to see Anne Dickinson on my way back.

Tuesday I was at the School all day. In the evening I dined with Daisy & Sophie at the Cadogan Hotel & we went to see a dreadfully gloomy play about the mad Czar Paul I called "Such Men are Dangerous" with Matheson LangLink opens in a new window in the leading part. I hadn't seen Sophie for about a couple of years, she was as amusing & delightful as ever & I enjoyed the evening enormously. Her husband is German minister in Athens now.

Wednesday Rosalind came to tea with me at the School & was very entertaining.

Thursday I went to luncheon with Anne. She was very agitated because Charlie had been offered a very good job in America wh. wld. have meant living there for 10 years. They couldn't make up their minds whether or not they ought to take it but have subsequently been advised not to. I had a long talk at the School with a Serb called Tanaskovitch who is a friend of Mr Waldegrave's. Miss Wolff had a young man called Maunsell who she had been asked to be kind to to dinner. He was nice but very shy being only 18.

Friday I went to a very long Committee meeting of the Social & Industrial Committee of the World's Y.W.C.A. & didn't get down here till the 6.30.

Saturday Mummy & Daddie were both in London & I worked hard all day at an essay.

Sunday We went to Church & Edith came to tea.

Dec: 3rd - 9th.

Monday I went to a meeting of the Industrial Law Bureau & then on to the School.

Tuesday School all day & I went to the Group in the evening & thought it very futile.

Wednesday I went to luncheon with the Waldegraves. John was there & Dulcie Parker & "Aunt May". I stayed on to supper at the School to go to the Union Parliament but the room was so full I couldn't get in!

Thursday I was at the School all day including supper.

Friday Mr. LloydLink opens in a new window gave a lecture on the De-rating Bill wh: was a marvellous performance so far as the explanation of its appalling involved financial provisions was concerned. I had a coaching & got another alpha for theories of the State. Norah came to luncheon with me & Mr Lloyd sat & talked to us all through luncheon. She came with me to have my hair cut & then I dashed back to South Audley St. for a musical At Home Miss Wolff was having. A Miss Downey with a lovely voice perfectly trained sang & Betty also sang quite beautifully while Ailsie Lazarus (who used to be there with me) & Mary Waley recited. Contie came & Daisy & Phyllis, and the music really was first rate. I stayed the night after it.

Saturday I went on a visit of observation from the School to the Home Office Industrial Museum.Link opens in a new window It might have been very interesting but there were so many people that it was impossible to hear what the conductors of the parties were saying. I came down here at 1.26 Captain & Mrs Luck came to tea & Mrs Blandy & Anne Magniac, the latter is a very nice child.

Sunday I spent a happy time playing with a typewriter wh: Anne has lent (she says given) me. Miss Bartlett came to tea.

Dec: 10th-16th.

Monday I dined with Peggy & we went to the Palladium & then joined Charles at a night club & had eggs & bacon. We came home by the PalaceLink opens in a new window to see the latest bulletin about the King & saw the wretched reporters who have to sit there in taxis all night, waiting in case there should be any special news.

Tuesday I was at the School all day & at Miss Wolff's for dinner.

Wednesday Betty came to tea with me at the School.

Thursday I went to luncheon with Anne and in the evening dined with Uncle Oswald & Aunt Bobs who were both awfully nice & he gave me £10 for Christmas.

Friday The term ended. I went to luncheon with Daisy & Lil was there too looking very fat & flourishing. I went from there to see Ben who was in Sister Agnes's home having had an operation to his wrist. I came home by the 5.15. Daddie had gone to Bordighera the day before to stay with Uncle Claude & Mummy & I were following on the 28th.

Saturday I played with the typewriter most of the day.

Sunday Mummy & I went to Church but otherwise nothing happened.

Dec: 17th - 23rd

Monday was about the same.

Tuesday I went to London for the night for Christmas shopping & the staff party at the Club. I shopped desperately & hopelessly & bought practically nothing & then went to the Club where I found Florrie Page & Florrie Miller & Eva Starling many others whom I knew besides Budge & Edith & Louie. I spent the night with Louie.

Wednesday I shopped most of the morning, had luncheon with Margaret at St. Martin's Club & then did more shopping & then went to see Anne & found Edith, who had been lunching with her, there. I went on to the office of the world's Y.W.C.A. to meet Miss Dingman & Miss MacAdamLink opens in a new window (I had got Mr Lloyd to give them an introduction to the latter) & discuss plans for an Industrial Summer School in Germany next year. I came home by the 6.30.

Thursday & Friday I had a cold so stayed in the house & did masses of things.

Saturday Mummy & Mrs Idie went to Clevehurst for Christmas.

Sunday I went to Church in the evening.

Dec: 24th - 30th

Christmas Eve I went up to London - Kathleen had asked me to spend Christmas with her & Mrs Corry at the latter's flat & then Ben had been let out of hospital unexpectedly so there wasn't room so Anne very kindly said I might spend the night on the day nursery sofa. I went there first & left my things, then went to Mudie's to change a book & did some last minute shopping & then tore to Rutland Court but Kathleen & Ben didn't get back for an hour which was a bore. I stayed to dinner & then went back to Anne's & we had great jokes making up the bed.

Christmas Day I went to St Martin's & got in quite easily. They had a huge Christmas tree all lighted up & covered with toys in the middle of the Church. It was very nice to be there. I went to meet Kathleen & Ben for luncheon with his sister & brother-in-law Major & Mrs Ozanne & we had a very cheerful party. Kathleen walked along to Drayton Gardens with me afterwards to pick up my things, Anne wasn't back. We did a leisurely progress back to Rutland Court walking most of the way & then I left her & went to catch a bus to go & see Miss Wolff. At the bus stop I met Herminie Eckstein & by the time we'd waited 15 minutes & no bus of any sort had appeared it began to dawn on us that they'd stopped running so then we walked along to Park Lane & went on to Miss Wolff's. She can't have me back for the first month of next term because the Henrys want to go there wh: is rather an agitation because it is difficult to get anything fixed before I leave for Bordighera & impossible to do it from there & I must have somewhere to come straight back to on the 14th. I was only able to see her for a few minutes before going off to catch the 5.46 train home. Anne asked me to stay on another night but I thought it better to come back.

Wednesday Rosalie came to luncheon very full of a man at Loughborough to whom she is on the point of getting engaged. I think it would be an exceedingly good thing & do hope it will work out all right. I wrote Christmas letters & read. I had presents from - Anne, Kathleen, Peggy, Daisy, Edith, Norah, Aunt Kathleen, Aunt Bobs, Uncle Oswald, Anne, Joan & Tony, Miss Wolff, Betty, Mary, Rosalie, Sir David Prain, Mrs Corry, Ina & Aunt Alys & Uncle Romer - and gave presents to Anne, Kathleen, Peggy, Daisy, Mummy, Daddie, Mrs Idie, Simpson, Arthur (the boy), Miss Wolff, Betty, Edie, Susey, Eva Starling, Florrie Millar, Graeme, Juliet, Rosalie, Edith Hanmer, Mary & Mrs Taylor.

Thursday Mummy & Mrs Idie suddenly appeared back, in a car, the latter had developed such bad sciatica that they had to drive all the way back from Stoke Poges. All these illnesses seem to be perfectly unending.

April 27th: 1929

So long has elapsed since I wrote this that it is no good giving anything but an outline of what happened in the interval. Mummy & I went out to Bordighera on the 28th to join Daddie there & stay with Uncle Claude. Lil was also there & a nice Miss Cumberledge. The weather was bad the first week but lovely the second. We did expeditions to Mentone [ Menton ], San Remo and Perinaldo, the last a lovely little town up in the mountains. We all had many jokes & much ragging & it was very nice being there. We arrived back on Jan: 14th and I went for the inside of a week to the Mabelle Egerton Club, Grosvenor Rd. run by S. Martin's & Margaret Magniac because Miss Wolff had got the Henry's with her & so couldn't have me.

Tuesday I went back to the School & dined with Alice Campbell & Marnie Skinner that evening at Alice's very attractive flat in Stanhope Mews.

Wednesday I lunched with Anne

Thursday I went to Titmuss's wedding at Christ Church Rotherhithe and met Edith there & we had tea together. I had dinner with Peggy & we went to a music hall & night club with Charles afterwards.

Friday I left the hostel - very thankful! There was a meeting of the Social & Industrial Committee of the World's Y.W.C.A.

Saturday & Sunday down here.

Jan: 21st-27th

Monday I went to stay with Louie at her most attractive flat in Rotherhithe St.Link opens in a new window looking over the Pool of London. There was a nice girl called Naomi Wilkinson also living there & we teased Louie endlessly.

Tuesday Edith came in in the morning. I dined with the Henrys at Miss Wolff's.

Wednesday Edith came to see me in the morning. I got back to Louie's for tea, Edith was there & we all went to the Club for the inauguration of the new Council. Miss Swanie the ex-Warden of Time & TalentsLink opens in a new window was there & asked me back to supper with her & took me to T & T in the evening.

Thursday I met Anne Talbot for luncheon at Piccadilly Circus & we went saleing in the afternoon. I bought a blue coat & shirt at Fisher price 7½ gns, a pair of shoes price 25/- & had my hair cut. I went to the prayer meeting at John Knox in the evening.

Friday Edith lunched with me. In the afternoon I went to the Tavistock Clinic to see a Child Guidance case I was supposed to be going to visit.

Saturday & Sunday - at home.

Jan: 28th - Feb: 3rd

Monday Barbara came to tea with me at the School.

Tuesday nothing in particular happened.

Wednesday There was a Conference at T & T [ Time and Talents ] in the afternoon & I went to the Club in the evening & saw many old friends including Alice Penny who came back to Rotherhithe St. & talked for ages.

Thursday I went to Greyladies College in the evening to see Ina who had been ill. I picked up Edith at the Institute & we went to College Bdgs together.

Friday I went to Tavistock Clinic in the afternoon.

Saturday Stewart & Ardern wrote to say my Morris MinorLink opens in a new window was ready for delivery wh. was a frantic excitement.

Sunday as usual.

Feb: 4th - 10th.

Monday There was an I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] Committee meeting. I dined with the Henrys & we went to a play.

Tuesday. I went to the Club in the evening.

Wednesday I went to see Miss Williams at Albion St. School in the morning.

Thursday I went to a small luncheon party at the Bentincks & someone else who was lunching there gave me a lift back to the School afterwards.

Friday I had luncheon with Anne & then met Mummy & Daddie at the de Lynden's & Robert de Lynden drove us down to Acton to see the car. I went to tea with Daisy on the way back.

Sat. & Sun. nothing.

Feb: 11th-17th.

Monday. There was a T & T [ Time and Talents ] Committee meeting in the afternoon. Alice met me at the School & came back to supper at Louie's. Alice Penny & Hetty Cooper came in after & we all had an hilarious time together. Louie couldn't have me any longer in the flat because it had been arranged for some time that the girl below - Patsy Parker – should come up when Titmuss left, so I took over her room when she left wh. was really a better arrangement & it was great fun having a room of my own where I could ask in anyone I liked.

Tuesday. Betty came down in the evening & I took her to the Club.

Wednesday I went into the Club in the morning to see Miss Hooker who has been the warden there since last Easter. I lunched with Alice at the Peckham Care Cte. Orphanige [ Orphanage ] Office where she used to work; and then went visiting for my Tavistock Clinic child who lives in Peckham.

Thursday Edith came to see me in the morning. I went home in the afternoon because Mummy had 'flue.

Friday & Saturday - home.

Sunday I went up to hear Anne speak at John Knox in the afternoon. She was most extraordinarily good & it was all a great success. Edith & I went to tea with two very nice Miss Greigs who live in Stepney. She had to go home afterwards because Mrs Ramsay was ill, but I went to the evening service at J.K and then to supper at the Club & spent the evening there.

Monday. Alice Penny & Hetty Cooper came in the evening & were most amusing

Tuesday. Sarah Wallace & Mary Sales two very down at elbows 16 year olds came in in the evening & announced they wanted to go into service.

Wednesday Florrie & Ted Moss came in the evening - Florrie most entertaining

Thursday I had tea with Margaret Magniac at S. Martin's Club and went to John Knox in the evening.

Friday I lunched with Anne & we did a successful hat hunt for me.

Saturday Mrs Idie developed flue & was in bed for weeks, but her niece Alice Blyth came for a month wh. was a great help & cheered her up.

Sunday - as usual

Feb: 25th - March 3rd

Monday I went to dinner with Alice - Blanche was there in great form.

Tuesday I went to a performance of Galsworthy's "Justice"Link opens in a new window at the Club at wh. the girls behaved quite disgracefully.

Wednesday I lunched with the Bentincks and went to the Club in the evening.

Thursday I met Edith at London Bridge in the evening & we went to the annual congregational meeting at John Knox & then had coffee at a shop in Whitechapel Rd. afterwards.

Friday. There was a meeting of the Social & Industrial Committee in the afternoon.

Saturday. The car arrived in the morning wh. was a great excitement but as I hadn't got time to go & have lessons until the holidays I couldn't drive it.

Sunday - nothing.

March 4th - 10th.

Monday There was an I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] Committee meeting at wh. Edith was elected a member & brought in afterwards. She & I had tea together. Edie & Susey came in in the evening.

Tuesday I had luncheon with Norah who was very full of her experiences at Merthyr Tydfil. Blanche came to tea with me at the School. I went to see Beatrice & Ethel Ayling (Bermondsey) on my way home & had a wonderful welcome.

Wednesday Beatrice came to supper and I went to the Club afterwards. Edith came to speak in the Chapel & I went part of the way back to Whitechapel with her.

Thursday I had tea with Miss Haskins at the School. Miss Hooker came to supper & I went to John Knox afterwards.

Friday I went to see Miss Williams in the morning; then Florrie Miller, then Florrie Page & then to a Conference at T. & T. [ Time and Talents ] where I had luncheon. I went to see Miss Wolff in the afternoon & had tea with Anne.

Saturday & Sunday home & work.

March 11th-17th

Monday Florrie Miller & Eva Starling came in to see me in the evening.

Tuesday I went with Mummy & Daddie to a wonderful performance of "Everyman" by the Ben Greet PlayersLink opens in a new window in a City church arranged by Papa. I had supper with Edie & Susey at Edie's home - they were all perfectly charming & I enjoyed it enormously.

