Letter to Kathleen from a school friend: 8/9/1914
Full size image is below.
A letter to Kathleen Farmer (later Will's second wife) in Savannah, Georgia, from her school friend Margaret Jackson, living in Aberdeen, Scotland.
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1914-08-09: audio---images---~COMMENT~---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
Here's a guilty pleasure for a chronicler of the Five Stokey Siblings. There's practically nothing in here that tells me or you anything about what's going on with our story, but I do enjoy reading Maggie Jackson's letters anyway.
1914-08-09: audio---images---comment---~TRANSCRIPT~---notes---links---site navigation
46. Stanley Street
Aberdeen
Scotland
Carr Cottage
Braemar N.B.
August 9th 1914
My dear Kathleen
As you see I am on holiday, and my conscience having a rest from ordinary duties is pointing me remorselessly in the direction of pen + paper. Your last letter (which I brought up here in case the spirit moved me) is dated February 10th, + whether I owe you or you owe me is uncertain. Anyhow here goes. To begin with I forgive your delay in advance so that you may forgive mine. Isn’t it awful how the days get filled up with other things? This last session seems to have been a whirlwind when one looks back over it + how fast it has gone with seemingly so little done. I do admire your heroic attempts to practise, and I hope the hopes may be solid facts + hours. But it does not become me to talk as I’m afraid I get even less practise done that you do. In March I managed to work up the Pathetic Sonata for a Beethoven evening + then in April I did quite a lot in the holidays. Luckily or unluckily in May my left thumb which had been doing weird things at the nail growth grew in size rather rapidly + I had to get the nail cut away + all the bed scraped so I got a gorgeous excuse not to practice which did duty for 2 months. It was the envy of my lazier pupils, + one girl said she wished she could hurt her thumb by practising too much! However that child is never likely to do enough practise to irritate her neighbours let alone irritate her thumb nail. Meanwhile I’m supposed to be at work on a Bach English Suite for October, but the only piano in Braemar is 6d an hour at the village hall + dear at that so I have an easy mind.
We - Forbes + I - came here on July 31st, + I hope to stay till the 28th Aug with various brothers for company. Tom is here just now since Forbes went, + Jim is to come next week. However the war cloud is over everyone + everything + everything is rather uncertain now. I feel I want to go home + be of some use but on the other hand the villagers here depend on the letting of rooms for their winter sustenance + it’s very difficult to know what to do. There is nothing doing in Aberdeen yet but one never knows when wounded will arrive. The High School has been turned into a hospital in readiness + many of my friends have joined the nurses; + those who have no ambulance training have offered to do kitchen maid duty etc. If it comes to the worst I shall go home at once.
Germany has been asking for a snub for years + I only hope she gets it firm enough to finish her off forever. It is iniquitous that one arrogant country can plunge the whole world into battle like this. Belgium is just buckish! Sir Edward Grey is almost worshipped just now, and everyone believes that we were bound to fight for our honour. Even the wildest Conservatives are loud in their praise of the Government action; the way Lloyd George is handling the money business is masterly.
None of the boys are territorials for none of them have had any spare time in the winter for the necessary drills. Tom says that if the war is long into the coming winter the university will be in an awful muddle for crowds of the students were “terriers”. The medical students who have offered themselves are to have it reckoned as part of their training I think.
Have you been to see your brother + new sister yet? It will be a new experience for you. Forbes won’t be married for 3 or 4 years yet I expect so I have plenty of time before I shall be invited to the “home”.
You must miss Ruth fearfully, I should love to have a sister for heaps of things. Brothers are lovely of course but not quite the same.
Mother was south in July in Reading mostly but she had two days in London. She meant to go to Tube Hill, but it was such a frantic rush she did not manage anything like half her intended visits. She stayed in our old house but the Watkins from opposite have moved out to the suburbs. She didn’t hear anything of Kate and Oliver Watkins, but she heard that Gertie Watkins lost her husband last year. He developed consumption almost as soon as they were married. When I saw Gertie last he was away in a sanatorium. They say that she is practically engaged again and I hope so; poor girl she hasn’t had much joy out of the last one.
