May - June. Dartington. Europe dying while politicians squabble. Plight of intelligentsia. Export rejects. German POW. Marshall's plan. Earthly pleasures.
Thursday, May 1st
Tuesday was the day Hilary left for his first term at Dartington. Nora took him up to Paddington and he went off in a very crowded coach with a school party. He just missed seeing his cousin Myles, who stayed here last night with his mother on his way back to school. Myles though six months younger than Hilary is somewhat taller. He is, said Molly, a well brought up boy. Implication in her view Hilary could not be so described.
Most of the holiday Hilary slept in an American army bivouac tent till it was blown down, when he dragged it wet and covered with grass into the sitting room.
The Moscow Conference has broken down in total failure. Possibly the Russians, believing that soon the U.S.A. must collapse in economic slump and anarchy, are just following these obstructive delaying tactics of set purpose. It is difficult to know. They were offered four-party pact against Germany and a revised treaty with G.B., but in each case they used the offer to add other impossible demands and conditions, so that both projects collapsed. It looks as if we shall, or can, wait no longer. As Marshall says, while the doctors squabble, the patient, Europe, is dying, and we shall go ahead with the organization of a western Germany in co-operation with those who will co-operate.
Letter from Hilary at Dartington, dated April 30th, 1947 (spelling and grammar as written)
Dear mummy and daddy,
I hope you are well. I had quite a good journey down. We got here about four o'clock. Thank you for the letter card. I did not get to no any body on the train. But I have got quite a few friends now. I have discovered that you only go up
into the middle school if your work is good. We had a french lesson this morning. We have been playing cricket. I did not wake up in the morning and wonder where I was. We are not allowed to go out by our selves until we are in the middle school. I enjoyed the pic-nic dinner. I have made up my mind to work hard and get into the middle school as quickly as I can. We did not stop at westbury so it is a good thing we did not go to westbury. Getting up and going to bed are quite different from long-dene. We get up at half past 7 and go to bed at 8.00. But people who are over ten can read to half past. My cubicle is very nice. With my bed and table with draw, wardrobe with draws and a radiator. I was lovely to see the sea! We went up to the senior school to day. mrs grant is very nice, every body calls her mary.
With love
HILARY
P.S. Please send me some stamps.
P.S. Please send me some stamps.
Saturday, May 10th
Last Sunday Hilary wrote saying he felt rather homesick and tired; everything was so different from Long Dene. He asked for his tent, so I sent it by rail. Yesterday had a more cheerful letter. He had been swimming and fishing for trout in the Dart, but they had only caught small ones. They also seem to have been playing a lot of cricket.
Saw a good film, Odd Man Out; the first time I had been to the cinema for six months.
Monday, May 19th
Having supper by the river with Mary, got stung by a horsefly (I think), felt an itching, so scratched and got some staphylococci (I think) in it, first a boil which by Thursday had developed into a disgustingly painful carbuncle discharging blood and pus. Went to doctor on Thursday as swelling spreading to rest of leg, but to-day inflammation more local.
Fortunately bees did not decide to swarm when in this condition, but had meeting at Town Hall on development plan for schools on Wednesday night and this week have interview with maths men on Tuesday, sports on Wednesday and I had hoped to go down to Worthing on Thursday. Town Hall meeting had to compete with concert at the Congregational Church, so only got about 40 people.
Ginger Lane came at weekend, but I was too lame to do anything by limp on terrace. Told me Keeper of Ceramics Dept (at Victoria & Albert Museum), Mr Honey, had started life as boy sorter in the Post Office, been moved to museum and worked his way up from bottom. Now second greatest authority on Chinese pottery.
Hilary says he goes quite regularly to lessons and we have not had a letter for some time, which is a good sign.
Ginger Lane, Like Margaret Burton, very bitter about plight of intelligentsia, forced to spend time on routine work of domestic service, while sections of the population devote themselves to dogs and pools, and unskilled labour demands wages that the middle class, impoverished and harassed, cannot possibly pay. Nora says she is beginning to think “the common man” is becoming a bit too common.
Interesting to see Ginger Lane washing up, however, as an expert he handles the most utility of mugs as if it were Ming. He had been to the Potteries; apparently the hunger for coloured pottery is so great that the theft of pottery for export rivals doing wrong to girls as the most popular activity of the natives.