Wednesday I went to supper at the Club but it was so deadly that I fled directly after down to Lewisham to see Edith at the Institute & came back to London Bridge with her.

Thursday I went to John Knox in the evening

Friday I went to Tavistock Clinic to see Dr Hutchinson about my child.

Saturday home

Sunday I went to London in the evening and went to supper with Edith at her home at Finchley. Mrs Ramsay's rich brother had just died which means they will be much more comfortably off.

March 18th - 24th

Monday I went to Tavistock Clinic in the morning. I had supper with Anne.

Tuesday Florrie & Eva came in in the evening.

Wednesday I went to the Club in the evening

Thursday I went with Beatrice Ayling to have tea with her sister Mrs Lawrence to hear the little girl, Doris, play the piano, she is only 10 but has taken a certificate with full marks at a school of music & is extraordinarily good. I bolted supper & then tore off to John Knox. I should have said that there was a terminal exam for certificate people at the School in the morning wh. I did voluntarily & subsequently got distinction on.

Friday Was the last day of the term. I sadly left Louie & my nice room. There was a meeting of the Social & Industrial Committee in the afternoon.

Saturday I went up to the Cottage for tea.

Sunday Church.

March 25th - 31st.

Monday Vallie Magniac who was home from S. Africa arrived to stay for two nights & remained for 3 weeks!

Tuesday I took Vallie for a walk on the Pilgrim's Way & we found masses of white violets.

Wednesday I went to London & had a driving lesson fr. Stewart & ArdernLink opens in a new window they sent me out on a Morris Oxford & said I could nearly drive already. I went to luncheon with the Waldegraves. Then to the School to change a book & then to tea with Peggy, & then home.

Thursday I went up to the Cottage for tea.

Good Friday We went to the Three Hours Service which was conduced by Mr Harold AnsonLink opens in a new window who is connected with St Martin's & was perfectly excellent. Edie & Susey & the latter's two sisters were down here for Easter & I took them for a walk in the afternoon.

Saturday Vallie & I went out with the girls both morning & afternoon. A nice Miss Lennox Cunningham from Cambridge came to tea.

Easter Sunday We went to Church in the morning & took the girls out walking in the afternoon.

April 1st - 7th

Monday A party of 18 Club girls came over from Sevenoaks in the afternoon in charge of Miss Pash & Miss Swanhall fr. the Club. We borrowed the Women's Institute & they danced & had tea there & it was all a great success.

Tuesday I got the nice man from the garage here to come & give me a lesson on my own car, the gears were so stiff he could scarcely manage them and I found it awful to drive.

Wednesday I went to London for the day & had another driving lesson on a Morris Oxford. I lunched with Dorothy Schröder - a hen party including Betty & Christina. Then I went to the School & then Bermondsey to have tea with Florrie Miller.

Thursday I went out for a driving lesson taking Mummy & got on slightly better.

Friday Alice & Alison were coming over but they rung up to say they couldn't. I had a driving lesson I think.

Saturday Norah came down for the day & we went primrosing in Valence in the afternoon. Miss Lennox Cunningham came to tea and stayed for dinner & told me many useful things about the car.

Sunday I went to London by the 1 o'c train & joined Edith at John Knox for the afternoon meeting. We went to tea with the Miss Greigs and then back for the evening service. At the Fellowship meeting afterwards I gave an address on Temperance – my first public speech! There were about 50 people there & it was a great success, the lady who proposed the vote of thanks said evidently Miss Younghusband knew the drink question from A to Z! Edith & I spent the night at the Club, there was only Norah Cook there & it was very nice to have it empty of all the new people.

April 8th - 14th

Monday We went round to see Florrie Miller after breakfast & found her quite distraught, Jack having gone off again. It was really awful because he'd been back six months this time. I went to the Mayfair HotelLink opens in a new window to see Mr Cameron ForbesLink opens in a new window who was in London for a few days. I hadn't seen him since America & it was very nice to see him again. I had luncheon with Sybil Buxton & then I went back to Bermondsey, saw Florrie again, had tea with Ina at the Club & then took Florrie with me to London Bridge where I caught the train home.

Tuesday Nothing in particular.

Wednesday I had a driving lesson here.

Thursday We got the man from the Garage & with his assistance I drove Daddie over to Crowborough to see the Gurdons.Link opens in a new window We had a horrid drive because the brakes didn't hold & we ran into a snowstorm & the windscreen wiper didn't wipe.

Friday I went to tea at the Cottage.

Saturday Major Brian Bonham-Carter came & took me out in the car & gave me a lesson & adjusted the foot brake. Betty arrived for the week end after tea.

Sunday We went to Church. Alice & Marnie Skinner motored over for luncheon & tea and we had endless jokes & went for a drive in Marnie's car in the afternoon.

April 15th - 21st.

Monday Betty & I went for a short drive in the car in the morning - the first time I'd driven it alone, and primrosed in the afternoon.

Tuesday Betty & I went up to London by the 1 o'c train. I went to Toynbee HallLink opens in a new window & joined Eileen Parnell from the School for a Social Study Week on unemployment organized by Sir Wyndham DeedesLink opens in a new window & the S.C.M [ Student Christian Movement ] for London University Students. Mr PringleLink opens in a new window the Secretary of the C.O.S. [ Charity Organisation Society ]Link opens in a new window spoke & the head of an Employment Exchange. I met Mary Rolls coming away & walked over to Bermondsey with her & went to see Florrie Miller. I got supper at Louie's flat - no one was in - and then went to the Club where there were a lot of the students and everyone was very full of Florrie Moss having had triplets. Alice & Hetty walked with me to London Bridge & I went to Miss Wolff's where I was staying.

Wednesday I got to Toynbee at 10 o'c. A building trade union Secretary & an employer spoke & then there was a discussion. I went with Miss Brodigan to luncheon with Mr & Mrs Carr Gomm - he is the Chairman of the Bermondsey Council of Social Service – there was some idea that I should become Secretary but I don't think it is any good. I went on to Anne & had tea with her. Then I met Eileen Parnell & a friend & we went to a meeting at the Central Hall to hear the wonderful American missionary in India, Stanley Jones,Link opens in a new window the hall was packed almost as soon as the doors were open & he spoke marvellously for nearly an hour.

Thursday Toynbee at 10 o'c. Sullivan of the Garment Worker's UnionLink opens in a new window & an employer spoke on the clothing trades & it was frightfully interesting. Eileen & I lunched in Whitechapel & then I went to U.G.S [ Union of Girls Schools ] settlement to meet Edith, we wandered round Lewisham & had tea there & then I came down here.

Friday Major Bonham-Carter came out with me in the car in the afternoon & we went over to Wrotham, & back by very pretty side roads.

Saturday Vallie had left on Thursday & she & Miss Liddell, with whom she was staying, came to tea. I went to a Labour election meeting on the village green in the evening, addressed by Hamilton FyfeLink opens in a new window the Labour candidate.

Sunday I went to Church. In the afternoon I took the Bonham Carter family for a drive but it was rather hair raising with the Sunday traffic & the brakes not working.

April 22nd - 28th

Monday Daddie & I went to London for Charlie Fraser's wedding to a girl called Cherry Campbell-Preston.Link opens in a new window I lunched with Anne & then went to meet Daddie at S. Margaret's Westminster. Phyllis looked very pretty as a bridesmaid & was most amusing about Charlie who wore an agonized expression as he came down the aisle. The reception was at Cadogan Square but the house was so dreadfully packed we didn't stay long. I changed a book at the School & then came here.

Tuesday A nice Colonel Moore who used to be in Tibet came over to luncheon with his son. I motored them back to Caterham after luncheon.

Wednesday I motored a couple of Bonham Carters into Sevenoaks.

Thursday A man came down from Stewart & Ardern to see the numerous small defects on the car & to take it back to their works. I could scarcely bear to let it go & felt quite lost without it.

Friday I worked & gardened most of the day.

Saturday Vallie came back for the week-end. Cousin Florence Younghusband & a nice little American, Miss Taylor, came down for tea.

Sunday I went to London by the 5 train and joined Edith at John Knox for the Communion Service there. I went into the Club afterwards & spent the night at Louie's flat.

April 29th - May 3rd.

Monday I went in to see Miss Hooker in the morning & then on to Florrie Moss who has had triplets all girls & all going to live. She was looking perfectly lost & miserable. It does seem hard. From there I went to the School as the term began that day - the last term – thank goodness! There was a meeting of the I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] in the afternoon & Edith & I had tea together afterwards. I had supper at S. Martin's Club & talked with Margaret who seemed very worried about Beatrice Holdsworth who was not settling down at all well at the Mabelle Egerton Club. She had gone there as Warden on my recommendation. I went on to Miss Wolff's where I am staying again, and found her very fussed over servants.

Tuesday School all day. Margaret & I went to see Beatrice after tea & I went back again after supper. She's having great difficulties with Staff & finding it all more than she can grapple with.

Wednesday I went to see Florrie Miller in the evening on my way to Louie's, also Beatrice & Ethel Ayling. I had supper with Louie who had several people in to hear a wonderful new gramophone & wireless in one, worked by electricity, being demonstrated. I went into the Club afterwards & Alice Penny walked part of the way to London Bridge with me.

Thursday I went to luncheon with Anne & helped her to push Juliet in the Park after luncheon. I had dinner with Mrs Money-Kyrle who was very nice indeed, Joan seems to be having a wonderful time in India.

Friday. I had a coaching with Mr Lloyd. Edith & lunched together to discuss Beatrice. I came home in the afternoon & the car arrived back in the evening - I was to have driven it down but there was some muddle about it.

Saturday Daddie & I drove over to Crowborough to see the Gurdons in the morning.

Sunday I went to Church & then worked for the rest of the day.

May 6th - 12th

Monday I went to the Musical Tea at the Club in the afternoon & saw Louie, Edith, Budgie, Anne, Ina, Beatrice & Miss Williams there.

Tuesday School all day & in in the evening.

Wednesday School all day. I went to dinner with Uncle Claude & Di. They have got 88, Knightsbridge again & are very glad to be back there. They have brought Angela the delightful Italian parlour maid over with them.

Thursday School all day. I had supper with Vallie at St Martin's Club & we went to a Women's Peace CrusadeLink opens in a new window meeting at the Central Hall at wh. Miss Ellen WilkinsonLink opens in a new window & others spoke.

Friday I had a Sub-committee of the Social & Industrial Cte. at 3 o'c & then the Cte. Itself with the result that I didn't get home until 7.30.

Saturday. Daddie & I motored over to the Cottage at Wrotham in the afternoon & had tea with the Miss Greigs (it has been lent to them for 10 days by Louie) and Louie.

Sunday. Work & letter writing.

July 30th

This has gone so long that I haven't the remotest idea what happened every day in the interval - I was at the School all day long towards the end of term. I met Edith practically every week, and I dined out nearly every night, with Uncle Claude & Di, Louie, Norah, Peggy & so on.

May 30th was Election Day, I came down here to vote for Hamilton Fyfe the Labour man - who was at the bottom of the poll - & Edith & I went to an I.L.P. [ Independent Labour Party ] Election nightLink opens in a new window meeting at the Queen's Hall wh. began at 10 p.m & ended at 2 a.m. It was most thrilling hearing the results and there was great excitement as all the Socialist gains came through.

Edith & I spoke at a meeting at Streatham to get Care Cte. Workers on June 26th. I worked hectically all that week as it was the last one before the exams. Uncle Vesey came here to stay that week-end; he is losing his memory & it is sad to see him. I went up to London on the Sunday evening.

Monday July 1st. The exams - wh. were at S. Kensington - began in the morning. The first paper was Social Institutions followed in the afternoon by Social Philosophy & Psychology. I went straight back to Miss Wolff's afterwards & worked hectically for the next day. It was pretty strenuous every day writing feverishly for six hours & then working until late in the evening.

Tuesday July 2nd. We had Social & Industrial History in the morning & Social Economics in the afternoon. The exams took place in a huge hall where several hundred other people were doing every sort & kind of paper. There were only six people in for the Diploma in Sociology, four from the School & 2 from Bedford.

London School of Economics student card for Eileen Younghusband

Wednesday July 3rd. Existing Social Structures & Conditions in the morning & Existing Methods of Dealing with Social Problems in the afternoon. I reached my high water mark of length in the latter with 30 pages.

Thursday July 4th. The Special subject - we all took Industrial Law - in the morning, & the exam was over. They were all extraordinarily nice papers and the real agony was the impossibility of doing justice to the questions in the time; it really is a terrific physical storm scribbling for dear life against time – however I suppose its better than racking ones brains to invent answers to questions wh. was what I had to do in the Certificate last year. I went back to Miss Wolff's & rested for a short time & then went down to Edith at Lewisham. She was very interested to hear about the exam & see the papers. We went to Creek Rd. her Sub-Institute where she'd got an entertainment on that evening, & helped to get things ready. The entertainment itself, mostly short plays by the wildest young things of Deptford was marvellously good. Miss Horniblow a Bd [ Board ] of Education inspector & a charming person spoke most awfully well.

Friday July 5th. I packed & then went to the School, changed books & saw Miss Haskins & Miss Eckhard. I went to luncheon with Sir Wyndham & Mrs Deedes who have got a beautiful old Charles II house in Victoria Park Square at the end of Bethnal Green Rd. He very kindly gave me much good advice about finding a job & is going to help me in doing so. I met Edith at London Bridge & went with her to see one of her embroidery classes at Crofton Park; we had tea at Lewisham and I came all the way back here by bus wh. was pleasant though slow.

Saturday July 6th. Anne Talbot came down for luncheon but had to leave early in the afternoon.

Sunday July 7th. Eileen Parnell came over from Croydon for tea & stayed to dinner. She was most cheerful & amused Daddie very much.

Monday July 8th. Daddie & I went over to Crowborough to see the Gurdons in the morning.

Tuesday July 9th. Mummy, who was staying in London with Miss Heathcote, came down for the day bringing Uncle Barnie Castletown with her. He is a funny old thing, as deaf as a post & with no ear trumpet. Jessie the housemaid, who has been with him over 30 years, also came down in the afternoon to see Mrs Idie.

Wednesday July 10th. I went up by the 1 o'c train for a musical party of Miss Wolff's. It was a very nice party but no party was worth returning to London for after so recently escaping.

Thursday July 11th. I drove over to Wrotham to have luncheon with Louie. I had a letter fr. Mr Lloyd in the morning saying I'd passed the exams & got Distinction wh. was v. thrilling.

