- 1 924 -

&
192 5
J. - 192 4 ,:;,

After.Margaret's wedding and what looked like beginning of money

difficulties· I had given up the idea of continuing this Diary which began
in 1907 and goes through a historic period. The Death Duties of Po1ly's
estate and the marriage had run off my ready cash. However matters improved
later and so I enter intermittently in small notebooks. "

Sat. ,12th Jan. " S-~~"

Nottingham for ~ Bridge meeting and declared a good dividend; ,
and so to the Pantomime.
Mon. ,14th Jan.
Rode to Winkburn and returning called on Lady Hicking at Brackenhurst.'
\'leds. ,16th Jan.
Called at Balderton Hall where my cousin EmilyWarwick gave me lunch and
sent messages to my Mother. She 5Qyears ago staying with my Mo~her weeks at
Epperstone. '
Thurs.,17th Jan.
Margie came to Epperstone Manor and with their party to the Melton Ball.
Sat .. ,19th Jan.
Rode to Winkburn and saw Col. Burnell. The Major Burnell-Milnes with him.
Mon. ,21st Jan.
To London and had tea with Margaret at her tiny flat in Brook Street,
Sandy's Regiment, 3rd Grenadier Guards being now at the Tower.
Tues. , 22nd Jan.
To Westminster Sanctuary, where SiriTrustrarn Eve ~as arbi~rating between
my tenant Co1es at Stilton and his late landlord, Fielden of Holme. Coles got
his case. Lunched with Ne11 in Victoria Square, a charming house. Had tea with
my old flame E11a Corbet who retains her beauty though near 50, her wonderful
hair has no grey streak. Dined at Claridges in Brook Street with Sandy's Aunt
Mrs. Homberger,Margaret and "Budge" Firth now a master at Winchester.·'
\'leds. ,2;3nd Jan.
After a walk with: Margie, returned home by 1.47 from St. Pancras with our
Clerk ()f'Peace Tweedale Meaby.
, Thurs. ,24th Jan.
Bmsy at plans for 2 cottages for 601. Seely which will get built for £900,
double pre-war cost but half what the cost would have been last year when Government
waS' demoralising the building trade with assistance. I got a cottage built at •
. Clixby for Burnell in this temporary lull of State interference.
Thurs. ,31st Jan.
To Eben Hardy's Ball at Bramcote Hills, a brilliant function. The Edwaston
Castle party came at mid-time from another ball and swelled the throng. A refugee
Russian Countess there, a fine woman set up in a small way of trade.
~, li2..~-
Tues.,5th Feb.
To the meet at Hoveringham but this season is much spoilt by Foot and Mouth
Disease and the ridiculous Government restrictions, it is only cattle flu and
rarely fatal.
Sat. ,9th Feb.
To tea with the Ferrises at Gonalston Rectory, a pretty 18th century ,
building and stabling for 4, evidence of an hospitable comfortable time •. "
Now the Canon cannot keep a pony.
Fri. ,15th Feb.
To funeral of the late Albert Heyman, of German Jew extraction but a much
liked man: once hunted' and a landowner: married a handsome English woman and,'
,had a large family, many in. the Army.'
Thurs~ ,21st Feb.
Went with the Bournes of the Manor to the Ball at the Exchange which the
Master, Marshall Roberts, gives·tothe big farmers families. The Master goes
to the Belvoir next season and Kaye comes to us.'
Fri. ,22nd Feb.
,Dined with the Milwards and good sherry, his brother-in-law living in Spain
and partner in Sandemans sent it. Miss Brock, who has interests there is a friend
of my brother Williani and also Elsie Milward.·Mrs. Milward was a Miss Musters of
Annesley and Gervase's great~uncle was Squire of Thurgarton and also owned Hexgreave,
having in all 4000 acres in Notts.' His heir sold the reversion to Thurgarton and
Milward sold Hexgreave to Sugden for £60,000 which came ultimately to Milward's
father, but I doubt if each of his 8 children got more than £4000 a piece, and
Elsiehas £10,000 fro~ her father~
Sat. ,23rd Feb.
