Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Miles Franklin diary, 17 February-29 December 1918
MLMSS 364/2
[Page 38]
[Pages 1-37 not transcribed]
February 1918
17. Sunday
Air raid at night. No damage near us.
18. Monday
Miss H & I
Went to hear Litvinoff in Cent. Hall, Westminster. Guns began firing at 9 and kept on a long time. Delayed us getting home.
19. Tuesday Sun
At Miss Hodges. Slept at Mrs Richards 10 Farm Walk.
20. Wednesday
Went with Mrs Oliver to see Com. Kitchen at Child’s hill. Tea with Mrs O. Rained a little.
[Page 39]
Miss Hodges had Mrs Usher, Nell & Kath at Lyceum Club to meet me. Dull grey day
22. Friday
At Miss Hodge’s Flat. Slept at Mrs Richard’s Farm Walk.
Miss Watson Patty came
23. Saturday
At Miss Hodges.
Weekend.
[Page 40]
Miss de Lissa, M Charland
24 Sunday
to tea with Miss H. and Miss N.
25. Monday
In afternoon went to Miss Smith 22 Harley Rd. N.W.
26. Tuesday
At Miss Smith. Writing
27. Wednesday.
Writing. Went down town to buy Pollard’s materials & then on to Usshers’ for tea. Nell and her brother there.
[Page 41]
28. Thursday
Stayed in my room without fire caught cold inside.
March 1918
1 Friday
Went to meeting of Ass. for M. & S. Hygiene, Caxton Hall. Saw Miss Hodge coming out.
2. Saturday
At Miss Smith’s
Weekend
[Page 42]
Not a bit well
3. Sunday
Mr Arnold there for dinner.
4. Monday
Wrote
5. Tuesday.
In afternoon came to stay with Miss Hodge. Slept in flat above, Cold & and dull.
6. Wednesday.
Wrote at Miss Hodge’s. Miss Newcomb went to
[Page 43]
Miss Hodge & I went to B. Museum for day. Lunch & tea at Minerva.
7.Thursday.
Air raid started about 11.30 p.m. “All clear" about 1.45 a.m. could hear every plane buzzing above us.
8.Friday
B.M. in morning. Miss H. took me to on “The Better ‘Ole’ at Oxford in the afternoon. A. Bourchier as ‘Old Bill’.
9. Saturday.
Stayed in all day – tried to do a little writing. Miss Hodge came home late with tales of bomb damage at Warwick Ave.
[Page 44]
10. Sunday
In House. Audrey came up from down stairs & Miss Smith for dinner. Read Miss H. “By Far Kaimacktchalan" at night.
11. Monday
Went to meet Miss Hodge at Minerva & helped her buy a hat at Maxim. Almond trees almost out.
12. Tuesday
Came back to Miss Smith. Nell came at night.
13. Wednesday
Miss S. & I went to Suffrage celebration in Queen’s Hall Fawcett in chair. Haydon Henderson & Zylton speakers
[Page 45]
14. Thursday
Worked at removing things from drawing room a.m. at 3 met Nell at Kew & had tea down there. It rained I got wet & sat 20 min on open station. Result:- rigor, temp, malaria.
15. Friday
In bed with malaria all day. Temp. Not able to see Nell off.
16. Saturday
Up again but feeling desperately depressed & weak.
Fogs for days
[Page 46]
17. Sunday
Stayed in house feeling a bit better but very depressed. Foggy.
18. Monday
Feeling a bit better – weak now & again. Fog
19. Tuesday
Fog. Feeling better. Put in good industrious day.
20. Wednesday
Sun Bedad! Unbelievable! After tea came to Miss Hodge. Feeling very weak. Lugging bag too much.
[Page 47]
21. Thursday.
Glorious spring weather. Feeling weak in morning. Better during day and did good work. Went for a walk & called on Mrs Oliver. Sun all day.
22. Friday
Lovely weather. Offensive of Germans in France.
23. Saturday
Went down town to bank etc. Lovely day came home on top of bus. Quinine [indecipherable]
Weekend
Terribly depressed by quinine.
[Page 48]
24. Sunday.
Beautiful warm sun all day. Miss Hodge had tea at Lyceum for Helena Normanton then Miss H & I went home to supper with Mrs Baft. Dr. Schutlebury from Endell St. there. Fog down at Piccadilly. Clear moonlight at Golder’s Green.
25. Monday
On Monday night shivered with Malaria again. dull and cold. Struggled out of bed & spent a miserable day on sofa. Dull & cold.
27. Wednesday
Feeling very depressed and weak. Cold & grey
[Page 49]
28. Thursday
Got little work done. In and out of bed, very weak & shivery. Cold & grey – showers. Miss H. insisted upon reading to me.
29. Friday.
Cold, grey day. Miss Hodge read to me interrupting any attempt to work.
30 Saturday.
Went back to Miss Smith’s. Had to go up on top in rain on tram. Found Miss Smith gone to Keighly with Nina Bogle to ask nom. in bye election.
[Page 50]
31 Sunday
Ethel Bull & I spent it together. Cold & dull. I worked hard.
April 1918
1. Monday
Foggy & Showery. Worked late. Shoulder ached. Miss Smith returned.
2 Tuesday
Showers & sun. worked more.
3. Wednesday
Worked some between getting meals.
[Page 51]
4.Thursday
Went down town to Kodak for prints. Evelyn Isilt & M.M. Moffatt for lunch. Had to type Lyceum general stuff for Isilt got none of my work done consequently.
5. Friday
Cooked dinner for Mme Jallay. Rev. Arnold came for afternoon tea. got nothing done.
6. Saturday
Two strange girls called and asked for water. Cold showery day. Struggled vainly to get on with work. Cooking & bell calls made it very unprofitable.
[Page 52]
7. Sunday
Heavy showers. Finished Macedonia sketches. Sig. Siga. Signora Bambacionis called for tea –
Read History.
8. Monday
Sunshine now & again. Went to Miss Hodges Indian tea at Minerva. Terribly boring. Home & washed hair. Dr & Mrs Clark called
9. Tuesday
Such a dense fog, lights necessary at 10 a.m. Wrote article for S.M.H. Pottered had a snooze etc.