Friday July 12th. We had a terrible shock early in the morning, Mrs Simpson went to call Mrs Idie as usual & found her dead in her bed, she had died of heart failure in her sleep. She had been so well for some time before and had been walking in the garden quite late the previous evening, so lively & full of plans for things she was going to do. It was better for her of course that it came like that but the suddenness was a great blow and what we shall do without her after 43 years I cannot think. Daddie went to London to break it to Mummy & bring her down. Nurse Woods came & was extraordinarily kind & helpful, she had done a great deal for Mrs Idie & was very fond of her; then there was all the grisly business of arranging with the undertakers. Daddie managed to get Mummy down here before he told her that Mrs Idie had actually died; she was completely dazed by the news & I don't know what she will do, Mrs Idie had done literally everything for her - bought & made & thought out all her clothes, besides being such a friend.

Saturday July 13th. We spent most of the day letting people know & making arrangements. The Gurdons came over for tea.

Sunday July 14th. Miss Wolff came down bringing lovely flowers for the funeral & was so nice. We took her for a drive in the afternoon.

Monday July 15th. The funeral was in the morning. Mrs Idie's niece, Alice Blyth & Charlie her great nephew came for it; Edith Hanmer was there & Di most kindly came down from London. It was a glorious day & Rev. Castle did the Service beautifully & there were masses of lovely flowers. Poor old dear, it seemed so quick from her toddling about in her black alpacha skirt to that.

Tuesday July 16th. I went up to London by bus. First to the dentist who kept me for hours. Then to luncheon with Uncle Claude & Di; and then to Lewisham to see Edith; we had tea in a teashop & then went to her Institute. I talked to her about it all & she was kinder than words can say.

Wednesday July 17th. I was here writing letters & doing things all day.

Thursday July 18th. Mummy went to London to collect her things from Miss Heathcote's. I went to tea at the Cottage.

Friday July 19th. Nothing happened.

Saturday July 20th. At last I got the official intimation of the exam results; everyone passed & one of the Bedford people also got Distinction. It was very gratifying getting it, although the news was so soon swamped in the other sadness. I was supposed to be going to get it but those things are always touch & go, & very nerve racking in case one doesn't bring them off! We all motored over to Crowborough & had tea with the Gurdons.

Sunday July 21st. Josephine Forbes (Mrs Alan Forbes from Massachusetts) & her boy & girl Phyllis & Bennet were over here & came down for luncheon & tea. They were all delightful & we dressed up the children in Thibetan [ Tibetan ] robes & photographed wh. pleased them very much.

The Forbes children in Tibetan robes

Monday July 22nd. I went over to Reigate to spend the day with Anne. They have bought a house there - Northside, Somers Rd. - & were busy moving in. Poor Anne was only just out of the nursing home & was supposed to spend her time lying on a sofa, instead of wh. she was grappling with painters & plumbers. Juliet can walk now & say a few words & is very attractive. The house is excessively ugly outside but they will make it pretty inside.

Tuesday July 23rd. Nothing in particular happened, except that I went up to the Cottage.

Wednesday July 24th. I went up by bus straight to the dentist. Then did some shopping & then met Miss Wolff & she & I were conducted over Doulton's china factory in LambethLink opens in a new window by young Mr Peter Doulton. It was fearfully interesting to see all the different processes, especially potters working at their wheels, even common jam jars are still made that way by hand. I spent the night with Louie at Rotherhithe St.; she is very depressed because she's got fluid on the good knee now (rheumatoid arthritis) & will have to go & do another cure. Alice Penny & Hetty Cooper came in the evening & we went along to the Club & collected Pash & went for a walk along the River Wall.

Thursday July 25th. I met Anne Talbot at a hairdresser in Beauchamp Place in the morning & she went with me to Harvey Nichols where I bought a red jumper suit. We parted there & I did the Sales madly until 3 o'c when I had to go to Miss Wolff's to dress for the Royal Garden Party.Link opens in a new window We met many people we knew at the function & as the heat wave was just over it was not as unbearably hot as last year.

Friday July 26th. Aunt Venetia arrived down in the afternoon to stay for the week-end. It was a great thing for Mummy to have her to talk things over with.

Saturday July 27th. We went for a long drive in the morning by Chiddingstone & Penshurst. I went up to the Cottage in the afternoon & they helped me cut out a pair of sleeves.

Sunday July 28th. I went to London in order to go to the Communion Sunday Service at John Knox. I met Edith there & she took a girl called Marion Kerr & me to lunch at College Bdgs. [ Buildings ]. Edith & I went back to J.K in the afternoon for the discussion service, the subject was grousing & all our group decided it was a good thing now & then. Edith & I had tea at London Bridge & then I came home.

Monday July 29th. Mummy & Aunt Venetia went up to London together in the afternoon.

Tuesday July 30th. I motored over to Reigate to have luncheon with Anne. She looked better & the house was beginning to get straighter.

Wednesday July 31st. I went to London, changed books at L.S.E. & shopped solidly until nearly 2.30 when I went to see Miss Wolff who did not look at all well. Daddie had a tea party at the R.G.S. [ Royal Geographical Society ] for the Forbes, Colonel Gurdon & Lady Dartrey were there too, & the Forbes children were in tremendous form. I went to be interviewed for the job of Secretary to the Kensington Council of Social Service. I didn't want the job & so I pretended to be M.D [ Mental Deficiency ] & by the mercy of Providence they turned me down.

Thursday August 1st. I went over to Friendly Green & had luncheon & tea with the Talbots. They were as Talbotian as ever.

Friday August 2nd. Mummy & I motored over to Wrotham in the afternoon & bought beautiful red & black currants & raspberries for jam very cheap from Louie's brother-in-law.

Saturday August 3rd. I went up to the Cottage for tea to see Rosalie & her husband who are at Limpsfield for the weekend. He is very precise & has an Oxford accent. Malcolm Deane & his young lady were also there, & Miss Colville.

Sunday August 4th. 15 years since the War began. We went to Church & I sewed & mended frantically in preparation for going to Dorset on Tuesday.

Monday August 5th. Mostly packing.

Tuesday August 6th. I went up to Waterloo in the morning. Norah met me & we had a hasty luncheon & then I went off to Corfe by the 2.30. I found Barbara, Joan, Joseph & Mr & Mrs Bentinck there, all in great form & Mamma in a very good mood.

Wednesday August 7th. Barbara & I went into Swanage in the morning & sent a telephone message from there to Mrs BentinckLink opens in a new window purporting to be from two bêtes noir of hers saying they were in Swanage & wld come over for tea that afternoon. Her reactions were very adequate & we spent the rest of the afternoon arranging two dummys to personify them at tea wh. worked admirably. It was all such a success that we repeated it on Mr Bentinck (who'd been away for the night) next day.

Thursday Aug. 8th. Mr Bentinck, Barbara & I went to luncheon with old Mr Weld-BlundellLink opens in a new window at Lulworth Castle Mr Cecil Hanbury who is the owner of the La Mortola GardensLink opens in a new window was also there.

Friday Aug. 9th. Mrs Bentinck, Joan, Joseph & I went into Swanage in the afternoon & shopped & had tea there.

Saturday Aug. 10th. Mr Hanbury & two females came to tea.

Sunday Aug. 11th. Lady RumboldLink opens in a new window & her boy & girl (the former charming & the latter rather dull) came over from Sandbanks for the day & we all went out to Sweyne Head to admire the view wh. was unfortunately enveloped in a thick mist.

Monday Aug. 12th. Mr & Mrs Bentinck went away to spend the night with the Somersets at Maiden Bradley. Joan, Barbara & I left to ourselves had an hilarious time, & Barbara surpassed herself with her jokes & antics.

Tuesday Aug. 13th. Barbara left at screech of dawn on one of her expeditions abroad. I was supposed to leave the same day, but I was such a success at Corfe this year(!) that Mrs Bentinck asked me to stay on with her & Joan; & so I telephoned to Cousin Vie where I was going on next & arranged to go there two days later. Mrs Bentinck, Joan, Joseph & I went for a picnic to Studland in the afternoon & Joan & I bathed in glorious sunshine.

Wednesday Aug. 14th. We didn't do anything in particular all day. Mr Bentinck came back in the evening & got a horrid shock to find me still there, having said good bye on Monday!

Thursday Aug. 15th. Cousin Vie sent for me in the morning, I left reluctantly, having had a delightful time there; and its so refreshing to be with people as clever & amusing as they are. Cousin Vie & Johnny were as nice as ever. The John Baileys arrived to stay in the afternoon, he is the literary criticLink opens in a new window & quite delightful, while she is an old family friend & of Cousin Ruth's & Sybil Buxton's.

Friday Aug. 16th. An awful whirl of gaiety. We went over to luncheon with the Cecils at Lychett & found more or less the whole Cecil family there. We stayed for hours trailing round the garden, & then went on to a garden party at the Tyneham Bonds!Link opens in a new window

Saturday Aug. 17th. I went up on the downs in the morning & it was so heavenly there. The two Mr Cochranes & an American lady came to luncheon & there was a large party to tea, including Mr Bentincks [ Bentinck ] & the two originals (Dr & Mrs Abington) of the leg-pull the week before, who had miraculously turned up in the neighbourhood! A very nice Mr & Mrs Yeatman (she was a Tyneham Bond) arrived for the week-end.

Sunday Aug. 18th. We all went to Church in the morning & Cousin Vie, Mrs Bailey & I went for a walk in the afternoon.

Monday Aug. 19th. The party left in the morning - heaven be praised! Though they were all nice. The two Miss Bonds came to luncheon.

Tuesday Aug. 20th. Cousin Vie & I went into Bournemouth in the morning to buy Johnny a typewriter. I walked over the downs to Corfe in the afternoon to have tea with Mrs Bentinck. An old Aunt of Rex's was there to see Joseph when we first arrived, but she soon left Mamma was at her nicest & I enjoyed it very much. I walked back to Grange over the downs, it is a glorious walk.

Wednesday Aug. 21st. There was a terrific school feast in the garden in the afternoon & we all played games. A very nice little Miss Maggie Best arrived to stay.

Thursday Aug. 22nd. Cousin Vie, Miss Best & I went over to Corfe to tea. Mamma took me indoors to talk leaving the others to trail round the garden with Mr Bentinck.

Friday Aug. 23rd. Miss Best & I went for a walk on the downs in the morning. In the afternoon Cousin Vie took us to tea with the Van der Wayres [ Weyer ]Link opens in a new window whom I had met at Didlington several years ago. He is a wonderful gardener - & grows peach trees from kernels & grape vines from pips.

Saturday Aug. 24th. I left to go & stay with Kathleen. Johnny very kindly motored me to Poole, so I only had one change, but the journey to Plymouth took nearly six hours all the same. Kathleen, who was only just back herself, met me at the station & took me out to their new nice little house at Hooe. It is called St. Anne'sLink opens in a new window & stands on the downs, looking over Plymouth Harbour to the coast of Cornwall on the other side & is only abt. five minutes from the sea shore. Kathleen has her own furniture there & has made it very pretty. Graeme has grown enormously of course since last year, he now runs abt. everywhere & can say single words, though no sentences yet, and is most attractive. Sara the new baby is the living image of Kathleen & much more peaceful & contented than Graeme was as a baby.

Sunday Aug. 25th. We went a picnic with some other people to a place called WemburyLink opens in a new window in the afternoon. There were lovely rocks & pools.

Monday Aug. 26th. We shopped in Plymouth in the morning.

Tuesday Aug. 27th. Mrs Corry arrived to stay.

Wednesday Aug. 28th. Nothing much happened. Kathleen has a mania for gardening now & we gardened most of the day.

Thursday Aug. 29th. Ben arrived back from Camp.

Friday Aug. 30th. I went into Plymouth with Ben in the morning. Kathleen took us for a drive in the afternoon.

Saturday Aug. 31st. Kathleen motored Mrs Corry & me over to Buckfastleigh to see the AbbeyLink opens in a new window the Benedictine monks are building. It is rather wonderful because they've been at it for 22 years with never more than five monks working on it & often less, & they've built it entirely themselves.

Sunday Sept. 1st. Mrs Corry & I went to Church in the morning. A family of Philipses came over for tea.

Monday Sept. 2nd. Kathleen took me to see Betty Alcock in the afternoon wh. was nice. Some very dull people whose names I forget came to tea to entertain Mrs Corry.

Tuesday Sept. 3rd. Mrs Corry left in the morning. Renira Bentinck the daughter of Admiral BentinckLink opens in a new window came to luncheon & was most entertaining. A young Mrs Brackenbury came in the afternoon & we went a picnic to a lovely cove called Bovey Sand [ Bovisand ].Link opens in a new window

Wednesday Sept. 4th. I left in the morning to go & stay with Joan Money-Kyrle (who was just back from India) near Chippenham in Wilts. I had to change at Bristol & Bath, it was the apex of a heat wave & I fell into Joan's arms at Chippenham Station minus my luggage & having left my coat in a train. She motored me out to the village of Sandy Lane abt. five miles away where they have a dear little house called the Bear wh. is on what used to be the main London to Bath coaching road, & is now a disused lane; & the house was an inn. We went over to Whetham, Roger Money-Kyrle'sLink opens in a new window place about a mile away, after tea. An ancient Carrier appeared with my luggage abt. dinner time, but my coat I never saw again. Mrs Money-Kyrle was ill in bed & Joan was very worried abt. her - she came home fr. India on account of that, Mrs M-K. had been ill for months with what the doctor said was lumbago & wh. subsequently turned out to be osteo-arthritis.

Thursday Sept. 5th. Joan & I went for a picnic on the downs. It was divine up there with the grass covered with little campanulas & the air all misty with heat. She showed me masses of her Indian photographs after dinner.

Friday Sept. 6th. We went to Whetham in the morning & Joan took me over the house wh. is Henry VII & charming. In the afternoon we had a glorious drive over Salisbury Plain to Salisbury where we saw the Cathedral & its perfect spire, had a picnic tea & stayed for the evening service; & then went to back by Stonehenge, one of the most eerie things I've ever seen.

Saturday Sept. 7th. I was supposed to be leaving that day but they wanted me to stay on and, although my conscience smote me about my family, I was enjoying it so much that I gave way. We went over to a garden party at Hartham where we met the Buxtons & an awfully nice man who was Secretary of the People's Refreshment House Assoc. - in other words reformed pubs.

