This collection, the second accession of Montagu papers received at Trinity, comprises papers of Edwin Montagu himself, with various related additions. It includes correspondence between Montagu and his wife Venetia, both before and after their marriage; telegraphic correspondence between Montagu, as Secretary of State for India, and the Viceroys Lord Chelmsford and Lord Reading; parts of Montagu’s second Indian Diary; letters from Montagu to his mother and father, Lord and Lady Swaythling; and a few letters to Montagu from various correspondents, including H. H. Asquith, Winston Churchill, and members of the Stanley family. The items added after Montagu’s death include press-cuttings of obituaries, and correspondence about the sorting of the papers in the 1950s.
Montagu, Edwin Samuel (1879-1924), politician18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.—Invites him to dinner. She wants to talk to him about Whitsuntide at Penrhôs. Has heard that he has moved into his house.
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Transcript
18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.
Tuesday
Will you dine here on Thursday or Friday? I’ll tell you what you will get both evenings so that you can choose which appears most promising or reject them both. Friday Violet and I thought it would be fun to go to “Diplomacy” {1} which is said to be good, and Thursday its merely to play bridge here. 8.15.
I rather want to talk to you about Whitsuntide {2} and the grebes and Penrhôs.
Geoffrey, whom I saw at a ball, tells me you have moved into your house, but I’ve forgotten your number.
Venetia
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{1} An English adaptation of a play by Sardou, first produced in 1878, and revived on 26 March 1913 at Wyndham’s Theatre, where it ran until 18 April 1914. It then transferred to the Prince of Wales’ Theatre for a short run from 20 April to 9 May.
{2} Whit Sunday fell on 11 May.
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire.—Thanks him for his present and refers to others she received. Sylvia’s baby has been ill, but is recovering. Asks about Montagu's stay at Easton Grey. The Prime Minister is coming on Tuesday, and she hopes Montagu will come some time too. The festivities are over, except the acting.
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Transcript
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire
Boxing day 1913
You have sent me the most lovely present. Its the nicest one I’ve got, it was too sweet of you to think of me, thank you ever and ever so much. I do really like it quite prodigiously, I’m most grateful to you. I’ve done very well all round, but the Asquith family I’ve pinched the most heavily as I’ve got presents from Margot, the P.M. Raymond, Violet, Cynthia and Katharine which is very good out of one family.
We’ve had rather a dismal Xmas so far as Sylvia’s new baby has been most fearfully ill and yesterday and the day before they thought she must die, however to day she is really better and tho’ very anxious still, they think she may live. Poor Sylvia has been most terribly unhappy about it.
I hope Easton Grey was fun, I had a very sweet letter from Margot just before she went, she seemed much better, so I hope you’ve had a happy time there.
The P.M. comes here Tuesday {1}, I hope you are coming too sometime.
We [have] been very busy with our Xmas festivities, Trees etc, but have now finished them off and have only the acting before us. Its quite enough tho’ and makes me despair.
In case I dont see you, tho’ I hope I shall, I shall now send you every possible wish for your success and happiness in 1914 and always.
Yrs
Venetia
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{1} 30th.
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire.—Hopes he will come to Alderley for Christmas or New Year. Is going to Switzerland with Oliver afterwards. Has had to cope with their guests alone as her mother has been away looking after Blanche and Sylvia.
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Transcript
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire
22nd Dec 1913
Thank you for your letter. I didnt expect you to answer mine {1}, tho’ I’m very glad you have, and also glad that you should think that you will come here. Mikky told me you were thinking of spending Xmas in London which seemed to be a dismal plan, so if you havent already arranged something else you’ll come here, or after, its as you like but, for new Year’s day. Or, what we’d like best for both. I’m tired of having people for 3 days, (tho’ I’d rather have them for that than not at all) they get so much nicer, and so does one after 4 or 5 days.
You must come before the 2nd (because that’s the day Oliver and I go to Switzerland) and when you do I’ll try, and I hope succeed in exchanging a little of my “goodness of soul” (which you allow me) for some intelligence and understanding. But anyway I think I do quite understand.
I’m glad Margot is nice about me. We’ve just had a large party here which I’ve had to cope with single handed as mother was away looking after Blanche, whose appendix has been removed and Sylvia whose 3rd daughter {2} has just come! They are all better now. Longing to see you.