10. Wednesday
Showery & grey. Went to Miss Newcomb at 10 returned home at 4 & pottered on odds & ends.
[Page 53]
11. Thursday
Drizzle in morning & Dense fog in afternoon. Went to Miss Newcomb at 10. Got home at six.
12. Friday
Partly grey but warm & sunny in afternoon. Went to Miss Newcomb in morning & to see Maud in afternoon. Came home tired & went to bed.
13. Saturday
Dull & damp. Was at Mrs. Newcomb’s all day.
[Page 54]
14. Sunday
Very cold & grey. Went to hear Rev. Campbell Morgan at 11.a.m and Usshers at 4. Leaving them at 9 p.m.
15. Monday
Wet dull day. Went to Miss Newcomb at 10 & home at 6.
16. Tuesday
Agnes Nestor rang up at 9.30. Went to Miss Newcomb & left late at 5.45. Snow on housetops & slushy in streets.
17. Wednesday.
Cold showery day. Went to Miss N. at 10. Down to Bond St. for her after lunch & home – tired & depressed.
[page 55]
18.Thursday
Bitterly cold day. Went to Miss N. at 10.15. Home at 6. Little clearer towards evening. Cruelly depressed.
19. Friday
Worked at 22 Harley Street. Showery & snowy day.
20. Saturday
Same kind of day. Worked better at night went to ‘Old Vic" to see Henry VIII with A.A.S. Sybyl Thorndike v. good Queen Katherine. Russell T. a thin & dyspeptic Wolsley
[Page 56]
21. Sunday
Wed day. Went down to [indecipherable] Hotel with Agnes – to Mass in R.C. Cathedral. Brought her home to dinner. In afternoon went to tea with I. Sloane & [indecipherable]. Brt Agnes home for night
22 Monday
Better day. In afternoon went to tea with A.B.C. & she took me to opening of Townsend Club by Bishop of London on Baker St.
23.Tuesday
Cruelly depressed. Foggy damp morning. Went to Medley night of Shakespeare at Old Vic.
24. Wednesday
Went to Miss Newcomb at 10 a.m & left at 6.30 Mrs Turner called while I was there
[Page 57]
25. Thursday
Worked a lot in garden & had an attack of malaria Went to bed in discomfort & with a temp. of 103 °
26. Friday
Fine day. Got up at 12. feeling very weak but improved & did a good deal of work in garden
27. Saturday
Fine day at last. Worked in garden some & wrote some. Guns waked us at 20 to 12 last night but no raid ensued.
[Page 58]
28. Sunday
Cold miserable day. Went to Miss N. at 11 & left at 5.45. Worked on MS. of Macedonia retired at 11.45. Miss S away for weekend
29. Monday
Cold grey day. Sent off MS to Watt. Worked a little in garden.
30. Tuesday. Dull coldish day. Spent it in drawing room. Lady Byles came to see me in afternoon. Got out my shorthand books again
May 1918
1. Wednesday
Cold & grey. Went to Miss N at 10 left at 3.45. Went to bed without eating & a bad attack of malaria. Temp. 103 °
[Page 59]
2. Thursday
Grey day but mild outside. Went to see Sir J. Cantlie, 23 Harley St. at 11 a.m. then to Am. Ex. Co. for money from Harris Bank.
3. Friday
Went to see Matron Nye at Gifford Hse. [indecipherable] Hampton S.W. from thence to Waterloo Stn. & to Old Vic to see “Winter’s Tale". Home with [indecipherable]. Showery
4. Saturday
Rose late. Poked around & slept nearly all day. Went to bed at 7 again. Red Dr. Cantlie’s book Sun Yat Sen
When Miss S died I sent this book to Nell in Serbia but she never got it
[Page 60]
5. Sunday
Grey showery day Went to Dr. Synge’s for tea Mrs French & Fred Post – a y. man from Calif were there.
6. Monday
Nice day. Not v. well. Pottered In evening went to Serb lectures at Lyceum. F. Post there. He walked to Marble Arch with me.
7. Tuesday
Cold showery day. Went to Miss Newcomb at 10 left at 5.30. Miss Hodge clean off about brutal letter from Dr Pethick. Feeling very skew whiff
8. Wednesday
Wrote letters. Not v. well. Went to Minerva at 4.30 to tea with Mrs. French & Mrs. Aldridge. Home with latter for an hour then to hear Brailsford on dangers of Inter-nationalism at Ashburnham club.
[Page 61]
9. Thursday
Went to Miss N. at 10 & stayed till 5. Mrs. N. Smith took girlie & me & A.A. Smith to Pageant of Freedom in Queen’s Hall. Cara Butt divine as ever. Lovely day all day – Warm & sunny
10. Friday
Started fine but clouded after lunch
11. Saturday
Went to see 3000 U.S. troops march up Piccadilly. In evening F. Post came to dinner & stayed v. late. Cold in morning. Grey but occasional patches of sun
[Page 62]
12. Sunday
Showers in the morning. Mrs. Nelson Smith & I went to hear Dr. Walter Walsh in Steinway Hall at 11. Afternoon with Lady Byles & [indecipherable] people
Rang Agnes up at night
13. Monday
Heavy showers. Went to lunch at Grosvenor with Agnes & Melinda. Then to Liberty’s, Strand & Censor’s office with Melinda. Home to tea with Mrs. French
14 Tuesday
Went to Dr. Spindlo at 11.30 Read “Loom of Youth" at Selfridges & at 2 went to lunch with Mrs Fisher. She took Miss Mitchell & I to tea at Allan’s
15. Wednesday
Fair day. Went to meet Mrs. Meggitt but got in wrong train so returned & went to bed thoroughly exhausted. Sun in afternoon.
[Page 63]
16. Thursday
Sun in morning. Then [indecipherable] up Afternoon perfect. Clear & warm
Went to Miss N. at 10.15 & left at 6.15. Mrs Meggitt & May called to see me told me of Geoff’s aberration.
