Olave's diary for 1946 Index
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November 1946
Our grateful thanks to Alison Szarvas for the transcription.
Fri 1 Nov 1946
Tea with Olga Mannings to meet young John Reid-Dick, fiancé of Barbara who is my Darling’s god-daughter. Old Lady Scott, one of my ‘fellow inmates’ of this dear old Palace, died.
Sat 2 Nov 1946
Beryl Court here and we swotted at letters all day.
Lady Grant to tea, to talk over plans for a concert here, given by the French Guide Choir from Lyons next March.
To my intense surprise my brother [Arthur Soames] took my “olive branch” and telephoned offering to come and see me.
Sun 3 Nov 1946
Brother Arthur came for an hour after lunch – talked a lot about himself – but was quite friendly, and told me with delight of his son (Christopher) being engaged to Mary Churchill – younger daughter of the great Winston. She was in the A.T.S. and they met in Paris,
[continued on Mon 4 Nov]
Mon 4 Nov 1946
[continued from Sun 3 Nov]
where he (Christopher) is a Military Attaché to the British Ambassador (Duff-Cooper). I haven’t seen him since he was a small boy at a Prep. School.
Tue 5 Nov 1946
Madame Schnoep, from Holland came in afternoon and for tea. County Com. who had welcomed me at Meppel etc last month. Mrs Pickford, from Londiani (Kenya) to stay. She is a good leader in the E.A.W.L. [East Africa Women’s League] there and I had met her when on tour in 1941, at her home there.
Wed 6 Nov 1946 London
Lunch at the Ritz with Daisy Mander. Big conference of members of Guide Local Association in Central Hall, Westminster. About 1200 from all over the United Kingdom. H.R.H. Mary came and spoke; and I gave a talk and all had tea, and then there was an amusing little Pageant, and it was all quite a success. Mrs Atlee [sic] (wife of Prime Minister) there too.
Thu 7 Nov 1946
Meeting at Guide H.Q. of Welsh Commissioners – such a nice lot, and Hether Kay is doing so well as their Chief Com. Talked to them about the World – and then again gave an hour’s talk to members of the “overseas circle”. Mrs Pickford left. Chritine Pilkington came home with me late for night.
Fri 8 Nov 1946
Christine left. With Annie in to Kington [sic - Kingston] & did some Xmas shopping of books for Betty etc. far away.
To tea with Lady Fane.
To see film of the tragic Arnhem fighting – called [ she left a gap – probably “Theirs Is the Glory “ (1946)] in our little local cinema at East Molesey.
Sat 9 Nov 1946
A good home day. Get through lots of letters and sorting out of Xmas card list. Call and see for the first time my oldest fellow inhabitant of this Palace Miss Gordon aged 102!
Sun 10 Nov 1946
Same as yesterday – Blessed having a few quiet hours alone.
Today was kept as “Remembrance Day” which now in future will take the place of the usual “Armistice Day” (of Nov. 11th) which since the Great War was celebrated, with its two minutes silence at 11.0 am. This Remembrance Day will remind us of the two wars, and [continued on Mon 11 Nov]
Mon 11 Nov 1946
[continued from Sun 10 Nov] all the human sacrifices made to win peace. And at present there is no real good happy peace anywhere in the world!
To dinner at “Roland House” Scout Settlement in Stepney and speak afterwards at the East End Scouts’ “Service of Remembrance” about 1500 Scouts and 500 Guides there & half a dozen Mayors & Mayoresses.
Tue 12 Nov 1946
Another of my “Palace Ladies” tea parties here – for my fellow “inmates”. Annie made cakes & planned it all, and about 65 came. Luckily I had asked them for tea at 4.0 and so we were well under weigh[sic] when – at 5.15 – all the electricity was turned off at the mains.
I gave them then a talk in the half dark, about my tour and as I finished the lights went on again.
Wed 13 Nov 1946
Meeting at World Bureau to discuss who is to take over being Director when Arethusa Leigh-White gives up at the end of the year. Also British Guide H.Q. Committee.
