1895: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF ETHEL LIZZY MOODY

31 Monday      Went to Cannons to tea & on to Church [midnight service].

Mr & Mrs William Cannon lived at 5 London Street, where Mr Cannon had a butcher’s shop. In the 1891 Census they are listed with three sons and five daughters. I have an old photograph of Mrs Cannon and a wedding invitation to the wedding of one of their daughters, Annie, to William Charles Selby. After the Second World War, I remember three other [unmarried] daughters, by then, of course, fairly elderly, who lived together at 51 Cliddesden Road: Elizabeth, Emily, and Mary Cannon. Another daughter, Nellie, was married to Arnold Joice, who, until his retirement in the 1950s, ran the Basingstoke coach-building business, founded by his father, John. 

Arnold and Nellie Joice had a daughter [a granddaughter of Mr and Mrs William Cannon] who became, after marriage, Barbara Broadbridge. I can remember that she and her husband, Frank, were fairly frequent visitors at Fairholme in the Cliddesden Road [5 May].

“Church” on 31 December 1894 would have been Basingstoke’s parish church of St Michael and All Angels, where the Moodys worshipped.

1 Tuesday        Came up to Hammersmith. Went to hear the “Messiah” at the

Albert Hall.

ELM had relatives on her mother’s side in Hammersmith. I know from one of his letters that her Uncle George William Paice, a widower since 1876, was living at 9 Rivercourt Road, Hammersmith in 1882. He is listed on the 1895 Electoral Roll at this address with two of his sons, Charles and Alfred Robert. This was before the days of universal suffrage, so only eligible males were listed.

I have a visiting card for George William Paice, bearing the address: “40 Ravenscourt Gardens, Ravenscourt Park, W.”, so he moved house at some time. Rivercourt Road is about half a mile from Ravenscourt Gardens. The 1901 census records him managing a hotel in Sevenoaks, Kent [19 May] with help from his son, Charles.

There are many references to Rivercourt Road in the diary. I suspect that ELM found her Uncle’s house a welcome refuge from the nearby school in Chiswick, where she was teaching! Handel’s Messiah was one of ELM’s favourite oratorios. I have her well thumbed Novello vocal score from which she might have sung [29 April].

12 Saturday     Went to Richmond skating with the “P & W”. A fine time. Intended to catch the train back to B’stoke, but of course lost it, so stayed over Sunday.

“P & W”: Mr Webster and Mr Porter, two gentleman friends, who seem to have lived in Richmond. In the diary they appear almost inseparable! They are usually recorded by their initials, and are only named on 27 July. There are other references to a Mr Webster who is clearly married. Whether he is connected to Mr W, of “P & W” is not known!

After missing her train, ELM stayed with her cousin Winnie [next entry].

14 Monday      Went to B’stoke by early train. Win and I walked over Hungerford

Bridge, up to our ears in mud.

Hungerford Bridge is the railway and pedestrian bridge [built in 1863] over the Thames, linking the north bank to Waterloo Station. “Win”, sometimes ‘Winnie” in the diary, was ELM’s cousin Winifred Emily Paice. She was born on 5 March 1874, the daughter of George William Paice, ELM’s uncle, with whom she was living at 9 Rivercourt Road [1 January].

 It is clear  from  the  diary  that  Winnie  and  ELM  were very close friends. They were almost the same age [Winnie was only two months younger than ELM] and I suspect that they had a lot in common.

 Winnie married Norman Smith at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London, on 19 April 1900. In the 1901 census they were living at 11 Cheriton Square, SW17 and Norman’s occupation was Brewer’s Clerk. They had four sons. My father remembered going to stay with them [his second cousins] at their home in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham. One son, Geoffrey, came to see me when I was living in Greenwich, London, shortly after his mother had died in 1975, at the great age of 101.

18 Friday         Went to Bristows to tea – felt very faint at supper – twice [the effects of sausages I expect or excitement].

 ELM was friendly with Mabel and Ada Bristow, who were sisters, both of whom are mentioned in the diary. They were the daughters of William Bristow, a horse dealer, of Garth House, Caston’s Road

Ada would later marry Frederick Field and live at Stocks Farm, Bramley. Another Bristow daughter, Ethel, was later living with her father at Goldings Farm, Eastrop Lane, Basingstoke.

William Bristow is mentioned in an article about ELM’s brother-in-law, Gerald Powell [25 August] on web site: www.thejoyofhorses.com/june00/a-dealer-in-percheron-horses-1.htm

19 Saturday     Blanche  and  I  came  up  to Hammersmith for the dance at Addison

Hall. Enjoyed it immensely, got back about twelve, sat around fire and had a good talk; but had to retire sooner than the others as I had fearful pains.

 22 Tuesday      Went  to see the  “Shop Girl”.  Blanche  and  Mr W nearly run over, thought I should have died with laughing.

The Shop Girl, a musical comedy, opened at the Gaiety Theatre, Aldwych, London, on 24 November 1894 and ran for 546 performances.

Mr Webster: 12 January.

23 Wednesday Went shopping with Winnie and Blanche. Began life at Kensington House – came about 7 o’clock. Miss Vincent and one boarder came the same night.

 Kensington  House  High  School  for  Girls [and Boys’ Preparatory School] was at 12 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick, London, W4, near Turnham Green Station. ELM lived and worked here for three years as Head of Music and Second English Mistress. The Principals, Miss Ethel C Layton and Miss Charlton, are usually referred to in the diary by their initials. Miss Vincent, another Mistress, is usually “Miss V’ or “V”. 

24 Thursday     Began school. Oh how I wished I were home!

 26 Saturday     Oh! Moses it was cold! Frost began which lasted for weeks. Went to Kew Gardens for a walk.

 27 Sunday       Went  to  St Michael’s,  Bedford  Park  in the morning and Turnham Green in the evening. 

St Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park, has maintained an Anglo-Catholic tradition since its consecration in 1888.It featured in the 1990 comedy film “Nuns on the Run”.

 30 Wednesday Went to see Winnie. Saw Julia, she was up for the day.

 Julia Jane Allen [née Paice], who was born on 3 September 1869, was one of Winnie’s two sisters and was, therefore, another of ELM’s  cousins. Julia had married Willie Allen on 26 January 1893.

Willie was the son of Henry Allen, who, in the 1891 Census, was living with his wife, Elizabeth and their children, Willie and Ada [25 Aug] at Lynton House, Eastrop, Basingstoke.

 Henry Allen, a local magistrate, had managed the family business of Allen & Sons, Chemists, which had branches in Market Place and Church Street, Basingstoke, Aldershot and Winchester. An 1890 advertisememt reads: “By Royal Appointment to the Garrison”.

 In 1895 Henry Allen is not shown at Lynton House so it looks as if he died between 1891 and 1895.

 As Julia was “up for the day” in 1895, it looks as if she was living outside London. I think she may have been living in Aldershot because her husband Willie was living there when he married, giving  his occupation as “Chemist” on the marriage certificate. It seems likely that Willie was running the shop in Aldershot.

 Lynton and the Allens are mentioned more than once in the diary.

2 Saturday     Walked to Kensington Museum – saw the Picture gallery. Lost the girls  there and did not get back until 6 o’clock– took bus and tram.

3 Sunday   Miss V and I called into the study for a row. The girls had gone to Church very untidy, buttons off, hats crooked, etc. Very sweet afterwards though.

4 Monday    Duty week. Morning walk to Gunnersbury. 

8 Friday   Usual morning walk to Gunnersbury. Hot kippers for supper.

9 Saturday     Miss Vincent and I took the girls skating on the Round Pond, Kensington. Fearfully rough [both people and ice] not at all enjoyable.

10 Sunday       Miss Charlton and Miss Layton went out after dinner. I walked down to Rivercourt to see them, stayed to tea and supper – came back late – past nine.

11 Monday      Went skating to Tappendens with Win and Mrs Webster.

Mr Tappenden was a dairy farmer who had a small lake on his land. It looks as if he allowed skating on it when it froze over.

14 Thursday     He was a postman.

A puzzling entry. 14 February is St Valentine’s Day. Perhaps there is some connection!

16 Saturday     Went to Richmond skating with Win and Mrs Webster. Blown clean down four times by the wind, once knocked two gentlemen and a lady down [Win and I together] had the whole lot on top of me; black and blue with bruises. Went to Twickenham to see dear old Granny. The last time I saw her.

“Granny”, I think, is a reference to ELM’s maternal grandmother, Nancy Paice [née Ball] who was born in 1809 in Chilton Candover, Hants. She might have been staying with her daughter Polly, ELM’s Aunt Polly [9 March].

17 Sunday       Duty week. Morning walk to Gunnersbury.

20 Wednesday   Took Millie to Roehampton for Confirmation Class. Could not undo the door of our carriage, so the train started on. I at last made the guard hear, so the train was stopped to the astonishment of everybody.

“Millie”: one of the pupils.

21 Thursday     Asked into the drawing room – had music, singing and thought

reading. Miss C was very amusing.

22 Friday         Usual morning walk. Haddock for supper.

23 Saturday     Went to Kensington Museum – saw the models of ships.

24 Sunday       Dear Granny died at 9 o’clock in the morning.

25 Monday      Had a letter from Winnie to tell me of Granny’s death. Went to Harrisses in the evening to buy a hat.

Granny: 16 February

26 Tuesday      Pancakes for dinner – very good!

27 Wednesday Did not go to Church. Took Millie to Roehampton. Walked back through Putney.

Presumably another Wednesday Confirmation Class for Millie.

2 Saturday      Walked to Kew Gardens. The flowers were very nice. Girls would talk to the gardeners who squirted them.

3 Sunday         Wore my new bonnet for first time. Felt about 30 years old. Got Late for Church. Duty week. Sent Mabel and Jessie to bed without supper.

4 Monday        Usual morning walk. Ada Bristow’s birthday. Sent her a box of

note-paper.

6 Wednesday   Took three of the girls shopping and then for a good long walk round Grove Park. Slipped in to see Winnie.

7 Thursday      Went to Olympia with the girls – bought a pencil for M.M. Had a row in the boats with Miss Layton. Splendid performance. Got home half past eleven [ham and cocoa].

“M.M” is probably a friend, Minnie Marsh, who is mentioned quite frequently in the diary. An old address book belonging to ELM gives her address as: Montague Lodge, Ravenscourt Park.

I have a letter, dated 1903, to ELM, from Minnie Marsh, who writes about “Louie” and their home in East Putney. She mentions the possibility of them both cycling down to Basingstoke to see ELM. I think that Minnie and Louie were sisters [26 March]. Louie is also mentioned in the diary, as well as an Ethel Marsh [22 May] who might have been related to Minnie and Louie.

9 Saturday       Half term Hurrah! Started from Kensington House 2 o’clock; went by train to Rivercourt, had a chat with Win and then went on to Twickenham; found Aunt P. asleep in her room. Had scallops for supper. Letter from my dear Midge.

The train journey would have been a short trip on the District Line from Turnham Green to Ravenscourt Park.