17. Friday
Went to Dr. Spindlo at 10. In afternoon went to Lyceum to reception to American Mission. In evening F. Post came. We went for a walk & [indecipherable] lawn etc till 11.45 lovely weather
18. Saturday
Lovely warm day. No rain. Tried to do a little work in morning. Claude Kinred came about 2.30 & we went to Kew to see rhododendrons & azaleas. Former a little passé. Went to Walsoe’s for tea & stayed till 10. Got home late very tired. Glorious yellow of laburnam & rose of pink & double pink May
[Page 64]
19. Sunday
Lovely day. Little grey & cold at even. A.A. & I went to hear Dr. Orchard & [indecipherable] Ph. But Miss Yates acted bear with scalded head & we had to come home.
E.C. Brown came to tea & stayed till 9.30. Great yarn about Camp. Big raid started about 11 & went on till about 1.30. Quite noisy at times but I went to sleep.
20. Monday
Lovely Day Very exhausted had to lie down. Mrs. Page came to tea in garden Called on Lady Byles after supper
21. Tuesday
Agnes rang up & I went down at 3.30 to see her off from Hotel. Went with them to Euston. Then went to Young Brown & we dined at Florence & went back to hotel & saw Webber. Found F. Post at home
22. Wednesday
Lovely warm day. Went to Miss N. at 10 left at 5.30. Big thunderstorm turned it cold
[Page 65]
23. Thursday
Grey cold showery & windy. Stayed in house & wrote some articles. Went to bed a little after 10.
24. Friday
Cold and grey. Went to Miss N. at 10 & left at 2. Mrs. Nelson Smith left after tea.
25 Saturday
Cold dull miserable profitless day. Alone in house so slept in afternoon. Weak for want of nourishing food.
[Page 66]
26 Sunday
Feeling terribly weak all day. E.C. Brown called after lunch for a little while. Then I went to Miss Wren for tea & she took me out on heath. We heard cuckoo. Occasional glimpses of sun. Very feeble.
27. Monday
Went down to help at Minerva Café. Home at 5 & [indecipherable] had a snooze. Feeling pitifully depressed. Warmish day.
28. Tuesday
Feeling terribly feeble & depressed. Cloudy, warmish day. Shower in afternoon. During afternoon called on Editors for Miss Newcomb. In evening went to Gertrude Peppercorn’s piano recital with A.A.S.
29. Wednesday
Fine day. Very feeble – want of food partly I think. Lay down in forenoon in afternoon did editors again for Miss Newcomb’s conference.
[Page 67]
30. Thursday
Lovely day. Pottered and did a little shorthand in forenoon. Afternoon went to hear Dr. Harold Williams at Lyceum on Russia. Not feeling very strong.
31. Friday
Pottered around. Went up to Miss Hodge in evening on message Only Greta there.
June 1918
1. Saturday
F.P. rang up at noon & invited me to Hambourg Chopin recital in Cent. Hall. Tea at Victoria & went to Kensington Gdns. & brought F. home with me for supper He stayed till 12.10. I showed him photos. Miss S. away for week end. Lovely, lovely weather.
Visited Sir James in morning
[Page 68]
2. Sunday
Glorious day. Met F.P. at Marble Arch at 12 & went to Hampton Court returning by 9 p.m. very tired Had a very pleasant day. Discovered a lot of philosophy & self control in F.P.
3. Monday
Lovely day Went to Café & then to Caxton Hall to serve tea to B.D.W.S.U. “At Home" crawled home & had attack of malaria
4. Tuesday
101 ° Temp. at night cooked at Minerva & home & to bed exhausted. F. P. called up about am. mail.
5. Wednesday
Feeling v. ill & tired. F.P. called but left earlier owing to my indisposition. I dressed up in pink rose dress In bed in forenoon, served tea at Caxton Hall afternoon.
[Page 69]
6. Thursday
Warmish day. Hardly able to crawl but went to Minerva & to Caxton Hall to serve tea in afternoon. Thence crawled home to bed.
7. Friday
Cold grey day. Wrote a little. Quite a [indecipherable] with [indecipherable]
8. Saturday
Lovely day. Went to Clara Butt & other’s concert in Albert Hall with F.P. Then we had tea at Knightsbridge & put A.A.S. on bus for Charing Cross. F.P. & S took her rubbish to Despard Arms then rode on bus to Mrs. Mills. Had supper at Marble Arch & got home at 10. F.P. left at 11.20 He did not like C.B. & was cross.
[Page 70]
9. Sunday
Went to Miss N. at 10.30. Left at 4.30 & went to Mrs Usher & Keith. F. Malone also there after being gassed. Stopped in to see Mr & Mrs de Valder. Home at 10.30 quite exhausted.
10. Monday
Went to Minerva at 10. Oh so exhausted. Home & rested an hour. Then Mme. came & gave F.P. a lesson in French.
11. Tuesday
Stayed home Wrote article. & sent it to Paget. F.P. rang up at lunch & I met him at Piccadilly [indecipherable] at 7. Dinner at ‘Popular’ then sat in Rgts Palace talking & he saw me home by 11.30 lovely day
12. Wednesday
Horribly fatigued. Went to Minerva at 10 & home at 5.30. Rested a little. Then dressed up in S.W.H. overall & cap. Nelson & Miss Barfield came. Lovely day.
[Page 71]
13. Thursday
Stayed home to rest but had to run around & do housework so might as well have gone to café & earned a penny. Threatening cold day. Alister came & we had tea in the garden.
14. Friday
Struggled down to Minerva, oh the terrible fainting feeling. Dragged home at 5.30 & went to bed. Arose for dinner & to receive Mr. Post & Mme Ja[indecipherable]. Heavy rain in afternoon & evening.
15. Saturday
Cold greyish day. Met F.P. at Piccadilly at 4 .m. Went to see Australian pictures at Grafton Galleries. Tea at ‘Blue Bird". Then talked a while in Park. Came to Swiss Cottage & failed to find Bambacionis.
