Olave's diary for July to Dec 1925 Index
For Jan to Jun 1925, click here
Our grateful thanks to Derek Elwell for the transcription.
The text is entirey her words, except for anything in [square brackets], and the footnotes.
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July 1925
Wednesday 1 July 1925:
R. to lunch with 13th at Aldershot. Tea garden party at Pax, mainly for officers & wives of the 13th-18th past and present.
Col & Mrs Holdsworth (present Col), Capt & Mrs Miller, Capt & Mrs Cobb, Capt & Mrs Anson, Maj & Mrs Steche(?), Mr & Mrs Stirling — present officers came. Also Gen Smithson, Col & Mrs Spelling, Capt Battye & Maj Church — past officers. Had tennis & Bentley Scouts & Guides did jolly country dancing.
August 1925
Saturday 1 August 1925:
Mr & Mrs Julius Griffiths came to lunch & their boy “Julius Junior” of about 13. We stayed with them in Vancouver City in April 1923 & they were very kind. The children rode & Christian fell off Dandie who kicked him slightly. A lot of fuss but no damage!
Sunday 2 August 1925:
Robin goes off to Lincolnshire for a Scout Rally.
Herchard Mounsey-Heysham & his younger brother, Bill Gubbins, came over from Aldershot for lunch. We all go for a long ride on ponies & bikes round by Blacknest & Binsted. Herchard plays his bagpipes. Also tennis. Ruth Ainsworth to supper too & the boys left after it.
Ran down to Foxlease, with Miss Du Boulay and all four children. Picnic in the Forest on the way. Jolly camp of about 50 Cadets from schools, about 150 Rangers also in separate group camp & about 30 Guiders training in the house, with Jumbo Bewley in charge.
Tuesday 4 August 1925:
Miss Du Boulay went off for the day to see her brother at Wellington. Took the children for jolly bike ride (me on bike & they on the ponies I mean) through Alice Holt & back via Marsh House. Took Mrs Eggar & Miss Crocker to Mrs Tansy’s(?) party. Crowds of people all stuffed in to the house as it rained. Robin returned.
Wednesday 5 August 1925:
Children went riding. Otter hounds came to the river & killed one but we didn’t see them. R. & children picnic-ed & paddled & bathed in the river. I went to Mrs Joy’s garden party & played tennis & met everybody of the neighbourhood.
Thursday 6 August 1925:
Wet all morning. Children rode in afternoon. Peter to Cubs. Robin to London after tea for dinner given by Government to the International Prison Congress. He was so busy doing a crossword puzzle that he forgot to get out of the train at Farnham (where he had left Jimmi) so had to walk up from station at midnight!
Friday 7 August 1925:
Robin and Peter went off after lunch in Jimmajor with tents etc. to camp near Seaford. Miss Belgrave (D.C. for guides in Farnham) came to tea. She is leaving soon. Children picnicked & paddled & bathed in the river again. Played tennis with them.
Saturday 8 August 1925:
Robin wires to say they are so happy at their camp & it is so nice I must go & take Heather!
Take Miss Du Boulay & the three girls up to tea and tennis at Alice Holt with Mrs Fisher & her grandchildren, daughter & widowed daughter in law. Rather tied up with this and home generally but I must obey orders!
Sunday 9 August 1925:
Take Christian & Heather & Miss Du Boulay to swim in Farnham Swimming Bath. Directly after lunch dash off with Heather in Jimmy via Horsham & Lewes to Seaford. Jolly run through the county I “governed” for Guides in 1916! Found Peter & R. encamped in a delightful place at Cuckmere Creek near Escort(?) Farm. After tea children went for a long walk & I chased wildly after them to Birling Gap, thinking (on to next page) they were lost & R. went by the road. We got back to find them calmly eating supper having returned along the beach!
Monday 10 August 1925:
Slight rain in the night. Fine & lovely for breakfast in the open. Tidied camp. Run into Seaford to buy food. Rain began. Lunch in a tent. Bathed in the rain. Great fun tea in a tent whilst it poured & at 6.0 it cleared more had jolly out of doors supper & walk before bed.
Tuesday 11 August 1925:
Packed up camp into the two cars. Heather & I go in Jimmie, & R. and P. in Jimmajor & we go by different routes via Battle (where we call on Dr Kendal) to Bodiam. Picnic lunch by the lovely old castle looking across the valley to our little old home where all the babies were born. Run up to the Ewhurst village & see old village friends, Daws’ & Mercer the quaint old gardener, etc. & all so pleased to see us. Run on along the road we know so well, have tea at Wadhurst & camp in Powell’s garden at Speldhurst.
Wednesday 12 August 1925:
Cousin Charles & Daisy very kind. I slept in, but R. & the kids slept in our tents on the lawn. Packed up again, called on old Sergeant (13th) Mar, & then to Croborough (should be Crowborough). Called & saw old cousin Jamie & Ella Powell there. Picnic lunch on high ridge with glorious view & then run on via Forest Row, East Grinstead to Horley & call & see over dear little Mynthurst, where we lived 1917 etc. It has been beautifully altered & added to. Picnic tea near Dorking & then home to dear comfy Pax.
