MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 Notes in front of diary: Breakages Emily: Jug in Maud‟s room Roy‟s scent bottle 2 electric globes 1 green ditto drawing room candelabrum Cigar stand dining room 2 decanters 1 long flower vase 1 cut glass butter dish liquor glass at table 3/6 Winnie Lockyer‟s dress 1 cut glass finger bowl Sayings fr. John Mosley‟s “Divert” “By taking trouble to speak with precision one gains the habit of thinking rightly”. Sir W. Priestley‟s stories: Small boy of 6 asked if he would like to see the dear little baby sister just brought by a stork, “No! But I would like to see the stork!” Small boy of 8 kept peeping into his mother‟s room shortly before arrival of No 2 baby, could never be induced after to go right into room to kiss his mother. “Why won‟t you come to kiss me darling? Small boy, “I don‟t want to catch your complaint Mammy!” A father anxious to have his rather excentric son shut up for a time consulted doctor: “My son comes home late, goes into pantry, gets a large apple tart he finds there, takes it to dining room & eats entire tart!” Doctor: “Well my dear Sir, this shows a greedy disposition but I could 1 MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 scarcely give an order for his being put under restraint for this.” “But that‟s not the point” replied the father “He then goes up to the Cook‟s room & passes the night with her.” Dr: “My dear Sir, most immoral I grant, but now if your son had eaten the cook & passed the night with the apple pie, then I might have been able to help you.” Mr Guthrie rec‟ds as investments Gordon Hotels Automatic Sweetmeats (illeg) Read during 1897 “Soeur Philomene” E. de Goncourt. Did not like it. “Criquette” Halevy. V. charming book “Diderot” by John Morley. Interesting & delightfully told. “The well-beloved” Thomas Hardy. V. tiresome hero & no one interesting character. “The story of Two Salons” Sichel “Miscellanies” J. Morley “Voltaire” by Morley “Rameau‟s nephew” Diderot “Brother & Sister” E. Renan “Western Africa” Miss Kingsley “Barkers Luck” Bret Harte “Mon oncle et mon curé” by Jean de la Brete Correspondence of Mrs Barrett Browning “Rousseau” by J. Morley “Massaremes” Ouida. Tiresome. Books to order fr. Mudie‟s, August “Diderot & the encyclopaedists” by John Morley “Rameau‟s nephew” by Diderot, translated by Sylvia Hill “Providence & the Guitar” Stevenson “Gaston de Latour” Walter Pater “Sylvestre Bonnard” par Anatole France 2 MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 “Jaques Tournebroche” ditto “The Savoyard Vicar‟s professsion of Faith” by J.J. Rousseau Mrs. Street 1st & 2nd of month until Easter Mrs. Roberts 10th 20th & 30th of every month At home days Mondays Mrs. Percy Holland Mrs. Whitworth Mrs. Walker Lady Monckton Hemming 2 Earls Court Sqre Wednesdays May Burnand Spofforth Thursdays Mrs. Mellor Hartley Friday Saturday Mesdames Mocatta Rubens Mrs. Clifford Katie Geilgud 1st two Satys & Suns Sundays Things to remember Banana fritters Choc late served hot with iced cream Friday 1 January 3 MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 Mrs. Weedon Grossmith at home 4 - 7. In all day working. Roy & Maud returned from Mrs. Cohens. They enjoyed Mrs. Raeffle‟s dance v. much last evg. Slept at Mrs. Cohen‟s, who drove them to the meet of Queen‟s Hounds, Holyport & after to Windsor where they lunched. Miss Rose Innes came in about tea time. Lin only had subject for drawing v. late. X. Wire fr. Hamilton Fletcher. Tabbie had another little son born last evening. Saturday 2 January Lin & I go to Jessie‟s, Gt. Bromley Lodge nr Colchester, at 3.32. Lin so busy unable to go till tomorrow. Sunday 3 January Poor Annie died 10.50 PM. V. grieved I did not go or send sh‟ll bitterly regret this to my last day. Edgar & Sophy to lunch unexpectedly. V. worried about poor Annie but why did I not send or go. Regrets useless. Ought to have influenced Edgar who w‟d have done anything but for me. Lin & I came to Jessie‟s by 3.40 fr. Liverpool St. Sta. Met Ethel Edwin there who travelled with us to Ardleigh, Essex, Gt. Bromley Lodge. Hamilton, Midge & dora looking well, charming house. Monday 4 January Midge & self sent off last £5 to Cap‟t Powell, alas too late for the one we should have helped. Midge & self drove to Ardleigh & met boy with telegram saying poor Annie passed away last evg. Dear Lin‟s birthday. Lin & Hamilton out shooting with Mr Unwin all day long. H, Lin, Ethel, D, played 5s on billiard table. I played once altho‟ v. sad