[Page 72]
16. Sunday
Cold day – Had a tea party. E.C. Brown & F.P.. Mrs T. Price Miss Clair, Mr Barfield et al. Showers & too cold to go in garden.
17. Monday
Beastly cold. Worked at Minerva in beastly muddle, beastly. Tired. F.P. & Mme Jallay came in evening.
18. Tuesday
Beastly cold & showery. Worked in Minerva muddle Home dead exhausted
19. Wednesday
Wet cold day. Terrible attack of malaria hurting all my bones. Got into bed at 5.30. Temp 102.4 ° F.P. rang up but Ethel told him I was out.
[Page 73]
20. Thursday
Wet again. Crawled out of bed in night clothes & no wash – went with Mrs. Fisher, to look at premises. Then home & to bed. Struggled downstairs after a little milk. Feeling depressed & in need of food. Oh for hot water & a cleansing bath after [indecipherable]
Full of pain in joints but nothing to eat in hse. So struggled down to Minerva. F.P. called up there. Home & to bed. F. P. called again. Wrote letters & had slight temp.
22. Saturday
Maud [Walsoe] came before lunch & took me home with her for tea. I got home very tired. Pollard also called. Sometimes warm sometimes cloudy. A Norwegian Capt. who had been in the Belgian Corp. was at Walsoe’s
[Page 74]
23. Sunday
In bed forenoon. F.P. rang up – I met him at Albert Hall the Felice Lyne - Sammons concert. Then we had tea at the Knightsbridge & I brought him home for supper & he stayed till after 11. He was cross & tired & instead of him cheering me I had to turn around & smooth his little feathers.
24 Monday
Cloudy, cold. Maud came & ate her lunch with me & gave me some. Nancy ran in & out. I stayed in bed till 5 when I arose & wrote letters.
25 Tuesday
Paul Walsoe called in morning saying we wd. Go to Bedales, tomorrow. Cold day showers & shade & occasional showers of rain. Pottered. Went to bed early.
26 Wednesday
Met Maud at Waterloo at 9 & left for Petersfield for the Whishaws at the Village of Steep, Hants. Had a lovely day of rest and comfort among roses & hot water. Lovely day.
[Page 75]
27 Thursday
Slept & rested & read & in the afternoon Maud & I went for a nice walk. Nice day but cold.
28. Friday
Same routine. Went to Bedales after tea to see Girlie Smith.
29. Saturday.
Lovely day. Miss Whishaw Maud & I walked to Frox [Froxfield?] in afternoon Girlie Smith & a small companion came.
[Page 76]
July 1918
30. Sunday
Lovely day. Dawdled about. Girlie brought another little friend. A Miss Naylor came from London.
1 July, Monday.
Got up feeling weak. Maud and S. went for ferns. Retired before dinner with an attack.
2. Tuesday.
Feeling weak but got up & pottered about. Lovely weather.
3. Wednesday
Left for London. Paul & Olaf met us at Waterloo. I went to bed at 2 & at 4 had a violent attack. Damp, cold bed I think. Had to call Mrs Carpenter. F.P. called up but I was too ill to answer. Lovely day.
[Page 77]
4. Thursday
F. P. called up. Met him at Oxford Circus at 1.30. Went to see “ Old Glory" – the U Jack was floating over H. of P. & other public buildings & then spent the afternoon at Battersea Pk. Brought him home to supper. He has had Spanish flu & was most astonished by sickness. Feeling dead exhausted. Lovely day.
5. Friday.
Grey day. Sun in afternoon. Went to Peter Robinson & bought pink suit then to Miss Fairburn’s dancing with Maud but had to leave & crawled to bed very ill. Vomited and head bad.
6. Saturday.
In bed all day. Unable to go out for food or cook anything. Weak & terrible depression.
[Page 78]
7. Sunday.
Terrible depression & irritable. Got up 7 went out a little to post a letter. F.P. came & talked to me. Had attack. Rigor temp. head.
8. Monday
Got up & did things all day. F.P. rang up. claude came in evening.
9. Tuesday.
Got up again. Met Mrs Fisher at Victoria at 5. & went home for the night. Had a lovely fire, entirely necessary in this climate.
10. Wednesday.
Came on to rain in the early morn. Went up to town with Mrs Fisher & got home between showers. Fire again at Fishers.
[Page 79]
11. Thursday.
Rained heavily nearly all day. Typed “On a Street" [?]. Fred P. rang up at 6 & came out to supper with me & stayed till nearly 12. Had a fire – such a luxury. xxxxx
12. Friday.
Heavy showers again. Typed again. Depressed & miserable.
13. Saturday.
Fine in morning but heavy showers again. Miss Ince took me to a dancing exhibition at Albert Hall in afternoon. Typed again – making my shoulder very tired.
[Page 80]
14. Sunday.
Typed again. In afternoon went to Dr.Synge’s at Pedcham Hse. Mrs French then we listened to Hyde Pk orators on way home. Showers & dull all day again. Very heavy rain in morning.
15. Monday.
Dull muggy day showers. Went to Minerva then bought paper home & typed all day. F.P. came from 7 till 8.30. Nina Boyle from 8 till 10.30.
16. Tuesday.
Better day but few showers. Helped at Minerva then inspected buildings.
Home, rested & typed a little.
17.Wednesday.
Same routine, Warm, muggy day with heavy thunder showers at 7 p.m.
[Page 81]
18. Thursday.
Went to Minerva & waited at table. Home about 4 & did some washing & typing. Fine day but showers in evening.
19. Friday.
Typed all day at home. Heavy showers all day. A.A,S. came home in evening. Depressed & worried – money running out.
20. Saturday.
Rain all day again. Went to Lady Byles for lunch met there Mrs Brook & Mrs D
[Page 82]
21. Sunday.
Showery day again. Went with A.A. to hear Alfred E. Garvie. M.A. D.D. in morning. In afternoon Bambacionis, Yusif Ali & Mrs Aldridge came to tea. Couldn’t endure cold.
22. Monday.
Grey showery day again. Worked all day at Minerva home in pouring rain very tired. F.P. rang up twice but I didn’t get him.
