1918 [Kill this page when done ]
1917 Index 1919
Olave's Diary for 1902
[ Her 29th birthday was 22 Feb ]
January 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Tue 01 Jan 1918
Stayed at Cold Harbour.
Muriel & I to Brighton Guiders' Conference, run by Mrs Jennings.
Home to Little Mynthurst.
Biked out from station. Miss Nugent to stay.
Wed 02 Jan 1918 Little Mynthurst
Miss Nugent left. Robin very seedy and went to bed for tea.
Hensons (electric light man) to see the Barn.
Thu 03 Jan 1918
Very cold. Robin seedy & stayed in bed for breakfast.
Shows how bad he is for him to give in like this.
Fri 04 Jan 1918
Robin felt better & went for a walk with a gun - but he got very tired - and these headaches
and "anti-food" spells do pull him down - all due to over-work for years I'm sure.
Sat 05 Jan 1918
Robin had a cold, so kept away from the babies & had meals over in the Barn house.
Clipped hedge.
Sun 06 Jan 1918
Robin a bit better
Put up wire round kitchen garden & did electric light wiring.
It is jolly having the light all over the house.
Mon 07 Jan 1918
[ page left blank ]
Tue 08 Jan 1918
Robin to London.
Took Tricko [?] (fox terrier the Scout farm boys gave us in 1913) to be put down, as he is so
deaf & cross.
Mrs Jansen Potts (G.G. Commissioner) to stay. Went through new edition . . .
Wed 09 Jan 1918
. . . of G.G. Book of Rules.
Mrs Potts left.
Babies have colds again.
Awfully cold but thawed & pipes burst in cart shed, Barn bathroom etc.
Thu 10 Jan 1918
Much warmer
Clipped hedge.
Fri 11 Jan 1918
Robin to London
Grace Browning to stay.
Sat 12 Jan 1918
Robin shoots with Sir Henry Bell at Mynthurst.
Mr Everett comes for the night to talk about Guides & Scouts.
Sun 13 Jan 1918
[ page left blank ]
Mon 14 Jan 1918
Pencil note with line through:-
R. sees Gardener (Perrin) at Horley at 10.17.
R. runs in to Horley to shop.
Deep snow.
New Nurse not satisfactory so far.
Wrote to ask Nurse Bennett if she would come for good.
Tue 15 Jan 1918
Grace Browning leaves. Complete thaw.
Wed 16 Jan 1918
Young Hargraves (who writes in "The Scout" as White Fox) to stay. Make him tie up wire
netting in the garden.
Robin quite tired & seedy.
Thu 17 Jan 1918
Thick snow again
R. to London taking I. Hargraves back.
The day started with about four inches of snow & then gradually thawed.
Fri 18 Jan 1918 Croydon
Warm. Bike into Horley Station and speak at Croydon Town Hall on G.G. at 5.0.
(pencil)
Leave Horley 2.34
Leave East Croydon 6.30
Arr Horley 7.7
Meet R. at East Croydon on return.
Sat 19 Jan 1918
Clipped hedge.
Babies heavenly.
Heather is coming on so, & talks well.
Sun 20 Jan 1918
[ page left blank ]
Mon 21 Jan 1918
Run in Jimmie with babies to see house at Ewhurst (Surrey) Jimmie behaved badly &
stopped frequently.
Alice Behrens to stay arriving at Horley at 4.54 6.06
Olivia Burges comes arr. Horley 4.50
Discuss September big Conference & settle Programme.
Olivia is to be Secretary & she is . . .
Tue 22 Jan 1918
. . . quite excellent.
We garden & shoot. Olivia makes a gate for kitchen garden & it is fun playing about here in
this way & yet doing Guide work too. R. not very fit.
Wed 23 Jan 1918
Finished Swanwick Conference plans.
Olivia left. She is a good thing.
So is Alice.
I am lucky in my friends.
Thu 24 Jan 1918 London
See Lady D'Abernon at G.G. office. Hope she will be C.C. for Surrey.
13th Hussars Pensions formal meeting at 12.0
H.Q. Executive at 2.30
Brother-in-law Baden & Flo Brooke to dinner 7.30
Fri 25 Jan 1918
Miss [ Macrae? ] to lunch.
G.G. office at 1.00
Speak at [ Rancyard? ] Mission (25 Russell Square) at 2.30.
Leave King's Cross 5.30 for York. Stay at Escrick Park with Irene Lawley (New C.C. for York
City)
Sat 26 Jan 1918
To York & see Guides at High School. Also visit Industrial School
Back to lunch at Escrick. To York again. See Scouts & speak to and inspect Guides in
Patriotic Club.
Visit & speak to girls in Penitentiary.
Address Public meeting at Mansion House
Hope this will stir up things a bit.
Sun 27 Jan 1918
To service in York Minster. Lovely.
Lunch with Mrs Norris, Dean's wife. He was at Charterhouse with Robin.
Go over Minster again with Mr Buchanan (parson at Hull & the right sort)
Bike back to Escrick. Funny house party here of convalescent officers.
Mon 28 Jan 1918
York dep. 9.45
King's Cross 2.7.
Call on nephew Donald in hospital at 48 Bryanston Square
See Miss Macrae at 3.0 at G.G. Office.
Victoria 4.0 / 5.3
Horley 4.54 / 6.6
Tue 29 Jan 1918
Flo to stay
Wed 30 Jan 1918
[Pencil]
Horley dep 12.55
Three Bridges 1.10
East Grinstead 1.26
O. to speak at East Grinstead
[Pencil]
East Grinstead dep 4.10
Horley arr. 4.50
Thu 31 Jan 1918 - not available
February 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Fri 01 Feb 1918 - not available
Sat 02 Feb 1918 = blank page
Sun 03 Feb 1918 = blank page
Mon 04 Feb 1918 = blank page
Tue 05 Feb 1918 = blank page
Wed 06 Feb 1918 = blank page
Thu 07 Feb 1918
To London. Mrs (Des...?) to lunch at G.S. Office at 1.0.
To High Wycombe Abbey School
(pencil)
Marylebone dep 3.7
Wycombe arr 4.4
Mrs (Lu---?) to office at (18.30?)
Fri 08 Feb 1918
(pencil)
High Wycombe dep 9.11
Marylebone 10.0
(Call on Mrs Mills at 22 Bryanston Square 11.15. pencilled over)
See M. Mills at office 11.30.
Lunch with Lady Roche at 1.0 at ( Sesame?) Club Dover Street
See Mrs Lawson Johnston at St Pancras 3.0
Home with Robin
(pencil)
Victoria 4.0
Sat 09 Feb 1918
Telephone invitation to go France for a week to investigate the conduct and conditions of
the Womens' Auxiliary Army Corps. Bad rumours going about...
Sun 10 Feb 1918
... and they want "someone of standing" and who is impartial to go out and look round and
then write in the papers saying how things are going as the stories circulating are probably
quite untrue.
Mon 11 Feb 1918
Muriel to stay
Tue 12 Feb 1918
(pencil)
Miss Walker for the day
Moved tiles & wallowed in garden!
Peter buttoned and buttoned big coat buttons by himself
Wed 13 Feb 1918
Ella Sawbridge to lunch & then she & Muriel go back to Cald Harbour.
Thu 14 Feb 1918
To London for the day
Robin to London too for the night
(pencil)
Redhill dep 9.41
London 10.35
Gladys leaves
Redhill 10.30
Aldershot 12.0
Home on bike from Horley
Fri 15 Feb 1918
Robin returned
Do gardening and move old wood stack.
(pencil)
X Not very fit
Sat 16 Feb 1918 = blank page
Sun 17 Feb 1918 = blank page
Mon 18 Feb 1918 = blank page
Tue 19 Feb 1918
Clip hedges and garden generally. Glorious day of sunshine, and the bulbs are coming up.
Wed 20 Feb 1918
See Sir George Riddell at 8.0 at 6 Bouverie Street about going to France.
Join Alice Behrens at Rubens Hotel.
Thu 21 Feb 1918
See Lady Leicester and Mrs (Wendy/Des---?) Cooke re Norfolk Guides.
See Mrs Everett & Mrs Cay. Fox Pitts to lunch with us at Rubens Hotel 1.0 old school fellow
of Robin's at Charterhouse
G.G. H. Quarters Executive. I am made "Chief Guide"
Go at last to see Mother at her flat in Park Mansions.