Last week in Aberdeen we had a visit from Elsie Milne’s father, and he said that Tina and Mary were coming north on the 11th + going to Inverey with him. You can imagine my delight for Inverey is 3 miles from here or 5 miles from Braemar; + moreover I have to go to Inverey every morning for milk! Isn’t it strange how one meets old friends. I am just afraid that the war may prevent them but even if the Dr himself can’t come the girls may. The first place I tried for milk was the very house they are going to, + the landlady couldn’t spare any, so I get it 3 cottages down.
The scenery and air here are beyond description and save for the war shadow we are having a lovely holiday. Forbes + Tom have already selected Braemar for their honeymoons. Tom is rather premature as he isn’t even engaged yet but he was ever sentimental.
Both Ben McDui and Lochnagar have some snow on them in the less exposed crevices - shades of “Cuddy” - can’t you hear her trying to pronounce them?
The Dee winds round the bottom of our house + then nearly 5 miles further up it hurls itself through a great gap of rock about 3 feet wide. Tom + I walked up to it yesterday + Tom gave me awful shudders; he always wants to climb on things like that + he slithered over all the slippery rock face till he was right down at the boiling pot. Byron was almost finished off there once, his friend caught him as he slipped. However before Tom was out of his cradle he needed a double squad of guardian angels + they’ve never left him apparently.
Willie is going to Bristol for 4 or 5 years in September - he is wildly excited about it and talks of nothing else. I always thought brothers in love were bad enough but Willie in love with Bristol is even worse. Still it’s the time of his life opening up and I almost envy him. A boy in Worcester who was born the day we left Worcester for Reading + was therefore given Father’s name is going in to College with him; + also a son of Dr. Charles Brown of Ferme Park London. They got very chummy at the entrance exam + are all 3 forming a sort of triple alliance against the onslaughts + drubbings of senior men! They were given to understand while up for entrance that all juniors had to call seniors Mr. + sir; and in addition had to wear top hats and frock coats. So Will is trying to find out without seeming too green whether this is leg pulling or not.
How goes business? You must be quite an adept now. I don’t think I require any more resin yet as my violin hasn’t been out of its case for longer than I like to think. Now I must stop. I do hope this letter isn’t opened by the letter censor or he will be mad at his wasted time. I also hope that the enclosed sprig will still resemble heather when you get it.
With ever so much love - Yours always
Maggie otherwise Margaret
Aberdeen
Scotland
Carr Cottage
Braemar N.B.
August 9th 1914
My dear Kathleen
As you see I am on holiday, and my conscience having a rest from ordinary duties is pointing me remorselessly in the direction of pen + paper. Your last letter (which I brought up here in case the spirit moved me) is dated February 10th, + whether I owe you or you owe me is uncertain. Anyhow here goes. To begin with I forgive your delay in advance so that you may forgive mine. Isn’t it awful how the days get filled up with other things? This last session seems to have been a whirlwind when one looks back over it + how fast it has gone with seemingly so little done. I do admire your heroic attempts to practise, and I hope the hopes may be solid facts + hours. But it does not become me to talk as I’m afraid I get even less practise done that you do. In March I managed to work up the Pathetic Sonata for a Beethoven evening + then in April I did quite a lot in the holidays. Luckily or unluckily in May my left thumb which had been doing weird things at the nail growth grew in size rather rapidly + I had to get the nail cut away + all the bed scraped so I got a gorgeous excuse not to practice which did duty for 2 months. It was the envy of my lazier pupils, + one girl said she wished she could hurt her thumb by practising too much! However that child is never likely to do enough practise to irritate her neighbours let alone irritate her thumb nail. Meanwhile I’m supposed to be at work on a Bach English Suite for October, but the only piano in Braemar is 6d an hour at the village hall + dear at that so I have an easy mind.
We - Forbes + I - came here on July 31st, + I hope to stay till the 28th Aug with various brothers for company. Tom is here just now since Forbes went, + Jim is to come next week. However the war cloud is over everyone + everything + everything is rather uncertain now. I feel I want to go home + be of some use but on the other hand the villagers here depend on the letting of rooms for their winter sustenance + it’s very difficult to know what to do. There is nothing doing in Aberdeen yet but one never knows when wounded will arrive. The High School has been turned into a hospital in readiness + many of my friends have joined the nurses; + those who have no ambulance training have offered to do kitchen maid duty etc. If it comes to the worst I shall go home at once.