23. Tuesday.
Rain very heavy. Got wet & suffered horribly. Went to bed after getting home from Minerva. F.P. rang up & had a talk.
24. Wednesday.
Heavy showers. Went with B. Smith to New Transport Company & home with Mr Gattie for tea. Terribly depressed & in pain.
[Page 83]
25. Thursday
Went to bank. Met Fred Post at corner. Struggled thru the day & went to a couple of [indecipherable] with Mrs Fisher while having attack & temp. Crawled home to bed. Torrential rain.
26. Friday.
Heavy showers. Struggled thru day waiting & cooking & crawled home to bed.
27. Saturday.
Pelting showers. Wrote letters in morning. In afternoon Nan took me to tea at Lyceum Club to meet Mr Ford, just back from Scandinavia. I suffered horribly having an attack right there. Temp & rheumatic pains. Stories of atrocities in Finland awful.
[Page 84]
28. Sunday
Fineish day no rain. Tea in garden. Mrs Loder & daughter Bambacionis & F Post present. Worked on patch in morning. Feeling pretty well.
29. Monday
Fine day. Went to awful Minerva & waited & afterwards poked around looking at places. Crawled home to bed suffering unendurably & the ghastly depression – Oh Lord!
30. Tuesday.
Fine day Feeling so terrible. Pottered & suffered & tried a little shorthand. Oh to be dead!
31.Wednesday.
Fine day. Shorthand. Went round to Lady Byles after supper. Nina Boyle came & stayed till 11.30. Ghastly depression. How can I get thru these days.
[Page 85]
August 1918
1. Thursday.
Was to have dined with Lady Byles but Mrs Green rang up & I met her at A. & Navy tea rooms & thence via H. Pk. to St Pancras & had some dinner & saw her on train for Scotland. Fine day – sun sometimes.
2. Friday.
Went to see Sir J. Cantlie at 11. He said I was in bad state – flu on top of malaria. Crawled home & got to bed with attack after lunch. Cold & dull & heavy rain.
3. Saturday
Cold wet day. Suffering neuritis. Went to bed after lunch. Mrs French came to see me but A.A.S. went away for the week end to Mrs Holmes.
[Page 86]
4. Sunday
Cloudy day. Got up at 1 pm Went to Mrs French for tea
Came back feeling very ill & ghastly depression. Reeled to bed somehow.
5. Monday
Ghastly depression. Cold & dull. Lady Byles took me to dinner & brought me back.
6. Tuesday
Went to Minerva to cook. Got thru day less painfully. Called at Mrs. Aldridge’s on way home. F.P. called twice but did not get me. Showers.
7. Wednesday
Worked all day at Minerva. Showers & cold & grey. In evening Phill Meggitt & Fred Post came
[Page 87]
8 Thursday
Cold & grey. Cooked all day at Minerva. Ankles bad by 5.30 but still got thru day and feeling much bucked thereby.
9 Friday
Fine day. Waited & cooked at Minerva & got thru all right considerably bucked thereby. Heels & feet hurting
10 Saturday
Pottered & slept. In afternoon Mrs. Holmes came & after supper we all went to call on Evelyn Isilt in Moscow Court. No rain.
Page [88]
11 Sunday
Mr & Mrs Arncliffe Sennet, Lt. Ross. the Banbacionis & young Brown came to tea. After which I met Claude at Marble Arch & to movies & tea. Fine day.
12 Monday
Lovely day. Left London for Hitchin at 1.35 to rest at Fairfield. Pottered & read a book of E.M. Dell’s
13 Tuesday
Pottered about garden & had a sleep & tried a little short hand. Lovely day
14 Wednesday
Lovely weather. Same routine. Miserably depressed.
[Page 89]
15 Thursday
Fine day pottered & went in afternoon with Miss Day to a fete in aid of cot in Barnados Homes
16 Friday
Pottered in house all day – did a little shorthand. Miserably depressed. Clouds came up in the evening.
17Saturday
Fine showers. A Miss Fawkener came. Pottered around. Miserably depressed.
[Page 90]
18 Sunday
Same routine. Miss F & I went for a walk after tea. Fine day Started a story about Iain Price
19 Monday
Fine day. Wrote all day. Walked with Miss F. after supper.
Tuesday 20
Went with Miss Lay to Hitchin market. Then met Matron Nye at Stn.
21 Wednesday
Had various little walks & much talk with Mrs Nye.
[Page 91]
22 Thursday
Fine warm day. Mrs. Nye, Miss Fawkner & I walked to Letchworth in morning & came back by train. Very exhausted. Did a little writing.
23 Friday
Fine day. Colder & grey and showers towards evening. A Miss Hornabrook came from London Hosp. All four went over to ‘The Chilterns & had tea with Mrs. Ransom
24 Saturday
Walked into town in morning and look at St. Mary’s – old church. Feeling very weak & wobbly. Wrote on my story Mist in morning with spider’s webs on lawn. Lovely day. Heliotrope going off a little. Grapes & tomatoes ripening.
[Page 92]
25 Sunday
Grey day & showers in the afternoon. Raining as we went to bed. Did not go out at all. Very debilitated.
26 Monday
Wrote & pottered about Fairfield & walked into Hitchin. Nice day.
27 Tuesday
Matron Nye & I came up to London in the morning. I went to Threadneedle St. to be passed by Merchant Taylors for Convalescent Home then to 22 Harley [Road, South Hampstead]. Dull day
28 Wednesday
Dull dreary day. Busied myself writing letters etc. Struggled to put down depression.
[Page 93]
29 Thursday
Dullish day but fine. Pottered in morning. In afternoon met Dr. B. Dick & Sheilah & a Mr. C. at Navy Stores for tea. Called at Wilton for Feathers [indecipherable] & home. No joy in life. Just dull stagnation of soul & body.
30 Friday
Went to Minerva & worked in kitchen home at six. Very cold & comfortless in the house.
31 Saturday
Dull cold day. Wrote in morning. In afternoon, Miss Harding, A.A. & I went to Earl’s Court to call on Mrs. Thompson-Price. Home & wrote some
just perishing so did not feel well after it Oh for warmth & comfort again.
