Olave's Diary

1921                               [Kill this page when done ] 

1920                      Index                       1922

Olave's Diary for 1921
[ Her 32nd birthday was 22 Feb ]

Notes from 1920

Summary
Sat  1st Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Sun 2nd Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Mon 3rd Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Tue 4th Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Wed 5th Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Thu 6th Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Fri 7th Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Sat  8th Jan 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Sun 9th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Mon 10th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Tue 11th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda at Gibralta]
Wed 12th Jan 1921                         [ SS Narkunda ]
Thu 13th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Fri 14th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda at Marseilles ]
Sat  15th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Sun 16th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Mon 17th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Tue 18th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Wed 19th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda at Port Said  / Suez Canal]
Thu 20th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Fri 21st Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Sat  22nd Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Sun 23rd Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Mon 24th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Tue 25th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Wed 26th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Thu 27th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Fri 28th Jan 1921                        [ SS Narkunda ]
Sat  29th Jan 1921                        [ Bombay ]
Sun 30th Jan 1921                        [ Bombay ]
Mon 31st Jan 1921                        [ Rajputana ]
  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

?
Glossary of words that need explaining
SS Narkunda is a passenger ship commissioned in 1920 for P&O.  She carried passengers from Great 
Britain to Australia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Narkunda]

Drummond’s Bank

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

?
Cast list
Eve Fisher Rowe
Mrs R Helmann, Captain of Eclaireuses, Marseilles
Mrs Lowry, sister of Florence B-P
Mrs Lopes, met on Narkunda, Australian.  
Mrs B. D. Cohen, mother of man on Narkunda
Mr Butterfield, Rich half foreign man, on Narkunda, with villa in Nice
Miss Thomas & Miss Burnaby nice girl women met on Narkunda
Mrs Hewson, Australian sheep owners wife, on Narkunda
Mrs Hambro, Nice sweet thing on Narkunda
Mrs Norman Kennedy, her sister - Mrs Hambro says she is most
able.
Mrs Maxwell Gumbleton
Miss Crick (sister of Bishop of ? near Brisbane
Major and Mrs Ward, met on Narkunda and at Government House, Bombay nice people
W.R. Hancock
Mrs Stewart Black, 2 daughters at St James, met on Narkunda return voyage
Mrs H Bowman, wife of director of education at Jerusalem
Helen
Mrs Kent 
T.N. & Mrs Wilson
Miss Burnaby 
Mr A Tassell) 
The Austen Chamberlains
Young Nicholl a cousin (through Drummond Hays) 
Lord & Lady Buxton 
Governor (Sir Horace Smith Dorrien)
Smith Dorriens charming & kind
[?] [?] Palmers 
the Mount Edgecombes
Lord Birkenhead (Lord Chancellor)
Mr Butterfield, 
Mrs Hambro 
young Acland
Mrs Beech 
Mrs Grant’s boy Kenneth at Government House Bombay
Mr Mayhew (education man in India)
Mr Blair (newspaper man in India)
Broatel[orBroatch[?]] Mr Abdy 
Mrs Blackwood 
her niece Miss St Clair 
Mr Cohen 
Mr Blair 
Tata Lady Knox
Mr &  Miss Crick.  He is going to  be a Bishop in Queensland with a diocese 4 times the size of 
England & Wales.  His sister was a WRN.
C.T, Allen.
H.H. the Jam Sahib (Ranji Singh the cricketer) 
Mrs Bran (Chief Comm.) 
Ms  Kent (Prov. Comm.) 
Major  Pickford (Scout Chief Comm.) 
Gifford is District Comm 
Miss Neall [?] Comm for Guides from Baroda 
Mrs Bran 
Mrs  Kent 
Mrs Besant 
Mrs Bran 
Mrs Gifford 
Mrs Baldwin  
Mrs Linzie  
Baden B-P 
Mr Christian, director of Nisbitt’s, the publisher's,
Ann Kindersley 
Nurse maid Kathleen
Hazel Weeks
Mr Summers.
Nurse St George  
Robertson small boys 
Olivia Burges 
Carpenter 
Mr Heather, D.C. in Canada
Miss Cary a secretary at [?]  guide office. Tea with 
Lady Carmichael 
Gladys Strode
Miss Rennie 
Lettice Hill 
Olivia
Mrs Furneaux 
Wades 
Mrs Joy
Miss De Wend
Robertsons at Binstead. 
Hadows Nice couples.
Eileen stays on & helps Robin with his book “Horses, Wine, Women and Highbrows”
Col. Booker 
Major Hoare
Col. Richardson 
Nursie (Hilda Austen)
Miss Booker is engaged to marry little Col. R. on Jan 9th 1922.
Gladys Ainsworth 
Mrs Joy
Mrs Eggar 
Hilda B-P – widow of B-P’s brother Warington. 
Miss Sinclair 
Eileen Wade’s assist. Sec.
Nicholsons. The son General John is Robin's old friend & the party consisted of him, his old mother,
& 3 sisters.
Stella (née Ashton) & her mother to tea.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?

Notes from 1920
Transcribed by Katharine Lander

Eve Fisher Rowe’s new address
47 Thurloe Square
SW7

Mrs R Helmann
Captain of Eclaireuses
Marseilles
who I saw at (ditto)

Use Western Union Code
if we want to wire
home from India

The Librarian
C.S. Reading Room
Chowringhee Mansion
Block B
Calcutta

Mrs Lowry
Crosly House
Crosly on Eden
Carlisle
sister of Florence B-P going to N.Z. next summer  
Hewsons on Narkunda said she was splendid
Write to her sometime

Mrs Lopes
7 Egerton Place
met on Narkunda
Australian.  Would like to do Guides. Tell Rosie about her

Mrs B. D. Cohen
11 Stanley Crescent
W11
mother of man on Narkunda 
He asked me to see her as she is keen on C.S.
[C.S. is an abbreviation for Christian Science]

Mr Butterfield
14 Curzon Street
Rich half foreign man on Narkunda with villa in Nice

Miss Thomas
52 Coleherne Court
SW5
and
Miss Burnaby
69 Gloucester Terrace
W2
nice girl women met on Narkunda

Mrs Hewson
Queens Club
Quarry Street
Sydney
Australian sheep owner’s wife sending me photos she took on Narkunda

Mrs Hambro
22 Princes Gdns
Nice sweet thin on Narkunda

Her sister must be asked to do Guides –
Mrs Norman Kennedy
Monkwood
Ayr
Mrs Hambro says she is most able.

Mrs Maxwell Gumbleton
Bishops Court
Ballaret
Australia
and
Miss Crick
(sister of Bishop of [?] near Brisbane who is friend of Nobles at Liverpool both would like G.G. books 
sent out soon as they will both help.

Mrs Ward and Major
Muthaiga
Nairobi
met on Narkunda and at Government House Bombay nice people

W.R. Hancock
Ukuwela Estate
Ukuwela Ceylon

Drummonds Bank
Charing Cross or
Alcombe,  
Minehead
Somerset

Pickford (arr April 25th)
c/o Thomas Kirkland Esq
60 Balham Park Rd
Balham
London SW12
met on Narkunda return voyage –

Mrs Stewart Black
c/o Major Moat
Johnson Hall
Eccleshall
Staffs
2 daughters at St James

Mrs H Bowman
17 Cambridge Square
W
wife of director of education at Jerusalem

Helen’s address Aug
Longford Castle
Salisbury

Mrs Kent c/o Mrs Tod
Eastacombe House
Barnstaple

T.N. & Mrs Wilson
Harvins Lodge
Bransgore

?
Olave was 32
Her husband Robert / Robin was 64
Their children
Peter  8
Heather 6
Betty 4
Olave’s sister Auriol’ children living with then
Christian 9
Clare 8
Yvonne 3

January 1921
X
Transcribed by Katharine Lander

Sat  1st Jan 1921 
A happy dawn of a New Year
Heather better. Nurse Yates quite a success, sensible nice sort
Dr Couchman came & thinks it may not be Scarlett Fever after all.
Is C.S. [Christian Science?] perhaps at the back of this ??

Sun 2nd Jan 1921
Heather really much better
Dr Couchman came

Eggars to tea

Mon 3rd Jan 1921
Babies to mother’s party Alton 3.30 to 7.0

Tue 4th Jan 1921
[Page left blank]

Wed 5th Jan 1921
[Page left blank]

Thu 6th Jan 1921
High Ashurst Dip week begins

Fri 7th Jan 1921
International Council at HQ at 11.0
Boat train leaves Liverpool Street at 11.30 or 12.30
SS Narkunda sails at 3.0
Pretty nasty leaving home and those babies too for so long

Sat  8th Jan 1921
Sit about on deck under our rugs all day & read – novels & C.S. [Christian Science?] book!
Talk with Miss Burnaby (introduced by Mr A Tassell) 
The Austen Chamberlains sit at our table with the Captain – & he will talk politics!

Sun 9th Jan 1921
Stayed in bed all day & read & dozed.

Mon 10th Jan 1921
Getting warmer
Sat about on deck all day & read.  Young Nicholl introduces  himself as a cousin (through Drummond
Hays) 
Lord & Lady Buxton sit at our table.  Long talks with her about Guides.  She was President in South
Africa.

Tue 11th Jan 1921
Lovely & sunny
Steam along in sight of lovely mountains both  sides.  Arrive Gib after tea.  Governor (Sir Horace 
Smith Dorrien) fetches us off ship & land for Scout Rally Place all lit up and decorated welcome to 
Chief Scout etc !
Parade on Alameda.  After, dine at the convent - the Smith Dorriens charming & kind.
Their nieces  Palmers there & the Mount Edgecumbes & Lord Birkenhead (Lord Chancellor)
Back to the ship at 11.0

Wed 12th Jan 1921
Leave Gib directly after breakfast
Perfectly beautiful sunlight on all surrounding country & glamorous hot sun.  Bask & read C.S. 
[Christian Science?]
40 Passengers got off yesterday 
Talk with Mr Butterfield, Mrs Hambro, young Acland

Thu 13th Jan 1921
Jolly lazy day again - read, work, type a bit for Robin
[ different pen - ] High Ashurst Diploma Guides training week
Played 5 sets deck tennis – quite jolly.
Haven’t played any game like that since 1912 . 

Fri 14th Jan 1921
Arrive Marseilles early.  Scouts to greet us gave me bouquet!
We go to lunch with  [Sentence incomplete.]

Sat  15th Jan 1921
6 Eclaireuses Unioniste under Mdlle Helmann to ee us on board
Try vainly to talk French!
Sailed at noon.
Very pretty sailing along in sight of mountains.
Play deck tennis.

Sun 16th Jan 1921
Loaf all day

Mon 17th Jan 1921
Find Mrs Beech  is also interested in Christian Science & urges me to study it more 
Play deck tennis
Very windy

Tue 18th Jan 1921
Look out for Mrs Grant’s boy Kenneth at Government House Bombay
Tennis sub committee  meeting & arrange tournament
Loaf & read. Talk with Mr Mayhew (education man in India)
Mr Blair (newspaper ditto)
etc

Wed 19th Jan 1921
Arrive Port Said at 11.0 Scouts  arrive in a motor boat to fetch us. 
Parade of them (mostly from Alexandria) & 8 dear new small Guides under Mrs Broatch 
Mr Abdy gave lunch party to the lot.  Walk about the town & ship sails at 4.0 Leaving waving 
cheering Scouts.

Thu 20th Jan 1921
[Advance notice – ] Guide HQ Executive 
Lovely going along through the canal last night.  Out of it this morning 
Lovely boiling day
play tennis
Find Mrs Blackwood & her niece Miss St Clair are both C.S. & Mr 
Cohen also.  Read the C.S. book hard & have a cold at the same time!!!

Fri 21st Jan 1921
Boiling hot & lovely.
Tennis tournament begins.  Help umpire.  
Read C.S.  Mr Blair is also one.
Talk with Tata’s 
Robin gives lecture on Scouts to get money for Prince of Wales fund.
Everybody nice & interested

Sat  22nd Jan 1921
Tennis tournament

Sun 23rd Jan 1921
Read scrappily. 
It is too funny how cotton woolly one gets with a life like this.  One drifts 
through the day & the time flies so, but it isn’t a bad thing to have a real mental holiday once in a 
way.

Mon 24th Jan 1921
Deck tennis tournay.
Play ladies doubles with Mrs Hambro [?] [?] 
Mrs Lopes & all [Mrs ?] Nation Fancy dress dance 
Lady Tata Lady Knox & I judge!

Tue 25th Jan 1921
Play with Mrs Hambro in ladies doubles of deck tennis.  Beaten by two Burke girls. 
Fearfully funny good gymkhana run by C.T. Allen.

Wed 26th Jan 1921
Finals of deck tennis.
Tea in 2nd Class saloon with Mr & Miss Crick.  He is going to be a Bishop in Queensland with a diocese 
4 times the size of England & Wales.  His sister was a WRN.

Thu 27th Jan 1921
Quite sad having to pack up.  It has been a ripping voyage
Prize giving – Lady Tata did some & I did others & R spoke.
H.H. the Jam Sahib (Ranji Singh the cricketer) raffled
a hammock for the Scout fund and got £83! making over £300 
raised on this ship for the Prince of Wales Scout appeal.
[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranjitsinhji, £300 in 1921 is equivalent to about £12,100 in 2023 ]

Fri 28th Jan 1921
Arrive in Bombay early.
Mrs Bran (Chief Comm.) & Ms Kent (Prov. Comm.) Major Pickford (Scout Chief Comm.) etc. meet us.  
I have breakfast [?] board 
Land at Apollo Bander & parade of Scouts & Guides too! [?]
Go to Government House for breakfast.  Go to get [[?]third] uniform fitted & lunch at Yacht Club.
The Government House. 
Public Meeting at Town Hall 
R spoke splendidly. 
So comfy staying in lovely bungalow to ourselves in the garden.
[Map of Bombay in 1924 showing location of Apollo Bander, Yacht Club and Town Hall: 
https://bombaywiki.with.camp/w/images/a/af/1924_Plan_of_Bombay.jpg Government House is 
possibly the building labelled Presidential Secretariat.]