“Aunt P” at Twickenham would be ELM’s widowed Aunt Polly [actual name, Mary Anne], who had been married to another relative in West London, ELM’s Uncle, William Hamblin Paice, a brother of Uncle George. Uncle William, who had been in the distillery business, had died in 1893. The address on one of his visiting cards is: “Philippine Villa, Amyand Park, Twickenham.

“Midge” was the nickname of Millicent Draper, a very close friend of ELM, who is sometimes called “Sweetie” in the diary. Millicent, who was about nineteen in 1895, lived with her parents and younger brother, Charles, in the hamlet of Grove, near Wing, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.

10 Sunday       Went to St Mary’s in the morning. Tea at Mrs Esse’s; Mr E. very amusing, gave me nice sweets and showed me all his china.

           “St Mary’s” is probably St Mary’s Church, Twickenham. I have a service sheet for a Harvest Festival service at St Mary’s on 10 October 1886.

           The 1901 census lists a family of Esses at 17 Sinclair Gardens Court, Hammersmith: William Esse [Senior Clerk at the Royal Hospital], his wife, Kate and their daughter, Ethel.

11 Monday      Walked to Isleworth, was sorry to find all the girls out. Went back to Rivercourt in the afternoon. Saw Oxford and Cam. crews. Played bagatelle in the evening.

I am not sure about the identity of these Isleworth girls.

12 Tuesday      Win walked back to school with me. Principals both in very sweet moods. Letters from Annie Cannon, Blanche and Edie Loe.

I am almost certain that Edie Loe is Edith Loe, who is listed, aged seven, with her family, in Wote Street, in the 1881 census. In the next census, in 1891, she is shown as “Scholar” at Westlands Day School [1 May]. I have a card signed “Edith Loe”, which was sent to ELM’s mother, Elizabeth, on her 100th birthday, on 24 September 1944.

13 Wednesday Walked to Kensington with girls – rode back on omnibus. Met Win and Aunt P – went for a walk with W in the evening to Kew.

14 Thursday     Usual morning walk, met Charles P. Went out by myself after tea to buy birthday card for Winnie. Miss Layton was digging in the garden [extra sweet].

Charles P: cousin Charles Paice [1 January].

15 Friday         Winnie’s birthday [21st]. Blanche and I gave her a jewel case. Had a letter to tell me all about presents. Long letter from Annie Brierley full of nothing but Jim.

Hannah Brierley, usually known as Annie, was the wife-to-be of ELM’s brother, James. Before his marriage he was usually known in the family by his second Christian name, Butler. Apparently Annie disliked this custom and always called him Jim. I can see ELM smiling as she underlined the name!

 Aunty Annie, as she was known on my side of the family, was from Rochdale, Lancashire, the daughter of William Brierley, a brass founder. I remember Aunty Annie, quite clearly. I can recall visiting her and Uncle Jim at their home “Restormel” in Saltdean, Sussex, after the war. I can also remember Aunty Annie’s spaniel, Bessie, who, it has to be said was distinctly spoiled!                           

Many years earlier, as a young boy, my father remembered staying with Aunty Annie and Uncle Jim when they lived in some style at Chetwynd House, Hampton Court and being somewhat overawed by liveried servants and a chauffeur!

After the death of Annie’s mother, Sarah Jane, William Brierley married Lavinia Heath Wilson on 13 November 1895 [six days after Annie’s own marriage]. After William’s death on 13 April 1913, his widow, [Annie’s step-mother] married Samuel Turner on 12 September 1916. A JP and Mayor of Rochdale from 1901-03, he was an important industrialist, whose efforts contributed largely to the phenomenal growth of the asbestos industry between 1870 and 1920. Created a Knight Bachelor in 1914, he died on 10 October 1924. Lady Turner, who survived him, was an occasional visitor to Fairholme, ELM’s later home in Basingstoke [5 May].

According to a letter from one of James Butler Moody’s sons, Aunty Annie’s brother, Frank Brierley, made his name as a brilliant horseman and became personal dispatch rider to Lord Methuen in the Boer War.

In the same letter he says that his mother’s grandmother married the younger son of the Duke of Norfolk, who, in order to marry, became a Protestant and lost his inheritance. I have not yet confirmed this fascinating claim!

16 Saturday     Letter from Mabel. Postal Order from Mother for 10/-. Went to Kensington Park for a walk. Girls took sketchbooks and began sketching a man who was painting. Sat by the Round Pond – sketched people passing by.

17 Sunday       Went to Church in morning. Took three of the girls for a walk in the afternoon. Went across the ferry. Went to St Mary’s, Stamford Bk. in the evening.

18 Monday      Duty week. Usual morning walk to Gunnersbury.

19 Tuesday      Usual morning walk. Very springy.

20 Wednesday Went for a jolly good walk, over the ferry, through Barnes, Mortlake to Kew, over the bridge and home. Had a practice when I got in after tea.

21 Thursday     Delightfully dirty walk. Nice long evening for study. Haddock for supper – consequently nightmare. Letter from Emily Cannon.

22 Friday         L and C came down to breakfast for the first time this week, lazy creatures! Letter from Win. Soup for dinner was like old tobacco pipes – so Miss L. said.

23 Saturday     Took  the  girls  to  Kensington. I had a fit of the blues and was in a violent   temper,  snapped  them  all up and frightened them. Norah Willis went for her violin exam. Pauer was the examiner. Last day of duty – hurrah! Got into a row for the girls’ untidy bedroom.

24 Sunday       Went to St Michael’s in the morning. Read Tennyson in the afternoon. Went to Church in the evening – singing very good. Mrs Wilson dressed up in quilted satin: procession round the Church.

A procession round the Church would fit in with the High Church tradition at St Michael’s, Bedford Square [27 January].

25 Monday      Letter  from  Win: went down to tea with her and stayed to turkey supper; came back about 10. Went for a walk in the back slums and got lost, Win and I.

26 Tuesday      Went down to see Minnie Marsh’s sister, rather a jolly girl. Had roes and whiting for supper – jolly good!

“Minnie Marsh’s sister” - was this Louie? [7 March]

27 Wednesday   No half holiday, next day instead. Pouring wet day.

28 Thursday     Miss Charlton’s birthday. Gave her a pot of white hyacinths. Had a half-holiday and all the day-scholars came to tea. Had a very jolly evening, music and dancing and games, hunt the slipper etc.

29 Friday         Breakfast in the schoolroom. Letters from Mrs Cannon and Nellie.  and Ada Bristow.

 30 Saturday     Boat Race day. Went down to Winnie at 2 o’clock. Started off for Thornycrofts at about 3. Met Mr Webster there, who took us on a torpedo boat, splendid view of the crews. Oxford won. Afterwards we went all over the works and were weighed. Winnie 7.7. – myself 8.8.

The engineering firm of Thornycrofts, founded by Sir John Isaac Thornycroft, began life as a boat building business in Chiswick. A branch of the firm was opened in Basingstoke in 1898 and was to play a major part in the economic life of the town for many years. It seems from this entry that Mr Webster worked at Thornycrofts.

31 Sunday       Went to early service with Miss Vincent. Duty week! Awful row for letting Norah read a newspaper.

1 Monday        Rows, rows, nothing but rows. Girls thought they would have a joke and make me an April fool. Carried it a bit too far, consequently sent them to bed.

2 Tuesday        Exams began. Correcting all evening. New girl came as weekly boarder. Christine Reed.

3 Wednesday   Stayed in to hear the boys’ returned lessons. Corrected exam

papers in the evening.

4 Thursday      Breakfast very late so consequently could not go for morning walk.

5 Friday    Morning walk down the town.

6 Saturday       Stayed in. Girls had to turn out drawers and bring down all things that wanted mending. Most awful row, nearly gave notice on the spot; did not look after the clothes properly. Oh bother school life, how I hate it!

7 Sunday         Went to Confirmation at South Acton Church in the evening. Florence and Flora were confirmed. Very nice service.

11 Thursday     Went to tea with Winnie - did some shopping in the evening. Played Whist.

12 Friday         Uncle bought a new boat at Richmond; went for a row in it. Went

to the Albert Hall in the evening – heard Albani in the “Messiah’.

Uncle George, probably. Dame Emma Albani was a famous French-Canadian soprano.

 13 Saturday     Started off to Brighton 9.44. Went for a drive in the afternoon to

Devil’s Dyke. Came back by train because of the wind. Went to a military concert at the skating rink in the evening.

 An Easter weekend at the seaside with Uncle George and Winnie. Devil’s Dyke, a beauty spot outside Brighton, was very popular with the Victorians. It is recorded that on one Whit Monday at the end of the 19th Century it had over 30,000 visitors. The train ELM used to return to Brighton, ran on a branch line to Devil’s Dyke which was opened in 1887. It was taken up in the First World War and used in France.

 14 Sunday       Went for a walk in the morning – on the pier in the afternoon. Uncle had a fit at dinner in the evening. I was frightened nearly  out of my wits. Win and I sat up part of the night with him.

 15 Monday      Returned to Rivercourt Rd in the afternoon. Edith Pearce came in

the evening.

 Edith Pearce, another of ELM’s cousins, was one of Winnie’s two sisters – the other was Julia [30 January].  Born Edith Sophia Paice, she had married Dr Arthur Pearce, MRCSE.  I am not sure where she was living in 1895. She died in 1956.

 16 Tuesday      Went back to school. Minnie Marsh walked with me.

 18 Thursday     Packed my girls and wrote out reports all the evening.

 19 Friday         Home for the holidays – hurrah! Started by the 9.9 to Ravenscourt. Went on to Waterloo by the 1.23 – got home at half past 3.

 20 Saturday     First day at home – delightful. Went to tennis at Allens in the

evening.

Allens: 30 January      

 21 Sunday       Went to Church in the morning; for a walk with Ada Bristow in the afternoon.

 22 Monday      Went primrosing to Pamber with the Bristows. Had tea with them. Annie C came home from Farnham.

Annie Cannon.

23 Tuesday      Went to tea at Cannons. Private theatricals in the evening. 

“Dummling or the Magic Grove”.

 24 Wednesday Had friends to tea.

25 Thursday     Went to the Messiah at the Drill Hall. Very good, but hardly did after hearing Albani at the Albert Hall on Good Friday.

The drill hall of K Company, 1st Hampshire Rifle Volunteers. This had been built on Sarum Hill, at his own expense, by John May, whose family had a long association with Basingstoke [16 Sept]. The drill hall became the Pavilion Cinema in 1925 and the Plaza Cinema in 1931.

 26 Friday         Went to Miss Joyce’s to tea. Played tiddlediwinks [sic] all the evening, which was most amusing.

This might have been Miss Mary Joyce, an art teacher, who was living at 47 Church Street in 1895.

 28 Sunday       Went to Church – sat with Annie. Went for a walk with her.

 Annie Cannon, probably.

29 Monday      Met Edith Stubbs and went with her to tea and Mrs Liddle’s - sang in the choruses of “John Gilpin” at the Church Cottage in the evening.

A Basingstoke Choral Society programme for a performance of Haydn’s The Creation, on 22nd April 1890 at the Drill Hall [25 April] lists “Miss Moody” among the Choir members. There were two musical societies in Basingstoke devoted to performing choral works. Besides the Basingstoke Choral Society, conducted by Harry Edmund Powell [25 August] there was the Harmonic Society, whose conductor was William Henry Liddle.