Thursday 13 August 1925:
Do letters all morning. After lunch R. & I run off with Heather in Jimmajor via Reading, Marlowe, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough to Aylesbury. Tea with Aunt Connie(?), & then I run Robin on to Leighton Buzzard & stuff him into the train for Weedon, where he goes to see the Cavalry School & tea with Col Weir. Heather & I stay with Aunt Connie. Will Flower there too, (on to next page) a huge tall boy doing well in the Police.
Friday 14 August 1925:
Heather rides the wee pony, Betty, & then we run off via Buckingham & Towcester. Picnic lunch & arrive Weedon 2.30. See horses jumping & being trained there. Motor back via Newport Pagnell & call in & have tea at Gayhurst with nice Carlile’s who we knew in 1904 & that sort of time. Stayed comfily with Aunt Connie.
Saturday 15 August 1925:
Take the road again& drive to Tring & there call & see Stanley Flower & his animals. Hurry on to London, as R. goes to Gillwell. Heather & I get out at Hendon, lunch in a bun shop & then go to Wembley. Drive round it all in the “Raidoloch”(?) & then see a ripping circus in the Stadium. Have a dash on the ice toboggan, a large tea & then train to London. Join R. & the car at Rubens Hotel & run home to Pax.
Sunday 16 August 1925:
Took children & Miss Du Boulay to bathe in Farnham Baths. Christian can really swim a little at last & Peter too, though rather “gasping”! The Ray’s to lunch. R. & I to tea with the Trevor Wrights at Emshott (s.b. Empshott).
Monday 17 August 1925:
Children ride in the morning & try & cope with a large accumulated post. Good letters showing progress of Guides in Australia which is doing so much better now. Take children to swim in the Farnham baths again. So good for them.
Tuesday 18 August 1925:
Take everybody swimming again & even swim myself too. Great fun. Children ride as usual. Go and call on new curate’s wife, Mrs Thomson, in Bentley. Found her in. Also call on Ford’s, some new people at the Crockers’ house. Also call on new parson at Holybourne & then on to Mrs Lempriere’s garden party. Quite nice, & met lots of people I knew.
Wednesday 19 August 1925:
Robin took three children early to see 13th Hussars doing riding school & jumping at Aldershot. I and Miss Du Boulay went by train to Farnham & joined them for swimming at the Bath, and motored back. Childre, to tea with Robertsons. Alice Baird came to stay.
Thursday 20 August 1925:
Christian & Miss Du Boulay went by train & I motored Peter and Heather & Alice Baird in to Farnham swimming baths & we swam vigorously. Christian & Peter both swam the length of the bath. Ran on out to Waverley Abbey for Alice to see Mrs Anderson, whose daughters were at her school, St James! Babies & I explored the ruins while they talked. Mrs Hyde Smith, D.C. in Isle of Wight came from London for tea for a talk. Sylvia Hulme to tea. (To next page) Alice Baird is a dear. She went with R. to see Treloar Home at Alton yesterday too.
Friday 21 August 1925:
All travelled up to London & on quickly to Wembley Empire Exhibition. Children played in jolly “Treasure Island”. Looked at “Newfoundland”, “South Africa” etc. Lunched in Hong Kong restaurant & had funny food! They also enjoyed Scenic Railway etc & all got home in time for supper. It is a most interesting place & one wants weeks there! Eustice Penberthy to stay.
Saturday 22 August 1925:
Eustice left. She has done 3 months helping guiding in Newfoundland for us & is very nice & a first rate Guide. Miss Belgrave came to see me about Farnham guide complications! Children rode their beloved animals in morning & when it rained all afternoon they rampaged on the floor with dozens of cushions & shrieks of laughter!
Sunday 23 August 1925:
Swimming outing again with the children early in Farnham. Herchard Mounsey-Heysham came over for lunch & rode & played trains with the children. Gladys Ainsworth came to tea — returned from the tour in Canada. Herchard left after supper. Quaint boy.
Monday 24 August 1925:
Robin working too hard again & felt “heady”. In spite of that though he walked to Farnham & we ran in in the car & joined him & I swam at 4.30 & then all had tea at Darracotts. Mr & Mrs Treharne from “Uptons” Haslemere called to see Barrel and agreed at once to buy her for £7.0.0.
Tuesday 25 August 1925:
Took children in to swim. Very cold when first getting in, but very jolly & had the whole place to ourselves. Small party here of about 18 children Robertsons, Eggars etc. Also Mrs Jones & her two, Mrs Leney and her child Anne & small niece too, Mr Eggar & five of his great nieces & nephews from Isington, etc. & the two Miss Lee’s & their cousin Miss Tristram & we all played tennis.
Wednesday 26 August 1925:
Took the children swimming again. Heather did just swim across the bath alone, but goes down very easily. All of us to tea and tennis with Ainsworths “down the drive”. Peter & Betty forget they are at a party & stroll off alone to play at the Eggars farm alongside! — These dear small people will forget to have manners!
Thursday 27 August 1925:
Take Christian & Heather & Peter to swim in Farnham again, though it is getting rather cold. Mrs Lewis White came to tea, and David Rogers — the Ainsworth’s nephew came to tennis with the children.
