Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Glad they can hope to see Elizabeth; thinks it is the best thing, especially as she is keeping Nurse Catt, which is very good news; the other nurse cannot have been very clever or she would have made friends with [Julian]. Charlie calls him 'a superb little chap'; he and Mary will be glad it is settled. Asks Elizabeth to tell Nurse Catt how glad she is she is staying, and that the north country air will do her good. Asks her to let Maria know when to expect them [at Grosvenor Crescent]; discusses travel arrangements. Sir Charles Dalrymple and his daughter [Alice?] are visiting on the 24th, and some neighbours are coming to dinner, but otherwise they will be quiet. Geordie [George Lowthian Trevelyan] has recovered from chickenpox and the girls show no sign of it yet; they have not been to Wallington so Julian will be safe. Politics is very exciting; was 'very glad the Conference failed'. Elizabeth's Dutch paper has begun to arrive. Sure she has done the best thing about the nurse, even if Mrs Catt only stays a few months. Good for the Liberal party to have the R[ussell] Reas at Tannhurst [sic: Tanhurst]; fears Elizabeth cannot fight the seat this time. Asks Elizabeth in a postscript to send a telegraph with their arrival day, as she may want to go to Newcastle.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Hopes the 'invalid' [Thomas Sturge Moore?] is better and can return home soon, though sure he is comfortable at the Mill House; Mrs Moore seemed 'such a nice creature, with her pretty French manners & sweet face'; sure Elizabeth likes helping her. Keen to hear whether Elizabeth got to Tunbridge [for the Conference, see 11/107]; admire her for having canvassed. She herself has had 'urgent telegrams' about a women's meeting in Horsham today; would be wonderful if Erskine won. Sir George is very pleased at [Theodore] Roosevelt's victory. Sir Charles Dalrymple and his daughter have been staying for a couple of nights. Mary's cousin Blanche Stanley has been staying with her, who has a 'lovely soprano voice' and has been well taught. Mary has also got Charles to sing better; they are away now. Sends love to Robert, asks if he would like his "1001 Gems [of Poetry]" to be sent. Looking forward to the play. Asks if Elizabeth would like to have a box of chrysanthemums sent next week, and whether Mrs [Helen] Fry would like some, or Mrs Moore when they get back.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - News of Julian: thinks Elizabeth will find him much stronger and more active. Kitty is coming to tea with him this afternoon. Gertrude Bell is going to give a lecture on Thursday and Miss [Charlotte?] Moberly is coming for the night. Sir C[arles] Dalrymple and his daughter are visiting later in the month; hopes Elizabeth will just have returned by then. Ella Pease is coming for the night on 4 December, so Caroline will invite Mrs Cookson as well. Will have a party for the children on the 11th, then one for the school children on the 13th. Asks to be remembered to Madame Grandmont [Bramine Hubrecht]; hopes she is better and stronger.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Julian is very well; thinks the nurse is very good with him. The Dalrymples will be coming just as Elizabeth returns; on Wednesday the Parsons and 'young Hugh Smith' are staying the night, and go on 28 November; Mrs Cookson and Miss Pease will visit at the beginning of December. After the Christmas parties the following week, they will go to London on 17 or 18 December and stop a day on the way to Welcombe; thinks Julian had better go straight through with the servants. They have had a very interesting letter from Robert about the [Indian] 'cave temples'. Remembers that the Stows [?] used to come as boys to Wallington sometimes. There was a 'northern Area WLA [Women's Liberal Association]' meeting at Alnwick on Saturday; Sir E[dward] Grey could not come so Charlie spoke instead; Dorothy Howard spoke, and Mary presided. Has been 'much agitated about politics'.
Letters dated 3 Feb. 1906 and 15 June 1914.
8 Grosvenor Crescent. - Is delighted by the news from Bob: [his engagement to Elizabeth] sounds like a 'very good match for him'. Had hoped that Bob, having 'got through his first youth', would find someone 'really nice', as he is 'so attractive in many ways'. 'After [Sir Charles?] Dalrymple's', is at Wallington until Friday 8th [December]; has engagements which will keep him in Yorkshire till the 15th or 16th though he could get back on the 15th if necessary; then has almost no engagements till the end of January and intends to keep clear of political ones. Has promised to lecture at Cambo on 22 and Rothbury on 27 December. Due to its extreme opposition to the government [re the Second Boer War] the circulation of the "Daily Chronicle' has fallen by half, and 'Lloyd's have had to give [Henry] Massingham his conge [the sack]!'
Trinity Lodge. Sudden death of Charles Dalrymple, Arabs have taken Mecca and Medina, thinks Lloyd George will succeed Kitchener.