Sunday Sept. 8th. Joan & I went to Church early, and she had to go over to Melksham to give a talk on India in the afternoon. We went for a walk after tea & another after dinner & talked endlessly.

Monday Sept. 9th. We went up to the downs in the morning & I walked with Joan while she played a round of golf. I was supposed to be leaving in the afternoon but Blanche was arriving to stay so again my good resolutions gave way & I stayed on another day. Blanche arrived in tearing spirits & sunburnt to a cinder, and she very soon reduced us to aching agonies of laughter. We went for a walk in Bowood in the evening.

Tuesday Sept. 10th. I finally left in the morning very sad to go & having enjoyed it really tremendously. It was such fun seeing Joan again and having all our old unending arguments and picking up our friendship just where we left off when she went to India. And it was awfully nice to see all that country again - wh. we knew so well when we lived at Bath. I came straight down here & found Mr & Mrs Odell & their little boy here for the day – he was a member of the Everest ExpeditionLink opens in a new window & is quite charming. The family was most chirpy, had got just the servant we wanted - an elderly woman - Annie - ready to turn her hand to anything - and in fact I might just as well have stayed another day in Wilts as I was asked to do!

Wednesday Sept. 11th. Mrs Blandy motored us over to Brighton to a garden party given at Preston ManorLink opens in a new window by the Thomas Stanford's (she is Di's ½ sister) for delegates to the Libraries Assoc. Congress - 900 of them. Lil was there very busy showing off her old home wh. is charming.

Thursday Sept. 12th. I did oddments all day & took Mummy for a drive in the evening.

Friday Sept. 13th. I went up to the Cottage & found them just back.

Saturday Sept. 14th. Edith came to tea.

Sunday Sept. 15th. I went to Church and did oddments the rest of the day.

Monday Sept. 16th. Very busy with sewing etc.

Tuesday Sept. 17th. I motored Edith over to Otford to spend the day with her sister there & then went on to Wrotham to see poor Louie who was just back from another cure. She is really awfully bad, can scarcely walk at all, has continual pain & cannot sleep. the doctors think it will be months before she is better & meanwhile she really is going through a fiendish time. I picked up Edith H at Otford & Miss Deane at Bessels Green & took them home.

Wednesday Sept. 18th. I went to London for the day, Norah met me at Charing X [ Cross ] & we went to the School to change books. I went down to Lewisham to have luncheon with Edith, she made a muddle about it & thought I was coming in the afternoon - I'd written twice saying luncheon - & only turned up after I'd been there ¾ of an hour wh. was bore as it was a big slice of the day to go down there. I went to the A & N. [ Army & Navy ] to buy a toilet set for Kathleen, & then went to tea with Peggy who was at her nicest & I was there a long time. She & Charles are thinking of getting married in December, but they haven't told Peggy's people yet.

Thursday Sept. 19th. Eileen Parnell came over for the day & we went for a very chilly picnic on Hosey Chart & slept most of the afternoon. She was very gloomy at the thought of going back to L.S.E. alone.

Friday Sept. 20th. We motored over to Crowborough to see the gardens & I went to have tea with "Minnie" (Miss Haskins of L.S.E) who lives there & was so nice. On the way back something went wrong with the car on Crockham Hill & Daddie had to walk into Westerham & get the garage to send out & tow us home.

Saturday Sept. 21st. I gardened & did oddments all day. Aunt Bobs suddenly turned up in Westerham staying with her mother, Mrs Blandy, and came to tea. Uncle Oswald is much better but he's still at Freiburg indefinitely. There is great agitation about Cynthia Webber who has run away & married a penniless & jobless youth at a registry office without telling her people. This family does do odd things!

Sunday Sept. 22nd. We went to Church, and then to luncheon with the Giffords to see their lilies which were lovely.

Monday Sept. 23rd. I went up to the Cottage in the morning. Alice & Charlie Blyth came down to go through Mrs Idie's things & I sorted with them all the afternoon.

Tuesday Sept. 24th. Alice & Charlie came again and spent most of the day packing.

Wednesday Sept. 25th. We went to London for the day. I changed books at the School, did some shopping & then went to luncheon with Di - I had gone to London to see Uncle Claude but he's had to go to the City. I did some shopping & then went back to Knightsbridge in the hope of seeing him but he didn't come back. I had tea with Betty, Dorothee Schröder was there & they were both awfully nice.

Thursday Sept. 26th. Daisy came & fetched me in her car in the morning to take me to Wierton for the night. We went to luncheon with Sophie Renner who has been lent Amberfield the house near by. She was just as amusing & delightful as ever. Alice was at Wierton about to have a baby in two months time & looking enormous already.

Friday Sept. 27th. We went to see Sophie in the morning, and Daisy drove us back here in the afternoon.

Saturday Sept. 28th. I was driven wild with excitement in the morning by a letter from Mr Lloyd saying they wanted a part time tutor in the Social Science Dept. at the School for this term & offering me the job at a salary of £2.10s a week. I telephoned at once accepting with joy. I shall be quite inadequate to doing it, but, even apart from the honour & glory, it suits me perfectly as far as times are concerned, and I was beginning to be very gloomy at not getting a job. Daddie roared with laughter at the idea of my coaching students! Peggy was coming for the week-end but she got a bad cold & couldn't come. Douglas BuskLink opens in a new window came to dinner, he is very thrilled because he has passed fourth into the Foreign Office out of 40 candidates & six vacancies.

Sunday Sept. 29th. Eileen Parnell came over in the afternoon & stayed to dinner. She was thrilled at the news as she was feeling gloomy at the thought of going back alone to do the Diploma. She said "what a hoot!" when I told her, & is sure all the parents will demand their money back!

Monday Sept. 30th. I went to London by Oxted. I went along to the School & saw Miss Eckhard & Minnie both of whom were very nice about it, & apparently it was all Minnie's doing as she suggested me to Mr Lloyd. I went to a meeting of the I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] in the afternoon at wh. "Connie" read us most of the Chief Inspector of Factories' Report. I came down by the 4.50, just missed the bus at Oxted & had to wait ages for another.

Tuesday Oct. 1st. I went over to Reigate to spend the day with Anne. She has been having a rotton time, her inside has gone wonky again & shows no sign of getting right; the walls of the house are cracking owing to the clay soil on wh. it is built contracting through the drought; and she has not got a cook. However we had a great many jokes about things & Christina came to tea.

Wednesday Oct. 2nd. Mummy & Daddie were both in London for the day & I did 101 oddments here.

Thursday Oct. 3rd. I went to London for the day. First to the School where Miss Eckhard told me in a burst of confidence that I may get the appointment for a year - apparently the DirectorLink opens in a new window said it ought to have been advertised, but it all had to be done in such a hurry that that was impossible, though he refused to sanction my appointment for more than a term. She gave me my list of students, on the provisional list wh. she showed me on Monday she had given me one or two people of nearly 40, I said they might object to coaching with someone much younger, & the result is she has given me practically nothing but little things of 18, 19 & 20 who are far the most difficult & unsatisfactory to deal with. Its a dreadful bore & I wish I'd said nothing about the others. I had luncheon with Uncle Claude & Di who were both very nice & very kind, & Di took me to S. Audley St. in the car afterwards. Wolfie was very kind & very full of questions, & very disapproving of my job as she can think of nothing but matrimony. I had a hasty tea with Peggy & then caught a train home.

Friday Oct. 4th. Miss Fitzroy came down for the day & the Tenisons called & stayed for tea. Edith came after tea.

Saturday Oct. 5th. Our glorious long summer is ended at last, I was wearing a cotton frock on Oct. 1st but now it is suddenly very cold. Daisy came over for me & we went to luncheon with her cousins the Andreaes at Tandridge, and she came back here for tea.

Sunday Oct. 6th. I went to Church in the morning. Peggy came down for the night & was very nice indeed. She is very agitated about breaking to her family that she intends to marry Charles.

Monday Oct. 7th. Peggy & I went up together. I dashed to say goodbye to Uncle Claude before they went off to Bordighera. And then in fear & trembling went to the School. Rosalind met me there & came to have a talk, & then Edith came in quite unexpectedly which was very nice of her, and we all three had luncheon together. I was given Lees Smith'sLink opens in a new window (the present Postmaster General) old room & thank goodness have got it all to myself. I interviewed students during the afternoon, I have got 16 and as they all came in a bunch I was fairly puzzled & could not get them sorted that day. Mr Lloyd was very nice indeed & did something to allay my terror. Rawson & Ebblewhite appeared for tea & they & Eileen & I had tea together. Afterwards I took some of my students over the building to show them where things were. Then I went to the Waldegraves where I was staying, only Betty & Mr Waldegrave were there, Conti & Esther being in Scotland.

Tuesday Oct. 8th. I went to Miss Wolff's to pick up a coat & then on to the School. I coached two one year AlmonersLink opens in a new window in the afternoon - I have got five who are doing the Certificate in one year, three in their second year, and the rest in their first year - mostly very young. Barbara came to tea & behaved viley! I dined with Dorothee & Henry Schröder at Kettner's (a glorious dinner) and they took me to see "Journey's End"Link opens in a new window a wonderful war play wh. gives a better impression than any amount of books of what life was like in a dug out before a big attack. We went back to Henry's sister's flat where they were staying & had sandwiches & lemonade.

Front cover of Play Pictorial for Journeys End

Wednesday Oct. 9th. Norah came in the morning & took me out to luncheon. She was extraordinarily nice & genuinely pleased about my having the job - wh. she ought to have had as she'd done it before while Miss Eckhard was in America. Beatrice came to tea - just off to Africa for the winter. I had four coachings & felt perfectly dead by the end of the day.

Thursday Oct. 10th. I had two coachings in the morning & then was free, but I stayed on until the 5.15 train reading & doing other oddments. I had been dreading first coachings, wondering what on earth I should say to the students & whether there wld. be long pauses, but actually I found that arranging lectures, going through book lists and giving essays more than took up the hour. I was very glad to get home all the same.

Friday Oct. 11th. I went over to Reigate & had luncheon & tea with Anne who was not at all well.

Saturday Oct. 12th. We all three went to the Macmillans for the week-end in the car. They have got a beautiful new house that they have built for themselves at Birch Grove three miles beyond Forest Row on the borders of Ashdown Forest. There were only Mr & Mrs Macmillan (he is the head of the publishing firm) and Captain HaroldLink opens in a new window & Lady Dorothy MacmillanLink opens in a new window & their three children there besides us. We played with the children in the afternoon & an enormous mass of people came to tea.

Sunday Oct. 13th. Daddie & I went for a walk in the morning. Lord Gage,Link opens in a new window Sir Frederick & Lady Kenyon (he is head of the British MuseumLink opens in a new window) and an Astor boy who is at school at Uckfield came to luncheon. We made a bonfire in the woods for the children in the afternoon & roasted potatoes in it. Several people came to tea.

Monday Oct. 14th. We left in the morning & had a lovely drive home across the Forest in the sunshine. It was a very nice week-end. Lady Dorothy is an awfully good sort, but I was sorry I didn't get more talk with Captain MacmillanLink opens in a new window who is one of the rising hopes of the Conservative Party & wld. probably have got an under secretaryship if they had come back this time - as it was he even lost his seat!

Tuesday Oct. 15th. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Mary Oppenheim appeared at luncheon time & she & Eileen & I had a sandwich luncheon in my room - I went to assist at a tea party given by the Staff to the almoners. I went to Supper with Louie who is still completely crippled & I'm afraid not getting any better, she is having suggestion treatment to make her sleep. Betty had asked me to stay on another week with them which was very nice of her & a great blessing, so I went back there.

Wednesday Oct. 16th. Alice Campbell rang up in the middle of a coaching & came to luncheon & was most amusing, & tickled to death to find me on the Staff because they were always teasing me about how I should end up at the High Table. I went to a tea party given by Miss Haskins for her students. Esther arrived back from Scotland in the evening so I saw her at dinner.

Thursday Oct. 17th. I got through my last coaching in the morning wh. means I have now had all my students (except one who came late). They are an extremely nice lot but several of them are too young & immature to be doing the Course at all - I think; while, so far as the essays I have had so far show, they seem quite unable to read a book & grasp its essential points, or to write the King's English. I went down to Lewisham to spend the night with Edith. I did odd jobs with her at Morden Terrace & then we went to supper at the Perch wh. is the marvellous hostel she has discovered in Deptford, it is absolutely brand new & quite empty, bed rooms with extremely comfortable beds & central heating are 1/6 - 2/ - a night, there is unlimited hot water, & breakfast (first rate) is 7d! The whole thing is too good to be true & we just giggled helplessly, it is like staying in a very nice clean Swiss hotel for practically nothing at all - in addition to having the run of the place & a highly respectable elderly housekeeper to bring meals at whatever hour one choses to order them. We went back to Morden Terrace for the evening, but it was very slack as there are very few classes on a Thursday. We talked till nearly midnight in our comfortable beds.

Friday Oct. 18th. We ate an enormous breakfast & grew weak with laughter over the luxuries we were enjoying. Edith, not content with all the work she is doing already, had decided she would like to take a University Diploma in Something to add to her qualifications, so I took her to the School to see Mr Lloyd & enquire about the Diploma in Sociology (my one) or Psychology. He wasn't there so I pushed her in to see Dr GinsbergLink opens in a new window who talked to her for some time & gave her a good deal of useful advice, he was profoundly contemptuous of all Diplomas and said that with her previous learning (she is a B.A.) she ought to take Honours in Sociology which is a two years course. She quite thinks he is right and so she decided to come to the School for two years, starting the following week, to do the course, wh., needless to say, thrills me to the marrow. It will be very funny to see her as a student at the School & it will be odd to have two separate parts of one's life mixed it, but it will be enormous fun her coming there. We went together to London. Bridget & I got home in time for a late luncheon. I read frenziedly most of the rest of the day.

Saturday Oct. 19th. I went up to the Cottage & took Edith H for a drive. The Gurdons came over for tea.

Sunday Oct. 20th. I went to Church & read, wrote & sewed the remainder of the day.

Monday Oct. 21st. I did masses of small things all day.

