Isobel Addison’s diary April-June 1931

 

Wilfred, Michael and I went to the sung Eucharist at St. Anne’s at 8, beautiful service led mostly by children. Very busy all day again and got the house very nice.  Jenny, Duncan, young Duncan and John arrived about 6.30.  Had a very nice evening.  Isobel got back from Moreton and she and  Kate  telephoned from London before going to the Broads

Friday, 3rd April, 1931

Jenny and Duncan left about 11.30.  The three boys and I went to St. Anne’s for part of the 3 hour service. Got home about 2.40.  A very wet day.

Saturday, 4th April, 1931

Duncan and John left at 12 for London

Sunday, 5th April 1931   (Easter Sunday)

Church at Wycombe with Pa and Michael for 7 a .m. service.  Michael and I went again for the 10 o’clock sung Eucharist, also Gladys, Wilfred and Betty .

Monday, 6th April, 1931

Edward Ashcroft and Gordon Macfarlane came to tea.  Another wet day.

Tuesday, 7th April, 1931

Mr. MacIntyre arrived about 4 .30 to stay a couple of days.  Kate and Isobel got back to London tonight and rang us up about 9.30.

Wednesday, 8th April, 1931

Isobel came down about 11.30.  Pa and  Mr. MacIntyre  drove into Wycombe.  A lovely day.     Kate came home by the 6.27. Carrie came over after tea and Isobel drove her home and met Kate.

Thursday, 9th April, 1931

Mr. MacIntyre left about 10.30 and Isobel went to  Northwood for her hair treatment.

Friday, 10th April, 1931

Pa, Michael and I went to town and did a lot of shopping and saw “movie – talkies” including film of Pa himself  at Lewisham digging first sod of allotments.  Came home by the 5.24.  Michael got his driving licence today and drove us safely home from the station  Met Dr. Macphail at Marylebone on our way home.

Sunday, 12th April, 1931

Michael’s birthday. He and I went to St. Anne’s at 8. Stella came in after lunch and stayed till about 3. 30 on her way down to Cornwall to see the MacIntyres.

Monday, 13th April, 1931

Kate went by the 8.20 as usual.  Michael and I drove to Great Kimble and had tea with Mrs. Meiklejohn and Dorothy who were staying there for a few days.  Got back to Missenden in time to meet Daddy and Isobel who arrived at 6.30.

Friday, 17th April, 1931

Mike and I went to town by the 9.59 – picked up Pa and Isobel at the flat and went to buy her evening coat and then on to get Michael’s mackintosh at Hope Bros.  Had lunch at Swans.  Pa and Mike went to the Polytechnic to see Africa Speaks”.  Isobel and I went to Heals and chose a wedding gift for Duncan Newton and then to Jacobus to buy her shoes, then to the flat where Pa and Mike joined us for tea.  We then came home by the 5.24.  Isobel had to go to an “Electricity” show.  After supper we played dummy bridge.  Kate came home by the last train.  About 3 inches of snow had accumulated by then!

Saturday,18th April, 1931

Beastly cold –  snow and rain – Pa and Michael went to Cambridge for an Agricultural conference and got home at midnight.  Dr. Hilton came to tea.  Isobel got home about 5 – a very wearing evening.

Sunday, 19th April, 1931

Michael and I went to St. Anne’s at 8.   Stella came afterwards on her way back from Cornwall and bath.  Wrote letters – tea, played bridge, supper and bed.  An unpleasantly cold wet day.

Monday, 20th April, 1931

Kate and Isobel went up by the 7.53.  Isobel started work today at the Electricity Board.  Pa didn’t go up until the 10.56 – a very wet morning.  After seeing to the hens etc., Pa and Mike and I had a rapid game of dummy bridge by the study fire.  Mike then did some French.  After lunch Mr. Stevens came to see my hens, 2 or 3 of which have got what he calls canker of the jaw.  He showed me how to treat it.  Welwyn called for eggs.  I taught Michael bezique – in the evening collected all his things for packing.

Tuesday, 21st April, 1931

Up in fairly decent time – after breakfast attended to hens and mended and packed for Michael – he and I went up to town by the 2 p.m. train and bought him socks and met Pa at the  flat and made him some tea.  He had to return to the H of C.  Mike and I with his baggage repaired to Paddington where we met Kate and Isobel and all had tea.  Mike went off to Exeter by the 6.30. the girls and I returned to the flat and I later joined Pa at Baker St. For the 8.10 home.  Had a terrible headache all day  – after supper I had a hot bath and was in bed and asleep before 12.

Wednesday, 22nd April, 1931

Pa went off by the 9 a.m.  I made beds and generally tidied up – attended to hens – sent parcel to Michael – wrote several letters.  After lunch went and saw the Aunts and sat there about an hour – home at 3.30 – fed hens etc., Isobel came home by the 6.37 quite cheerful – seems to like her job so far.  After supper we played cards and went to bed in good time.

Thursday, 23rd April, 1931

Got up and took Isobel tea and had breakfast ready by 7.15.  She left by the 7.53.  Attended to hens, they seem to be improving.  Wrote several letters, paid some bills and sent books to Duncan Newton.  After lunch did some of my own mending and had a snoozle by the study fire.  A very cold windy day and some heavy showers.  Am in a rage today over the Lords treatment of CA’s Land Bill – no use really raging, the only thing is to do away with the senseless, self-important nincompoops.

Friday, 8th May, 1931

Newton C and B

Monday, 11 May, 1931

Shopped with Brigit

Tuesday, 12 May, 1931

Dr. Mason

Friday, 22nd May, 1931

Mary came and ate her lunch with me by the drawing room fire.  Pa came home about 6 or 7.  Michael arrived home this evening.

Saturday, 23rd May, 1931

Mary Wilmott came to lunch with us.

Sunday, 24th May, 1931

Michael and I, Wilfred, Gladys  and Betty went to St. Anne’s at 8. Mary Willmott came after lunch and stayed tea and supper.  Stella came to tea.

Monday, 25th May, 1931

Maurice Newton came for lunch and stayed the night. Mary Willmott came to lunch too and they played croquet afterwards.  She had to go away before tea.

Tuesday, 26th May, 1931

Pa and Michael drove Maurice to Wycombe for his bus.  Pa took Michael to Reading for the train back to Exeter.

Thursday, 28th May, 1931

London – re moving furniture from flat.  I shopped at Barnes. Bought new carpet for study and stuff for cushion covers.

Friday, 29th May, 1931

Pa and I went to Prestwood to see the “girls” this morning and stayed to lunch.  Pa and I went to tea with the Masons at Wycombe Marsh.  Isobel came home by the 6.27. Kate dined in town and was driven out by ?  Got home soon after 12.

Saturday, 30th May, 1931

Pa and I went to Swindon – a nice drive – dull show.  Ashcroft came here but was gone when we got home.

Sunday, 31st May, 1931

No church today. Wilfred stayed in bed to get his boils better.