To WiDkburri to see' Major Burnell-Milner and saw the Colonel in bed after
his illness, pneumonia, at age ',of 88.
Sun. ,24th Feb.
To Gonalston Hall for tea with my old friends the Edward Francklins who have
the lease from their brother: she is wealthy. The Francklins have some 2000 acres
here and 1500 acres in Bedfordshire. Thier Notts part got by ~riage with a .
Monnox 100 years since. "
Sat. ,8th Mar.
In bed with? flu for 3 days. Margie has been here since Christmas. '
Tuesd.llth Mar.
To Winkburn and took Margie and Sandy and they left me on returning.
Sun. ,16th Mar.
To tea with the Dowager Francklin: her daughter Mrs. Sherbrooke there arid
brought me home. The Sherbrookes have 5000 acres about Oxton ,and a.good block in,
Bond St.,London yet. But there are calls. The Hall and shooting let to Kyrle
Smith for £500 a year. 25 years ago 330 square yards corner of Bond St. and Piccadilly
let in several shops for £2000 a year, sold for £115,000 and saved the estate which
had then over£60,OOO mortgage. The family have no idea how these Piccadilly freeholds
came into the family. .
, Mon.17th Mar.
To Widmerpool and lunched with Major Robertson, his sister-in-law Mrs.
Guthrie,.there, one ,of the 4 handsom~ daughters of the Florida General Low
who left about £30,000 a year, £50,000 each to his daughters and the rest
to his son.
Fri. ,21st Mar.
To Bramcote to see Dr. Buckley's house, and walked round Banker Smith's
big house, now preparatory. to Trent School, a fine house and park fitted for
this purpose. .
Mon. ,24th Mar.
. To Newark Town Hall to see our presentation to our old Member John Starkey
of his portrait and a jewel to his wife.
Sun.30th Mar.
Sandy and M~garet who, had been at Hogarth's home and now here left for
London where they have a flat in Brook Street. I to tea at Gonalston Rectory
with the Ferrises and then to the Hall.
Sun.,13th Apr.
My 62nd birthday. I motored to LangarHall to spend the night and found
besides Percyand Muriel and their 2 boys,~ Geoffry and Leonard, Pat Ashwell and
my nephew Patrick and his pretty wife Molly so we were a merry party.
Mon. ,14th Apr. '
I had to view a property near Framlingham which Col. Dick Cunningham is buying,
and to stay with him at Parham New Hall. Percy motored me in his 14 B.S.A. We
lunched at the roadside nearPeterbro and made our way via Cambridge to Bury St.
Edmunds where we had tea and walked out to see the hall of .the old Abbey - the
old Church must have been a superb Norman building but not a stone remains.
We had rather a cross country run and voted Suffolk with its.old cottages and
farm houses round its numerous greens and commons the most unspoilt county in
. England though· lacking the wild beauty of Herefordshire. At Framlingham we stopped
to view the castle, a huge fortalise wall and no residential amenities. It must
have been a pure barrack possibly in half-timber inside a huge battlemented wall.'
We arrived at Parham New Hall at 7 where Mrs. D.C. a pretty woman and a large party
of pretty children, mostly left in her care by Anglo Indians. The house is a,fine
one and looks like one of Charles Barry's chaste designs.
Tues.,15th Apr.
I had boasted of my weather luck and as the morn opened with, a thick mist
and drizzle, and Mrs. D.C.laughed at me. But after following Percy who had gone
to view the fine Tudor remains of the old' moated hall, a misty sun appearing I
said "the Sl n of Austerlitz". We started in rain and hood up, but in 2 miles it
cleared to a day of Italian skies. Parham Old Hall is, I think, the original
of Stevenson's Tunstall House in his book The Black Arrow. 'We made good progress
to Thetford where we lunched and the beauty of the day persuaded us to change our
course to Ely. Flying down the wild forest country to Mildenhall we crossed,the
fens, where wc struck a winding lane bordered by ditches beyond which on each side
close rows of willows just pollarded, looking like shock-heads leaning towards us,
a regular Rackham Avenue, as Percy said, gave you a feeling of Jim Jams.