Sat  29th Jan 1921
Guide rally at 9.30 
Dear little display & they “garlanded” me with a necklace of flowers. 
Gave a little talk.  Miss Gifford is District Comm here & good.  See Miss 
Neall [?] Comm for Guides from Baroda 
Lunch at Government House. 
Write letters etc. 
R. to Indian Scout Rally at 3.0.  I drive in to Bombay with Wards to Anglo Indian Scout Rally at Prince 
of Wales Museum. 
Rather poor as they are having difficulties here. 

Sun 30th Jan 1921
Write letters all morning 
Robin to lunch with Scout masters in the town.   
Mrs Bran, Mrs Kent etc to lunch party at Government House 
Clemenceau there. 
Mrs Besant to see us, she has organised a big Scout Movement of 
her own for Indian boys & we have come to try & join them up 
with ours.  Rather wonderful quaint old lady. 

Mon 31st Jan 1921
Members of Guide Local Assoc. Mrs Bran & Mrs Gifford come for a talk about Bombay matters 
Meeting of about 100 ladies, Indian, Parsie, Anglo Indian & European & I 
talked about Guides at Government House.  Quite successful.  Lunch there & then catch train at 
Colaba Station.  Guard of Honour of Scouts.  Travel up into Rajputana.  See Indian Scouts at 8.0 at 
[space left by author] & again turn out & inspect some more at Baroda at midnight 
Have garlands hung upon us at each! & so to bed in our comfy carriage.

February 1921
Transcribed by Katie Lander.

 
Tue 1st Feb 1921
Woke up at 6.0 at Rutlam Station where 2 Guides came to see me. 
Travel all day through wild lovely country.  See wild black buck, jackals & peacocks etc.  All too 
glorious, especially the quaint crowds at the stations. 
Arrive at Delhi at 8.45.  Guard of Honour of Scouts.  A.D.C. to the Viceroy meets us & takes us 
to our tents at Viceregal Lodge.  Really the tents are like sumptuous rooms & so comfy.  Our bearer, 
Mahruretty lent us by Mrs Miller at Bombay is a perfect treasure & so delicious & good.

Wednesday 2 Feb 1921
Write letters. Visit Delhi & see Old Fort. Lovely mosque in the town
Jumma [Juma] Musjed, drive through Chandni Chowk, wonderful crowded street of Indian shops etc. 
Lunch in Viceregal Lodge – talk to Viceroy and Lady Chelmsford re Guides. See rehearsal of 
procession of soldiers for Duke of Connaught’s visit.
Miss Hailey (Guide Provincial sec) and 3 nice Guides to tea & they take us glorious drive out to see 
Qutab Mina. Huge  beautifully carved tower & mosque.
Then see Purana Quilla [Qila] (the old town of Delhi) & Humayun’s tomb so lovely big red sandstone 
& marble.

Thursday 3 Feb 1921
Call on Sir Charles & Lady Burtchaell (head of medical services) in their tents just outside Viceregal 
Lodge gates.
Drive into the town to shop 
Lunch in Viceregal Lodge.
Miss Hailey took me to see Queen Mary’s School.
Girls are Girl Messengers (sort of Guides). Speak to the girls – most unnerving as only a few 
understood English!
Scout Rally in Delhi – Small and pathetic, about 70 boys & a minute pack of cubs & Blue Birds from 
Simla under Miss Barnes.
Pack up. Dine with Rawlinsons at Flag Staff House (C in C) off late in our saloon provided by 
Government. Very comfy.

Friday 4 Feb 1921
Arrive at Agra at 6.30
Met by Mr Pearson the Government Commissioner. He lives near Ewhurst (Sussex)
To breakfast with him & wife at nice bungalow. Scout Rally of Indian Boy Scouts on
Golf Links. Triumph for R as these are the ‘non-co-operating’ lot of Scouts. Visit the Fort
& see lovely mosque & Jasmine Tower etc. Wonderful place.
Then to the heavenly Taj Mahal – which beats everything. Lunch party at the Pearsons. Meet the
Fergusons etc & Dr & Mrs Cockrane an ex Guide.
Motor out to Futtipai Sikri [Fatehpur Sikri]
Quite beautiful, is huge & the Pearl Mosque ??? marvellous.
Dine with Sir Harcourt Butler (Governor of the U.P. [United Provinces]) at Circuit House. Sleep in 
train.

Saturday 5 Feb 1921
Arrive Allahabad 12.0, met by Scouts & guard of honour of khaki clad Guides under Miss Mears 
(District comm) & Miss Fordham as Captain.
Go to luncheon with the Pyms. He is Government Comm. here. Scout Guard of Honour. 2.30 Go to 
big rally of Indian Boy Scouts & those of the Seva Sameti [Samiti] Assoc. These two separate
movements we hope will soon join up with us & the fact that they brought 1000 together here to see 
us looks hopeful. They had “Sister Scouts” too - & they gave displays though naturally these girls 
would have been purdah.
Tea party at the Pyms 
Confab with Scout Leaders. R dines with the press & I dine with Lady Mears etc. Sleep again in our 
comfy travelling flat!

Sunday 6 Feb 1921
Arrive at Jubbulpore at 8.0. H.E. the Governor, Sir  Frank Sly etc meet us & to breakfast at the
“Circuit House.” Fetch our luggage & stay there. Lunch party – Mrs Freath (Div. Comm)
& Gen Freath, Mrs & Mr ???, Mrs Dyer etc.
Write letters quietly at last & nice to have breathing space. R to speak to students at college
& Scout campfire. Walk with H.E.” over the rise” out of the town. Dinner party.

Monday 7 Feb 1921
See 1st Jubbulpore Guide Company at Christchurch school. Quite good about 40 girls under Miss 
Street. They gave displays & I talked.
Motor out & see glorious Marble Rocks – go in a boat through narrow ravine with high cliffs. Lovely. 
A “Mela” going on & crowds of pilgrims all washing themselves (& their clothes!) Lunch party at
Circuit House. Boy Scout Rally. Very good & nice & scouty, run by men who have trained at Gilwell 
Park
I talk to meeting of Guide Local Assoc. at Mrs ??? house where a tea party happened.
Talk at club too. After dinner get into our train again.

Tuesday 8 Feb 1921
Arrive Allahabad about 8.0. R has interview with Scout people.  Mrs Pym came & took me to see the
“mela”. Wonderful sight, over 2 million pilgrims came to bathe in Jumma [Yumuna] &
Ganges. On in train & arrive Lucknow in afternoon.
Big Scout rally. About  1100, & awfully jolly. Big tea party there.
Drive round & see R’s first bungalow home he came to in 1876!
Then saw the [blank space] & attended a wonderfully jolly Scout camp fire. Stay with H.E. Sir 
Harcourt Butler.
Very comfy Government House.

Wednesday 9 Feb 1921
Went round the ruined Residency. Lovely Miss Davis of Isabella Thoburn School who runs “Girl 
Messengers” to see me & had a fine talk over affiliation.
Col. and Mrs Howard to lunch.  R at Scout conference.
Guide Rally in garden of La Martiniere school about 7 companies. Good displays & nice lot of
Guides. I talked to them & to grown ups after a bit.
Dinner party of 40 at Government House.

Thursday 10 Feb 1921
Leave Lucknow after breakfast seen off by Scouts. At Benares we waited 5 minutes &
were picked out of the train & photographed with Indian Boy Scouts.
Miss Jones a Guider at Mussoorie met us for a talk at Mogul Serai
Scout troop on parade at Patna Station at 7.30.
To bed in train & woken at 3.30 am by more Scouts at Asansol on parade at station.

Friday 11 Feb 1921        
Robin has to get out of the train at 4.30am & goes on up to Ranchi. I stopped at Adra and see 
Company of Guides I speak to meeting of grown ups. Lady Gratney motored me up to Purulia & 
thence to train up to Ranchi by tea time in a saloon attached to a goods train. Arrived at Bishop’s 
Lodge unexpectedly. 
To small scout rally & R spoke afterwards at a meeting in school hall. A few people for dinner with 
Bishop Woods. How primitively in some ways & how comfily in this people . . .

Saturday 12 Feb 1921
. . . live here. The houses are thoroughly unfurnished & yet they have enormous dinner parties and 
gaietys! 
Did letters. Went for  jolly motor drive through Ranchi bazaar.
Meeting of ladies & talked & formed a Guide Local Assoc.
Dinner party of local people Murrays, Whitly’s Macdowells, Vesey etc 
Leave Ranchi in small rattly train at 10.30
arr. Purulia about 5.30 & get there into our own . . .

Sunday 13 Feb 1921
. . . saloon again.
Mrs Bran joins us from Calcutta at Rhangpur.
Arrive there at 3.0 Mrs Hughes gives us tea at the club. R does Scouts & I talk to meeting of
ladies & form a Guide Local Assoc under Mrs Leader as Chair & Mrs Ives as Secretary.
Dinner at Mr & Mrs Kerr & get onto our train & off again at 8.30.

Monday 14 Feb 1921
Travel all day. Have a talk with Mrs Bear on Guide matters, and she travels in next door carriage.
Perfectly lovely country all the way. Big bumpy mountains, tall scraggy palm trees, fields of pepper & 
cotton, delicious bullock carts &flocks of goats, absurd biblical wells & ploughs & always the lovely
picturesque people. I adore it all – even the heat.

Thursday 15 Feb 1921
Arrive Madras 10.0. Met by Scout people. Go to Government House. 
Drive & see Fort & Aquarium.
Mrs Spencer, Guide Prov Comm. to see me. Big Purdah tea party of 700 people. Most entertaining
& very quaint & yet rather sickening to see these ladies with their jewels, & bare be-jewelled
& painted feet.

Wednesday 16 Feb 1921
Wrote letters & went to speak to Indian girls at St Ebba’s school.
Most unnerving as they did not all understand English so my remarks were translated sentence by 
sentence.
Lunch party at Government House. Attend English Scout gathering. R spoke & unveiled trees & we 
planted some. Motor out to St Thomas Mount. Wonderful place, belonging to Po???
with convent on top. Dine with Scoutmasters at jolly Eversleigh Scout Club. Boys . . . 

Thursday 17 Feb 1921
. . . did all the cooking & serving of the dinner splendidly. Spoke at Miss Ebbutt’s girls school to 
Guides & upper forms of girls who might be Guides later.
Motored with R (& picnic basket) to see Conjeeverum [Kanjeeveram] 40 miles away. Lovely drive
& wonderful place.108 Hindu the tehsildar met us & showed us over two & we saw the jewels they
put on the gods when they take them out at certain festivals. Very wonderful and uncivilised. Scout 
troop paraded there to meet us & we were “garlanded” a lot! 
Dine Indian fashion, sitting on ground in large circle with 150 Indian Scoutmasters & Mrs Besant.

Friday 18 Feb 1921
R does interviews hard with all these troublesome Indian Scout people. 
With their Execellencies to see the Indian Boy Scout Village
Very jolly & quaint & noisy. All the work of them “Indian Boy Scouts” of  Mrs Besant’s. Weird 
dances & religious rites.
To Guide Rally – about 10 companies doing displays, march past & inspection & I talked. Spoke also 
to grown up assembled.
Dinner party at Government House. Spencers & Mrs Bean & Mrs Besant & Menzies etc.

Saturday 19 Feb 1921
Went to Indian Scout Village & Robin & Pickford were given addresses & spoke.
Attended Guide Provincial Council at Mrs Spencer’s house. Quite good meeting.
Lunch party at Government House. Very hot indeed!
Big Scout decisions come to as Mrs Besant’s lot “joined up” with R this morning.
Rally of all combined Scouts about 1500. Good effort. Displays very jolly. 
Tea at Government House & 7.0 left in our train again.
Pickford & Mrs Bear dined on board with us.

Sunday 20 Feb 1921
Travel all day.
I love seeing the country. Dear jolly Mr Pickford & Mrs Bear join us for meals & “the B’loved” bearer
Mahuratti is more perfect than ever in his role of waiter as well as care–taker & valet & maid & 
courier!

Monday 21 Feb 1921
Arr Calcutta in morning.
To stay with H.E. Lord Ronaldshay at Government House.
Lunch party. Viceroy & Lady Chelmsford staying here too.
Guide Rally at Dullanda House parade ground. Very good indeed. About 30 companies & they
did excellent displays. Robin came there too.
All sorts of companies, jews, Hindus, etc etc.
Dine with Chief justice & Lady Sanderson, & Scout & Guide Officers came in afterwards for R & me 
to talk to.

Tuesday 22 Feb 1921
Meet Indian National Council I.J.W.C.A  to discuss cooperation.
Mrs Gourlay (Chairman) Mrs Dutta, Mrs Panwelee it’s arranged to have further small meeting to fix 
affiliation.
Lunch with Mrs Richardson & then Guide Comms Lady Sanderson, Lady Godfrey, Mrs Cassie, Mrs 
Bear, Mrs Ezra etc.
Boy Scout Rally at Dullanda House ground.  Awfully jolly. About 930 boys – good displays
ending with campfires.
Dinner party at Government House.