[Page 94]
September 1918
1 Sunday
Finish, coldish day. After lunch went to tea with Scott, Russell & Meilch at 216 The Grove thence onto Margaret McMillan at Deptford. And home at 10’colock and packed for Bognor.
2 Monday
Left Vic. at 10.10 for M.T. Ladies Home at Bognor arrived about two. Despatch hole never felt so depress for years & years by atmosphere
3 Tuesday
Went on beach in forenoon. A terrible institution vain and snobbish paltry to a degree Terribly Depressed
4 Wednesday
On Beach again. Found others as depressed as myself by the pauperism of the place & its petty rules & ill bred matron Finish day again
[Page 95]
5 Thursday
Fine day. wrote & studied shorthand. Bessie Allin, sister of Norman of Beecham Co. sang Beautifully for us in drawing room & a Miss Woledge accompanied.
6 Friday
Fine day spent hours on beach listening to band. Walked along sands before supper
7 Saturday
Showry Day. Stuck closely to writing & shorthand went for walk with Nurse Grey & Bessie Allin before supper
[Page 96]
8 Sunday
Showers & wind. Went to Vile Church in morning. Beastly old men sat in front in armchairs. Tired. Wrote & studied and walked on beach before supper. Leaves coming down
9 Monday
Worked on shorthand & story all day. Wild & showry
10 Tuesday
Fine day excepting short thunder shower. Similar routine to above. Walked on London road for an hour
11 Wednesday
Wrote & studied shorthand. Tired & not very well. Food not sufficiently nourishing. Walked to Felpham with Miss Woledge
[Page 97]
12 Thursday
Showery day. Feeling very tired but struggled on at novel & just a little shorthand Walked with Bessie Allin before supper.
13 Friday
Had a little walk with Miss Woledge. Worked as above. Wet afternoon.
14 Saturday
Wet day. Had to stay indoors Worked on shorthand & novel. Leaves coming down thickly on the lawn. Creepers turning red.
[Page 98]
15 Sunday
Lovely day. Sunny and soft. Wrote & went to odious church in morning. Afternoon listened to the band with Bessie Allin & Nurse Grey & read an E.M. Dell book.
16 Monday
Grey day. Finished novel
17 Tuesday
Fine day. Went to Felpham such a lovely little church & thatched cottages
18 Wednesday
Fine day. Went for walk with Miss Woledge before dinner. Feeling very depressed & week.
[Page 99]
19 Thursday
Fine windy day. Mrs. Fairweather & Mrs. French came over from Hove in afternoon & I had tea out with them & sat on the Front.
20 Friday
Showery day. Listened to band in morning. Little Grant girl & I walked to Felpham before dinner
21 Saturday
Left Bognor in morning Had lunch with N.N. at 22 Harley Rd. Then went on to stay with Miss Hodge. Lovely day. Good many leaves coming down but trees still well dressed.
[Page 100]
22 Sunday
At 13 Temple Fortune Court. Went to Mrs Aldridge to tea. Met Mrs. Burnham Took on a job with Mr. Aldridge. Got back at 8.30
23 Monday
Went to work at 41 Russell Sq. Lunch at Minerva.
24 Tuesday
Same as above but went to meeting of teachers in Memorial Hall for Nina Boyle
25 Wednesday
Same as above home rather late
[Page 101]
26 Thursday
Same as day before slept till 7.30 and consequently very tired no time to type.
27 Friday
Same as above slept till 7.40. Cold day.
28 Saturday
Went to 41 Russell Square at 10 cut a stencil and left at 1.30. Typed during afternoon. Cold day but spasmodic sunshine. Plane trees in height of glory.
[Page 102]
29 Sunday
Typed all day Sunday – Very tired & cold. Rosa Hodge there & very depressed
30 Monday
Went to work & home to 22 Harley Rd in evening typed a little. Cold in office
October 1918
1. Tuesday
Same routine as above
2 Wednesday
Same routine as above
[Page 103]
3 Thursday
Office routine lunch at Minerva.
4 Friday
Same routine. Too exhausted to type when I got home
5 Saturday
Dull showry day. Worked at 41 Russell Sq till 2 & then home & typed feeling very exhausted. Nelson Smith came at night
Leaves getting thin & shabby
[Page 104]
6 Sunday
Typed & worked some – but Miss Yates & Nelson Smith here for evening.
Nice Scot – Lt. called in Gordon Tartan.
7 Monday
Went to office all day, Nelson Smith then at night so I couldn’t work.
8 Tuesday
Office routine. Very slack so I did some typing of my own.
9 Wednesday
Similar routine
[Page 105]
10 Thursday
Similar routine
11 Friday
Lunch with Miss H. & Miss [indecipherable] at Minerva
12 Saturday
Went to 41 Russell Sq. till 2 & then to Miss Hodge at Golder’s Green for work
Beastly cold in Flat. Leaves down in carpets on the street A dull wet week
[Page 106]
13 Sunday
At Miss Hodges till 8.30 then returned to 22 Harley Rd. Typed all day.
14 Monday
Wet drizzling day. Went to dinner with Nancy at night at Lyceum Club as Mrs Bagis guest. Literally wept with boredom escaped at 9.30
15 Tuesday
Office routine. Did some of my own typing. Matron Nye came & I took her to lunch at Minerva.
16 Wednesday
Office routine. Lunch at Minerva.
[Page 107]
17 Thursday
Office routine. Began to put [indecipherable] – cards to do.
18 Friday
Dense fog till afternoon then one ray of sunlight & grey again a smoky fog that stung the eyes
19 Saturday
Grey & showery – Tired but struggling on at typing got home at 3 & had fire to self for a while. Leaves down in great soggy wet masses
[Page 108]
20 Sunday
Wet grey day. Lot of people to see Nancy which stopped me working. Got a bit done in morning.
21 Monday
Grey wet day. Office routine. Typed in evening but very tired & depressed. Mrs. French came to office in afternoon & had tea with me. Chilblains
22 Tuesday
Office routine. Cold grey day. Tired & depressed because did not sleep the night before too well.
