Friday, 1st November, 1929
Made a new top for an old blue skirt this morning and altered my new black frock. Kate and I had lunch up in the flat and she went afterwards to practise dancing and to tea with a friend. I wrote several letters. Pop came in soon after 5.30. Katie got in about 7 and after dinner we went to the Ministry of Agriculture staff’s smashing concert. The Buxtons were there, she is very charming , dark and quiet and graceful. It was a very jolly show. Civil servants are so far as I meet them very attractive and nice mannered persons – very different from army and navy. They all look as though they were really doing something useful! Got home soon after 11, had tea and collected some of my packing for the morning.
Saturday, 2nd November, 1929
Left Paddington by the 10.30, lunch on train. Got to Teignmouth by 2. Michael was playing rugger in the first XV and got home about 5.30. Kate and I and Pop unpacked and had a cup of tea and walked round the Happy Valley to inspect Master Way’s boundary. The dogs were as normal wildly delighted to see us. Anastasia has unfortunately been missing for over a week and we fear she has been poisoned or caught in a trap. Pop went at 6.30 to a school managers’ meeting. We had supper when he came home and didn’t get to bed quite as early as we had intended.
Sunday, 3rd November, 1929
I woke at 7 and lay in bed watching the sun rising. It was a lovely morning. I debated whether to go to church and watched the clock gradually moving on until it was too late but I think I shared in the service though my lazy body lay in bed. Michael had a very bad running cold so I kept him in bed until teatime. Took an “early tea breakfast” upstairs had lunch early. Chris and Brigit and the puppy came to lunch. They both also had bad colds. They stayed till after supper and we had a game of bridge. Pop left for London by the 1.10 a.m. from Newton.
Monday, 4th November, 1929
Went down at 9.30 to see the Hellyer’s about electric light for Nurse’s room. Mr. Cleland met me there to decide about it. The Hellyer’s were both disgustingly rude and brawling and finally having refused to have the light brought in they gave notice for Nurse to leave. I went to see Mrs Strong and then Mrs. Hooper to arrange for an emergency committee meeting this evening. Kate and I went down to the vicarage to see the MacIntyres. Mike went out with Marie. His cold is heaps better. Nurse came up to see me after lunch. I collected papers etc., for our meeting and went to Mrs. Hoopers for it at 6 p.m. Home soon after supper and Kate, Michael and I fed on bowls of bread and milk for our supper and then went to bed.
Tuesday, 5th November, 1929
Went down at 8.30 to see Nurse. Home soon after 9 and Kate went to Torquay at 9.30 to have her photo taken. I tidied up the house and sorted laundry etc., went in to see Gladys and found Betty with a very nasty gathering on her leg. I fomented it and bandaged it for her. Kate got home about 12 and we had lunch. Nurse arrived just as we were finishing and related her row with Mrs. Hellyer who had attacked her after my visit and accused her of lying and various other crimes. Mrs. H. Is a beastly woman. After she had gone we finished our packing and had a cup of tea and shut up the house. Michael went off with Marie and Kate and I caught the 5.8 from Newton. Met Helen Knill in the train and she had dinner with us. Got to the flat by 9.30, unpacked and had some tea. Pop came in about 12 and we jawed till rather late.
Wednesday, 6th November, 1929
Got up just before 6 and had a cup of tea with the very few tea leaves that I could raise and went down to the shop to purchase some more. Cooked some sole for Pop’s breakfast which he had had given him when he visited Yarmouth yesterday. He left for the office at 10. Frank White’s van came soon after 11 and the men were here till 3 taking away the two big pieces of furniture. Katie went out about 12.30 to lunch with Irving and on to practise dancing with Mitchell. I wrote to Bel and when the men had gone I swept up some of their debris and tidied up and went to see Mrs. Palmer of Swindon who is in a nursing home in Dorset Square. Took her some flowers and had tea with her. Got home around six and set to work to arrange the rooms. Kate came about 7 and we cooked and ate some of the sole for our supper and then finished re-arranging the rooms and got them to look very nice. She carted her books over to her abode. It has rained a lot and been rather foggy and cold today. Pop didn’t get home till midnight and we drank tea and talked and didn’t get to bed t ill about 1.30.