(this page is ink writing - over pencilled times & places)
Fri 22 Feb 1918
See Lady Leicester at G.G.H.Q. at 10.15.
(pencil - also, scored through)
Leave Waterloo 11.35
(W---lley?)
See Elizabeth (Robins?)
6 Cambridge (---?)
Woking dep 4.44
Guide (....?)
? 5.19
Betchworth 6.10
Sat 23 Feb 1918
To Bedford Square Permit office 10.15 about my visit to the "Womens Auxilliary Army
Corps" (W.A.A.C.)
Ran home to Little Mynthurst with R.
Sun 24 Feb 1918
Up to London in afternoon.
Dine with my fellow traveller Miss Goodman at Charing X. hotel & go to Folkestone & stay
Pavillion Hotel for the night.
Mon 25 Feb 1918
Visit Metropole Hotel W.A.A.C. Headquarters here.
Cross to Boulogne.
Tea at WAAC. H.Q. with Miss Parker
See General Wilberforce Base Commandant.
Motor to (Herriville/Henriville?) Camp on hill. See hostels & dine with mess & after talk to
the girls. Miss Elkin (Unit Administrator) Sleep at Hotel Maunce.
Tue 26 Feb 1918
Motor to Etaples.
Visit Scout hut there.
See Waac. at work in cemetery, cook-houses, waitresses at officers' Club, etc
Lunch with Waac. mess. Miss Priddin (from Parkstone) Area Controller here.
Call on Col Plomer & he is very keen on Waccs.
Motor on to D.G.T. Camp for tea in Waac. mess. Charming hostels. On with Chief Controller
to her H.Q. at Abbeville.
Wed 27 Feb 1918
Met splendid woman doctor - Sandeman - last night. Comes from Aberdeen.
Motor to Dieppe. See over wonderful bakeries
Lunch with W.A.A.C. mess there. Miss Shepherd & Mrs Hyde (Unit Administrators)
On through rain to tea at Waac.rest home at Etretat.
Arrived late at Le Havre. Stay at Continental Hotel.
Dine at Waac. H.Q. with Miss Low (A.C.) Major Oliver, Capt Boyd Alexander V.C. & Major
Gregson etc.
Thu 28 Feb 1918
Major Blades took us over ordnance stores where Waacs are working on telephones, etc.
G.G. Executive
To Rouen
(4 lines unreadable = crossed though)
Tea at Waac. H.Q.
Dine with Colonel Vyvyan, General Phillips etc. Stay at hotel de la Poste
March 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Fri 01 Mar 1918 [France]
Breakfast with Gen Phillips & Sir Walter Jenner.
To Pont de l'Arche to see Waac. at work in aeroplane factory. Lunch with W.aac. mess.
Visit another Waac not nursing home.
Back to Abbeville & dine with Chief Controller.
Mrs Pratt Barlow our nice escort is her sister.
Visit Y.W.C.A. H.Q. there under Miss Knight.
Sat 02 Mar 1918
To Calais.
Jolly seeing it again.
Visit Mercers Hut.
So altered & much bigger.
Visit other W.A.A.C. camps.
Lunch, tea, & dinner & sleep in Waac. camp. Bit cold
Lost my voice.
Sun 03 Mar 1918
Motor early to Boulogne & after haggling with consul catch midday boat to Folkestone.
Lunch & stay with Mrs Percy Lewis (22 Manor Road) at Folkestone. Inspect Guides & croak
to them. To bed comfily for dinner.
Mrs Lewis most kind & nice & excellent Commissioner
Mon 04 Mar 1918 Salisbury
To London early.
See Robin,
Join Muriel & lunch at Waterloo.
(pencil)
Waterloo dep 1.0
Salisbury 3.15
See Guides & address Salisbury meeting with a croaky voice
Stay Mrs Thompson Llangarran Salisbury
Tue 05 Mar 1918 Bournemouth
Muriel goes to Dorchester. I go to Bournemouth.
Southern Counties Commissioners' Conference begins
(pencil writing scored through)
Dorchester School meeting under Mrs K Steal? 11.
Council Chambers at 3
Stay at Metropole
Commissioners' meetings take place at St Peter's Hall
Opening address by me! Good (time/tone?).
Wed 06 Mar 1918
Excellent sessions of conference.
Rosie Kerr spoke on Senior Guides
Miss Murray spoke badly on nothing
Splendid public meeting which Miss Maynard & I addressed.
Mrs Strode spoke on Training & Miss Holland on Higher side of the Movement.
Thu 07 Mar 1918 More grand conference
Lady Cunliffe spoke charmingly on the work of the Kindred Societies.
Miss Maynard gave excellent address on Patrol system.
I spoke to girls at High School
Went out to see Gray Rigg.
Tea with Mrs Dalby Lady Clinton & Mrs Acland gave good papers
I summed up & finished well.
Fri 08 Mar 1918
Conference ends.
Go with Mrs Livingstone Learmouth (County Comm. for Dorset) to lunch at Bryanston with
Lord & Lady Portman
Bournemouth West 12.10
Blandford 1.0
Blandford meeting at Town Hall.
Not a very thrilling meeting! But hope it may help.
To stay with L. L.'s at Hanford, where...
Sat 09 Mar 1918
...Robin stayed years ago & where we used to picnic a lot in the old Gray Rigg pre-war days.
To London by early train from (Semley?)
Loelia Buchan-Hepburn to stay.
She was Head Girl of St James' School, and I have made her my Deputy Chief Commissioner
for Scotland.
Sun 10 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Tell Mr Harold Missil about (---? -----? At Haytad? Kepno?)
under A M. Young Agnes Cross Hill.
Mon 11 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Ask Lady Shelley for fund
Viscountess Lady (Gurnston?)
St Germains
St Albans
(might to be?)
Make rabbit run!
Loelia is a fine girl & doing grand work for guides in Scotland
Tue 12 Mar 1918 = blank page
Wed 13 Mar 1918 = blank page
Thu 14 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Mrs S. Williams at 12.0
Babe to lunch at G.G. office at 1.0
G.G. office at 3.0 to be called for Surbiton meeting.
Sleep Mrs Cooper Turner
Fri 15 Mar 1918
[pencil]
Lady S T all day G.G. office 10.15
Call on Mrs Hay Newton, at 11.0
75 Knightsbridge?
Home by 4.0.
Sat 16 Mar 1918 = blank page
Sun 17 Mar 1918 = blank page
Mon 18 Mar 1918 = blank page
Tue 19 Mar 1918
Nurse Hobbs comes (pencil - Horley 11.31)
Over for lunch with her little charge Micael Lemon - aged 3 from Redhill address Kingsley
Crossland Road Redhill.
Wed 20 Mar 1918
Lady Idina Wallace & Agnes Kingscote (cousin née Flower) & her boy Alec Reid who is one
of R's godsons came to tea.
Thu 21 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Fit at Dale 11.0
Muriel, M Everett & Miss Macrae to lunch at Scout Club 1.0.
G.G. Executive
Jenkins to dine 7.30
Fri 22 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Miss Mills joins me at office at 12.30 for Lunch in restaurant
Leave Waterloo at 1.25 for Hampton meeting (Middlesex) 2.30.
Victoria dep 6.3
Redhill 6.54
Sat 23 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Hot & glorious
Garden
Sun 24 Mar 1918
(pencil)
R. at Bermonsey
Mon 25 Mar 1918 = blank page
Tue 26 Mar 1918
(pencil)
R. at Mercers
Meet Miss Maynard at Holmwood Station on bike at 12.0 & go with her onto Leith Hill to
find Guide Camping site. Home to Mynthurst
Wed 27 Mar 1918
(pencil)
(Numpton?) meeting
Thu 28 Mar 1918
(pencil)
Go to see Mother.
Fri 29 Mar 1918 = blank page
Sat 30 Mar 1918 = blank page
Sun 31 Mar 1918 = blank page
April 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Mon 01 Apr 1918
(Bank Holiday)
(written for Tue in pencil)
Mrs Bruce arr. Horley 12.54
Tue 02 Apr 1918
Joyce Bruce to stay. She is Olivia Burges' sister & a delightful girl.
Called on Mrs (Dr) Wakefield
Wed 03 Apr 1918
Gardened.
Joyce started to paint babies.
Miss Story to tea & talk Guides.
Thu 04 Apr 1918
Wet & cold.
