Isobel Addison’s diary June 1917

Friday, 1st June, 1917            2 eggs

CA left by the 9.40.  Miss White came down in the morning.  Spent rather an idle day, feeling seedy and lazy.  Mr. Moore came for music.  CA got home by the 7.30.

Saturday, 2nd June, 1917        A    2 eggs

Nurse Bella and Michael went to Watford with the washing.    Katie out all morning for a bike ride with Mary Chambers.  Little   ??     spent the morning here and Sonnie went to tea with him.  Mr. and Mrs. Terry  and little John Terry came here to tea.  Mr. Piggott also with papers.  Nurse Bella left for Sheffield at 5.  Dr. Hilton came up in the morning to see me and changed my medicine as I have had more pain these last days – rotten – I’m sick of it.  Got all the kiddies to bed in good time and had  a nice quiet evening.

Sunday, 3rd June, 1917                 1 egg

All very punctual for hreakfast and finished before 9!  Michael, Isobel and I walked down to see the Hiltons.  CA left after lunch for Walton Heath to see LL.G. and got home at 7.30.  Miss White came at 7.  Got the kiddies all in bed in good time and got supper.  Miss White left at 9 and we went to bed before 11.

Monday, 4th June, 1917                2 eggs

Got up at 6 Made tea.  Dressed myself, Michael and Isobel and were all ready for breakfast by 8 sharp.    Bel and Michael went with Katie to Harrow.  I fed the hens and rabbits and CA and I did a little gardening before he went.  I wrote one or two letters and took Isobel and Michael to the wood and they dug and played in the sand while I knitted.  Miss Booth came to lunch and left by the 3.42.  Katie didn’t come home till late as it was games day. We had tea in the garden sitting on the new garden seat which Willie Buchanan has given us. CA got home at 9.30.  Children all very good going to bed.  We walked round the garden after supper and went to bed about 11.

Tuesday, 5th June, 1917          2 eggs

Children off to school as usual.  We all sat down to breakfast together at 5 minutes to eight – wonderful!  CA again had a little time.for gardening before going to town.  I wrote some letters and did the washing and read to Michael while he lay on a rug in the shade – a very hot day After dinner we played in the garden and I did some more knitting.   We moved the hens today, putting the old hens and poulets all in one run and the bantams in one of the old runs and the new  chicks in the bantams’ run.  Christopher went to cricket late today, 4.30 to 6.30 and got home about 7. CA came home at 9.  We strolled round the garden and sat by the fire.  He read and made a speech and I knitted.  Went to bed about 12.

Wednesday, 6th June, 1917        2 eggs

Not quite so early this morning didn’t wake till 6.30.  Spent most of the morning darning my own fine stockings – a beastly job! and playing with Michael.  A much cooler day and a heavy shower of rain after lunch.  Dr. Hilton came up in the morning to see me  and after lunch to try and bag some beansticks but we unfortunately have none.  CA  got home about 9 in his car having missed the 8.20  train

Thursday, 7th June, 1917             2 eggs

Some nice showers of rain both morning and afternoon.  CA went by the 9.56 and got home at 9.30. Too wet in the afternoon for Sonnie to go to cricket.

Friday, 8th June, 1917   5 eggs

CA went by the 9.40.  I began to clip the nut and rhododendron and meant to have a good morning’s gardening, but got a beastly pain so sat down and knitted.  Michael was away in the car for a good part of the morning. at the garage and meeting Miss White.  I wrote some letters and signed several cheques. Spent the afternoon in the garden playing with Michael and knitting.  Katie out to tea at Ruislip, Mrs Cross and Isobel went to meet her in the pony trap.  Mr. Moore and Christopher had an unpleasant row over his music lesson!  Sonnie has a cold and didn’t go to school this afternoon.  Katie and Bel missed each other on the road and didn’t get home until 9. CA arrived at 10 in his car.

Saturday,  9th June, 1917             3 eggs

Fed the animals and did the washing.   Michael went to Watford with Gurney.  I marked the tennis lawn and did a few odd jobs. Spent most of the afternoon and all of the evening playing tennis with the kiddies.

Sunday, 10th June, 1917        4 eggs

Rather late up this morning.  Had some tennis with the children and played with Michael and spent some time in the wood at the gravel pit.  Miss White came after lunch also Mrs. Shilbech and Dunstan:  all left about 6.30 or 7.  Got the children to bed.  Supper, washed up  and sat in the garden afterwards.  A lovely evening.

Monday, 11th June, 1917    5 eggs

Sonnie rather bad with asthma – moved him into my room.  Played with baby and he and Isobel and I went down to Northwood and bought lettuces and strawberries and went to see Mrs. Hilton.  Home for lunch.  Mrs. Cross took Michael into the wood for a bit and I rested.  CA and Miss White arrived in he car about 10 o’clock.  He is getting his speech ready for their estimates on Thursday.  Supper and sat in the garden and went to bed about 11.30.

Tuesday, 12th June, 1917             4 eggs

Sonnie rather better but still in bed.  Katie off to school.  CA and Miss White walked in the garden at his speech and I fed animals and did washing.  The car came at 10.30 and CA and Miss White left  about 10.40.  I read to Christopher, darned stockings and played with Michael all morning.

Wednesday, 13th June, 1917             5 eggs

Thursday, 14th June, 1917                  5 eggs

Friday, 15th June, 1917                      6 eggs

Saturday, 16th June, 1917             5 eggs

The children went to Watford with Gurney   and the washing and little Michael and I went to Harrow in the car to enquire about houses and looked at a few.

Sunday, 17th June, 1917                 5 eggs

No cooler in spite of the thunder.  CA toiled at onions nearly all day in spite of the heat.  Miss White with Kathleen came down about 3.30 and left about 6.  Dr. Hilton came up in the evening.