Tuesday Oct. 22nd. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Edith & Eileen came & had a picnic luncheon in my room. Mrs Bentinck came soon after 4 o'c & took me to have tea at the Ritz, she was only up for two nights for a wedding & was in very good form. I spent the night with Peggy, she has found a house (in Gloucester Place) & so we discussed that & the agitations of breaking the news of her engagement to her family.

Wednesday Oct. 23rd. Edith was at the School in the morning. Marnie came to supper with Eileen & me & was most amusing. I spent the night with Edith at the Perch.

Thursday Oct. 24th. There was a great agitation at the Perch in the morning because my handbag (my best one) containing 15/-, my fountain pen, cigarette case, return ticket etc. had disappeared. It is just possible that I dropped it off a bus but I'm afraid more likely that it was stolen out of my room. My ardour for the Perch is a little damped! Edith met me at the School & we lunched together. I came home by the 5.45.

Friday Oct. 25th. Vallie came down for the day & we took her to the view of a sale at Valence - all the furniture was perfectly hideous. When we got back we found Phyllis who had also come down for the day, she didn't look at all well but was charming and most entertaining about Charlie as a married man.

Saturday Oct. 26th. Oddments.

Sunday Oct. 27th. The Tristrans came to tea & the Harveys after tea. I went to the Congregational Chapel in the evening - a first rate Service conducted by an extremely good minister.

Monday Oct. 28th. I went over to Reigate directly after luncheon to see Anne who was in bed. Peggy rang up in the evening to say her family had received the news of her engagement very well wh. was very surprising & a great relief.

Tuesday Oct. 29th. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Edith & I had a sandwich luncheon in my room. Poor Eileen had been knocked down by a car in Croydon & badly bruised, so she was laid up all the week. I went to Miss Wolff's, where I was staying, in time for supper.

Wednesday Oct. 30th. Edith was at the School in the morning & we laughed together over Ina's handbook on Girl's Clubs wh. is full of the most surprising inaccuracies. I went to see Peggy on my way to Lil Macdonald, she was looking tremendously happy & Mrs Leigh was full of plans abt. everything & seems to be getting over her animosity towards Charles. I dined with Lil who was very nice.

Thursday Oct. 31st. I went to see Mrs Sidney WebbLink opens in a new window in the morning - an interview arranged by Mrs Bentinck with a view to jobs before my present work turned up. She was very kind indeed & most friendly, and gave me much advice - the upshot of wh., as usual, was that there are no jobs. I went to luncheon with Mr BevanLink opens in a new window at King's College, it was rather amusing to see it as I'd never been there before. Blanche came to tea at the School & was frantically amused to see me with my own room & my name on the door. I came home by the 6.30 to find Mummy & Daddie were both in London staying with Cousin Nell.

Friday Nov. 1st. I spent most of the day cutting out an evening dress from a "Vogue" pattern. Mummy got back at tea time.

Saturday Nov. 2nd. Mummy & I went up to Valence to collect some linen we'd bought in the sale there. Ina came down for luncheon & presented me with a copy of her book – she was very cock a hoop about things in general!

Sunday Nov. 3rd. I went to Church. Miss Wolff came down for the day & we took her for a drive in the afternoon. I went to tea at the Cottage to see Rosalie who was here for the week-end. They are settled at Hampstead now, she seems very happy, & is going to have a baby in April.

Monday Nov. 4th. I went up to the Cottage & fetched Rosalie down to the Station in the car. Otherwise, only the usual oddments.

Tuesday Nov. 5th. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Norah came to supper with me there.

Wednesday Nov. 6th. Edith was at the School in the morning & we went together to Laski'sLink opens in a new window lecture. I dined with Sybil Buxton.

Thursday. I went with Miss Wolff in the afternoon to see Doulton's china at their wholesale place in the City, then tore back to the School to give a coaching. I went down to Morden Terrace directly after tea & spent the evening there helping Edith, we both spent the night at the Perch.

Friday Nov. 8th. I went to see Peggy in the morning & she took me over their house - No. 70, Gloucester Place.Link opens in a new window It is very nice indeed with big, airy rooms. I went to the School for luncheon & came home by the 3.30.

Saturday Nov. 9th. Barbara arrived down in time for luncheon to spend the night. I took her over to Knole in the afternoon, & in the evening we went to the cinema here. She was at her most amusing & behaved appallingly badly.

Sunday Nov. 10th. Barbara & I went over to Reigate to have luncheon with Anne & Charlie & had a most hilarious time. I took them all for a drive after luncheon & deposited Barbara at the Bevans. She was sailing for U.S.A. on Wednesday. I went back & had tea with Anne & Charlie, then came back here & went to the Armistice Service at the Congregational Church where we had a frightfully good pacificism sermon.

Monday Nov. 11th. Daddie went to speak at Herne Bay for Armistice Day. I did oddments frantically all day.

Tuesday Nov. 12th. School as usual. I dined with the Henrys at the new Sporting Club in Grosvenor HouseLink opens in a new window - Mrs Henry, Violet & Leanne & two men, & we went to an appallingly bad talkie called "White Cargo" after dinner - then back to their flat in Grosvenor House. It was amusing to see the interior of the latter, but it is a horrid great barrack of a placeLink opens in a new window & very florid & ugly.

Wednesday Nov. 13th. I was at the School all day & stayed on there in the evening to work.

Thursday Nov. 14th. Edith & I had luncheon together. I went to tea with Daisy & came came home by the 6.30.

Friday Nov. 15th. It was a lovely day & I took Mummy for a drive in the afternoon.

Saturday Nov. 16th. It poured solidly all day & we didn't go out.

Sunday Nov. 17th. I went to Church in the morning. In the afternoon Daddie & I motored over to Crowborough to see the Gurdons. I went to the Congregational Church in the evening.

Monday Nov. 18th. Edith H. came to tea.

Tuesday Nov. 19th. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Eileen Parnell didn't turn up till the afternoon - we always have a sandwich luncheon in my room on Tuesdays. I went to a Committee meeting at the House of Commons of the British Section of the International Assoc. for Social Progress, Miss Gertrude TuckwellLink opens in a new window having got me on to the Committee. I dined with Sybil Buxton to meet Frances Whitehead & Ruth Bailey (daughter of the John Baileys). It was very nice to see Frances again, she is always very cheerful & amusing.

Wednesday Nov. 20th. I was at the School all day. Victoria Bruce (Kathleen's friend) who has a good deal of experience of Borstal & prison visiting, came & talked to my almoner's class on the penal system. I met Edith at John Knox Church in the evening for the bi-annual Sunday School meeting. Various people read papers on the work of their dept. and it was more than entertaining. We went back to spend the night at the Perch afterwards, we walked down to Stepney Station meaning to get a bus through Rotherhithe Tunnel,Link opens in a new window but we found it closed to vechular traffic. So we had to walk right through to Rotherhithe & didn't reach the Perch until 11.30.

Thursday Nov. 21st. We went up together to the School. I met Mummy for luncheon with a Mr How who is head of the West End branch of the Bank of England. He was very nice and gave us a most excellent luncheon. I went back to the School afterwards & was there until I came home by the 6.30.

Friday Nov. 22nd. It pelted solidly, & I sewed most of the day.

Saturday Nov. 23rd. I went over to Reigate & spent the day with Anne & took her & Juliet & Nanny for a drive through Dorking & Holmwood.

Sunday Nov. 24th. I cleaned the car & sewed & read & wrote letters all day & went to the Congregational Church in the evening.

Monday Nov. 25th. I went to the library in the evening & then over to Oxted to fetch Daddie home.

Tuesday Nov. 26th. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Dorothee Schröder came to tea there. I dined with Lil Macdonald.Link opens in a new window

Wednesday Nov. 27th. I was at the School all day. Joan came to tea & it was awfully nice to see her again. She was only up in London for a week, as I'm sorry to say they are going to let their house & spend the winter with her married sister in Herefordshire. The Senior Common Room annual dinner took place in the evening, Betty came as my guest, & it was really most amusing; I sat next to Marshall the history lecturer who was delightful, & Betty sat next to TawneyLink opens in a new window who she thought rather superior. Prof. GregoryLink opens in a new window was in the chair & Lees Smith the Postmaster General, & DaltonLink opens in a new window the under secretary for foreign affairs made most amusing speeches.

Thursday Nov. 28th. Edith & I lunched together. Miss Wolff took me to tea with some friends of hers - Mackinnons - at the Ice Club in Grosvenor House and we watched the skating wh. was fascinating, especially the ice waltzing. I dined with Joan & we went to see "The Silver Tassie"Link opens in a new window by Sean O'Casey; it is a marvellous thing, very harrowing & mainly sympathetic.

Friday Nov. 29th. I went to breakfast with the Leighs & spent part of the morning with Peggy & saw her wedding presents. Mrs Leigh told me that Aunt Bobs wants to give me the whole of the bridesmaid's outfit wh. really is extraordinarily generous & it will come to about £19. I went to be measured for the bridesmaids dress & then caught the 12.45 home. We all went over to Crowborough in the afternoon to have tea with the Gurdons.

Saturday Nov. 30th. It was a vile day & we didn't go out at all.

Sunday Dec. 1st. I went to Church in the morning & the Harveys came to tea.

Monday Dec. 2nd. I went up to London for an I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] Committee meeting & tried - unsuccessfully - to find a wedding present for Peggy. After the Committee I went to the School & picked up Edith, we had tea there & then went down to Morden Terrace where I stayed for the rest of the evening filling up forms & checking entries. We spent the night at the Perch.

Tuesday Dec. 3rd. Miss Wilcox the nice probation officer I worked for in Hoxton & who is now at Southend, came to lead a case discussion class at the School & I had tea with her & Miss Eckhard & one or two students. I dined with Joan & we went to see Bernard Shaw's play "The Apple Cart"Link opens in a new window wh. is most entertaining.

Scenes from The Apple Cart

Wednesday Dec. 4th. Norah came to tea with me and Marnie came to supper with Eileen & me & was more amusing than ever.

Thursday Dec. 5th. I set off on a frantic shopping expedition in the afternoon to find an evening dress. I got a very nice blue one at a shop in Shaftesbury Avenue for 5½ gns. Then I met Mrs Leigh & we went to Vanek in Orchard St. for the first fitting of the bridesmaid's dress which was a most glorious sapphire blue velvet. I caught the 6.30 train by the skin of my teeth & to my surprise found Joan greeting me on the platform. I had asked her when we parted after the play to come down & she had hummed & hawed & as I'd heard nothing I had concluded she wasn't coming & so had not let the family know, with the result that they got a horrid shock! She brought her Indian photographs which Daddie enjoyed seeing very much.

Friday Dec. 6th. I motored over to Oxted to take Joan to a train & then went out to Reigate & had luncheon with Anne.

Saturday Dec. 7th. I went up to the Cottage to see Edith H in the afternoon.

Sunday Dec. 8th. I went to Church & did oddments.

Monday Dec. 9th. I went up by the 1 o'c train, spent some time at the School sorting & clearing out things & saw Edith there. Then I went to buy Peggy a wedding present. I got her an old silver cream jug at Frazer & Haws. I had another fitting of the bridesmaid's dress. I dined with Kathleen, Ben & Mrs Corry at the Army & Navy Club & we went to see "Journey's End" which unfortunately I had already seen. Kathleen was only in London for a few days.

Tuesday Dec. 10th. I was at the School all day. I went to dinner with Aunt Ethel & RobinLink opens in a new window at Westminster School, he was leaving at the end of the term as he's been made a fellow & tutor of Merton. I spent the night with Edith at the Perch.

Wednesday Dec. 11th. Edith & I came up to the School together. I lunched with Jock who was taking his final Bar exams near by. I had tea with Norah and supper at St. Martin's Club.

Thursday Dec. 12th. I had luncheon with Jock again. Kathleen came to tea at the School and we left together, she taking me back to S. Audley St. in her car. Lady Leigh gave a dinner party for everyone connected with the wedding, bridesmaids & ushers, there were abt. 22 people & it was great fun.

Friday Dec. 13th. The term ended. I was not particularly glad, except to have the time for other things, as I was really beginning to enjoy the work & get to know my students. I did some shopping in the afternoon & caught the 5.15 train home; Joan was on the train going to spend a week-end near Hildenborough so we travelled down together.

Saturday Dec. 14th. Nothing.

Sunday Dec. 15th Nothing

Monday Dec. 16th. I went up to London & lunched with the Leighs - the last time of seeing Peggy before the wedding as it was the next day. We all went to St. Margaret's Westminster after luncheon & had a rehearsal of the wedding to see exactly what the bridesmaids were to do. Then I went & did Christmas shopping. I had supper with Edith at College Buildings which was great fun, and afterwards we went to John Knox Church & I helped Edith to produce & dress the final rehearsal for a mystery play wh. was most vastly entertaining.

Tuesday Dec. 17th. I did a little shopping in the morning & had my hair waved - then came back to rest before dressing for the wedding. The other bridesmaids were Lilla Bagwell, Paula Boscawen & Rosemary Cohen, and we had to go to Rosemary's house beforehand for her to wind the turbans - georgette the same colour as the dresses – on our heads. We didn't carry anything & Charles's presents to us were our shoe buckles, blue & paste. Lord Wilton was the page & Christian Scott Robson's little girl Lucy carried the train with him. Peggy looked lovely in a white velvet dress (not the same as our blue ones very long & rather medieval), orange blossom and a long lace train, but she was desperately nervous & when we got into the vestry she was shaking like a leaf. Lord & Lady Leigh gave the reception at Grosvenor Square, it was all beautifully done & there was a most impressive array of presents - over 300. Peggy's going away dress was burgundy red crêpe de chine with a grey fur coat & grey velvet toque, and she looked so pretty though I think she was awfully tired & very glad it was all over. Charles' going away clothes got lost which caused a great commotion until finally they were found in a cardboard box under a table in the drawing room where they had been put by a footman who thought they were a wedding present arrived late! Mummy & I went straight on to Tilney St. in the hope of seeing Aunt Bobs who unfortunately was out, however we had tea with Uncle Oswald who seems much better for his long time at Freibourg under Dr Martin but is still very hesitating in his speech. I went back to S.A. St. [ South Audley Street ] & rested & then went to dine at the Berkeley with Daisy who was giving a party for me there; it consisted of Sophie & Martin Renner, Marga & Helmut Schröder, a nice young man in the Navy & a very cheerful Greek, neither of whose names I grasped. We danced a little after dinner and it was all great fun & I enjoyed it enormously.

