Isobel Addison’s diary March 1917

Thursday, 1st March, 1917              5 eggs

CA and I drove over to Bessie’s. then Bess and I went with him to the Ministry then on to Burnet’s in Covent Garden to try to choose cretonnes for my chairs.  Walked from there to Liberty’s where we chose something.  Took a taxi to the hotel as I expected Mrs Meiklejohn to lunch but owing to Dorothy’s illness she couldn’t come so I went back with Bess to Roland Gardens where CA joined us for lunch.  I stayed with her till it was time to go for the girls.  After tea we went out for a bit.

Friday, 2nd March, 1917           6 eggs

Took the girls to the station and came home in a taxi.  A dark foggy day.  Dorothy Macphail came to breakfast, Miss White came for letters etc.,  Dorothy and I went to Whiteleys to shop back for lunch.  Went to Marylebone where she left me and I went on to Northwood.  Drove from there with Mr. Moore and the kiddies.  Found the boys very jolly.   After tea I drove down with Mr. Moore and went in to the Hiltons for a few minutes.  When I got home the children and I walked down as far as C…..Road to meet Dr. Macphail.   CA home at 9.

Saturday, 3rd March, 1917                7 eggs

Fairly lazy morning.  Miss Walker to lunch and for the afternoon.  Played Solo Whist at night. At teatime Dr. Hilton came in and we had a “musical romp” in the drawing room.

Sunday, 4th March, 1917             6 eggs

Dr. Macphail, Katie, Bel, Michael and I all went for a jolly walk in the morning.  Quiet afternoon.  Shal Andrews and Frances to tea and we walked down to the station with them.

Monday, 5th March, 1917               6  eggs

Deep snow – beastly.  Dr. Macphail and the girls went by the 8.50.  Sonnie off to school.  I packed and tidied up, fed all the animals etc., came home by the 3.42. Picked up Kate and Bel at Harrow.  After tea went to Whiteleys to try to get some books for them.  CA came in about 8.30 and we sat and read till bedtime.

Tuesday, 6th March, 1917      8 eggs

Took children to station and drove back to hotel for breakfast.  After breakfast Mr. Bate came in and we all went in the car to Regent St., where they dropped me.  Went to Liberty’s, Dickens and Jones  and B………..? and walked all the way back.  Dull lunch!       Wrote some letters, fetched girls from Marylebone.  After tea we read by the fire.  CA got in about 8.45

Wednesday, 7th March, 1917           9 eggs.

Very punctual this morning.  Took girls to station and found CA dressed and ready for breakfast when I got back.  After breakfast wrote a letter and went to Whiteleys to get Michael a little toy.  Miss White came to take letters.  CA dropped me at Marylebone for the 10.55 and I went down to spend the day with my boys.  Very cold and windy.  Came back by  the 3.42, picked up Kate and Bel at Harrow.  Spent the evening reading.  CA didn’t get home till nearly eleven and we sat talking till nearly one.  I went in to see Mrs.  Bate between tea and dinner and had a nice talk.

Thursday, 8th March, 1917       8 eggs

Kate has a bad cold so kept both girls at home.  Isobel and I went over and did a little shopping with Bessie and home again by 12.30.  After lunch I took the girls both to Selfridges to buy them new frocks etc., Home for tea.  Miss Booth came in about 6 and had dinner with me.  CA got in about 8.30

Friday, 9th March, 1917             9 eggs

Miss White came after breakfast and Isobel went with her to Northwood.  Katie and I went to Whiteleys and had her hair shampooed.  Fanny Watkins, Lucy Rowe’s sister came to lunch.  After lunch we dropped her at Grosvenor St and went on for CA and drove on to Dartford to see Madame …………..   training college.  Saw Kathleen and witnessed a splendid show of drilling.  Had tea and drove back to the Ministry where we left CA and went on to Marylebone. Got home at 7.10.  CA got home at 9.45

Saturday, 10th March, 1917           7 eggs

Spent our usual rather “pottering” Saturday.  Rather a  dismal wet day.  Nothing of any note happened.

Sunday, 11th March, 1917               7 eggs

Spent practically all day turning the study into the nursery and the nursery into the study so as to make a playroom for the children downstairs. It rained all day so we were not out much, though CA got a bed of onions weeded. Dr. Hilton came in for a short time in the morning.

Monday, 12th March, 1917         5 eggs

Katie’s cold still bothered so Isobel went alone to school with Michael for company in the car.  After feeding the animals I spent the morning putting away books and tidying up the bookshelves and finishing off the playroom.  I packed my bags and generally tidied up.   Then Nurse Bella, Michael, Kate and I drove to Harrow to fetch Isobel.  Talked to Miss Huskisson for a few minutes and came on to London with the girls. Unpacked and had tea.  After tea out to buy stamps etc., and posted cards to the boys.  Fanny Watkins came to dinner.  CA didn’t get home till 11. Fanny left about 10.30.

Tuesday, 13th March, 1917         7 eggs

Took the girls to the station and back for breakfast.  CA dropped me at Gloucester Road.  Fetched Bessie and went to Selfridges for my new frock and to Morrisons and Dickens and Jones for hats for her and me.   Lunched with Bessie and then went to meet the girls.  After tea went to Whiteleys and bought some small remembrances for these nice hotel people.  CA got home at 8.30 and after he had had supper we played bezique.