Monday, 18th June, 1917   4 eggs

Still very hot but some rain which was refreshing.  Sonnie went back to school today quite cheerfully.  Isobel, Michael and I went down to the station with CA and did some shopping –  a shirt for him and  shoes for some of the rest of the family.  After dinner I had a delicious sleep while Isobel and Michael played in my room beside me.  Some nice rain this afternoon.  CA had to stay in town for an official dinner tonight.  He forgot his dress clothes and I had to pack them and send them up this morning.  He motored home and arrived about 11.15.  We had tea and gossipped and went to bed. I did a lot of weeding after supper.

Tuesday, 19th June, 1917             2 eggs

Showery and cooler again.  After Daddy had gone  Isobel, Michael and I drove to Harrow  and looked a a few more houses.  Home for lunch.  Miss Cross took Michael out for a bit and I rested.  Sonnie went to cricket about 4 and Katie went to tea with Dorothy Spier in Ruislip.  Isobel went in the pony trap to fetch her home and they didn’t get in till 8.  Sonnie and I had a game of tennis. Got Isobel to bed and Katie and I had supper and sat in the garden.  CA didn’t get home till about 12.30.  Women’s Suffage in the House tonight – about 7 votes to 1 in favour of it – at last!  How peacefully it has come in the end!

Wednesday, 20th June, 1917            3 eggs

Warmer again today.  Isobel, Michael and I went down with CA in the car and went in to see  Mrs. Hilton for a few minutes.  Came home and Isobel played very sweetly with Michael while I darned my stockings. After lunch she and he and I went to town, bought CA’s birthday presents and on to Selfridges and then to Dr. Macphail’s for tea. Came home, got baby and Isobel to bed – he didn’t go to sleep until late and was a bit fussy.  Christopher and Katie had supper with me.     Mr. Piggott telephoned that CA would be late again.  He got home about midnight.

Thursday,  21st June, 1917              4 eggs

Christopher not very well today so stayed at home and had a dose of castor oil!  Katie brought Dorothy Spier and Irene to tea and they played tennis.

Friday, 22nd June, 1917               2 eggs

Miss White came as usual.  I spent the morning darning a great rent in Katie’s new cotton dress which she put on for the first time yesterday!

Saturday, 23rd June, 1917      3 eggs

The children all went to Watford in the car as it was a bit wet.  CA and I went down to look at the Allen’s house but found it very disappointing.  Dr. Macphail arrived at 4 o’clock.  The children and I spent the afternoon on the road looking for him!  Played tennis all in our turn after tea.  I got Michael to bed.  He was rather naughty but very sweet all the same.  After supper we played solo whist.

Sunday, 24th June, 1917       3 eggs

Charlie Newton came to lunch and we spent the afternoon weeding.  He left just after tea.  Mr. and Mrs. Coates came up after supper for a bit.

Monday, 25th June, 1917             2 eggs

Gathered roses before breakfast for Dr. Macphail and Dorothy.  Dr. Macphail left with the children for Harrow.  I wrote a two letters for CA to take to town  also gathered him a large bunch of roses.  Spent most of the morning darning stockings for the family.    CA got home about 9.30.

Tuesday, 26th June, 1917          4 eggs

Mrs. Coates and Ruth spent the morning with us and we sat in the garden and darned stockings.  Gathered roses for her and she left about 12.45.   CA got home soon after tea in the car.

Wednesday, 27th June, 1917            2 eggs      K.A.

Katie stayed at home today as she was rather poorly.  Isobel, Michael and I went down to the village to do a little shopping when CA went to the station.  Mrs. Cross’s husband arrived tonight on leave unexpectedly and slept here.  CA got home about 20 to 11 came by car all the way.  We had some tea and went to bed about 12.

Thursday, 28th June, 1917               2 eggs

Katie at home again not feeling well.  CA went by the 9.56 and Isobel, Michael and I went down with him and did some shopping.  Mrs Cross  left about 12 with her husband and I finished cooking the dinner.  Kate helped me to wash up and then there was the ham to take off the fire and to breadcrumb and lots of messes to clear up after it!  Got tea  and washed it up, fed the hens and rabbits.  Got baby to bed and the others sat up and had supper with me.  This is the great day of CA’s speech, munitions estimates – very disappointing that I can’t go.  He didn’t get home until about 12.

Friday, 29th June, 1917            3 eggs             A

CA stayed at home today and had a good rest.  We had breakfast in the kitchen which was rather fun and nice and warm on this cold day.  Sonnie went off to school, but Katie stayed at home still feeling rather poorly.  Isobel helped me dry the breakfast dishes and we fed the animals.  I got the dinner ready.  Miss White came about 11.  Mr. Heseltine after lunch.  Mr. Moore for music.  Rained most of the morning and also a bit in the afternoon.  I made scones for tea. Got the family to bed and made bread and milk for it.  Got our own supper and had a nice sit down by the drawing room fire.  Bed about 11.15

Saturday, 30th June, 1917         2 eggs

Got up at 7.30 and had breakfast in the kitchen again.  The children fed the hens and rabbits.  I cleared the table and made all the beds, tidied the bedrooms and did the washing for Mrs. Swan.  The children took the little kid which we have sold round to Dorothy Schultz and went to Watford with the washing.  I cooked the dinner and CA gardened. After dinner and washing up etc., Mr. Piggott came.  Sonnie went out with Jack  V…………and the girls went for a walk.  Michael and I gathered a lovely bunch of roses and syringa for Mr. Piggott .  Mrs. Coates came up for tea and after tea CA motored Mr. Piggott to the station.  I got all the kiddies in bed and got the supper and Kate helped me to wash it all up.  Mrs. Cross arrived back just as we finished. She has had a rather disappointing holiday in the matter of weather