·Lf
Ely surpassed all expectations, both town and cathedral, a gem set in a
turquoise sky. At Wisbeach we had tea at the Hotel, for over a century in the
hands of one family and noted for its port,all its proprietors the last 140 years im
importing casks and acted as Merchants. Percy bought 2 dozen and the owner hearing
I had travelled 250 miles to ~ample gave us a brimming beaker each. Reached
Langar for dinner and next morning Percy dropped me at Epperstone.
Thurs.24th Apr.
To London to stay with Margaret, Sandy being on guard his dressingroom
gave mea bed, a tiny flat in Brook Street, its situation is good,next the
Guards New Club and Claridges where Aunt Kate stays and entertains. I called
round at Molly H. and saw the lovely Patricia child of 2 and then to see Harold
and Nell'at their house in Victoria Square.
~i.,25th Apr.
Antonia, Lady Charnwood' s daughter to lunch and Edward and Monica and
Mrs. Bryan to tea. Dined with the Harolds.
Sat. ,26th Apr.
Harold got me a well turned out Daimler for 20/~ and so with Margaret
to Sutton in Surrey to lunch withheD aunts Lucy and Edith Champneys who have
a house on 2 acres in Benhill Road and really in.the country, full of valuable
old family furniture, pictures and plate, Astley and Champneys. I returned
home by the 6 tr~n. Naughty Margaret had not called on her aunts before.
Our hunting this year has been spoilt by absurd restrictions for Foot &
Mouth Disease in cattle.
Sun. ,4th May.
The 8th Sherwoods shooting on the range. Geoffry, formerly an officer in
. the 3rd Grenadier Guards in 1918-19 has a commission therein, his captain an
old guardee alSO. Percy and Monica (sister-in-law) over from Langar and Major Ashwell
and Col. Bertram Abel Smith D.S.O. to tea after. Smith is a handsome man with a
Byron face.
sUn. ,18th May.
Captain Davenport and Geoffry to dinner as there was shooting on the Range.
Busy with Rent Audits for a month.
Sat. ,31st May •.
To Clixby which I reached at 11.45. The Burnells have an estate of 3 farms
and woods here, bought in 1834 about for £32,000 and now worth not more than £10,000.
Yet during all the Middle Ages it belonged to one of the 4 Knights ofCaistor who
played their part in national affairs, built a church of which the chancel remains,
and evidently a fine Manor House, now in part the principal farm house. Its rental
in 1~70 was £1500 a year, now £630.
Thurs. ,5th June.
To Gunthorpe to see if floods are up, .after heavy rains, as I am Chairman
of the Bridge over the Trent here.
 Sun. ,8th June.
Geoffry for lunch and Muriel (sister-in-law) to my Mother at the Cottage. '
Margaret came and I went with her to the Manor where many were playing tennis.
o tempes, 0 moresl~ Margie will soon stay with me for her expected child.,
Sat.,14th June.
Lunched at the Club with Edge of Strelley, of my old regiment; Sir' Lancelot ",
Rolleston and General Burn Murdock, the ,celebrated Cavalry Leader in'S. Africa-
now Sir John, K.C.B. Tea at Gonalston Rectory, with the Rector and Mrs. Ferris,
their neighbours the Honble. Mrs. Francklin and pretty friend Mrs. Rodwell came
in followed by Mrs. Hole of Caunton and ,her '6 ft. 6ins.son John. She was a"
'Markham. -
'Sun.,15th June.'
To Gonalston, Mrs. Francklin for tea.
Sat. ,21st June.
By 3 train to Langar Hall in the Vale. Margaret, , little Patricia and nurse,
Willie Randall and Dr. Taylor the~e. Margie stays, there till she comes to me.