Joyce painted babies. Walk & dug up primroses.
(pencil)
Opening (Seret?) Club
Fri 05 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Fit at Dales
See Mrs (Murrz Baillal?)
" Miss (Wrench?)
11.0 at G.G. office to see Miss Thorpe
To Holkham
Liverpool Stn. 2.35
Holkham 6.49.
Sat 06 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Ask Lady Leicester about Princess Mary going to London Rally, July
To stay with Lady Leicester at Holkham for Norwich meeting.
(pencil)
N. Thorpe dep 3.27
Liverpool Stn arr 6.32
Victoria dep 7.15
Horley arr
Sun 07 Apr 1918
Mother has become more and more "difficult" and writes such odd and unkind letters now
and then.
Write to suggest that we might meet sometime soon.
Mon 08 Apr 1918 = blank page
Tue 09 Apr 1918
About 20 Guiders, under the leadership of Mrs Blyth, who is training them at her "G.O.T.S
(Guide Officers Training School) in London came to tea, on a sort of Nature Study "hike"
walk from Betchworth
Marjory Story came to lunch.
Wed 10 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Tea with Mrs Story (---- --- -- --- --??) at Horley in Church Room
She is excellent
Thu 11 Apr 1918
Robin to see Dr Biddard about his arms & wrists
Tea with Lady (D'Abernnan?) to talk over G.G.
(pencil)
at Foley House
R. at Scout H.Q. Committee
Opening of Scout H.Q. Club. Judge Lindsey spoke.
Fri 12 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Victoria dep 1.40
Crawley dep 2.38
Horsham arr 2.52
Horsham dep 2.59
Littlehampton 3.42
Lunch at Scouts Club
Sat 13 Apr 1918
(pencil) Not very fit!
Littlehampton dep 12.18
Ford arrive 12.23
Ford depart 12.42
Horsham arr. 1.30
" depart 1.55
Crawley arr. 2.8
Excellent
Crawley meeting.
At Horsham at Mrs Keating's house.
Lunch with her.
To Crawley. Meeting for Guides & public
Good one. Tea with Mrs (Parbury?)
Lindsays to stay arriving Horley 6.6
Sun 14 Apr 1918
Lindseys left early
(pencilled train times - too faint to read)
Mon 15 Apr 1918
To London. Do letters at Office.
To Bournemouth & stay with Mother at Exeter Hotel.
Meeting thus on neutral ground we came together with a bang happily - a great relief.
Tue 16 Apr 1918 Bournemouth
(page crossed through in ink)
In bed all morning with Mother & "have it out"
All serene & happy and a great relief
Betty's birthday
(pencilled train times over-written)
Book Miss Maynard for Aug 3rd Camp
Shop with Mother
Wed 17 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Back to Mynthurst
R. meet Alice
(Band at?)
Redhill 11.34
Thu 18 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Aunt Connie leaves
G.G.Executive
11.30 Muriel & K.A. meeting at H.Q.
see Miss Wrench at G.G.office.
Lunch with Alice Muriel etc at the Scouts Club.
Off back to Mynthurst
& fetch Alice into the train & home for the night without luggage.
Fri 19 Apr 1918
Alice left early.
Robin returned
Sat 20 Apr 1918
Babe for the day
Arrived Horley 3.55
Charles Powell also from Speldhurst
About 150 Reigate and Redhill Scouts to tea.
Rained, but they had hot drink in garage, barn etc. & paraded & took Scouts promise in
courtyard.
Sun 21 Apr 1918
Poured all day. Floods out at once.
Letters etc. & play with babies in doors all day
Mon 22 Apr 1918
Write letters
Betty crawled about drawing room floor.
Garden.
Robin felt seedy again.
Tue 23 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Nurse Merry
arrives Horley 4.5
Wed 24 Apr 1918 = blank page
Thu 25 Apr 1918 = blank page
Fri 26 Apr 1918
(pencil)
R. to London
(M ----?)
Sat 27 Apr 1918
Mrs Powell left.
She is a good sort.
Alice Baird to stay. She is a dear quaint tall thing
(Mrs?) Morgan, new Headquarters Scout Secretary comes also.
Sun 28 Apr 1918
(pencil)
Ask Princess Royal to be President for Aberdeenshire
Walk over to Duschurst Colony near here where they have a convent, industrial home &
illegitimate babies' home.
Mon 29 Apr 1918
Alice & Mrs Morgan left
Miss Nugent came to Horley early.
Captain Norton (the Hon. Richard) comes for the night
He is running cadets & he ought to be a scout.
Tue 30 Apr 1918 = blank page
May 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Wed 01 May 1918 = blank page
Thu 02 May 1918
(pencil)
To London
See Miss Croxton Ministry (of Labour?)
(Other note - not legible)
12.0
To office & dictate letters. Lunch at Scouts Club.
Visit late Massey Leech's house & Foundling hospital
Home at 7.30.
Fri 03 May 1918
Play with babies
Put my house in order.
Garden.
Robin returns
Very seedy, but we hope inocculation is going to do him good.
Sat 04 May 1918
(pencil)
Take bike & leave at Horsham
Three Bridges dep 11.12
Horsham arr 11.31
change " depart 11.39
Pulborough arr 12.0
change " dep 12.20
Midhurst arr 12.47
Midhurst meeting
Robin to London for the day.
Sun 05 May 1918
(pencil)
Midhurst dep 6.50
Pulborough arr 7.22
Change " dep 7.24
Horsham arr 7.51
Bike home 11 miles
Mon 06 May 1918 = blank page
Tue 07 May 1918 = blank page
Wed 08 May 1918
(pencil)
Meet them at station at 4.0
Blagroves to tea
Thu 09 May 1918
(pencil)
R. to London
Mabel goes for holiday.
To stay with Muriel for night at Coldharbour.
Took bike & biked out from East Grinstead.
Fri 10 May 1918
Biked all the way home after seeing M's new house "Mayes"
Called on Blagroves at Effingham en route.
Attended Horley G.G. Committee meeting.
Robin returned having had 2 more teeth out. Seedy poor dear
Sat 11 May 1918
(pencil)
Mabel for holiday
Surrey Guiders conference at 3 (Bayswater?) Place
Robin felt very bad with head & teeth aching.
(pencil) Dymoke Greens to stay?
Aunt Connie Smyth to stay.
(pencil) Horley 4.54
Sun 12 May 1918
Gardened
Robin very seedy with teeth still & altogether bad.
Mon 13 May 1918
Aunt Connie left.
Robin still rotten
Tue 14 May 1918 = blank page
Wed 15 May 1918
(pencil)
See Miss Croxton
Queen Anne's Chambers
11.0 tomorrow
Thu 16 May 1918
(pencil)
See Miss Oakely at G.G. office at 12.0.
Miss Wrench to lunch at 1.0 at Scout Club
G.G. Executive.
Mrs Lawson for (?) at H.Q. at 5.30
W.A. H.Q (?)
See (Helen?)
Sleep (?) bed
Get there early &
Leave Paddington 9.50
To Cornwall (Penzance)
Fri 17 May 1918
Arrive at 8.0 at Penzance. Guider met me there.
Meeting at St Ives
Mrs Salmon (new D.C. in the chair.) Quite fair. Tea with Lady Hayes
Then ditto Marazion
Lord St Levan in chair. Difficult audience of children & parents mixed.
Fine big public meeting at Penzance. The Mayor in Chair & most enthusiastic audience.
Stay with Mrs Boliths.
Sat 18 May 1918
Leave (Trerywainton?)
Lunch at Ladies' Club with Hon Mrs Vane new District Comm. for Truro.
Inspection & address Guides & then public grown up meeting
Mayor in chair & quite good.
To Falmouth & address grown ups and inspect Guides at Womens' Institute
Excellent meeting
Sun 19 May 1918
Stay with Mrs Godfrey Williams
(pencil) See Violet Merry
Assistant County Comm at Tredree, at Perranwell
Inspect & (spich?) to (Devran?) & Perranwell Guides
Mon 20 May 1918
Join Miss Bennet (Div Com for North Cornwall) at Truro & train to Wadebridge.
Meet Mrs Shepherd (G.G. Sec) there. Then on to Launceston.
Tea & dinner with Mrs Smith Pearce
Big meeting at 8.0 in Town Hall. Mayor in the Chair & audience of Scouts, Wolf Cubs, girls,
teachers and parents mixed!!