Wednesday 23 Feb 1921
Breakfast with Mrs Buckland. Speak at meeting of ladies on guides at the Y.W.c.a hall. Quite good
audience. Hope for results.
Lunch party at Government House. They do entertain a lot at these places!
To see some Guides who were hurt in an accident on Monday. Jolly little people. To tea at Lady
Bose’ at Scientific Institute where her husband experiments with sensitive plants. Speak there to about 
30 Indian ladies. 
Dinner party at Government House.

Thursday 24 Feb 1921
Pack. Write letters etc. See Mrs Dutta of the Y.W.C.A.
Motored early with Mr Pickford to see the the market & Victoria memorial still being built.
Watch State Departure of H.E. The Viceroy & Lady Chelmsford at 4.30 & leave ourselves at 5.0
Dine & sleep on the  train, after changing into comfy saloon at Sara Ghat??
Our dear bearer Mahiratti takes such care of us.

Friday 25 Feb 1921
Turn out at 6.0 for  Chota Hazri at Silliguri & change into wee guage line.
After 7 miles we begin to climb & climb up & up & round & round the most glorious foothills with 
glimpses of big mountains in the distance & then at Ghum suddenly we saw the gorgeous snow
peaks towering up & showing through breaks in the clouds. Heavenly sight.
Stay with Goodes on the ridge with heavenly view.
Dinner party.

Saturday 26 Feb 1921
Grey misty day & no sign of mountains.
Could hardly see even the valleys round us, but glimpses show us what a lovely height up we are here.
Go down to the Bazaar.  Quite heavenly & quaint
The people are more or less Thibettan [Tibetan] to look at & their clothes are beyond description! R 
rather seedy with fever, lunches & speaks at men’s club. 
Dinner party.

Sunday 27 Feb 1921
Saw Kachenjunga all pink at sunrise. 
Leave Darjeeling in Ford motor & run up to  Ghum (7000 ft up) & then along narrow mountain road 
winding along hill side – with huge views over valleys to snow peaks.
Six miles along find ponies waiting & rode to Peschoke [Peshok] & lunched with Hatch’s at their tea 
estate
Rickshaw and rode alternately down into the Teesta Valley – cross river & our ponies scramble up 
4000 feet to Kalimpong. 
Stay with Grahams

Monday 28 Feb 1921
Mr Grade, Mr Morgan & Mr Price came all the way with us & the latter lent me his charming pony 
“Prudence”.
Ride up to see the big school for 600 children;  R & I speak to them all. Wonderful place
run for Anglo Indian orphans mainly. 32 are put into each cottage.
Ride through bazaar.
All so thrilling & quite different from India proper. Lunch there & then ride & rickshaw 14 miles 
down winding road to the station.
Quite lovely. Beautiful journey all evening down Teesta Valley – rather like Norway – to the plains

March 1921

Tuesday 1 Mar 1921
Change trains at 5.0 at Sara Ghat & have Chota hazri. Breakfast on train & type letters,
arriving Calcutta at 11.0. Mrs Bear meets us & we stay with her.
Mr Kena (acting Prov Comm) to lunch & other Comms. for tea. Y.W.C.A. confab & fix up affiliation
Go to see Guides at Y.W.C.A Headquarters & our H.Q club & talk to them. 
Small dinner party.

Wednesday 2 March 1921
Get up at 6.0 & go off to "S.S. Angora” lying alongside quay near Government House.   Mrs Bear, 
Mrs Arthur, Miss Warren & a few Guides & Scout people to see us off.  Anchored all morning 
opposite the Botanic Gardens waiting for the tide.  Very jolly & restful going down the Hugli covered 
with the very quaintest boats imaginable.

Thursday 3 March 1921
On board “Angora”
Hardly know ourselves having this quiet peaceful time.  Very hot, but lovely. 
Wrote letters & read “ The Soul of a People”.[1 ]I am sorry to have left India.  It is so lovely, so 
interesting & the people are so delicious.   I simply can’t get over their ridiculous clothes & ways of 
living.
1[by H. Fielding - about his experience of living and working in Burma while providing readers with 
insight into the thoughts of the Burmese people and their culture]

Friday 4 March 1921
At sea all day.  Sighted light house &  coast of Burma [Myanmar]  
Very hot indeed.  Wrote letters & slept, & as usual the hours slip by much too quickly.

Saturday 5 March 1921
Ship's steering gear went wrong a bit & delayed us in the night.  Anchor a few miles down the river & 
Arrive Rangoon, fetched up by launch at about 8.0.  Met by Scout officials & go to stay with Sir 
Reginald & Lady Craddok at Government House.  Breakfast there.  Boiling hot & lazed in our 
shuttered & palatial bedrooms till tea at 3.
Drive round by Shwe Dagon Pagoda [2] & Lakes.  Very lovely & the people here are too – quaint & 
delightful, so different from India in colouring etc.
[2most sacred Buddist Pagoda in Burma believed to contain relics of previous Buddhas]
Scout rally  & good displays.
Lighted lantern procession.
Dance at Government House.

Sunday 6 March 1921
Motor early through the Bazaar & round Shwe Dagon.  Nobody is now allowed to go in with shoes 
on, as there is nasty feeling against the British being brought over from India. 
Tea with Mrs E Anderson, retiring District Comm. & meet all the Rangoon guides.  Very nice talk 
with them all.
Dinner party at Government House. 

Monday 7 March 1921
8.30 Attend meeting of Local Association  & talk on extension of guiding etc.  Mrs Fyffe new Prov. 
Comm. etc. there & Miss Dora Robotham, Miss Chapman, Walden etc.
Meals here consist of Chota hazri [tea, biscuits and fruit] 7.0
Breakfast 10.0
Tea 3.0
Dinner 8.0
Drive out to see huge Palace belonging to wealthy Chinese Tsin Song.
Horrible waste of wealth.  Had funny tea there.  Then Thunderstorm Came to spoil Guide Rally of 10 
Companies.  Had it half indoors & half out & went off as well as possible.   Catch night train 
[continues on next page Tues 8 March] & dined & slept en route for Martaban.[now called Mottama, 
once a railway terminus and important port on the historic Maritime Silk Road]

Tuesday 8 March 1921
Met there by Scout and Guide and other officials and go in a launch to Moulmein.
[first capital of British Burma, now called Mawlamyine] 
Guard of Honour of Scouts & Guides  & presented with an address.  R. replies suitably!
Drive round Moulmein town & along ridge by Pagodas with jolly view.  Stay with the Commissioner 
Stevenson in nice pretty but boiling hot bungalow.
Scout Rally & displays.  Burmese, Indians, Karens, etc.  Small dinner party.

Wednesday 9 March 1921
Early start to see lovely elephants pulling & piling teak logs.  Most interesting & jolly.  8.30 to 
American Mission Girls School & see guides give good displays.  They gave me a little ivory “pungi”, 
[Burmese monk] & talked.  Then to see more elephants working in a saw mill, lifting & placing whole 
trees & position for cutting etc.  Dear, splendid clever creatures.
Boiled all afternoon, lying on our beds with little on!
5.0 .  Seen off by Scouts & go across river in launch to our train waiting at Martaban.

Thursday 10 March 1921
Rocky & hot night.
Met on arrival at Rangoon by Scout Comm. Guinness.  Have Chota Hazri & then have mock 
departure from jetty where Scouts were lined up.  Later returned to land, went shopping, had breakfast 
with Guinness & then boarded the “S.S. Warwickshire ”. 
Steamed down river & then anchored to wait for tide.  Very hot & clammy.   About 90 passengers on 
board.

Friday 11 March 1921
Mr & Mrs Eric Anderson (ex-comm for Rangoon) on board, & also Mr Wood, Scout Secretary.   Mr 
Mrs & Miss Haslam, M.P. for Newport (Mon.)
Very good little Captain called Petersen.  These ships captains are wonderful men & always 
interesting.

Saturday 12 March 1921
[Page left blank]

Sunday 13 March 1921
Simply boiling.

Monday 14 March 1921
Steam along all day in sight of Ceylon.  Very pretty.  Boiling hot.

Tuesday 15 March 1921
Arrive Colombo very early.
Fetched off the ship by A.D.C. De La Cour, & go to Government House for day, though Governor 
away.
Lunch there & sit & boil all afternoon.
Drive out to Mount Lavinia & see delicious boats sailing & people bathing.  Contesse de Chabannes 
(who came out on Narkunda with us in Jan) here also.
R. seedy with head.  The Andersons, Major[?] Touk[?] & his sister dinner[?] and afterwards we take 
to a train once more!

Wednesday 16 March 1921
Didn’t sleep very well but perfectly lovely views looking out early as we climb up amongst the miles 
& miles of tea gardens.  Change at Nanoya into wee train & arrive Nuwara Elija [Highest town in 
Ceylon, favoured by English for its cooler climate] to stay with H.E. Sir William Manning.
Nice new very young but sensible wife.  R. quite heady & fevery & seedy from the heat at Columbo 
& the change to the cold.
Walk across golf links & shop at Hotel.
Sir Hesketh Bell, Governor of Mauritius [continues on next page Thurs 17 March]
also staying here – such a nice clever man.

Thursday 17 March 1921
R. & I drove early to see lovely Hackdalla gardens. [Now Hakgala Botanical Gardens] Beautiful view 
& really it is a heavenly island to look at & live in.  Much better kept & managed than India!
Visited Trout Farm & also tea factory on Scrubbs’ Estate run by an ex-Scout Patterson.
Call on Mrs Rbt Trefusis & she & her husband came to dinner.

Friday 18 March 1921
Left early in car & ran down winding road to Nanu Oya station.   Train from there to Kandy – 
glorious views all the way.
Met by Mr Kindersley (Government Agent) our host.  Scout Rally & tea party & then drove up “Lady 
Haton's drive for lovely view.  Robin better but still a bit fever-y.  Col. Tommy Wright to dine.

Saturday 19 March 1921
Guide Rally in King’s Pavillion Gardens.   Two nice little companies.  Drive to Perudiniya[sic] 
Gardens.  Quite lovely.   Lunch at Kandy & then motor on to Columbo.  Such a beautiful drive.  
Arrive to stay with Sir Graeme Thomson at Temple Trees. [Chief Secretary of Ceylon 1919-22]
Scout Rally on the Rose Course.  Quite nice.  Met Guide people there too.

Sunday 20 March 1921
Drive out to Mount Lavinia  & sit & Robin sketches.  Very restful if hot.
Speak at meeting in the Museum library.
We all dine with Mrs Southam Guide Island Commr & a good sort.
Lady Thomson (our hostess) very nice.

Monday 21 March 1921
Go shopping in motor & rickshaws.
[Pencil note:] 
Sail from Colombo in Narkunda
[Continues in ink:]
R. speaks at public meeting on Scouts.  I do Guide Rally of 4 companies.  Quite nice.  Small guides' 
meeting in Temple Trees garden afterwards.

Tuesday 22 March 1921
Board Narkunda & sail at 4.0.
Ralegh Hancock on board, who I “knew” in 1910.  Looks so different with a small beard.  Strange to 
be on this nice old ship with all strangers after having known everybody on the voyage out.

Wednesday 23 March 1921
In the morning [written in pencil then continues in ink]
Talk over old times with Ralegh.  Write letters & type report for Robin all afternoon.
So hot couldn’t get to sleep till 12.0

Thursday 24 March 1921
Type all day almost.
Steaming along in sight of coast of India & Goa.  
Talk with Ralegh after tea about Cannes & our meeting there.

Friday 25 March 1921
Arrive Bombay.  To Isle of Elephants to see wonderful caves & gods.
Mrs & Mr Gibson from Sydney sit at Captain Evans' table with us.
Talk with Mr MacArthur from Cambridge  & Mr Murray Walker, who travelled out with us.

Saturday 26 March 1921
Talk with the Gaekwrar [3 ] of Baroda about Scouts & Guides & India.
[3ruling Hindu Prince]
[Continues in pencil]
Leave Bombay in late afternoon.

Sunday 27 March 1921
Talk with Sir Geoffrey Fielding, & Mr & Mrs Cassie.  She is G.G. Commr. in Calcutta.

Monday 28 March 1921
[Page left blank]

Tuesday 29 March 1921
Talk with Mrs Ismay, former G.G.Commr. for Railway Guides on Bengal & Nagpur railway.  Also 
chat with Mrs Stewart Black from Melbourne  & Mrs Ronaldson. 
Robin gave lecture on Scouts & how it came to be started & made appeal for funds.

Wednesday 30 March 1921
[Pencil note:]Nice C.S. book called “Lessons in Truth “ by H. Emilie Cady
[Continues in ink]
Find Mrs Pinsent and Mrs Hammet are Scientists & have talks with them.

Thursday 31 March 1921
[Page left blank]

April 1920
Transcribed by Carol Taylor
 
 
Fri 01 Apr 1921                  
Talk with Lady Birkmyre  about Guides.
 
 
Sat 02 Apr 1921                 
[blank page]
 
 
Sun 03 Apr 1921                  [Suez Canal ]
 Very cold indeed.
Write & pack & afternoon sit on deck & do nothing but look at hills and coast line.
Arrive Suez dinner time & get into the Canal & go through all night.
 
Mon 04 Apr 1921                  [ Cairo]
Arrive Port Sard about 10.0 . Have wee inspection & display & talk with 1st P.S Guides under [?]  
lunch at hotel with Mr Furness etc & catch 12.30 to Cario.
Stay with Lord Allenby at Residency.
To [?] cinemas [?] great films [?] over return of zahghlul - the National leader and political 
demonstrations.
 
