In 1894, Edward is 18 years old, Kate is 15 years old and Alys is 10 years old.
Inscribed in the front of diary (marked Apr/May 1894)
K. Boyd
Bournemouth
Vol V
“The little black books!”
April 9th 1894
Bournemouth
Monday. April 9th
Practised, while Doz had lessons 10-11. Then had lessons with the Napier’s. History Exams; Henry III and the Crusades. Miss Boodle to dinner.
In afternoon she and Doz went to Charles Halle’s[1] Concert. Mother and I took Alys, Audrey, Gwen, Clem and Brian up to Dean Park to Hailey School Sports. They played with the little Hardy’s. Drove back, worked in evening.
Tuesday. 10th.
Did maps for lessons early, then when Napier’s came had composition exam, (geographical) Greek Islands, etc. Had my dinner first in a hurry. Edward came home!!! I had to rush off directly with Ethel to the drawing-class, last. Miss Coles gave me a lot of free-hand copies, and her address. I must do drawing and send to her. We played to Edward in evening on piano.
Wednesday. 11th.
A thunderstorm last night. I rode on Stag. Maud came too on Ruby. We went along sands to Win (me: Winton), and Talbot Woods, Common etc. Long lovely ride. Ed marked lawn. I rested in afternoon, awfully hot! Wore cotton shirt for first time this year. Mr and Mrs and Dr Fogerty and Mr Joint, and Mr Miller, and Mrs and May and Nell Trevanion all came to tea and tennis. I played for first time this year with Mr Fogerty and Miller.
Thursday. 12th
Mother and I went by two omnibuses to town; took Conis. Mother got me new shoes, petticoats, and shirt. Also present for Aunt Rosa and other things. Conis very good. Rather cold. Photo from Moirs (friend). Mother to working-party. E, D and A to Mrs Wyatt’s. Mr Miller in to tennis with Doz and me. Doz beat him at a single! Miss MacKenzie, Gwen, Miss Miller and Miss Fraser called. Mr Miller to supper, played chess with Edward.
Friday. 13th
Mother and I took a trap to Westbourne. I had my dress tried on at Miss Neaves. Met Miss Boodle and Andrews. Miss B asked us all to come with her to New Forest tomorrow. We accepted, and asked Miss A to dinner today. She came. Doz, Alys and I went to “The Hawthorns” to play tennis with Miss Radmur and Miss Price. We had tea and some lovely times. Enjoyed it awfully. In evening, Doz and Alys skirt-danced[2] to Edward.
Saturday. 14th
Pouring in the morning so we could not go to New Forest. I did heaps of odds and ends about the house, marked my stockings, ribboned Miss Andrew’s bag, etc. In afternoon, Doz, Edward and Alys went to town. I went up to Westbourne to get ribbon and new comb. Called at Miss Boodle, walked back with Ethel. Mother washed all our heads in evening. I finished Miss Manny pin-cushion.
Sunday. 15th
Mother and Doz to Church. I did the flowers and changed my dress, put on grey – Miss Blaikley and Elsie came to dinner. After dinner we looked at books, I wrote to Hatty, they’re having scarlet fever again. Above stayed to tea, as it rained and we could not go to Mrs Wyatt’s. In evening Doz accompanied me violin batiste and also other things, Edward read to us Tennisonian, etc.
London
Monday. 16th
Packed all the morning. Drove to the station, went in train to London. I was met by Kitty and Jack. Went in hansom to 23 Belsize Crescent. Had tea, saw over house, Mr John Barnard to high tea. Played on old piano and unpacked after tea. Went to bed in spareroom with Kitty. Laughed a great deal in lovely bed.
Tuesday. 17th
Breakfast 7.45 made beds with Kitty. Drew while she read to me Reigate Squires[3]. Lunch, read duets on drawing-room piano. Gave Box (Kate and Alys’ cat) cod liver oil. Wrote letter card to Mother. Dinner. Went out on Hampstead Heath with Kitty. Bought and eat lots of sweets, also ices. Came back, had rests. Long read “Black Beauty”. Did balls. High tea. Dressed up. Edward too called in the evening. Rip of Patty’s best dress and Quits.
Wednesday. 18th
Very late to breakfast. Played balls all morning. I drew. K read “Black Poodle”, Ansty[4]. Dressed and went to Aunt Alys’ Fairfax R32. No one there but Miss Parsons. K & J played and sung on piano. To tea at Aunt Edith’s. Met Poz, Doz and Edward. Aunt Edith came back to high tea. Frank Archer too! He played on violin. We all played Matrimony – K’s washed hair.
Thursday. 19th
Late breakfast. Out to Aunt Alys’. Back, played balls, drew, and read till dinner. Went out to catch train at Finchley Road. Met Quits at S. Kensington. Went to Natural History and South Ken Museums, had tea and returned. Met Ed and Mother at Finchley Road. Came home, rested and dressed, Aunt Alys, Poz and Doz to high tea. Bertie and Edward after, had games, dancing and dumb crambo[4], then went late to bed.
