Olave's diary for 1928 Index
[Children's approximate ages:
Olave's - Peter 15; Heather 13; Betty 11;
Her sister Auriol's – Christian 16; Clare 14; Yvonne 9]
Our grateful thanks to the transcribers.
Notes 1928
X
Transcribed by Enid Blaikie
Lady Goold Adams 6 Apple Tree Yard St. James
Cecily Pasmore The Covert Anglesey Rd [?]stoke Hants
Miss Muriel Hughes Grenville Hotel Emperors Gate S.W.7
Hubert Martin 19A Doun Street Mayfair 5880
Ethel Smith (Guide from Durban) 61 Warwick Rd, Earls Court, London S.W.5
Darby Rudyard-Helpman Convent de la Retraite Bruges Belgium (and became “Mere [?] Marie Ancilla”
Carpenter’s address Ballochmovrie Coulsdon Surrey
Agnes Peel Lovel Hill Windsor Forest Berks
Maud Moore 31 Palace Street telephone Vic 5638
Lord Hampton 18 Evelyn Gardens S.W.7 telephone 7861 Kensington
Mrs Stafford (Eagle Owl) Plaw Hatch Weybourne Road Farnham
Mrs John Jeffrey c/o Standard Bank 10 Clements Lane E.C.4 District Com for Cape Town
Dr Lucas 64A Courtfield Gdns Phone Frobisher 0194
January 1928
X
Enid Blaikie
Sun 1st .Jan 1928 Pax Hill
Thick deep snow. Robin had cold, so I kept him bed. Peter also, & ran slight temperature. Christian, Yvonne, Heather & I plodded through the snow and collected the Shiltons to come and do country dancing at Pax.
Mon 2nd.Jan 1928
Pelting rain all day, thawed away the snow. Christian, Heather & I waded down in gumboots to the village hall for country dancing. Robin & Peter stayed & nursed their colds in bed.
Tues 3rd.Jan 1928
Robin rather seedy & stayed in bed till tea. Peter did likewise but from sheer laziness! It is a change and rest for the child to loaf as he likes, as he is a bit hustled [?] at Charterhouse.
The Shiltons & Bobby came to tea and we did country dancing vigorously going through 15 we know!
Wed 4th.Jan 1928
Christian to lunch with Sylvia Hulme at the Rectory. Walk ride with the children. The Shiltons came to tea and did vigorous jolly country dancing. Robin stayed in bed again and feels “cheap”, poor Sweet, but is so good and patient.
Thurs 5th.Jan 1928
Christian’s [?] gee (Biddy) taken on by Gardener’s groom and tries pony supplied also by him for Heather & we motored over to the meet at Bentworth Hall, beyond Alton. Watched hounds drawing and finding – very jolly. Christian & Heather hunted & returned late in the afternoon. Walk ride with Peter & Betty & Yvonne. Vic (Airedale) run over by a car, a bit hurt, but wonderful he wasn’t killed.
Fri 6th.Jan 1928
Walk with children to the village to collect the ponies from the blacksmith. Vic better, though very much bruised. Ride walk up by [?] too in afternoon – very jolly & warm & windy over the fields. Country dancing here again with quite a party for tea – the Faiths, Eggens’ Joyce Crocker, the Shiltons & the Carters came also to look on. Robin in bed all day, not fit but quite happy.
Sat 7th.Jan 1928
Children rode with Shellah O’Brien. Hockey in the field in afternoon. Bobbie came for it & we had a jolly game with only 11 people. Shellah O’Brien to tea & country dancing. Robin got up after breakfast, but felt rather slack.
Sun 8th.Jan 1928
[First half of page – possibly imprint from previous page]
Ride walk. Shellah Meade [?] turned up unexpectedly & we talked International Guide matters as we meandered in the road.
Mon 9th.Jan 1928
Children all rode with Miss O’Brien in the morning. Felt rotten & headiy [?] & went to bed before tea. All the children to tea and games at the Harraps. The elder there also to country dancing at the Memorial Hall afterwards .allH
Tues 10th.Jan 1928
Christian & Heather went hunting again on their [?] & R. drove them all to the meet at Kitcombe, beyond Alton. The two riders got back very late soaked to the skin - but happy. Alice [B] to stay the night, to see her beloved Pat dog as well as us!
Wed 11th.Jan 1928
Took Alice to the station at Farnham & did shopping. The Shiltons, Eggens, O’Briens & Faiths came for tea and country dancing. Jean & Aileen Harrap joined us for a bit too. It is such fun. The children are getting to know them so well. Robin did a small walk to Duncan’s gate, but felt rather cheap still.