Heard, with delight, from niece Clare (née Davidson and then Drummond-Hey)[1] in Kenya that she is going to marry again – Tony Dorman. He wrote to me too, and it is nice that she is so happy again.
Thu 14 Nov 1946
Pop in to Kingston with Barbara Manning, & buy a wedding present for her (2 silver entrée dishes).
Kit Robinson, from Mombasa, to lunch with me and talk Kenya all afternoon. Her husband is now the head of “Smith Mackenzie” in Mombasa, and actually I stayed in their house for my last nights waiting for my ‘plane there when I left to return to England in May 1942
Fri 15 Nov 1946
“Belge” – now Colonel – Wilson[2] to lunch. He was Head of Gilwell from this day 1923 till the war, & then did lots of important hush-hush work for the “Resistance” in Norway. Now he is Director of the Scouts International Bureau.
Sat 16 Nov 1946
A young widow, Mrs Williams, a possible part time secretary came over to be “interviewed”. She seemed excellent, took down some stuff in shorthand straight away – and I took her on. Great luck. She lives at Byfleet and can come over here as I require
Sun 17 Nov 1946
Supper with Enid Clayton & her son Sam, who had been prisoner in Japanese hands in the East & suffered terribly.
Mon 18 Nov 1946
[The following is a cutting pasted into the diary and dated Sept 1946]
I Shall Come Back
Do not lose heart when silence shadows Hope.
Gather more close your cloak of gallantry,
And wear it ever, proudly confident,
Smiling as when I left.
I shall come back.
Perhaps not quite as when that autumn dawn
I held you closely in my arms, and knew
Your eyes were closed against the trait’rous tears,
Not thus – perchance – but yet
I shall come back.
It will suffice if even what is sent
Is service in another sphere for me.
And you are left to tread remembered ways
Without my hand – yet still
I shall come back.
The very air will be so filled with me,
That when you move or breathe our spirits each
Will be united inescapably.
To-gether-two in one.
I shall come back.
H. Trevelyan-Thomson
Tue 19 Nov 1946
Cynthia Hill[3] to stay and Hilda Harley also came late. Cynthia did a lovely letter from my Darling, in her miraculous way.
Wed 20 Nov 1946 London
County Commissioners’ Conference in H.Q. A lot there – old friends and new ones. Talked about my tour and listened to discussion & home after tea and Cynthia & Hilda followed later.
Thu 21 Nov 1946
To C.C. conference a bit in morning. Lunch party at the Goring for Lady Glancey (ex Chief Com for India going to live in Kenya). Kit Robinson from Mombasa, Lady Dalton (Tanganyika) & Mrs Dorman – mother of Clare’s fiancé. Their engagement in the Times today.
E.A.W.L. Meeting. I talked a bit, & Dorothy Pickford. Home with Cynthia.
Fri 22 Nov 1946
Cynthia left. Mrs Williams (my new Secretary) came & took down most of my letters & I went off to Kingston with Annie for lunch and to see “Rebecca” the excellent film, made from Daphne Du Maurier’s book.
Sat 23 Nov 1946 Foxlease
To Foxlease, for Empire Training Week. About 40 there. Gave talk in evening.
Sun 24 Nov 1946 Pax Hill
Left Foxlease, Marjory Cobham driving me as far as Winchester. “Nutkin” from Pax met us there, & carried me on to Pax for lunch with all the 21 Guides in training there. Talked to them a bit in the Barn & caught 3.0 train back home in time for tea.
