Dear Mr Archdeacon I am venturing to ask a favour of you.

I do not know whether you have heard of the Mother’s Union, started by Mrs G Sumner (the wife of the Bishop of Guildford) at first for poor women, to rouse them to some heed to the training of their children but it gradually spread to ladies &c. and indeed quite as much counsel seems to be needed by them as by cottage women.

The need ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Sumner I hope you had the bundle of materials for the April Mothers in Council that I sent to Claremont, Rudleston, Manchester on the 31st January, for it is time Wells Gardiner had them. If there is nothing to alter, perhaps you would leave them at his office, writing Mothers in Council on them. I only want to add a most excellent book of The Sunday School Institute ‘Christ in the Catechism’ but that ... continue reading

My dear C C Thank you for Crispin I was glad of him for we are feeding Alethea with light literature, she having broken down, with nothing the matter but a course of overwork after the influenza- first the children’s measles, then going to Holmwood to lodgings with the children, no nursery maid, and the lady nurse not looking after her, or doing nursery maid’s work and then a good deal to do at ... continue reading

My dear C C I hope the change will be a success. I did not know there had to be so long an interval, I do not remember it here, but as it was between old friends there might have been some arrangement. Wells Gardiner will not reprint ‘Forget me not’. I wonder whether I ought to try SPCK, they took Mary Bramston’s FL story last year - I don’t think Macmillan ... continue reading

My dear C C So you are to have a new Bishop, I am glad Lord Salisbury is there to have the choosing of him. Our elections have gone off quietly, and our neighbour of Cranbury is at the head of the poll at Southampton. Winchester is not settled yet, but for the county no one opposes old Mr Beach, who I believe is the father of the House The Mallocks are ... continue reading

My dear C C I shall be very glad to see you on the 7th or 8th, I trust you will find Helen here as her ship is due before the end of this week. She sailed on the 18th and was to take ten days –weather being good, and to look in at Cadiz and Lisbon on the way. She will be able to tell you about Ronda &c. You will find ... continue reading