Thursday, 27th November, 1929
Kate slept in her own flat last night and came over here just before 9 for breakfast. Pop left soon after 10. We cleaned and tidied the rooms and read the papers. I did some shopping and we had a little lunch early in the restaurant. Kate then went to her dancing lesson and I wrote several letters – had a sleep for about half an hour. At 4.30 I went over to the House of Commons and met Pop and we went to Mrs Snowdon’s tea-party – met several nice people. Philip Snowden struck me as being very charming. People always say he is hard and bitter but he has a remarkably sweet face. Arthur Henderson was very genial and seemed to me immensely improved since we saw him at Murley Grange, he looks so alive and alert and as though he really means business. In the tea room we good stuck in a corner with Mr. Lansbury‘s daughters, Mrs. Thistle and Mrs. Postgate, both most unpleasant creatures – hard lines that such a very nice old man should have such repulsive daughters. Pop walked with me to Trafalgar Square and stood me a taxi home. Kate came in at 7 and we had supper up here. Martin Bowes came in afterwards and Kate served him with some supper – Pop didn’t get in till 12 o’clock.
Friday, 8th November, 1929
Kate left by about 9.30 for her lesson and Pop went about 10.15. I didn’t start my cleaning operations till after he had gone. Katie came in for lunch and we had it up in our flat. After lunch I slept for half an hour, rather a waste of time. Kate had Irving to tea in her flat and I walked to Dorset Square to see Mrs Palmer. Had tea with her and stayed till after 5. She seems rather lonely and desolate. I walked home and found Pop here and got him some tea and wrote to Isobel. Had dinner and went to the Labour Party Show at the Friends’ Meeting House in Euston Road. It was to give Ramsey Macdonald a welcome home from America. Rather a loud crowd – but met some nice people. Humanity is always somewhat queer when you get it en masse. We got home before 11 and came to bed about 12.
Saturday, 9th November, 1929
Katie went to a dancing lesson early. Pop and I tidied things up and shopped for household Sunday stores and went by the 1.41 to Missenden. Found Carrie and Nellie at home and had a very pleasant time with them. Came home by the 9.35 and got here at 11 and Kate came soon after. Got to bed somewhere about 12.30.
Sunday, 10th November, 1929
We slept till 20 to 9. Got a cup of tea for Pop and his breakfast and he caught the 10 a.m. from Kings Cross to Tunbridge Wells to spend the day with the de la Warr’s. Tidied the flat and had a good clean up of my finger nails! Kate and I had lunch in the restaurant and she went out about 2. I spent the rest of the day reading and sleeping and writing letters. Pop came in at 11 and Katie about 12.
Monday, 11th November, 1929
Did a good bit of cleaning and went in the afternoon to see Mrs. Palmer. She is going home on Wednesday much to her joy. Pop came in for dinner with me and stayed till about 9 went he went back to the House for divisions.
Wednesday, 13th November, 1929
Pop didn’t get in till 7 a.m. I left him to sleep till 10. Got his breakfast and did endless telephoning on his behalf. Katie went out at about 11. Pop and I drove to Paddington where he met Meadows and a deportation and went on to Swindon. I went on to Whiteleys about our furniture and walked all the way home. Had some lunch. Kate came in about 3 and Pop came at 6.30. Mr. MacIntyre came to dinner. Kate went out to give a dancing lesson and got home about 9.3O. Mr. M left about 10.30.
Thursday, 14th November, 1929
Katie went to her practise early and came in for lunch with me. I wrote some letters re Nursing business. Met Pop at House of Commons at 4.30 and went to Miss S….’s At Home, very dull. Katie was skating with Nick and dined with Ella Wetherall. I had supper upstairs and she came in about 10. Pop got hear about 12.
Friday, 15th November, 1929
Very foggy day. Katie went to her practise. I stayed in all day and did some laundry and ironing and mending and wrote several letters. Kate skated with Nick in the afternoon. We all had dinner in the restaurant and she went to a dance with Mac………. Pop got home about 6 this evening.
Saturday, 16th November, 1929
Gave Pop and Kate their breakfasts in bed and Pop and I went to Whiteleys and collected the cash for our things sold. Lunch in restaurant. Kate spent the afternoon in her flat entertaining Irving. Pop and I read and slept by the fire, a very cold and wet day. Had tea and Katie and Irving came over here and Pop and Irving attended to the big bookcase. Nick came to dinner and we played bridge. He left about 11.30. Kay went to bed in my room and I in the sitting room.
Sunday, 17th November, 1929
Went to church at St. John’s at 8. Pop and I had breakfast. Left Kate to sleep till about 10.30, gave her her breakfast and Pop and I had a walk. Spent the afternoon reading and writing. Kate went out in the evening with Irving and Pop went to speak at an I.L.P. for Unwin.
