tournaments, swimming in the Knowle pool, walks in the woods and excursions to London to
buy hats and to see the Trooping of the Colour – and does some lessons with her governess. But what of the school friends Anne has left behind, with whom she still exchanges letters? Did her
mother not realise that these friendships were important, particularly for an only child? Having Angela, who was two years older, come over to play at Knowle was not the same for Anne as spending
hours each day in class with other girls. I was sure that this rash decision of my grandmother’s to remove Anne from school had helped sow the seeds that made my mother feel so often that she
was a special case, that she was exempt from the boring duties of life, that she did not have to muck in.
On her return from that holiday with her American relations, she misses her older cousin.
May 18th. I do miss Peggie so much I think she was awfully nice to me considering I am seven years younger than she
is, she must consider me a mere babe, I adore her and I would do anything for her and all I have succeeded in doing is forgetting to bring her statues home, oh dear life is really too hard. My
silver pencil is lost, I hope we find it soon.
The American relations seemed to be always changing their plans:
May 22nd. I don’t know where Aunt Dita is or anything, Uncle Jay is supposed to be sailing on the 24th, heaven only knows if he is or not. Jerry killed a
large mouse this evening. Mum comes home tomorrow anyhow and I shall know everything then thank goodness. I think I shall go up early on Monday and have my hair permanently waved and buy a
hat.
May 24th. Mum has heard from Aunt Dita, she arrives at the Ritz tomorrow. I am having my hair permanently waved for the first time next Monday, I am thrilled about
it. We are going to the Trooping of the Colour Tuesday week Admiral Rushton has sent us 3 tickets for his room at the Admiralty, it ought to be rather fun, I went last year and sat in the Horse
Guards Balcony.
May 25th. We played Tennis most of the day and Billy came to lunch . . . This morning I was going to drive the car to take Aunt Kathleen to church but unfortunately
we met that damned Martinet Chownie in the stable yard and he wouldn’t let me go, he is a fool, and Clancy contradicted me when I said that people under age could get a driving licence by
passing a test, he is a fool too. Aunt Dita is not arriving in London now until Monday.
I noted the entry about Anne’s conflict with her stepfather. She does appear self-willed, and a bit spoilt, but does not actually get her own way.
May 26th.
I went up to London on the 9.50 today and was 10 minutes late for the Hairdresser’s appointment, I had a man called Mr John and a woman. First of all they
washed my hair and dried it, then they twisted it into long things and tied it with string, then they twisted it up in blue papers which smelt of ammonia, this process hurt most terribly, it was
agony and I felt like screaming with pain, after that they fixed the papers to a machine and steamed it for 5 or 6 minutes and then the papers and ******* were taken off and the hair washed again
dried and set, it was rather a hateful process really but well worth the trouble as the hair looks very nice.
Mum rang up to say would I like to spend the night at the flat and see Aunt Dita, but I said no as I shouldn’t see much of her, and she would be tired after the journey and my
dear Peggie wouldn’t be there anyway and I am glad to be away from Chownie too as I hate the blinking Martinet, I don’t think Peggie likes him at all either I am sure she thinks him a
perfect fool by the way she behaves, I don’t know if Aunt Dita likes him or not, I don’t think she does much, Uncle Jay is indifferent I think. I am going to back Lansdowne in the Derby
if it runs as I landed on that with a pin 3 times tonight.
May 27th. Mr Mears gave me the tip of ‘Knight of Lorn’for the Derby, I
buy hats and to see the Trooping of the Colour – and does some lessons with her governess. But what of the school friends Anne has left behind, with whom she still exchanges letters? Did her
mother not realise that these friendships were important, particularly for an only child? Having Angela, who was two years older, come over to play at Knowle was not the same for Anne as spending
hours each day in class with other girls. I was sure that this rash decision of my grandmother’s to remove Anne from school had helped sow the seeds that made my mother feel so often that she
was a special case, that she was exempt from the boring duties of life, that she did not have to muck in.
On her return from that holiday with her American relations, she misses her older cousin.
May 18th. I do miss Peggie so much I think she was awfully nice to me considering I am seven years younger than she
is, she must consider me a mere babe, I adore her and I would do anything for her and all I have succeeded in doing is forgetting to bring her statues home, oh dear life is really too hard. My
silver pencil is lost, I hope we find it soon.
The American relations seemed to be always changing their plans:
May 22nd. I don’t know where Aunt Dita is or anything, Uncle Jay is supposed to be sailing on the 24th, heaven only knows if he is or not. Jerry killed a
large mouse this evening. Mum comes home tomorrow anyhow and I shall know everything then thank goodness. I think I shall go up early on Monday and have my hair permanently waved and buy a
hat.
May 24th. Mum has heard from Aunt Dita, she arrives at the Ritz tomorrow. I am having my hair permanently waved for the first time next Monday, I am thrilled about
it. We are going to the Trooping of the Colour Tuesday week Admiral Rushton has sent us 3 tickets for his room at the Admiralty, it ought to be rather fun, I went last year and sat in the Horse
Guards Balcony.
May 25th. We played Tennis most of the day and Billy came to lunch . . . This morning I was going to drive the car to take Aunt Kathleen to church but unfortunately
we met that damned Martinet Chownie in the stable yard and he wouldn’t let me go, he is a fool, and Clancy contradicted me when I said that people under age could get a driving licence by
passing a test, he is a fool too. Aunt Dita is not arriving in London now until Monday.
I noted the entry about Anne’s conflict with her stepfather. She does appear self-willed, and a bit spoilt, but does not actually get her own way.
May 26th.
I went up to London on the 9.50 today and was 10 minutes late for the Hairdresser’s appointment, I had a man called Mr John and a woman. First of all they
washed my hair and dried it, then they twisted it into long things and tied it with string, then they twisted it up in blue papers which smelt of ammonia, this process hurt most terribly, it was
agony and I felt like screaming with pain, after that they fixed the papers to a machine and steamed it for 5 or 6 minutes and then the papers and ******* were taken off and the hair washed again
dried and set, it was rather a hateful process really but well worth the trouble as the hair looks very nice.
Mum rang up to say would I like to spend the night at the flat and see Aunt Dita, but I said no as I shouldn’t see much of her, and she would be tired after the journey and my
dear Peggie wouldn’t be there anyway and I am glad to be away from Chownie too as I hate the blinking Martinet, I don’t think Peggie likes him at all either I am sure she thinks him a
perfect fool by the way she behaves, I don’t know if Aunt Dita likes him or not, I don’t think she does much, Uncle Jay is indifferent I think. I am going to back Lansdowne in the Derby
if it runs as I landed on that with a pin 3 times tonight.
May 27th. Mr Mears gave me the tip of ‘Knight of Lorn’for the Derby, I
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