 
Tue 05 Apr 1921                  [on the train ]
Motor out to Pyramids & stroll about there all morning.
Quite lovely &  most impressive.
Lunch at the ? With Stanley  & Sybil Flower. Delightful place.
Demonstrations going on in the town but it was thought best not to go into the streets.
Left about 6.0 train to Kantara. Bridge across Canal broken, so ferry across & sleep in train.
 
 
Wed 06 Apr 1921                  [Jerusalem ]
Arrive Jerusalem, after travelling through lovely mountains, of no great height but very bleak ;
Scouts & Guides on parade to meet us. Stay with Sir Hubert Samuel.
Meet Guide Committee at club & R. Meets Scout Leaders.
Walk through glorious [?] [?] to Dome  of the Rock “- Moslem church over rock of Abraham.
Tea at St George’s boys school.
 
 
Thu 07 Apr 1921                  [ on the train ]
Scout and Guide Rally. Motor to Bethlehem & go over church of the Nativity Greek, Aremenian & 
Catholics all squealing to be the most important people in the church.
All very interesting .
Attend opening of arts & crafts exhibition in the Citadel &  then walk through the town with Mrs 
Storrs (the Governor) & see Church where Christ was crucified,etc.
Lunch party & dinner party of Scout & Guide People.
 
Fri 08 Apr 1921                  [Cairo ]
Left Government House after dinner last night & slept on train .
Travel all day.
Very lovely , going through desert.
Cross Canal by bridge after tea & train on to Cairo arriving at Residency about 11.0 pm. Lady Allenby  
very charming & nice.
 
Sat 09 Apr 1921                  [Alexandria ]
Guide Rally at 10.0 
One British Company under Miss Barber and one Jewish Company .
Lady Congreve  just became Commr.
Small bother over Miss Claridge who has to be “removed” from being crown.
Scout Rally of Greek, Armenian, British, French Scouts. Drive up to Citadel for glorious view.
Leave Cairo 6.30, & arrive Alexandria about 10.0.
 
 
Sun 10 Apr 1921                  [Alexandria. ]
Stay with Mr Richard Andy. Wonderful & lovely garden.
International Scout Rally. Troops of British, Greek , Jewish, Armenian, & Egyptian boys.
 
 
Mon 11 Apr 1921                  [ Alexandria]
Fool about all day. Mrs Watson to lunch.
Visited very interesting catacombs, & shop in town of Alexandria.
R. visited Victoria College.
 
 
Tue 12 Apr 1921                  [at sea ]
Douglas Allen, Scout Comm & his wife to lunch.
Motor in to town & climb on to our last ship ! S.S China, bound for Marseilles. Quite jolly being on a 
ship again. Sail at 4.0
 
 
Wed 13 Apr 1921                  
Sit at Captain’s table. Sir John & Lady Maxwell there too. She looks like a death’s head - perfectly 
fearful poor lady with heart & nerves. Oh why are these poor dear people so in the hopeless 
darkness about life & truth. 
 
Thu 14 Apr 1921                  
 Talk with Mrs Bourman ( wife of Director of Education & Vice Chair of Scouts) at Jerusalem .
Also Mrs Campbell (nee Anderson of Waverley near Farnham )
 
Fri 15 Apr 1921                  
[page blank]
 
Sat 16 Apr 1921                  [Train]
Very cold indeed, “Mistral“ wind .
Arr.  Marseilles Bay 12.0 too rough to go in. Land by tender 4.30 & catch train to Paris.
Thanks to having arrived to Cooks they had got sleepers for us, but awful crush of people travelling 
home from Riviera etc.
 
Sun 17 Apr 1921                  [ London]
Early coffee at Laroche. Arr. Paris 9.0 . Breakfast at station & a blessed Thomas Cook’s man does our 
luggage. Scramble & fight our way into train for Calais. Cross at  5.0 & reach London 8.30. Sleep at 
Grosvenor Hotel. Are we really back. It feels quite odd !!
 
Mon 18 Apr 1921                  [Home ]
Run into office early. Warrington not well so R. Goes to see him & then at last the last stage of our 
journey to home.
Babies & mother at station & we all nearly burst with joy.
And Pax looks too lovely & home - oh what a home coming !
  
Tue 19 Apr 1921                  [home ]
All too lovely we can’t settle down to anything but simply gloat.
The good household all so pleased to have us back too. 
 
Wed 20 Apr 1921                  
Mother leaves in the car  for her “flat “ home.
 
Thu 21 Apr 1921                  [ London]
To London for the day. Meet dear Alice Bekrens & Olivia Burges at Guide H.Q Executive. 
Darly too - looking seedy. Lunch at Blue Triangle - & give “Carpenter” the Silver Fish. She was 
frightfully pleased & surprised. Call on Rosie Kerr (ill with flu) & Hilda B.P. Poor Warrington very bad.
 
Fri 22 Apr 1921                  [ home]
Robin to London & stays with Hilda, Warrington not expected to live poor old chap.
Miss Hill at Pax & do letters more or less all day.

Sat 23 Apr 1921                  
Robin in London, comforting Hilda, whilst they wait & watch by Warrington bedside.
  
Sun 24 Apr 1921                  [home ]
R. telephones to me at 12.0 to say Warrington had just died.
It is awful for Hilda - she adored him so .
R. returned home in evening & very tired, the lamb.
 
Mon 25 Apr 1921                  [London]
Run up to London in the car. Call & see Hilda, & looks very lost and Warrington as he lies asleep.
Lunch with mother.
Take her & Baden in car to see the Temple Church to arrange for Memorial service.
Stay with mother.
Hilda is so plucky .
  
Tue 26 Apr 1921                  
See Hilda early & call on Aunt Rosie.
Do work at G.G office .
Leave Waterloo 12.30 for Woking. Lunch with the good Jonah (Gladys Strode) & talk Guides hard.
Get home in time for tea.
  
Wed 27 Apr 1921                  
Robin left early to go to Golders Green. Where Warrington body was to be cremated.
The ashes to be buried at St Andrews where Hilda lived before she married him.
 
Thu 28 Apr 1921                  
To London early.
Call & see Aunt Ger. who is in London for a few weeks.
Lunch with  Mother, Arthur & Hopey there.I can’t get on with him. See  a Miss Kindersley about Girl 
Guides de Belgeques.
Memorial service for Warrington.
 
Fri 29 Apr 1921                  [ home]
Robin to London for the day . Got himself photographed.
Call on Ainsworths.
Home tea with the babies on the lawn.
Dear sweet good Helen Whitaker to stay for the night & tells us her sad decision about divorcing her 
husband.
 
Sat 30 Apr 1921                  
Bentley dep.              7.27
Waterloo dep.            9.0
Paddington Dep.       10.15
Shrewsbury arr.          2.0
Shrewsbury dep.        2.50
Llandrindod.                4.40

Stay “Ye Wells Hotel” for guiders Conference.
All Welsh Guide workers, & a jolly lot of about 160.
Talk to Guiders about India & Guiding.

May 1920 
Transcribed by Carol Taylor 
 
Sun 01 May 1921                  
Church. Inspect the two local companies.
Lunch at “Kingsland” boarding house where some are staying.
Good session on “Woodcraft” by Esme Trottor. Camp fire yarns in the garden in the evening. 
After dinner enrolment of 4 new ones & I talked.
  
Mon 02 May 1921                  
World Conference.
Miss Anson spoke on H.Q work. Mrs Harries (Lancs C.C) on Brownies.
Florence Rock on “Ceremonial” & a special session for Commissioners. Lunched with some guiders 
at I.F.S Hostel.
Public meeting after dinner - nice warm audience.

Tue 03 May 1921                  
Left with Darby in a car & motored through Radnor, Montgomery, Pausing here and there at villages 
to see Guides & Brownies en route . Picnic lunch, tea at Dolgellau, & arrive latish to stay at Darly’s 
little house “Cae  Canol” at Penrhyndeudraeth.
  
Wed 04 May 1921                  [ Wrexham]
Call on Sir Osmond Williams “next door” 
Motor past glorious Bethgelet ? ! Under Snowdon covered with snow to Bangor.
Public meeting in the University. I spoke rather well for me ! About 400 Guides paraded in big hall & 
I inspected & talked to them. Tea with Guide commissioners. 
Motored on to Abergele & Colwyn Bay & spoke at big school to 350 girls .
Arrived late to stay at Bryn Estragon , Wrexham.
  
Thu 05 May 1921                  
[page not received ]

 
 
Fri 06 May 1921                  
[page not received ]

 
Sat 07 May 1921                  [ home]
Robin fished.
Eve left in afternoon. She is a dear little soul & so good about her guide work.
 
Sun 08 May 1921                  [ home]
Rosie Kerr & her mother Mrs Henry Denison & the children (Alex and Rosemary) to lunch on their 
way by car to London.
 
Mon 09 May 1921                  [ Home]
Miss Nelson (American Girl Scout official ) to stay for the night. Nice woman, & very thrilled over 
the guide work that she has seen here & our ways of “putting it over” as she calls it !

Tue 10 May 1921                  [ Farnham]
R. & the kids & I run into Farnham to do shopping
R. fishes late, but catches nothing !
The coal strike situation is very serious.

Wed 11 May 1921                  
[page left blank]
 
Thu 12 May 1921                  
Robin to London and stayed the night at mothers flat.

Fri 13 May 1921                  
International Council meeting at 11.0
Meet F.E.G.A association at H.Q at 3.0.
Pickie came to stay.

Sat 14 May 1921                  [ home]
Lovely quite hot day.
Went for picnic down by Mrs Joy’s bridge over the river, taking all the babies and picnic with us.
 
Sun 15 May 1921                  
[page blank]
 
Mon 16 May 1921                  
Drove Pickie over to Slough . Picnic in Windsor Great Park on the way. Guide Rally - quite small 
affair.

[bottom of page, different pen, probably train times]
Slough dep.           4.03     Or  4.33
Reading arr.          4.43           5.15
Reading dep.         5.20           6.05
North Camp arr.    6.05           6.52
 
Tue 17 May 1921                  
[page not received]
 
 
Wed 18 May 1921                  
[ page not received ]
 
 
Thu 19 May 1921                  [ London]
Alice & Robin and I to London & stay at Rubens Hotel . All three of us to the Mercer’s Dinner, given 
in honour of Prince Henry on his becoming a Mercer.
  
Fri 20 May 1921                  [ London]
Guide H.Q Committee. I took the chair. 
Lots of people to talk to at lunch.
“The Times” interviewer to see me for short talk. Guide H.Q Council Meeting.
Robin took the Chair .
Dinner given to us at Rubens Hotel, to welcome us back , by Guide & Scout H.Q Committee & Staff .
Delightful party.
 
Sat 21 May 1921                  [ home]
Leave London early after breakfasting with Alice, Vera Bowens & Mr Everett.
 
Sun 22 May 1921                  [ home]
Take Peter & Heather to church.
  
Mon 23 May 1921                  [ home]
My old God-mother, Aunt Ger to stay.
She is a dear person, and has always been very sweet to me all my life.
Take nurse & babies to shops in Farnham.
Call on Mrs Hind & Mrs Kennedy (wives of 13th Hussar officers ) at Tilford Road. 
Mrs K. in but other out.
 
Tue 24 May 1921                  [ Farnham]
Robin fishes by the hour & loves it.
Take Aunt Ger & babies to Farnham & call on Mrs Watson Smyth (13th Hussers) at Heath End.
She was away ill with appendicitis.
 
Wed 25 May 1921                  [ home]
Robin to London for a Mercer’s Dinner & stayed night too.!
  
Thu 26 May 1921                  [ home]
Take Aunt Ger for small drive in Jimmie.
She pinched her finger rather badly putting up the hood & nearly painted.
Robin returned.
 
Fri 27 May 1921                  [ Home Pax]
My old God-mother, Aunt Ger to stay.
She is a dear person, and has always been very sweet to me all my life.

Sat 28 May 1921                  [ Reading]
Take Monty in Jimmie over to Reading. Lunch in Reading Club with Berks Division Commissioners.
Berks County Rally under Miss Benton. Quite good. About 1300 present, competitions, nice & 
informal & I talked at the end.
  
Sun 29 May 1921                  
[page Blank]
 
Mon 30 May 1921                 
The builder Mills starts doing up bathroom.
 
Tue 31 May 1921                  
[Page left blank]

June 1921

Wednesday 1 June 1921
Heather's birthday.
Monna gave her a scooter bike.
Mrs Paine & 3 Paine children, Mr Harrap and Eileen and Michel to tea.

Thursday 2 June 1921
Robin to London for lots of work and his 13th Hussar dinner, the Mercers tomorrow in London and 
then he goes North for Scout Conference at Carlisle – and a wee bit of fishing if possible with my 
dear old pal Ba Mounsey-Heysham.

Friday 3 June 1921
To London for the day. 
See Miss Atkinson-Grimshaw (re Brazil). Enquiry in to Essex Guide Affairs at H.Q.
Old sister-in-law Agnes made herself C.C. and is not really doing it well.  See Lady Pembroke about 
Wiltshire and do some  shopping.

Saturday 4 June 1921
Walk down to the opening of tennis club, in the village.

Sunday 5 June 1921
[Page left blank]

Monday 6 June 1921
Robin returned 

Tuesday 7 June 1921
Eileen down for the day.  About 40
members of  Women’s Institute to tea.  Had it on the lawn & they strolled about & played feeble 
games very happily.

Wednesday 8 June 1921
Babies and I attend Mrs Eggar's district Rally on Kingsley Common.  Very jolly.
Miss Bigweather[?](Guider)
Sheila Burges[?], Molly May & Joan Roseworthy to tea after it on their way back to their respective 
homes.