Tue 21 May 1918
Stayed with Mrs Vowler at Edymead
Travelled on with Miss Bennet to lunch with Mrs Thynne at Bude. Met at station by Scouts.
Good display by Guides and I addressed meeting.
Left Bude by 3.20 arrived Exeter about 6.0.
Stay with the (Annislips?) at (Otago?) House. Nice seeing her & Daphne & Myrtle again.
Wed 22 May 1918
Saw Myrtle's Wolf Cubs early.
about 30 of the Devon Comms came to small conference
All seemed nice & keen. Address quite big representative public meeting at Palladium
Cinema!
Guide rally & I addressed them in Victoria Hall.
Very good.
Stay at Bicton with Lady Clinton.
Thu 23 May 1918
To stay with Mother at Gray Rigg
(pencil)
East Bredleigh 12.9
Exmouth 12.53
" dep 1.24
Exeter 1.55
" 2.10
(T--?) 3.40
" dep 4.15
Parkstone 5.25
Fri 24 May 1918
Loaf & in afternoon Mother Angela & I to Westbourne to shop.
Sat 25 May 1918 = blank page
Sun 26 May 1918 = blank page
Mon 27 May 1918
(pencil)
To London.
Robin met me at Waterloo.
Saw nurse, but she was from Co Cork! So wouldn't do
See Miss Croxton
Queen Anne's Chambers at 3.0
Mabel returns
I forgot to go to the above!!
Home.
Tue 28 May 1918
(pencil)
Mabel returns
Joyce to stay.
Both arrive at Horley 5.1.
Wed 29 May 1918
Joyce Bruce paints a charming sketch of the two red-headed babies playing with their toy
horses by the window in the drawing room.
Thu 30 May 1918
(pencil)
Robin to London for the day.
Gladys Strode to stay
arr. Betchworth 3.48
Take babies in big car to fetch her
Fri 31 May 1918
(pencil)
Tunbridge Well meeting
Robin to London for the day
Joyce continues painting
Sat 01 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Joyce Bruce left
Miss Dodd (Captain) arranged the
Dorking Rally
Nower Lodge
Coldharbour Lane
at 3.0
R. at Cub Conference in London & on to fish at Whitchurch
Big car behaved badly but got to Dorking & back
June 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Fri 31 May 1918
(pencil)
Tunbridge Well meeting
Robin to London for the day
Joyce continues painting
Sat 01 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Joyce Bruce left
Miss Dodd (Captain) arranged the
Dorking Rally
Nower Lodge
Coldharbour Lane
at 3.0
R. at Cub Conference in London & on to fish at Whitchurch
Big car behaved badly but got to Dorking & back!
Sun 02 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Letters all day
Mon 03 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Muriel to stay
Tue 04 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Florenss Roch here for the day
to stay & Muriel arr Horley 12.37
Florenss Horley 12.55
Wed 05 Jun 1918
(pencil)
To London 10.17 from Horley
See Lady Hardinge
See Lady Clinton
Miss Maynard to lunch
Westminster School Hall at 3.0
Speak at Mothers' Union.
Leave Liverpool Street at 4.59 for Braintree 6.15
See Guides & speak to them
Thu 06 Jun 1918
(pencil)
See Miss Adams (Capt)
& G.G. Club room
Halstead
See Guides & address meeting to grown ups
Fri 07 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Leave Halstead 10.1 for London
See Nurses 12.0 - at Mrs B's Agency
Lunch at Scout Club 1.30
Sat 08 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Robin returns Horley 12.55
Scout & G.G. Conference near London
Dymoke Greens & Mr Nevill to stay
Arr Horley 3.1
Sun 09 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Garden and do letters all day!
Mon 10 Jun 1918
(pencil)
D. Greens & Nevill leave
Call at Cole & greengrocer for fish & lettuces about 10.0
Angela & Nancy & Miss Nugent to stay arr Horley 5.1
Tue 11 Jun 1918
(pencil)
About 48 G.G. and Boy Scout office staff for the day
to Mynthurst arr Horley 11.31
Wed 12 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Take bike to get home
Horley dep 10.54
Three Bridges 11.2
Bexhill arr 1.7
Take Nancy S. with me and go for Bexhill rally.
Lunch with Lady (Herniker?) Heaton & other Comms. there too. Good guide displays.
Bexhill dep 6.8
Three Bridges 7.25
Got home really at 11.0 !!
Thu 13 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Robin to London en route for Bournemouth for Scout meeting
Angela to stay
Angela dep Horley 10.17
Fri 14 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Gladys (maid) leaves
Mabel Robinson, new Between maid come from London.
Horley 4.54
Leave Redhill 9.25
Victoria 10.12
Euston dep 11.30
Manchester arr
Sat 15 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Arr Manchester 6.7
Miss Welch staying at Holm Acre with Behrens' too.
Meeting of Comms. & about 50 workers at Midland Hotel
Manchester Rally of about 4000 Guides in the Free Trade Hall.
Splendid
Sun 16 Jun 1918
(pencil)
To Church.
Guides & Scouts parade.
Mrs Hawkey (of National Standard dress fame) to lunch. After tea to see Mrs Clegg & her
chickens a mile away.
Behrens' are so kind
Mon 17 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Manchester dep 9.0
Nottingham arr 12.0
Mansfield ?
Big meeting at Nottingham
Duchess of Portland in the Chair.
Dine at Sherwood Lodge (Seely's) & speak at open air meeting & inspect guides at Mansfield
Stay Sherwood Lodge
Tue 18 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Nottingham dep 10.48
St Pancras 2.0
Marylebone dep 3.20
Change Chalfont
Chesham Meeting in the evening
Stay with Lady Susan Trueman at (Bayssan?) Manor
Guide Rally in the rain & speak to the guides in the school. Badly run show.
Wed 19 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Leave Chesh dep 7.52
Marylebone arr 8.42
St Pancras dep 9.40
Bedford arr 10.57 (later times scribbled over)
Call on Mrs Josselyn (retired Comm) Lunch with Miss Hyde Harrison (County Sec) Meeting of
jolly Commissioners
Speak at High School
(For/To?) Miss Collie
Inspection of Guide Companies. Stay with County Comm Mrs Lawson Johnston.
Thu 20 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Lady Dynevon at G.G. office 12.0?
1.0 Scout Club to meet Mrs Coventry
H.Q. Executive
Olivia Burges and Miss Wrench elected onto the Committee.
Stay at Rubens. Alice & Olivia there too.
Dine at restaurant & go to Cinema
Fri 21 Jun 1918
(pencil)
See American paper representative at G.G. office at 10.0
See Gladys Stride there too
Do endless letters
Robin and I motor home in Jimmie to Little Mynthurst
Sat 22 Jun 1918
(pencil)
See Mary Blomfield at G.G. office at 12.0
Mrs Astor & Lady C. at 12.0 too.
South East London Rally at Lewisham
Meet Miss Walter at office at 1.30.
Home via Redhill
Sun 23 Jun 1918 = blank page
Mon 24 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Call for Jimmie at 11.30
Dad to stay
Tue 25 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Mrs Stanton (Sea Scout Secretary) & Miss Walker came from London for a few hours for
work.
Betty Carew to tea.
She is nursing at hospital at Holmwood
Wed 26 Jun 1918
(pencil)
Make hay
Mr Anstiss to take photos of house - inside and out.
Thu 27 Jun 1918
Robin to London just for the day.
Take babies in car to station & shopping
(pencil)
Muriel to stay
arr Horley 10.18
Garden, do letters & talk!
Run in & meet R. biking out at Hookwood
Fri 28 Jun 1918
Robin left again & went up to Scotland by night train
Gladys (Stride?) to stay
(pencil)
arr Horley 11.41
Sat 29 Jun 1918
Muriel & Gladys left. Motor them (babies went too) in Jimmie to Redhill.
Puncture there.
(pencil)
R. at Edinburgh
Sun 30 Jun 1918 = blank page
Mon 01 Jul 1918 = blank page
Olave Baden-Powell's Diary for 1918
July 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Mon 01 Jul 1918 = blank page
Tue 02 Jul 1918
(pencil)
Horley dep 11.12
Victoria arr 12.13
Peter, Heather, O. and Nurse
To Gray Rigg from
Waterloo 2.0
Parkstone arr 5.10
Hetty for holiday
Manage journey well & Mother meets us at Parkstone.
