Wednesday, 1st August, 1917 D 9 eggs
Katie and I went up to town by the 10.36 and did a heap of shopping in the rain. Selfridges, Swears and Wells etc. Came home by the 4.14. The three children met us. CA didn’t get in until after 9. Bezique again after supper.
Thursday, 2nd August, 1917 9 eggs
The three children and I went to town with CA and drove with him to Gamages. He went on to Reconstruction and we shopped – bought Katie’s butterfly outfit and Sonnie electric meccano motor etc., Lunch at Buzzards, books from B….. shoes at Daniel Neal and home by the 4.14. Michael met us. It had cleared up in town but was drenching by the time we arrived. CA was not home till about 9 and we played bezique after supper, and read.
Friday, 3rd August, 1917 10 eggs.
The kiddies went down with CA to the station and brought most of our Selfridges parcels. Daniel Neal’s also arrived and we unpacked them all with much excitement. Miss White came at 11.22. I did a good deal of sorting and tidying up, preparing for packing. Also sewed and wrote some letters and paid my bills.
Saturday, 4th August, 1917 8 eggs
Wet again but not quite so bad. Katie and I went to town by the10.36. Had two of her teeth temporarily filled and changed her shoes at Selfridges. Got home by the 12.35. More of our parcels had arrived and we unpacked them. Then I tidied the three big ones and cut their nails and generally trimmed them up to go to tea with Mrs. Hill and the goats. I commenced my packing and after tea we dosed the sick bantam cock. The children got home soon after six. The rain stopped and during and after tea the sun actually shone. In the evening we found Kate’s rabbit David had produced seven young rabbits. Heaven only knows where they came from! She hasn’t been near a buck so far as anyone knows – a great mystery!!
Sunday, 5th August, 1917
Actually fine today. Only one shower in the afternoon. Did some more packing. CA “sorted” the boxroom and made it ready for storing potatoes etc. Poor little John bantam died and we buried him.
Monday, 6th August, 1917
A great tragedy this morning, poor David lying dead in her house. We drowned five of the baby rabbits and kept two which we are going to try to bring up on milk. Poor little Katie was terribly distressed. David in spite of her fierceness was a darling rabbit and it is a great sorrow. After the rabbit episode and a funeral attended by the whole family I continued my packing. Mr. Heseltine came down about 5 also Dr. Macphail turned up and stayed the night sleeping on the drawing room sofa.
Tuesday, 7th August 1917
Got up about 6.30 and had breakfast soon after. Finished off all the packing and got the 9.7 train. Dr. Macphail came to see us off and then went off to town on the 9.15. We had quite a nice journey to Sheffield and got a good lunch at the Midland station. The train for Grindleford was very crowded. Sam Osborne travelled in the same carriage. When we got here we did some unpacking and had tea then Daddy took the three kiddies out and Bella took Michael in the garden. I finished the unpacking and got things stowed away into very little space. The children stayed up for supper at 7 and then went to bed by degrees and CA and I walked up to the Osbornes and spent an hour on their verandah. Came home and went to bed about 10.30.
Wednesday, 8th August, 1917
A fine morning. After breakfast we all went out down to the station for newspapers and to see about Michael’s milk then we walked up towards the Ashton’s cottage and climbed up the hillside down into the village to buy biscuits and chocolate and home to lunch. CA took the kiddies out after lunch and I wrote one or two letters and spent an idle afternoon reading. It turned out a very wet afternoon and evening. Daddy played games with the children after tea and they again sat up for dinner. As it is at 7 o’clock we are allowing them to do so and ensure they are getting enough to eat! Things are a bit below the rations here and the milk is more than half water I am sure.
Thursday, 9th August, 1917
Bella took Michael out and spent most of the morning in the Osborne’s garden. We and the three kiddies went for a jolly walk up the road towards Fox House and across on to the Hathersage road and home by Millstone Edge. It was wet at first but got quite fine and we came home quite dry. After lunch the three big ones went out by themselves and Michael with Bella and Daddy and I wrote letters and lazed at home. He took them all for a walk on Froggatt Edge after tea. Michael and I went part of the way. After dinner we played patience and went to bed about 11.