Thurs 12th .Jan 1928
Children went riding all the morning with Shellah O’Brien. Were to have gone to a party for children at Alton, but they didn’t want to, so we just didn’t!
The Eggans came here instead & did country dancing & also came to meet Mr & Mrs de Hamel. He is Sec to the County Rural Council which encourages young farmers & dramatic societies and so on.
Fri 13th.Jan 1928
R. to London for the day. He wasn’t really fit to go but did not like to disappoint the Drawing Society “do” at which he was booked to speak. We grieve to hear of the sudden death of the good Chief Com for Scouts in Wales, Lord Glanusk [1] He was a fine man & it is a bad business.
Sat 14th.Jan 1928
R. stayed at home & I took the five children up to London in the car. We lunched at the White Lion Hotel at Cobham en route. All at pantomime “Ali Baba” at King George’s Hall (Russell Street) splendidly done by Scouters and Scout friends. Extremely funny & [?] & jolly and we all enjoyed it a lot. Rosie Kerr to stay.
Sun 15th.Jan 1928
[First half of page appears blank]
The 3 Eggans to tea & Joyce Crocker came up too & we did vigorous country dancing.
Mon 16th .Jan 1928
Christian & Heather hacked to meet at Neatham [?] and hunted. We went in the car just to see it. Rosie left.
Robin a good deal better & went for two small quiet walks.
Country dancing at Memorial Hall again. Such fun!
Tue 17th.Jan 1928
To London. Took Yvonne to Mother and left her at her flat with her. Took Joyce Crocker up & Heather for them to be together. Took Heather to see Dr Harmer about her throat & he advises the tonsils being removed next month. Lunch at Gorringes. Nellie Cranford comes to lunch. Joyce Crocker takes Heather to Olympia Circus whilst I do Guide H.Q. Committee. See Mrs Stuart Wortley about Bournemouth. Tea with Mrs Gordon Fisher & meet some South Africans. Join Joyce & Heather at Waterloo & all home together.
Wed 18th.Jan 1928
Children all ride in spite of pouring rain. Mr & Mrs Chigwell [?] (Peter’s house master at Charterhouse) came over to Pax to lunch, with their two small boys. We all go to Alton & see first rate amateur performance of “The Gondoliers”! Extremely well done and most enjoyable. Shella [Shellah?] O’Brien went with us & returned to tea & country dancing. Mr Shilton & Aileen Harrap came too.
Thurs 19th.Jan 1928
Children all ride with Sheela [Shellah?] O’Brien. She lent her horse “Bobo” to Christian as Biddy had gone in the legs. All went off in Jimmimax & had hair cuttings in Farnham & on to Woking. Fed the family with tea at the bun shop there & dropped Christian back at her school (St Mary to Hill) [?] Robin really fitter & almost quite like himself again.
Fri 20th.Jan 1928
Robin went to London for the day.
Lady Slater (Guide Comm for Gold Coast) came with her son to lunch for good talk.
Dr & Mrs MacNeillie [?] (Guide Com for Transval) came to stay for the night. Took little Peter back to Charterhouse for spring quarter. He was a bit tearful about going back – for the first time.
Sat 21st.Jan 1928
Robin rather seedy again. Took the MacNeillies [?] down to Foxlease in Jimmimax - & Mrs Eggan went with us too. Stopped & looked over Winchester Cathedral on our way. Lunched at Foxlease. Training week going on with small group of guiders none of whom I’d seen before so it pleased them to have a chat. Percy, Rita & Wynn Everett there for lunch too and came on to stay at Pax. Alice Belmans [?] to stay too.
Sun 22nd .Jan 1928
The Everettes all went off by road again after lunch. What a good man he is & how wonderfully he does work for Scouting & Guiding, right from the earliest days when he went down to Brownsea Island and watched my Beloved running his first historic camp there!
Mon 23rd.Jan 1928
Alice left in morning. A quiet sort of day giving us time to think for a change. Such a relief to have a “rest pause” of a few hours!
Country dancing in the evening at the Memorial Hall. Such fun & we all enjoy it so much.
Tue 24th.Jan 1928
[A few lines appear blank.]
Young Denaro- one of the twin sons of Mrs Denaro the Guide Com for Malta – came to tea unexpectedly! In the York & Lancaster’s quartered at Bordon. Had a letter from George Glass – who was a Tommy who was useful & helpful to us at the Scout Hut at Etaples in January 1916.[2] Had not heard of him since.
Wed 25th .Jan 1928
Robin almost quite well again
Called for Mrs Ray in Farnham & all went over to see the Trout Farm at Shottermill. Lovely pools stuffed with small fish for sale & some are to be put into the river here for R. to catch with the members of the club. Penny returned, to start the new spring term.