Friday. 20th
Very late to breakfast, made bed. K cleaned room. I drew a heap and K read to me The Curse of the Catafalques – and The Wraith of Barnjum (Anstey) . Dinner Patty made marmalade. K and J and Patty went by underground to South Kensington to Mrs Wordsworth’s. Met Aunt Ada and Alys there, heaps of accordion skirts, bad balls and Clubs. Tea with Aunt Ava, Patty and Alys. Returned. Played letter game in evening.
Saturday. 21st
Went to Corney Grain[5] – saw Peggy’s Plot.
“A funny world”
“Walls have ears”
with Jack and Kitty
Played games with Quits, Poetry, drawing and cards. Supper – Cousin George in evening.
Sunday. 22nd
Mother’s birthday – made beds, went to Church with Kitty – called on Aunt Alys – Dinner. Went to Baker Street and Victoria and on to Dulwich – 8 College Gardens. No one at home. Went into garden. Mr and Mrs Archer came in. Went to the Park with Uncle Tom. Had tea. Went into the drawing room and looked at Photos of Japan, little Gracie, Gracie and Maggie Sanderson.
Monday. 23rd
In time for breakfast. Played tennis all morning with Kitty, Grace, and “Sybil” had pains. Proposed Crystal Palace but did not go – rested in afternoon and played on piano. Afternoon tea. Jack came to fetch us. Played tennis, packed and had supper. Then went to station, train to Victoria and omnibus to Oxford Street and then to Swiss Cottage.
Tuesday. 24th
Went to Fair-fax Road and was tried on by Miss Parsons. Saw Mother. Annie Meikle came and spent the day. Did balls, rested in afternoon. Had afternoon tea. Dressed for evening. Kitty white dress. Robert Meikle, and Bertie and Edward to tea and Aunt Edith. Danced Lancers with Bertie, then Harry, Edith and Jack Buch came in. Danced waltz with Eddie, and Harry and Bertie. Quadrille with Harry, Galop and waltz with Kitty. I sent off drawings to Miss Coles.
Wednesday. 25th
Did balls and wasted time made bed. Little James Blaikley came. After dinner went to Fair-fax, saw Mother, Edward and Alys and lunch and George Leighton and Aunt Ada. Then Kitty, Aunt Ada and I went to Acton, took a hansom to BedfordPark. Saw Aunt Nelly and Sylvia, Lucy and Doris. Sweets! An awfully pretty house. Had tea there and polked[6] after with the dears. Two ladies made a first call. K and I came back alone. I played to G. E. B. in evening and K sang. Played games in evening. K wore her new white dress.
Thursday. 26th
Did the house work early – I drew, and we did balls and played on the piano. Mother and Alys called, took Alys up to attic and did balls. Dinner, rested, bought and eat sweets, chocolates. K and I 4d in half an hour. Tea, Mr and Mrs B and K and I all drove in trap to the Lyric. We three were in the upper circle and Mr B in pit. Saw “Little Christopher Columbus”[7]. Most beautiful. Lonnen and Sheridan and May Yohe – Geo. R. Sims, C. Raleigh, Ivan Caryll.
Friday. 27th
Late up after the theatre. Made bed, did balls, no records broken 11u 9r 3b. Played tennis with Quits and Kitty in attic. Old Dr Neale called on me. Dinner. Rested while K dressed for Mrs Wordsworth’s. Record broken 3.b.12.r.h. Kate, K and I went to South Kensington alone. Jeanie joined us at Queensbury Hall – Mrs and little Thorburn’s there. Lovely A. P. S’s and splendid dancing. Came home late. Tea alone with Jeanie and Kitty. Tom Buchanan in evening.
Saturday. 28th
Bournemouth
Sunday. 29th
Breakfast. Alys and Edward both very late. Mrs Thornton to Church. I painted on white fan. After dinner, painted and rested. Read “Cock House at Fellgarth”[8]. Tea – Mother and Mrs Thornton to Branksome Church[19] but it was shut. E, A and I had games – running round table, drawing exactly, etc. After supper, E and I looked at pictures, etc.
Monday. 30th
Made beds, did balls; practised; a very nasty wet day. Made Queen of Pudding for dinner. Very nice. After dinner Alys, Ed and I went to Rivoli to see Miss Coles. Asked about exam etc. She lent me her soft india rubber. Came home, got drenched. Conis under trees. Changed things. Misses Andrews and Batley to tea. I played a lot to Mother, Alys put on accordion skirt after supper.
Tuesday. 1st May
Quite a fine day. Played balls, and on the rings in morning. Also crocheted shoes for Aunt Ada. In afternoon rested, sharpened pencils, etc. Aunt Edith came. Alys and Edward to tea at Mrs Wyatt’s. Mother and I took 6 omnibus to Westbourne. Walked to School of Art, met Miss Coles there. She took me in. I chose a good seat for the models, took off my things. 7 till 8 models. Exam half an hour, interlude, 8.30 to 10pm free-hand. Mother and Ed fetched me in carriage.
