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1922-10-07: ​tour stops---images---audio---~TRANSCRIPT~---notes---links---site navigation
105 Oakleigh Park Drive
Leigh-on-Sea
Essex.

Oct. 7

My dear Girls,

It will save time if I write this to you both.  Last night we reached here after staying with the Reids since the previous Tuesday week.  I rang up Miss Cavendish on Tuesday she was out but later rang up, and I spoke with her.  She said should she come out or would I go to her.  Mrs. Reid had said she would be pleased to see her so I said come but she could not come till Thursday engaged for Wed she said 4 o’clock, but it rained + she turned back for a raincoat + then got out at the wrong end of Walm Lane (as I did on the occasion) + had a long walk.  She is I think a charming girl a great talker, for which I was thankful for Mrs. R. is not and I am glad to have only remarks to make.  Mrs. R got some very nice cakes and had a pretty aft tea.  She has a servant whom folks tell her they would not keep.  But when it comes to appearance this help is alright - wears a cap, black dress + large white apron, looks the typical parlour maid.  Looks good when she opens the door.  All this as you know suits the Reids.  Well she stayed till 6 then hoped she hadn’t talked us dead.  I told her I enjoyed it.  She invited for I to go to a Matinee + lunch next Wed. week + would Mrs. R go, the latter was out of the room, I said I thought she would be pleased.  In the Hall she gave Mrs. R her card, + made the invite to cover her.  Mrs. R had been there except for the few minutes when the invite was given.  Afterward I wondered whether if I had better have gone to her.  On the whole perhaps what I did was the right thing.  The Reids have a very nice house + Mrs. R wore the pretty silk that Miss Greene gave her, I wore the striped grenadine.  It all seemed a success.  Of course the lunch + Matinee are very expensive + I felt it so, but did not see what I could do but accept.  I asked her if she would be going to America again, she would like to + I of course told her she would have to come south.  I thought of all our woful shabby surroundings.  Miss C told me that she has 3 blocks of apts + they require a good deal of attention and she did not think she could give her brother the trouble of looking after them.  She said Billie was the most beautiful boy that ever had been.  Babs she said you looked tired + that you had too much to do for the children.  Later on, she seemed amazed that you were the mother of the children.  I felt relieved that through this it had not aged you.  She was full of praise of you + Miss Cotter [???] thinks the latter is a delightful woman, said Miss L [???] took her somewhere but all the time was full of distress because her dearest friend was leaving life [???].  [???illegible name] had a letter this week from [???illegible name] telling her that you were staying the winter.  She told us that when the Major was dining at your table, she saw him lean down to Kathleen and tell her something, she said she looked at him then held both arms and put them around his neck + kissed him and he kissed her.  Miss C said he does not like children, but she was so impressed with the action that she evidently had thought quite a good deal about it.  She said to tell you for she did not think you saw it.  On Tuesday Mrs. R and I went over to Bedford College, it was opened five years ago, or about, by the Queen.  Miss Tuke is still Principal, Miss Leford left two years ago, but was there six months ago helping and then she was quite well.  The College is just beautiful.  The Registrar a very [illegible] dignified woman asked me whether I would mind her assist showing us over as she was very busy.  A nice girl then took us about.  The rest rooms + social hall were delightful.  I said I thought you would like to go there + study all over again.  The view from the window is a dream.  I do not think anything could be more ideal.  The dining room is immense + tables were laid for hundreds of students at rather small tables.  Flowers about the room gave it a very festive look.  When we were in one of the social halls I said how lovely it was to be in the quiet after the noise before we entered the part.  The guide said you should be here tomorrow Wednesday.  The noise is overwhelming.  The students come to be interviewed by the professors.  The next day Thursday the session began.  I have a prospectus which I will send you.  She said there were six hundred students.  There are a large number residential.  Well we left there and went to Symphony [???seems as though it ought to be Infirmary] Hall.  Standing in the doorway were 2 ladies one in uniform I spoke to her + said I would like to see Sister Hope, she said I am Sister Hope.  I introduced myself + she was so pleased.  The [illegible] is at the top, would I like to see it.  I said no I wanted some information.  So she took us to a room + we had a talk.  She was delighted to hear about you and said she would write in a few days + send you some pictures of the work.  She said you did not know that building.  It’s an immense place [illegible looks like floors] of all kinds of Institutes + a magnificent public Hall where they give concerts that is the Mission rent it out.  There was one room gifted as a chapel in memory of the boys belonging to the mission, who fell in the war.  She said they had seven raids over the building but not once were they hit.  Now I’ll tell you about the family.  Hope has 3 children 2 years ago a boy was born which was a great joy to them.  She says they live in the country now but still in Shropshire.  Oh by the way I gave her the one pound note as you wished.  I only did this at the last moment.  So all the talk of sending you pictures + writing you took place before I gave it.  She just was delighted to hear about you, her face quite lighted up.  She said Hope was so fond of you.  She says that H is so full of life + energy and would be glad to hear about you.  I said I wished I had brought the childrens pictures.  She regretted she could not shew me their little ones photos.  All her brothers boys are married.  He + his wife still live at St. Albans.  Sister Hope has bought a home at Bassett [???] + her brothers furnished it.  She seems very pleased with it spoke of it as my house.  She has 16 to 20 girls there in the summer has many children I think in the days.  As we were leaving, she down to the entrance to see us out, she pointed to a long row of business [???] houses that had all been built [illegible] the Hall.  She said we used to face on Lincolns Inn Fields.  I asked her how we could get there she pointed out the St away down from the Hall.  So Mrs. R. + I went down + had a treat [illegible words]  a gateway + find yourself in a lovely old place.  The lawns + gardens are wonderful + then the old buildings it was a treat a bit of Dickens in London.  A man opened a door a let us look at the “Beachers Hall” a splendid old place stained glass windows + shields + coats of arms on the walls of all the renowned in the past + present paintings etc.  Well we were pleased neither of us had seen anything like it.  I did not know there was anything like it in London.  Friday yesterday I left Reids + met Mrs. Shorrock [???] at Oxford Circus.  She has got so thin that I would not have known her + was very glad when she said I knew you at once.  She has the same pretty complexion and really looks astonishingly well for she must be a good life [???]  I said we would not have known her.  We made set from 11 to ¼ past 5.  But it’s very tiring walking around London Streets.  She as come up on purpose to see us so of course I had to be hostess + it’s an expensive experience.  The 2 Reding girls are coming on purpose to see us + I think I meet them next Wed.  We looked for a movie to take Mrs. S. to, could not find a nice one.  She suggested we ride on a bus then I asked her had she seen the Cenotaph  and the War p…e [???] no she hadn’t so we took her to the Abbey.  I hadn’t seen the grave for when we went with Mrs. R. a service began + we left.  I showed her the new CC Hall on Westminster Bridge.  After that we had some tea a Lyons + she got on the bus + we rushed to get the 6 oclock train for here. 