Mrs Liddle in this diary entry was probably Mrs Rachel Liddle, the wife of W H Liddle, who was also the organist and choirmaster at St. Michael’s Parish Church, Basingstoke. In 1895 he and his family were living at 9 Fairfields Road. ELM had been a music student of W H Liddle for some years.

I have a pen and ink sketch of W H Liddle in cap and gown [almost certainly drawn by ELM] as well as a glowing reference from him, dated 8 November 1894, extolling her musical talents. 

As well as stating on the reference his own position at St Michael’s, he describes himself as: ”Late Organist to H.R.H. Prince Christian”. This seems to be a reference to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, who married Queen Victoria’s third daughter, Princess Helena, in 1866. The Prince was born in 1867 at Windsor Castle and he lived with his wife at Frogmore House, in the Castle grounds.

In an advertisement for music pupils, which Mr Liddle placed in the Hants & Berks Gazette on 9 May 1908, he describes himself as: “late organist of the Chapel Royal, All Saints’, Windsor,” which would explain the royal connection.

 30 Tuesday      Went to Fleet with Liddles, Stainers, Portsmouths etc, had great  fun. Sang in the choruses of “Horsa” in the evening. Came home

by train.

 The Liddles would have been Mr William H Liddle and family [29 April]. As for ELM’s other companions this day, a William Stainer, Accountant and Collector of Taxes, was living in the Winchester Road in 1895. Also in the same road, at Down Grange, was Mrs Elizabeth Portsmouth and there was a farmer, Henry Portsmouth, at Norn Hill.

1 Wednesday   Called on Miss Graysmark – gave her a painting. Bought a cape at

Johnson’s in the evening.

I have a photograph of Miss Maria Graysmark, who had been the headmistress of ELM’s old school in Basingstoke - Westlands Day School in the Winchester Road. In the 1891 census Miss Graysmark is listed as Head of the school. In 1895, however, presumably after retirement, she was living at 17 Fairfields Road and a Miss Merry [3 May] is living at Westlands. The 1901 census confirms Lizzie Merry [age 40] as “Principal of School”. Interestingly, her place of birth is shown as Leighton Buzzard, which is where ELM had tea with her on 16 August 1895!

The cape, which ELM bought, would have come from J B O Johnson & Son, Dressmakers and Milliners, in Market Place.

 2 Thursday      Annie C and I went for a walk on the common – had tea with her and tennis in the evening.

Annie Cannon.

 3 Friday           Went to Miss Merry’s to tea – saw all the girls and went for a walk

up the Worting Road in the evening.

 This sounds like a visit to Westlands School [1 May]. I have a photograph of ELM and Miss Merry with a group of girls at Westlands, which might have been taken on this day.

 4 Saturday       Drove over to Sherborne in the afternoon. Fed the ducks with worms.  Had tennis after tea with Charlie Rush and Minnie. 

Drove home in the tub with Robert.

Sherborne St John was the home of Minnie Rush, the step daughter of Charles Clift and his wife Kate, who was Minnie’s natural mother by an earlier marriage. The family lived at Manor Farm.

 I have a photograph of Charles Clift. Many years later, Minnie Rush [I remember her as a rather stern, elderly lady] had rooms at Fairholme, in the Cliddesden Road, ELM’s later home in Basingstoke [5 May].

 My Uncle Geoffrey tells me that Charlie Rush was Minnie’s brother who used to come from Suffolk to visit his sister when she was living at Fairholme. I am unsure about the identity of Robert, ELM’s companion in the “tub”- a type of trap.

5 Sunday         My last day at home. Went for a nice walk up the Cliddesden Road after Church in the evening.

Walking up the Cliddesden Road, ELM would have passed Fairholme, on the corner with Fairfields Road. This house, which was to be her future home, had been built as a family home, by James Moody, her father. in 1881 [date inscribed on a brick]. However, after his death in 1888, his widow, Elizabeth, and the family, continued living at 17 London Street.

 In 1885, newly married Charles Franklin Simmons moved into Fairholme and he and his family were still living there in 1895.

 Edgar Longley, who managed a drapery shop with his brother in Church Street, also lived for a while at Fairholme. Their father, John Longley, was the Manager at The Little Dust Pan at some time [Introduction].

 As things turned out, it was not until after the First World War that Elizabeth Moody moved into Fairholme, which was to be her home until her death there in 1945, at the age of 100.

Fairholme holds many personal and happy memories for me. When my family was living near Camberley, we regularly used to spend Christmas at Fairholme with Granny and Uncle Geoffrey. I sometimes came on my own to stay during school holidays.

When I was much younger, a frightening incident occurred for the family on the afternoon of 24 October 1940.   Mercifully, I cannot remember it as I was only about two years old at the time! It was that well documented event in Basingstoke’s war time history when a lone German bomber dropped a bomb on St Vincent’s, a private school in the Cliddesden Road, two doors away from Fairholme. Rather ironically, my mother and I were staying with Granny because of the danger of bombing at Coventry, where my father was working and we had our home.

The bomb severely damaged Fairholme but fortunately none us was injured apart from Elizabeth Moody, my great-grandmother, who received a graze on the ear when all the glass in the conservatory was blown into the sitting room where she was resting.

At some time in the 1970s, the then owners of Fairholme gave me an interesting relic and reminder of earlier occupants in the house - a Messrs Simmons & Sons “Catalogue of Sale of Live Stock”, dated 8th October 1886. This had been discovered under the floor boards in the course of some rewiring. 

 Fairholme now houses the Basingstoke Chiropractic Clinic.

6 Monday        Cried all the morning. Came back to school in the afternoon-brought

[To London]      Mabel Bristow up as far as Waterloo. Win met me at Turnham Green.

7 Tuesday        Found out I need not have come back until today, so returned to Win and went to the Academy with her. Walked up to school in the evening. Letter from Midge.

Probably The Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly.

 8 Wednesday   Went to see the Queen’s Drawing Room people. Saw the Princess of Wales’ carriage. But could not see much as there were such crowds. Walked in Hyde Park afterwards.

 The Queen’s Drawing Room was a ceremony at which ladies were presented at Court, usually in St James’s Palace: a levée was the equivalent for men. Ladies wore special court dress for the occasion. The Princess of Wales was Queen Victoria’s Danish daughter-in-law, Alexandra.

 9 Thursday      Went up to Albemarle Street to see the young Queen of Holland off. She drove right by us and was dressed in light blue dress, white hat and cornflowers.

Albermale St, W1, is off Piccadilly. The royal lady in question would have been Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was indeed young - only fourteen. She did not actually accede to the throne until her eighteenth birthday and until then her mother was Queen Regent. Her father, William III, had died in 1890.

10 Friday         Morning walk around Bedford Park.  Sent But. a sketch of the “Ruins”.

“But” would be her brother, Butler [James] and the “ruins” would be the ruins of the Holy Ghost Chapel, Basingstoke: a favourite subject for ELM and probably for other local artists. I have a little watercolour by ELM of the ruins.

 11 Saturday     Came for a walk in Ravenscourt Park. Jessie and Mabel went to town so only have a few to look after – thank goodness.

 12 Sunday       Bedford Park Church in the morning. Turnham Green in the evening. Had to come out because Mabel was faint.

 13 Monday      Went down to see Win, in the evening had a walk. Letters from Ada Bristow and Midge.

 14 Tuesday      Went to see Lettie Barford and her mother act in a play at Acton Green schoolroom. Letter from Butler.

 15 Wednesday Came to Kew Gardens with all the girls. Letters from Mother and Frank.

Frank was ELM’s youngest brother [Introduction].

 16 Thursday     Letters from Blanche and Win.

 17 Friday         Letter from Ada to say she is coming to see me Monday. Went for a nice walk in the evening round Acton Green way.

 18 Saturday     Parcel and letter from Mother. Did not go for a walk. Girls marked their clothes and did mending. Miss Vincent went home.  Wretchedly cold and wet.

19 Sunday       Off Duty! Went to Bedford Park Church in the morning. Down To Rivercourt in the afternoon to see Aunt M. Came back about six to go to Mr Manby’s [sic]. Church, Acton Green.

Aunt M: Aunt Mary Annie Corbishley [née Paice], a sister of ELM’s Uncle George at 9 Rivercourt Road [1 Jan]. She had married the Rev Ebenezer Corbishley. Research indicates he was a Congregational minister, who had a pastorate in Winchfield, Hampshire, from 1858 to [probably] 1865. It also looks as if he was a widower when he married Mary Annie Paice. He died in 1880 in Maidenhead. At some stage Mary Annie Corbishley was living in Twickenham but it seems from entries in the diary that by 1895 she had moved nearer her brother, George Paice.

 The 1901 census reveals her actually living with [or staying with] her brother, George, then aged 68, at the Sennocke Hotel, London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. George is shown as managing the hotel and his son, Charles, 38 and single, is down as Assistant Barman. Interestingly, also in the hotel on the day of the census, was ELM’s cousin Julia Allen [30 Jan], together with her three young children, Winifred, Dorothy and Leslie, all shown as born in Aldershot.

Many years later in the 1950s, when I was a schoolboy and living at St Albans, Granny came to stay with us on holiday and she mentioned that a distant relative, Leslie Allen, was living and working as a dentist, quite near to us. I never met Leslie Allen. In the course of working on this diary I discovered that he died in 1994.

The Rev George Henley Manbey was the Vicar of St Alban’s Church, Acton Green.

20 Monday      Started off to meet Ada at Gunnersbury. Went down to tea at Winnie’s and then for a walk to Kensington.

21 Tuesday      Had my first singing lesson of Barth – enjoyed it very much. Winnie called for me and we went for a walk.

Theodore W Barth, a professor of singing, who gave lessons to ELM and Winnie, lived at 12 Flanders Road, Chiswick and was in his mid 40s in 1895.

 22 Wednesday Took the girls up to see a Drawing Room. Saw beautifully –  discovered I was standing close to Ethel Marsh in the crowd, had a good talk with her.

Drawing Room: 8 May

23 Thursday     Went for a nice walk round Grove Park. Thunder shower in the morning.

24 Friday         Very disloyal. Did not give us a holiday. Went down to the tennis club to meet Win and then went shopping.

Queen Victoria’s sixty-sixth birthday. ELM expected a break!

25 Saturday     At last ‘tis here! Started off about 11 o’clock. Met my very dear Midge in the Academy at 12. Looked at the pictures for about an hour and then had dinner with Mrs Draper and Mrs Chippendale. Went to matinée of King Arthur. Enjoyed it more than any theatre I have ever been to. Had tea at Euston and saw them off. All over too soon.

A day in town with friends from Leighton Buzzard – Millicent Draper [9 March], her mother and a friend. The play, King Arthur, which ELM enjoyed so much, had opened at the Lyceum Theatre on 12 January that year. Sir Henry Irving [he received a knighthood in 1895] and Ellen Terry played Arthur and Guinevere. Sir Arthur Sullivan supplied musical numbers for the play.