Monday, 18th November, 1929
Kate and I went to Randals and spent £9.2.6 on furniture out of Billy Whiteley’s sale. Lunch at Lyons – home and I went to E….and bought some china. Thomas came to tea. Kate went out to a lesson at 6 – came in and we had supper upstairs.
Tuesday, 19th November, 1929
Gwyn Evans came to tea.
Wednesday, 20th November, 1929
Did an awful lot of cleaning today and got the bathroom to look somewhat different.
Thursday, 21st November, 1929
Kate and I went with Pop to see private show of “Drifters”. Home to lunch. Aunt Carrie came about 4 and stayed till 9. Pop home for dinner and we all had it in the restaurant. Kay spring cleaned her flat this afternoon.
Friday, 22nd November, 1929
Pop left about 10.15 and Katy at 10.30 for her practise. Did laundry and got things ready for packing and tidied flat etc. Lunch in restaurant. I went to Paddington at 4 for the 4.30 train. Pop didn’t arrive till 4.25! Called on Mrs. Hooper on the way up – awful weather, rain and wind. Stayed at the Hoopers for half an hour and saw Michael who looks awfully well and much thinner. Got to the cottage – saw Wilfred and Gladys. The dogs as usual quite wild with joy. Had some supper and went to bed early.
Saturday, 23rd November, 1929
Car is out of order so Pop and I walked after breakfast to the village. Saw Mr. Strong re Nurse’s rooms and went on to see Mrs. Howard. Walked up to the barn at Murley Grange and found a spring had sprung up and was leaking into the barn. Walked home by way of the Long Meadow – streams of water everywhere. Had some lunch. Michael came in just after we had finished. Football was off but he had lunched on sandwiches Mrs Hooper had given him. Nurse came up to see me in the afternoon. Awful rain and storm at night.
Sunday, 24th November, 1929
Didn’t go out at all in the morning stayed and nursed my poor hands which are really terrible with eczema just now. Chris and Brigit came about 11. We had lunch fairly early and afterwards Marie came and we all went out to the field and gathered chrysanthemums – quite sunny day for a time. Rain began again after tea. Chris and Brigit left at 10.
Monday, 25th November, 1929
An absolutely awful day, sheets of rain and raging wind. Pop and Michael left on time to catch the 8 train at Newton. I spent all morning collecting correspondence and preparing for my committee meeting. Marie came in to see me during the morning. Walked to Mrs. Hoopers during a slight abatement of rain at 4.30. Had an exceedingly pleasant committee meeting, after which Mrs. Hooper and I went to see Mrs. Apps to arrange about the new rooms for Nurse. Michael and I walked home about 7 and he did his homework. Stella came in and joined us at supper in the kitchen, she left about 9.30. Mike and I went to bed early.
Tuesday, 26th November, 1929
Michael left by the 8.20 and I packed and wrote letters and went by the 12.20 from Newton for London. Kate met me and we came here and had tea – unpacked and put away my things.
Wednesday, 27th November, 1929
Pop left about 10 and Kate a bit later. I went to see Dr. Dowling about my hands and he gave me rather drastic treatment for them. Walked all the way back from Devonshire Place. Took my prescription to be made up and bought a salad which I came home and ate. Violet Baker came in to dinner with us and I wrote about a dozen letters so as to get them off my mind before starting of Dr. Dowling’s treatment. Conceived the notion of going to Jenny for the weekend seeing it is almost impossible to keep one’s hands still in one’s own home. Wrote to her to that effect. Pop came in very late and we talked and had tea and went to bed still later.
Thursday, 28th November, 1929
Kate did some washing for me and I prepared some of my things for going away – dressed my hands. She went to her Studio about 12.30 and I went to lunch with Bessie, got home about 3.45. Kay and I had tea together. She had to go out in the evening. Jenny telephoned that she would be delighted to have me at Wilmslow for the weekend.
Friday, 29th November, 1929
Left at 2.35 for Wilmslow, Kay came and saw me off. Got there at 6.51. Very jolly to see Duncan and Jenny again. Had dinner and a good old family gossip and went to bed in fairly good time.
Saturday, 30th November, 1929
Went out in the morning to do some shopping, otherwise had a quiet day in the house. Duncan got home for lunch. He and I and Shag had a short stroll after tea.