23 Wednesday
Quite a fine day but a good deal of fog. S. McKay was to have come but no news of him. Went out on errands. Very tired.
[Page 109]
24. Thursday
Office Routine
25. Friday
S. McKay rang up & made appt. for Sat.
26. Saturday
S. McK came at 2 & went for a bus ride to the H. Heath then to hear Miss [indecipherable] at [indecipherable] Club then to dinner at Popular Café Then to see Gertrude Elliot in the “Eyes of Youth" at St James Theatre
Fine day but foggy
[Page 110]
27 Sunday
Very tired. Tried to work a little. Had sleep in afternoon.
S. McKay came for supper & stayed till 11.30 grey day.
28 Monday
Office routine S. McKay called at 6 & we had dinner at Colonial restaurant & thence to Wyndhams to see ‘The Law Divine by Esmond. Grey day
29 Tuesday
Finish grey day. Office routine. Ran about on errands a good deal. Very exhausted. So bathed & went to bed early.
30 Wednesday
Delightful morning. Plane tree leaves down a glorious carpet in Bedford Sq. Alister came in evening. I typed a little but still very fatigued.
[Page 111]
31 Thursday
Mild day but grey and damp. Slack day in office so typed a chap of Sam [“Sam Price from Chicago"]
Alister ate all the pitiful little dinner for the whole house & I still did not have enough to eat.
November 1918
1. Friday
Finished the typing of Sam. Ran errands during day. Bought a rose plush hat at B & Hollingworths Dull grey day but mild.
2. Saturday
Dull grey day but mild, drizzling now & again. Sun came out in afternoon & I had a pleasant time to myself correcting Sam started on him at 7.30
[Page 112]
3 Sunday
Went down to dinner with Maud & back to tea at Smith family party. First helped Ethel. She was so sick. Poured all day. Started work at 7.30 a.m. & got Sam bound & corrected
4 Monday
Took Sam to Watt & Son. Trudged to bank & various places in pouring rain. Got home & cleared up various odds & ends. Very tired afterwards hard struggle trying to type & earn living
5 Tuesday
Lovely early morning like yesterday. Stanley’s suggestion of “Down Under" came. Kept an hour late so got home too tired to sleep.
6 Wednesday
Twilight day. Sat in the hopeless muddle & did a little shorthand. Searchlight wonderful glory at night
[Page 113]
7 Thursday
Twilight day with a fog. Very fatigued felt very tired & cold. Took double dose of cachets & nearly died in night. Not able to do anything on play.
8 Friday
Grey day. Went to bank & fooled around on various office boy errands: B. Kinred came at six: we went to eat at Colonial restaurant thence to Coliseum – Very exhausted & cold.
9. Saturday
Grey day & foggy. Got home at 3.20 Had dinner & went to bed till six. When Mlle. Bloust & Signoria Bambacioni came & stayed to supper to share our already pitifully inadequate food. Miss Smith tried her plancheth board. Seems to me it is infliction of thoughts of one who operates it.
[Page 114]
10 Sunday
Grey, cold day. Feeling tired, ill – nourished & miserable because I wanted to work & no warm spot to be had alone. Miss Smith had family party lasting from 3.30 till 9.30. uncomfortable & disgruntled. Oh for a little means to procure peace comfort.
11. Monday
Maroon went at 11. Then people began to celebrate. Came on to rain & people slopped around all wet & draggled. F. Post rang up & asked me round to celebrate with him but couldn’t go as Mr A was muddling off to a conference.
12.Tuesday
Cold grey day. People still celebrating in pubs. Had painful sore throat & weak heart. Went to bed at 3.00 o’clock & slept till 5. Got up & rested & typed a little of “Down Under". Nelson Smith came at 7 also with a cold.
13. Wednesday
Twilight all day. Fog. Felt myself getting worse. Crawled home typed a little & went to bed. Oh the cruel lack of comfort if one is ill. Cold salad not right sort of food.
[Page 115]
14. Thursday
Stayed in bed. Not enough to eat & the miserable discomfort & cold – clammy mausoleum damp in bed-room. Got up at 6 had a wash but impossible to keep warm in cold so went to bed again very miserable & depression coming on. Fog thick in house.
15. Friday
Got to office at 11.30. Pulled thru day. Telegraphed Stanley not to come. In evening F. Post rang up saying he was off to Paris. Went to bed sick & depressed. Nearly died in night. Fogs.
16 Saturday
Foggy cold & grey as ever. Crawled out to office. Ghastly depression.. Answered Bill’s letter. Stayed in office getting home at 5.30 & found Mrs French waiting for me. Went to bed cold and miserable.
[Page 116]
17. Sunday
Cold grey miserable day. Stayed in bed till 12. cd not struggle to church on a bit of cold [indecipherable] bread & margarine. Set table & went to sleep in evening. Mabel Newfield & Miss then for tea.
18. Monday
Cold grey day again. Feeling very poorly. Struggled thru day. Stanley McK. Came in evening to [indecipherable] Down Under. Thank God had fire to ourselves.
19. Tuesday
Acid fog even indoors. Got home & went to bed miserable. Coughed all night. Very weak & weary.
20 Wednesday.
Dense fog lights on all day. Another dull useless trivial unsatisfactory day. Coughing badly. Ethel away celebrating death de son pere
[Page 117]
21. Thursday
Fog again. Arose to cold miserable house. Glad to get to office. Another trivial pottering day. Nelson S. came after 11 & kept me up to let him in. Thereby little more chill but powerful cough mix. Kept me quiet.
22. Friday
Grey day again but not quite such dense twilight. Got up & got N’s breakfast. Ethel appeared with news of her father’s death.
23. Saturday
Lunch with Fay B. Judge Mackarness [?], R Dalton & Mark. Then at Albermarle. Sun pierced the fog at lunch time for a little while. Got home at 5.30 & made black velveteen tam.
[Page 118]
24. Sunday
Profitless day. Fiddled round neither worked nor rested dull grey & cold. Very tired.