She is better, but of course rather excited about us coming. Babies quite at home at once.
Wed 03 Jul 1918
Babies went down just to the Harbour! In the morning.
Mother ever so much better & sweet to me & I believe all the trouble is over.
Dad returned from a stay at Plymouth.
Thu 04 Jul 1918
Peter felt a little sick - from the journey & change. But quite well after lunch.
Mother Dad & Heather & I to shop in Bournemouth
Mother gave me loads of babies boots & shoes & things for myself too.
She is quite sweet this time & so much...
Fri 05 Jul 1918
...better
Take babies to the sea to paddle
They loved it.
Played squash racquets again with Dad. Great fun.
Sat 06 Jul 1918
Babies play up on the hill in a grand (pit?).
Nurse Merry is excellent.
Mother, babies & Dad & Nurse & I drive in the car. Shop in Parkstone & go along Sandbanks.
Play Squash racquets
Sun 07 Jul 1918
(ink)
Take babies by myself to paddle.
Call on Mrs Vandeleur and leave their pram in Sandacres (her hospital) garden.
Meet Sir Ernest Cassell there.
Miss Bottomley & Major Birch to tea.
Squash games
Mon 08 Jul 1918
See Gladys Strode
To London. Call and see Ladies Church Club at Victoria Street with a view to having one like
it for Guide Comms.
Do letters at office
Home to Mynthurst
Tue 09 Jul 1918
R. & O. at Mynthurst
Wed 10 Jul 1918
Horley dep 10.52
Three Bridges dep 11.2
Eastbourne arr 12.38
Take bike to get home on
To Eastbourne. Lunch with Lady Shackleton
Muriel & Lady Henniker Heaton etc there. Excellent Rally of about 700 Guides.
Several School Companies
Wet at the end
Biked back from Three Bridges.
Thu 11 Jul 1918
R. to London for the day. Sister in law Agnes to stay
Fri 12 Jul 1918
Robin to London for the day
Betty walked alone for the first time.
O. & girls
Back to Gray
Sat 13 Jul 1918
See Lady Clinton at Guide H.Q. Do letters there
Agnes left
Down to Gray Rigg again in time for tea. Find babies very flourishing.
Mother's heart not been well this last week.
Robin to Scouts (flax/plan?) gathering in Lincs
Sun 14 Jul 1918
O. at Gray Rigg
R. at Peterboro'
Waterloo (-----?)
Market Deeping
nr Peterboro'
Mon 15 Jul 1918 = blank page
Tue 16 Jul 1918 = blank page
Wed 17 Jul 1918
Nurse to Bournemouth early. Took babies to paddle. (Puss?) came to the beach too.
Mother & babies & I to shop Bmouth
Pick up Nurse.
Play squash
Thu 18 Jul 1918
To London. Got there an hour late.
R. comes there too.
Guide H.Q. Committee. See Lady Clinton & Mrs Astor there at 4.30. They fought vigorously!
Home to Mynthurst in time for dinner
Mrs Wallis arrives Horley at 7.36.
Fri 19 Jul 1918
Horley dep 11.41
(-----?) 12.35
To London for day.
See Mrs Lewis (------?)
Ask to see Lady Shackleton
(--- ---- -----?)
Roedean inspection 2.0 to 3.30 Cancelled owing to "flu"
Speak to (?)
1. Badges not (----?)
2. Come on to work for Guides
3. Now then time (-----?)
3.0 at Scout office
(Broughton?) dep 5.15
Horley 6.14
Sat 20 Jul 1918
To London
Work at Guide office
Join with Muriel to lunch with Miss Arbuthnott. Poured all the morning
Cleared up at 2.30
Big Guide Rally in Hyde Park.
Queen Alexandra came. I marched past at head with Rosie next & 7000 Guides behind us!
A fine show & good displays.
Queen charming & nice & pleased.
Sun 21 Jul 1918
Marjorie Story stayed the night.
Major Mrs & daughter Vaux to lunch from London, going back before tea.
Betty coming on well. So funny having her in the house.
She got up & tried to play the piano by herself.
Write and ask Mr Rossiter Hoyle for fund.
Mon 22 Jul 1918
O goes back
To Gray Rigg
Tue 23 Jul 1918
See Lady Fortescue between 11.0 and 1.0
R. to Peterboro' after Mercers
Nevill's wedding at 2.30 at Holy Trinity
Sloane Street & after at (Hams?) Crescent Hotel
Kings X 4.0
Peterboro 5.41
Meet M Dickinson there
Peterboro dep 5.56
(Deeping S James?) 6.12
Wed 24 Jul 1918
(B----- ----- home?)
(Babies leave G--?)
R. at Peterboro!
Thu 25 Jul 1918
R. doing flax
(Mother to Auriol?)
(Meet babies at Waterloo at ?)
Fri 26 Jul 1918
Motor again all day
Saw Camps & Scouts at work at Eye, (Willesden Scouts) Farcet (Liverpool Scouts) & Yaxley
(Manchester Scouts)
Lunch at hotel at Peterborough.
To Fotheringhay & saw Cambridge Scouts & to Castor on the way.
Tea at Fotheringhay Camp.
To Glinton camp of S. London Scouts & dine at Woodcroft with Ernest Young's Scouts
Sat 27 Jul 1918
Lincoln High Street dep 8.0
Kings X. arr 12.26
Waterloo dep 2.20 Esher 2.48
Esher Rally of Guides at Lady D'Abernon's place. Jolly lot of guides but rather wet.
Displays in the garden. Gave Mrs Denny the Medal of Merit.
To camp in a field near Walton on Thames with Miss Maynard, Miss Bray etc.
Sun 28 Jul 1918
In camp.
Mon 29 Jul 1918
To London. Work at office. Tea with Sic Bower.
Flo to stay
We have now practically quite decided to leave this sweet place
Tue 30 Jul 1918
R. arrives Horley 12.45
Mother to Middleton to stay Auriol
Baden arrives Redhill 4.10.
Wed 31 Jul 1918
Betchworth dep 12.25
Guildford 1.9
" dep 1.14
Haslemere arr 1.51
Meeting at (Hen----?) under Miss Bewley
(-------?)
Hindhead
Robin Redhill dep 11.27
Countess (Causdorrn?)
Change
Inspect Guides 5.0
Stay with Miss Bewley
August 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Thu 01 Aug 1918
Haslemere dep 9.31 or 10.11
Waterloo arr 10.57/11.40
Up to London. Join Robin there.
Babies return from Gray Rigg
Nurse leaves
Marylebone 3.15
Sheffield arr 6.37
Victoria dep 2.0
Redhill arr 2.56
or
Cannon Street 4.18
Redhill arr 4.58
Fri 02 Aug 1918
Wet. Do letters.
Mabel (the cook) ill.
Sir Henry Bell to tea.
Run to Horley in Jimmie to shop & fetch luggage & a baby (motor?) for Peter. Write to put
him down at Charterhouse
Sat 03 Aug 1918
Flo and I for the day with Baden at Brooklands - his sad ugly little house at Riverhead. Mrs
(Mends?) Gibson (the local Commissioner for Guides) to see me.
Back in horrid crowded train.
Nice Miss Pemberton to stay.
Sun 04 Aug 1918
Garden -
Wash Jimmie (the car) and Bessie (the retriever)
Mon 05 Aug 1918
90 Scouts to tea & see the Barns
Tue 06 Aug 1918
C's to Gray Rigg
To lunch with Grace.
44 (Loundes?) Street
See War office Guides
London Bridge dep 4.0
Redhill arr 4.38
Baden arr there 4.10
Wed 07 Aug 1918
New Commissioner for Edenbridge division Mrs Meade Waldo arrives Redhill & comes for
tea & then leaves again.
Thu 08 Aug 1918
Horley dep 8.48
Victoria arr 9.58
Euston dep 10.50
(Boxmoor?) arr 11.40
Visit Mrs (Blythe?)
with Rosie Kerr
Conference at (Boxmoor?)
of 60 odd Guiders
Boxmoor dep 5.26
Euston arr 6.15
Victoria dep 6.45 or 7.15
Horley arr 7.58 or 8.16
Fri 09 Aug 1918
Run in to Horley & call at Lloyds Bank to arrange about banking with them
Invest Dad's nice present of £1000 in War Loan.
Old Friede (my German governess in 1898 etc) to stay.