Wednesday, 14th March, 1917              9 eggs

A wet morning but fine and dry later on.  Took the girls to the station as usual.  Miss White came at 10 and she and CA left about 10.45.  I wrote about 9 or 10 letters, put on my new frock and hat and went to lunch with Maggie then on to Selfridges to do a little shopping for Mrs. Hilton  and to get my own stockings and gloves.  Met Katie and Isobel, had tea and took them to Whiteleys to get their hair shampooed and cut. Tidied myself and bathed the girls and got them to bed.  Went to dinner with the Bates.  CA had to leave for a Division on Cotton at the house.  I came back at 10.30, had a bath and did some packing.  CA got in about 11.15

Thursday, 15th March, 1917           10 eggs

Took the girls to the station.  Little John Bate came in at breakfast-time to see the “labour minister”! and went over with CA and his father to the ministry.  I went to help Mrs. Bate clear cupboards etc.,  Home to lunch and Bessie lunched with me. We went out a bit after lunch and she left.  I met the girls.  Miss Booth for tea and she left at 6. Got the girls to bed.  Miss Wragge and Miss Thwaites to dinner. CA got in at 8.30 and we had a very jolly evening.  They left at 10 and I did a lot of packing and clearing up. Got to bed about 11.30 or 12.

Friday, 16th March, 1917     A. X            3 eggs

We slept till 5 to 8. Rather a rush to get children to station.  Miss White came for letters etc., I packed and had a very busy morning.   Miss White awfully kindly took some of my luggage to the station and on to Northwood.  I really don’t know how we should get on without the dear girl, she is an absolute brick in every way, bless her!  I went out and ordered flowers for Mrs. Ducros and bought cigarettes and after lunch finished all my odds and ends of packing.  Miss White and the children arrived about 3 and dressed in our best we all went to the teaparty at the Hotel Victoria.  Lots of people there, not bad but fairly dull.  Bessie came with us.  At 6.20 CA and the kiddies and I motored out to Northwood, arrived about 7.15.  Spent most of the evening unpacking and getting things straight.

Saturday, 17th March, 1917    11 eggs

Fed animals and pottered about the garden,  rather a wet morning.  Miss White came at 10.30. After dinner dear old Nurse Bella left for Sheffield.   Played in the garden with Michael, fed the hens etc.Got the kiddies all to bed in good time and CA and I had a game of bezique after supper.

Sunday, 18th March, 1917              9 eggs

Sunny and warm except for a rather cold wind.  Michael and I went down to see Mrs. Hilton and she walked up here with us.   After dinner Michael played in the garden, Christopher did meccano and the girls had a ride.  I wrote several letters. Got things ready for tomorrow’s school and had a quiet evening.

Monday, 19th March, 1917            7 eggs

Katie, Isobel and Christopher all off to school.  CA off by the 9.40.  Michael and I fed the rabbits, hens, parrot and did some tidying up in the house and darned stockings.  We then went to fetch Isobel home from Harrow.  After dinner I machined up 5 cushion covers.  Kate got home about 4 and Sonnie at 4.30.  Had tea and played games with baby.  Finished my cushion covers, got the kiddies all to bed fairly early.  Isobel has a sore throat and temperature 99.4.  Katie has a stiff neck.  CA got home at 9.40, went up to bed at 11.

Tuesday, 20th March, 1917              9 eggs

Kept Katie and Isobel in bed all day.  Had a busy morning, animals, washing, making girls tidy and making their beds etc.  The new chair covers came and they are very pretty.  After dinner I took the two boys down to have their hair cut. Sonnie had a stiff knee so didn’t go to football.  Katie dressed and came down to tea.  Got them all to bed and came and snoozled by the fire.   CA came in at 9.40.  Had supper, read the papers,felt very dull. Came to bed about 11.30

Wednesday, 21st March, 1917      12 eggs

Thursday, 22nd March, 1917         11 eggs

K.A.  Friday, 23rd March, 1917         11 eggs

I had a great “field day” in my bedroom, tidying and papering the drawers   and generally sorting it.  Felt extremely virtuous.

Saturday, 24th March, 1917        10 eggs

Mr. Heseltine came down to do papers, Dr. Macphail to tea and supper.  He brought Michael’s book   of the Owl and the Pussycat, beautifully illustrated by himself, with the music all written out. A most lovely  present.

Sunday, 25th March, 1917            11 eggs

Christopher and Michael both in bed with colds.

Monday, 26th March, 1917                9 eggs

Chrisopher still rather seedy.  Michael quite well and downstairs again.

Tuesday, 27th March, 1917             8 eggs

Michael very seedy during the night and all today.  He and Christopher evidently have influenza.

Wednesday, 28th March, 1917           7 eggs

Isobel in bed today, also Michael, Christopher up and better.

Thursday, 29th March, 1917         10 eggs

Michael and Isobel still in bed, also CA.  All influenza and rather seedy.  Miss White  came down to help us all and stayed the night.  She spent most of her time amusing Michael and kept him ever so good while I looked after CA and Isobel.

Friday, 30th March, 1917          9 eggs

Invalids all improving.  Isobel up today.  Dressed Michael but kept him upstairs.  Miss White left after lunch.  Wired Nurse Bella asking her to come tomorrow.

Saturday, 31st March, 1917         6 eggs

Children all up today.  Michael dressed.  CA got up for lunch but still groggy.  Mr. Piggott came down after lunch.  Christopher and Katie went down to meet Nurse Bella at 3.30 but she didn’t come.  Dr. Hilton came just after tea and had a game of chess with CA and won it much to his joy!  Nurse Bella arrived about 8 – what a relief to see her!