December

1910, DECEMBER

1 THURSDAY           Queen Alexandra born 1844.

Very wet and miserable all day.

Father went to Phepson and to Mr. Gerrards of Hudddington first and then down to the shop to do the books afterwards. The boys were about home all day and I was very busy ironing all day. We were all at home in the evening and we had a game at nap.

2 FRIDAY

Very wet and miserable all day again.

Father was about home all morning and went to meet a gentlemen at the Raven and in the afternoon, he came home to tea. Ned and Bert went hunting; the meet was at Copcut Elm and Jack went with Father. We were all at home in the evening and we had a game at nap.

3 SATURDAY

Dull and miserable all day.

Father went round Bradley Green and came home to tea. Dick and Charlie Fowler came shooting with the boys. I drove down to Droitwich in the afternoon to fetch the grocery. We all had a game at cards in the evening.

4 SUNDAY

Fine all day but it rained again in the evening.

We all went Church in the morning. Father and Bert went a walk round Phepson in the afternoon, Ned went a walk with Ernest Millard, and Miss Gilbert and I went a walk. We were all at home in the evening except Miss Gilbert and she went to Church.

5 MONDAY

Stormy and rough all day.

Father was about home all morning, then he and Jack went out riding in the afternoon and came home to tea. Ned and Bert went up to Bean Hall to put some mud on the plum trees. Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Longland came to lunch in the morning. In the evening Ned and Bert and I walked up to the Club Room to a rehearsal, and Father and Jack and Miss Gilbert played bridge.

6 TUESDAY

Fine nearly all day.

Father went to Bromsgrove Market and then went on to Droitwich to a Conservative Meeting in Salters Hall.

Sir Harry Vernon, Lord Hindlip and Lord Dartmouth¹ were the speakers. Jack and Bert went to Bromsgrove and came home to tea and Ned took his mare to Arthur Terry's to be clipped. I went up to the Club Room in the morning to help to decorate ready for the Concert, then in the afternoon I walked up to the schools to practice my songs and went on down to the Club from there. Miss Gilbert came to the Concert and Jack went down to Droitwich to the Political Meeting.

7 WEDNESDAY

Fine day but rather dull.

Father and Jack were away round the country all day, they went on horseback and came home to tea. Ned and Bert were about home all day. I drove to Mr. Palmer's at Hadzor in the afternoon, Miss Gilbert went with me as far as Hadzor Lane and then walked on down to Droitwich while I was at Hadzor and came home with me. After tea Father and Jack and Miss Gilbert played bridge and Ned and Bert walked down to Droitwich.

8 THURSDAY

Stormy all day.

Father was about home most of the morning and he drove old Turner up to Broughton to vote and came home to dinner. In the afternoon he went to Birmingham. Ned and Bert were away all day on horseback, they went to Pershore and they came home to tea. Jack was about home all day. Ernest Millard came down in the afternoon and stayed to tea. In the evening we all played nap.

9 FRIDAY

Stormy all day.

Father and Jack went out on horseback for the day, they went to Elmbridge to Mrs. Williams' Sale.

Ned and Bert rode down to Droitwich to hear the poll declared, they were all home to tea. I walked down to Droitwich to do some shopping and to hear the poll declared. The Hon. J.C Lyttleton got in by 72 majority ². I came home to tea. Uncle Alfred Jackson and George came to tea. In the evening Father and Jack and Uncle and George and I played nap, and Ned and Bert walked down to Droitwich (poor things).

10 SATURDAY Grouse and Black Game shooting ends.

Stormy all day.

Father and Ned were riding round the country all day and they came home to tea. Bert and Jack went to Droitwich with the float and then to Elmbridge to fetch a pig. In the evening Ned and Bert went to Droitwich, Ned went on his bicycle and Bert walked. Father and Jack and Miss Gilbert and I played bridge.

11 SUNDAY

Fine day.

We all went to Church in the morning. Ned and Bert went exercising in the afternoon, Miss Gilbert and I went a walk in the afternoon and met Dolly and Doris coming down to tea. Jack came after tea to fetch Dolly home. In the evening Miss Gilbert went to Church and Bert went to Droitwich.