Thurs. ,26th June. , ,
My brother'Charlie motored me to his Lodge at Sigsworth in Nidderdale,
started at 3, had tea at Wetherby and- got to his place for dinner. On the other
side of the Court is a veritable Tudor cottage, with a good sittingroom downstairs
and 2 others, and 3 rooms upstairs, the gardens lovely and the fairy glen with its
waterfall a show place, 300 acres woods around the house and above',towers the
Moor, Charlie also has 3 miles of trout fishing, a sportsman's paradise.
Fri. ,27th June.,
My sister-in-lawi Annie motored me to Harrogate, 16 miles.
Sat. ,28th June.
In the afterno~n walked up with Annie to their, lovely moor which we can
reach in 15 minutes. Dallongill runs through it and next to it'are,Lord Ripon's
famous moors. A wire told me of Miss LucyPaget's death, aged 93~ so I had
to return hastily home on Sunday.
Mon. ,30th June.
Left for London by breakfast train and from London Kings Cross reached Hadley
W~od for the funeral at 2.30 and renewed acquaintance with the numerous Mellor family, her
heirs. Got home by dinner train. Miss Paget the last of that family, owners of Ruddington
of some 1500 acres of the most fertile land in Notts., the family were ,the pioneers of
the Midland Railway aEa numerous and very wealthy clan ,in Notts and Leicester and
celebrated for thmir unostentatious benevolence.
Margaret arrived to stay over her lying in. The London flat let in May to
Bouch, M.F.H. the Belvoir, relieves an expense.
Mon. ,7th June.
Muriel Hicking to lunch. Margaret's arrival brings a succession of pretty
friends to see her.
0<" , .
Tues. ,8th June.
Col. Baily, late Robin Hoods, lost a hand in France, a skilful architect,
came about our new heating and has made a success, an ornament not the usual
eyesore. At tea at the Rectory for Women's Guild.,
Thurs. ,lOth July. ,
To Widmerpoolfor lunch with my old friend Major Robertson.,
Sat. ,12th July.
Met HaIler, the County Surveyor, about a pass road south of stream at
Epperstone he designs and will leave our sweet village in its pristine
quiet and side eddy. But it will be four years hence when the new great bridge
at Gunthorpe is finished. We have agreed to sell our bridge for £9000 odd to
the county. '
Mon.,14th July.
The weather has been perfect some time past. Sandy came to see Margaret,
and Molly came to Clarkes where the child Patricia is.'Both to dinner here and
during the week I had Sandy's mother Mrs. Hogarth and Aunt Kate,Mrs.Homberger,
over. Sandy left on Thursday and I to Winkburn that day to see the Colonel (Burnell)
now confined to his room.
July, 21st •
, Miss Irving the maternity nurse came, a handsome lady about 60,' arid was
daughter to Dr. Irving formerly of 'Newark. It is pleasant to have a lady on this
business.
Thurs. ,24th July.
To Mrs. Edward Francklin's garden, party at Gonalston Hall.
Fri. ,25th July.
To the appeal against assessment of Gunthorpe Bridge at Southwell and
got £00 off.
Sat. ,26th July.
Sandy came to stay.
Sun. ,27th July.
Sandy left in the afternoon after he and Margie had gone to the Manor.
Muriel Hicking, the pretty fair girl coming, I with her followed" to the ~anor.
Margie is plucky abd walks regularly, she is not at all ashamed of her condition
with false modesty, for there was much company. After 'all a young wife has reason
for pride. She was becomingly dressed so there was no offensive appearance but
a modest one.
Mon ~ ,28th July ~
Symptoms came and in consultation with Miss Irving I wired Dr. Hunnard at
Hansfield to come and stay the night. He arrived at 10 and went to bed but only
for 2 hours.
Tues.,29th July.
Margaret's first child born at 5 a.m., a painless birth and within i hour
I saw Margaret sitting up in bed on pillows and she laughing said the next must
be a boy.
All wellI went on to the Puppy Show at Gedling Kennels with Capt.,Sherbrooke,R.N.