 26 Sunday       Church at Bedford Park morning and evening. Lamb for dinner and tinned apricots for dessert.

 27 Monday      Went to singing lessons instead of Tuesday. Went down to the tennis club to see Winnie and did some shopping after.

 28 Tuesday      Painted some nasturtiums on panel for a firescreen.

 29 Wednesday Misses L and C took all the girls to the Academy so Miss V and I went off to Kew. I did some sketching by the river. Went down to see Frank in the evening at Rivercourt Road.

 30 Thursday     Did some painting after the walk.

 31 Friday         Walked in the fields – terribly hot.

1 Wednesday   Called on Miss Graysmark – gave her a painting. Bought a cape at

Johnson’s in the evening.

 I have a photograph of Miss Maria Graysmark, who had been the headmistress of ELM’s old school in Basingstoke - Westlands Day School in the Winchester Road. In the 1891 census Miss Graysmark is listed as Head of the school. In 1895, however, presumably after retirement, she was living at 17 Fairfields Road and a Miss Merry [3 May] is living at Westlands. The 1901 census confirms Lizzie Merry [age 40] as “Principal of School”. Interestingly, her place of birth is shown as Leighton Buzzard, which is where ELM had tea with her on 16 August 1895!

 The cape, which ELM bought, would have come from J B O Johnson & Son, Dressmakers and Milliners, in Market Place.

2 Thursday      Annie C and I went for a walk on the common – had tea with her and tennis in the evening.

 Annie Cannon.

 3 Friday           Went to Miss Merry’s to tea – saw all the girls and went for a walk

up the Worting Road in the evening.

This sounds like a visit to Westlands School [1 May]. I have a photograph of ELM and Miss Merry with a group of girls at Westlands, which might have been taken on this day.

 4 Saturday       Drove over to Sherborne in the afternoon. Fed the ducks with worms.  Had tennis after tea with Charlie Rush and Minnie. 

Drove home in the tub with Robert.

Sherborne St John was the home of Minnie Rush, the step daughter of Charles Clift and his wife Kate, who was Minnie’s natural mother by an earlier marriage. The family lived at Manor Farm.

 I have a photograph of Charles Clift. Many years later, Minnie Rush [I remember her as a rather stern, elderly lady] had rooms at Fairholme, in the Cliddesden Road, ELM’s later home in Basingstoke [5 May].

 My Uncle Geoffrey tells me that Charlie Rush was Minnie’s brother who used to come from Suffolk to visit his sister when she was living at Fairholme. I am unsure about the identity of Robert, ELM’s companion in the “tub”- a type of trap.

 5 Sunday         My last day at home. Went for a nice walk up the Cliddesden

Road after Church in the evening.

Walking up the Cliddesden Road, ELM would have passed Fairholme, on the corner with Fairfields Road. This house, which was to be her future home, had been built as a family home, by James Moody, her father. in 1881 [date inscribed on a brick]. However, after his death in 1888, his widow, Elizabeth, and the family, continued living at 17 London Street.

 In 1885, newly married Charles Franklin Simmons moved into Fairholme and he and his family were still living there in 1895.

 Edgar Longley, who managed a drapery shop with his brother in Church Street, also lived for a while at Fairholme. Their father, John Longley, was the Manager at The Little Dust Pan at some time [Introduction].

 As things turned out, it was not until after the First World War that Elizabeth Moody moved into Fairholme, which was to be her home until her death there in 1945, at the age of 100.

Fairholme holds many personal and happy memories for me. When my family was living near Camberley, we regularly used to spend Christmas at Fairholme with Granny and Uncle Geoffrey. I sometimes came on my own to stay during school holidays.

When I was much younger, a frightening incident occurred for the family on the afternoon of 24 October 1940.   Mercifully, I cannot remember it as I was only about two years old at the time! It was that well documented event in Basingstoke’s war time history when a lone German bomber dropped a bomb on St Vincent’s, a private school in the Cliddesden Road, two doors away from Fairholme. Rather ironically, my mother and I were staying with Granny because of the danger of bombing at Coventry, where my father was working and we had our home.

 The bomb severely damaged Fairholme but fortunately none us was injured apart from Elizabeth Moody, my great-grandmother, who received a graze on the ear when all the glass in the conservatory was blown into the sitting room where she was resting.

 At some time in the 1970s, the then owners of Fairholme gave me an interesting relic and reminder of earlier occupants in the house - a Messrs Simmons & Sons “Catalogue of Sale of Live Stock”, dated 8th October 1886. This had been discovered under the floor boards in the course of some rewiring. 

Fairholme now houses the Basingstoke Chiropractic Clinic.

 6 Monday        Cried all the morning. Came back to school in the afternoon-brought

[To London]      Mabel Bristow up as far as Waterloo. Win met me at Turnham Green.

 7 Tuesday        Found out I need not have come back until today, so returned to Win and went to the Academy with her. Walked up to school in the evening. Letter from Midge.

 Probably The Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly.

 8 Wednesday   Went to see the Queen’s Drawing Room people. Saw the Princess of Wales’ carriage. But could not see much as there were such crowds. Walked in Hyde Park afterwards.

 The Queen’s Drawing Room was a ceremony at which ladies were presented at Court, usually in St James’s Palace: a levée was the equivalent for men. Ladies wore special court dress for the occasion. The Princess of Wales was Queen Victoria’s Danish daughter-in-law, Alexandra.

 9 Thursday      Went up to Albemarle Street to see the young Queen of Holland off. She drove right by us and was dressed in light blue dress, white hat and cornflowers.

 Albermale St, W1, is off Piccadilly. The royal lady in question would have been Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was indeed young - only fourteen. She did not actually accede to the throne until her eighteenth birthday and until then her mother was Queen Regent. Her father, William III, had died in 1890.

 10 Friday         Morning walk around Bedford Park.  Sent But. a sketch of the “Ruins”.

 “But” would be her brother, Butler [James] and the “ruins” would be the ruins of the Holy Ghost Chapel, Basingstoke: a favourite subject for ELM and probably for other local artists. I have a little watercolour by ELM of the ruins.

 11 Saturday     Came for a walk in Ravenscourt Park. Jessie and Mabel went to town so only have a few to look after – thank goodness.

 12 Sunday       Bedford Park Church in the morning. Turnham Green in the evening. Had to come out because Mabel was faint.

 13 Monday      Went down to see Win, in the evening had a walk. Letters from Ada Bristow and Midge.

 14 Tuesday      Went to see Lettie Barford and her mother act in a play at Acton Green schoolroom. Letter from Butler.

 15 Wednesday Came to Kew Gardens with all the girls. Letters from Mother and Frank.

 Frank was ELM’s youngest brother [Introduction].

 16 Thursday     Letters from Blanche and Win.

 17 Friday         Letter from Ada to say she is coming to see me Monday. Went for a nice walk in the evening round Acton Green way.

18 Saturday     Parcel and letter from Mother. Did not go for a walk. Girls marked their clothes and did mending. Miss Vincent went home. 

           Wretchedly cold and wet.

19 Sunday       Off Duty! Went to Bedford Park Church in the morning. Down to Rivercourt in the afternoon to see Aunt M. Came back about six to go to Mr Manby’s [sic]. Church, Acton Green.

 Aunt M: Aunt Mary Annie Corbishley [née Paice], a sister of ELM’s Uncle George at 9 Rivercourt Road [1 Jan]. She had married the Rev Ebenezer Corbishley. Research indicates he was a Congregational minister, who had a pastorate in Winchfield, Hampshire, from 1858 to [probably] 1865. It also looks as if he was a widower when he married Mary Annie Paice. He died in 1880 in Maidenhead. At some stage Mary Annie Corbishley was living in Twickenham but it seems from entries in the diary that by 1895 she had moved nearer her brother, George Paice.

 The 1901 census reveals her actually living with [or staying with] her brother, George, then aged 68, at the Sennocke Hotel, London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. George is shown as managing the hotel and his son, Charles, 38 and single, is down as Assistant Barman. Interestingly, also in the hotel on the day of the census, was ELM’s cousin Julia Allen [30 Jan], together with her three young children, Winifred, Dorothy and Leslie, all shown as born in Aldershot.

 Many years later in the 1950s, when I was a schoolboy and living at St Albans, Granny came to stay with us on holiday and she mentioned that a distant relative, Leslie Allen, was living and working as a dentist, quite near to us. I never met Leslie Allen. In the course of working on this diary I discovered that he died in 1994.

 The Rev George Henley Manbey was the Vicar of St Alban’s Church, Acton Green.

20 Monday      Started off to meet Ada at Gunnersbury. Went down to tea at Winnie’s and then for a walk to Kensington.

 21 Tuesday      Had my first singing lesson of Barth – enjoyed it very much. Winnie called for me and we went for a walk.

Theodore W Barth, a professor of singing, who gave lessons to ELM and Winnie, lived at 12 Flanders Road, Chiswick and was in his mid 40s in 1895.

 22 Wednesday Took the girls up to see a Drawing Room. Saw beautifully –  discovered I was standing close to Ethel Marsh in the crowd, had a good talk with her. Drawing Room: 8 May

 23 Thursday     Went for a nice walk round Grove Park. Thunder shower in the morning.

24 Friday         Very disloyal. Did not give us a holiday. Went down to the tenni club to meet Win and then went shopping. Queen Victoria’s sixty-sixth birthday. ELM expected a break!

 25 Saturday     At last ‘tis here! Started off about 11 o’clock. Met my very dear Midge in the Academy at 12. Looked at the pictures for about an hour and then had dinner with Mrs Draper and Mrs Chippendale. Went to matinée of King Arthur. Enjoyed it more than any theatre I have ever been to. Had tea at Euston and saw them off. All over too soon.

 A day in town with friends from Leighton Buzzard – Millicent Draper [9 March], her mother and a friend. The play, King Arthur, which ELM enjoyed so much, had opened at the Lyceum Theatre on 12 January that year. Sir Henry Irving [he received a knighthood in 1895] and Ellen Terry played Arthur and Guinevere. Sir Arthur Sullivan supplied musical numbers for the play.

 26 Sunday       Church at Bedford Park morning and evening. Lamb for dinner and tinned apricots for dessert.

27 Monday      Went to singing lessons instead of Tuesday. Went down to the tennis club to see Winnie and did some shopping after.

28 Tuesday      Painted some nasturtiums on panel for a firescreen.

29 Wednesday Misses L and C took all the girls to the Academy so Miss V and I went off to Kew. I did some sketching by the river. Went down to see Frank in the evening at Rivercourt Road.

30 Thursday     Did some painting after the walk.

 31 Friday         Walked in the fields – terribly hot.

1 Monday        Painted before breakfast. Rained afterwards so did not go for walk.

 2 Tuesday        Met Winnie at Barth’s after tea, went for walk after singing lesson and had ices at Chibnall’s.

 3 Wednesday   Most of the girls went out. Took three of them to South Kensington Museum. Returned about 5 o’clock. Misses L and C both out. Mending night.

 4 Thursday      Did some painting before breakfast. Practised after supper. Letter from Mabel.

5 Friday           Hard work day. Did not get my marks finished until 10 o’clock. 

Ran in after tea to say good-bye to Win.

