Dec 11th
I was reading last night in my diary of 1912 and found it most interesting in the light of present day events. It was just the time when the Suffragettes were making such exhibitions of themselves and I describe Town a wreck from their excesses. Well they have their way now for we go to record our votes on Saturday. Fools they may have been then and certainly behaved in a very disgusting way but in this War I think our sex has redeemed any former folly for Lloyd George last Monday speaking at the Queen’s Hall to a meeting of women emphatically declared that we should never have won this war without the women and then gave figures of the numbers who had gone on to Munitions, the Land, the Hospitals, Railways, Air Board etc etc. Indeed there is little that they have not worked at. If the men had suddenly been called upon to look after the house and babies I bet they would have washed the latter in ink and given it kippered herrings to eat. We go tonight to hear the Labour candidate speak, one Kelly.
(Later) A most bombastic speaker, a candidate for the job of PM I should think, and a woman speaker. The meeting when asked to hold up hands for Kelly held up none at all.
(See also April 1913, for April 6th diary entry and news of Mrs Pankhurst)
Dec 12th
What a dark time of year this is, when we get up in the mornings one cant see across the room and owing to the need of economy in everything I dress in the dark. It is extraordinarily warm which is a blessed mercy with coal at 2/7d per cwt. We never light a fire till the evening and then only of stick and coke, no coal is burnt except in the kitchen engine house and chicken boiler. I have been sitting on committees from 4 until nearly 7, the first that of the W.I. and then for the Hospital tea and tree on the 23rd. I have been put in charge of the latter, a big job.
Dec 13th, Friday
I am at present amusing myself by reading over old diaries. The one I am engaged on at present is 1913. What tons and heaps of fearful parochial and camp work I did, besides all the entertaining and dining out and then the number of times I used to fly to Town! What a strange difference, when a spoilt dish becomes a calamity, a spot of ink a tragedy, and an extra 2d on the butcher’s book an occasion for fear of bankruptcy!
Dec 14th
I heard today from Ell, he was just leaving Suez. I cannot help wondering where our feet will be wandering this time next year. A little house and two servants is my heart’s desire. I long for a small balance in the Bank too for a change, which we can never hope to have in this place. Besides I am sick of the “Trivialities” who live in this village with their petty and most malicious gossip.
RED LETTER DAY FOR WOMEN!
This was Polling Day and I, a mere woman, went to Record My Vote. Below is the man of my choice! My number on the register is 105. It was so strange today at the Poll to see the women rolling up and several old
boo boos brought their wives all dressed in their blacks and I doubt if many knew their rights from their left! Well, its been a great event and hardly won.
December 15th, Sunday
I am much elated because my hens have begun to lay again after a cessation of about six weeks!
December 16th, Monday
I went up this morning to witness a sweet making of Dorothy Lowes, she is an expert hand at it and makes them beautifully. Old Mrs L came pottering around and was severely reprimanded by DL who dismissed her abruptly with many dears and darlings as is the wont of people when snubbing one another! The climax being reached when she found that night lights had been bestowed in the same box as her cocoa butter to keep them from the mice.