Wednesday. 2nd
Did balls – made beds with Aunt Edith – swung. I muddled about. Arranged flowers, painted Clematis and helped Wade. Made treacle tart. Peeled potatoes. Made trifle. After dinner put out croquet. Dressed and muddled about. Hanharts came. Mother took Mr and Mrs and Winnie to Mrs Wyatt’s. Also Edward. Enid and Alys, Bertie and I played croquet. High tea. Games after. Geographical (letter) game and Matrimony. Mrs Wyatt and General came in.
Thursday. 3rd
Played croquet. Edward went to the Brownes. I made banana fritters for dinner. Swung after dinner then dressed and went in two omnibuses to Square. Went to Winter Gardens. Heard Concert. Met the Hanharts; then went to Lansdowne House with them. Had high tea, all played games, card and otherwise. Caught omnibus at Lansdowne at 9.30 P.M. to arcade then a trap home. Bad pain.
Friday 4th
Sorted out music, helped Mother to pack E’s things in morning. Played croquet. Dinner at 12.30. Edward, Mother, Alys and I all to station. Saw Edward off. Drove home. Alys and I played more croquet and went on sands. Bought sherbet and “Gum Limes”, had see-saw. Rested and eat on my bed. Croquet and gymnastics till supper then Alys got on her “skirt” and danced. Also I did reel. Wade and Minnie came in.
Saturday. 5th
Went off to Swanage with Aunt Edith and Alys in morning. Walked to pier, got on Lord Elgin[9]. Went on rocks at Swanage. I sketched and Aunt Edith read and Alys played about. Dinner at Burt’s – sausages and potatoes. Rocks in afternoon. Back by 4.45 boat. Minnie met Alys, Heds & I to tea at 4 Beaulieu Terrace. Elsie Barrow, etc. Headache.
Sunday. 6th
Nobody to Church. Wrote to Ella, Dorothy and Edward.
Miss Andrews and Miss Batley to dinner. Rested, played at Dolls with Alys. All went to tea at Mrs Wyatt’s. Sung hymns and went in garden. Games, too. Played “I Spy” with Alys. Back to supper. Miss Andrews, to Mrs Wyatt’s with us.
Monday. 7th
Aunt Edith gave me and Alys a music lesson each – A and I drove with mother and Teeds to station , saw T off. Rained. Drove to town, met Mrs Hanhart. Went to Deane Webb’s[10] – teeth looked at. Dinner at Lockyer’s. Conis after 2 cats. Meringues after. Mother got bonnet. Chose shirts. Went home, had tea. Gwen to tea. Played croquet. Ethel R into say goodbye. Worked at blue cotton dress in evening.
Tuesday. 8th
Practised, cleaned out book cupboard. Dressed for drawing class – new blue shirt. After dinner drove to Westbourne. Got my riding whip mended and onto to F House. Did snail cast with charcoal and chalk. Sat next to horrid girls – Scarth and Forsyth. Met Wade and Alys outside, all went by ? to town – shopped. Wade treated us to a lovely tea at Betis. Minnie joined us. Went through gardens and on home. Made paper things in evening. Mother to Mrs Wyatt’s tea.
Wednesday. 9th
At 9.30 Miss Boodle came, but we sorted books till 10.30 and Mother talked to Miss Boodle. Then Muriel came over and we all began lessons. Sums and comp: Chivalry. Also German dictation. After dinner, I practised. Mother to Deane Webbes. Alys and I made dolls’ clothes. Tessa’s grey dress with black trimmings and green front. Tea. Tried on my blue cotton and white cotton. Mother gardened. Did prep for Miss B. Slept with mother.
Thursday. 10th
Lessons with Muriel. Map-drawing, European History and Coriolanus. After dinner Mother, Alys and I went by Omni to town. Paid books in Westbourne first. Bought two exercise books for Doz and me and a little note-book for me. Came up to Missionary Hall. Went into Bazaar affair. Mother bought some things. Walked home – mother gardened. I did practise and lessons. Supper and to bed. Slept with Mother.
Friday. 11th
Lessons. Sums, German Grammar and Ancient History. Miss Boodle stayed to dinner – a very wet day. Miss De Karp in after dinner, had German early. Mother and Alys to town, Alys hair cut. I made dolls’ clothes and did lessons and practised. Read One Summer[24] at tea. Put lace in dress after supper. Worked at doll and to bed in Mother’s room.
Saturday. 12th
No lessons – holiday – Made all the beds with Minnie. Cleaned out my room a little for Uncle Charlie.
And then the diary stops. Until a few months later…..
The Diaries of my Great-Great-Aunt Kate 