My dear Mary I am glad you have been keeping the wedding day with Charlotte. I am afraid that the hotel must spoil sitting out of doors except in front of the house. I am writing now in the garden while Blanche Webber, who is here to recover from the remains of the influenza is lying down in her own room. She had it at Easter and does not quite get over the remains, ... continue reading

My dear Ellie- Thank you for your loving little note. Did you see in the Hants Chronicle a little bit of what I said after the speeches, of the Bishop of Guildford and Mr. Warburton? I could not help, when they said I had made clergy and good men seem real, almost murmuring that my good men were not ideals, but I had really known their equals (and superiors) in reality. Mr. Warburton was ... continue reading

My dear Lottie I put off writing till the 19th was over, for it really was a very interesting day, though I little knew beforehand all they were going to make of it. About £1800 was collected for the scholarship, and this was presented, with a beautifully illuminated address, by the Bishop in the High School, making a wonderful speech about having read the Little Duke when he was a small boy, and all that ... continue reading

My dear Mary I remember Charles Archer at Winchester and he once or twice called on me. Harward and Fulbert must be nearly the only ones left except Mrs Tolcher. I think Fulbert was a little while at Winchester. I sent you my idea of the insulted sufferer on a card yesterday I thought at first of Zechariah the son of Jehoiader, but that did not quite to suit and I do ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik I much fear that you may be, like all the world, taking holiday for there is a scheme on which I much wish to consult you and Mr Macmillan, and which needs to be matured before the Church Congress in October.

I must explain that a good while ago, a society [was started] for raising the tone, religious and moral of the cottage women in a Hampshire town-village. This has spread till now ... continue reading

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 Canon Warburton Would it be asking too much of your kindness to ask you to glance over this paper and see whether it is an advisable one to have in Mothers in Council. 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 ... continue reading

My dear C C I have got a letter for M in C from Canon Lias about Red Pottage, highly contrary to yours, and which the Sumners approve He goes on the unfitness of such subjects for women’s writing or reading, and certainly I should have thought ‘incline mine heart to keep this law’ went against either inventing or making people read them and so do you- At least I recognize you as ... continue reading

My dear C C Oliver’s name was an augury of his dominion over the Commonwealth of Cheyne, by a mixture of violence and flexibleness If the puppy had been a King Charles the parallel would be complete, and now you must resign yourself to being ruled over by the Major Generals, as long as the wandering mania does not carry him off. I like the Irish Christmas story very much. Henley Arden ... continue reading

My dear Bishop

I find the apples are come but the arrival was not notified to me - and I had been blaming the rail way! Please tell me what there is to pay for them as I do not think my account came with them I suppose 8/ altogether but I am not sure

A busy week is coming between Diocesan Conference and G F S. How surpassingly lovely are the Autumn tints I gathered 86 ... continue reading

My dear Lizzie

. . . I see in the paper the death of a third Sumner within a few months; I hope our Archdeacon won't be the next. His wife was a Heywood, and is very valuable. They have given up Alresford and come for good to the Close, and are very useful. Christabel Coleridge has been here. The Princesses give great satisfaction at Torquay, where they walk about ... continue reading

Dear Sir The number of Mothers in Council must, I think have been sent by Mrs Sumner to whom I will send on one of your papers, but I think she is absent from Winchester just now, as the illness of the Bishop of Winchester throws much work on her husband. There is nothing that she and I are more anxious about than Christian education and we much desire to do all in our power to ... continue reading