Last Sunday went to 2nd [???] C Mrs Maure [???] was reading 2nd could not see a face I knew went to 1st evening [???] and the [illegible] whom I asked to tell me the name of the [illegible] hesitated said they wanted to do away with personality.  I think I told you this before.  Thursday evening we took Mrs. Reid to LC [???] to hear Frank Bell I was not interested + I should not choose him.  A great crowd seated by 7.15 + we waited till 8 for the lecture.  The man who introduced him said just a few words then jumbled up the introduction of the name + place of the lectures.  I spoke to Mrs. Mann + she told me Mrs. Allerid [???] + Miss Bambridge are members of 1st C.  I do not think I can get there again.  It’s difficult to get any information from the Librarians they are not communicative.  I went to a Library in Cricklewood to get Kimballs book for Mrs. Reid paid twenty two + sixpence for it.  The assist at this shop told Will that he is a C.P. and that and that Mrs. Wyatt Pearson put him in touch with the publishers of the book.  It appears she is Wyatt’s widow for he was killed in the war.  I hope the Reids read the book for they need it.  Mrs. R is always being sick + going to a Miss Bedford did not go while we were there.  When we came in from the lecture Mrs. R told her that someone had invited her to a whist drive.  Mr. R. smokes altho a Dr. told him he ought neither to drink or smoke Ferment [???] told him that it would drop off.  After [treatment] it [illegible] he looks a wreck when he is walking stoops + just crawls along has his breakfast in his room comes down at 10 + then goes very slowly to the station don’t tell Miss Greene this.  I don’t agree with Fermant [???]

Received a letter from you Babs, so far Fred has not turned up - had your letter from Sav Ruth glad you  got there but oh I hate to think of the dirty house.  Sunday - we went yesterday + spent the evening with the Hibbards friends of their folks Wesleyans like themselves.  They were talking about Methodists I asked her whether she knew Sister Hope she said she all but bought this house.  She had entertained her there also Mrs. Hughes widow of the founder of the London Mission.  All arrangements were made for Sister to take the house but it fell through.  I read two letters in this house they were handed to F as he left this house, one from Babs + one from Ruth.  I hope dengue fever passes you by, + shall be looking for the next news.  Do not [illegible, maybe crossed out?] write long letters.  I can hear news when I get home.  I am hoping to get through quite a good deal in the next three weeks.  I wrote you where I had put the key of the little drawer a letter I wrote you from the boat I was [illegible] of you knowing where the key was now.  I cannot remember where I put it.  I am going to London on Wed to meet the Riding girls.  Well I’ll close this.  I just now asked the party [illegible] whether they had ever been to South Kensington Alice said they never had time for sight seeing.  If you want to meet colossal ignorance you should meet this family.