V.
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{1} These two letters do not appear to have survived.
{2} Sylvia’s third daughter, Elizabeth, was born on the 18th and died on the 31st.
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire.—Invites him to come to Alderley with the Prime Minister in December. She quite enjoyed her stay at Hopeman. Is going to London on Monday. ‘Are you still cuckooed out of your nest?’
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Transcript
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire
Saturday 1st November 1913
I wonder whether it would amuse you to come here when the P.M. comes on December 5, Thursday, he speaks in Oldham Saturday. Violet and Cys and Bluey are going to be there but otherwise no one.
I’ve just got back from Hopeman, where it was quite fun, only Mikky and Bongie the Prime and I and afterwards Violet.
I go to London Monday for the week.
Are you still cuckooed out of your nest? Perhaps I shall see you if you are in London?
Yrs
Venetia
18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.—Thanks him for his gift of a ‘little God’ and invites him to Alderley to see it in her room. She will probably not see him before leaving tomorrow. The Prime is coming to see her this evening. Sealed Orders (a play) was rather boring for the second time running.
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Transcript
18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.
Wednesday
I cant thank you enough for your most lovely present. I expected something funny and you send me something quite beautiful. I simply love it, it is most sweet of you to send it me. Thank you again and again. When will you come to Alderley to see it enshrined in its niche in my room. I do want you to come there again soon. Its ages since you’ve been there, not since the Grand National {1} I believe.
I go away tomorrow evening, I wonder if I shall see you again before that, the Prime is com-ing to see me at 6 this evening, and I suppose later than that, for he will only stay a very short time, would clash with dinner for you.
Its sad the zest I have to see my friends and the little opportunity I have of doing it!
Sealed Orders {2} was rather boring for the 2nd time running.
Thank you again for my divine little God. I do really love him.
Yrs always
Venetia
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{1} 24 March.
{2} A play by Cecil Raleigh and Henry Hamilton, first performed on 11 September 1913 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, where it ran until 12 December. It was revived at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, between 16 and 21 November the following year.
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire.—Suggests arrangements for meeting in London. Is going to Kimpton Lodge to stay with Sylvia. Asks whether he enjoyed himself on the yacht. She wishes she had been there instead of with Claud Russell. Is preparing for the annual acting. Asks about his shooting-party with Geoffrey and Bongie.
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Transcript
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire
Oct 8th 1913
I am so glad you are going to be in London next week. It will be great fun seeing you again. Will you come to tea Monday, by that I mean any time between 4.30 and 6.30, or Tuesday {1}. I wonder if you would send me a line to Kimpton Lodge, Andover, Hants, where I go Friday {2} to stay with Sylvia. I have such a mass of fairly boring things to fit in like dentists and clothes that I dont want the things I want to do to clash with them.
Was the yacht fun? Its my favorite† place, I wish I had been there with you and the Prime instead of with Claud Russell.
I am feeling quite alone here now and have been since I left Penrhos on Monday {3}. I was wretched the first day and nearly came straight up to London, but now I am quite happy. Fortunately rather busy, with the preparations for our annual acting. I hunted this morning at 6.A.M. and was soaked and blown to bits and am consequently very sleepy.
Was your shooting party with Geoffrey and Bongie fun? I’ve given up Bongie as a friend so therefore hear no news!
I am in London till Thursday or Friday {4}, and quite excited about it.
Longing to see you
Yr
Venetia
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{1} 13th or 14th.
{2} 10th.
{3} 6th.
{4} 16th or 17th.
† Sic.
Penrhôs, Holyhead.—Refers to his planned visit to Alderley in November, and invites him to Penrhôs later that month to shoot. They leave Penrhôs on the 6th (for Alderley), after which she goes to London and then Hopeman. Benn is still with them. She enjoyed her voyage on the Enchantress very much.
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Transcript
Penrhôs, Holyhead
September 22nd 1913
This is merely a line about plans. I believe you are coming to Alderley on about the 10th arent you for a Sunday (November I mean) {1}. Will you also come here on the 27th of the same month, I think it is a Thursday {2} and shoot the Friday and Saturday. Arthur has just decided that it is worth while coming over to shoot the pheasants which throng these woods! Violet is also coming. We shall have rather fun. Do come. You cant be have meetings in Cambridge then.