Sat 10 Aug 1918
Friede simply loves being here
Nurse to London for the day.
Sun 11 Aug 1918
Babe for the day
Arr Horley 10.26
Mon 12 Aug 1918
Friede left
Tea at Valena at 5.0.
See Horley Guides at 6.0 at Avenue House.
Tue 13 Aug 1918 = blank page
Wed 14 Aug 1918
Bike to
Crawley dep 2.39
Horsham 2.54
Stay with Mrs Powell
Thu 15 Aug 1918
Mrs Powell's Rally at Summers Place
lent by (Mrs?) Arbuthnot
at 3.0.
Horsham dep 6.50
Crawley 7.7.
Fri 16 Aug 1918
Gwen Upcott and Mrs Tassell to stay.
Sat 17 Aug 1918
G. Upcott & Mrs Tassel left
Sun 18 Aug 1918 = blank page
Mon 19 Aug 1918
Paddington dep 1.30
Moreton in March 4.42
Coventry
Mrs Warriner (Comms)
Stay Wootton
Tue 20 Aug 1918
Leave Wootton 11.11
Birmingham 12.7
New Street (Birmingham) dep 2.54
Derby 3.55
Special train to Butterley 4.15
Swanwick G.G. Commissioners' Conference
Wed 21 Aug 1918 = blank page
Thu 22 Aug 1918 = blank page
Fri 23 Aug 1918 = blank page
Sat 24 Aug 1918 = blank page
Sun 25 Aug 1918 = blank page
Mon 26 Aug 1918
Conference ends.
Sleep North of the Border!
Tue 27 Aug 1918
Arrive at Conference place
Wed 28 Aug 1918
Scottish H.Q. meeting at Dunblane
Conference begins
Thu 29 Aug 1918 = blank page
Fri 30 Aug 1918 = blank page
Sat 31 Aug 1918
Perth dep 1.35.
Stirling arr 3.9
Stirling Rally
Leave Scotland
Sleeper ordered
Stirling dep 9.52
Euston arr 8.20
Sun 01 Sep 1918
Victoria dep 9.30
Horley 10.40
No Robin to meet me as I had expected as both cars refused to work.
Biked out on Mrs Story's bike.
September 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Sat 31 Aug 1918
Perth dep 1.35.
Stirling arr 3.9
Stirling Rally
Leave Scotland
Sleeper ordered
Stirling dep 9.52
Euston arr 8.20
Sun 01 Sep 1918
Victoria dep 9.30
Horley 10.40
No Robin to meet me as I had expected as both cars refused to work.
Biked out on Mrs Story's bike.
Mon 02 Sep 1918
Bike in to Horley pushing Mrs Story's borrowed bike
Gave Marjory her Guide medal for life saving
Tue 03 Sep 1918
To London early.
Run down to Basingstoke & hire a taxi & drive out to see several houses, Nately Towers, etc.
None of them would do at all
Wed 04 Sep 1918 = blank page
Thu 05 Sep 1918 = blank page
Fri 06 Sep 1918 = blank page
Sat 07 Sep 1918
Robin to London for Rally of Scouts etc at Old Charterhouse
Watneys to tea and Miss Hadley (an ex-Guide).
Miss Watney will I hope become Guide Comm. Old Sir John is wonderful 85 & goes about &
does lots of work.
Sun 08 Sep 1918
Did letters all morning
Gardened
Mushroom - ed in field behind house.
Mon 09 Sep 1918
Bike to Post office & see things at Ricketts Wood for sale.
Bike to Betchworth & climb up hill behind "old orchard" cottage where I stayed with Aunt
Ger 16 years ago!
Jolly holiday day
Tue 10 Sep 1918 = blank page
Wed 11 Sep 1918
(pencil)
Horley dep 12.57
Three Bridges 1.12
East Grinstead 1.33
Groombridge 2.8
Uckfield 2.43
Uckfield meeting
Stay with Muriel
Thu 12 Sep 1918
East Grinstead 10.26
Victoria 11.10
See House Agents
Lunch at Scouts Club
See nurses at G.G. office at 2.30
Fri 13 Sep 1918 = blank page
Sat 14 Sep 1918
Horley dep 11.41
Balcombe arr 12.2
Rally at Handcross
Balcombe dep 4.25/5.57
Horley arr 4.48/6.14
Sun 15 Sep 1918
Alice to stay
Mon 16 Sep 1918
Scotts to lunch 12.45 & shoot.
Alice arr Horley 6.10
Tue 17 Sep 1918 = blank page
Wed 18 Sep 1918
Robin to London for the day. Leave Alice alone at Mynthurst & go to Lewes. See Aunt &
Annette there
Lewes meeting of grown ups & Guide Rally.
Robin at Gravesend for day
Lewes dep 5.4/6.18
Horley 6.14/7.36
Thu 19 Sep 1918
Shop and dictate letters at office
G.G. H.Q. Executive
Meet Lady Denman Miss Alice Williams Mrs Watts and Mr Harris re affiliating with the
Womens Institutes
Home, taking Alice too.
Fri 20 Sep 1918
Alice left
Robin to Mercers
Sat 21 Sep 1918
Alice (------?)
Robin shot with Sir Henry Bell
Major A. G. Wade (our ex Scout General Secretary) to stay.
He is home on leave from Salonika
Sun 22 Sep 1918
Major Wade with me & Robin to see members of Camping Club in their tents on Box Hill.
Mon 23 Sep 1918
Robin to London for the day.
Major Wade left.
Tue 24 Sep 1918
(pencil)
Get sugar
Helen arr Redhill 2.56
Wed 25 Sep 1918
Major Goulburn to lunch at 1.0
Shoot.
Miss Maynard comes about 3.0
Thu 26 Sep 1918
Miss Maynard to stay.
Nurse Davis arr.
R. in London for (morning/ moving?) Committee
Fri 27 Sep 1918
R. at Mercers
See Miss Moore at 11.45
See Mr Harrison at 12.30
To London
See Mr Kennedy at 12.0
Lunch at Scouts Club at 1.30
See Miss Wrench at office at 3.0
Sat 28 Sep 1918
R. at Tottenham
Sun 29 Sep 1918
R. at Wimbledon
Mon 30 Sep 1918
Overton to do bees at Mynthurst
Tue 01 Oct 1918
Molly returns & Olive Nicholl arrives Horley 6.10.
October 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Mon 30 Sep 1918
(pencil)
Overton to do bees at Mynthurst
Tue 01 Oct 1918
Molly returns & Olive Nicholl arrives Horley 6.10.
Wed 02 Oct 1918
Call on Earls at Redgate House at 4.0
Tea with Watney 4.30
Meeting at Reigate at 5.30 to start local Association
Jamie to stay arriving Horley at 5.1
Thu 03 Oct 1918
R. in London for Committee
Fri 04 Oct 1918
To London.
R. at Mercers. Do work at Guide office. Lunch at Scout Club
To Ealing with Major Macdonald to see wonderful Sonic works.
See Mrs Hey Newton at 75 Knightsbridge at 5.30.
See (space) re Australian Guides
Home late
Sat 05 Oct 1918 = blank page
Sun 06 Oct 1918 = blank page
Mon 07 Oct 1918 = blank page
Tue 08 Oct 1918
Miss Nugent & Miss Walker to do work arr Earlswood 9.42
Mouse to stay arr. Horley 4.50
Secretaries leave by that
Wed 09 Oct 1918
Mouse left
Too wet to shoot.
Major Goulburn to shoot at 10.0 & lunch.
---
Our bag up to date for the household pot is
19 Partridges
12 Pheasants
9 Rabbits
2 Pigeons
2 hares
1 moorhen
Thu 10 Oct 1918
R. in London
Miss Walker to do work
(something erased = speak ........?)
Fri 11 Oct 1918
R. in London
Miss Walker leave Redhill 5.59
Meeting at Reigate 6.0
Jimmie goes wrong
R. stays in London for Scout Conf.
Sat 12 Oct 1918
To London Scout Conference
Send wire to East Grinstead Guiders at Trevelyan School
Displays & very good Big Scout Rally in Albert Hall
Stay in London
Sun 13 Oct 1918
Home.