 6 Saturday       Went to St Paul’s School sports. Very jolly: met Mons. Mella –

had a long chat with him. Came back to tea at five. Ist class girls. Came to see a charade which the boarders had got up.             Dancing & music etc., ending up at 9 o’clock.

St Paul’s School, Hammersmith. Perhaps M Mella was the French master.

 7 Sunday         Went to early service and to South Acton Church in the evening. 

The vicar preached a splendid sermon on Matrimony which touched me greatly.

 8 Monday        Took girls for walk after breakfast. Letter from Midge and Mrs Miles.

 9 Tuesday        Went to singing lesson & in to see Aunt Mary afterwards.

 Aunt Mary Corbishley: 19 May

 10 Wednesday Went to Kew in the afternoon – sat under the trees; gave Norah and Florence a theory lesson. Ate cherries, gooseberries, etc.

 11 Thursday     Went for a walk across the common in the evening. Practised

singing before supper.

 12 Friday         Played for dancing class after tea. Miss N Charlton came – very

nice.

 The Principal’s sister?

 13 Saturday     Went to Kew in the afternoon – sat under the trees – gave Norah a theory lesson. Then had a good read. Came back to 6 o’clock tea. Letter from Louie Marsh asking me to tea on Wednesday.

 14 Sunday       Off Duty. Forgot to see that Lily had not any frilling in dress, so consequently a fine row. Who cares, only two more Sundays!

15 Monday      Did not have any rain. Exams began. Correcting all the evening.

16 Tuesday      Went to singing lesson and in to see Aunt Mary. Letters from Blanche and Mrs Miles.

 Aunt Mary Corbishley: 19 May

 17 Wednesday Had lunch in the study with Norah and Florence and then off to the

exam with them. Got to London C.M. at 2 o’clock, and back by 5. 

Went to Louie Marsh’s to tea. Letter and invite from Midge.

 The London College of Music, founded in 1887, was a private conservatoire of music in Great Marlborough Street, W1.

 18 Thursday     Went to Kew Bridge Station to meet Mrs Miles at 5 o’clock – had tea in the gardens and walked back to the station about half past eight. Letter from Minnie Marsh.

 19 Friday         Norah’s sister Evelyn came to stay. Did not have to play for dancing in the evening, so got on with exams. Letter from Mary Cannon.

 Mary Cannon: 31 December 1894.

 20 Saturday     Pouring with rain so could not go out. Added up marks all the afternoon. Did some shopping after tea. Letter from Mother, Win and S.K.

 21 Sunday       Pouring wet all day so did not go to Church. Hymns at home. Wet again in the evening so went to Mr Manby’s Church by myself.

 Acton Green Church:19 May

 22 Monday      Corrected exam papers all the morning as Miss Layton took the girls for drilling. Music exam in the evening – girls played disgracefully.

 23 Tuesday      Went to Kensington shopping – got back about 8. Called in to see Aunt Mary on my way there.

 24 Wednesday Practised the Fairies’ Dance in the afternoon instead of going out. Misses L and C took the girls to Richmond so V and I walked in the park.

 25 Thursday     Played all day for the drilling and dancing. Went to singing in the evening and afterwards on to see Blanche at Rivercourt Rd.

 26 Friday         Played ‘til my fingers ached for the dancing and singing.

 27 Saturday     Packed the girls in the afternoon. Went down to Rivercourt Rd in the evening. Mr Webster and Porter came in and had bagatelle, music, etc. Did not return until 11 o’clock.

 Mr Webster and Mr Porter: 12 January

 28 Sunday       On duty. Pouring with rain but managed to get to Church. Did not go in the evening – too wet.

 29 Monday      Rehearsals all day long.

 30 Tuesday      Aunt Mary and Mrs Luch came to the ‘At Home’ from 3 till 5.30. Children stayed to tea at 6. Supper in the study and music afterwards in the drawing-room. 

 31 Wednesday Holidays at last! Got up about seven o’clock. Misses L & C went[To Basingstoke] off early with the Willises. I did some shopping and went off by the 3.30. Aunt Mary came to Waterloo with me.

1895: August

 1 Thursday      Went to the Grammar School speeches in the morning. Had tennis in the evening.

 ELM was a member of the Fairfields Tennis Club. I have a photograph of the Club members.

 2 Friday           Did some shopping in the afternoon.

3 Saturday       Did some gardening in the morning. Wet afternoon so painted some clematis on a plaque for Julia Allen. Went out with Mother in the evening.

 4 Sunday         Went to Church with Mother and Mabel. Harry Clift came over in the afternoon. Frank walked back with him in the evening.

 Harry Clift may have been related to Charles Clift [4 May]. He might have been his son, Henry, who is listed at Manor Farm, Sherborne St John, in the 1881 census, aged four. ELM left a number of photographs on which she had written “Harry Clift”. In some of them he seems to be on safari. The 1881 census also lists a Harry Clift [aged twenty-one] at Winchester Barracks. Might he be the distinctly military-looking young man in the photographs?

 5 Monday        Went for a very long walk with Cannons and bought home some wild flowers. Bristows to tea – music and games in the evening.

 6 Tuesday        Had some friends in to tea. Played tennis after tea on Cannons’ lawn.

 7 Wednesday   Went over to spend the day at Sherborne. Had a row in the boat and came back in the tub about seven.

 Tub: 4 May.

 8 Thursday      Card from Miss Layton to say Florence and Norah had passed.

[To Leighton    Went to Waterloo with Mabel and on to Euston. Got to Leighton

Buzzard]          about 4.30. Millie met me at the station and drove me home in the trap.

 The girls had passed their music examinations [17 July]

9 Friday           Drove into Leighton in the afternoon with Mrs Draper and M. Called on Mr Chippendale and saw Agnes Hedges for the first time. Went over Leighton Church.

 I think that Agnes Hedges may have been a distant relative from an earlier marriage of ELM’s father. In 1850 James Moody married Amelia Hedges, who died in confinement in 1857. Perhaps Agnes Hedges was related to Amelia Hedges. It sounds from the diary entry as if ELM had heard of her before she saw her.

 10 Saturday     Dressed at 11 o’clock and drove off with Mrs D., Charlie and Millie to Leighton Station. Met Mrs Chip. and Agnes, then to Berkhamsted by train. Had games till tea-time, tennis, croquet, tea under the verandah, after fortune-telling, dancing band. Came home by the 9.30. Thunder and lightening [sic] fine time. Drove from station in cab.

Charlie’ was Millie’s young brother [9 March].

11 Sunday       Went to Grove Church in the afternoon – Mr Tatham preached.

Agnes Hedges played the harmonium. Walked to Linslade in the evening – called in to see Mrs Chip – had cake and lemonade in the summerhouse.

 Mr Francis H Tatham was the Vicar of Wing. Interestingly, there was a Rev Thomas Barton Tatham at St Michael’s, Basingstoke, in 1895.

 12 Monday      Start for a row on the canal with Mr Brooke. Awful storm came on – had to take shelter in the lock-house. Did some sketching in the evening.

 13 Tuesday      Drove to Ascott in the afternoon. Miss Tatham took us over the grounds. Went back to the vicarage to tea and on to Mannings at Wing. Beautiful drive home about 8 o’clock.

 Ascott House and gardens are now a National Trust property. 

The house was described a few years earlier by Mary Gladstone, the Prime Minister’s daughter, as: “A palace like a cottage, the most luxurious and lovely thing I ever saw”.

14 Wednesday Sketching in the afternoon. Mothers’ Tea in the afternoon in one of Mr Draper’s fields. Great fun on the roundabouts. Had photos taken and came home about 8.

 I have a photograph which almost certainly records this event.

 15 Thursday     Went on the canal in one of Mr Brook’s boats – got back about 12 & drove to Leighton in the afternoon to the Flower Show. Great fun at the fire-works [sic]. M and I sat up on a high wall – walked home afterwards.

16 Friday         Drove to Leighton early to fetch a parcel. Again in the afternoon with Mrs Draper, shopping and on to Miss Merry’s to tea. Had a jolly evening – drove home about seven.

17 Saturday     Sketched the house in the morning. Had an early tea and Milllie drove me over to Slapton to see Mrs Gurney. Most delightful drive.

My sister has a small watercolour by ELM of the Drapers’ home, which was probably sketched this day.

18 Sunday       Went to Grove Church in the afternoon, walked part of the way back with Mrs Chip. Went for a walk through the fields with Mr

Draper in the evening.

My sister also has an ELM watercolour of Grove Church, which might date from this time.

 19 Monday      Started off by the 9.30 to Oxford. Saw all the principal colleges

[To Basingstoke]- left there about 7 o’clock – had a very jolly day – arrived at B’stoke 9 o’clock. Mother met us at the station. Frank went to London so just missed him.

ELM brought Millie back with her to Basingstoke [28 August].

20 Tuesday      Drove over to Sherborne in the evening and sited a spot for sketching.

21 Wednesday Walked over to Sherborne in boiling heat. Minnie met us half way. Drew the Church, had tea and coloured it in the evening. Walked home about 8 – had a lift on the way.

Minnie Rush: 4 May.

22 Thursday     Flower Show, very slow. Warrens came to tea at Cannons in the evening.

Cannons: 31 December 1894.

23 Friday         Had early tea & went to Hackwood Park sketching. Music & singing after supper & made poppies.

24 Saturday     Went to Winchester by the 9.30 train. Walked out to St Cross and sketched the Beaufort Tower. Went all over the Hospital and walked back by the water meadows. Met A Cannon outside the Cathedral, went all over it & then to the College – came back by the 5.45. Very jolly day.

Annie Cannon: 31 December 1894. The Hospital of St Cross is the oldest almshouse in England. I have an ELM watercolour of the Beaufort Tower, which might have been sketched this day.

 25 Sunday       Parish Church in the morning. Tea in the garden – walked to Basing Church in the evening – came home with Mr and Mrs Powell – met Ada Allen and Mrs Goldman.

 Harry Edmund Powell, a member of a very musical family, ran a music and musical instrument warehouse at 20/22 London Street, on the corner of May Place, almost opposite the Moody shop. The business had been established in 1856 [in Winchester Street] by his father, Henry Mills Powell, who purchased the larger premises in London Street in 1865. 

As well as teaching music, Henry Mills Powell supplied musicians for concerts and various events. I have a copy of one of his invoices for supplying musicians for a concert to celebrate the marriage of The Princess Royal, in 1858.

One of his daughters, Blanche Powell, became a professional singer, who, according to a letter in my possession, sang into the first phonograph in England, at the Basingstoke Corn Exchange in about 1878.

At some time towards the end of the nineteenth century, his son, Harry Edmund Powell [this entry in the diary] built “Stalheim”, 26 Cliddesden Road, Basingstoke – until recently The Tudor Lodge Hotel. The name “Stalheim” was given to the house after a holiday taken in Stalheim, Norway, with Arthur Moody [see Introduction].

Harry Edmund Powell taught music as well as running the music business in London Street. When the Belgian Royal family came to Hackwood House, at the invitation of Lord Curzon, he gave music lessons to the young Prince Charles and Princess Marie-Jose.