at heart to please Lin & H, & cracked amethyst in my ring & lost stone. Tuesday 5 January Hamilton left for some sale (illeg) north. Pouring wet morg. After lunch we all walked part of way to Ardleigh. Lin left us at Ivy Cottage. Rev Mr Mrs. & Miss Graham to tea. V. funny clergyman told queer little stories! Lent him my book. X. Petit ami. 4 MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 Wednesday 6 January V. wet. After luncheon walked part of way with Lin to (blank). Lin, Midge, D. & Ethel drove to Colchester then Lin returned home. I stayed in bed to breakfast. In all afternoon. Thursday 7 January Ethel & Mervyn arrived at luncheon time. Sat & talked all afternoon, too cold & wet to go out. Hamilton returned late afternoon & found us all in drawing room. Ethel Edwin sang. Terrible circumstances surrounding poor Annie‟s death feel most bitterly I did not go to her as I ought to have done. It is all so awful I shall regret it every day of my life. Long letters fr. dear Lin & Maud. In bed to breakfast. Friday 8 January Poor Annie buried today at St Peter‟s Thanet. Edgar went & saw it all. Pouring wet day, only trust he has not taken cold. Mervyn & Ethel here. Dear letters fr. Lin & Maud. Ham to Mr Unwin‟s to play billiards afternoon. Ethel & Dora to see Brass at church here. Saturday 9 January (blank) Sunday 10 January (blank) Monday 11 January Dear Lin left for Col. Lucas‟. Easton Park Wickham Market Suffolk. Dull day. Had walk morg. with Dickie & Midge. Dora & Ethel to Colchester on their cycles. Long letter from Edgar. Midge & self drove Lin to Ardleigh & called on a Mr & Mrs. Barton after. Tuesday 12 January Dull & raining. To tea at the Rectory, met Mrs. Unwin pretty little woman about 30. 5 MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 Wednesday 13 January Ham, Midge & Ethel left about 11, Ethel for home. M. & H. to stay 2 nights at the Frisby‟s. Wretched day. Read to D. Could not go out. Thursday 14 January D. & self for walk. Caught in rain. Roy arrived in time for lunch. D. & self played 5‟s after with Roy & then walked with him to Mr Unwin‟s where he remained playing billiards until 6 o‟c. Dined & played 5‟s & to bed at 10 o‟c. Finished reading Conan Doyle‟s book “Rodney Stone”. V. exciting but most improbable which makes me feel disappointed with the whole. Friday 15 January Lovely bright sunny morning, hard frost. Roy off to shoot with Mr Unwin, a more helpless creature with a gun I never saw, & like dear Lin has absolutely no idea of time. Midge & H. return. V. worried to know what to do about evg. with Miss Innes as we are already engaged for Monday. Saturday 16 January Ham out shooting with Mr Hanbury all day. Midge D. & self drove to Colchester. V. cold. Went over castle with D, v. interesting, & the museum. Also looked over some curio shops. Sunday 17 January Ground thickly covered with snow. Roy, D. & self out morg. Letters fr. Lin & (blank). Monday 18 January Return home. Go tomorrow instead. Country all covered in snow. All went for long walk morg. Lovely crisp snow. To tea at Mrs. Unwin‟s. V. pretty house & daintily arranged tea. Roy & H. & Mr Unwin played billiards. Mr Graham (rector) & dau. there. Tuesday 19 January 6 MARION SAMBOURNE’S DIARY 1897 Asked Miss Rose Innes to dine. Cannot come. Roy & I returned from Midge‟s, Ardleigh Essex. Arrived at 3.15. Mrs. Sanson, Ellie Ritchie, Eve C, Miss Rose Innes, Mr & Miss Rubens, Pat a‟Beckett, Blanche Cole & May Nembhard called. Quiet evg. Lin & Roy off to theatre after dinner. No signs of snow in London. Wednesday 20 January Mrs. Critchett‟s dance. Maud & self walked to Whiteleys & back. Most bitterly cold & horrid, pd. Whiteleys bill 3/1. Ordered lamp shade, brush & small ham, 2 cods kip‟d roe. Met Miss Webster at Barkers, bought brilliantine 1/8. Roy very rude at breakfast. Roy & Maud enjoyed Mrs. C‟s dance v. much. Thursday 21 January Mrs. de la Rue‟s dance 9 to 12.30. Roy returns to Eton. Dark cold day, sleet on houses. Roy to club morg. Lin took M. to de la R‟s. Very pleasant little dance & all over at 12.30. Friday 22 January Windows? Prof Dewar‟s lecture on (illeg) air at Royal Institution. Unable to go. Maud & I dine with Mr Carlisle & go to see the “Circus Girl” with him after. Out alone morning for walk to Mrs. Vicat Cole‟s, nearly perished with cold. Maud in bed to breakfast. Rested after lunch. V. bad dinner at Grand. Mr Watts, Mr C. & own two selves & went in 2 hansoms to Gaiety after. M. & self together, awfully nervous so slippery.