Thurs 26th.Jan 1928
Take Mrs Eggan in the car & we pay calls together, on the new Colonel Commandant at Bordon, on Lady Twysden at Neatham, Daltons at Holybourne & Parsons at Froyle. Hershard Mounsey-Heysham comes over from Aldershot to tea & brings his fiancée – Barbara Balfour - for us to see. They are to be married quite soon. Colonel Bryce Allen from Mull – Scout Com comes to stay the night.
Fri 27th .Jan 1928 London
Off to London early. See Mother off from Waterloo en route for Madeira with brother Arthur & Hopie [?], his wife. See the MacNeillies [?] & Copelands off on the same boat train. Shop & in afternoon take Robin to see a rather silly but quite funny play called “Dhark” [?] just to amuse him after his Scout Council meeting. Then in evening both to Scout Commissioners Annual Dinner at the Rembrandt Hotel. Lots there. R spoke & others & the Polish Minister gave him a new “order” from Polish Government.
Sat 28th.Jan 1928
Stayed at Mothers flat. Robin got awfully tired & had a splitting head after yesterday’s two “do’s” Did mild shopping in a nice unhurried way and quite odd to have a few spare hours in London! Lord Hampton to lunch. R.& I then go off again to amuse ourselves & do a matinee of a charming play called “Marigold.” Very sweet and Barrie[?]-ish & a real rest for us both! Home to Pax again!
Sun 29th.Jan 1928
Robin recovered, with the quiet of our darling home, but he does over-work so! Peter collected from Charterhouse joyously for a few hours with his friend & fellow fag Bezencenet, who occupies the same dormitory with him. They ride in the afternoon, gulp down tea & eggs & then have to be rushed back in time for 5.15 Chapel.
Mon 30th.Jan 1928
Sir Alexander and Lady Hore Ruthven (Governor Designate for South Australia) came to lunch. She will do Guides & he will be Chief Scout there & so we talked to them hard!
Helen Talbot & Clarice Warren came to lunch too.
Bella Southorn (Guide Com now for Hong Kong formerly for Ceylon) & her husband came to stay. He is Colonial Secretary there & they are a nice couple. Country dancing.
Tue 31st.Jan 1928 Keythorpe
Keythorpe Take Bella along in the car & motor via Foxlease to Bournemouth. Lunch with Lady Sassoon (President of B’mouth Guides) at Keythorpe , Manor Road. Run out & look at old Gray Rigg in afternoon for fun. Evening speak at public meeting on guides and introduce Mrs Stuart Wortley, the new Division Comm to them all, officially. Mayor in the chair & quite a good meeting. Hurried dinner then have meeting of Guiders, Rangers – singing, speeches & enrolments. Stay Keythorpe.
[1] 2nd Baron Glanusk Joseph Henry Russell Bailey CB,CBE,DSO - 26 October 1864 – 11 January 1928
[2] On 1st January 1916 the Baden-Powells opened another hut, this time at Etaples, with Robert appointing his wife to be in charge. Unfortunately, she was unable to stay there long as she contracted the 'flu and was forced to return to England.
February 1928
March 1928
April 1928
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Transcribed by Enid Blaikie
Sun 1st Apr 1928 Train to London > Pax
Most comfy night in lovely sleeper, but that tour was rather too strenuous! It ought to have done good though & is therefore worth it. Breakfast & write “follow up” letters till midday at the G.W.R.hotel at Paddington. Lunch with Aunt Jen at her flat. Robin joins me there with Penny & the two children & we all go to big Scout display & Rally for the Afghan King Ammanullah. He was quite impressed. Wolf Cub display poor but the others excellent. Tea there with Scout officials.
Drop Aunt Jen at her flat & then hurry towards home. Jimmimax made grinding noises inside & a hind wheel nearly came off so we left him at Stames [?] & came home in a hired car from there. Very annoying & might have been very serious.
Mon 2nd Apr 1928 Pax Hill
Slaved away at the stacks of letters accumulated here in these two weeks.
Mr Wilson [?] (Camp Chief at Gillwell) & Mr Colquhoun (“Koko”) head of Wolf Cubs came to lunch.
Pickie, Mr Francis Legge (his assistant in overseas Scout Office work) Arthur Gaddum & Mr & Mrs Mawe [?] came to stay & we stuffed them in somehow – Penny & Heather being relegated to camp beds. We all went to country dancing in the village & did it again also after dinner with much mirth & fun.