Harry’s daughter, Marion, was also a musician. On a Basingstoke Choral Society concert programme, dated 10 February 1903, she is listed as a cellist. Her aunt, Blanche, also sang at this concert, which was conducted by her father!

As well as conducting the Basingstoke Choral Society [29 April], Harry Edmund Powell was also organist at St. Mary’s Church, Basing, for about twenty years. He had probably played at Evensong before walking home with his wife, Alice, and ELM, on this summer evening in 1895.

In 1904, his youngest brother, Gerald, [18 January] married ELM’s sister Blanche.

Ada Allen, mentioned in this diary entry, was the sister of Willie Allen [30 January].

26 Monday      Painted in  the morning – nasturtiums  on  a plaque for Mrs Draper. Went to see Mrs Joice: saw Miss Joice’s paintings.

Mrs Joice was the mother of Arnold Joice [31 December 1894]. Born on 27 October 1879, Arnold would have been sixteen years old at this time. Miss Joice would have been his sister, Winifred.

27 Tuesday      Annie & Butler came home. Met Mabel in the afternoon. Went to Mrs Litchfield’s to tea. Came home about 7.30. Saw the Queen at the station in the evening.

On 27 August 1895 Queen Victoria left her home at Osborne on the Isle of Wight at 5.30pm and, crossing over to Portsmouth, took the Royal Train to Balmoral. In her Journal she mentions that it was “a most lovely evening” but sadly says nothing about the journey.

Although the Queen does not mention stopping at Basingstoke, the train would certainly have made several stops to take on fuel and water and also to allow the Royal party to leave the train and walk around, and so it is perfectly possible that one of these stops was at Basingstoke.

Mr George W Willis, the Basingstoke historian, recalled seeing Queen Victoria once at the station. He and other passengers had been ushered off the platform into the booking office, the door of which was then locked!  Looking out of a window he had seen a grey haired old lady reading in one of the carriages of the Royal train. Perhaps this was the day that he remembered.

28 Wednesday Went to the Holy Ghost ruins with Millie in the morning & to Cannons to tea and tennis. Drill Hall in the evening to see “His Excellency”.

Drill Hall: 25 April

29 Thursday     Went to finish sketch of the Ruins – met Rosie Taylor there. Basing Flower Show – had an early tea and went down to stay for the fire-works. Nice walk home.

30 Friday         Painting in the morning. Called at Lynton and to see Mrs Robinson. Tea and tennis at Stainers from 4.15 to 7. Very jolly. Winnie came to stay the night.

Lynton: 30 January.

31 Saturday     Went up to Winchfield by the 12.45. On the canal about 3.30, tea in Odiham Woods with Mr C Stainer, Mr Profit and a cousin, Warren girls, Millie and I.  Lost my gold bracelet. Came home by the 10.26. Beautiful moonlight night. Great Scott!

1 Sunday     

Millie went to Church with the Lichfields and came round to us after dinner – tea in the garden – to the Parish Church in the evening. M and I could not manoeuvre a walk together.

 2 Monday        Had our pic-nic [sic] on the canal – some of us went by train & some drove – horse shied going over a bridge at Odiham. Nice walk home in the evening across Hook Common.

 3 Tuesday        Packed Millie’s things in the morning – saw my ‘Sweetie’ off by the 3.4 train. Drove over to Sherborne to tea and walked home.

 4 Wednesday   A few lines from Millie. Ada Allen and Mr Goldman came in the evening. Had a new game in the evening on the lawn with croquet balls.

Ada Allen: January 30.

5 Thursday      Mabel & I went to a nutting pic-nic in Winslade Woods. Drove down and walked home through the Park about 7 o’clock.

A nutting picnic was a combined picnic and nut-gathering outing. The nuts were usually hazelnuts from the hedgerows. My Uncle Geoffrey remembers nutting picnics when he was a small boy in Basingstoke.

6 Friday           A long letter from ‘Sweetie’.

7 Saturday       Annie and Butler went back to the north. Blanche was not well so decided not to go until Monday. Jessie, Mother and I went for a walk across the fields in the evening.

 It looks as if Blanche Moody might have planned to go north with Annie and Jim: she was certainly in Rochdale for the wedding [4 November]. Jessie may have been Jessie Brady, whose photograph I have: her name is written on it by ELM. I am not sure where Jessie came from but the photographer’s address is in Chester.

8 Sunday                    Blanche, Jessie & I went to Parish Church in the morning – tea in the garden – all went to Basing in the evening.

Probably to Evensong at St Mary’s [25 August].

9 Monday        Went to station to see Blanche and Jessie off. Saw Aunt Mary for a few minutes on her way to Southampton.

10 Tuesday      Painted in the morning.

11 Wednesday Went to Basing ruins in the afternoon with Cannons & their cousins – did a little sketch of the ruins.

12 Thursday     Mabel & I went to Cannons to tea – played tennis afternoon & evening.

13 Friday         Cannons and Bristows to tea – played croquet until dark – music & cards after supper.

 14 Saturday     Mabel & I called on Miss Graysmark and Mrs Lichfield in the afternoon. Went to Lynton to tea – had some tennis, bagatelle & music – came home about ten o’clock.

 Lynton: 30 January.

15 Sunday       Oh dear my last Sunday at home. Mother & I went to Church. Rosie Taylor came to tea – had tea in the garden. Went to Church in the evening. Vicar preached.

 16 Monday      Busy all the morning with packing – went to cricket match on the

Folly with Cannons in the afternoon. Called to see Miss Joyce in the evening. Letter from ‘Sweetie’

The Folly was the name of the area at the end of Fairfields Road, which was purchased by John May [25 April] for use as a cricket ground. The old name was probably in use for some time after the purchase. An 1894 map of the town gives the cricket ground its present name – May’s Bounty. 

17 Tuesday      Came up by the 1 minute to 1 train – very hot day – arrived at [To London]    Rivercourt Rd about 3. Win and I went to the Exhibition – went on the “Wheel” and had great fun on the “Switchback”.

The ‘Empire of India Exhibition’ at Earl’s Court, which opened in May 1895, included the Big Wheel, which was inaugurated in July. This massive structure was 300 foot high and could carry 1,600 people. It was in operation for eleven years and apparently there was only one serious breakdown, when the unfortunate passengers were trapped from 7.40 pm one evening until noon the following day.

The Guards’ Band, which was playing at the Exhibition, stayed late to entertain the captive audience. Each passenger received £5 compensation for enforced imprisonment on release - a considerable amount of money in those days. It is reported that eleven thousand people queued to go on the wheel the next day in the hope of another failure! 

The episode even gave rise to a music-hall song: “I’ve got the five pound note” and apparently it became something of a joke for husbands late home to plead failure of the Big Wheel. I do not think ELM was involved in that incident, otherwise I am sure she would have mentioned it!

The Earl’s Court wheel’s successor in London, the British Airways London Eye, while higher at 450 feet, only holds 800 people.

18 Wednesday Win and I did some shopping at the stores – had a nice ride up on the bus. Cousin Ada came to spend the day. Frank & Win walked back to school with me in the evening.

Cousin Ada was the daughter of ELM’s Aunt, Jane Knight [née Paice], who had married Basingstoke magistrate, Richard Knight.

Ada married F Bird and became a Court Milliner with a shop in Knightsbridge. Winnie’s son, Geoffrey [14 Jan] remembered going there with his mother.

19 Thursday     First day at school – Miss V came back after all. About 14 new girls altogether. Win came round to tell me Aunt Mary’s house had been robbed.

The burglary might have taken place while Mary Corbishley was out of town [9 September].

 20 Friday         Breakfast at 8. Walked afterwards. School as usual. Oh how wretched I do feel.

21 Saturday     Walked to Kensington Park in the afternoon and back to tea at 6. Had a fit of the blues very badly.

22 Sunday       On duty. Irish girl – Annie Loughman arrived at 8 o’clock before we were up. Parish Church in the morning. Wrote to Mother and Millie in afternoon. Went to Turnham Green Church in the evening.

23 Monday      Letter from Mrs Miles asking me to go and see her. Got up at 6.30 as usual – did some painting – wild roses on satin string for Minnie.

 24 Tuesday      Painted. Breakfast at 8.  Post card from Win. Had my singing lesson from Barth – said I had improved. Called at 9 – all just off to Exhibition.

Exhibition: 17 September.

 25 Wednesday Miss V & I took all the girls to Kensington – did shopping nearly all the afternoon at Barkers. Post card from Mother & invitation from A.C. to her 21st.

Annie Cannon.

26 Thursday     6.30 Painted. Walk at 8.40. School as usual. The heat was something terrible – 84 in the shade.

27 Friday         A long letter from Millie, also from Mrs Draper & Blanche with news – the wedding is fixed for 7 November.

Annie Brierley and James Butler Moody’s wedding.

28 Saturday     Miss V went home so I had the felicity of taking all the girls for a walk. Went to Mill Park – the residence of Baron Rothschild. Came back to a late tea at 6. Girls’ bathing night.

 29 Sunday       Parish Church in the morning. Went to Acton Green Church in the evening – Harvest Thanksgiving & Mr Manby’s farewell sermon. Devonshire cream for tea.

30 Monday      Letter from Mabel.

1 Tuesday        

Went down to Rivercourt Rd. Winnie gave me a very pretty pair of stockings. She & Frank walked up to Mr Barth’s with me.

 2 Wednesday   

Girls were all photographed on front lawn. Went for a walk from 3.30 until 6. Grove Park and round by the river. Letter from Blanche.

 3 Thursday      Frank went to Richmond. Another new music pupil – Gwendoline

Jones.

4 Friday           Walk at 8.30 – most glorious morning – dancing class in the evening – had to play for them so did not get marks done until late.

 5 Saturday       Pouring wet all afternoon and wretchedly cold. Could not go out – sat in the schoolroom all the afternoon – did some painting and wrote to Mabel and Annie Cannon. Miss Vincent went home.

 6 Sunday         Off duty. Wet morning – no Church - hymns in the dining room. Read all the afternoon – ‘The Monastery’. Went to Bedford Park Church in the evening – Anthem and Procession.

“The Monastery”: 8 June.

7 Monday        Took duty for Miss Vincent. Music exam for girls in the evening. Annie Cannon’s 21st birthday – sent her a jewel case.

8 Tuesday        Letter from Mother at Salcombe. Saw Annie and Butler at Rivercourt Rd, who had come to town to buy furniture etc. Stayed to supper with them – back to school at 10.

9 Wednesday   Walked to Kensington – did some shopping – went to see the Exhibition of Art and Needlework at the Museum.

10 Thursday     Letter from Millie. Went down to have a chat with Win about the wedding – decided not to go – too expensive.

Although ELM did not go to her brother’s wedding, her two sisters and her mother made the journey to Rochdale [4 November].

11 Friday         Played for the dancing class in the evening. Did some painting before breakfast.

12 Saturday     Letters from Mabel and Rosie Taylor. Went to Richmond in the afternoon with Win and Charles to a Rugby Match – very exciting. Got back to tea at Rivercourt about 6. Played bagatelle until supper-time. Uncle had gone to Deal.