Germany has been asking for a snub for years + I only hope she gets it firm enough to finish her off forever. It is iniquitous that one arrogant country can plunge the whole world into battle like this. Belgium is just buckish! Sir Edward Grey is almost worshipped just now, and everyone believes that we were bound to fight for our honour. Even the wildest Conservatives are loud in their praise of the Government action; the way Lloyd George is handling the money business is masterly.
None of the boys are territorials for none of them have had any spare time in the winter for the necessary drills. Tom says that if the war is long into the coming winter the university will be in an awful muddle for crowds of the students were “terriers”. The medical students who have offered themselves are to have it reckoned as part of their training I think.
Have you been to see your brother + new sister yet? It will be a new experience for you. Forbes won’t be married for 3 or 4 years yet I expect so I have plenty of time before I shall be invited to the “home”.
You must miss Ruth fearfully, I should love to have a sister for heaps of things. Brothers are lovely of course but not quite the same.
Mother was south in July in Reading mostly but she had two days in London. She meant to go to Tube Hill, but it was such a frantic rush she did not manage anything like half her intended visits. She stayed in our old house but the Watkins from opposite have moved out to the suburbs. She didn’t hear anything of Kate and Oliver Watkins, but she heard that Gertie Watkins lost her husband last year. He developed consumption almost as soon as they were married. When I saw Gertie last he was away in a sanatorium. They say that she is practically engaged again and I hope so; poor girl she hasn’t had much joy out of the last one.
Last week in Aberdeen we had a visit from Elsie Milne’s father, and he said that Tina and Mary were coming north on the 11th + going to Inverey with him. You can imagine my delight for Inverey is 3 miles from here or 5 miles from Braemar; + moreover I have to go to Inverey every morning for milk! Isn’t it strange how one meets old friends. I am just afraid that the war may prevent them but even if the Dr himself can’t come the girls may. The first place I tried for milk was the very house they are going to, + the landlady couldn’t spare any, so I get it 3 cottages down.
The scenery and air here are beyond description and save for the war shadow we are having a lovely holiday. Forbes + Tom have already selected Braemar for their honeymoons. Tom is rather premature as he isn’t even engaged yet but he was ever sentimental.
Both Ben McDui and Lochnagar have some snow on them in the less exposed crevices - shades of “Cuddy” - can’t you hear her trying to pronounce them?
The Dee winds round the bottom of our house + then nearly 5 miles further up it hurls itself through a great gap of rock about 3 feet wide. Tom + I walked up to it yesterday + Tom gave me awful shudders; he always wants to climb on things like that + he slithered over all the slippery rock face till he was right down at the boiling pot. Byron was almost finished off there once, his friend caught him as he slipped. However before Tom was out of his cradle he needed a double squad of guardian angels + they’ve never left him apparently.
Willie is going to Bristol for 4 or 5 years in September - he is wildly excited about it and talks of nothing else. I always thought brothers in love were bad enough but Willie in love with Bristol is even worse. Still it’s the time of his life opening up and I almost envy him. A boy in Worcester who was born the day we left Worcester for Reading + was therefore given Father’s name is going in to College with him; + also a son of Dr. Charles Brown of Ferme Park London. They got very chummy at the entrance exam + are all 3 forming a sort of triple alliance against the onslaughts + drubbings of senior men! They were given to understand while up for entrance that all juniors had to call seniors Mr. + sir; and in addition had to wear top hats and frock coats. So Will is trying to find out without seeming too green whether this is leg pulling or not.
How goes business? You must be quite an adept now. I don’t think I require any more resin yet as my violin hasn’t been out of its case for longer than I like to think. Now I must stop. I do hope this letter isn’t opened by the letter censor or he will be mad at his wasted time. I also hope that the enclosed sprig will still resemble heather when you get it.
With ever so much love - Yours always
Maggie otherwise Margaret
1914-08-09: audio---images---comment---transcript---~NOTES~---links---site navigation
1.
Braemar N.B.
Wikipedia says:
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around 58 miles (93 km) west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an elevation of 339 metres (1,112 ft).
2.
However the war cloud is over everyone + everything + everything is rather uncertain now.
Official start date of World War I: July 28, 1914
3.
Belgium is just buckish!
The German invasion of Belgium started on August 4, five days before Maggie wrote this letter. I'm not sure that "buckish" is what Maggie wrote. Maybe it was "brickish", maybe it was something else. In any case, I don't know the exact meaning.
4.