Thursday 9 June 1921
Hilda left & Robin to London for the day getting back in time for late tea and to go to fish for a bit.
Mrs Lewis White comes out by bus for the afternoon & tea.  Nice woman & doing Guides well at 
Farnham. 

Friday 10 June 1921
With Robin to London to see Lady Sanderson at the office (Guide Com. in Calcutta)  Also saw Mrs 
Sims (wife of Admiral Sims) from America.  Lady Carmichael comes to lunch to talk over Guide 
matters in India.  In afternoon see Mrs Walter Rawnsley (Lincs) & Miss Cracroft Wilson who is doing 
Guides in New Zealand. 

Saturday 11 June 1921
Maj & Mrs Kennedy, who have rented Perrylands for a few months, called.
Hasties to stay.  Drop him at river to fish at once.
Robin lunches with regiment & attends Scout Rally at Aldershot.
One couple belonging to Camping Club comes & camps on the drive.

Sunday 12 June 1921
[No entry on this page but a small announcement-type cutting from a newspaper (or perhaps an “art 
catalogue) is affixed to the left-hand side of the page which reads as follows:]

MR. HENRY WARRINGTON SMYTHE BADEN-POWELL,  
K.C., of  3 Chelsea Court, S.W., son of Professor  
Baden Powell, of Oxford, and brother of Sir  
R.S. Baden-Powell, the Chief Scout   . .     . .     . .      . .   2,149  [perhaps a Lot Number ? ]

Monday 13 June 1921
Hasties left early.  Take Peter, & picnic lunch on Hogs Back & on to visit Dane Court School near 
Pyrford [near Byfleet].  The head is Pooley & I liked him & his wife & the school when it was at 
Parkstone.  Peter liked it! & thought he would like to come to it.
Home via Aldershot, & tea in a shop there, which P thought very grand!

Tuesday 14 June 1921
Took babies to picnic near footbridge on path from station to Pitkins Farm.  They paddled a bit & 
loved it. R. fished.

Wednesday 15 June 1921
[Page left blank]

Thursday 16 June 1921
Darby Rudyard-Helpman to lunch at the Portsmouth Club
Guide Executive
[continues in pencil]
Mrs Paton (Quebec) 3.0.
Mrs Craufurd 3.0.
Lady Blythswood 3.45

Friday 17 June 1921
[Page left blank]

Saturday 18 June 1921
Both of us to London early.  Robin does a big Wolf Cub Rally in London.  I run down to Chelmsford 
and do an Essex Guide Rally.  Rush back to London again and catch the evening train home. 

[Pencil notes below indicate train times as follows]
Chelmsford dep 5.04
London arr 5.48

Sunday 19 June 1921
All of us to Church.  Canon Storr’s last Sunday at Bentley.  He is a nice good parson and now goes to 
be a Canon at Westminster 

[`-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
National Census :-
Name           Post    Age   Born                  Birth 
Robert          Head     64 4  Paddington, London      Feb 1857
Olave           wife     32 4  Chesterfield Derbys     Feb 1889
Mabel Court     Servant  25 4  Exeter, Devon           Feb 1896
Ethel Court     Servant  20 11 Exeter, Devon           Jul 1901
Grace Fisher    Servant  18 3  Hemel Hempstead, Herts  Mar 1903
Margery Pride   Servant  15 5  Yate, Glocs             Jan 1906
Hilda Austin    Servant  24 11 Speldhurst, Kent        Jul 1897
Kathleen Austin Servant  17 9  Speldhurst, Kent        Sep 1904
Ernest Court    Servant  29 10 Bradninch, Devon        Aug 1892  

Speldhurst was the home of Olave’s father’s childless elder brother.
---------------------------------------------------------------- ]

Monday 20 June 1921
[Whole page left blank]

Tuesday 21 June 1921
Darby to stay at Pax. 
Queer pathetic unbalanced little soul she is - & Guiding is everything to her

Wednesday  22 June 1921
Robin went over to Eton in the evening to give an address to the “Political Society” at the school.

Thursday 23 June 1921
[Whole page left blank]

Friday 24 June 1921
Robin in London.

Saturday 25 June 1921
Early train to London.   See Lady Margaret Macrae, Miss Anson, Lady Carmichael.
Lunch with Lady Cable (Grosvenor Square) to talk about India guide matters.
London Guide Concert at Albert Hall. H.R.H. Princess Mary came in Guide kit, & Princess Louise 
came too.  Splendid choir of 1000 Guides sang well.  Jolly affair.

Sunday 26 June 1921
Robin and I to tea with Joys at Merelands.  
Her brother Reckitts of “Blue” fame. [Reckitt’s Blue was a well-known laundry whitening product]

Monday 27 June 1921
Heather broke her arm, falling on the elbow off Caesar as he walked down slope into the rose garden.  
Dr Jones “first aided” - & Dr Hussey came later.  

Tuesday 28 June 1921
Heather had bad night & arm painful.  Dr Hussey came & re-bandaged it & I asked Miss Anson to 
“treat”.
Heather better in afternoon & evening. 

Wednesday 29 June 1921
Heather had a good night & distinctly better.  
Robin to London about his Scout “Bill”
Mr & Mrs Burkharat Ashton call.  They have come from the Wye Valley to live at Farnham.  Their 
daughter lived & worked with me at the hut at Calais during the war.

Thursday 30 June  1921
R. & I to London early.  He stayed the night at Mother's flat alone in her absence.  
Interviews at the Guide Office with Mrs St Loe Strachey re Red X [?Red Cross] affiliating with 
Guides.
Lady Rees Davis re G.G. in Bermuda
Mdlle[sic] Jentzer re Guides in Switzerland 
Mrs Sampson re Guides in China
Lunch with Mrs Water at the Club.
See Miss Peyton a possible nursery governess.
Home to Pax in evening

July 1921

Friday 1 July 1921
Took Heather in to Farnham & Dr Hussey took an X Ray Photo of her arm.  Small piece of bone 
broken off & slight crack in bone above.  Doing well though & she is more her jolly self again.

Saturday 2 July 1921
Left home early..
Travel from Paddington with Muriel Guinness. Arr. Leamington and lunch with her, Mrs Suckling, 
Lady Agnes Peel, Lady Waller, etc etc all Warwickshire Commrs.
Rally of all Warwick Guides.  About 1300.  Very good.  Boiling hot day.
Back to London & join Robin alone at Mother's flat after he had done Scouts at Peterborough & 
Huntingdon 

Sunday 3 July 1921
Returned home in the morning.   Heather as jolly as can be running about & playing with arm in a 
sling.

Monday 4 July 1921
Admiral & Miss Tupper called early.  Took R. to fish & babies played about by river after tea.  All 3 
are just darling!  [Heather 6, Betty 4,  Yvonne 2]

Tuesday 5 July 1921
Mrs Ferrand called with two 
Misses ?[space left for names] who are going to start Guides near Stockbridge.
Miss Eileen Peyton (possible nursery gov) to lunch to see us & kids.  Nice, & I hope she may come[?] 
when Nursey leaves.
Robertson children to tea.

Wednesday 6 July 1921
Take Nursey & babies to Aldershot Command Horse Show.  Picnic lunch in the woods near [space 
left for place name]
Very hot.  Babies loved seeing horses, but rather dull really.
Miss Acland Allen (C.C. Glamorgan) & her sister Mrs Giles to tea, coming from Fleet where the 
latter lives.  Also Mrs Hadow & Vi Warrender & young Pym who she is to marry in August.

Thursday 7 July 1921
Take children to tea with Paines.
This drought is really getting serious.  Everything is dried up & London even is running short of 
water.

Friday 8 July 1921                      [Durham]
Leave home early.
King’s X. dep 9.50
Arr. Darlington  3.30.
Met by Lady Gainford (C.C.) & Miss Storey County Sec. & motor to Durham. 
Tea & stay with latter in Durham near Cathedral. 
Motor over to Sunderland & had nice Rally of about 300 Guides.
Dine with Commr. Mrs Scott & then back to Durham. 

Saturday 9 July 1921                         [night train to London]
Walk about seeing Cathedral.   Lovely.
All Durham Commissioners come for a talk & lunch with Storey (Deaf father, nervy mother, guider 
sister etc)
Durham County Rally of about 1700 Guides at St Hilds College .
Boiling day – hotter than I’ve ever known it.  So no displays.
Sleep in train, leave 11.22
arr Kings Cross 6.0 a.m. Sunday 

Sunday 10 July 1921
Home by 8.40.
Heavenly to get back.  Slept in the garden all afternoon  - most unheard of thing for me!
Too hot to move in the day, & really quite like India!!

Monday 11 July 1921
Mrs Jeffreys & kids (Ruth & Paddy) & her niece to tea.
Niece running Guides at Hartfield, Sussex.
Robin returned. 

Tuesday 12 July 1921
Robin & me & all babies  
Started early in car with food, spare clothes & buckets & spades & arrived Hayling Island.  The 
babies nearly burst with joy – paddling & digging & basking in the sun.
Left again for home after tea after their most enjoyable day of their lives.
Delightful quiet place with lovely beach.  About 32 miles away.

Wednesday 13 July 1921
Old parson Cousin Jamie Powell to 
stay [ink fades; continues/overwrites in pencil] over Bentley
arr 1.31

Thursday 14 July 1921
Eve Fisher Rowe called with Miss Hill en route for Ascot & again en route back again . . .
[continues below this note written in ink with time in pencil]
[Note] Jamie left.   2.55

. . .  for dinner.
Miss Hill stays the night.
Robin to London for the day. 

Friday 15 July 1921
Robin to London for the day again!  Drove Miss Hill over to Fleet Station, & took babies too for the 
drive.
Robin returns 3.0 & Agnes B-P comes too for tea & goes on to see her friend Miss  Lushington.

Saturday 16 July  1921
St Pancras dep 12.15
Bedford arr 1.17
for Bedfordshire Rally.
Lunch at Ladies Club with Lady Lawson Johnson the County Commissioner  & Miss Hyde Harrison, 
the County Sec.
Very good nice “Guidey” Rally.
Boiling hot day.
Rushed off directly after a march past & caught train to London.  Dine at Waterloo station.
Arrive home 9.30

Sunday 17 July  1921
Peter [aged nearly 8] had lunch downstairs with R. & me in a “grown up” way!
Nursery tea

Monday 18 July 1921
Ran in early with Nursey & babies & they all deposited themselves in the Farnham swimming bath.  
All 3 more or less alarmed clinging to the rail but shrieking with joy.  Jolly place.
Consulted Mr Mills (Builder) re building a cottage in the paddock for chauffeur.

Tuesday 19 July 1921
Mrs Oakes (13th Hussars) & her cousin Mrs Wroughton called.  The latter was née May Oakes who I 
met in 1907 at Nowton Court & she is married to a cousin of R's friends the Wroughtons.  What a 
small world it is.

Wednesday 20 July 1921
[page left blank]

Thursday 21  July 1921
Both of us to London.  
Guide H.Q. Committee Interviews between whiles.
With R. To Buckingham Palace Garden Party.  Met lots of people we knew, but it was a crush, and 
the tea arrangements in tents not well done.
Both of us stay the night with Mother at her flat in Kensington 

Friday 22 July 1921
Leave early & go & “change my spots’” at H.Q.
Call & see Lady des Voeux at Overseas  Club [previously the Royal Overseas League in which Lady 
de V held several influential honorary positions], General Buildings, Aldwych about affiliating with 
Guides.
See Mrs Copeland (re G.G. in Italy) at office at 12.0.
Lunch with Sheelah Reede at her house in Eaton Place.  Have my hair washed.  Tea party at Mrs 
Austen Courtaulds to welcome American Girl Scout people, etc.  Mrs Choate, Mrs Ripperi, Eve 
Fisher Rowe, etc.
Alice Behrens returns with me latish to Pax.

Saturday 23  July 1921
Ran in to Farnham  & fetched Miss Patricia Richards (Guider who goes to India for us soon) for lunch 
& talk.
Alice left. She is a dear.  Mr Wilson (Scout Commissioner in Calcutta) comes to stay.
Call for Mrs Jeffreys (at Perrylands) and all go to see Wisley G.G. Camp where there had been a bad 
fire.  All Guides sent away for safety.
To prize giving at Dane Court - Peter's future school.  The boys did a play.  Very pleasing.

Sunday 24 July 1921
[Ink from the previous day’s entry has seeped through the entire page making this day's entry, though 
short, somewhat illegible. The following is just discernible and believed to be accurate]
Glorious fine day.
Mr Wilson very quiet but we keep him busy clipping the hedge down the drive!

Monday 25 July 1921
Take Peter and Heather to swim.  They do love it.  Peter quite brave, & jumped in off the side. 
Call on new vicar, ex-bishop of Bloemfontein, Chandler by name with a spinster sister. 
Mr Wilson left.
Nursey tea as we missed it yesterday.

Tuesday 26 July 1921
Robin & I to London. 
See Miss Harris (Cairo guider) & Mrs & Miss Sampson shortly going to Siam, where they may be 
able to help start Guides.
Robin & I to Prize Giving by H.R.H. Princess Mary at St Paul’s Girls' school.  She inspected the 60 
Guides.

Wednesday 27 July 1921
Take babies to bathe in the morning, & “fit” for bathing dress bring made for myself!
Mr Mills submits plans of the cottage to be put up in the North West corner of the paddock for Bear to 
live in when he marries Nursie.

Thursday 28 July 1921
R. & I off in Jimmie.
Call & see Eve Fisher Rowe's guides in indoors camp at Ascot Heath House.  About 60.
Picnic lunch on Pinkney's Green – with stray chickens & ducks!
Visit Eton College  boys in Camp at Bisham Abbey.
Lovely run.  Very hot.
Babies to tea with Mrs Eggar.