Friday 28 August 1925:
Started off at 10.0. Peter and I drove old Barrel the donkey in the tiny cart. I & the others rode the ponies & R. came along in the car to Frensham Pond. Babies — and the ponies — paddled & bathed. Picnic lunch. Then I went on with Barrel past Churt & Mr Treharne met me & walked Barrel away to his new home at Haslemere. Lost Vic at Frensham but he found his way home.
Saturday 29 August 1925:
Children rode as usual. Audrey Powell, mother of one of R’s many godsons, came from Arundel for lunch & tea. A keen Scouter & Guider, but mannerless. Robin to London with Peter to see 750 Roman Catholic Scouts off on a pilgrimage to Rome, & Cardinal Bourne spoke to them too.
Sunday 30 August 1925:
Peter a bit off colour. Robin took Christian & Miss Du Boulay to Farnham for them to swim again. Robin & I to lunch with Mrs Joy, as the Mannings (ex Governor of Ceylon) are staying there. Quite nice & other people there too. Dr Egidius (Scouts in Holland) came from London with his fiancée for tea. Mr Ernest Young came by chance to tea with his small goddaughter.
Monday 31 August 1925:
Find Peter rather seedy & suddenly running a temperature of 101. R. had planned to take him to France on Wednesday, so call in Dr Hussey who says certainly not & bed for today anyhow. Children rode & in afternoon I took the three girls to Frensham Pond to bathe again. Delightful place. They went to tea & tennis at the Rectory. Mr Fisher & Dick Lund from Scout H.Q. to lunch & tea.
September 1925
Tuesday 1 September 1925:
Peter normal, but Dr Hussey came to be on the safe side. Eileen Wade, home from her holiday, came up early to work and stayed to breakfast. Miss Du Boulay left, and escorted children to Mother’s flat. Spider, the hireling pony, left too. R. shot all day with Joy’s. I rode with Heather & Betty. Peter up to 99.4 in evening.
(more to follow)
October 1925
Friday 2 October 1925:
Run in to Glasgow early & travel down to Crewe. Change & get to Wrexham & taxi out to stay with Uncle Fred’s Aunt Julie Soames at Bryn Estyn. The married daughter Edith & Evelyn there. Sad distressful home rather but Aunt J. is a dear.
Saturday 3 October 1925:
A car fetched me from Bryn Estyn & took me to Chester. Lunched at Bishops House with Bishop & Mrs Paget, Mary Royden (Guide C.C.) & Lady Cholmondley the County President.
Two services in the Cathedral packed with 2000 guides each time & very nice & inspiring guides behaved beautifully. March past of the lot (about 4000) on Roodee Race Course. Large tea party & then displays massed singing & speakers & great enthusiasm. Stayed night with Mrs Paget.
Sunday 4 October 1925:
Leave Chester at 10.0 and wander slowly down to London by rotten stopping train. Wrote letters & read quite happily though. Tea at Waterloo & get home to darling Robin & Pax & the babies. Feel as if I had been away months! It has been quite fun though & nice to find guiding doing so well in Scotland.
Monday 5 October 1925:
Heavenly being at home again & Pax & the babies & everything seems more delicious than ever — and my own babies were utterly perfect. Do letters & household all the morning, and this batch of maids is good! Betty has a cold & small temperature so goes to bed. She is so sweet — both to look at, and in herself. R. & I rode with Heather up over the hill & through woods & all so jolly & peaceful. Herchard comes to tea.
Tuesday 6 October 1925:
Rosa Ward & Mrs Bagnal (Guide Camp Advisors) called en route from conference at Foxlease & Cookie Moore too.
She stayed to lunch & is soon going back to America where she is doing training for the Girl Scouts on our guide lines & helping a lot.
Betty better & up again. Heather picnicked with Robertsons. Gardened hard.
Wednesday 7 October 1925:
Robin went over to Aldershot to see the 13th Hussars entraining for Edinburgh, where they will be quartered now for a time.
We all picnicked up on the hill & the children rode there & then we all picked 15lbs of blackberries.
Glorious hot day.
Thursday 8 October 1925:
Gardened all day.
Friday 9 October 1925:
Robin to London for Mercers. He also had a tooth out as he broke it in half playing with Betty last evening.
Took Ardeline & babies blackberrying. Picked 5lbs up beyond Bury Court & at Barley Pound. They lunched with Robertsons. Chaired Bentley Girl Guide Committee meeting in the Memorial hall at 3.0. Tea with Ainsworths & fetched R. from station.
Saturday 10 October 1925:
To London early & go to office. See Lady Congreve about Guides in Malta. Robin motors from Pax to Sheffield Park.
Also talk with Rosie Kerr re new C.C. for Berks. Also talk with Katherine Furse about giving up the Chief Commissionership. Lady Radwell (new governor of British Guiana) lunches with me at the Robertsons to talk Guides. To the “Post Guide” gathering at Swedish Church Hall, Marylebone. About 100 poor blind & cripple guides are (to next page) brought to this tea party & they love it. Very pathetic, but very nice too! Well run by Joan Fryer & Joan Raxworthy. After it catch train to Haywards Heath & join R. for night with Uncle Arthur Soames. R. had opened their local Scout Hut in Fletching in the afternoon. Jeffries etc staying too.