Thurs.,3lst July.
Motored to Mrs. Holes garden party at.Caunton, a large function and
congratulated' on my granddaughter's arrival.
Sun. ,3rd Aug.
Th~ Mother and child centre of attraction. Sandy rushed over on short
leave from his regiment, also Haroldand Nell, Percyand.Muriel and my neph~w
Patrick and Molly all from Langar.
Tues. ,5th Aug.
Sandy motored me to Winkburn, I to see the Colonel upstairs., Sandy'
left on the 8th.
Tues. ,12th Aug.
" . .

To Newark and on to.Balderton Hall for lunch with my cousin Emily Warwick
and then to Winthorpe to see Joseph Gilstrap Branston, lifelong friend of my
family, now 85 but retains his good looks. An affliction of the throat prevents
his eating food. His.son Bertie lives in a house nearby.
Weds.,20th Aug.
Mrs. Chas. Richardson and Evaover for lunch from Blankney.
Thurs. ,21st Aug.
Margie down for first time and my nephew.Patrick and his pretty wife Molly
to dinner, staying at Clarkes en route for Sigsworth, Yorks,
Thurs. ,21th Aug.
My brother Percy came for me and by .the Rufford Road to Doncaster Race.
Course where Arthur Wood in his car waited for us. We lunched here, I bringing a
matured bottle of Berncastlerfor them. As Percyhad a faster car we diverged
to see Campsall in the fine Norman church of which our Mother was married
May 1861. Her uncle by marriage being Rector there. Curiously then at the Hall'
lived the sisters of my uncle Thorold Wood. We rejoined Wood for tea at Wetherby and
got to SigsworthLodge 3 miles from Pateley Bridge for dinner, with Charlie and Annie.
Fri. ,29th Aug.
Shooting grouse onSigsworth Craggs. Annie, Harold and Nell joined us
for lunch. 8 guns.
Sat. ,30th Aug.
Shooting Bigsworth Craggs the 2 days produced about 100 brace.
Sun. ,31st Aug.
We left Sigsworth at 10.30 and did the 96 miles in 2~ hours. So lunch
at Epperstone and on to tea at Langar, where Sand~ and Charlie also were and
Harold and Nell from Harrogate en route for Devon.
Mon. ,1st Sept.
Dr. and Mrs. Hunnard from Mansfield for lunch•. He Margaret's' coucher.
Sandy left, but his family still with me.
\'leds. ,3rd Sept.
Muriel Hicking over to see Margie, a pretty fair-haired girl.
8·
Thurs.,4th Sept.
I was over at Winkburn. Col. Challinor there, so on to Gonalston to tea with
theDowager Francklin where Mrs. Foljambe wife of late Col. George Foljambe, and
her yountest daughter,and Charlie also came in.
Sat. ,6"th Sept •.
Sandy came again and Eva Richardson and Richard (brother) all at the Cottage
with my Mother, so with Margaret, Miss Irving and baby no lack of society for me."
It is fortunate in less than 1 year of Margaret's married life I have had her here
or close by for 5 months.
Sun.,7th Sept.
. . All percy' s party from Langar over •
. Mon. ,8th Sept.
Sandy' left but Eva and Dick to dinner.
Mon.,15th'Sept.
Canon Greenwood came from KirbyWharfe, he had married Polly and me,
. christened Marg~et, married her and'now to christen Veronica. He is 81.
Tues.,16th Sept.
Margaret's girl baby christened Veronica, "Budge" Firth, Percy and Capt.·
Roger Wright godfathers. Mrs. Homberger, Mrs. Bourne of the Manor here and
Mrs. Bridges; wife of Col. Bridges, family of late Alec Astley, godmothers,
and a strong party of both families made a fine family group in the church,
11 months since the wedding. Canon Greenwood gave the child £100 to.be invested.
Weds. ,17th Sept.
All my party leave me. Margaret to Nottingham Rope Walk to stay with the
.Hogarths.