I wonder if I shall see you before that, everyone I meet tells me how delightful you are! We leave here on the 6th and I go to London for a few days on the 13th and then the week after to Hopeman. Perhaps I shall see you in London.
I came back here on Wednesday {3}. I was heartbroken at leaving the Enchantress, I’ve seldom enjoyed anything so much. But its nice here, dear little Bluey has just left, Mr Benn remains behind. He’s a strange keen alert little creature. He starts every conversation with such hope and enthusiasm, it seems so cruel that every time he must find it falls short of his expectations.
I’ve loved my summer this year, and am really sad its over. Have you had fun? There are such a lot of things I want to talk to you about, I hope I shant forget them when we do meet.
Your
Venetia
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{1} 9 November.
{2} It was.
{3} 17th.
Admiralty Yacht, off Colonsay.—She enjoyed Ardgowan, but the guests at Penrhôs have been dull. While the yacht was at Holyhead she went for walks with Winston, whose opinion of Montagu has improved. She has sailed with them as far as Colonsay, and will go home on Tuesday. Asks about his stay at Hopeman, and discusses Dorothy’s engagement. Some friends will be at Penrhôs when she returns, but afterwards her family will be alone till they leave for Alderley in early October.
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Transcript
Admiralty Yacht
Off Colonsay Sept 10th 1913
Thank you so much for your letter which I loved getting and meant to answer ages ago, but I’ve been leading such a dull life since I left Ardgowan (where it was quite fun owing to Geoffrey and Mrs Ridley whom I found) that I hadnt the heart to inflict an account of it on you. The only people at Penrhos were Gertrude Bell (as usual most full of dewdrops about you also old Chirol in the same state of mind, it sounds a dreary kind of compliment to have repeated, but really it means a good deal as those two very rarely admit any good in a political head of a department) then when she left Barbara MacLaren (very nice and restful to live with) and Bear Warne {1}. He got terribly on my nerves after a week’s tête a tête, for it was practically that, by his blatant, pretentious stupidity I could hardly bring myself to speak to him with decent civility, he never begins to understand what one means. You can imagine what a relief the advent of the yacht was on Saturday {2}, she stayed two days at Holyhead, both marvellous golden sunny blazing days, and I had two long walks with Winston and very good talks to him. He is in very good form just now very happy and full of schemes. He likes you very much now. Then Sunday night we left and after a dull day at Barrow in Furness arrived here yesterday morning. A most wonderful, lonely enchanted place, with delicious sandy and rocky little bays looking quite glo-rious yesterday in brilliant clear weather and even to day full of charm and mystery in spite of thick obliterating Scotch mist. We stay here I hope till Sat then move South to Greenock. On Tuesday I go home. I am always very happy here, I love the life with long intervals of {3} of drifting about and then one goes to divine inaccessible places. Did you have fun at Hopeman {4} and what did you think of the place and of Margot and of them all generally.
Dorothy. Arent you thrilled by her engagement {5}. Did you know about it before? Do you know him at all. I am astounded by it, I always think he is rather a boring man, not because he’s very stupid but I think he has a dull mind and always rather a boring point of view. If I were married to him I should never want to hear what he thought about anything, and should always be irritated by his opinions. However she seems delighted by him and very happy and as he’s as nice as can be I expect it will be a huge success. I think its larks his being a brewer and a Conservative and an Anti-Suffragist, I wonder if he will be converted. Dont tell Geoffrey what I say, this is hardly a necessary warning as you arent at all likely to.
When are you leaving Scotland.
I shall find such a strange collection of people when I get home, Mikky, Bluey, Mr Wedgewood Benn, Mr Smyth. I wish you were going to be amongst them, then after they go we shall be alone till I leave on about the 6th of October and go to dank Alderley for ever and ever.
There were thousands of things I wanted to say to you when I started writing, but I’ve now forgotten them and the babblement that’s going on makes writing hard.
Your
Venetia
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Written in pencil and ink (see below).
{1} ‘Bear Warne’: reading uncertain.
{2} 6th.
{3} The first sheet, which is in pencil, ends here. The rest of the letter is in ink.
{4} Montagu did not, in the event, go there.
{5} Dorothy Howard had become engaged to Francis Henley. They were married on 14 October.