12 MONDAY

Stormy all day

Father and Jack went to Bromsgrove to Cottons Christmas Stock Sale, they both came home to tea. Bert went to Bromsgrove as well. Ned went hunting, they met at Bentley and had a fair day's sport. Aunt Fanny Jackson and Mary came to tea. In the evening Ned and Bert and I went down to Droitwich to Mrs Small's Dancing Class. Father and Jack and Miss Gilbert played bridge.

13 TUESDAY

Stormy all day.

Father went for a day's shooting in Chaddesley Woods with Mr. Arthur Jones MFH, and had a good day's sport. The boys were about home all day. In the evening Jack went to Bean Hall to draw some tickets for two turkeys that Barney was raffling, but he did not win. Ned and Bert walked up to Broughton Court to fetch our tickets for the long night at Hanbury.

14 WEDNESDAY

Nice in the morning but wet all the afternoon and evening.

Father was about home all morning and after dinner he rode round Phepson and came home to tea. The boys were about home all day except Jack, and he took some chairs to be mended at Sharpway Gate, and brought one home that Father bought from Bradley Green. Emily Wilson called in the afternoon to ask me to go and help her to decorate the Club Room in the morning. We were all at home in the evening, Father and the boys played first at quoits, and then bridge, and Miss Gilbert and I did some sewing in the sitting room.

15 THURSDAY

Stormy most of the day and fine in the early part of the evening but it poured with rain when we came home from Hanbury.

Father and Jack were away all day at Chappell's Christmas Stock Sale and then they went on down to Droitwich to do the books at the shop. Ned went to Phepson and Droitwich in the morning and I came home to dinner, he helped me to cover a chair in the afternoon. Bert was about here all day. I went up to the Club Room in the morning to help Emily Wilson to decorate the room. Ned and Bert and I went to the long night at Hanbury in the evening, and we had a very nice dance.

16 FRIDAY

Stormy all day.

Father and Jack and Ned went hunting. The hounds met at Sale Green and they had a fair day's sport. Bert went to Bradley Green. Miss Gilbert and I were very busy all day, they came and took the washing furnace out. We were all at home in the evening and we had a game at cards.

17 SATURDAY

Dull and miserable all day, raining at times.

Father was about home all morning and Jack and he rode to Bradley Breen in the afternoon. Ned and Bert were about home all day. Ned got thrown off the chestnut colt in the morning and it hurt his leg.

I walked down to Droitwich in the afternoon to do some shopping and came home to tea. We were all at home in the evening. Bert went down to Droitwich with Farmer and walked back.

18 SUNDAY

Fine day.

We all went to Church in the morning. Ernest Millard came back with Ned to dinner, and stayed the rest of the day. Father and Jack went a walk in the afternoon. Miss Gilbert went to Church to see Fray at night. Jack went to post and Ned walked home with Ernest.

19 MONDAY

Fine day.

Father and Ned and Jack went hunting. The hounds met at Radford, and they had a good day's sport. Bert was about here all day. In the afternoon Miss Gilbert and I drove to Droitwich to take my blouse to be made, and we came back by Goosehill to see if we could see the hounds. In the evening Miss Gilbert and I went down to Miss Turner's to take my dress, and Father and the boys played cards.

20 TUESDAY

Fine day but stormy in the evening.

Father went to Bromsgrove market then he went back to Intall Fields to tea, and spend the evening. The boys were all about home all day. In the evening Ned and Bert walked down to Droitwich. Ned had to go to a meeting about the Yeomanry Ball. Dick F came in the evening and he and Miss Gilbert and Jack and I played bridge.

21 WEDNESDAY           St. Thomas. Michaelmas Law Sittings end.

Wet in the morning but a fine day afterwards.

Father was about home all day and went to the rent audit at the Vernon Arms in the evening. Ned and Bert were about home all day and in the afternoon Jack went to take some pigs away. I walked up to Aunt Bessie's to tea in the afternoon. All the boys walked down to Droitwich at night, and Jack walked home with me.