Thurs. ,18th Sept. a.t,.~~ . .' .' .

Eric ~ed';:ant:p.i~ wife to lunch motoring from Scotland. Margaret was here
also. Violet HePaci:j'Yh~.t}Irt;mpneys, Polly's niece, he is a City Magnate in Rubber
and now M.P~ for Dev1zes.
Fri.,19th Sept.
70 Nottingham and to tea at Hogarth's romantic planned house with Margie and
the baby. The house is large and rambling in Tudor style, a small lavm, a tunnel
approach leads to the hanging gardens of terraces and grottoes in the rock looking
. south over the Park and the Trent valley to the hanging woods of Clifiton on the
Trent Bank.
Sat.,20th Sept.
To Winchester to stay with Polly's cousin, Katie Spencer, who lives there since
the sale of Dlifford Priory, her daughter Margaret a handsome girl with her, whose
lover was killed in the War.
Sun. ,21st Sept.
To Communion Service (musical) in a very old church nearCompton Road. Budge Firth,
Sandy's cousin and now a master.at the School to tea. Budge had gone to the bar but
Head here was urgent for him to take a vacancy. Budge had been star bowler for the
School when here and also for Oxford.
Mon. ,22nd Sept.
Walked with Katie to st. Cross by the field path, where the most mediaeval
view includes the Cathedral, the School and the fine Norman Church of St. Cross
and the Hospital buildings. Admired a most excellent picture by Matrese in the
south aisle~ In the afternoon with Madge (Katie Spencer's 30 year old daughter)
to the Cathedral and crypt wherein is a well sacre'd to Diana of the old temple
once here. We had tea with Budge Firth in his lodgi~~an old 18th century house ,
just opposite the new memorial cloister and afterwards he took us through the old
Schools and \~ardens garden. Lord Selborne the \~arden I met at Welbeck 5 years ago.
Tues.,23rd Sept_
Motored by Madge with Katie to Lee on Solent and met Molly (Patrick's wife)
on the parade and to lunch with her~ Patrick is stationed here R.F.C. Sunny but
a rough green sea in the Solent seemed more solid than the land. 'A pretty girl
Miss Betts staying here, following up a lover I think. Her father now at Cologne
is Colonel Betts, the Army's Master at Arms. In our walk after we saw the flying
boats at practice and 14 Torpedo B Destroyers pass for the Mediterranean and the
Monster Liner the Acquitania passed for Southampton and though in full view
the sunlight was such you lost sight of her against the Island. Returning Budge
came for dinner.
Heds.,24th Sept.
Madge and I had a happy motor run to the New Forest and explored its western
side by Sloden and·its yews, Broomy Heath, etc. but came back to ~lm~r Lm~n
near Brockenhurst for lunch.
Thurs.,25th Sept.
Motored with Madge and Katie to Greatbridge near Romsey for lunch with
Colonel and Mollie Bridges, Ben Astley her son by 1st marriage (Alec Astley was
killed in Mespot) is'a handsome boy. A pleassnt house and garden through which
a good trout stream runs.
Fri. ,26th Sept •.'
To st. Cross, as I go most mornings to see the Matrese picture, and strolling
about Hinchester all day.
Sat. ,27th Sept.
Returned after a happy week, but going I had to change from Nottingham to
Winchester, this time a long wait midway. Tea at the Rope Walk with the Hogarths
where Margaretand baby.Veronica. .
October.
I had a lot of cub hunting, and on the 2nd Hargaret motored over with Mrs.
Homberger, Miss Irving and the baby, packed up her things here and left after for
Farnham in Hants,Sandy's regiment being at Aldershot, and except for visits of
Edward to me and social calls and teas at the Rectory and Gonalston Hall, etc. :
nothing of moment.
Sat.,25th Oct. and Sun.,26th.
To our 8th Sherwood Annual dinner, at the Town Hal:l:-, Newark, and Sunday
we had, the Commemoration Service in this fine church here where is our memorial
chapel, the playing by the band of "the Retreat" and IlRevd.a.l~ll most impressive.
