Stuk 46 - Letter from Venetia Stanley to Edwin Montagu

1 sheet

18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.—Invites him to Penrhôs for Easter.

(Dated Wednesday. The play referred to (see below) was first produced on 31 Jan. 1912, when Venetia was on the Continent, and later ran between 18 Mar. and 13 July. As this letter was written on a Wednesday before Easter it must have been written on 20 Mar., 27 Mar., or 3 Apr., but on the last of these dates Venetia was at Penrhôs, which leaves only two possibilities.)

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Transcript

18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.
Wednesday

My dear Mr Montagu

You said, I think, that you werent going away for Easter {1}. Did that merely mean that you had made no plans, or that you werent able to go. If it meant the first of these things, and if you are still unfixed, will you come to Penrhos. Bluey is coming, but I realise that its a very long way and perhaps you’ll hardly think it worth while or possible for so short a time. Also we may be going only to Alderley, which is infinitely less nice, but more accessible. Perhaps you would come to lunch one day, Friday or Saturday.

I was depressed by Rutherford {2}, tho’ I dont think it in the least like my life.

Yrs
Venetia Stanley

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{1} Underlined and marked with an asterisk. At the top of the letter is written: ‘*Easter 1912 | April 7th’. All these inscriptions are in a later hand, in biro.

{2} Rutherford and Son, a play by Githa Sowerby, was first produced at the Royal Court Theatre on 31 January 1912 and subsequently played at the Little Theatre between 18 March and 20 April and at the Vaudeville between 22 April and 13 July. The play concerns the effects of a glass-manufacturer’s attempts to control the lives of his children.