Sunday 11 October 1925:
R. & I motor home to Pax, picnic lunching en route close to Little Mynthurst.
Monday 12 October 1925:
Wrote letters & gardened. Robin went off in Jimmajor to do grayling fishing for a few days on the Wylie near Salisbury with Mr Stallard.
Dropped us near the White House & we walked home & picked 4lbs blackberries with the children riding. After dinner went to the meeting at the Memorial Hall to elect its new Committee.
Tuesday 13 October 1925:
Took Ardeline & children in Jimmie blackberrying up by “High Pull” lane & back via Upper Froyle.
Gardner, the horse dealer ’phoned to ask if we would like to buy the old hunter, Spider for £12! Such a quiet nice animal & the children loved it so I think it a good bargain.
Wednesday 14 October 1925:
To London early. Attend meeting of International Council at H.Q. Lunch with Rosie Kerr at the Portsmouth Club. Call & see Lady Agnes Peel about her taking Vice Chair Guide Imperial Council. Good overseas Guide tea party given by Miss Lawson Johnson. Guide people there from Malta, Ceylon, India etc.
Go & see Aunt Ger & change into mufti in her flat. Stay night with Mother.
Thursday 15 October 1925:
Went to Aunt Gertrude’s flat & changed into uniform.
Left Kings Cross and trundled up comfily to Harrogate for North of England Commissioners’ Conference at Granby Hotel.
About 100 there and all so jolly and keen and friendly. Helen Davidson talked on Rangers & Miss Clarke told stories.
Friday 16 October 1925:
Talk on Commissioners’ “Woes and Joys” by Nellie Howison Cranfurd (my dear D.C.C. for Scotland) & I chaired an open session.
Tea party given by Lady Bain, local Guide President for the Conference delegates & Harrogate Local Assoc. I gave short address to these. Held an enrolment and summed up in the evening & closed the Conference.
Saturday 17 October 1925:
Left Harrogate early with Alice Behrens etc. Lunched at Holm Acre Altrincham alone with Alice.
To Manchester & had wonderful Rally of eight thousand Guides in the Royal Exchange. I talked & they sang & marched past. Splendidly managed & very thrilling.
Motored to Oldham & had Rally of 3000 more Guides & I talked to them & also separately to grown ups. Then on to Oldham & had another Rally of 1000. All so enthusiastic.
Sunday 18 October 1925:
Stayed last night with dear old Alice. Those Rallies were very jolly yesterday!
Plan with Alice about her going to Australia to do Guides next March. Walk round to see her sister Norah Clegg in her new house.
Train to London and catch evening train home to dear Pax.
Robin away at a Scout Conference at Llandrindod Wells about Wales.
Monday 19 October 1925:
Do letters and settle myself in my nest again.
Robin returns in evening and Alice comes to stay too, bringing her Sealyham terrier Pat also. Do lots of letters for her as she had over 900 condoling her on the death of both parents.
Tuesday 20 October 1925:
Alice and I go to London for usual H.Q. Committee. Lunch with Katherine at her club in Dover Street.
Call and see poor little Eve Fisher Rowe — very ill in bed, — in her house in Thurloe Square. See Lady Asser re guides in Bermuda. See Winifred Gordon, Betty’s godmother, for small talk.
See Miss Hollist re guides in Malta. Talk shop with Monty at H.Q. Home to Pax with Alice.
Wednesday 21 October 1925:
Mrs Currer Williams from Alton calls to see Alice as an old friend & brings Mrs Yates also as a potential guider there.
Walk to Post Office. Do dozens of letters for Alice as well as my own! Yesterday “Spider” the new “quad” came so we now have four!
Thursday 22 October 1925:
Alice went to Foxlease.
Robin went to London for S.A.C. dinner.
Miss Livingston (Guider from S. Australia) to stay. Good keen girl & her father was one of the people to choose the horse, old Black Prince, for R. in South Africa in 1901.
Friday 23 October 1925:
Miss Livingston and the two children and I all go riding round by Isnage, Rain comes on & we bundle home. Babies to tea with Robertsons. Robin returns.
Saturday 24 October 1925:
Robin, Ardeline (Smith the temporary governess) & the children & I motor to Woking & pick up Peter. Picnic lunch near Pyrford. Take the three children to the dentist in Woking & leave them there whilst R. & I go to lecture by Mr Pooley at Dane Court on Common Entrance exam. Pick up kids on the road again & have tea at Huts Hotel in Wisley. Mr & Mrs Green to stay.
Sunday 25 October 1925:
Do about and garden all day. R. & Mrs Green ride with the children. “Pip” Power comes to stay the night. Good nice keen young Scouter. Dymoke Green is very nice too & his wife is D.C. for guides at St Albans.
Monday 26 October 1925:
Robin & Greens & I motor to Foxlease in pouring rain, taking Kobe (sheep dog) to give to Craze the gardener there as we don’t want him. Lunch there & R. takes Greens to station whilst I talk to the 25 “Lone Guide” people who are having their first Conference here. Motor home, taking Alice & her dog with us & have tea in Winchester.