Tues 3rd Apr 1928
Robin & Betty & I ran over early in Jimmimajor & collected Peter from Charterhouse for Easter holidays. Penny went away. All these other folk left also going in bunches to the station! Gaddum & Mawe are going out to tour in South Africa as Scout emissaries shortly.
Robin to London for the day.
Took kids in car over to Odiham to see Lettice Hill, staying with Daniels there. Hireling [?] horse, Jimmy, a grey from Gardner came for Heather to use during holidays.
Wed 4th Apr 1928
Robin not awfully fit. Ammanullah & then the confab with the four men about South Africa & then London on top of them has been a bit too much & his dish is always filled high with too much work to do. Edith Frost to stay, she is a dip & is going out to do Guides for us in India for a year.
Thurs 5th Apr 1928
Miss Frost left early. Robin went fishing. Col. & Mrs Spilling came over from Sunningdale in afternoon & for tea, but would go away quickly.
Aileen Harrap, Joyce Crocker, Mrs Eggan, Miss White & Miss Pace came to tea & to practice country dancing for a “do” on the 18th.
Fri 6th Lovely spring day. It is odd how the climate has deteriorated & how seldom we get a really fine day! How I wish we were free & could go & live in South Africa & have sunshine all the time.Children rode their animals & larked about on their bikes. What lucky little beggars they are! Gardened & cleared my desk of letters; but it will fill up again tomorrow!
Sat 7th Apr 1928
Heather & Betty rode the hireling Jimmie & dear little Dandie – and we went in Jimmimax – to the H.H. meet at Croudall. Followed them a bit & it does look jolly though I can’t salve my conscience enough to pretend that it is not all wicked waste of money as well as against all one’s principles about cruelty to animals. And it is so artificial & wrong really! The two kids did not return until 6.0 having gone miles.
Sun 8th Apr 1928
Went shopping in Farnham with Peter yesterday & got Easter eggs for the “employees” at Pax consisting of
6 maids indoors and
5 man-servants out of doors
5 wives ditto 9 children of ditto! Which mounts up as none must be forgotten!
We all went to church & felt virtuous doing it. But I just can’t do with that sort of sermon & service. It is so hollow.
Mon 9th Apr 1928
Children ride in to Farnham & we join them & lunch there hurriedly at Bush Hotel. Then on to the gymkana [sp} near Hale got up by the Legion of Frontiersmen. Crowds of soldiers’ horses competing in jumping & children’s items too. R.& I got tired rather & left the 3 kids there, & they loved it though they did nothing in their competitions. Country dancing in the village hall.
Tues 10th Apr 1928
Robin stayed at home to get work done.
I took the kids to Horsham. Joined Mother and her car there with her 3 children (Christian Clare & Yvonne) & we toddled off & had picnic lunch on Norwood Hill near Horley. Such fun; & then went down to look at our old Little Mynthurst [?] Farm. The children all so happy & the six love playing together. They went back to Lewes & we trundled home via Godalming where I got some more school clothes for Peter.
Wed 11th Apr 1928
Wrestle with children’s clothes. The fact of the briefness of their shirts is the one obvious sign of their growing to me, as otherwise they seem to stand still. It is a long business watching them from babyhood to this stage.
Bobbie B-P comes for tea, & bemoans his lot!
Thur 12th Apr 1928
Robin was planning to go off in Jimmimax with Peter at 9.30a.m. for tour to York etc for Scout Conference & fishing for a week. At 8.30 I found Peter still in bed with mumps – having swollen up in the night! Merciful thing that they had not started 24 hours sooner or developed the thing 24 hours later! He likes being in bed fortunately. To tea with O’Briens. Sheelah Reade [?] comes in her car to stay the night. R. fishes & works all day.
Fri 13th Apr 1928
Robin went off to York Conference by train. Sheelah left.
Peter not a bit bad, but stayed in bed to be on the safe side. Was to have taken H. & B. by road to Glas [?] to stay with Maye Bruce today, but that also knocked on the head by this quarantine business. Gardened & felt I had gained a lot by an unexpected extra happy 24 hours quiet at home.
Sat 14th Apr 1928
Peter stayed in bed to be on the safe side. Play chess with him & garden in between times. Bitter East wind suddenly again.
Sun 15th Apr 1928
Peter in bed still, but practically well again. Walk ride with Heather & Betty up to Barley Pound.
Snow actually falling on the ground first thing in the morning & then turned to rain.
Mon 16th Apr 1928
Snow blanket on the ground when we woke. Bitterly cold.
Betty’s birthday – the mite is 11 – She is most attractive to look upon, vague & dreamy, and appears more like 9 than 11! Peter up & about again & very fit. They all played chess hard – a new hobby!