Mon 14 Oct 1918
Olivia to stay
Alice to stay
Tue 15 Oct 1918
Alice arr. Redhill 6.58 & comes out in a taxi
Wed 16 Oct 1918
Marjorie Beckwith and Olive Fleming to lunch arr. Horley 12.43
M.B. is a very keen Guide & her friend is an invalid but wants to be a guide
R. at Tunbridge Wells for meeting about Scouts. A. Alice & I Run by car in to meet him at
Horley. He went up to London in wrong train! but got to us at last
Thu 17 Oct 1918
Club Committee at 11.30
Interviews at office with
See Mrs (Wing (Littleton)?) 12.0
Mrs Godfrey Williams 12.30
Miss Bretherton at 10.30
Miss Chapman to lunch at Scouts Club at 1.0 to talk about Guiders in Burmah
H.Q. Executive
Rosie to stay Motor home late from Redhill
Fri 18 Oct 1918
Robin starts on his journey abroad.
He goes to do Scouts at Paris, to visit the Front & lecture to soldiers, & then the Foreign
office send him to Spain.
Rosie leaves early with him in big car for Redhill. Sparking plug misbehaves, but get it
mended & run home
Sat 19 Oct 1918 = blank page
Sun 20 Oct 1918 = blank page
Mon 21 Oct 1918
Leave Redhill 8.53
Betchworth 9.7 arr G - 946
Guildford 10.8
Ryde arr 2.10
Ryde dep 2.30
Shanklin arr 3.0
Stay with Miss Oldham (Commissioner) at Courtlands, Shanklin
See her Guide Company & have tea in their Club room.
Speak in evening to public meeting & see a few Scouts.
Tue 22 Oct 1918
Walk & call on guide with flu.
Bad epidemic of it going on.
By train with Miss Blake (County Secretary) to stay with (space) Brodie's at Wootton.
Jolly family all guides.
To dine with Lady Baring at Cowes & speak at public meeting & see guides there. Sleep at
Wootton Bridge.
Wed 23 Oct 1918
Stroll about in garden & look through telescopes in their observatory.
By train to Sandown.
Speak to public meeting (good enthusiastic one) and see 2 companies of guides there.
On to Ventnor & see 2 companies of guides & talk to a few people there.
Sleep at St Laurence Hall, (Lady Cayzer's place) but she was away
Thu 24 Oct 1918
Leave Ventnor & spend morning at Shanklin again. Call & see Miss Temple (head of a
school) & lunch with Mrs & Miss Oldham again.
To Ryde & address public meeting in Town Hall, and guides gave a play.
Then rally of 3 companies of guides & Brownies & later talk also to Scouts.
Stay with dear old Lady Calthorpe at Woodlands Vale.
Fri 25 Oct 1918
Write letters.
Afternoon motor over to Newport after lunch. Meet Miss Blake there again.
See Guides & Scouts & short display & give them a little talk.
Speak to small dull public meeting in Town Hall. Tea with funny early Victorian people who
are kind to Scouts.
Conference of about 30 Guiders from all over the Island. Quite good. Sleep at Woodlands
Vale
Sat 26 Oct 1918
Ryde dep 8.45
Portsmouth 10.59
Parkstone arr 1.10
Dad delighted to see me apparently. Walk round Canford Cliffs with him.
Mother in bed but much the same.
She is wonderfully jolly & we talk hard.
Leave
Portsmouth Town 4.20
Southampton arr 5.45
" dep 6.4
Parkstone arr 7.53
Sun 27 Oct 1918
Work in the garden. Walk round golf links etc with Dad
Chat with Mother all about everything and she is sweet as ever she was.
Mon 28 Oct 1918
Again another walk to Canford Cliffs with Dad
People meeting us mistook me for his granddaughter!
Mother up for a bit.
Play squash in the afternoon.
Jolly good games.
Tue 29 Oct 1918
Parkstone dep 9.38
Waterloo 1.9.
Letters at the office
The scheme for Guide Commissioners' Club is being worked at & a house found, but not
sure if there will be enough members.
Speak at Caxton Hall for Womens Institutes about Guides. Good meeting
Catch 6.0 train & taxi from Redhill
Robin in Paris.
Wed 30 Oct 1918
Nurse has flu.
Annie not quite well yet so (Churford?) (-----) were going (---?) & people dying in hundreds.
Thu 31 Oct 1918
Club Committee at H.Q. at 11.30.
Decide that as only 250 Comms definitely want to join we can't start one on our own yet
Lunch in Queen Anne's Gate with Fitzherbert.
Wrights. Mrs F. Wright is acting as my Deputy Chief Comm for North Midlands. Hermione
(her eldest girl) is splendid.
See Lady Clinton about Plymouth trouble. Then home.
Robin starts for Madrid
November 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Thu 31 Oct 1918
Club Committee at H.Q. at 11.30.
Decide that as only 250 Comms definitely want to join we can't start one on our own yet
Lunch in Queen Anne's Gate with Fitzherbert.
Wrights. Mrs F. Wright is acting as my Deputy Chief Comm for North Midlands. Hermione
(her eldest girl) is splendid.
See Lady Clinton about Plymouth trouble. Then home.
Robin starts for Madrid
Fri 01 Nov 1918
(pencil)
Womens (Inaugural?) (-------) Assoc meeting at 5. At 7 Hanover Square
Sat 02 Nov 1918
Bike with dogs to order cart from old Herrington (Sidlow) to take Annie's mother & sister to
the station on Tuesday
Do letters hard.
Sun 03 Nov 1918
(pencil)
Wash. (Bassle?) and Talby dogs
Mon 04 Nov 1918
Robin leaves Madrid I believe, but I am "cut off" with slow posts.
Bike off to Betchworth & train to Liphook
Bike out to see a house "Waterside" : Find it is sold already.
Train on again from Liphook to Liss & bike from there to see Bradshott Hall. Dim & ugly
horrid house. Get soaked through & have horrible ride back.
Tue 05 Nov 1918
Lots of work to do
re Guides, household, (-----?) house hunting etc
(-----?) the big car
Horley dep 3.7
Three Bridges 3.16
" " dep 3.45
East Grinstead 4.1
Wed 06 Nov 1918
Do letter hard all day. Babies lovely.
Mother moves for winter to Needwood
Hinton Road in Bournemouth as she finds Gray Rigg so dull. She writes such sweet letters to
me now.
Start to tackle the work for the overseas Guides department
It is badly wanted.
Thu 07 Nov 1918
Do letter in office
(------ ----- lunch Scout Club at 1.0
Mercers at 2.15 for meeting of Governors of St Pauls
Tea with Lady (--------?) 12 Purton Street at 4.30 with Rosie
Speak at 6.0 at Royal (Sanitary?) Institute
Buckingham Palace Road
to Child Study Society
Rosie goes too as Chair
Home by 7.15 train
Fri 08 Nov 1918
Huge excitement over the Germans sending a commission to arrange armistice
Great news inside Germany & our forces are hammering at them grandly.
Do letters & play with babies. Walk up to the post office.
Sat 09 Nov 1918
Lord Mayor Show Day. To London by 11.12 train.
London very excited over the news from France & everywhere.
Fighting going grandly & The end in sight.
Speak for Joyce at Lindsay Hall (Notting Hill Gate) to stir up interest in guides
Good Guide display
Home in evening.
Sun 10 Nov 1918
Letters & play with babies & wild rumours about that peace declared.
Went to bed & asleep & suddenly woken by dear Robin kissing my eyes - got back at last.
Brought news that the Kaiser has bolted.
Mon 11 Nov 1918
Armistice signed
Tremendous delight.
Went shooting & rejoiced quietly at home!
Quite hard to believe that it is over & Oh! the relief even to us who have not really had it...
Tue 12 Nov 1918
...brought home to us.
How extraordinary it is that one should have got so hardened & accustomed to it all - & yet
now that is over the horror of what is past comes as a shock somehow.
Wed 13 Nov 1918
House hunting expedition
Bike to Betchworth.
Train to Farnham.
Bike about to see houses there, but too populated part.
Bike on past Willey & call on Cousins Torkingtons. They advise us to go & see Blackacre at
Bentley. Seems most suitable & we picnic lunch in the drive. Bike on to Alton & then home.
Thu 14 Nov 1918
Robin to London for the day.
We are quite excited about the house we saw yesterday.
Wrote to Mrs Trimmer the owner about it.
Fri 15 Nov 1918
To London together.
See all the German captured guns all along the Mall.
Work at office. To Mercers Hall in afternoon for meeting of St Paul's School Governors.
Catch 4.0 train home together.