Sir Edward Grey is almost worshipped just now
Wikipedia says:
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, KG, PC, DL, FZS (25 April 1862 – 7 September 1933), better known as Sir Edward Grey, was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who was the main force behind British foreign policy in the era of the First World War.
It was Edward Grey who said at the beginning of World War I: "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time." I remember thinking (rightly or wrongly) in 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, "The lamps are coming back on."
5.
the way Lloyd George is handling the money business is masterly.
Wikipedia says:
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor,[a] OM, KStJ, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922.
Also, at the time that Maggie was writing this letter:
As wartime chancellor, Lloyd George strengthened the country's finances and forged agreements with trade unions to maintain production.
6.
Have you been to see your brother + new sister yet? It will be a new experience for you.
Kathleen's older brother Cecil married Jessie Morrison on January 31, 1914
7.
You must miss Ruth fearfully, I should love to have a sister for heaps of things.
So Kathleen was in Savannah at this time and Ruth wasn't. I figure this may have been when Ruth was went to art school in Pennsylvania, as noted in her obituary:Coming to America Miss Farmer further pursued her studies at the Pennsylvania School of Industrial Art, and under private masters.
8.
The Dee winds round the bottom of our house + then nearly 5 miles further up it hurls itself through a great gap of rock about 3 feet wide. Tom + I walked up to it yesterday + Tom gave me awful shudders; he always wants to climb on things like that + he slithered over all the slippery rock face till he was right down at the boiling pot. Byron was almost finished off there once, his friend caught him as he slipped.
Is the Byron that she is talking about the poet Byron? I don't know.
9.
How goes business? You must be quite an adept now. I don’t think I require any more resin yet as my violin hasn’t been out of its case for longer than I like to think.
I got the impression from a letter (as yet not uploaded) that Kathleen’s father wrote to her after her marriage and her move to Cincinnati that maybe she had worked in his office. This sounds as though she did indeed. So maybe the teaching wasn’t working out, for whatever reason?
Braemar N.B.
Wikipedia says:
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around 58 miles (93 km) west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an elevation of 339 metres (1,112 ft).
2.
However the war cloud is over everyone + everything + everything is rather uncertain now.
Official start date of World War I: July 28, 1914
3.
Belgium is just buckish!
The German invasion of Belgium started on August 4, five days before Maggie wrote this letter. I'm not sure that "buckish" is what Maggie wrote. Maybe it was "brickish", maybe it was something else. In any case, I don't know the exact meaning.
4.
Sir Edward Grey is almost worshipped just now
Wikipedia says:
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, KG, PC, DL, FZS (25 April 1862 – 7 September 1933), better known as Sir Edward Grey, was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who was the main force behind British foreign policy in the era of the First World War.
It was Edward Grey who said at the beginning of World War I: "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time." I remember thinking (rightly or wrongly) in 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, "The lamps are coming back on."
5.
the way Lloyd George is handling the money business is masterly.
Wikipedia says:
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor,[a] OM, KStJ, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922.
Also, at the time that Maggie was writing this letter:
As wartime chancellor, Lloyd George strengthened the country's finances and forged agreements with trade unions to maintain production.
6.
Have you been to see your brother + new sister yet? It will be a new experience for you.
Kathleen's older brother Cecil married Jessie Morrison on January 31, 1914
7.
You must miss Ruth fearfully, I should love to have a sister for heaps of things.
So Kathleen was in Savannah at this time and Ruth wasn't. I figure this may have been when Ruth was went to art school in Pennsylvania, as noted in her obituary:Coming to America Miss Farmer further pursued her studies at the Pennsylvania School of Industrial Art, and under private masters.
8.
The Dee winds round the bottom of our house + then nearly 5 miles further up it hurls itself through a great gap of rock about 3 feet wide. Tom + I walked up to it yesterday + Tom gave me awful shudders; he always wants to climb on things like that + he slithered over all the slippery rock face till he was right down at the boiling pot. Byron was almost finished off there once, his friend caught him as he slipped.
Is the Byron that she is talking about the poet Byron? I don't know.
9.
How goes business? You must be quite an adept now. I don’t think I require any more resin yet as my violin hasn’t been out of its case for longer than I like to think.
I got the impression from a letter (as yet not uploaded) that Kathleen’s father wrote to her after her marriage and her move to Cincinnati that maybe she had worked in his office. This sounds as though she did indeed. So maybe the teaching wasn’t working out, for whatever reason?
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