Tue 17th Apr 1928
Robin returned having had an excellent Scout Conference at York. To London. Shop. Miss Llewellyn Parsons (of the Girl Scouts of America) Mrs Eastley (Com for Bombay) & Mrs Duggan (Prov. Com for Quebec) came to lunch with me. H.Q. Committee in afternoon. Miss Synge [?] & Miss Hanbury Williams the new members came to it. Good meeting. Run back to Pax & Mrs Duggan comes too for the night. A very nice sound good woman.
Wed 18th Apr 1928
Robin’s knee a bit swollen so he is good & sits quiet all day, working though of course hard!
Gardened.
Thu 19th Apr 1928
Nice quiet day all done here together. Masses of work always to be done & never a “free” moment yet! Lots of correspondence to be done about this rather fussing plan of starting a new Guide “World Council” for international affairs. The plan is to be discussed - & probably settled – in Hungary next week, during the Conference. Though it will take a lot of arranging it is a good sign of un-seen progress.
Fri 20th Apr 1928
A Col. Casson called as an agent of a nice new sort of carpet sweeper & after seeing it work I simply had to buy one to replace a Hoover which doesn’t work at all well!
Robin to London for the day.
Bobbie B-P came over for tea & dinner.
Joyce Bruce (sister of Olivia) Olivia & Stewart Rawlins came to stay the night. Did country dancing.
Sat 21st Apr 1928
Stewart & Olivia go fishing all day. Robin also fishes a wee bit, sitting on old Topsy to save his knee which is a bit swollen. Joyce Bruce leaves. She lives at Puttenham now. Robin & the children & I all go to see the wonderful film “ Chang“ of elephants & wild animals in the jungle in Burma. Beautiful & marvellous photos. Lettice Hill came for the night.
Sun 22nd Apr 1928
Lettice & Olivia & Stewart left. Gardened. Robin rested his leg.Miss Parsons (American) & her companion Miss Robertson & dear old “Carpenter” (Miss Maynard) called in for tea en route from Foxlease.
Mon 23rd Apr 1928
Robin Peter & I motor to London in afternoon for Service at St Paul’s for the Order of St Michael & St George. Robin “processes” as a K.C.M.G. [Kings Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George} & it was all very fine & impressive. Excellent for Peter to see too, and my own Darling looks so lovely “dressed up” of course in his “regalia”!
Tue 24th Apr 1928
Motor over to Wellington College. Call & see old Mrs Torin (widow of former colonel of Robin’s in the 13th) living at hotel there. Robin visits camp of Scouters from Schools in training in the grounds of Wellington College & lunches there whilst the children & I have a picnic near in jolly rough woodland. Rush back to Alton & Robin opens the Show of Arts & Crafts there. We do keep busy these days!
Wed 25th Apr 1928 Bournemouth Pax
All run off early in the car to Bournemouth. Ganny (our former nursery governess) met us there & took the children to play all day on the beach at Sandbanks. R. & I lunched with Gen. Sorsbie (Scout Com) and Dr & Mrs Emlyn at Norfolk Hotel.
To Town Hall & saw some Scouts & Guides Guards of Honour & then I opened big crowded bazaar in aid of fund for local Scout H.Q. Robin spoke too & all very “pleasant.” Fearful crush, & too many speeches. Mr Robson (chairman) took half an hour to introduce me !! Bought largely from stalls & then bolted off & took Robin to tea quietly alone at a hotel on West Cliff. Then packed him into a train at Bournemouth Central en route for London & Liverpool. How he does work. Collected the kids & rushed home to Pax in under 2 hours – 65 miles!!
Thu 26th Apr 1928
Mrs Simpson from Witbank (Transval) stayed the night. Robin’s cousin Charles Powell called in morning. The Ronald Copelands motored from London to lunch & took Mrs Simpson away back with them.
Fri 27th Apr 1928
Robin arrived back in London from Liverpool early & came home in time for tea, having made great plans up North for the 1929 Scout Jamboree to be held at Birkenhead. Took children in to Farnham to shop & have all their hairs cut & washed!
Sat 28th Apr 1928
Darracott, caterer from Aldershot, called to discuss supplying lunch for our Mafeking Day party here.
Lovely hot sunny perfect summer day – the best we have had for years! & the first I have known since 1921 when R. found the sun too hot to sit out in.
Sun 29th Apr 1928
Robin to London for an ex-Cavalry parade in Hyde Park to lay a wreath on their Cavalry War Memorial. Came home again in afternoon. Hilda – formerly B-P & sister in law by marriage – & her new-ish husband Dr M – Williams came from London for lunch & I took them over to leave them at their son’s lodgings at Frimley in time for tea. They are going to live in the Pyrenees now and have bought a chateau.