Friday, 10th August, 1917
A very nice morning. We took the three children up to Froggatt Edge and had a lovely walk and found three lots of white heather. The children all went to the Osborne’s garden and had gooseberries and raspberries after dinner and then went with CA to the station to send a wire and after tea he took them to the Beck while Bella and I sat in the garden knitting and winding wool and playing with Michael. Mrs. Osborne brought us down some lovely sweet peas and after dinner we went and sat up with them until nearly ten. Came home and made ourselves a cup of tea and read and went to bed soon after 11.
Saturday, 11th August, 1917
Spent a good deal of the morning trying to find a conveyance to take us to Eicleshall but failed. Bought some bread and butter, sweets and cigarettes. After lunch we all got tidied and Michael and Bella went out and Katie and Christopher went to the Osborne’s for a walk and tea, CA, Isobel and I took a train to Dove where Mr. Fisher met us and drove us to his house. Mrs. Fisher took us all round the garden and we had tea and then she drove us up to the Round House and we walked from there in drenching rain and wind and sun and accompanied by the most beautiful perfect rainbow I have ever seen – got a lift in a taxi about a mile from the hotel and arrived at 7.30. Gave Bel a hot bath, supper and bed. Had dinner ourselves and a quiet evening.
Sunday, 12th August, 1917
Christopher and Isobel came to church with Daddy and me. Katie had a walk with Bella and Michael. Spent most of the afternoon in the house. Daddy started out with the children after tea but got caught in the rain and they were motored back by Dr. Stokes who came in for a few minutes
Monday, 13th August, 1917
We took the three big ones to Padley Wood where they bathed in the stream. A rather messy job. Came home about 12 and CA and Christopher went down to the village to buy a loaf and some cigarettes. After lunch CA took the three big ones to Eyain and Bella and Michael went part of the way with them. I wrote about four letters and four postcards. Mrs. Claremont and Mrs. Platt called while Bella, baby and I were having tea. The others came in and we made fresh tea for them. Played cards after dinner and cut the creeper round the window which greatly annoyed our disagreeable landlord. He is a BOUNDER
Tuesday, 14th August, 1917
CA, Katie and Christopher went down to the village to shop and to see about a carriage for tomorrow. About 12 we all started with our lunch for Ringinglow. It rained as we started but after one heavy shower before we got to Fox House it turned out lovely and we had a jolly walk. Ate our lunch on the moor and had lemonade at the Round House and came home the same way getting back about 5. Had tea and tidied ourselves. CA and I then went to dinner at the Osbornes. Sat on their verandah and watched a most lovely sunset. Came home about 10. Made a cup of tea and read and got picnic things ready for the morning and went to bed at 11.30.
Wednesday, 15th August, 1917
Started in a wagonette about 10.30 for Castleton. A most lovely day and a very jolly jog trot drive. Had our lunch out of the tea basket at the opening of the Winnats. Daddy then took the three children down the Speedwell Mines and Bella, Michael and I wandered about and made some tea. When the others returned we made a few purchses of local “treasures” and then droved home. CA and the three big ones and I then went to the Stokes for tea and had a real Yorkshire tea – pie and ham, jam and cheesecake etc.! Came home about 7. We’ve had practically no rain all day!
Thursday, 16th August, 1917
Nurse Bella and all four children spent the whole morning down at the Home School in the swimming bath and at the stream and CA and I stayed at home and wrote letters. It was a lovely morning and the kiddies thoroughly enjoyed themselves. After lunch Daddy, Isobel and I went up Sir William but hadn’t time to get right to the top. Katie and Christopher pottered about by themselves
Friday, 17th August, 1917
A most drenchingly wet day. It literally rained without ceasing from morning till night and we hardly got out all day. Daddy had meant to take the children to Castleton and they all got up and had an early breakfast for that purpose but had to give it up.