Friday 29 July 1921
[Page left blank - spoiled by ink leaching from following day's entry. But halfway down, at line 10, the 
following pencil entry is just discernible]
Miss Eggar's Camp begins.

Saturday 30 July 1921
To Crondall District School to see poor little “Institution” Guide company. 
3 “Woodcrafters” (imitation Scouts) camping on the drive.
3 Children with nurse & me to Ferrand's Children's party with games.  Very jolly.
Called on old Mrs Bentink at Alton & saw her.

Sunday 31 July 1921
Church Parade for Mrs Eggar’s local district Guides who are in Camp by the river.  About 50.
Rotten sermon poor old Bishop – our new vicar.

?
August 1921

Monday 1 August 1921
[Pencil reminder on top half of page]
Mrs Shirley Jones to tea.
[Ink entry]
Bill came from Drs Hussey & Couchman for £29 1. for a few visits to Heather last winter etc.  Found 
that they charge £1.1.0 a time for coming to Bentley which I call outrageous!  Paid ... 

[1. Worth £1,175 in 2024]

Tuesday 2 August 1921
... the cheque which counts up to June 28th, including the X-raying of Heather s arm.

Motor over to Girl Guide Camp at Wisley to fetch Mrs Rippin, but she came direct to Pax instead.  
Such a waste of time & petrol!  but went to a lecture at the Summer School of Civics at Guildford  on 
my way.

Wednesday 3 August 1921
About 20 guides still left in Mrs Eggar’s camp came up to tea at Pax, & Mrs Pleydell Bouverie came 
over from Guildford to tea too.

Thursday 4 August 1921
Lord & Lady Plumer came over to tea with Col. Nicholson.  
Mrs Eggar, Stella Horsfall (née Ashton) & her mother, & Mrs Lewis White came too.
Maj. & Mrs Pole (Alton) happened to call & joined the unexpectedly large party.

Friday 5 August 1921
Robin & I to London early.   He went later in the day to Brocklesby.   
I left King’s X 11.30 arrive Spalding at 2.37.
Rain poured down - & though the county is dying for it it was a bore for Guide Rally at Bourne.
Inspected rows of poor wee Guides in coats & then they had tea & games & talk in a hall.
Stay with the C.C. Lady Ancaster at Grimthorpe[sic]
Not a congenial atmosphere to me.

Saturday 6 August 1921
Left Grimthorpe early.  Got to Lincoln about 1.0  Got taxi to take me to “Hartsholme”.  Find large 
lunch party there of Lord Liverpool's.  
Public address of welcome to R. & me given by the Mayor in Town Hall.  
Scout & Guide Rally at Hartsholme.
Rain came down suddenly in torrents & broke up the gathering.  R. & I motored off with Lord & 
Lady Yarborough to stay with them at Brocklesby.

Sunday 7 August 1921
To church – Lord Y. reads the lessons.
See the hounds in kennels.
Guide & Scout Rally at Grimsby.   Badly run with gaping crowd in a public park!  Rain came to stop 
it.
Tea party at the Abbey.
Call on guide camp in huts near Brocklesby.   Dear nice people these are
[Continues on next page 8 August]
Called at 5.30.
Catch 6.20 train.
Change & walk about for an hour at Retford.

Monday 8 August 1921
Mrs Besant, Miss Anson, Mr Everett  & Butterworth to lunch quietly at St James’ Court restaurant. 
Funny how that old woman2 loves lime light[sic] & I can’t make her out.  
She seems to have a huge following of her Theosophists (whatever they are!!)
Home to Pax.
[2https//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Besant] 

Tuesday 9 August 1921
Peter rather seedy & sick & small temperature.  Miss Hill comes   4.40 [time written in pencil]
Eve & Gwyneth Fisher Rowe to stay, coming in her wee motor in time for dinner.
Mrs Gadban (Alton) & her 3 little girls to tea.
Preparations beginning for building our wee cottage in the paddock. 
Heather suddenly very sick in bed – but alright next morning. 

Wednesday 10 August 1921
“The Den” plans marked out on the ground & bricks arrive for building to begin.
Miss Hill left.
Miss Anson to stay.
The curate, Mr Vincent, to call & stayed for tea.
Two lots of campers camping on the drive & 70 others camping in field near the river.  Peter alright 
again.

Thursday 11 August 1921
Visit the camp.  Very jolly scene.  Party of 50 – men & women – from Holland & other English ones.  
Admiral & Mrs Molteno and the 70 campers to tea on the lawn.  They played games & were very 
simple & jolly & happy.
Choates to stay, arriving in their car late. She is President of American Girl Scouts & we stayed with 
them in New York in 1919.  Miss Anson left.

Friday 12 August 1921
The Choates visit the camp.  Ten Scouts with young Eggar there too.
Choates leave.
A little rain at last.
Mr Everett to stay.  He is a good helpful hard working chap.

Saturday 13 August 1921
Mr Everett left 9.50
The Hon Sec for the Far East Guide Assoc. Miss Anderson to lunch.
Fetch her from Farnham  & she left Bentley before tea.  Nice sensible woman, and we had a great 
talk.
Mr Eggar, Mrs Eggar & Miss Waterhouse for tea, & Lady Selborne called in too at the same time.

Sunday 14 August 1921
[page left blank]

Monday 15 August 1921
Miss Kindersley comes for the night to tell me all about her experiences at the recent conference & 
camp of the “Eclaireuses” in France.

Tuesday 16 August 1921
Miss Kindersley left after lunch & Robin off too en route to see Boy Scouts Camp in France.
Mrs Anson (sister in law of our Gen. Sec. Miss Anson) living at Crondall called.

Wednesday 17 August 1921
Take babies with nurse to tea with Moltenos in Alton.
Showery, but babies have high old time in an old tiny dinghy on wee stream 4 feet wide, 1 foot deep!

Thursday 18 August 1921
Not getting on very well with C.S.[Christian Science?] just now, though I want to.
Wrote to ask Eve Fisher Rowe if she could tell me of any house I could “borrow” near the sea at 
Highcliffe (near where she lives) & she replied that we could have her house after the summer 
holidays.  Ripping plan & it is good of her. (See Sept 21st)

Friday 19 August 1921
Went in my best clothes to Mrs Joy's garden party.  Rushed home & got into uniform for Belgian 
guides’ tea party at Mrs Eggars at 5.0
25 or so camping near Guildford came over, & there was a Wolf Cub enrolment  too. Very jolly.

Saturday 20 August 1921
Robin returned from France, having had a most interesting & successful time, looking into these 
Scout Camps run and financed by America for poor French boys.
Bentley flower show.

Sunday 21 August 1921
I can’t go to church.
It puts my hackles up!

Monday 22 August 1921
R. & babies  & nurse & I off in[sic] by car early through Winchester, New Forest  to Bransgore.
See Eve Fisher Rowe’s house “ The Croft”.
Picnic lunch on beach & afterwards bathe near house rented by her sister.  Large bathing party.
Home to Pax late.  Long day, but babies adored it all.

Tuesday 23 August 1921
Mr Mullins, water diviner, came & found water wonderfully with his little twig.  Walked about the 
lawn & the twig twitched & bent in the most marvellous way.  He says the present well we use would 
supply plenty of water for the new cottage.
Our new Airedale – Vic – that we have bought from an advert arrived – a strong vigorous nice 
creature.

Wednesday 24 August 1921
R. to London for the day 
Miss Stringer & Miss Coolidge, Girl Scout officers from America, come to stay at Pax.

Thursday 25 August 1921
Miss Stringer & Miss Coolidge left.  Nice girls.
New Airedale dawg[sic] “Vic” (price 8 guineas) quite a success & nice though plain to look at!
Mrs Eggar to tea.

Friday 26 August 1921
Pickie to stay, arriving by road. 

Saturday 27 August 1921
Monty (Asst. Sec at Guide H.Q.) to stay. So nice.
“Auntie Mab” Pickering 2 also comes.  She is Hon Sec of our next big Conference at Swanwick and 
lives at the Bentley near Doncaster.
2 [Alice Mabel Pickering,(1861-1939) MBE, who started her first Guide Company in Doncaster, and 
increased county membership to over 12,000 by 1936 when she was  awarded the Silver Fish by HRH 
The Princess Royal.]
Pickie sleeping happily in the summer house!

Sunday 28 August 1921
“Do” Swanwick Conf. business all morning. 
Pickie leaves in his car.  
The children simply adore him & he is so nice & jolly with them as he is with everybody.

Monday 29 August 1921
“Auntie Mab” Pickering & Monty leave.
Lettice to stay for a holiday, but some work gets done too.
Pickie returns for one night.
Mrs Booker & daughter & nephew & niece to tea.

Tuesday 30 August 1921
Sir Robert & Lady Coryndon to lunch.  He is governor of Uganda & old friend of R's.  Mrs Chappé 
Hall keen Guider from India to stay.
Patricia Richards to stay too.  She is a good nice girl & will have a big tough job training & doing 
guides organisation in India.
Pickie left in his car.

Wednesday 31 August 1921
Run in big car to Farnham  - all of us – 
& get the babies’ hairs cut & do shopping. 
Mr Chappé Hall to lunch & motored his wife away.
Pat, Lettice, R. & I take tea & pull rushes in the river by Isington.   Such fun & so filthy!

September 1921

Thursday 1 September 1921
Robin went partridge shooting with [us?] & old R. & B. Eggar.
Lettice leaves
Pat leaves also.

Transcribed by Rosie Healy
Friday 2 September 1921
Up to London early.  See Mme Malkowska (guide in Poland)
See Miss Miall for her to write articles on guides
See Mrs Stourton, (Tasmania Guide V.P.)
See Mrs Cartlidge, who has done wonders with organising Guides in China.
Lunch at the Club.  See Miss Balfe re C.W. League
Pat Richards & I leave Liverpool Street 4.55 for Ipswich.
Stay with Guide Commr. Mrs Paul.  Meet & talk to all her excellent nice Guiders in the evening.

Saturday 3 September 1921
Pat Richards  & I motor off to call on old Mrs Everett (Mother of our Treasurer  Percy) & Lady 
Cranworth – to talk with latter about Guides in East Africa.   Also call on Guider Miss Wolton laid up 
ill.  Large lunch party of all Suffolk Guide Commrs.  Rally in the afternoon – Excellent. 
Rush off to catch train to London.  Dine with Monty at her lent house, & stay too.  She, Pat & me & 
her friend to the play “Threads”.  Good.

Sunday 4 September 1921
Robin picks up Pat & me at Monty's house (Regents Park way) in big car & off we all go to Gilwell 
Park.  Lovely place it is:  Scoutmasters training course going on.  See all over the place, chat with the 
men, see the new Scout film, & then off home – dropping Pat at Sunning hall Guide Camp on the 
way.

Monday 5 September 1921
Went in to Farnboro with babies to watch flying.
Friede to stay.  Poor old dear, she does love coming for her little holiday from Bexhill.   It is a real 
treat to her.
Mrs Pyne & her niece Mary Gibbons (County Sec. for Guides in Lincs) to call.

Tuesday 6 September 1921
Miss Wears[?] (Secretary at H.Q.) came for the morning to short hand letters for me.
Got through about 25.

Wednesday 7 September 1921 
Took picnic tea out to ruined house beyond Berstead[?].  Called on Mrs Furneau (Worldham Manor) 
but she was out.

Thursday 8 September 1921
Took Friede & babies in Jimmie & paid calls on Mrs Scott (Rotherfield Park) & Mrs Whatton at the 
Vicarage at East Tisted.  Both at home.
Picnic on hill near there & picked blackberries.
R. to London for the day.

Friday 9 September 1921
Lovely hot day.
Black-berrying picnic near Binsted, with all the children and darling Robin and old Friede.
It reminds her and me of the old very long ago days when we used to blackberry together at Pixton 
(1898!) and Cranborne (1899) and I was so young! [Olave would have been 9&10]

Saturday 10 September 1921
Robin to shoot with Col. Booker at Chawton.
Take Heather with me to lunch at Silwood & help with the film that is being done of Guide work.
Heather “adopted” for the afternoon by delightful Finchampstead Brownie Pack.  She took part in the 
Brownie dance for the film & I did “scenes” too.  Dorothy Cordes (the Comr doing the film) is
[Continues on next page Sun 11 Sept]
excellent & has worked awfully hard. 

Sunday 11 September 1921
All went blackberrying beyond Chawton.   Caught in rain showers, but returned home, picking en 
route, by the “Golden Pot” & “High Pull”.
Pickie motored up from 
26 Christchurch Road
Bournemouth 
arriving before tea.

Monday 12 September 1921
Pickie left early. 
Friede also left
Olivia Burges to stay.  Robin went shooting  with Mr Paine – who lives at The Welches, in Bentley.

Tuesday 13 September 1921
Robin to London for Mercers.  Back in time for tea party here.
Miss Mackenzie & Miss Grimston, Mrs Thompson, Mrs Ogilvie (Benstead)
Miss Milman

Wednesday 14 September 1921 
Did letters.  Went over the hill & picked blackberries. 
Olivia left after lunch.  Dear nice good guide. 
Tea party here.
Mrs & Miss Young,
Mrs & Miss Whatton,
Mrs Lempriere & two boys,
Sir Reginald & Lady & Miss Tupper 

Thursday 15 September 1921
Up early to London.  
H.Q. Committee meeting. 
Lunch at Club with Mrs Cassie, Pat Richards etc. 
Mrs Brady (Girl Scout Treasurer from America) to see me.  Also Mrs Foster Baillie (Canda)[sic]and 
Miss Beeman (who will probably help our guide development fund with the usual annual victory ball.  
Home to Pax taking Helen  Whittaker with us.