Mon 30th Apr 1928
Gardened, tidied up children’s clothes & the house. I always get the tidying fever just before going away! All ran over to tea with the Spillings, pausing in Farnham en route for shopping, & also for watching polo practise and aeroplanes stunting at Aldershot.
June 1928
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Transcribed by Enid Blaikie
Fri 01 Jun 1928 [Pax] Robin to London for the day. Miss Conant, an American Girl Scout Leader, came to stay the night. She was at the Conference in Hungary & is doing training here – a nice broad minded good girl, & a real worker. Estyn, the black spaniel we had here in 1925-26 came back to us from the Davidsons at Coombe.
Sat 02 Jun 1928 [Pax] All of us went to Farnham for excellent amateur performance of “The Mikado.” Most amusing, & extraordinarily well done. All to tea with the Ray’s after it at their little “Willow Cottage” in Greenhill Road.
Sun 03 Jun 1928 [Pax] Heather had slight sore throat, so kept her in bed on R6 balcony. She has been very “weepy” of late for no reason, & I think it is just the fact of growing almost too fast now. Penny & I played tennis singles. Lettice Hill came for the night & we worked until after 11.0.
Mon 04 Jun 1928 [Pax ] Tidied up children’s clothes, put away the winter blankets, and “householded” busily. I do love fussing round our darling home so. Played tennis too & gardened. Robin fished and is enjoying it so & catches quite a lot. It does him so much good too & he is quite splendidly fit just now, and so absurdly young!
Tue 05 Jun 1928 [Pax] Robin to London for the day, returning in Jimmimax who has been in dock again. Jumbo Burley [Bewley?] and Leilia Chilton Thomas came to lunch. Little Geoffrey Scofield (son of faithful Annie and the gardener) very ill & so I take him in the car to Trimmers hospital [1] in Farnham to be on the safe side. Monty & Mrs Rippin ( of the Girl Scouts of America) call in for tea en route to Foxlease.
Wed 06 Jun 1928 [Pax ] Gardened. Washed Pat! [dog?] Betty slight sore throat & temperature so stayed in bed. All “listened in” to the Derby _ household included. Quite amusing. Bobbie B-P came over from Aldershot for dinner. Still hates being in the Scots Guards and wants to do something else other than soldiering but doesn’t know what!
Thu 07 June 1928 [London] To London with Robin. Katherine Furse and Mr Hubert Martin to lunch at Rubens to talk over World Guide Bureau. Do office work. Overseas Guide Tea party given by Lady Mildred Fitzgerald at her lovely house at Stanmore. She fetched us & took us back to London also in numerous rich cars! Jolly lot of guide folk there from far afield. Robin to 13th Hussar Dinner. To Lady Fripp’s Rally of East Central London Division Guides in grounds of old Foundling Hospital. Keen lot. The Fripp family is splendid.
Fri 08 Jun 1928 Foxlease Pax Col. Leslie (Yorkshire Scout C.C.) to breakfast and Miss Westcott (an American Girl Scout) Take her by train to Brockenhurst. Jimmimax meets us there and we run to Foxlease where “Donor’s Day” is to be celebrated. The “Dips” collected there for their “refresher week” - such a nice lot, and chiefly old friends of mine. A camp going on also of about 20 blind guides Most pathetic but delightful to see them enjoying it so tremendously. Run home to Pax, taking Mrs Rippin & Monty back to stay night.
Sat 09 Jun 1928 [Hinchingbrooke] Take Mrs Rippin by road thro’ Windsor, Watford, St Albans, Biggleswade to stay with Lord Sandwich at his old & lovely place Hinchingbrooke near Huntingdon. His wife is desperately ill. Lunch party there, guests including Mrs Williams the Guide C.C. Archdeacon Knowles the Scout C.C. etc. Rally in the park for Huntingdonshire Scouts & Guides – about 200 Scouts & 500 Guides & Cubs & Brownies too. Displays & Camp Fire – all happy but the thing was badly run & very sketchy!! The C.C. very vague & friendly! Stayed at [continued over the page] Hinchingbrooke – lovely old house of different periods & most interesting. Lord Sandwich a charming simple kindly host.
Sun 10 Jun 1928 Pax Mrs Eastley, Prov. Com. For Bombay joins us there for breakfast & we all motor home (118 miles) dropping Mrs Rippin at Basingstoke en route. Eric Brown & Danish Scout Jenze Kruge [?] camping at Pax. Mrs Carver (Egypt) to tea. Also Mrs Rotton (C.C. Shropshire) & her daughter Jewel Allcroft come London for tea & talk. And Robin’s old friend Mrs Grant comes also from Hazelmere with her friends the Dixons.