Tuesday 27 October 1925:
Do letters hard all morning. Alice rides Dandie with R. on Spider & the two children. So good for her. Young Eggar comes to tea. Little James Wade stays the night here.
Wednesday 28 October 1925:
Alice leaves. Garden hard. Hear from Mother that brother Arthur has had his broken leg operated on. He was damaged by a fall at Aldershot in the war & has been so lame for years.
Thursday 29 October 1925:
R. went fishing in Mrs Fisher’s lake in Alice Holt. I rode with Ardeline & children round by Froyle & the Manor House up there. Very jolly.
Friday 30 October 1925:
Lettice Hill comes & we do guide letters more or less all day. Robin to London for the day.
Daisy Low (Girl Scouts of America) to stay for the night. Very deaf & quaint but has vision & keenness.
Saturday 31 October 1925:
Daisy left early. To Farnham to shop. Lettice left. R. & I took children to the performance of “The Taming of the Shrew” in the village. Really quite well done, by Mrs Needham & husband, Honor Leche etc. Met Crommelin’s there & had them to tea at Pax. He did Scouts in Bristol before, now in Farnham.
November 1925
Sunday 1 November 1925:
Packed & gardened & wrote letters about my giving up being Chief Commissioner. It is all making rather a fuss & talk, but the County Comms. are lambs, so loyal & so good to me & they do trust me wonderfully!
Monday 2 November 1925:
Robin to shoot with Mr Summers.
To London by 12.27. Attend “Nominations sub-Committee” at Guide H.Q. to plan for next year. Go & see brother Arthur in a nursing home at 18 Dorset Square & have tea and talk. To the Stores to shop. Dine at Euston Hotel. Entrain in Irish Mail at 8.0 & sleep well. Dress & climb on board the steamer at 2.30 & sleep there again.
Tuesday 3 November 1925:
Arrive Kingstown 8.0 & met by about 12 guiders & Miss Poe, Dublin C.C. Motor to Powerscourt for breakfast.
Guiders from Cork etc come for a talk in the morning. Rally of about 150 Guides at Bray, with good displays & I talked. Tea there. Motor to Dublin & have another tea with all the County Dublin guiders. Splendid lot. Dine at Shelbourne Hotel. Rally of about 1000 ripping guides in the Mansion House. Awfully good displays. (To next page) Stayed with Miss Poe for night near Dublin.
Wednesday 4 November 1925:
Left Dublin 9.15, seen off by guiders. Inspected a company of guides on Dundalk platform whilst train waited! Arrived and “officially received” by guide people at Belfast. Motor to Hillsborough & saw companies of guides at villages on the way. Stay with Duchess of Abercorn at Government House. Dinner in Belfast with all Ulster Commissioners. Big rally of about 1500 enthusiastic jolly guides & I talked.
Thursday 5 November 1925:
Duke & Duchess most kind and friendly & this is very interesting seeing conditions here. To Belfast at midday and I open their big “Red Hand Bazaar” for guide funds for Ulster. Great success. Lunch there & then buy things and autograph programmes & talk for hours! Most tiring, but all so friendly & nice. See Bridget Tallents (née Hole) & Ulster Guide H.Q. & tea at club & then sail from Larne to Stranraer. (To next page) Stay night with Lord & Lady Stair at Lochinch near Stranraer. Very kind. Lovely garden.
Friday 6 November1925:
To Paisley, Nellie Cranfurd joining me at Ayr. Mrs Fergusson Buchanan motors us to Helensburgh. Talk to public and then open Scout & Guide H.Q. Hut there. Run quickly to Dumbarton & have rally of about 800 guides. Inspect & talk to them.
Run to Glasgow & dine at Kelvin Club. Motor to Hamilton & attend meeting of public & talk to them & all the Lanarkshire guides after it. (To next page) Stay night with Mrs Forgie — C.C. for Lanarkshire.
Saturday 7 November 1925:
Motor to Pollokshaws and lunch with Lady Stirling Maxwell, C.C. for Glasgow City. To Glasgow and am rushed around to seven separate rallies of Guides & Brownies, seeing about 10000 in all. Do a speech Broadcast on wireless. Quiet dinner & then reception of about 70 guiders etc all to be talked to! Stuffed into bed in train (…)
Sunday 8 November 1925:
(…) and arrive Euston 7.30. Catch early train from Waterloo home to dear quiet Pax & Robin.
Take children for walk ride. I did all my dozens of “follow up” letters in the train each day as I went along. It is hard work! but so worth it!
Monday 9 November 1925:
Robin to speak at Aldershot & then to civic lunch at Guildford as a Freeman of the city! Ardeline Smith (temporary nursery governess left) and Miss Pennycuick Clark — permanent good one — arrived.
Rode with the kids round by Isington and Froyle.
Tuesday 10 November 1925:
Planted rose bushes in garden sent by Arthur Gaddwin. Robin to London for Scout Committee. Ride with the children. Jolly. Jumbo Bewley and “the Carpenter” (Miss Maynard) to tea.
Wednesday 11 November 1925:
Motor with R. and children and “Penny” to Oxford.