Sat 16 Nov 1918
Robin to shoot at Mynthurst with Sir Henry Ball.
Do letters. People called James to see this house as the owner wants to sell it.
Ernest Court, Annie's brother, our ex chauffeur & Scoutmaster at Ewhurst - to stay. Has a
commission in the Flying Corps.
Sun 17 Nov 1918
... & he crashed 5000 feet three months ago. Man with him was killed but he had a
wonderful escape. Such a nice boy & he dined with R. & me, waited on by Annie!!
Mon 18 Nov 1918
Miss Nugent comes early to do letters.
She is so splendid & Robin gets through lots of work with her.
But he has a sort of touch of fever & feels seedy.
Go shooting but get nothing.
Very cold.
Tue 19 Nov 1918
Miss Nugent left
Robin to London for the day.
Miss Walker to do letters for me.
We are still all anyhow with the wonderful news & joy of the war being over - at least all the
ghastly fighting finished
Wed 20 Nov 1918
Robin dictates his Scout Gazette outlook to me for typing. I do love doing that work for and
with him. To London by 2.30. Pea soup fog there & so miss my train to Cambridge.
ought to have travelled there with Alice Baird
However have tea &
Liverpool Street dep 5.52
Cambridge arr 7.11
Speak to students at Newnham. Very difficult audience. Stay with De Beaumonts.
Thu 21 Nov 1918
Did letters at office
Interviewed Miss Wyatt
Chat with Olivia Burges
Saw Miss Wyatt from Heathfield School.
Talked over Campcraft book with "Minobi" (Miss Clarke) & her young man "White Fox"
(John Hargrave). Saw Mrs Benson also re Gazette.
Lunched at Scout Club. Headquarters Committee meeting & hurry away to speak on Guides
at College of Ambulance (Vere Street) Rotten small meeting
Robin stayed in London at Rubens Hotel as usual
I went home to Mynthurst
Fri 22 Nov 1918
Robin returned from London
Sat 23 Nov 1918
Off a-house-hunting again & to see Blackacre (Bentley) as we liked it so much
Mrs Trimmer won't let it, but on seeing it again we feel that we must have it for our own if
we possibly can.
Bike to & from the stations here & at Farnham.
Sun 24 Nov 1918
Redhill dep 10.41
Victoria arr 11.44
Daughters of the (----?) Cale Street (Chelsea) Convent at 2.30 opposite (----?)
Victoria dep 5.48
Redhill 6.47
(---?) King Street service consecration institution display
Mon 25 Nov 1918
Went shooting round about & got one bunny and one partridge
Heard from Mother & from Dad saying he will help us to buy Blackacre.
Asked agent to survey it at once to this end.
Tue 26 Nov 1918
Peter & Heather have small colds.
To London, Work at the office. Lunch at Scout Club. Dine with the Roumanian Scout Comm
Mayor Trensarun & his American wife etc. & to Scout display & speeches at Twickenham
Town Hall. Robin spoke well & great enthusiasm.
Wed 27 Nov 1918
Saw Mrs Gilbert who is just going out to Jamaica
See Lady Gallway at 11.0 at Stafford Hotel.
She wants me to join in with the women freemasons movement.
Too theoretical & only aiming at what we are already doing in the guides in practise.
Lunch at the Ritz with (Tiensanu's?) & a big party of their Roumanian & American friends.
Home by 4.0 train.
Thu 28 Nov 1918
Wet. Did letters.
Went shooting & got one bunny and one partridge.
Frightfully excited about possibility of getting Blackacre
We can both think of nothing else!
Fri 29 Nov 1918
Lunch at Redgate House at 1.30
(------?) Hall at Reigate at 3.0
Sat 30 Nov 1918
London School meeting 2.0
Miss Nugent returns with us.
December 1918
X
Transcribed by Sue Ardern
Sat 30 Nov 1918
London School meeting 2.0
Miss Nugent returns with us.
Sun 01 Dec 1918 = blank page
Mon 02 Dec 1918
Mrs (W---?) (Littlehampton?) 11.30
Mrs Clayton at office
(--- -- --- ------)
Miss Power at 12.45
Waterloo dep 2.0
To stay with Mother
Tue 03 Dec 1918
Dame Alice at 11.30
See Mrs Clayton at office at 12.0. Miss Power to lunch
Waterloo dep 2.0.
Wed 04 Dec 1918
Muriels funeral at 2.30 at Staplefield
Thu 05 Dec 1918 = blank page
Fri 06 Dec 1918
See Miss Chapman 2.30
See Mrs Wing from Littlehampton at 3.0 at office re guides
Lady Ferrers
Miss Bretherton at 4.0.
Imperial Health Assoc meeting at 5.0 at 7 Hanover Square
Charing X dep 6.30
Redhill 7.23
Sat 07 Dec 1918 = blank page
Sun 08 Dec 1918 = blank page
Mon 09 Dec 1918 = blank page
Tue 10 Dec 1918
Aunt Con & Aunt Ger for day.
Wed 11 Dec 1918 = blank page
Thu 12 Dec 1918
St Paul's Girls' School Prize Giving.
In evening Robin went to his usual "Old Carthusian" Dinner at the Old Charterhouse - and I
went too to the "Womens party" given by the wife of the Master & heard the Speeches.
Fri 13 Dec 1918
To (W---? ---don?) for the (-----?)
Sat 14 Dec 1918
Horley dep 12.57
3 Bridges 1.6
" dep 1.12
East Grinstead 1.33
" " dep 2.6
Forest Row Parish Hall at 2.30
Forest Row dep 3.55
Three Bridges 4.28
" " dep 4.40
Horley arr 4.49
Sun 15 Dec 1918 = blank page
Mon 16 Dec 1918 = blank page
Tue 17 Dec 1918 = blank page
Wed 18 Dec 1918 = blank page
Thu 19 Dec 1918
Horley dep 8.48.
Do shopping & interviews & work at G.G. Office.
Go to Cavalry Club to see procession drive down Piccadilly.
Douglas Haig, Plumer Birdwood etc. returning triumphant
H.Q. Executive meeting
Fri 20 Dec 1918 = blank page
Sat 21 Dec 1918
Nurse maid Edie arr. Betchworth at 3.48
Sun 22 Dec 1918 = blank page
Mon 23 Dec 1918 = blank page
Tue 24 Dec 1918 = blank page
Wed 25 Dec 1918 = blank page
Thu 26 Dec 1918
Urgent and most alarming telephone call to say that Dad had "disappeared" - during last
night,
His bed had not been slept in - in the house "Needwood" near the Pier at Bournemouth,
the front door had...
Fri 27 Dec 1918
...been left open.
The police had been notified and it is supposed that he may have drowned himself.
I rush off down to be with Mother and sleep on the floor on her room to keep her
company...
Sat 28 Dec 1918
...and comfort her at this agonising moment.
He had been fairly happy on Xmas Day & pleased with some presents he had had, but his fits
of depression had become very frequent & sad.
Sun 29 Dec 1918
Uncle Murray Hill (Mother's brother & lawyer) here to see to things.
Mon 30 Dec 1918 = blank page
Tue 31 Dec 1918 = blank page
Wed 01 Jan 1919 = blank page
Thu 02 Jan 1919
Robin gave to 32 Princes Gate since he married £1025.
---
He gave to Agnes also since he married & the home broke up £157-10-0
---
May 17th Reading
April 23rd Sussex camp
June 5th Doncaster
June 6th Wakefield
June 7th Sheffield
July Cinema
(next page - no heading)
Mrs Arkwright
60 Hanover Gate Mansion
Regents Park
N.W. 1.
(next page)
Received 1918
From Dad (Xmas) 10.0.0
" High Wycombe
lecture (Feb) 4.0.0
Royalty on book (March) 6.13.0
Mother (Easter) 10.0.0
W.A.A.C. articles (April) 15.15.0
Cornwall for tour (May) 5.0.0
Mother for journey (" ) 1.10.0
" " " June 5.0.0
G.G. for furniture " 15.0.0
Mother for journey July 6.14.0
" " " etc " 8.0.0
Royalty on book (Aug) 6.2.5
(next page)
Robin's tooth powder
S.L. Cooper
Carlton House
110 Regent Street
S.W. 1.
Mrs Thursfield (D.C.)
57 Rotherwick Road
Golders Green, N.W. 4.
Countess of Sandwich
12 Bruton Street
for the winter
---------------