Saturday, 18th August, 1917
CA and the children went to the village to buy things for a picnic and I cut sandwiches etc., We went by the 12.50 train to Hope and drove from there to Castleton. Climbed up to Peveril Castle and then went up Mam tor and walked all along the ridge back to Hope. Had several showers but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, the best walk we have had. Some lovely rainbow effects and a most bracing breeze. Everyone was in a good temper! Got home about 6.30. Had dinner and a quiet evening by a fire and went to bed about 11.30
Sunday, 19th August,1917
A fine morning so we went for a walk. Got to the top of Sir William and got some nice wild roots to take home. After lunch Daddy, Sonnie and Isobel went to the ? to sail boats. Kate read and I wrote. Mr. Stokes to tea. After tea CA went for a walk with Sam Osborne and the girls and I walked to Froggatt Edge. Bella and baby went to lunch and tea at Baslow. CA and I had supper at the Osbornes.
Monday, 20th August, 1917
Got up early and saw Daddy and Sonnie off to Sheffield en route for Lincolnshire. A lovely day, looked most promising. After breakfast I counted out dirty washing to send home and Katie, Bella and Michael went to buy food. Then we cut sandwiches and all went up to Froggatt Edge and stayed till the afternoon. Home for tea, rather tired. Katie and Isobel went down to the stream to paddle. After dinner Bella and I read and knitted. Made tea and went to bed rather early.
Tuesday, 21st August, 1917
Another lovely day. Bella took Michael out and Katie, Isobel and I, after doing a little shopping walked by way of Leam Hall and the moors up on to Sir William road where we found my knife which I left there on Sunday when digging up roots. Got home a bit late for lunch. Bella and the children spent the afternoon down by the stream in Padley Wood and I read and wrote letters. After tea the girls went for a walk by themselves and I played with Michael. Dressed for dinner and afterwards the girls and Bella and I played cards till they went to bed. We then had a cup of tea and Bella wrote letters while I finished reading James’s Princess Casamassima which I have been at a long time and thoroughly enjoyed.
Wednesday, 22nd August, 1917 A
Katie, Isobel and I had a jolly walk in the morning, round up to the Calves Road and home. Took some photos. They went out with Bella and Michael in the afternoon. and I went to tea with Mrs. Osborne.
Thursday, 23rd August, 1917
Mr. Lochwood took Katie and Isobel for a walk in the morning and I did a lot of packing. CA and Chrisopher arrived at lunch time and we had a great jaw. The three children went out by themselves in the afternoon and after tea CA took them down to the stream
Friday, 24th August, 1917
Daddy and the children went out and I finished the packing. We all left for Sheffield at 6 and spent the night at the Victoria Hotel most comfortably.
Saturday, 25th August, 1917
Left for London at 11. Very comfortable journey and train stopped at Northwood for us. All very glad to be home once more. Got all the unpacking done before bedtime and everything straight.
Sunday, 26th August, 1917 4 eggs
Mr. Carr came down after lunch. The Hiltons came in after tea. Mr. Carr stayed to supper
Monday, 27th August, 1917 KA 3 eggs
I went down to the Hiltons in the morning. In the afternoon Sonnie went down to see John Hilton who is seedy and had tea with him. The other Hiltons all came up to us and Dr. H and Mrs. and I went and got bramble in the Oxhey Wood. I have begun terrible indigesion again and was sick three times today.
Tuesday, 28th August, 1917 D 4 eggs
Bella, Michael, the three children and I all went brambling. Got about 6-lbs and I made 12-lbs of jelly in the afternoon. The Hiltons came to dinner and we had a very nice evening though I’ve been beastly sick and seedy again – sick four times!
Wednesday, 29th August, 1917 7 eggs
Mrs. Cross, Bella and the children all went and got brambles in Oxhey Wood.
Thursday, 30th August, 1917 6 eggs
Friday, 31st August, 1917 6 eggs
Miss White came down at 11.22 looking all the better for her holiday.