Friday 16 September 1921
Robin, Helen & I early to London.   All motor down to Ealing & see the Guide film.
Very good & nice.
Talked over alterations to it.  1.20 train back to Pax.  Miss Bewley came too to hold enquiry with 
Heather & Mrs Eggar into troublesome Miss Chicheley Plowden's camp at Hayling Island.  
R. seedy with chill & fever & went to bed for dinner.

Saturday 17 September 1921
Mrs & Miss Daniell[?]to tea yesterday.
Typed Helen's report of her “Plowden Enquiry”.
She left.  Sweet dear thing she is.  Mrs Ffoulkes (D.C. Bedford) camped on drive last night.
Admiral Tupper to lunch & went off with Robin in big car to Gilwell where a great camp of 200 
S.M.s who have done training there is to take place.  R. not at all fit but so plucky & would go.
 
Sunday 18 September 1921
Robin returned in afternoon, having had a splendid gathering  at Gilwell.  Had Belgian “Order of 
Crown of Belgium” given him there.  Lady Tupper etc. to tea to fetch Admiral T. away on his return 
with R.

Monday 19 September 1921
[page left blank]

Tuesday 20 September 1921
Run into Farnham alone in Jimmie to shop.
R. & I pull weeds in the river all afternoon.

Wednesday 21 September 1921 
I start early with small maid Grace by train, Mabel (cook) & Kathleen (nursemaid) follow later train 
& nurse & babies go by road to “The Croft ” Bransgore – nice little house lent by kind Eve Fisher 
Rowe.  Heather’s temperature  104 with excitement!! & had to go to bed on arrival.

Thursday 22 September 1921
All the babies & nurses & household spend whole day by the sea at Highcliffe, where we have hired a 
little bathing hut.
Bathed & stayed in an hour it was so delicious & warm.

Friday 23 September 1921                              Bransgore
[Pencil note:] Mother takes Yvonne to stay with Ger [?] 
[Continues in pen:]
Ditto like yesterday
Robin by night train to Scotland for some shooting & fishing.

Saturday 24 September 1921
Took babies to sea & left them there for the day.  R. stays at Ormidale, Argyllshire with Mrs Low.
Took maids to Bournemouth, lunched & left them there.  Ran on round by Parkstone  & look at Lyme 
Regis.  Call at Sykes' on Canford Cliffs & saw Mother there, staying with them for week end.

Sunday 25 September 1921
Bransgore
Household to church.
Took babies alone to sea in morning.
Peter rather seedy – just tired & did nothing all day. 
Mother & Sykes came to tea, bringing also poor sister Auriol's youngest baby Yvonne – who cries on 
every occasion poor mite.
[On 5 April 1919, Olave’s sister Auriol Davidson, nee Soames, committed suicide while her husband 
was living abroad.  B-P's took in her children – 3 nieces, Christian, Clare & Yvonne]

Monday 26 September 1921
Took babies to the sea.  Peter quite jolly.
Then ran over to Canford Cliffs  - took Mother to spend an hour by Auriol’s grave.
Lunched with Sykes.
Got back about 4.0 to Highcliffe beach & bathed.  Tea there with babies.  Meant to return to Pax but 
missed train, so stayed on in this nice little lent home.
The babies radiantly happy.

Tuesday 27 September 1921
Home to Pax early.
Robin stays with the Nobles at Ardkinglas near Inveraray & is having a jolly change.
Miss Plummer, Deputy Chief Commissioner for Guides in Canada, to stay.

Wednesday 28 September 1921 
Miss Plummer & I left Pax early.  Foggy, so train late.  Saw Mrs Gilbert (Girl Scout from U.S.A.) & 
Mrs Kennedy  (Comm. for Constantinople) at Guide Office. 
Catch train for Butterley [Derbyshire] & get to the Hayes (Swanwick) before tea ready to receive the 
big mass of jolly Commissioners for the Conference.  Nearly 400 came – old & young, fat & thin, 
grave & gay!
                 
Thursday 29 September 1921                  Swanwick
Perfectly excellent sessions all day practically. 
Dorothy Trafford spoke on commissioners' work.  Margaret Prior on camps, Miss Rogers on Country 
Dancing, Olivia Burges on badges.
Practical training work done too & all so cheery & happy & nice.

Friday 30 September 1921
Rosie Kerr spoke on competitions etc. & Loelia Buchan Hepburn had model inspection.
Tea with Scottish Commrs.
Hockey match.
Mrs Ravenshaw spoke quite charmingly on Thrift – ie National Savings.  Lady Goold Adams, Alice 
Behrens, Miss Plummer & I all spoke in evening on Guiding overseas.
Very delightful day.

October 1921

Saturday 1 October 1921                      Swanwick 
Esme Trotter spoke on woodcraft.
Miss Bewley on Rangers & Miss Heath on Brownies.
Free afternoon for special discussions (“confessionals) with different people on special subjects – i.e. 
Jamboree, Kindred societies, schools, equipment, etc.
Tea with Kent Commrs.

Sunday 2 October 1921
Splendid imposing church parade but as I expected R. to arrive did not go.
He came before lunch (having had long & tiring journey  from the Nobles in Argyleshire[sic])
Sessions for C.C.s & D.C.s  etc. seperate,[sic] then open session.
Tea with Surrey Commrs.
Rachel K. Shuttleworth spoke on Ceremonial.
After dinner enrolment & R. “summed up” splendidly. 

Monday 3 October 1921
Conference breaks up.
All sorry as it has been splendid.
Get home to Pax in time for tea.  So delicious being back, but so blank & empty without the babies.
The hall fire place has been successfully altered.

Tuesday 4 October 1921
R. & I (Maids Ethel & Margery also) to The Croft, Bransgore. 
Arrived Hinton Admiral 3.0 & went straight to the beach & found three sun burnt lambs deporting 
themselves in the sea!
Bathed & had tea there.  Quite lovely real holiday!

Wednesday 5 October 1921
Another lovely sunny day.
All down early to the beach, calling en route on T.N. & Mrs Wilson (who I used to play tennis with 
with Dad at Camp in 1910) living quite near here.
Sykes to tea at the tea house at Highcliffe & little Yvonne Davidson came too to tea with babies.
R. & I & all bathed & water quite warm.

Thursday 6 October 1921
Ran Robin in to catch fast train to London from Bournemouth Central.
Took babies in to Bournemouth to have their hair cut.  They then each had a joyous ride on hireling 
ponies by the pier, lunch in tea shop there & then walked on the pier.  Such a new experience for them 
& they did enjoy it so.
Left them there & home to Pax.

Friday 7 October 1921
Up to London early. 
International Council meeting at Blue Triangle [1]
Lunch there with a whole lot of Guide people.
Lady Cunliffe to see me about G.F.S. [2 ] co-operation.
Miss Greaves from Calcutta to talk about India.  Tea Party for F.E.G.A and others at Triangle Club.
Mrs Chappé Hall, Mrs Dutta
a guider from Switzerland 
“     “         “      Denmark etc.
R. & I home to Pax.
[ 1 Blue Triangle Club  - associated with YWCA]
[2  Lady Cunliffe was Central President of Girls Friendly Society, a charitable organisation founded 
in 1875 for girls and women, with similar ideals as Guiding, with branches throughout the 
Commonwealth and in USA  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girls%27_Friendly_Society]

Saturday 8 October 1921
Pulled up rushes in the river all morning.  Mr Martin (International Scout Commissioner) & Mr Miller 
from Bombay to stay.
[Pencil note underneath, just discernible due to previous page ink seepage:]
Arr 4.27 &5.0.
[Rest of page blank and spoilt with ink seepage from previous page]

Sunday 9 October 1921
Mr Martin & Mr Miller went to church.  Mahiwatti, our bearer in India was Mr Miller's man.

Monday 10 October 1921
Mr Miller left.
Sir Harry & Lady Emma Crichton to lunch on their way by road to London.  R. & I stayed with them 
at Netley when we were engaged.  Dear old people.

Tuesday 11 October 1921
Dug in the plot border & put bulbs in.
So hot couldn’t stay in the sun in the morning & so lovely. 

Wednesday 12 October 1921
Left Pax 11.0.
Train to Christchurch.   Jimmie met me there & got to Highcliffe beach by 2.30.  Bathed.  Mrs 
Sloman came to tea at tea house on the Cliff and Mrs Manser too and her daughter Peggy.  Gorged on 
fresh prawns!  Guides of Highcliffe, Christchurch  & Bransgore muster & I talked & enrolled some 
new recruits.

Thursday 13 October 1921
Played with babies on the beach all morning.  Walked up Chewton Glen with them.  Picnic lunch at 
bathing hut & off by train back to Pax in afternoon.
Robin returned late having spent day in London!

Friday 14 October 1921
See Miss Broberg (Swedish Chief Guide)  Also Miss Swift (possible worker in London & friend of 
Dame Katharine Furse.)  Lunch with Lady Carmichael at Blue Triangle Club.
Chair the Imperial  Council meeting. 
Quite satisfactory. 
Waterloo depart 5.4
Bentley arr 6.37
Bike up from station.
Blessed getting home to Pax.  Robin to Leeds for Scout Conference. 

Saturday 15 October 1921
Tidy the nursery & house all morning.
Up to London in afternoon. 
Tea at the Club with Monty & Rosie & Miss Cattley.  Attend jolly swimming competition for all 
London Guides in Westminster.   Very good.
Presented certificates  & said “few kind words”.
Take Miss Carey, dine at Eustace Miles restaurant3, & to splendid play “A Bill of Divorcement”.  
Beautifully acted.  A great treat.
[3famous vegetarian restaurant near Covent Garden]

Sunday 16 October 1921
Stayed at nice Blue Triangle  Club last night – a convenient place and marvellously cheap.  Darby 
Rudyard Helpman to breakfast there with me early.  Catch train & get to The Croft about 2.15 & take 
babies alone to the sea.
We all bathe.  Quite delicious.   Betty Hope (local guide captain) joins us on the Cliff fir tea.  How the 
babies have loved this change.

Monday 17 October 1921
Down to the sea for a last paddle with the babies.
Left The Croft at midday with them packed into the wee car .. Picnic lunch in Forest near Lyndhurst 
& home at Pax in good time for tea.
Robin returned from successful scout conference at Leeds.
Alice Behrens to stay. 

Tuesday 18 October 1921
Robin's cousin Charles Powell & his wife Daisy staying at Farnham.   Robin fetched them for lunch & 
then we took them back, calling on Forkingtons en route

Wednesday 19 October 1921
Alice left early.
Planted bulbs, helped (sic) by the three lambs!

Thursday 20 October 1921
Both of us to London for the day.  See Mrs Ravenshaw re “National Savings”.
Guide H.Q. Committee
See our new Guide film at Wardour Street.  Home to Pax together.

Friday 21 October 1921
Gidneys to stay at Pax.
He is very exceptional original Scouter and runs Gilwell Park Scouters Training Centre. 

Saturday 22 October 1921
Robin to London for work & his Old Comrades (13th Hussars) and his S.A.C. dinner as well.
He is a “oner”!

Sunday 23 October 1921
[Whole page left blank]

Monday 24 October 1921
Dear old Aunt Connie Smyth to stay.  She is Heather’s godmother, and had Robin living with her & 
old Uncle Henry Smyth  in Malta years ago.

[Pencil note below]
Rosie to Belgium
c/o Madame Morel
La Heronniere
Boitsfort
Belgium 

Tuesday 25 October 1921
[Page left blank]

Wednesday 26 October 1921
[Page left blank]

Thursday 27 October 1921
To London in the afternoon and stay with Mother at her flat.

Friday 28 October 1921
Go for Mother to see little niece Yvonne in rooms in Gloucester Road, give the old nurse notice & 
decide to take Yvonne to live with us while Bob Davidson [4] is in Ceylon.  It is too much bother & 
responsibility for Mother having charge of this small child as well as the two older ones.
[4 Robert Davidson was Yvonne’s father; his wife Auriol – Olave’s sister - died in 1919 leaving 3 
young children, Christian, Clare & Yvonne] 

Saturday 29 October 1921
Left Mother before lunch & got back to Pax around 3.0.
A guider from Oxon Violet Mason comes in her little car & Grace Browning (Div Comm. for 
Westminster & Mr Rodney Wood to stay too.
It is easier having several people together as they all entertain each other!

Sunday 30 October 1921
Florence[?] Rock for lunch.  Came down by road with her husband.
Miss Mason & Peter & Heather  & I to church.  Gladys Ainsworth came to tea.
Peter enjoying his birthday very much.
Had fireworks.
Robin enrolled Peter as a Wolf Cub – quite privately.

Monday 31 October 1921
House party dispersed!
Robin to shoot with Mr Summers.

November 1921

Tuesday 1 November 1921
Lettice to stay for one night & did about 40 letters for me.

Wednesday 2 November 1921
[Page left blank]

Thursday 3 November 1921
[Page left blank]

Friday 4 November 1921
Robin to London for the day.
Poured with rain all day for first time this year.
Did letters, sewing, tidying up house etc.  How heavenly this home is & how happy we all are.

Saturday 5 November 1921
Took babies to Farnham for dancing class.  Did shopping & watched them for last part.
Quite delicious.
Miss Gammon (possible successor to nursie Hilda Austen when she leaves) came from Woking for an 
hour & tea.  Liked her, & asked her to definitely consider coming.