Wednesday Dec. 18th. I went to see Aunt Bobs in the morning & we talked about poor little Aunt Violet who died very suddenly of an embolism after an operation on Dec. 6th, it was so sad because she was young and pretty and attractive & had masses of friends. I did more Christmas shopping all the morning, then went to luncheon with Louie who was just back from Woodhall Spa and certainly very much better though still hobbling about on two crutches & doing a great deal too much. From there I went to see Miss Dingman the most clever & interesting American Industrial Secretary of the World's Y.W.C.A. who was in Guy's Hospital for X ray treatment, I was there for some time, then I went to the School to collect one or two things. Then met Edith at St. Martin's, we had supper in a Lyons and went to John Knox where I helped with dressing & general stage managing & call boy for the mystery play. It went off most successfully & one or two of the scenes were really lovely in spite of the clothes being of the simplest. It was all huge fun. I came here by the late train arriving back here at midnight.

Thursday Dec. 19th. I spent the day cutting out & making a dressing gown.

Friday Dec. 20th. Very busy sewing, washing & iron to go to Dorset for Christmas.

Saturday Dec. 21st. ditto

Sunday Dec. 22nd. I went to the Congregational Chapel in the evening & we had a terrific orgy of carol singing.

Monday Dec. 23rd. We all three started off at screech of dawn to motor down to Creech Grange for Christmas. We had a series of contretemps, flat tyres, dirty sparking plugs & choaked carburetter, up to Guildford, but after these were put right the car went superbly. We had a picnic luncheon by the roadside and stopped in Ringwood for a bit in the afternoon, and arrived at Grange about 4.15. Cousin Vie & Johnny gave us a very warm welcome - it was Mummy's first visit there and it all looked so comfortable with huge fires in our bedrooms. Some very nice Hamilton Russells arrived later in the evening, they consisted of Major & Mrs, & the boy David aged about 17, he was very delicate with a weak heart & they had to live in California for some years on account of his health.

Christmas Eve. It was a glorious day & David & I motored over to Lulworth to leave a cake for the cook who was getting married. The Cove looked just the same but very deserted, except for one foolish woman who was bathing. There was a shooting party for luncheon. I sat next to the Cecil boy who is extremely nice. Cousin Vie & Daddie & I went for a walk in the wood in the afternoon & saw the havoc made by the awful gales. There was a big tea party & two delightful Miss Hays arrived to stay.

Christmas Day. We all went to Church early. The present distribution went on before breakfast, Cousin Vie gave me a very pretty brooch, a blue necklace, a crepe de chine scarf, and a handkerchief; and Johnny gave me a most decorative glass jar with figures engraved on it. Daddie & I went for a walk on the downs & the wind was so strong that I was literally blown off my feet. In the afternoon two car loads of us went over to Weymouth to see the waves breaking on Chesil Beach.Link opens in a new window There was a tremendous gale blowing there and it was a wonderful sight to see the great foam crested breakers towering up for miles along the coast. It was as wild & rough a sea as ever I've seen and the harbour was full of ships taking shelter. We had an enormous Christmas tea followed by a still vaster Christmas dinner and much cracker pulling. Altogether an awfully nice Christmas.

Boxing Day. The Miss Hays left in the morning. I walked half way to Corfe over the tops of the downs, the view was looking glorious & it was so balmy & deliciously warm that I was able to walk without my coat. In the afternoon Johnny took us for a beautiful drive, first to Corfe, where we looked at Morton's House & wished the Bentincks were there; then up over Kingston Hill to Swanage and back by the Studland road & Rempstone. Poor Cousin Vie had developed such a bad throat by the evening that she couldn't speak.

Friday December 27th. Cousin Vie was in bed when we left about 10.30. It was a beautiful day & we had a most successful drive back, doing the 120 miles in 4 ¾ hours exclusive of stops. They gave us a huge & delicious luncheon which we ate by the roadside outside Farnham. The whole visit was a huge success & Mummy enjoyed it very much.

Saturday December 28th. Daddie went to London to see about a fur coat for his Canadian trip. I wrote Christmas letters & unpacked & read.

Sunday December 29th. I lay low & did nothing much.

Monday December 30th. We were all going to London to decide on Papa's fur coat, but it was such a beastly day that Mummy & I didn't go.

Tuesday Dec. 31st. Mummy & Daddie both went to London. It was a lovely day & I went over to see Anne who was rather depressed & in the throes of domestic upheavals. We went for a walk on Buckland Heath in the afternoon. Juliet is becoming most attractive.

Wednesday Jan. 1st. 1930. My 28th birthday, I felt really middle aged, & no longer quite young. We all went to London and chose shirts, socks, ties, pyjamas, handkerchieves etc. for Papa at Hope Bros. in Regent St. Then Mummy & I went to the A. & N. [ Army and Navy ] Stores to see about the typewriter I was buying with my first salary - I had had a cheque from the School for £40 for last term's coaching - her little friend Mr Blair in that dept. showed us all the well known portables, and as well a new German portable, the Continental,Link opens in a new window which is only just on the market and of which there are only three in this country at the present moment. It was a beautiful little machine obviously superior to the American ones, its price was £14.14 wh. is the same as all the best portables & as it was so much the best I decided to have it, although I had originally intended to try & get a shop soiled Royal. I went to luncheon at Tilney St, Anne was there looking very grown up with her hair up. Uncle Oswald was very kind & gave me £25 as a birthday cheque which was £15 more than he usually gives me; and very pleasant & welcome as I have many uses for it. I went back to the Stores & had a lesson in the use of my typewriter and brought it away. I went to tea with Peggy at Upper Berkeley St., she was just back from her honeymoon the day before and looking much less tired and run down than before the wedding. I came home by the 6.30.

Tuesday Jan. 2nd. Colonel & Mrs Gurdon & Joyce came to luncheon to say goodbye to Daddie before he left for Canada. Anna came over for dinner from Falconhurst, they have got a Standard 9 now which she drives. We tried it after dinner but I didn't like the engine as much as my Morris which was satisfactory.

Friday Jan. 3rd. I went up to London with Daddie - he had bought a fur lined coat at Moss Bros. wh. when it arrived I discovered to be full of bare moth eaten patches. We had a long altercation with them & were there for an hour but finally they gave the money back. I went to the School to change books & collect one or two things and then met Daddie at the Stores where he bought a thick overcoat with a leather lining instead of fur. From there I went to Peter Jones, then to Oxford St. & then to Charing X [ Cross ], we both came down by the 3.25.

Saturday Jan. 4th. Daddie left for Canada by the Adriatic from Liverpool. We had a telegram in the evening to say he was very comfortable & the sea calm. He will be gone six weeks.

Sunday Jan. 5th. I went to Church in the morning. Edith H came to tea.

Monday Jan. 6th. It was a beautiful day & I went for a walk in Squerryes.

Tuesday Jan. 7th. Nothing much happened all day. I did a good deal of typing

Wednesday Jan. 8th. Mummy & I went to London for the day. I went to the dentist and had a tooth stopped, then went to the Sales, and then to luncheon with Peggy at Upper Berkeley St. We went round to see her house afterwards, they are actually sleeping there and it is beginning to get straight. After that I did some more saleing (but bought nothing) changed books at Mudie'sLink opens in a new window and then went to the Guard's Club where we had Mr Hows & Peter Doulton to tea.

Thursday Jan. 9th. I motored over to Wrotham to have luncheon with Louie. She is still only hobbling about on crutches of course but looked very well "in herself" & seemed pretty cheerful.

Friday Jan. 10th. Mummy & I motored as far as Lewisham where she went on to London by train and I went to Morden Terrace to help Edith, we filled up forms for a bit then went in the car to Creek Rd. to drop some things there, as it was a beautiful day, had a picnic luncheon on Blackheath. Then went back to M.T. & did a little more work, then I took her round to some classes in the car. And then we went back to M.T. and had tea and talked, her brother Bill is going to be married at Bristol on Tuesday. Mummy joined us & had tea & a talk with Edith & then we came home.

Saturday Jan. 11th. The battery of the car went wrong again on the way home last night & I had to take the car up to the garage again in the morning.

Sunday Jan. 12th. I went to the Chapel in the morning & there was an excellent service.

Monday Jan. 13th. The term began - I went up at 12 with a weekly season as Miss Wolff couldn't have me. After changing books at Mudie's I went to the School. I corrected a number of holiday essays, & Eileen, Edith & I had tea together. I came home by the 6.30.

Tuesday Jan. 14th. I was at the School all day & came home by the 6.30 after a lecture on Unemployment by the Director.Link opens in a new window

Wednesday Jan. 15th. Edith & I went to Laski. I came home at 6.30.

Thursday Jan. 16th. Eileen came & talked to my class on Rationalization in the morning. I went round the Sales in the afternoon & had tea with Blanche at the Ladies Army & Navy Club, she was most amusing. I caught the 5.30.

Friday Jan. 17th. It was nice to have a respite from catching the 8.40. I did oddments all day.

Saturday Jan. 18th. I went up to London for the morning to look at the Sales, & came home in time for luncheon, having found nothing but a navy coat & skirt for £7. Poor Mummy was very sad because she got the news of Uncle Vesey'sLink opens in a new window death at Remenham in the morning; his mind had been failing for the last two years, and he hadn't known anyone for several weeks. He was 76 and had been a perfect old dear.

Sunday Jan. 19th. I went to Church in the morning, & then took Mummy for a drive as it was a lovely day. I spent the week-end making a jumper.

Monday Jan. 20th. Mummy went down to Remenham for the night for the funeral which is to-morrow. I went up to the Cottage & had tea & a walk with Edith.

Tuesday Jan. 21st. I went up with a weekly season & put off my class in order to go to the Memorial Service for Uncle Vesey at the Guard's Chapel. I borrowed black clothes from Tilney St. & met Cousin Nell & Joan at the Church. The music & singing was lovely & there were a good many people there. I dashed back to the School & Daisy came to tea with me there. She was thrilled to the marrow by it all, and insisted on seeing everything. I came home by the 6.30.

Wednesday Jan. 22nd. I left the School in the afternoon to do some shopping & then went to tea with Mrs Bentinck who was very nice, but extremely agitated about Barbara's friendship with a Russian girl, Anna Wolkoff.Link opens in a new window I came home by the 6.30 & Mummy returned by the same train.

Thursday Jan. 23rd. I had luncheon with Miss Haskins at her club. I shopped more or less unsuccessfully in the rain all the late afternoon & came home by the 6.30.

Friday Jan. 24th. I went over to Reigate to have luncheon with Anne who was off to Ireland for a month on a motoring trip with Virginia Armitage.

Saturday Jan. 25th. I went to London for the morning to shop in the last of the Sales & did very successfully getting a jumper, a cardigan, a hat & stuff for a frock.

Sunday Jan. 26th. I went to the Congregational Chapel in the morning & Edith came to tea.

Monday Jan. 27th. I read & sewed. Miss Deane came to tea.

Tuesday Jan. 28th. London again on a weekly Season. A successful class on Housing. I saw Mr Lloyd, & came home by the 5.30.

Wednesday Jan. 29th. One of my students, Miss Church, had a sandwich luncheon with Eileen & me in my room – a very cheap way of giving luncheon parties! I came home at 5.30.

Thursday Jan. 30th. One of my students told me I was a born teacher & most inspiring - I'm afraid shes in a minority of one in thinking this! Norah came & had a sandwich luncheon. I picked up Miss Wolff at 35, S.A. St. [ South Audley Street ] & we went to Hampstead to have tea with the Symes's - a very old arrangement wh. had been put off - it was extremely dull. I came home by the 6.30.

Friday Jan. 31st. I went to London by an after tea train (staying at Miss Wolff's) for a dinner party Mrs Bentinck was giving. It consisted of NevinsonLink opens in a new window the writer, Evelyn SharpLink opens in a new window who has written the most perfect books on London slum children & who I was dying to meet, a Mr & Mrs Bayard, Eric Crowe son of Sir Eyre Crowe,Link opens in a new window Bill BentinckLink opens in a new window & his wife, and a nice young Mr Karslake. It was a most delightful party with "Ma" at her best, & I enjoyed it hugely.

Saturday Feb. 1st. I went down to Salisbury for the wedding of Margaret Douglas-HamiltonLink opens in a new window to a Drummond Hay. We were all asked, but of course Daddie was in Canada & Mummy couldn't go owing to mourning, but she wanted me to go very much, & so finding that Miss Deane was also going I joined on with her. They had gone the most terrific splash over it and there were over 1,000 guests. We went down to Salisbury by Special train and were met there by motor coaches wh. took us to the Cathedral. The whole of that great church was full and the music & singing were perfectly lovely. There were 16 bridesmaids, every couple in different coloured net frocks & this cloud of colour going up the aisle was very effective. There were huge crowds outside the Cathedral afterwards & all the guests who hadn't got cars were taken by motor coach to Ferne which is 16 miles from Salisbury. I went part of the way (one coach broke down & we had to transfer) with Peter Doulton who is a nice youth. It was almost impossible to move in the squash at the reception but I managed to see Ruby Smith, Kathleen & Ben & Mrs Corry, Mrs Gwynne-James & Hugolyne and Cousin Vie & Johnny. We were all taken back to Salisbury by motor coach after the bride had left and brought back to London by another Special train. Miss Deane, Mrs Corry & I travelled up together & Mrs Corry stood me dinner on the train wh. was very grateful & comforting as it was the first solid meal since breakfast. We reached Waterloo a little before 8 o'c & went to St. Martin's Club where we rested until it was time for the 9.30 & finally arrived down here more dead than alive. But it was an amusing day & a sight well worth seeing.

Sunday Feb. 2nd. I was half asleep all day & read, wrote & sewed.

Monday Feb. 3rd. We had very cheerful letters from Daddie from Govt. House Ottawa where he is staying with the Willingdons. The meeting of inauguration of the Canadian Geog. [ Geographical ] SocietyLink opens in a new window was a great success & there had to be a second overflow meeting, and he is being asked to parties and to make speeches all the time. He returns on the 15th.

Tuesday Feb. 4th. I went up by the 8.40 and was all day at the School until I went to a Cte. meeting of the Internat. Assoc. for Social Progress in the House of Commons. Eileen & I had supper at the School & then went to an Industrial Christian Fellowship meeting at the Central Hall at wh. Alexander the 1st Lord of the AdmiraltyLink opens in a new window spoke. I stayed at Miss Wolff's.