After service I went to the Friary to see my old friend Mrs. Beanston and her
daughter and there a reunion of officers and old friends and some of her excellent port.
Tues. ,28th and Weds. ,29th.
Given up to the General Election when Labour (red revolution) and rotten
Liberal were swept away and the Tory Party came in with 240 majority ',over ,all.
No such majority ever before returned. '
Thurs. ,30th Oct.
Attending the Grand Jury.
Fri. ,31st Oct.
Charlie and General Morris for lunch. General M. then Capt. was our Brigade
'(139th) Staff Capt. in 1914, a most cheery man.
November 5th and 6th.
I had to go to Thorpe Garth near Aldeburgh on the Yorks coast near,Hull
and spent the day going through Lincolnshire toBart~n Ferry and so to Hull where
I stayed the night and by car next morning to Aldeburgh. ~nest of broken down shanties
on the cliff forces a sewage scheme. Returning from Hull via Doncaster I fell in
conversation with one who I found was Sir Harold Reckittwith whom I had been at
School. Many there had risen to some distinction. Goulding'my special chum is
now Lord Wargrove. H.P. Pease also in my form is Lord Daryncourt and a Minister.
Priestman is anR.A. and Bowring now Sir Edgar"High Commissioner Newfoundland.
Sat. ,22nd Nov.
Col. ,Burnell of Winkburn died this morning so I went over and to Southwell
to see Bishop and Archdeacon as to using family vault~
Mon. ,24th Nov.
Again to Winkburn and went into the vault full of Burnell coffins: some of
lead and broken, one a child sister of the Colonel's, the entrance in the floor
of the church., Col. Challinor,the solicitor, over. Alton a brother succeeds and
is ill.
Tues. ,25th Nov.
, To the simple impressive funeral of myoId friend and whose estates I manage. ,
All the tenants there, including the Lincolnshire ones, Starkey, Capt. Sherbrooke,
Revds. Coghill and Warrand. Hubert and Lady Sybil Argles there. I lunched at the
Hall with Major Annesley Burnell, Challinor, Sampson, agent of Derbyshire estate
lately sold, an~ Revd. Eastham.
Vleds. and Thurs. ,26th and 27th.
In bed with flu. During the next 2 weeks I was much engaged with business.
'Fri.,12th Dec.
Returning from Farnsfield I heard that myoId friend Major Robertson was
seriously'ill so went on to Widmerpool where I found his niece Miss Kyndersley and
Col. Jacinth Coke. The Major died that night.'
\\
Sat.,13th Dec.
With Col. Coke to the solicitor, the silly old fool of a woman secretary
had sent to Col. Coke saying he was the heir, but we found 9/10ths of the Major's
possessions left to a distant cousin, W. Allundal Monckton, who is in ITersey,
age about 27. The funeral was on Tuesday; 16th December.
Weds.,17th Dec.
r attended the Hunt Ball and on the 19th the Hospital Ball, dining with.Mrs. H~
,previously and during the day had met Monckton and his brother'at Widmerpool.
Tues.,23rd Dec.
r went to Widmerpool and lunched at the Hall and arranged with the public.
trustee tooput valuation of the Estate.
Weds. ,24th Dec.
r went over to Winkburn for tea with Miss Burnell and later a game with
my Mother.
Thursday, 25th December. Christmas Day.
My hitherto solitary Christmas was relieved by a party for mid-day dinner.
All the party from Langar, Percy, Muriel and 2 boys, Charlieand Annie with them.
Margaret and Sandy who were staying with his party, and later ~hey took me to
Mrs. Homberger in Nottingham Park where we had a large family party for dinner~
Mrs. H's sister, Mrs. ~, her husband and the Hogarths, etc.
. ~i~~ ..
Fr~.,26th Dec.
r met hounds at Car Colston and after a run left at Staunton, 16 miles
away, where r went in to see the old house and the portraits of the Stauntons.·