Miss Bedford tells Mrs R that people do not go enough to tractione [???].  I think they don’t guide their patients sufficiently.  It’s rather difficult to talk C.S. with Mr. R so he must go his own way.  My visit there cost a lot of money for I always paid Mrs. R’s fare and they are so fussy where they go.  She took me to Evans the [illegible] for lunch well we only had a slice of ham a little salad four shillings + she was sick after it + got she likes going to these swell places.  However she said she would not take anyone there again.  I always paid what with that + [illegible - something of something] + servant tipping it was stiff.  Mrs. R was always telling me that [illegible] is doing no business.  There is the servant and a woman every afternoon their expenses must be terrific.  She only bags [???] at the swell however + of course she pays.  Last Sunday aft she + the cook were getting ready for the visitors 3 in number.  I thought it was a feast.  Well we went to C + they left ours rather they left everything on the table.  A veal pie, crust [illegible] veal over cooked some salad some fruit-do + a milk pudding.  I thought Babs or Ruth would have made these salads in a third of the time + Cook I think spent hours preparing the Pie.  How do the Reids live in such style without business is amazing.  Henry is a young swell is now in a Bureau for ex service men exam little [WHAT???] He smokes all the time + in the morning gives his mother his pouch to fill with tobacco from a [illegibile] every evening.  He will be 24 in February and ought to be well that is their problem Will you ever read all this 

Love to you all lovingly Mother

​Aunt H is in a miserable condition + I am not staying here much longer + a winter I could not stand lovingly Mother

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1.
105 Oakleigh Park Drive
Leigh-on-Sea
Essex.
Lots of Farmers lived there.

2.
She told us that when the Major was dining at your table, she saw him lean down to Kathleen and tell her something, she said she looked at him then held both arms and put them around his neck + kissed him and he kissed her.  Miss C said he does not like children, but she was so impressed with the action that she evidently had thought quite a good deal about it.  She said to tell you for she did not think you saw it.

This is clearly Will and three-year-old Kay, although I think Will was a Colonel at this time.

​3.
On Tuesday Mrs. R and I went over to Bedford College, it was opened five years ago, or about, by the Queen.

Bedford College was Kathleen’s college.  Wikipedia says:

Continued growth led to a search for new premises, leading to the purchase of the lease on a site at Regent's Park in 1908. A major fund-raising effort was undertaken to provide it with modern amenities. The purpose-built buildings were designed by the architect Basil Champneys and officially opened by Queen Mary in 1913. The buildings continued to be extended and rebuilt throughout the 70 years that the college spent at Regent's Park, especially after extensive damage from wartime bombing.

So Annie is talking about the results of that major fund-raising effort.  What I don’t know is why she was so much welcomed at Bedford.

4.
Sister Hope has bought a home at Bassett [???] + her brothers furnished it.
I'm very confused.  I thought Annie was talking to Sister Hope, but she wasn’t?

5.
She suggested we ride on a bus then I asked her had she seen the Cenotaph  and the War p…e [???] no she hadn’t so we took her to the Abbey.

Wikipedia says:

The Cenotaph is a war memorial on Whitehall in London, England. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it was unveiled in 1920 as the United Kingdom's national memorial to the British and Commonwealth dead of the First World War, was rededicated in 1946 to include those of the Second World War, and has since come to represent British casualties from later conflicts.

6.
I showed her the new CC Hall on Westminster Bridge.

I think this must be CC Hall:

County Hall (sometimes called London County Hall) is a building in the district of Lambeth, London that was the headquarters of London County Council (LCC) and later the Greater London Council (GLC). The building is on the South Bank of the River Thames, with Westminster Bridge being next to it, to the south. It faces west toward the City of Westminster and is close to the Palace of Westminster. 

7.
Received a letter from you Babs, so far Fred has not turned up

Fred is Fred Stokey, on his way to to Angola to be a missionary for the second time.  According to an August letter from Will, who was about to go home to Ohio from a trip to Massachusetts:I don’t know yet which way I will go but think it likely that it will be the northern route.  Fred is coming with us.  He sails for England on Sept. 20th, and from Southampton for Portugal on Oct. 6th.

​WJ and Annie had hoped to meet Fred in England - see:Mauretania is due at Southampton tomorrow.  Hope soon to meet your brother.
The Mauretania sailed between New York and Southampton.

But here we are at October 7, and Fred was leaving Southampton on October 6, so Fred and the Farmers did not meet in England.


8.
It’s rather difficult to talk C.S. with Mr. R so he must go his own way.
C.S. must be Christian Science.
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