8, Grosvenor Crescent. - Hears that snow has fallen on some parts of the Riviera, and wonders whether Elizabeth and Robert have seen any. [George and Janet's] wedding is near, and the arrangements all seem to be made; she, Sir George, Charles, M[ary] and Booa [Mary Prestwich] are going early and will be at the Registry Office; the others are coming by a special train and will go to the college [Somerville?]; some people think the arrangements 'very queer' and others 'are enthusiastic about the novel kind of marriage'. She herself thinks it will be nice, and wishes Elizabeth and Robert could be there. George and Janet are going to a farm house in Surrey where the Wards used to spend their summers for ten days, and will then go abroad after having seen the furniture put into their house. Wonders when Elizabeth and Robert will return and whether the 'road [to their new house] business will be settled'; supposes they will want the building to begin as soon as possible. The clergy made 'most violent efforts against the progressives' in the London County Council election, but made little difference to the numbers. No one is sure whether there will be a general election soon; the government is 'absolutely discredited' and many of their own party are talking 'openly against them'. Emily Hobhouse has been to tea with her, having just returned from the Transvaal; Caroline is glad that she is to have a testimonial given her. They are going to Welcombe for about a fortnight on 29 March, then will return to London before they go abroad at Whitsun. Sir George is well, and 'reading busily for Vol IV [of "The American Revolution"].
(Carbon copy. Written to accompany an article by Mrs Pethick-Lawrence, about the time of her visit to South Africa in 1930.)
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Transcript
Mrs. Pethick Lawrence. Biographical notes.
Mrs. Pethick-Lawrence[,] writer of the following article, recently made a tour in South Africa and was brought in touch with many of the leaders of public opinion in this country. She was known in advance by many South Africans as a prominent leader of the Women’s Movement in Great Britain. She was a colleague of Mrs. Pankhurst in the Women’s Social and Political Union, and is the President of the Women’s Freedom League. Her husband is in the present British Government and holds the office of Financial secretary to the Treasury.
Mrs. Pethick-Lawrence is one of the founders of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom which she mentions in this article. This League has its headquarters in Geneva and has national branches in twenty-six countries and correspondence centres in a further sixteen countries where branches are not yet formed. All her life she has been deeply impressed with the wast[e]fulness of war and irrationality of war. In her opinion war never settles any question, on the contrary it unsettles everything. During the Boer War, her husband was Secretary of the Conciliation Committee.
Mrs. Pethick-Lawrence was an intimate friend of Miss Emily Hobhouse, and while in this country she renewed her old friendship with women like Mrs. Ex-President Steyn who worked with Miss Hobhouse to mitigate some of the horrible conditions brought about by the Boer War
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‘? 1930’ has been added by hand at the top of the first sheet, together with the file number ‘2069’.
(Place of writing not indicated.)—Is hopeful about Monday’s meeting. They had a good meeting today.