25. Monday
Fog all day. Got home to prepare meal. Ethel out. Peter misbehaved in Wardrobe & Ethel acted ass.
26. Tuesday
Got home & tried to find E.C. Brown then. Did not get to bed till late & Ethel slept in room & disturbed me as I cd. hear again. Dense fog. Had to prepare meal in evening.
27. Wednesday.
Brownie came with me to office & left. Office routine. Disturbed by Ethel at night.
[Page 119]
28. Thursday.
Dull foggy day. Miss Bertram & Miss Bertha Felt [?] came & stayed at 22 Harley Rd. Ethel kept me awake later.
29. Friday.
Exactly same routine as day before.
30. Saturday
In afternoon A.A. & I went to a pupil’s concert at house of Maud Allan “West Wing" North Gate Regents Pk. Pupils of Gertrude Peppercorn (Mrs Dumonier). Muddy streets. Quite grey but mild. A.A. raved because Brownie had not written bred & butter letter.
[Page 120]
December 1918
1. Sunday
Went to Zabelle Boyajian’s studio & thence with Mrs French to hear Ella W.W. & Dr Bruce on Bond Street. Dull mild day no sun.
2. Monday
Dull dark days. Lights on in office all the time. office routine. Lunch at Minerva.
3.Tuesday
Same routine. Same dirty twilight.
4.Wednesday
Wish I cd. be interested in my work or life. Wish I cd. see the sense.
[Page 121]
5. Thursday.
Wish I had means for rest & beauty & to educate myself.
6.Friday
F.P. rang up at noon & again in evening & I met him at Tottenham N. & we went to dinner in Soho & then talked till late at Regent’s Palace. He was dull & irritable.
7. Saturday
Dull miserable day. Busy in office till 2.20. Then home & had dinner & reread “On [indecipherable]
[ Page 122]
8 Sunday
Drizzle & fog & black twilight all day. Claude called up at 5.30. I met him down town & went to pictures at Marble Arch. Took quinine Sat & Sun
9 Monday
Fog. Black & wet office [indecipherable] went to bed very tired. Finished re-reading “On a St" [?]
10 Tuesday
Office routine home & to bed very tired.
11 Wednesday
Office routine. In evening A A. Miss [indecipherable] & Booth Scott Mrs Dalrymple & S met at Old Vic for ‘Love’s Labour Lost." Dark, dark, days
[Page 123]
12 Thursday
F.P. rang up in afternoon & came out at 8 p.m. & stayed till 10.45. Grey dark mild damp day. Nancy at Chelsea to hear Miss Phipps – Candidate.
13 Friday
Dull dark & wet. Actually met Ethel Mason walking on High Holborn. Greatest joy in life. Did not seem true.
14 Saturday.
She came for me at 2. We went to tea at Popular. Thence to her rooms at Dysart Hotel. Left her at six went to Ealing to meet Nancy & took dinner with Mr. Dalrymple & Joyce Harding Home late. Wet & warm
[Page 124]
15 Sunday
Wet. Went to hear Dr. Orchard to meet Ethel & brought her home to dinner. In afternoon she A.A. & I went to [indecipherable] for tea, pottered around Whitehall & Westminster & then home
16 Monday
Wet in morning. Lunch with Dr. [indecipherable] at Wilton. Busy day call from N.Y. Then went to Lyceum Club for dinner as Mr. Bafe’s guest & because Ethel was there. Home v late.
17 Tuesday
Fine morning. Bungy eye Dull dark day. Very uncomfortable
18 Wednesday
Met Dr. de Garis, Ethel, Miss Adams, Nancy & B. Kent at Old Vic & saw a dull nativity play & home late. Wet cold, dark & gusty day
[Page 125]
19 Thursday
Dark foggy day. Eye tiresome bathed it in
20. Friday
Met Ethel & Claude at 7.30 & saw ‘Man from Toronto’ at Duke of York’s Tully & Iris Hoey, principals. Dull dark day. Fred called up about 6 & had a yarn. Mrs. Aldridge & I had lunch at Minerva
21. Saturday
Worked in office till 3. & got home & wrote Xmas notes & got my few parcels ready. Dull day.
[Page 126]
22. Sunday
Miss Smith & I at home. Many Indians. Ethel & K. Adams. F. Post. Mr. & Mrs. Carpenter & others. Wet dull day.
23. Monday
Worked in office & went home to Miss Hodge at night. Miss Wren had nice dinner waiting.
24. Tuesday
Worked in office & went home to Miss Hodge.
25. Wednesday
Lovely frosty morning but grey later. Dinner with Miss H & Miss W. Supper alone & went to bed.
[Page 127]
26. Thursday
Frosty morning but grey afterwards. Miss H. & I went down to Piccadilly to see President Wilson. Great crowd so I missed Ethel & had tea with Mrs. French & the Sawyers in Club
27 Friday
Worked so late had no dinner. Went to see Ethel at Dysart Hotel at 8 & then for night with Miss H. & Miss Newcomb
28 Saturday
Worked all day & got to Dysart Hotel just in time to have dinner with Ethel and went to bed early & talked till past midnight. E. had a cold & snored so I cd. not sleep
[Page 128]
29. Sunday
Went to Lyceum Club to dinner with Miss N. Miss Hodge & Mrs Ussher. Brought Mrs. Ussher back to Dysart to tea with Ethel stayed with Ethel overnight.
[Page 129]
[Blank Page]
[Page 130]
[Shorthand note]
[Page 131]
Cash Account – July
1st Sm. H. for Active [indecipherable] Socks
W.P. Feb 20 16 0
[Page 132]
F. D. Post
3 Grosvenor Gardens.
House; 6 Duke St. Mayfair 1164
Office Victoria 9110
As for Mr Post
[Transcriber's notes:
A.A.S. - Annie Amelia Smith
B.D.W.S.U.- British Dominions Woman Suffrage Union
S.M.H. - Sydney Morning Herald
S.W.H. - Scotish Womens Hospitals]
[Transcribed by Robin Matthews for the State Library of New South Wales]