Wednesday Feb. 5th. Daisy came to tea at the School to meet Edith & Ethel Bennett a very clever child from a Central School for whom Daisy is giving a maintenance allowance in order to enable her to stay on until she is 16. Unfortunately Alison Tennant came in in the middle & although it was very nice to see her again it took me away from the others completely, however they got on very well & it was a great success. I dined at Tilney St. - Uncle Oswald, Aunt Bobs, Aunt Geraldine & Uncle Raymond (sillier than ever) and a nice man whose name I forget. Poor Aunt Geraldine is dreadfully upset about Cynthia's stupid secret marriage to a penniless youth with no prospect of a job & no qualifications for one.

Thursday Feb. 6th. I was at the School all day. Miss Steele the nicest & most intelligent of my students came to tea. I came home by the 6.30.

Friday Feb. 7th. oddments all day.

Saturday Feb. 8th. ditto

Sunday Feb. 9th. I went up to the Cottage in the morning to see Rosalie, only to discover that she hadn't come down for the week-end wh. she was expected to do. Wolfie came for the day.

Monday Feb. 10th. Oddments.

Tuesday Feb. 11th. London by the 8.40. Rosalind came to luncheon, she is talking - as usual - of leaving the I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ]. Marnie came to tea & was most amusing. She has become a speaker for the Conservative Central office. I dined with Edith Eckhard at the University Women's ClubLink opens in a new window to meet an American social worker & we went to see "Canaries Sometimes Sing" a very amusing & silly play.

Wednesday Feb. 12th. School all day. Steele had supper with me there & I took her to a Fabian lecture by Captain Stephen SandersLink opens in a new window (who is on that Soc. Progress Assoc. Cte.) on the work of the I.L.O. [ International Labour Office ] he had been in the Office for a time on the Staff and the lecture was most interesting.

Thursday Feb. 13th. Norah came to luncheon. Joan, who was in London for a night or two, came to see me in the afternoon; and I went to tea with Mrs Bentinck & was there for ages. I came home by the 6.30.

Friday Feb. 14th. Oddments.

Saturday Feb. 15th. I took Mummy for a drive in the morning. We had a cable from Daddie saying his ship, the Doric, doesn't get in until Wednesday wh. I am afraid means they are having a bad voyage.

Sunday Feb. 16th. I went to Church & took Mummy for a drive. Mr Deane & Mrs Harvey & her son came to tea.

Monday Feb. 17th. I went up to London by the 8.40, met Kathleen in Oxford St. & shopped all the morning (very strenuous!) with her & we had luncheon at Evans. Then I went to the School and gave a coaching. I spent most of the afternoon talking to Miss DengLink opens in a new window a most attractive little Chinese lady who is going to be Y.W.C.A. Industrial Secretary in China. Edith & I had tea together - she went with me to London Bridge, I came home (weekly season) by the 6.30.

Tuesday Feb. 18th. I went up by the 8.40. Miss Carbutt a member of the I.L.B. Committee & an ex-factory inspector came to talk to my class on Reforms in Factory Legislation & stayed on to tea afterwards, I think it was a success. Alison Tennant came to luncheon. I came home by the 6.30.

Wednesday Feb. 19th. Up by the 8.40. Edith & Budgie had luncheon with me at the School, the latter is having a miserable time with a swollen gland. I dashed off afterwards to Euston to meet Daddie on his return from Canada. He came on a desperately slow boat – the Doric - wh. took 12 days from N.Y. [ New York ] to Liverpool. He was looking very blooming & in high spirits, full of what a good time he'd had. He went to Boston, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto, Philadelphia, Atica [ Attica ] & New York during the month he was there. It was all a great success, the Canadian Geographical Society seems to have been very pleased & he came back £170 to the good on other lectures he'd given. We went across to Charing X & he & Mummy came home by the 3.25, while I returned to the School. Dorothee Schröder came to tea with me there. Daisy gave a little party in the evening at the Hungaria Restaurant where they have a fascinating Hungarian Band, the party consisted of Daisy, Sophie & me, a Commander Colvin, Mr Streatfeild and Mr Barlow. We danced afterwards & didn't get home until 1.30.

Thursday Feb. 20th. Edith & I lunched together & did some shopping afterwards. I went to see Peggy in her house, they have almost got it straight by now, & it is very pretty. I came home by the 4.30 in order to see Daddie & hear about Canada.

Friday Feb. 21st. I was here all day.

Saturday Feb. 22nd. ditto.

Sunday Feb. 23rd. I went to the Congregational Church in the morning. Daddie went to Birmingham for the day to speak at a men's meeting & missed the last train back here, so I went over to Sevenoaks to meet him at night.

Monday Feb. 24th. They both went to London to stay with Cousin Nell until Thursday, and in order to go to a lecture at the R.G.S. by the Duke of SpoletoLink opens in a new window who had been exploring round K2 where no one had been since Daddie first went there abt. 40 years ago. Edith H. came to tea with me & we went to the library afterwards.

Tuesday Feb. 25th. I went up by the 8.40. There was an L.N.U. [ League of Nations Union ] Conference on Unemployment at the School lasting three days to which most of my students went. The first session was excellent, the chief speakers were Mr ButlerLink opens in a new window the deputy Director of the I.L.O., & Sir Oswald Moseley [ Mosley ]Link opens in a new window the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the afternoon PughLink opens in a new window the Trade Union leader, & one or two others spoke & it was not so good. Marnie came for tea & was most amusing. I went back to S. Audley St. for dinner.

Wednesday Feb. 26th. The morning Conference was very good, the Labour Manager of Rowntree's, Dr. Northcott,Link opens in a new window spoke & E.F. WiseLink opens in a new window of the I.L.P., while BevinLink opens in a new window was in the Chair. Thomas,Link opens in a new window the Lord Privy Seal, who, with Moseley [ Mosley ], is supposed to be dealing with unemployment, spoke in the afternoon but was not very good. I went out to tea with Elizabeth (Miss Haskins) who had a racking headache & looked dreadfully ill. I went to supper with Louie, who is, I think, distinctly better.

Thursday Feb. 27th. The morning session of the Conference was not very good, Delisle BurnsLink opens in a new window spoke for ages. Edith & I had luncheon together. I am very thrilled because I am setting & correcting the terminal exam papers with Miss Eckhard! Professor Gilbert MurrayLink opens in a new window & Hartley WithersLink opens in a new window spoke in the afternoon & both were good. I went to tea with Daisy. I dined at the House of Commons with Aunt Mabel & Uncle Eric, a party of 12 including Maurice, Sybil Buxton, Rhoda Liddell & a nice Commander Fletcher. The debate on the Coal Mines BillLink opens in a new window was on & there had been a most exciting division before dinner in wh. the Govt. only escaped defeat by 9 votes but we dawdled so long over dinner that the House adjourned abt. 10 minutes after we go up there. I was dreadfully disappointed as it was the first time I had dined there & I was longing to hear the debate.

Friday Feb. 28th. I gave a coaching at the School in the morning & came home by the 12.45.

Saturday March 1st. I went up to the Cottage in the afternoon & took Edith H for a drive & walk along the Pilgrim's Way.

Sunday March 2nd. I went to Church in the morning & read & wrote the rest of the day.

Monday March 3rd. I went up in the afternoon for an I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] Committee meeting. Then went to the School where I had tea with Edith & gave a coaching. I stayed on to supper there because Anne Dickinson with whom I had been having it put me off at the last moment on account of the death of Hilliard's brother.

Tuesday March 4th. I was at the School all day & had tea with Elizabeth (Miss Haskins). I dined at Tilney St., Anne was there having come over from Paris for two days to see the Italian pictures.

Wednesday March 5th. I went to a sub-Cte. of the International Assoc. for Social Progress on the subject of High Wages. It was intended to draw up a memorandum & there were a number of bigwigs there, but the discussion was rather futile. I went with Edith in the evening to John Knox annual meeting wh. was huge fun.

Thursday March 6th. Edith & I had luncheon together. Peggy came to tea with me. I came home by the 6.30.

Friday March 7th. I went over to Reigate to see Anne & found her ill in her bed. She had got bad in Ireland & travelled home alone feeling deadly ill. And now she is in bed with her inside all wrong, plus "nervous prostration" as the doctor calls it, wh. means she is absolutely worn out mentally & could only talk for a few minutes at a time. Miss Waldegrave came down for the day & was most sensible about everything.

Saturday March 8th. I went to London for the day & saw the Italian pictures at Burlington HouseLink opens in a new window in the morning. They really were quite wonderful, although the seething crowds of people made it impossible to see them properly. Daddie had Daisy & Sir John Broadbent to luncheon at Jules and we went afterwards to see "The Apple Cart" by Shaw in a box given us by Sir Barry JacksonLink opens in a new window wh. was very pleasant.

Sunday March 9th. I went to the Congregational Chapel in the morning, and took Mummy for a drive in the afternoon.

Monday March 10th. Oddments all day.

Tuesday March 11th. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Miss Eckhard & I fixed up the exam paper, all the tutors send in several questions, and then the two who set the paper choose a certain number, a good many of mine went in. I went to dinner at Tilney St. again & Aunt Bobs gave me a lot of clothes wh. was very nice, she is in mourning for her mother & so can't wear coloured clothes. Aunt Geraldine was there, Cynthia & her husband are going to start dairy farming.

Wednesday March 12th. Edith & I had luncheon together. I went to tea with Peggy. I had supper at the School & went to a service at St. Martin's afterwards.

Thursday March 13th. I was at the School all day, it was an awful week knowing the contents of the exam paper, because they are all in a fever about it & it would have been very easy to make a slip. Elizabeth had tea with me. I came home by the 6.30.

Friday March 14th. I went for a long walk in the afternoon & got quite a respectable sized bunch of primroses & dog violets.

Saturday March 15th. Rosalie was at the Cottage & I went up to see her in the morning. Her baby is due in May & she seems rather depressed about it. I went over to Reigate directly after luncheon & found Anne a bit better but still in bed. They are really having an awful time because Mrs Sanders is dying, so Charlie has to be over there as much as possible.

Sunday March 16th. I went to Church, & Rosalie came down & sat in the garden later in the morning.

Monday March 17th. I went up to the School by the 8.40 in order to give my one year students extra coachings for the exam on the following day. Miss Steel & Miss Church had luncheon with me, & I coached for 5½ hours straight on end - and then gave another after an interval. My head felt as though it had gone into cold storage at the end! Norah fetched me & we went out to supper together. She is now part time child rescue worker in Lambeth, and at the Tavistock Clinic the remaining days of the week.

Tuesday March 18th. The great & fatal day of the exam! all the students were in a dither of fright, the best & the worst equally convinced they were going to fail. Miss Steel & Miss Church came & sat in my room until it was time to go down. I acted as invigilator for the three hours of the exam, & felt considerable amusement at sitting up aloft in one of the biggest lecture rooms while 50 students wrote frantically below. Everyone liked the exam paper very much & thought it was what they call "fair". I went up to Miss Eckhard after tea & we started on the correcting. I dined with Mrs Buxton, a very nice party of 12, including Ruby Smith. We played games after dinner, & John Benson (son of that tiresome Lady Charnwood) brought me home.

Wednesday March 19th. Miss Yetts, one of Miss Eckhard's students had tea with me. She is older than most, & an interesting person. There were so many people coming & going that I couldn't get to work on the exam papers until after 6 o'c, however I worked till 9 o'c, and then went back to S.A. St. [ South Audley Street ] & worked till midnight.

Thursday March 20th. Edith & I had luncheon together. I did exam papers all the afternoon & Miss Eckhard & I met after tea to decide the results. The general level of the papers was very low, and we started off by having 14 possible failures - wh. is pretty high out of 50 - we reduced these to 8 in the end, but most of the others were passed on very poor papers. There was three distinctions with no discussion, two second years & my Miss Church who is a one year. I was awfully glad about her because she had worked like a n***** & she really deserved to get it - one of the others was with me for a term but she felt the indignity of being with an ex-student too deeply & got herself transferred - to my great relief as she did no work for me. All the rest of mine passed (some by the skin of their teeth), except little Groves, whom I'm afraid never will pass. Some of the other failures were, I believe real tragedies, & Miss Eckhard who of course knows all the Students, was miserable over them. Miss Steel came with sight of distinction but alas! she cannot do exams & so she lost what her work most richly merited. She & Eileen & I had supper together & then I went down to Morden Terrace. I did some work for Edith there & spent the night with her at the Perch.

Friday March 21st. Edith & I talked for sometime in the morning & sang songs, & then I went up to the School. The exam results were just up when I arrived, the majority of my students came & sat in my room for the rest of the morning discussing them & I was thoroughly indiscreet & told them all sorts of titbits! Everyone was very pleased about Miss Church & she was in the seventh heaven. More students came in the afternoon & then I went to see Elizabeth & Miss Eckhard, so that finally I didn't leave until the 5.15 train instead of 3.30.

Saturday March 22nd. I read, wrote, typed, & took Daddie over to Crowborough for tea in the afternoon.

Sunday March 23rd. Daisy came down for the day. We went primrosing in the morning & intended to do the same in the afternoon, but it poured with rain, so we couldn't.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday I did oddments here.

Friday March 28th. I went over to Reigate & spent the day with Anne. Poor Mrs Sanders was very ill indeed.

Saturday. I went up to the Cottage.

Sunday March 30th. Oddments.

Monday March 31st. Mummy & Daddie had been going to Paris on the jolly for a fortnight, but just on the morning they were starting poor Mummy got a bad eye & they couldn't go. She went up to London to see a doctor & he thought it wld. be better to postpone going. So they've arranged to go at the end of May instead. I went up to London & stayed at the Perch for the annual Social Study week at Toynbee Hall. Mr Tribe of the Juvenile Employment Section of the Ministry of Labour spoke in the morning & was excellent. Most of my students were there. In the afternoon there were visits to trade schools, two students & I went to the School of NavigationLink opens in a new window in Poplar wh. wasn't very thrilling so far as what one saw was concerned. We had tea at London Bridge afterwards & I collected my luggage & went & dropped it at the Perch, & then went on to Morden Terrace & met Edith. She had inveigled me into taking her junior English Class that evening while she went to her other institute, Creek Road, they were - or became under my influence - perfect little fiends & I had a terrible hour with them. I joined Edith at the Perch & we talked until the small hours.

