Isobel Addison’s diary 1930

Friday, 17th January, 1930

Pop and I went to Swindon for a meeting.  Isobel returned to Oxford.  We all three went to Paddington together.    Pop and I stayed at Mrs. Beck’s for the night.

Saturday, 18th January, 1930

Pop and I called on the Seymours and he did some other visits.    Had our photo taken in a group  with the Women’s Section Committee.  Took Mrs. Beck out to lunch.  I spent a lazy afternoon snoozling by the fire while he paid some calls.  Went to a children’s party in the evening and came home by the 8.50.

Saturday, 22nd, February, 1930

Pop had to go to the office this morning but got in for lunch.  He and I and George went down to Peterley in the afternoon and walked on to Prestwood and had tea there and missed our train coming home and had an hour to wait in that gloomy mucky station at Great Missenden. Kate was out somewhere but I forget where.

Sunday, 23rd February, 1930

Pop took George out for a walk.  Kate was out.  I spent most of the day at my dressmaking.

Monday, 24th February, 1930

Kate, Pop and I left by the 10.30 for Teignmouth.  Got up to Colway about 2.  Chris and Brigit came to tea and drove us into Exeter to see the Hele School play in which Michael was acting.  After it we all went in to the Griffs  and had tea.  Pop stayed there to go home on the night train.  Chris drove us home and then he and Brigit went on to Moreton.  A horrid gale of wind and rain all night.

Tuesday, 25th February, 1930

More beastly wind and rain.  Did a lot of sorting and some packing.  Went to Newton to choose covers for the chairs and sofas.

Wednesday, 26th February, 1930

Did a lot more packing up.  Chris and Brigit came over – he brought a second-hand Armstrong -Siddley for us to see.  They had tea and then went home.  Chris had a beastly cold.

Thursday, 27th February, 1930

Actually a fine day.  Mr. and Mrs. Helps came up to see us.  Badcocks fetched away the chairs and sofa for recovering.  In the afternoon Kate and I went down to the barn at Murley Grange.  In the evening we walked down to the vicarage to see the MacIntyres and heard on their wireless that the government had a majority of 9 on the coal mines division.

Friday, 28th February, 1930

Chris and Brigit came to lunch and afterwards drove us to Exeter.  We had tea at Mrs. Griffs, picked up Michael and came up on the 5.40.  Pop met us at Paddington.  He had got flowers in our sitting room and set out the tea things, it all looked very welcoming.

Saturday, 1st March,  1930

Got up in good time and got the 10.5 to Missenden and drove up to Peterly.  A very nice day and the place struck us as being much nicer than we thought.  Ate our lunch sitting in the garden porch. Carrie and Nellie came after lunch and we walked back to Prestwood with them. Kate left at 5 and Pop and Michael and I stayed on and came  by the 8.38 back here.

Sunday, 2nd March, 1930

Michael stayed in bed all day as he had a very bad cold.  Kate went out after lunch.

Monday, 3rd March, 1930

Michael didn’t want to go out anywhere and seemed to enjoy just sitting reading, so we stayed in, had lunch in the restaurant.  Matthew came in after lunch and we had some tea.  I took Michael to Paddington for the 4.30 – he went off quite cheerily – his cold heaps better.  Kate gave notice  today to leave her flat next Monday.

Thursday, 6th March, 1930

Helped Kate in her flat during  the morning. Pop and I went down to Peterly Farm after lunch and interviewed Biggs re painting etc., Took some cups and a teapot and made ourselves a brew in the kitchen.  Got in at 7.  Pop went on to the House and I came here.  Kate  went to dine with a shemale friend at the 1917 club.

Friday, 7th March, 1930

Kate and I went and had our hair cut by Mr. Bruno.  Had a spot of lunch  and she went to her studio.  I walked back to Mappins and left my pearls to be re-strung and walked on as far as Queen’s Hall from whence I took a taxi home.  Pop and Kate went to the Speaker’s At Home.  They said it was an awful scrum and I’m jolly glad I didn’t waste my substance on buying an evening frock for it.

Saturday,  8th March, 1930

Did the final move from Kate’s flat.  Pop and the porters carried things over in the afternoon and she got her room straight here and went out to dinner.

Sunday, 9th March, 1930

Pop  stayed in bed all day with his cold.  Kate got up at 12! and went out.  A lovely day but somewhat dull.

Monday, 10th March, 1930

Went with Kay to give up her keys. She spent the morning unpacking and putting away all her belongings.  I sewed.  Pop came home to dinner and went early to bed.  Kate was out dancing with Matthew and they both came in here after dinner.

Tuesday, 11th March, 1930

Kate and I went to see the Italian pictures. She then went to her studio and I called on Bessie who was unfortunately out.  Government defeated by 8 tonight on a clause in the coal bill that didn’t matter.

Wednesday, 12th March, 1930

Pop and I went to Swindon for the Annual Social – all much the same as usual.  Came home on the night mail train and got here at 3.  Kate was even later.

Thursday, 13th March, 1930

Didn’t wake till 9.  Went out and did some shopping and fetched B of E case from the menders and went to Baker Street for The Stage for Kate.  Had lunch in restaurant and wrote about 8 letters in the afternoon.  Kate went over to the Albert Hall to buy tickets for a dance tomorrow,  came in for tea and went out to dine with Irving’s sister.

Sunday, 18th May, 1930

Brigit and I went to church at 8.  Pop and I went to the bungalow after tea and had supper there.  Annie and Fred were there.  Pete and his wife were here to tea.

Monday, 19th May, 1930

Kate and Brigit went to town after lunch.  Nick and Chris and I entertained all the bungalow people to tea and had a very pleasant afternoon.  The girls came home on the last train.  Pop went up to town this morning and goes off to Scotland tomorrow night on National Parks affairs for a week.

Tuesday,  20th May, 1930

Chris, Brigit, Nick and I went to Wycombe, had lunch there and did some shopping.  A rather wet day but they all got some tennis in the evening.

Wednesday, 21st May, 1930

Chris and Brigit left at 8.15 and Kate and Nick went to town by the 2 o’clock train.

Friday, 23rd May, 1930

Kate went up to town after breakfast.  I went to the station with her and went to the Bungalow on the way back.  Wilfred took the Aunts to Wycombe to shop in the afternoon.

Saturday, 24th May, 1930

Spent a good bit of today making curtains for Isobel’s room and the bathroom.

Sunday, 25th May, 1930

I went to church at 8.  Kate arrived from town at 10.  A very wet and unpleasant day.

Monday, 26th May, 1930

Kate went to town at 10.14 and came home on the 6.25.  Started making my new black dress – great care and pains over pleats!

Tuesday, 27th May, 1930

Got up at 7.  Breakfast in Kate’s room.  CA rang up soon after 8 having arrived from Scotland   and got to the flat.  Dyson came to move the pianos and Kate and I spent most of the rest of the day arranging the drawing room and music room most satisfactorily.  It has been a real summer day, sunny and hot and altogether lovely.   Isobel rang up tonight.

Wednesday, 28th May, 1930

Got up at 6.30.  Dressed and had my breakfast and took Kate’s up to her.  She went to town by the 10.14.  I made and hung two pairs of curtains in Daddy’s and Michael’s room.  Lizzie and May came over in the afternoon and after tea we drove down to Missenden.  I met Pop at 6  and we came here  and strolled around and had supper and he left by the 8.39 as he had  to be in the House for the division on unemployment.