Reference
X928/1/4/1/5
Title
Boots Scribbling Diary
Date free text
1908
Production date
From: 1908 To: 1908
Scope and Content
Usual entries describing daily activities, school work, comments on parent's and siblings' whereabouts. She notes any family health concerns, mentions the weather, various games and passtimes, often played with Father. Golf is the favourite game this year along with croquet, and horse riding continues to be a regular persuit. She occassionally uses a code, which is usually indecipherable. Some mentions of household staff. Measles and flu are about in Jan/Feb. The spring term brings exams in several subjects, which Marigo comments on and later gives her results. She is often at odds with her teachers and governesses, (although she described Frau as a companion not a governess) and Angelica (possibly their nursemaid) calling them 'brutes' and 'beasts'. Whereas, in previous diaries, Marigo says she has her dinner in the nursery or school room, she now says she has dinner 'up' meaning with the adults. She mentions dreadful floods in late April, both in London and Bedfordshire. In the summer term she sits her 'Oxford' exams, commenting on each. Marigo turns 17, has her driving license and often drives to school.
4th Feb: 'King of Portugal and Crown Prince Killed!'
11th Apr:'I drove the car fairly well'
23rd April: The family go to London for the Easter holidays. Marigo is taken to see Hamlet, which she describes as 'lovely, not very frightening. Ophelia in the mad scene I could see 20 times.'
26th Apr: 'We went to Queen's Hall by our bus and heard Henry Wood's orchestra.'
2nd May: I and Lambard tried to get my license to drice car but the beasts refused to give it.'
9th May: 'Father told us about Hopes (Abbey) accident. at Sharnbrook (?) Hope killed a child 3 and (?) months in his freind (?'s) motor. Its name is Riddley, son of Post Master and only child. Quite an accident, it ran across the road.'
16th May: 'How well we guessed! Mother's operation was today. How silly of F(ather) not to have told us, we thought something awful was being done - makes us much more anxious than if we knew.'
23rd May: written on a scrap of paper 'Went to see Mother. Our impression with Mother is splendid. She told us about the operation, we saw the clips she had in. Took 1hr (35' safe / 5 drops of blood) the stone was as big as a small football solid. Hewitt gave gas.'
25th May: 'We rode Regular and Charlie in turns and Auntie Go too. She rides very well and took down her hair with it flowing behind, no corsets, and altogether a pretty sight!'
1st June: One of Marigo's school friends dies of menengitis after a short illness. The school is shocked and floral tributes are described. The funeral is two days after the death.
12th June: News (secret :- another girl of 15 years from Bedford High School died of memengitis - no one supposed to know as bad for school)
21st June: We went with Stasi and Marigo to Suffragette's meeting in Hyde Park, thousands of people, a lovely crowd, smell of garlic!!! Thoroughly enjoyed it, saw Miss Pankhurst.'
22nd June: Still in London 'We went to the Horse Show. The King was there so we had a most glorious show.'
1st July: 'Tonight Father saw the Aurora Borealis - it was not dark all night.'
31st July: 'Mother Gina and I went to the Prothero's rehearsal for the Japanese play. Very nice but felt rather shy.'
August sees an outbreak of chickenpox.
8th August: Describing an entertainment that has been in rehearsal since 31st July Marigo remarks 'First came 'The Mirror' beautifully acted by Miss Italia Conti, Mr Percival and Mr Chesney.'
24th August: Marigo has passed her exams.
17th September: The family went to see The Franco-British Exhibition, which was a large public fair held in London between 14 May and 31 October 1908. The exhibition attracted 8 million visitors and celebrated the Entente Cordiale signed in 1904 by the United Kingdom and France.
5th October: 'Bulgaria has declaired itself independent of Turkey and Austria has taken Bosnia & Hertzegovinia thus breaking the Berlin Treatiseit made itself. Germany has of course secretly given its consent. Perhaps a war.'
16th December to end of the year, entries are in a small red notebook. Two pages at the back have Christmas present lists for 1907 and 1908.
Level of description
item