Mon 25 Nov 1946
[written on this page but appears to be continuation of the next day’s entry, 26 Nov]
Buxted where I was christened, Uckfield, Burntash to Bodiam & stay night at the Castle Inn there. Walk round the lovely old Castle & up to Ewhurst. Call on poor invalid parson Morrison there – and think & think & talk of my Beloved and our four happy years there – 1913-1917
Tue 26 Nov 1946 Ewhurst
Hired an elderly Miss Baddeley with her car to take Annie & me on a three days’ holiday trip! Started by calling at and going all over our former home “Little Mynthurst Farm”, near Horley[4], now sumptuously done up, enlarged and altered & owned by a Canadian named Holt. On & lunched at Felbridge Hotel near East Grinstead & then on, in beautiful radiant sunshine via [arrow pointing to 25 Nov entry]
Wed 27 Nov 1946 Tunbridge Wells
Leave Bodiam & call at Hawkhurst & see old Hilda (Warington) B-P[5] – sister-in-law, & have coffee with her at hotel there. Lunch & stay at Spa Hotel at Tunbridge Wells. Call & see old Daisy (Charles) Powell at Speldhurst and then to see Rose Hill School (where my Darling was as a very small boy) & see the Scouts there, & give them things for their museum.
Thu 28 Nov 1946
Leave Tunbridge Wells & call on old (83 year old) Cousin Ella Powell at Crowborough. Lunch with Nancy Davidson at East Grinstead. Call on Violet Haig & Sir Harry (formerly Guide Com for the U.P. in India) at their charming home, Mill Barn at Oxted. Poured with rain all day! Home through Redhill – Dorking – a pleasant holiday!
Fri 29 Nov 1946
Mrs Williams came again, and doing my work so well. Rosalind (De Renzy Martin)[6] to stay the night, back from her job with the Governor of Ceylon (which she did not enjoy at all) and going soon to work in the administration in Tanganyika
Sat 30 Nov 1946
Rosalind left.
Miss Hill (chiropodist) came & did my feet. To meeting at Lady Gough’s apartment about the Tennis Court and to being kept for our use – a priceless affair - considering most of us here are octogenarians!
Mr Curtis Brown came to see me to talk over book copyrights, and to plan that he will act as my agent in dealing with publishers.
[1] Clare Margaret Davidson (1913–1980) was the daughter of Olave’s sister Auriol who died when Clare was 6, and Olave brought her up (and her two sisters). Clare was married 29 Sept 1938 to Peter Hay-Drummond-Hay, RAF, k.i.a. 9 July 1940
[2] John Skinner Wilson, always known as Belge
[3] Later Lady Sandys was a “medium” called “Penholder”. She would go into a trance, and then write – not in her own hand-writing – text passed to her from people now dead to the person who was with her. Olave believed this absolutely, and it gave her great comfort (so don’t knock it !).
[4] Very close to Gatwick Airport.
[5] The childless widow of B-P’s oldest brother.
[6] She was a Bridesmaid at Betty’s wedding on 24 Sept 1936.
December 1946
Kindly transcribed by Alison Szarvas
Sun 1 Dec 1946
Hired Shudders Rolls Royce and rolled comfily over to High Leigh at Hoddesdon for “C.C.A” Conference. About 170 there from all parts of the U.K. under care of Peg Jackson (Head of Camping). Talked to them for an hour and then rolled home again. Felt awfully tired – Wrote some stuff for “The Guide”.
Mon 2 Dec 1946
Mrs Williams came again. Worked all day, and got almost level with things.
Tue 3 Dec 1946
Miss Helen Moore, C.C.A. in Dublin to stay – a nice pleasant plump rosey-cheeked person, who I saw a good deal in Ireland & who motored back from Cork to Dublin with me on October 27th.
Wed 4 Dec 1946
[No entry]
Thu 5 Dec 1946
[No entry]
Fri 6 Dec 1946
Monica Mardon – a rather distant cousin of my Mother’s – née Hill – came to lunch. She is now living in London and wrote in friendly vein – but I didn’t find we had anything much in common!
Sat 7 Dec 1946
Lassie Fitzhenry came to lunch. She and her husband are home on leave from Northern Rhodesia. He does “P.W.D” there; & they were both at Bet’s wedding at Bentley in 1936.