Called on Donald & Muriel B-P. & then lunched with Bobbie B-P. at Brasenose in his rooms. R. went to London from there to Broadcast & do a Mercers Dinner. We bundled home, having tea in Reading en route. R. arrived home at mid night.
Thursday 12 November 1925:
Penny settling down nicely I think to lessons with Heather and Betty. Robin took them riding.
Mrs Gadban called and Mrs Eggar too to talk over business for this coming Saturday’s meeting. Bechie Manser and Miss Gammon (Hants County Sec) to tea. Monty to stay night.
Friday 13 November 1925:
Monty left early. Robin to London for Mercers, etc. Took children & “Penny” to shop in Farnham. Miss Elsie Smith, Guider & Diploma’d at that from New South Wales came in her car to stay.
Saturday 14 November 1925:
Robin took children over to Dane Court & picked up Peter & did picnic with them at Wisley, returning with Christian & her friend Louise Rankin to stay for week end.
Bentley Guide District Association meeting at Pax. About 60 came including guiders. Murial Poe, C.C. for Dublin to stay too. Mrs Worsley D.C. for Aldershot gave short speech & guiders gave reports and all very nice & friendly.
Sunday 15 November 1925:
Miss Smith, Muriel Poe, Penny & I to church.
Pooleys to lunch. Children ride and play with ponies and each other. Miss Smith leaves in her car. Jumbo Bewley and Miss Chilton Thomas (Great Brown Owl) come over to tea.
Monday 16 November 1925:
Penny took Christian and Louise back to school at Woking early. Muriel Poe left Pax. I took Heather & Betty on ponies & my bike to Morland Hall, Alton and left little pony Dido there for them to use for a bit with option of buying her later. It is a nursing home now & they want a pony for the children to ride.
Heather and Betty to Brownies. The Walter Carlile’s from Gayhurst (Bucks) to stay. So nice.
Tuesday 17 November 1925:
Carlile’s left Pax. To London early. H.Q. Committee all morning & I “chaired” it, in Dame Helen’s absence. Good nice meeting. Katherine Furse lunched with me at Victoria Station. Travelled down with Mrs Fairweather (Div. Comm) to Chatham. Stayed with Admiral & Lady Goodenough at Admiralty House. Large tea party there for Kent Comms. etc. to meet me!! Rally later at Town Hall, with displays, Camp Fire and talk by me. Jolly lot of guides, and so keen!
Wednesday 18 November 1925:
Travelled back to London with Mrs Fairweather. Talked with Monty & did letters at the office. Miss Herring, Guider from Victoria, to lunch with me at Gorringes.
Imperial Council meeting at 2.30 at H.Q. extra room at number 17 B-P. Road. Excellent meeting & elected several good new members.
Bundled off to overseas guide tea party at Mrs Chapin’s house in Kensington Square. Very jolly and friendly and helpful.
Home to Pax again.
Thursday 19 November 1925:
Did letters. This is a strenuous life.
Tea party here at Pax for friends & newcomers to the neighbourhood. Pynes, Douglas Eggars, Miss Faith, Leches from Froyle, Sir Edward & Lady Perceval, Chichesters, Rays, Crommelins & Ashtons from Farnham etc about 40 altogether. Large tea and talk, & then Angela recited charmingly & told funny stories — quite fun.
Friday 20 November 1925:
Robin to London for the day & sees London Rovers in the evening, returning at midnight.
Drove Angela over to Hindley & called & had good chat with Helen Newcombe in her bed.
Queen Alexandra died at York Cottage, close on 81.
Saturday 21 November 1925:
Robin to shoot with Lord Selbourne.
Angela Shuttleworth left, fetched away by her friends the Sharpes at Lasham.
Walked with children riding.
Sir Montagu & Lady Burrows to stay from Oxford. Nice folk. He is C.C. for Scouts & she is C.C. for Guides in Oxfordshire.
Sunday 22 November 1925:
Did letters.
The Burrows’ son, Brocas came down from London in his car for lunch.
Olive Nicholl came to stay. Drove the Burrows & her round by Froyle & called on the Leche’s at their darling little old cottage.
R. took babies for ride on ponies.
Monday 23 November 1925:
Burrows left early. R. felt “head-y” so he went off to fish for pike in Alice Holt pond all day, though it is bitterly cold.
Olive Nicholl and I take the children for a ride walk. They then go to tea with Mrs Ray with Penny & on to Brownies.
Tuesday 24 November 1925:
Olive Nicholl left Pax. R. & I early to London. See Mrs Seale & Mrs Hobhouse at H.Q. All day Conference for County Commissioners at Rubens Hotel.
Such a lot of the dear good people there. Robin gives an address first, then I announce my giving up being Chief Commissioner & they agree to Delia Peel taking it. Dame Helen “chaired” the sessions and all went well.
Stayed the night with Mother.
Wednesday 25 November 1925:
Do work at the office all morning.
Shop at Gorringes and buy chests of drawers at Maples.
Tea and good talk on foreign guide matters with Sheelah Reede at her house in Eaton Place, and then catch the 5.10 train home. Find that Estyn (black spaniel) has achieved a little family of 3 soft black splodges!