Tuesday April 1st. We had Dr Harry RobertsLink opens in a new window on Public Health, & Miss Squire on Factory Law in the morning session at Toynbee. In the afternoon some of my students & I went over the Oxo factory,Link opens in a new window they didn't show us much, but they gave us a most terrific tea at the end, followed by a cinema of their cattle ranches in S. America. I joined Edith at Morden Terrance & did some typing for her, then went & had supper at the Perch, & then went to Creek Road & watched classes.

Wednesday April 2nd. Edith & I went to an elementary school in the morning & heard a class doing verse speaking wh. was quite entrancing. The head Child's Physician at the Tavistock Clinic & Alec Paterson spoke at Toynbee in the afternoon & we stayed for tea. Edith had a concert & display of work at Creek Road in the evening which had meant a frantic lot of work & organizing for her, the local M.P. & Mayor & other local lights were there, the hall was absolutely packed & it all went off splendidly.

Thursday April 3rd. In the morning at Toynbee Colonel Freemantle & Mr Seymour (head of Oxford HouseLink opens in a new window) spoke on the New Poor Law. Miss Church, Miss Yetts, Eileen & I had luncheon at Buszard, afterwards Miss Church & I went to the School where we found Miss Steel in my room & had a long talk. I went to tea with Mrs Bentinck, Barbara is back from America. I went down to Deptford by train in order to save time, but had to wait 20 minutes for a train & then a porter put me into a non-stop & I got carried miles beyond Greenwich & took ages getting back to the Perch. There was a concert & display at the Albany InstituteLink opens in a new window across the road in the evening - also organized by Edith. Most of the performers were the very wildest type of factory girl & most of the items were enormously successful through their very badness. Ina turned up at it looking very perky & pleased with everything.

Friday April 4th. Edith was giving a course of lectures to students going in for the Diocesan Club Leader's Certificate, for which I am setting & correcting the papers. The current one was on housing. I went with her & the lecture consisted of a kind of duet between us. We had luncheon afterwards & then went down to the Founder's Day Celebration at her old school, the North London. We went all over the School & looked at exhibitions of drawings, & stayed for the beginning of the concert, but had to leave after that. I came home by the 5.30. Mummy's eye was better, but she had to wear a shade & put on various oinments, & is still under the doctor.

Saturday April 5th. I went up to the Cottage in the afternoon. Alice Campbell arrived about 7 o'c in her car to stay the night. She & I & Edith went over to a concert at Oxted but it turned out to be frightfully bad & we got awful giggles & left in the interval.

Sunday April 6th. Alice & I spent the day house hunting, they have sold Kench Hill & are looking for a small house within fairly easy reach of London. Unfortunately we couldn't find anything which was really quite what they wanted, but Sunday isn't just the best day for it. She left after dinner.

Monday April 7th. I went over to Reigate & spent the day with Anne. Poor Mrs Sanders was dying & it was only a question of days.

Tuesday April 8th. Oddments.

Wednesday April 9th. The same.

Thursday April 10th. I went up to London & had luncheon with Lady BarringtonLink opens in a new window whom I hadn't seen since Wimbledon. She is over 80 now, but was just the same & most amusing. I had tea with Peggy, & then went down to Morden Terrace, Edith & I went to a social at John Knox, & I spent the night at the Perch.

Friday April 11th. Edith & I delivered another duet lecture to the Diocesan Club leaders – on the Poor Law this time. We had luncheon together, then went to the Howard League to get some pamphlets. I went to the dentist but found him too ill to see me, so I went & saw Miss Wolff for a short time, then changed books at the School, & came down here by the 6.30.

Saturday April 12th. I went over to Wrotham and had luncheon & tea with Louie who was very much better.

Sunday April 13th. Peggy came down for the day & we had a very amusing time laughing over old photographs.

Monday April 14th. Library & other oddments.

Tuesday April 15th. I went over to Reigate & had luncheon with Anne, she has got a very nice new nurse for Juliet.

Wednesday April 16th. I went to London for the day & shopped & went to St. Martin's in the morning. Daddie & I went to see "The First Mrs Fraser",Link opens in a new window Marie Tempest is in it & it was most amusing & rather improper. I had tea with Peggy & came home by the 6.30; Mummy, who had been staying with Miss Heathcote for a few days, came by the same train.

Thursday April 17th. I read, wrote, & went to the library.

Good Friday April 18th. I went to part of the Three Hours Service wh. was conducted by a moderately good man from outside.

Saturday April 19th. It was a frightful day & the hills were white with snow in the morning. Mummy & Daddie went to spend Easter at Netley with Lady Emma Crichton.

Easter Sunday April 20th. I went to Church in the morning & up to the Cottage for tea in the afternoon.

Monday April 21st. Vallie came down for the day, arriving in time for breakfast! She talked without ceasing & was full of every sort & kind of scheme.

Tuesday April 22nd. I went over to Amberfield near Maidstone in the car to spend the night with Sophie Renner. I found a paper chase in full swing when I arrived among her children & the Stile children (Daisy's elder sister) & some others. We went to tea with the Stiles & the children played there after tea. Sophie is such a darling & we had a very nice time & talk together in the evening.

Wednesday April 23rd. I left in the morning because Sophie had got to go over to Bexhill unexpectedly, I ambled home by bye-lanes with the aid of the map & bought some buns in Wrotham & ate them by the side of the road.

Thursday April 24th. Mummy & Daddie got back from Netley in the afternoon, having enjoyed their visit there very much indeed.

Friday April 25th. A glorious hot spring day mostly spent in the garden.

Saturday April 26th. I went into Reigate in the morning to see Anne who was going into a nursing home on Monday in order to have the big operation wh. the doctors have talked of ever since Juliet's arrival.

Sunday April 27th. Alice came over from Guildford for the day. It was gloriously hot & sunny & we went for a drive in the afternoon.

Monday April 28th. The term started & I went up by the 8.40. I saw Mr Lloyd & he seemed pretty hopeful about my being kept on next year & said he didn't think not having a degree was an insuperable difficulty. Edith & I had tea together & then went down to Lewisham, I spent the night with her at the Perch.

Tuesday April 29th. Edith & I went up to the School together & lunched together. I was at the School all day & at Morden Terrace in the evening, & spent the night at the Perch.

Wednesday April 30th. School all day. Jock came to tea with me there, & I came down here by the 6.30.

Thursday May 1st. Anne's operation went off satisfactorily but she had a very bad time after it & was sick for two days, besides not sleeping for three nights. Mr & Mrs Trefusis & their daughter came over for tea.

Friday May 2nd. I went over to Guildford to spend the day with Alice in a house they'd been lent there. Marnie was there too & we went for a picnic in the afternoon and picked cowslips.

Saturday May 3rd. We went to the Westerham Amateur Dramatic Society play in the evening wh. was frantically amusing.

Sunday May 4th. Barbara came down for the night. She was just as amusing as ever - I hadn't seen her since she got back from the States - but didn't look well. We motored over to Penshurst in the evening.

Monday May 5th. Barbara left early. I went up by the 12 train & went to see Anne in the nursing home. She could only say a few words at a time & looked as though she had had a terrible time. I went on to an I.L.B. [ Industrial Law Bureau ] Committee meeting, & then to the School where I picked up Edith & we went to the Perch & had supper, & then went to Morden Terrace. Miss Wolff couldn't have me on account of domestic upheavals, so I stayed at the Perch again.

Tuesday May 6th. I was at the School all day & had luncheon with Elizabeth. I had an I.A.S.P. Cte. meeting at the House of Commons after tea & then went down to Morden Terrace.

Wednesday May 7th. School all day – I had a frightful time getting down to Lewisham in the rush hour.

Thursday May 8th. Edith & I went up to the School together. I went to see Anne in the afternoon & found her a different creature, she'd had her stitches out that morning and is getting on very well. I went to tea with Conti & Esther & came home by the 6.30.

Friday May 9th. Grace Gunn from Streatham came down for the day. I went to tea with Mrs Bullough.

Saturday May 10th. Gardening & other oddments all day.

Sunday May 11th. Chapel in the morning & reading, typing & gardening for the rest of the day. I was horrified yesterday when Mummy showed me in the "Times" an account of Mrs Money-Kyrle's funeral, I knew she had not been well again, but not that it was anything serious - or rather dangerous - and I missed the announcement of her death. It must have been sudden because Joan had asked me to luncheon on Wednesday next, she will be terribly upset.

Monday May 12th. Library in the evening.

Tuesday May 13th. I went up to the School by the 8.40 and was there all day. I had supper with Norah & went back to her new room in Queen's Square afterwards. Then I went to S. Audley St.

Wednesday May 14th. It was the annual University Presentation of degrees & diplomas at the Albert Hall in the afternoon, & Elsa Ebblewhite & I went together to receive our diplomas. It was an impressive ceremony & I was very glad to have seen it. I dined with the Bentincks & Mrs B took me to a lecture (dull) followed by a good discussion on Science in Soviet Russia.

Thursday May 15th. I went to see Anne at the nursing home in the afternoon, Virginia Armitage was there too, so I didn't get much talk with her. I went to tea with Peggy & found that tiresome Rosemary Cohen there. I came home by the 6.30.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday - as usual.

Tuesday May 20th. I went up by to the School by the 8.40. Mr Lloyd asked to see me in the morning & suggested I should stay on at the School next year, full time, at a salary of £250 to which I assented joyfully. Barbara came & had luncheon with Edith & me & we never stopped laughing. Miss Eleanor RathboneLink opens in a new window came & spoke at the School on Family Allowances & I stayed on to hear her.

Wednesday May 21st. Mrs Bentinck came to luncheon with me at the School. Mr Waldegrave gave me a ticket for a missionary meeting at the Central Hall in the evening addressed by Dr. MottLink opens in a new window the famous American missionary - whom I thought a very dull speaker.

Thursday May 22nd. I meant to do all sorts of things in the afternoon but it rained so dreadfully that I just sat in the School doing oddments.

Friday May 23rd. I went up to the Cottage for tea.

Saturday May 24th. Just things here.

Sunday May 25th. Peggy came down for the day and we went round looking out furniture to lend her.

Monday May 26th. I went over to see Anne who was home and just able to walk about a little bit. Juliet looked most blooming & is very fond of her new Nannie.

Tuesday May 27th. I went up by the 8.40 to the School. There was a Cte. meeting of the I.A.S.P. in the evening & afterwards I went to Supper with the Warden of L.M.H. Settlement [ Lady Margaret Hall Settlement ] in my official capacity! - one of my students is there. There was a concert afterwards, & it was altogether a nice evening.

Wednesday May 28th. I took Ward, a girl at the School who has become a friend of Edith's, down to tea with Louie as there was an idea she might go there as a P.G. Edith was there, but left before supper. Ward & I stayed on for supper.

Thursday May 29th. Joan was up in London for the inside of a week & I went to see her in the afternoon. She had just let Pelham Crescent for a year & was very busy packing. She feels her mother's death quite frightfully but is wonderfully brave about it. I went to tea with Uncle Claude & Di but there were people there & I saw nothing of them and was very sorry to have left Joan. They have got a lovely flat at 69, Eaton Place.Link opens in a new window I came home at 6.30.

Friday May 30th. I went up to the Cottage to see Rosalie who was down here with the baby for a fortnight. She had a very bad time with it and could still only walk a short distance with difficulty.

Saturday May 31st. Sir Ernest Wilton,Link opens in a new window who was over in England for a short time, came down for the day & was very full of stories.

Sunday June 1st. I went up to London for the day by Oxted. Edith met me at London Bridge & we went to a Presbyterian Church in Kentish Town where there is a Minister called Fraser who hates the rich and brings up a family on £300, giving away all his private means, and sends his children to the elementary school. We went to luncheon at College Buildings and were regaled afterwards by the conversation of Henry & one or two others. In the afternoon we went to John Knox Sunday School, then to tea with the Miss Greigs, and back to John Knox for the evening service at which Mr Little preached a marvellous sermon on Joan of Arc. I finally arrived home at 10.30.

Monday June 2nd. I went up to the Cottage to see Rosalie again.

Tuesday June 3rd. I went up to the School by the 8.40. Alice Penny came to supper with me. She looks much older and is having a rotton time with her fiancé who is being impossibly difficult and jealous.

Wednesday June 4th. Kathleen was in London for a few days & came to tea with me at the School. I went back to Supper at Miss Wolff's.

Sunday August 10th.

I've decided to give up keeping a diary of every day as they're too much nuisance to write up and a pure waste of time into the bargain & it seems simpler to put down just the broad outline of events.

There was great agitation at the School all through June with the exams coming on. The papers were set & corrected by Miss Eckhard, Elizabeth, Mr Grey & myself. We divided into two couples both doing two lots of papers - Miss Eckhard & I did Social Economics & Pub. Administration - 110 papers in all. It was a terrible business & I did the terminal (30 papers) in addition. The term ended on June 26th., & the following Monday I started to do a month of Care Cte. visiting for Miss Taylor's office in the Old Kent Rd. for the Paragon School.Link opens in a new window It was fun working with Aida Tennent & Peggy James, & to be doing Care Cte. again. The School had been dreadfully neglected want of visitors, but I left it when the L.C.C. holidays began with no visits outstanding.

I stayed with Cousin Ruth for a night or two in two of the weeks, & went to that dreary function the Royal Garden Party from there.

Edith & I spent a night at the Perch to finish up our Anthology of St. Joan, and that is the end of the Perch so far as we are concerned because Lady Katherine Meade to whom it belongs has brought out a set of Rules wh. make it quite impossible.

I went to spend a couple of nights with Daisy at Wierton at the end of July, stopping on the way for lunching & tea with Louie. Edith, Naomi Brown & Budgie were also there so we had a very nice reunion. Daisy took me over to see Canterbury Cathedral wh. is quite beautiful, especially the Crypt, & we also dined with Marieke at Amberfield.

I stayed a night with Peggy in London on Aug. 7th (the first time in her new house).

Phyllis came down for the day on Aug. 9th and was as full of stories & as amusing as ever. Charlie's baby boy, Malcolm, looks a fine child in his photograph.

To-morrow (Aug. 11th.) Daddie & I are starting off for Berne where he has to attend a Committee of the International Religious Peace Congress, and then we go on through Switzerland to Insbruck, Oberammergau for the Passion Play, then down to Munich and home by the Rhine.

Sir Francis Younghusband and Eileen Younghusband