Sunday 6 November 1921
Helen Whittaker 1 to tea – such a lovely and enchanting person  - to look at as well as to know, and a 
very good County Commissioner. 
It is fun to see what fine people we have got as leaders in the counties now.
[1.      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Whitaker]

Monday 7 November 1921
Old Mrs Burkhard-Ashton, who now lives in Farnham  & Pickie come for lunch to talk Scout 
migration with R.
Old B-A. managed the Scouts Hut in France & the Mercers Y.M.C.A. that I worked in at Calais 
during the winter of 1915-16 and is an ardent “Legion of Frontiersmen” leader.

Tuesday  8 November 1921                                 Ilkley
Run up early to office & see Miss Gibbs etc & then to the big “Ben Rhydding Hotel at Ilkley for 
North of England  Commissioners Conf. organised by Alice Behrens.

Wednesday 9 November 1921
Conference continues 
[Page left blank]

Thursday 10 November 1921
[Page left blank]

Friday 11 November 1921
Left Ilkley early for London.
[Pencil note] Miss Gibbs at H.Q. at 2.15
[Continues further down page in ink -]
Home with Robin. 

Saturday 12 November 1921
Motored over with R. to Sheffield Park near Uckfield (Sussex) to stay with old Uncle Arthur Soames. 
The gardens that he made for years are lovely but the house hideous – and all very rich and soul-less.

Sunday 13 November 1921
R. unveiled War Memorial at Fletching Village – more or less financed by Uncle Arthur who owns 
most of the land about here. 
Motored home to Pax late.

Monday 14 November 1921
Nasty feverish chill, so stay in bed all day.
“Beckie” Manser to stay to talk Guides.  She was kind to me years ago before I married & used to 
play tennis at the Parkstone Tennis Club & made me help with the I.C.A.A.[Invalid Children’s Aid 
Association] Boys Home there.

Tuesday 15 November 1921
Robin to London for the day & night.

Wednesday 16 November 1921
Babies to Harraps for tea party.

Thursday 17 November 1921
Robin & I to London 
Guide H.Q. Committee. 
See Miss Randall (from Bahamas) and Mrs Fleming who does Guides in S. Rhodesia.
Mrs Guggisberg (formerly Decima Moore the actress) to lunch.
Return home and Alice Behrens to stay.

Friday 18 November 1921
R. to London for the day and night.
To Hindhead to see a possible Guide nursery maid, and engage her – Hazel by name – found for me 
by dear nice Nanette Bewley. 

Saturday 19 November 1921
R. in London all day & evening presided at Camping Club Annual supper, getting home to Pax at 
midnight.

Sunday 20 November 1921
A sort of “Peace Parade” in Farnham and Robin and I go and inspect the Scouts & Guides in Castle 
Street. 

Monday 21 November 1921
Went to London in the car and took Peter to try on and buy all his Dane Court School clothes.
Collect Yvonne & her tiresome old nurse & all her luggage & get home to Pax for tea.  Yvonne is a 
bit younger than our Betty, but is big for her age.

Tuesday 22 November 1921
Yvonne’s  old nurse left & the child [aged just 3] cried a bit, but soon settled down.
Took all of them to Farnham & went round looking at houses for Aunt Ger, who thinks she would like 
to come away from London & live in the country.  None of them would suit at all.

Wednesday 23 November 1921
The new nursery governess Mary Gammon  comes.
Children all took to her at once.

Thursday 24 November 1921
Nursie (who we have had over 2 years) left to go to her home for a few weeks.
R. to London for his Scout County Commr's meeting.  He was not a bit fit poor dear.
Aunt Ger left.
Nursery tea.  Such a big party & Yvonne quite happy & good. 

Friday 25 November 1921
Robin returned. 
Mrs Griffiths, Bishop & Miss Chandler to tea.  Several more ought to have come & didn’t. 

Saturday 26 November 1921
Robin & I take Miss Gammon (Gammy) & our 3 children to the dancing class.
Yvonne shall go later on.  She is “coming on” splendidly & beginning to join in with the others' 
games.  Thick fog in afternoon. 

Sunday 27 November 1921
Sent little Maisie black cocker spaniel off to be married[sic] yesterday to a nice cocker dog at 
Chertsey.

Monday 28 November 1921
[Written in pencil -]
Mrs Baldwin brings a guider from Devon to see me at 3.0.
Carpenter & Mr Power to stay, arr 4.27

Tuesday  29 November 1921
[Written in pencil -]
Carpenter & Mr Power leave

Wednesday 30 November 1921
[Written in pencil -]
Robertson children to tea at 4.0

December 1921
Thu 1 Dec 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Fri 2 Dec 1921
Sat  3 Dec 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]
Sun 4 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Mon 5 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Tue 6 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Wed 7 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Thu 8 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Fri 9 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sat  10 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sun 11 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Mon 12 Dec 1921                       [ Blue Triangle Club, London ]
Tue 13 Dec 1921                       [ Mother’s flat in London ]
Wed 14 Dec 1921                       [ Rubens Hotel]
Thu 15 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Fri 16 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sat  17 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sun 18 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Mon 19 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Tue 20 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Wed 21 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Thu 22 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Fri 23 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sat  24 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sun 25 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Mon 26 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Tue 27 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Wed 28 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Thu 29 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Fri 30 Dec 1921                       [ Pax Hill ]
Sat  31 Dec 1921                        [ Pax Hill ]

December 1921

Thu 1 Dec 1921                                       
Pete to wolf cubs  5.? or 5.30  at Institute

Fri 2 Dec 1921                                       
Mrs Baldwin & Mrs Linzie to tea.

Sat  3 Dec 1921                                       
Mrs [?] fetches me at 2.0
Attend Helens Hants Conference at Wolvesey Hall Winchester 3.30
Brother in law Baden B-P. to stay

Sun 4 Dec 1921                                       
[Page left blank]

Mon 5 Dec 1921                                       
Mr Christian, Nisbitts the publisher's director, to lunch to talk over book about Princess Mary 
Local guide committee at H.O.to talk of local guide affairs & then large tea .

Tue 6 Dec 1921                                       
Baden left, but came back again unexpectedly & on way up from station hind wheel broke off jimmie.
Nurse maid Kathleen left & new one, a Patrol Leader from  Haslemere, Hazel Weeks came

Wed 7 Dec 1921                                       
Robin shoots with Mr Summers.
Nurse St George & Robertson small boys to tea. 
Great noise & hilarity afterwards with the whole pack of children.

Thu 8 Dec 1921                                       
Baden left and Robin to London for day and night for various Committees & things
Dear delightful Olivia Burges came by road from her home in Glos, to stay

Fri 9 Dec 1921                                       
Robin to London & back in evening
Work hard at revisions for book of rules for guides.
Carpenter to lunch, & then she & O.  go off back to Chipping Sudbury in O’s car.

Sat  10 Dec 1921                                       
Take babies to dancing class & do shopping. 
Ann Kindersley comes to lunch to talk over a propaganda book for guides next
Year.
Robin to do two Scout shows in London & back late.

Sun 11 Dec 1921                                       
[page left blank]

Mon 12 Dec 1921                                       
Leave home in morning
Lunch at club with Mr Heather, D.C. in Canada
See [?] Leicester at H.Q about book about H.R.H. Princess Mary to be written by Miss Cary a 
secretary at [?]   guide office. Tea with Lady Carmichael at her house to talk over India guide matters.
Dine & stay at Blue Triangle Club & attend jolly party there of all London Guide [?].

Tue 13 Dec 1921                                       
Go to see Princess Mary at Buckingham Palace. Congratulate her & discuss the book about her,
our guide wedding present etc. Gladys Strode Miss Rennie to lunch at the club to talk over the 
proposed gift of the house (Foxlease at Lyndhurst) to the guides.
To stay with Mother at her flat. Join  Robin at the old Charterhouse Founder’s Day party.

Wed 14 Dec 1921                                       
Shop with Mother & lunch at flat.
Leave at 3.30 & go to talk over wedding present with Princess Mary’s lady-in-waiting & have tea with 
her at Buckingham Palace.
Shop & go to talk at the club with [?]. Lettice Hill to dine with me at [?] restaurant & both go to 
Christian Science church in Curzon Street.
Stay at Rubens Hotel.

Thu 15 Dec 1921                                       
Go up to breakfast at the club with [?] Olivia, etc.
Guide H.Q. Committee I chair first part & then R. comes up from Pax.
Lunch at the club.
Finish committee in afternoon.
R & I catch 4.0 train home to Pax.

Fri 16 Dec 1921                                       
Robin to London for the day.
Turn out clothes of babies, do Xmas presents and sew. 
Mrs Furneaux called.

Sat  17 Dec 1921                                       
Wades come to stay.
To tea with Mrs Joy to meet a new guider, Miss De Wend, from [?]. Robin and I to
dine with Robertsons at Binstead. The nice Hadows staying there. Nice couples.

Sun 18 Dec 1921                                       
Garden

Mon 19 Dec 1921                                       
Major Wade left, but Eileen stays on & helps Robin with his book “Horses, Wine
Women and Highbrows”

Tue 20 Dec 1921                                       
Eileen left.

Wed 21 Dec 1921                                       
Run in Jimmie to Farnham to shop for Xmas. What a business it is!
Yvonne settling down quite splendidly, so happy and gradually
catching our ways.

Thu 22 Dec 1921
[page left blank]                                       

Fri 23 Dec 1921                                       
[page left blank]

Sat  24 Dec 1921                                       
Xmas cards pouring in & it really is rather wonderful getting kindly greetings from personal friends & 
Scouts & Guides practically all over the world.
Great joy amongst the babies over the hanging up of large stockings

Sun 25 Dec 1921                                       
Downpour of rain stopped us all going to church as we had intended.
Babies wallow in parcels – & in evening we have a riotous tea & Xmas tree. It
is almost too exciting for them but they love it.

Mon 26 Dec 1921                                       
[page left blank]

Tue 27 Dec 1921                                       
R. shoots at Chawton with Col. Booker. & then he & Major Hoare & Col. Richardson & Miss
Booker call for tea at Pax on their way back to Windsor.
Miss B. Is engaged to marry little Col. R.  on Jan 9th.
Gladys Ainsworth came up for a guide talk

Wed 28 Dec 1921                                       
Nursie (Hilda Austen) came back to prepare “the Den“ for herself & [?] to live in when they 
get married on.
Jan 12th R. shoots with Mr Summers
Village school children have tea party and Xmas tree at the school [?] and I walk
down to see! & “show interest “!

Thu 29 Dec 1921                                       
[?] and I take all four children to Mrs Joy’s children’s party. Very jolly & they loved it.
Peter to Cubs with Mrs Eggar as usual.
Hilda B-P. to stay.

Fri 30 Dec 1921                                       
Robin to London for the day, speaking at an educational conference. Hilda & I go to Bentley 
Women’s Institute party at the school at 6.0 for high tea!
Mis Sinclair, Eileen Wade’s assist. Sec. for Robin's work to stay.

Sat  31 Dec 1921                                       
Robin and I [?] in Jimmie to lunch at [?] with Nicholsons. The son General John is Robin's old friend 
& the party consisted of him, his old mother, & 3 sisters.
Stella (née Ashton) & her mother to tea.

Notes for 1922

Fri 3rd of Feb
10.45 for [?] & International Council

Wed  Jan 25th 
Windsor
---------------------------------------------------   

Fri 3rd of Feb
10.45 for [?] & International Council

Wed  Jan 25th Windsor
3.0
Pete to school, Friday Jan 20th
? 1st Sat in May Beckenham

Sat , June 10th 
Rally in West Riding

Fri 17th 2.30
[?] Council

Notes for 1922
Peter home for holidays
about end of March
for 4 weeks

Peter goes back to school 
about 3rd of May

Peter for summer holidays
about 27th July

Peter goes back to school 
about 20th of Sept.

July 8th Worcester
County Rally accepted

Notes for 1922
Loughborough (Leicester)
promised to go
sometime in spring
Arrange time later

Westmorland & N. W.
Lancashire 
May 25 & 27th 
go up night train on 24th 
to Leicester

July 1st. 
Kent County rally
accepted

Memoranda.

Bournemouth Girls
School asked me
to go Jan 30th –
declined – using Windsor 
as an excuse.

Jan 9th Women’s
Institute meeting at
the Hut at 2.30

  Smith-Dorien’s wife Olive's mother was the stepsister of Gen. Sir Arthur Power Palmer GCB, GCIE, who died 
in 1904. Horace and Olive Smith-Dorrien informally adopted Power Palmer's two daughters (Frances Gabrielle 
and Celia de Courcy), who were left homeless after his second wife's death in 1912. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Smith-Dorrien
  The voyage when she met B-P
  Wife of Sir Archibald Birkmyre, 1st Bt., senior partner of Birkmyre Brothers at Calcutta. See 
https://www.thepeerage.com/p14288.htm#i142875
  B-P’s first cousin, his mother’s sister’s son
  https://www.thepeerage.com/p6825.htm#i68242

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistral_(wind)
  https://www.durham.ac.uk/colleges-and-student-experience/colleges/st-hild-st-bede/

  Probably all 6 ?  Christian 9, Clare 8, Peter 8, Heather 6. Betty 4, Yvonne nearly 2
  “Aunt Ger” was Olave’s GodMother, and her mother’s unmarried sister.

  He was Governor of Malta 1890-93 & B-P was his a.d.c. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Augustus_Smyth

  Arthur Gilstrap Soames, elder brother of Olave’s father Harold.   
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/sheffield-park-and-garden/the-history-of-sheffield-park-and-garden

  Referred to later as “Gammy”.