13 Sunday       Went to Church in the morning & evening. Sang hymns after tea. Marjorie Moore is a naughty little girl.

14 Monday      Ran in for a short time to see Win – walked back early as Miss Vincent was going to University Extension Lectures.

15 Tuesday      Letter & cake from Mrs Cannon. Went to singing lesson at 7 o’clock. Met Miss Jenkins – stayed to hear her sing and played her accompaniment. 

16 Wednesday Went for a walk to Kew.

17 Thursday     Went to the Exhibition with Win, Mr Webster and Charles – went on the Wheel, the Switchback and then to see the jugglery.

Exhibition: 17 September.

18 Friday         F.B., A.L., J.G., & M.B. Letter and invite to the wedding. After dancing took the girls to hear Father Black who was preaching for the Harvest Festival at Bedford Park.

Probably girls’ initials, recorded for some reason or another.

 19 Saturday     Took Jessie and Gladys Jata to meet the members of the Easel Club and went with them to see the Duke of Westminster’s pictures at Grosvenor House. Enjoyed this immensely – pictures were grand.

20 Sunday       On duty. Parish Church in the morning, walk in the Park. Acton Green in the evening – very nice service. Misses L and C went out to dinner.

9 Wednesday   Walked to Kensington – did some shopping – went to see the Exhibition of Art and Needlework at the Museum.

10 Thursday     Letter from Millie. Went down to have a chat with Win about the wedding – decided not to go – too expensive.

Although ELM did not go to her brother’s wedding, her two sisters and her mother made the journey to Rochdale [4 November].

11 Friday         Played for the dancing class in the evening. Did some painting before breakfast.

12 Saturday     Letters from Mabel and Rosie Taylor. Went to Richmond in the afternoon with Win and Charles to a Rugby Match – very exciting. Got back to tea at Rivercourt about 6. Played bagatelle until supper-time. Uncle had gone to Deal.

13 Sunday       Went to Church in the morning & evening. Sang hymns after tea. Marjorie Moore is a naughty little girl.

 14 Monday      Ran in for a short time to see Win – walked back early as Miss Vincent was going to University Extension Lectures.

15 Tuesday      Letter & cake from Mrs Cannon. Went to singing lesson at 7 o’clock. Met Miss Jenkins – stayed to hear her sing and played her accompaniment. 

16 Wednesday Went for a walk to Kew.

17 Thursday     Went to the Exhibition with Win, Mr Webster and Charles – went

on the Wheel, the Switchback and then to see the jugglery.

Exhibition: 17 September.

18 Friday         F.B., A.L., J.G., & M.B. Letter and invite to the wedding. After dancing took the girls to hear Father Black who was preaching for the Harvest Festival at Bedford Park.

Probably girls’ initials, recorded for some reason or another.

19 Saturday     Took Jessie and Gladys Jata to meet the members of the Easel Club and went with them to see the Duke of Westminster’s pictures at Grosvenor House. Enjoyed this immensely – pictures were grand.

20 Sunday       On duty. Parish Church in the morning, walk in the Park. Acton Green in the evening – very nice service. Misses L and C went out to dinner.

21 Monday      Got up at 6.30 and finished off a painting of the Ruins. Letters from Mabel & Annie B. Talk in the study – very nice.

Annie Brierley.

22 Tuesday      Went out after tea to see Win – stayed with her for an hour and took train back again – had my singing lesson. Pouring wet night.

23 Wednesday Very wet – girls stayed in & did mending. Miss Vincent went to Charing Cross to meet Mademoiselle.

Probably the French Mistress, arriving by train from one of the Channel ports.

25 Friday         Played for dancing in the evening. Nice chat over the fire after supper with Mademoiselle.

26 Saturday     Did not go for a walk – had an early tea. The girls’ birthday party. Dancing from 6 to 9. Supper in the Study. Music in the Drawing Room till 11 o’clock. Mademoiselle était très drôle.

Mademoiselle was very amusing.

27 Sunday       Very cold – began winter clothing. Went to Church morning and evening.

28 Monday      Very foggy morning – took the usual morning walk.

29 Tuesday      Walked down to Rivercourt Rd after tea – just missed Win – she had just come up to Barth for her singing lesson. Had a talk with Aunt Mary and then went to have my lesson.

30 Wednesday Had a fire in the bath-room [sic] & girls washed their heads all the after-noon [sic] instead of going out. Trimmed my best hat.

31 Thursday     Letter from Frank.

 1 Friday           

Dancing class in the evening. Played until half past seven.

2 Saturday       

Half-term holiday. Had to see some of the girls off so could not get down to Rivercourt Rd until about 3 o’clock. Did some shopping at Harrisses with Win – had tea & bagatelle afterwards. Messrs W and P came to spend the evening. Went to bed about 12 o’clock.

 3 Sunday         

Off duty. Uncle, Win and I went to Chiswick Church in the morning. Walked up the High Road afterwards and met Frank who came back to dinner. Music and singing in the evening.

 4 Monday        

Win and I started off for St Pancras Station – saw Mother and Mabel off by the 12 train – then took bus to Buzzards & had lunch. Met Julia at Kensington. Went to ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in the evening.

 ELM’s mother and sister were travelling to Rochdale for Butler’s wedding. A report on the wedding in the Rochdale Observer [on 9 November 1895] says that two of the bridegroom’s sisters were bridesmaids, so Blanche must have travelled up independently [7 September].

 5 Tuesday        

Came back to school at 9 o’clock. Did not hear the 9.30 bell so was not in to prayers. Ructions at 12.30 with Miss L. Met Win at singing lesson in the evening – began ‘Go pretty rose’.

 6 Wednesday   Walked to Kensington with 5 girls in the afternoon. Bought a present for Blanche.

 7 Thursday      

Butler’s wedding day. Walked down to see Win in the evening. Letter from A. Bristow.

 8 Friday           

Received the Wedding Card from Butler. Played for the dancing in the evening. Miss J Charlton and Mrs Layton came in.

 9 Saturday       

Blanche sent me the remains of her bouquet. Walked with the girls to Barnes in the afternoon – went into the cemetery – got back at 5.30 – very nice walk. Misses L and C out.

 10 Sunday       

Misses L and C out after dinner. Hymns after tea and then to Church. 

11 Monday      

Letter from Blanche & wedding cake. Also letter from Butler asking me to go and see them. Went back to supper with Win. Nice dream C.W.

The initials of the person in the dream?

 12 Tuesday     

 Finished giving lessons at 3. Took the train down to Winnie & went with her to the Hotel Metropole. Had tea with the happy couple. No dream.

 13 Wednesday 

Walked to Kensington with the girls. Had a nice dream. C.S.

 More mysterious initials!

 14 Thursday     

Painted Xmas cards before breakfast. Very wet evening so did not go out.

15 Friday         Did some more painting – played for dancing in the evening – did marks – went to bed, very tired. Ah me - a year ago.

 Poor Ethel! The unhappy anniversary of something!

16 Saturday     

Went to Richmond with Win – had my blouse fitted at Batten’s – called in to see Frank on our way to the station – met the W and P. Got home at 5 – went in to tea with Louie Marsh – stayed to supper – home at 10 o’clock.

 17 Sunday       

On duty. Church in the morning. Read Perevil of the Peak in the afternoon. Church again in the evening – organ went wrong.

 “Perevil of the Peak”: 8 June.

 18 Monday      

Misses L and C took four girls to Romeo and Juliet.

 19 Tuesday      

Went down to Rivercourt to see Mother before going to singing lesson.

 20 Wednesday 

Walked to Kew to see the chrysanthemums – came back to tea at 4.30. Mabel & Jessie went to a lecture on Art.

 21 Thursday     Did some painting before breakfast.

22 Friday        

 Miss Vincent went home. Melle & I took girls to Kensington Museum – stayed in the picture galleries until five – walked home to tea at 6.

“Melle”: Mademoiselle?

24 Sunday       Walked up the High Road after Church – met Win and Uncle.

 25 Monday      Letter from Win – could not go down though as Miss V went to the

Lecture.

 26 Tuesday      Went to Barth’s at 5. Afterwards Melle & I went to a concert at the Albert Hall. Mdme Patti sang. Great crush but thoroughly enjoyed it.

 Madame Adelina Patti was a famous Prima Donna. Living in South Wales, I am reminded that she left her mark in these parts. It was she who had Craig-y-Nos Castle built in the Brecon Beacons. She also has a concert hall named after her in Swansea: The Patti Pavilion.

 27 Wednesday 

Took the girls round Bedford Park, etc. to deliver invitations to the Fancy Dress Ball.

 28 Thursday     Merit Holiday. Stayed in & painted Xmas cards. Misses L and C took boarders out and came back about 8 o’clock. Nice day for we govs.

Governesses?

 29 Friday         Did not go for an early walk. Took singing class as Miss L was out. Dancing in the evening.

30 Saturday     Went for a short walk over the bridge and along the river – got back at 4 o’clock.

1 Sunday         

Off duty. Miss V did not go to Church in the morning. Called in to see how Dora Triggs was as we came out of Church.

2 Monday        

Letter from Win. Went in to see her after tea and to try on my new blouse.

3 Tuesday        

Called in to see Louie Marsh – had a chat & then went on for Winnie to go to Barth’s. Had a very good lesson – lovely moon-light night so walked home with Win.

4 Wednesday   

Walked with the girls over the bridge – along by the river – crossed the ferry at Chiswick.

5 Thursday      Went to have tea with Louie Marsh at 5 o’clock. Came back early by train as she was going to a meeting.

 6 Friday           Did some painting instead of going for a walk before breakfast. Played for the dancing in the evening.

 7 Saturday       

Walked down for Winnie at 2 o’clock. Started to Richmond – got there about 4. Went in to see Frank. Had some tea at a confectioners – looked at the shops and came back by train. Did not stay very late as Win went to the Skating Rink. Played whist with Uncle, Aunt M & Charles.

 15 Sunday       On duty.

 16 Monday      Not much school – girls practised their dancing & we added up marks etc.

 17 Tuesday      Preparations going on all day for the Dance – worked up until

           1 o’clock at the marks.

18 Wednesday 

Wrote out certificates all the morning in our bedroom Fancy Dress Ball - guests came at 6 o’clock. Very jolly, wore violets.

 19 Thursday     Girls were all photographed in the morning. Packing in the afternoon & evening – girls were stuffing hard all the time with the remains.

 20 Friday         Took Nora and Mabel to Euston – got back about 1 o’clock and

started for home at 3.30 – met Blanche at Ravenscourt Pk. Came home together.

 21 Saturday     First day at home. Oh delightful place.

 24 Tuesday      

Cooking all morning – shopping in the afternoon & decorating after tea. Frank & Harry Clift came home by the mail train. Had Snapdragon in the dining room.

Harry Clift: 4 August

 Snapdragon was a Victorian game traditionally played during the Christmas season. A shallow bowl was filled with brandy, raisins were tossed in and the brandy set on fire. Players tried to snatch raisins from the flickering blue flames and pop them, still burning, into their mouths! The burning raisins were called snapdragons.

 25 Wednesday Had 17 cards & 6 presents. Went to Church in the morning. Willie Cannon came in to tea. Went to hear carols in the evening.