Sun 8 Dec 1946
Mrs Bedford came in time for lunch, and I had the most lovely happy hour talking with my own Beloved Robin on the other side. He loves it too, and likes our talkings best here in my apartment.
Mon 9 Dec 1946
[No entry]
Tue 10 Dec 1946
Guests at dinner party 11th
[ brackets used where ditto marks have been placed in diary for clarity]
Brother Arthur – Host
Constance – his 2nd wife
Bunty Morris – (his) elder daughter
Col “Sandy” (Morris) – her husband
“Dido” Cousins – Arthur’s second daughter
Col. Hugh Cousins – her husband
Forbes Fraser – Constance’s brother
Friend of, and best man designate to , Christopher – who could not get leave
Winston Churchill
Mary (Churchill) – fiancée
Mrs Sands – her sister
As Mrs Winston was ill and could not come
Wed 11 Dec 1946
Lunch at Goring Hotel with Arethusa. See a few at the office and stay at Kings X Hotel for the night. Dinner party, given by my brother Arthur for his family to celebrate the engagement (See Nov. 3rd).
(Turn page back for list of this rather historic family gathering.
I had not seen the two soldier sons-in-law before.
A very good dinner! And all very friendly
Thu 12 Dec 1946 Harrogate
To Harrogate, & Heather & her small [?] travelled up with me. Public Meeting in the “Royal Bath” hall and quite nice audience. Tea after it with various Comms. & friends of the Movement. Supper with Annie Shepherd. [?] to Leeds. Visit their new Guide H.Q. there & then do Rally of about 2000 in big Chapel – singing and talk.
Fri 13 Dec 1946 Bradford
Heather joined me for breakfast at Green Park Hotel. Shopped & went to see her tiny house in Harlow Crescent. Ran out to lunch with Alba Ingilby at Ripley Castle. Back to Harrogate & did a cinema together. Tea with her and her two babies. Marcia Mowat fetches me to Bradford. Rally of about 1800 there. Supper with Comms. & stay at Marcia’s home in Cleckheaton.
Sat 14 Dec 1946 Chesterfield
Fetched by Guide people from Bradford to Huddersfield and there open [?] at Guide Hall. Good effort in spite of fog & rain. Hurry on to Chesterfield in time for lunch. Then do Annual Meeting of the Derbyshire Guides – nice audience. Tea, & meet lots of old friends; and in evening we have a Guiders’ meetings – about 120. Stay with O Mecantucy
Sun 15 Dec 1946
Call on Mrs Howson (aged 83) who was the manager of a bank where my father did money transactions, & knew him there away back in 1891! Left Chesterfield 11.30 and travelled up to London with Mrs Albert Green – formerly Div. Com at Chesterfield. Home for late tea.
Mon 16 Dec 1946
Mrs Williams – this quite excellent Heaven-sent secretary – came again & we waded through piles of letters together. Lady Garroway called in for an hour – from Ireland, & I hope that perhaps she may be given an apartment in this dear Palace sometime.
Tue 17 Dec 1946
Margot Longley (former G.B.D. in Canada) came & Given Streets (Colony Sec in Kenya) & her husband and Edna Banham, Mrs Dennistoun-Swold and Lady Grant for lunch at “Taggs Island” & did a useful & amusing Committee about the concern in our Great hall next March, to be given by the Scout & Guide French Choir from Lyon.
Wed 18 Dec 1946
To Committee at H.Q. re this choir, which will tour to different places in England. Cicely Douglas is Chairman, and so good.
To “Perchance to dream” at the Hippodrome with Ida Copeland, music by Ivor Novello, who also acted the principal part. Rather nice. Good dancing.
Thu 19 Dec 1946
British International Committee Meeting at H.Q. Lunch there with Iris Morrisson, just back from touring - & following my tracks – in the West Indies.
B.B.C. script writer calls in to plan a short talk.
Fri 20 Dec 1946
Picture repairers come and take away Harold Speed’s oil painting of my Darling, as it needs cleaning & varnishing never – as far as I know – having ever been done since it was painted in – I think – 1903.