Mon 11 Jun 1928 [Pax] Mrs Eastley left – nice keen Guider and interesting person, and has real problems in her job out there.
Tue 12 Jun 1928 Pax Herbert Lambert, a good photographer from Bath, came to Pax & took some photos of R. in 13th Hussar full uniform & also some of me in the Barn. Alice Behrens came in her car from Foxlease just for lunch. Molly Bayes, a Dip from New South Wales, came to stay the night. Eileen Wade came to tea & we played tennis – doubles with Heather & Penny & singles too.
Wed 13 Jun 1928 Pax To London. Miss Enid Bell (Guide Comm in New Zealand) Monty and Miss Leonard to lunch with me at the Rubens. Saw Alice Peel at H.Q. for a good talk. To delightful tea party given by Lady Beit in Belgrave Square for South African Guide folk & members of the London South African Association & a few other overseas Guide folk too – Olive Nicholl, Lady Middleton (Gambia) Molly Bayes, etc. Home to the peace of Pax again after it.
Thu 14 June 1928 [Pax] Lovely quiet day all to ourselves . Gardened and got up to date with household accounts and things.
Fri 15 Jun 1928 London Robin to London early for his usual Mercers. I followed by midday train & went to office, and did talking & letters with Monty & Lettice. Join Mother at her flat at tea time & Robin comes too to stay night there – a most convenient hotel on occasions! R. went to Cavalry Club & dined with 5th Dragoon Guards ex- & present – officers & I dined with Mrs St John Gore & a nice “hen party of nine other ”5th D.G.wives”! Mrs Winwood, Hoare, Garrard, Booker, Mackesson, Glossop, Dickson, Nettlefold. Delightful.
Sat 16 Jun 1928 Yorkshire [Sandbeck] Run up by early train from St Pancras to Sheffield, R. going later also to do Scouts at Wakefield. Lunch party given by the Lord Mayor. Speak after it in reply to the toast. Excellent Rally at Whitely Wood Hall of about 4000 Guides & Brownies. Mainly from Sheffield & West Riding South & 500 came from Chesterfield too under Mrs Green, Div. Comm. Mrs Pickering, C.C. for East Riding, & Mrs Clegg , Assist C.C. both excellent & Rally was awfully well run, good displays & enormous enthusiasm. Topping lot. Met many old friends & all very friendly & jolly. Lady Scarborough takes me [continued on next page] back to stay [2], & R. joins us there.
Sun 17 Jun 1928 Doncaster [Sandbeck] Quiet morning at Sandbeck writing letters & seeing their garden. Beautiful place & well kept up with 17 gardeners! Lord & Lady Scarborough very nice kind. Motor over to Doncaster for big “Scouts Own” for Scouts & Guides on the Race Course. Not well arranged, but lots there. Bishop Burrows & Robin gave addresses – too high a wind though to be heard. Large tea party & then R. had to open the Doncaster Scout Club Room – more crowd & noise & R. got very tired. These people are very alive & keen.
Mon 18 Jun 1928 Pax Leave Sandbeck early & catch good fast train from Retford to London. Dump luggage & then go to the Academy. I can’t bear these awful pictures of fat naked women. It is a most dreadful collection with so few worthy of the name of picture! Lunch at the Cavalry Club & then bundle back to Pax leaving Robin in London for his 18th Hussar dinner. Mary Stephen, Com for Sea Point (South Africa) to stay.
Tue 19 Jun 1928 Pax To London. Do office work, lunch at Gorringes with Lettice Hill. Guide H.Q. Committee Long important discussion over the World Committee being set up, etc. Hurry off to attend overseas guide tea party given by Lady Jellicoe at her house in Portland Place. Very nice, but have to hurry off to catch train home. Robin returned home too rather over-tired.
Wed 20 Jun 1928 Pax Nice Mary Stephen still staying. Take her to Southampton and drop her for lunch with her friends & then go on and lunch with Brother Arthur & Hopie Soames at their “House in the Woods” near Beaulieu. Mother has been staying there & I “collect her” & bring her back to Pax, collecting Mary Stephen back also en route.
Thu 21 Jun 1928 Pax Miss Muriel Hughes came to stay to sing at my party today. I met her at the Copley Hewitt in Kent some years ago, & she came & sang here too in 1926, & sings beautifully.
Party! Wet so all crowded indoors – 45 in all – Miss Crawleys, Crockers, Chrystie, Dundas, Eggars, Mrs Fisher, Harraps, Hope, Mrs Kays, Moltens, Pynes, 2 Richards, 2 Rays, Mrs Aldwyn Soames, the Shackels, Mrs Willoughby, etc.