Sunday, June 1st
Sports Day was on May 21st, a lovely day, fine but not too hot, and several records broken. My leg was still very sore with a great black scab on, but got on fairly well. Had intended to go down to Worthing on Thursday, night, but finally went on Friday and arrived about 3.30. Stayed at the Grosvenor Hotel on sea front. Hotel not very full. Paid 1 guinea a day each and food not over much either for that. Worthing full of day visitors in cars, but not at all smart; hardly saw a fashionably dressed woman on the front all the time we were there. Air beautifully fresh and cool off the sea even at the hottest part of the day. A band in the evening in an enclosure which played third rate music, but only charged 6d for a deck chair and music. Went out on the Downs twice, to Chanctonbury Ring and behind Wittering.
Wednesday, June 4th
Up the valley there is a German POW camp and to-day had a letter from the interpreter asking if some of the men could practice running on the sports track. Plint, the chairman of the House Committee, agreed, so to-night I went up to the camp. The interpreter turned out to be a charming young man from Rostock who had learnt English at a grammar school there. He explained that a few men wanted to run, but they could not run on the roads because they did not have any gym shoes. He was wearing wooden pattens, I noticed. When I left I shook hands with a German for the first time since Frau Paterna came here in 1938.
The last week we have had a heat wave with very high temperatures at night, but to-day it broke with wind and cloud and much cooler.
Sunday, June 8th
On June 5th Mr Marshall, Sec. of State, made a speech in which he suggested that the U.S.A. would underwrite a plan of reconstruction for Europe if the European nations would combine to work out one for themselves. He was against assistance on a piecemeal basis as a crisis developed here and there. I hope this opportunity can be taken and that this initiative will put an end to the controversies about federating European democracies as a balance to the power of the U.S.A.
Newspaper headline: “Travel comfort – More room to stand in new railway coaches”.
This week the Indian plan of the new viceroy, Mountbatten, and the Indian leaders announced. Partition into Pakistan and Hindustan to take place immediately and both to have dominion status. The Punjab and Bengal to be divided on the basis of population figures, subject to rectification later.
Thursday, June 12th
Sciatica seems to be gaining ground on me and am very depressed that I have a return of it at the height of summer. What chance do I stand in the winter. Went up on the Downs yesterday afternoon with Mary and got to Lowbury Camp where we lay among the long grasses in the sun and wind and heard the peewits calling as they wheeled and tumbled over the ploughed land. Perhaps summer has already passed its peak. The pollen has been blown from the grass ears, the nightingale and the cuckoo are not heard as they were. The hay is being cut and the leaves are turning to a darker green.
From Europe the news is not good at all. The Hungarian communists with the support of the Russians, who have shortly to withdraw their troops under the new treaty, have overthrown the coalition government, which has been in power since the election, by a coup d’etat. The premier, a member of the Peasant Party, has escaped. We have asked Mr Molotov for an explanation, but he has refused one and accused us of interference. The usual tactics, denial and counter charge, as in Persia, as in Germany, as in Bulgaria, etc, etc. The police state in action. We cannot go on like this indefinitely. There is talk of bringing the issue to the U.N.O. If so it will end it and we should be better off with the Russians out than in as far as I can see. At present we are wasting time and getting nowhere at all.
J.B. Priestley is giving a series of short chats. Took as his topic this week 7d Teas, these teas and all the good things you could get in farmhouses before 1914 for 7d. I have had some of them, or even 6d teas, or eat as much as you could for 1/-. Prices now rising all the time. Went to see the matron of the nursing home on Monday for hernia operation, only to find that since last year the charges have gone up and three weeks in bed will cost me 39 guineas and then the surgeon’s fee in addition. What a way to spend your savings!
Saturday, June 14th
“The advent of death is like the coming of a great wind: no man knows whence it is or where it goes. Its visitation is often without reason and its action without intent the understanding may perceive. One thing alone it shews. By his death a man sets a seal upon his life and in the manner of his dying is revealed the strength of his spirit. For the spirit of man is formed in the secret places of his will and shaped by the private utterances of his desires. He himself knows not its ways or perceives the manner of its growth and in life few achieve the full expression of the spirit, compassed about as we are by the world and its implications. But if the spirit is set upon high things then in death it will be without fear, not as the foolish who know not solemnity, but with true courage, dignity and consideration.”
Officer of Fleet Air Arm, killed July 7th, 1942
Sunday, June 15th
Nora came back from a visit to Hilary at Dartington. She went by road and did the journey in about six hours, which was good going. Hilary seems to like his new school, but he is very critical of it and compares it with Long Dene. He is obviously finding the junior school work too easy and should be moved to the middle school as soon as possible.