Thursday 26 November 1925:
Penny takes children to the Dancing Class of Miss Brownes.
Afternoon we take the rascals for a long ride walk.
Fearfully cold. How I hate it!
Friday 27 November 1925:
Busy day doing letters and fiddling round over childrens clothes and things.
Queen Alexandra’s funeral in London in falling snow. Robin to London & thence to a Scout do at Bristol.
Saturday 28 November 1925:
To London. Do work at office. Buy a dress for myself at Celia’s. Join Rosie Kerr & her mother at her new house & go to the performance at Chelsea Palace Theatre of “The Amber Gate” given by guides of London. Awfully well done. I gave small dull speech before the curtain at first. Mrs Streatfield, D.C. at Eastbourne, wrote and produced the play. Home to Pax.
Sunday 29 November 1925:
Peaceful day at home and R. & I took babies for ride walk in the remaining snow!
Monday 30 November 1925:
Take children to Brownies. Penny and I do country dancing too in the Memorial Hall. Sir William & Lady Cullen to stay. He was Chief Justice for New South Wales, and she is Guide Commissioner for the State.
December 1925
Tuesday 1 December 1925:
Ailsa Cullen, the guider daughter comes for the night too. Motor them over in afternoon to see Farnham Castle and on to Compton to see Watts’ chapel & the Pottery & Picture Gallery there too.
Wednesday 2 December 1925:
Cullens left.
Motor over to Reigate. Snow and ice on roads made it tricky. Lunched with Mrs “Jampotts” (Div. Comm). Annual meeting & I talked a bit. Then tea & displays by guides to public. Then Camp Fire Rally of about 500 guides & I gave short talk & then bundled home. Helen Talbot & Clarice Warren etc there & quite good “do”.
Thursday 3 December 1925:
R. and I take children for ride walk, though the snow and frost make it bad going. We also take them along to tea with Mrs Sanderson & her daughter, Mrs Ballard, at Jenkyn Place across the fields.
Friday 4 December 1925:
Little James Wade and nurse to lunch.
R. to London. Bad fog came on & he took hours getting home.
Saturday 5 December 1925:
Fog cleared, but the whole county dazzling white & lovely in radiant sun.
Drove over alone with Eileen Harrap to Swindon stopping for lunch with the Shuttleworths at Ramsbury en route.
Opened Guide Handcraft Exhibition and Sale in Town Hall at Swindon & made speeches! Large tea, plays and displays by guides and all very nice and friendly. Eileen & I stayed night with (to next page) nice keen little Div. Comm. Dorothy Markham, seven miles out of Swindon at Bourton Manor.
Sunday 6 December 1925:
Stayed in bed for breakfast as it is the custom of the house!!
Motored off at 10.30 & went in to church service at Ramsbury as we were passing. Ran on then & called on Sie(?) Wand (née Bower) née (possibly should be near?) Newbury & had nice chat. Home in time for tea.
Monday 7 December 1925:
Penny went off to Winchester to friends for a night.
Took babies to Mrs Ray’s tea party to the Brownies in the Memorial Hall. Did country dancing for a wee bit too. Betty enrolled as a Brownie by Mrs Eggar. So delicious.
Tuesday 8 December 1925:
House agent man came down from Giddy & Giddy in London to “view” Pax for letting when we go to South Africa next August! Robin to London for office work & Mercers dinner returning at midnight. Do Xmas shopping with children in Farnham. Mrs Ashton & Stella, her daughter, come to tea.
Wednesday 9 December 1925:
House agents men from Maples to see house.
Took Penny & kids to Aldershot Physical Training display in Army gymnasium. Awfully good show.
Thursday 10 December 1925:
Walk ride with R. and the children right round by Blacknest and Alice Holt wood.
Friday 11 December 1925:
Robin to London. Children to dancing class at the Bourne.
House agent man came from Harrods to see Pax about letting it next summer. Man also came from Harding an agent at Winchester in afternoon.
Took children for small ride walk. Gladys Ainsworth to schoolroom tea.
Saturday 12 December 1925:
Mrs Eggar came to schoolroom tea. Piers Power came to stay, arriving in his own small car.
Robin broadcasted from London & we all “listened in”. He spoke splendidly. He returned late to Pax, bringing Mr Nevill home to stay too.
Captain Eggar came to dine to talk Scouts to “Pip” Power.
Sunday 13 December 1925:
Dick Harrap came to call & crashed his father’s car on the drive a bit.
Monday 14 December 1925:
Another house agent’s man, from Wilson’s in London, came to “view” Pax. Snow on the ground again. A Rover Scout man Capt Lisle Watson to stay.
R. & I walked in afternoon with Ruth & Gladys Ainsworth to see the site which they have bought near Welches where they are going to build a house for themselves.
Tuesday 15 December 1925:
Travel up to London early with Capt Lisle Watson & Mrs Belt. H.Q. Committee. Quite nice one!
Madge Heath lunches at Gorringes to talk over plan for Empire Camp next summer. See Mrs Strathie re India. See Miss Erskine re going to Malta for us soon. Guide tea party at Mrs Boulnois’ flat. Very nice & successful. Shop at Stores. Home to Pax & Alice Behrens comes too. Christian & Yvonne fetched (to next page) from school at Woking for the one night.
