Item 284 - Letter from Edith Russell to Elizabeth Trevelyan

41 Queen's Road, Richmond, Surrey. - Lovely to have news straight from Bessie, rather than through [Alan and Mary] Wood, 'dears though they are'; it is kind of her to invite them for the Christmas holiday, but they are going to Wales with the three grandchildren as soon as they return from school; they have just heard that their 'daily' there has to go into hospital, so their domestic troubles will continue. Looks forward 'to cooking a turkey for 10 or 12 people in an oven into which it will not fit. Is glad Miss Jones is still living with Bessie and hopes she will be able to find someone to read to her 'who loves the country. The people who interrupted at the Central Hall meeting were an organised band called the "Royal Imperialists" whose stated concern is "to uphold the Empire"; very silly, but no more so than the article in this week's "Time and Tide" on India; 'amazing how many people...feel they can achieve great things by not looking at facts and merely calling everybody they don't like nasty names'; this includes the Russians, who are 'lying in India now'. Is very glad Julian and Mary are so happy, and about Julian's successful show.