Nora bought me a very nice early 19th century chair, most comfortable with sensible back and arms.
Monday, June 16th
We and the French are to hold talks on the plan of Mr Marshall to help Europe if Europe will put forward a scheme of economic rebuilding. The French have asked the Russians if they would like to exchange views on the subject.
Stayed in the house all day with a second carbuncle on my leg – very painful and could hardly put my trousers on.
Wednesday, June 18th
Still indoors with carbuncle but must get to school to-morrow as staff away. Nora complaining about fruit. Gooseberries 3/6 a pound, then controlled to 9½ d, whereupon they all disappear as if by magic. Either you get fantastic prices, or controlled prices without the goods. You can take your choice. Both thinking of being vegetarians in the next ration period. More cheese and fats in exchange for no meat or bacon. N thinks that meat will be so bad in winter that it would be worth trying. We are raising a dozen cockerels at present.
St Augustine’s catalogue of earthly pleasures: The comeliness of the body, the fair harmony of time, the brightness of light, sweet melodies of every kind, perfumes of flowers, ointments and spices, manna and honey, the delectableness of lovely limbs.
Another version of the Chinese saying a wife should be the three Cs, a good cook, a good companion and a good concubine. A French woman in a dance, a Dutch woman in the kitchen, an Italian in a window, an English woman at board, a Spaniard in bed.
Saturday, June 21st
Got so fed up with sciatica on Wednesday that decided to go up to London and consult a specialist again on possibility of trying to tackle this rather than hernia this holidays. Felt that to spend a lot of money then to find one self faced with another winter like last no fun at all and to be avoided if at all possible.
Russians have not replied to invitation. Some think better not to have asked them. One M.P. said that when Mr Molotov is put on the spot, he kicks. Another pointed out that Russia has paralysed the U.N.O. by the veto, disregarded the Potsdam agreement, flouted and caused to be flouted all those values for which we fought in the war, but the immense power for evil did not come from her strength, but from the fact that Europe was divided and distracted almost to extinction.
Speaking of Hungary, Mr Bevin said that opinions ought not to be called conspiracy. He had at that rate been engaged in conspiracy all his life.
Sunday, June 22nd
France is reported to have given a promise that she will act without Russia if necessary at this turning point in Europe’s history – the choice between new economic life and slow decay and death….. Very characteristic that the controlled Russian press had nothing to say about the Marshall offer as they had not been told what the official line was. Cannot say I am optimistic if the Russians do decide to come in. Nor of what effect this would have on U.S. opinion, where the plan is in some quarters supported because Russia is believed to be deliberately creating chaos in order to spread Communism in Europe…… The Central Development Authority could become the Federal Government of Europe. Some kind of economic integration must be brought about to cut across the old lines of national sovereignty, which are completely out of date and belong, as (H. G.)Wells always used to say, to the days of the horse and stage coach.
But can we do it? The time is very short indeed and the opportunity fleeting. We are living at a moment like that of a battle when a decision must be reached quickly or the campaign will go down to defeat. This is the only certainty. I wish it was not, but the record of Russia since 1945 is bad and she controls Europe east of the Elbe-Adriatic line. Either full co-operation, or co-operation with those states who will work together in the West.
Bees rather a menace and quite a number of children have been stung. Shall have to do something to make them fly up next year. Query, wire netting. Nora stung to-day and face very swollen.
Monday, June 23rd.
The Russians are coming to Paris on Friday. Hope this is a good thing…..
Tuesday, June 24th
Took day off and went to see Dr Stone in Wimpole Street. He advised to go to Droitwich rather than have the hernia operation…. Had lunch at Debenham & Freebody, no queue and much more pleasant that at Fortnum & Mason; had roast beef, new potatoes and peas, strawberry sundae and tea, over 6/-. Had hair cut and went off to see exhibition at British Museum … the best of their collection combed out and these exhibited in the one long Edward VII Gallery…. Then to (Lyons) Corner House at Tottenham Court Road where had excellent tea with strawberry flan and ice cream.
Sunday, June 29th
Molly down for weekend. Worked hard with bees and got well stung, but made three new colonies. Have booked hotel in Droitwich at 6 guineas for three weeks and hope this will be more pleasant than guest house with colonels in 1942.
The Paris conference has started. Its sessions are secret, but it is believed the Russians are saying they must know more about the U.S. offer…. To succeed we need a complete change of Russian policy and don’t think we are likely to get it.
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