 26 Thursday     Stayed in bed until dinner time as my foot was very bad. Had a party in the evening. Played games and had music.

 27 Friday         Did not get up very early & stayed in all day to rest my foot.

28 Saturday     Stayed in bed until 11 o’clock. Blanche, Mabel, Mother and I drove over to Sherborne in the afternoon. Very wet coming home.

ELM’s twenty-second birthday.

29 Sunday       Did not go out as it was a very damp day and my foot was not quite well.

 30 Monday      Went to a dance in H. Powell’s Room. Was very jolly, had to come home at 11.30. Rosie Taylor went with us and came to sleep with us. Pale blue and velvet.

 H. Powell: 25 August. There was a large room for concerts and dances above the Powell shop.

 31 Tuesday      Slept till 9 o’clock. Rose T. and I had breakfast in bed. Rosie went home by the 10 train for a week’s holiday. Went for a walk in the afternoon with Annie and Ada. All went to midnight service.

 Bert Allen came with us.

 Rosie Taylor: 7 June. Bert Allen is probably Herbert Allen, a younger brother of Willie Allen [30 January].

 POSTSCRIPT

ELM taught at Kensington House, Chiswick, for three years. According to a reference given when she left, she discharged her duties there entirely to the satisfaction of the Principals. She went on to teach in Weimar, Germany, Inverness and Edinburgh. Eventually, on 21 October 1909, she married Sidney Butler, the son of Alfred and Susan Alice Butler, of Hatch Warren Farm, Basingstoke. She had three children: Violet, Wilfrid [my father] and Geoffrey. Ethel Lizzie Butler died at Fairholme, her Basingstoke home [5 May] on 31 January 1971, aged 97 and dearly loved by family and friends.

B. B.

SOME NAMES MENTIONED IN THE DIARY

Albani, Dame Emma:

           12 Apl.

Alexandra, Princess of Wales:

           8 May.

Allen [includes cousin Julia Allen, née Paice]:   

           30 Jan; 20 Apl; 19 May; 3, 25, 30 Aug; 4, 14 Sep; 4 Nov; 31 Dec.

Ball, Nancy [grandmother]:

           16, 24 Feb.

Bird [née Knight], Ada [cousin]:

           18 Sep.

Brady, Jessie:

           7-9 Sep.

Brierley, Hannah , known as Annie [sister-in-law]:

           15 Mar; 27 Aug; 7 Sep; 8,21, Oct; 12 Nov.

Bristow:

           18 Jan; 4, 29 Mar; 22 Apl; 13, 17, 20 May; 14 Jun; 5 Aug; 13 Sep; 7 Nov; 31 Dec.

Broadbridge:

           31 Dec [1894].

Butler:

           Postscript.

Cannon:

           31 Dec [1894]; 12, 21, 29 Mar; 22, 28 Apl; 2 May; 18 Jun; 19 Jly; 5, 6, 22, 24, 28 Aug; 11, 13, 16, 25 Sep; 5, 7, 15 Oct; 25, 31 Dec.

Choral Society, Basingstoke:

           29 Apl; 25 Aug.

Clift:

           4 May; 4 Aug; 24 Dec.

Corbishley, [née Paice] Mary Annie [Aunt Mary]:

           19 May; 9, 16, 23, 30, 31 Jly; 9, 19 Sep; 29 Oct; 7 Dec.

Curzon, Lord:

           Introduction; 25 Aug.

Draper:

           9, 14 Mar; 7, 13, 25 May; 4, 14 Jun; 8, 17 Jly; 8-10, 15-18, 26, 28, 31 Aug; 1, 3, 4, 6, 16, 22, 27 Sep; 10 Oct.

Field:

           18 Jan.

Goldman:

           25 Aug; 4 Sep.

Graysmark:

           1 May; 14 Sep.

Harmonic Society:

           29 Apl.

Hedges:

           9 -11 Aug

Irving, Sir Henry:

           25 May.

Johnson:

           1 May.

Joice:

           31 Dec [1894]; 26 Aug.

Joyce:

           26 Apl; 16 Sep.

Knight, [née Paice], Jane [aunt]

           18 Sep.

Liddle:

           29-30 Apl.

Litchfield:

           27 Aug; 1,14 Sep.

Loe:

           12 Mar.

Marsh:

           7, 26 Mar; 16 Apl; 22 May; 6, 26 Jun; 13, 17-18 Jly; 23 Sep; 16 Nov; 3, 5 Dec.

May:

           25 Apl; 16 Sep.

Merry:

           1,3 May; 16 Aug.

Miles:

           18 Jun; 8, 16, 18 Jly; 23 Sep.

Moody, Arthur William [brother]:

           Introduction.

Moody, Blanche Ada [sister]:

           Introduction; 19, 23 Jan; 12, 15 Mar; 14 Jun; 16, 25 Jly; 7-9, 27 Sep; 2 Oct; 6, 9, 11 Nov; 20, 28 Dec.

Moody, Elizabeth [mother]:

           Introduction; 16 Mar; 15, 18 May; 21 Jun; 20 Jly; 3-4, 19 Aug; 7, 15, 22, 25 Sep; 8 Oct; 4, 19 Nov; 28 Dec.

Moody, Frank Vine [brother]:

           Introduction; 15, 19 May; 2 Jun; 4, 19 Aug; 18 Sep; 1, 3, 31 Oct; 7, 24 Dec.

Moody, James [father]:

           Introduction.

Moody, James Butler [brother]:

           Introduction; 15 Mar; 10 May; 27 Aug; 7 Sep; 8 Oct; 7-8, 11-12 Nov.

Moody, Mabel Winifred [sister]:

           Introduction; 16 Mar; 8, 21-22 Jun; 4 Jly; 4, 8, 27 Aug; 5, 12, 14, 30 Sep; 5, 12, 21 Oct; 4 Nov; 28 Dec.  

Paice, Alfred Robert [cousin]:

           1 Jan; 15 Jun.

Paice, Charles [cousin]:

           1 Jan; 14 Mar; 19 May; 2 Jun; 12, 17 Oct; 7 Dec.

Paice, Edith Sophia [cousin]: see Pearce, Edith Sophia.

Paice, George William [uncle]:

           1 Jan; 14 Apl; 12 Oct; 3, 24 Nov; 7 Dec.

Paice [née Austen], Mary Anne [Aunt Polly]:

           9, 13 Mar; 2, 15 June.

Paice, Mary Annie [see Corbishley].

Paice [née Ball], Nancy [grandmother]:

           16, 24 Feb.

Paice, William Hamblin [uncle]:

           9 Mar.

Paice, Winifred [cousin]:

           14, 23, 30 Jan; 11, 16 Feb; 6, 9, 13-15, 25, 30 Mar; 11 Apl; 6, 13, 20-21, 27 May; 5, 11, 15, 17-18, 20, 25, 27 Jun; 2, 5, 20 Jly; 30 Aug; 17- 19 Sep; 1, 10, 12, 14, 17, 22, 29 Oct; 2-5, 7, 11-12, 16, 24-25 Nov; 2-3, 7 Dec.

Patti, Madame Adelina:

           26 Nov.

Pearce [née Paice], Edith Sophia [cousin]:

           15 Apl; 11, 15 Jun.

Pearce, Dr Arthur:

           15 Apl; 11, 15 Jun.

Porter [“P”]:

           12 Jan; 29 Jun; 27 Jly; 2, 16 Nov.

Portsmouth:

           30 Apl.

Powell:

           18 Jan; 25 Aug; 30 Dec.

Profit:

           31 Aug.

Robinson:

           30 Aug.

Rush:

           4 May; 12 Jun; 21 Aug.

Selby:

           31 Dec 1894.

Simmons:

           5 May.

Smith [née Paice], Winifred:

           see Paice, Winifred.

Stainer:

           30 Apl; 30-31 Aug.

Stubbs:

           29 Apl.

Sullivan, Sir Arthur:

           25 May.                                               

Tatham:

           11,13 Aug.

Taylor:

           7 Jun; 29 Aug; 15 Sep; 12 Oct; 30-31 Dec.

Terry, Ellen:

           25 May.

Turner, Lady:

           15 Mar.

Victoria, Queen:

           24 May; 27 Aug.

Warren:

           22, 31 Aug.

Webster [“W”]:

           12, 22 Jan; 11, 16 Feb; 30 Mar: 29 Jun; 27 Jly; 17 Oct; 2, 16 Nov.

Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands:

           9 May.

Willis:

           27 Aug.

Basingstoke and surroundings,

Basing, Flower Show:

           29 Aug.

Basing House:

           11 Sep.

Basing, St Mary’s Church:

           25 Aug. 

Bramley, Stocks Farm:

           18 Jan.

Canal:

           2 Sep.

Caston’s Road, Garth House:

           18 Jan.

Church Cottage:

           29 Apl.

Church Street, 11 [The Little Dust Pan]:

           Introduction.

Church Street, 47:

           26 Apl.

Cliddesden Road, 18, “Fairholme”:

           15 Mar; 5 May; Postscript.

Cliddesden Road, 26, “Stalheim”:

           25 Aug.

Cliddesden Road, 51, [Cannon]:

           31 Dec 1894.

Corn Exchange:

           25 Aug.

Drill Hall:

           5 Apl; 28 Aug.

Fairfields Tennis Club:

           1 Aug.

Fairfields Road:

           29 Apl; 1, 5 May.

Folly, The:

           16 Sep.

Goldings Farm, Eastrop Lane:

           18 Jan.

Grammar School:

           1 Aug.

Hackwood House:

           25 Aug.

Hackwood Park:

           23 Aug; 5 Sep.

Hatch Warren Farm:

           Postcript.

Holy Ghost Chapel:

           10 May; 28 Aug.

Hook Common:

           2 Sep.

London Street, 5 [Cannon]:

           31 Dec 1894.

London Street, 17 [Moody]:

           Introduction.

London Street, 20/22 [Powell]:

           25 Aug; 30 Dec.

Lynton House, Eastrop:

           30 Jan & other references.

May’s Bounty:

           16 Sep.

Odiham:

           2 Sep.

Pamber:

           22 Apl.

St Michael and All Angels Church:

           31 Dec 1894 & other references.

Sherborne St John:

           4 May; 20, 21 Aug; 3 Sep; 28 Dec.

Thornycrofts:

           30 Mar.

Westlands Day School:

           1, 3 May.

Winchfield:

           19 May.

Winchester:

           24 Aug.

Winslade Woods:

           5 Sep.

London,

Albert Hall:

           12 Apl; 26 Nov.

Earl’s Court Exhibition:

           17, 24 Sep; 17 Oct.

Gaiety Theatre:

           22 Jan.

Hammersmith, 9 Rivercourt Road:        

           1 Jan & other references.

Kensington House High School for Girls:

           23 Jan & other references.

Lyceum Theatre:

           25 May.

Brighton:

           13,14 Apl.

Edinburgh:

           Postscript.

Grove [Leighton Buzzard]:

           9 Mar; 11, 18 Aug.

Inverness:

           Postscript.

Leighton Buzzard:

           8 Aug & other references

Weimar, Germany:

           Postscript.