Fri 22 Jun 1928 Pax Robin to London for the day. Miss Hughes went away, and Mary Stephen left too. Helen Newcome came over, complete with husband, for a good Guide talk. Brother Arthur & Hopie came to lunch on their way from London to Beaulieu, & we did some country dancing for them. Played tennis with Penny. Sent all the maids off to the Aldershot Tatoo [Tattoo] for a treat.
Sat 23 Jun 1928 Pax Peter’s “long leave” exeat [3] from Charterhouse till Monday. Planned that Robin should pick him up in the car at 10.30. At 8.15 the child turned up at Pax unexpectedly having biked over on his own!! Very jolly sign of advance in initiative & action!! He & R. went off in the car to Folkstone, for R. to see the 13th Hussars at Shorncliffe, etc. Took Mother to tea at Moor Park with Mrs Aldyn [Aldwyn] Soames & her son Merwyn. Beatrice Hall came to lunch.
Sun 24 Jun 1928 [Pax] Lovely hot sunny summer day. Gladys Ainsworth popped in for a talk. Sir Charles & Lady O’Brien came over from Headley to lunch, & also Lady Middleton, wife of Sir John M. lately governor of Gambia & now this week appointed to govern Newfoundland. Nice genial woman & will do guides there. Her son, by her first husband, called Granville, just down from Cambridge came too.
Mon 25 Jun 1928 [Pax] Mother left early to go back to her flat in London. She has enjoyed herself here this time & been very happy & jolly. Joan Jackson (Guide Com. in Derbyshire & great friend of Penny’s) came to stay. Also Dr (Miss) Elizabeth Adams of the Girl Scouts of America. She does their department dealing with colleges & seems very nice and is most friendly. Robin returned from his outing with Peter at Folkstone having seen his regiment & enjoyed himself a lot.
Tue 26 Jun 1928 [Pax] Took Joan & Miss Adams over to see Charterhouse & to drop Peter’s bike there also. Saw him for a few moments too, looking very jolly. Came back via Guildford - & Miss Adams left in afternoon. Col. & Mrs Coventry Williams to stay. He was in the 13th Hussars with R. for a time & later commanded the Scots Greys.
Wed 27 Jun 1928 [Pax] Col. Williams and Robin fished. Played lots of tennis. The two dear old Spillings came over to tea from Sunningdale as of course they were in the 13th with the Williams’ and like to talk about the good old days!
Thu 28 Jun 1928 [Pax] The Williams’ left in their car to go back to their home at Hove. Eileen Wade came & played tennis & I did singles with Joan Jackson too – seven sets in all. Such fun.
Fri 29 Jun 1928 [Pax] Robin to London for the day. Dulcie Gardiner (Tawny Owl from St Cyprian’s School – where Heather & Betty were at Cape Town) and Miss Bennett, Camp Adviser from Adelaide came down at tea time for the night. Took Joan Jackson & Penny to Farnham to shop & to Wrecclesham Pottery. Played lots of tennis.
Sat 30 Jun 1928 Pax Robin went over to the “O.C.” day [4] at Charterhouse for afternoon & evening. Joan Jackson, Dulcie Gardiner & Miss Bennett left and the “Pax Hotel” filled up again afresh! Christian came from St Mary’s Hill School for the week end and Mrs Moffat Thomson (District Com in Northern Rhodesia) Miss Lascelles (Guide D. Comm. in Melbourne) and Lady Goold Adams all came to stay, to talk Guides mainly. Played tennis a lot and having numbers of people in and out keeps one busy.
Sun 1st Jul 1928 [Pax] Robin took Lady Goold Adams over to lunch with the Spillings. Her husband (Sir Hamilton) was with R. through the siege of Mafeking. She is on my Guide Imperial Council & is very nice. Played lots of tennis. Mr Wilson (head of Gillwell) called in for tea with his extremely silent parson brother. Sir Reginald & Lady Tupper called in too with a friend of theirs called Leche
[1] Trimmer’s Hospital, East Street, Farnham was a cottage hospital; opened in 1894 but by 1930 it had outgrown the premises and moved to a new building in Menin Way and became the Phyllis Tuckwell Memorial Hospice.
[2] Sandbeck Park is the home of Earl of Scarbrough
[3] Exeat (Latin) is the term used by boarding schools meaning pupil is given leave.
[4] O.C.Day :- Old Carthusian Club Dating back to 1874, the OC Club is a volunteer-led alumni body, which helps to enable Old Carthusians to remain in touch with one another through a range of professional, social and sporting clubs and societies.