22 THURSDAY           Winter commences.

Fine day.

Father was away round the country all day and went to the shop to do the books at night. All the boys were about home all day. I went up to the Rectory on my bicycle in the afternoon to help with the decorations for the Church. The boys all stayed at home in the evening and Miss Gilbert and I had a game at nap with them.

23 FRIDAY

Fine day.

Father and the boys all went shooting up to Bean Hall, and Cousin Philip and Cousin Harry Gibbs and Mr. Ralph Palmer went with them. I had to go down to Droitwich on my bicycle in the afternoon to do some shopping and came back before tea. There was Cousin Philip and Cousin Harry and Mr. Ralph Palmer and Mr. Sam Wilson here to tea. In the evening they all played cards. Bert went down to Droitwich and Norman came to fetch Mr. Palmer home.

24 SATURDAY

Fine day mostly, but rather stormy first thing in the morning.

Father and Jack went hunting with the Croome hounds at Grafton Flyford and had a fair day's sport. Ned and Bert were about home all day. I drove down to Droitwich to fetch the grocery in the afternoon, Ernest Millard went with me and came back here to tea. Ned and Bert went down to Droitwich at night with Farmer and walked back.

25 SUNDAY           Christmas Day.

Fine day.

Ned and Bert and Miss Gilbert all went to early service and Father and Jack and Ned and I went to Church at middle day. Father and Jack went a walk in the afternoon. In the evening Jack went down to post, Ned went up to the Schools and Miss Gilbert went to Church.

26 MONDAY           Bank Holiday.

Fine day.

Father was about home all morning seeing to a cow that died, and in the afternoon he went round Bradley Green and came home to tea. The boys were rabbiting all day with the men from the shop and Barley. Farmer and Mrs. Fox and the children and Dick came up in the afternoon. Emily Wilson called for me at middle day to go hunting with her; I went for an hour or two but didn't see much of them. We gave dinner to all the men at night. Ernest Millard was down here all day and stayed the night. Bert went down to Droitwich to Mrs Small's Dance.

27 TUESDAY

Very nice day and frosty only rather a cold wind.

Father was away all day at Kidderminster Market. The boys were all about home all day shooting. Jack, Ralph and Ronald Lord and Ernest Millard were down here all day with the boys. In the evening I went with Miss Fowler and Dick to a Whist Drive and Dance in Rashwood Schools. All the boys played cards.

28 WEDNESDAY

Fine day but rather cold.

Father was about home all morning and after dinner he and Jack rode over to Hunt End. The boys were about home all morning and in the afternoon Ned and Bert went down to Phepson. In the afternoon I rode my bicycle over to see Jenny Terry. Miss Gilbert went to Wolmer Chapel with Fray in the evening and Ned and Bert went down to Droitwich on their bicycles.

29 THURSDAY

Fine day.

Father and Jack went to Birmingham for the day. Bert took some cattle to Intall Fields and in the afternoon Ned went to fetch him back. They both came home to tea. Aunt Fanny came in the afternoon to bring Mary to stay a bit. In the evening Ned and Mary and Bert and Miss Gilbert and I went to the Social at Hanbury.

30 FRIDAY

Fine day.

Father was away round the country all day and came home to tea. Ned and Bert were about home all day and Jack went hunting. Miss Gilbert and Mary and I drove hunting all day; the hounds met at the Worcestershire Hotel at Droitwich and we kept with them all day and enjoyed it very much. In the evening all the boys went up to the Schools, and Father and Mary and Miss Gilbert and I played bridge.

31 SATURDAY

Fine day.

Father went across to Astwood in the morning and after dinner he took Jack with him to Inkberrow, they came home to tea. Ernest Millard came down in the afternoon and went with Ned to Phepson and came back here to tea. I rode my bicycle down to Droitwich in the afternoon to do some shopping. I came home to tea and Mary came and met me. Ned and Bert went down to Droitwich at night.

Here endeth the last chapter.