Wednesday 16 December 1925:
Alice left early. I took children to Dancing Class, and shopped in Farnham with Christian & Yvonne. Mother came by road from Bournemouth and snatched Christian & Yvonne away. I took Heather and Betty to Mrs Gadban’s small children’s party. Called on the Wrights at Alton too. Maids all to fancy dress dance in Bentley
Thursday 17 December 1925:
Typed from Robin all the morning, to get his address for tomorrow done.
Took Penny & the kids to performance of “Mikado” at Alton, done extremely well by the local amateur dramatic society. It really was good and is pricelessly funny and delightful and “ever-green” in riot(or wit?) & charm.
Friday 18 December 1925:
R. & I to London, for Conference about Scouting & Universities held at Great Central Hotel. Lots of big & important University people there and Scout people too. R. gives a splendid address.
Shop at the Stores. Do work at the office. See Miss Erskine re her going to Malta for us shortly. Aunt Ger comes to tea at Rubens Hotel. Home to Pax.
Saturday 19 December 1925:
R. & I took Heather over to Peter’s school concert at Dane Court. So sweet & Peter acted in a French play dressed as a girl. Took Heather & Betty also to conjuring performances at the Bentley Womens Institute annual bun fight. Most amusing.
Sunday 20 December 1925:
Foggy & horrid & I didn’t go out all day.
Mr Llewellyn & his daughter (from Basingstoke) called.
Monday 21 December 1925:
Betty in bed with small cold & slight temp.
R. & I took Heather alone for ride walk. Small temporary “tweeny” Emily Noyce came.
Tuesday 22 December 1925:
Robin to London for the day.
Penny goes away for her Xmas holidays. Run over to Dane Court & fetch Peter home. Dense fog on the Hogs Back.
Call & see Jonah Strode in Woking for a guide talk. Lunch Heather & Peter in Farnham & do last Xmas shoppings. “Brother Baden” came to stay.
Wednesday 23 December 1925:
Robin & Baden took the children “high pulling” — alias fetching holly to decorate the house. Ride walk with all the children on their animals.
Thursday 24 December 1925:
Betty stayed in bed with slight temperature. R., Baden, children & I motored to Wisley and lunched at the Huts Hotel. Ran on & called on Frank & Agnes B-P. at Wimbledon.
To splendid circus at Olympia for which the management had given us the Royal Box free! Splendid acrobats & good funny clowns, nice horses’ tricks and about 50 lions loose in the caged ring.
Friday 25 December 1925:
Woke to find the ground covered with thick snow. Delightful and appropriate.
We all wallowed in parcels the whole morning.
Snowballed in the afternoon. A very joyous homey day, though I did get through 40 letters for post!
Saturday 26 December 1925:
Work at Xmas card sending and acknowledging. It is a business, even though of course it is nice being remembered!
Herchard Mounsey-Heysham telephoned & asked to come down for the night. He is a quaint soul.
Sunday 27 December 1925:
The nice Ray’s came to lunch.
Herchard left to return to London after dinner.
Monday 28 December 1925:
Took children walk riding in the rain!
Tuesday 29 December 1925:
Walk with kids in the rain round by Isington and call on Mr Carter.
Wednesday 30 December 1925:
Poured all morning. Baden left. Took children to Mrs Bonham Carter’s children’s party at Overbury Court. Quite nice & she had a “funny man” to play & sing. Maids tea party at Pax for their friends.
Thursday 31 December 1925:
Ride walk round by Isnage.
To Faith’s party at Foxhall. Very nice & I must say the people in this neighbourhood are particularly nice and friendly.
NOTES FOR 1926
Friday Jan 15th:
Bentley Guide Committee meeting at the Memorial Hall.
Thursday Jan 28th:
International Council.
March:
To Norfolk?
Imp. Council?
To Barkingside Village Home?
April:
Good Friday is April 2nd.
Bentley Guide garden fete at Pax?
May:
Conference at High Leigh May 13th for Rosie’s area.
Early in May go to Cornwall.
May 15th Bentley Rally.
May 20th Dorset Rally at Dorchester.
May 27th Go up to Merioneth for their Rally & Carnarvonshire too & May 30th Denbigh.
June:
June 12th Hants Rally at Bournemouth.
July:
East Anglia Rally?
International Scout Conf Aug 21st for week at Kandersteg.
R. to Budapest on Aug 19th? For their Jamboree on 20th. Going Kandersteg 22nd.
MEMORANDA
Miss Faulkner Dec. 13th — from 5.30-7.30 re 12 letters.
Dec. 14th — from 5.30-7.30.
17th — from 6.0-7.30.
This certainly has been quite a busy year what with managing home & family and doing and giving all I can of time and help (as well as all my love!) to my adorable perfect Darling! I did do a good many Guide meetings & Rallies & things too — over and above our little trips together — France and Scotland — and all the precious hours together at home walking and talking during this past 12 months.
Rosie 19 Draycott Avenue S.W.3.
12th Night train from Paris to Cherbourg.
13th May Sail in Berengaria
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