(P.S. Eccleston galleries did it well in a month and charged £17 only)
[Note: this line appears to be added at a later date]
Snow and arctic day.
Sat 21 Dec 1946
Bussed over to see old Hardy in the Cripples Hospital at Putney.
Bitterly cold – snow and hard frost and roads all iced up. Blistered a toe with wet sock in heavy shoes!
Sun 22 Dec 1946
Thawed!
I got very much too fat on my tours from eating too much, & having no exercise. So I started “thinning” on
Oct 30th 11 stone 10
Nov 2nd 11 stone 9
Nov 5 11 stone 8
Nov 8 11 stone 7
Nov 11 11 stone 6
Nov 17 11 stone 5
Nov 24 11 stone 4
Nov 29 11 stone 3
Dec 3 11 stone 3
Dec 7 11 stone 1
Dec 17 11 stone 0
Dec 31 10 stone 12
[Ditto marks replaced by words for clarity]
Mon 23 Dec 1946
Age is a quality of mind
If you have left your dreams behind
If hope is cold
If you no longer plan ahead
If your ambitions all are dead
Then you are old
But
If of life you make the best
And in your life you still have zest
If love you hold
No matter how the years go by
No matter how the birthdays fly
You are not old
Tue 24 Dec 1946 Abbotts Wood
Annie’s family house party began in my apartment & I trundled off by road to Abbotts Wood (Godalming) to spend the third Xmas Day running with the Clay’s. I get on very well with Violet and we chat happily together, though I find Gerard very silent & I don’t get to know him any more!
Dec 25 Dec 1946 Xmas Day
Very cold, & having a blistered toe did not walk to church after all. Did letters & in the afternoon the children (Gill and Robin – my precious Betty’s two) had their parcels.
Thu 26 Dec 1946 Abbotts Wood
At Abbotts Wood. Sat & darned Violet’s house linen most of the day, saving my sore toe!
Fri 27 Dec 1946
Left Abbotts Wood and popped up to H.C.P. and sorted and did letters all day there. After tea travelled down to Bentley, & stay in dear sweet Pax again, with “ Nutkin” and her guider friend, Joan Seaman. Sleep in my own Darling’s little oak bed in what was my own room for 20 years!
Sat 28 Dec 1946 Pax Hill
Bike off & lunched with Ainsworths. Nutkin drove me to catch train at Guildford & I ran up to London & did a three minute talk for the B.B.C. in the “In town tonight” series. Got “home” to Pax after 9.0
Sun 29 Dec 1946
Sat and basked in the sun on “my” his verandah. How I love this place and that view that my Darling loved so much too. Biked via Bucks Horn Oak to lunch with Mary Carver at Shortheath. Back by the main road, tea with Ainsworths, and then call for chat with the Wades.
Mon 30 Dec 1946 Pax Hill
How lucky I have been having two perfect sunny days here, & “my” countryside looking so exquisite – as it used to in the days when we were here and walked & walked so much together so happily. Back to my other home again, & find bundles of cards & letters to cope with.
Tue 31 Dec 1946
Spend all day doing letters, with Mrs Williams, and myself, and feel I shall never get level with the accumulation, & fulfil the endless demands for messages, and this, that, and the other. What a lash it all is – but I must do my best, and this has been a very busy and effective year of travel and work.
(Heather’s address 34 Harlow Cresc. Harrogate)
I am always thankful at the end of a year too to feel that I twelve months nearer the end, as, for me, the sooner I can go to join my Beloved, the happier I shall be. I seem to miss his bodily presence as much as – or even more than ever. But of course he is near me, in his adorable spirit, always.
Brood not darkly o’er the past – it has gone for ever
Wisely improve the present – it is thine
Go forth into the future without fear, and with a manly heart
Think of me as withdrawn
Into the dimness
Yours still, you mine
Remember all the best
Of our past moments
And forget the next
And so, to where I wait
Come gently on.
---oOo---
