1935 August
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
August 1st 1935
My dear Annette
It was a gay letter from you about your visit to your school. The doings seem to have been fast and frolicsome, so to say: for really I have no doubt that all went sedately and in due form.
I have been finishing off a bottle of Optrex eye lotion which your mother bought when she had a fly in her eye – for a whole day and more, out of sight. It came in usefully: unless it was by faith the cause of the trouble. For after two days I found that I had a granulated eyelid, a nuisance when the Development Bill was coming up in Council. It came up yesterday. There has recently been tremendous opposition to it stirred up by certain zamindars who felt their influence threatened. A lot of people who don’t understand what lies behind all this feel that really there is something wrong: and there were violent attacks on it yesterday. It has been assumed by the opposition that the whole idea of trying to make people prosperous enough to pay for the means of making them prosperous is a scandal: and I am the worst enemy of everybody.
There has been too much work to devote time to anything outside it. Especially hurried consultations about compromises with opponents. On Sunday evening though while your mother was away I went out to Tollygunge and fell in with a most cheerful party with whom I talked after a solitary tea. And I did a swallow dive adjudged by your mother to be really good yesterday. There is almost always something wrong with a dive.
Three days pause in the Council proceedings: to enable some new compromise clauses to be drafted. A relief. Perhaps the Member will let me work uninterrupted for a bit,
Much love
Dad
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
August 1st 1935.
My darling Annette,
Congratulations on all your prizes. You seem to have netted quite a nice collection of books. It must have been very funny going back almost as a guest to school.
I am awfully sorry my air mail letters to you and to Auntie in reply to the news about your eye, went astray, especially as you might have liked the German Linguaphone records. which I suggested should be bought for you.
It seems funny being so uncertain what various members of the family are going to do these holidays. I rather fear that your visit to France wont come off, for I am sure Auntie wont like to let you go unless your eye is perfectly well again.. When Richard goes “slumming” and when he goes up to the Lakes I don’t know. I wish he would not do this unemployed stunt. I am afraid he will become consciously godly, which we should find most trying. I don’t think these preaching people should be allowed to go round to schools catching the impressionable who know no better. I think such work should wait till after the age of 21. It is a comfort to know that there are several of you in the house at Highways who will do your best to rag Richard out of any attack of priggishness.
I am sending you a picture of the Victoria Memorial with its new corner domes which are finished at last, and have just had the scaffolding taken down from them. I am not quite sure that I like them. There is a tendency from some angles for them to make the central dome look squat. As it was rather a nice sketch of a Tibetan woman on the back I have left it intact.
Best love. my darling
from
Mum
Family letter from LJT
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
Aug 1st 1935.
My Dears,
Friday, Saturday and Sunday were such intensive days of Guide work out at Barrackpore that they seem like a gulf fixed between last week and this. What with the trans-port, feeding and training of the girls, I had no time to think of anything else. Its rather fun every now and again doing something so intensly that it shuts out every other interest. The women’s side of life is generally dabbling in so many different things that we don’t often get the chance of going all out on one.
Some of us went out on Thursday morning to get the “cottages” ready, and some friends in “the Black Watch” kindly gave us lunch. We got home again about 4 o’clock. Marian and I went for an extra long ride on Friday morning as our horses were not going to get any exercise for three days. “The Staff” went out to Barrackpore again on Friday morning, and we had a busy day getting everything in order for the children who arrived at 5.30. Unfortunately it was a specially hot and sticky day, and my garments were drenched all day long. Luckily there was unlimited water laid on and huge bath-tubs in the bathrooms, so twice I changed and sat up to my neck in cold water for a time to cool off.
We had a varied collection of children, Indians, Anglo-Indians, A few Europeans and four Jewesses, who were markedly the best of the whole bunch, but whose food, curiously enough, had the most difficulties attached to it. I knew that they could not eat meat except what had been killed in their special way, but I did not know that they could only eat fish that has scales on it, or that they could not eat any sort of shell fish. The girls did not cook their own food, but otherwise looked after themselves, and were quite quick and efficient at laying the tables, cutting bread and butter, waiting at table, and looking after their own rooms. Everything went off without a hitch. No one went sick, and the weather was kind, that is to say though rather hot, it did not rain very much and we were able to be out of doors most of the time. It is a beautiful part at Barrackpore, and the children revelled in it. Some of them from the poor schools in North Calcutta never see anything in the way of a garden or the country. We had one group of Bengali girls who had never been allowed outside their homes or school before, to whom this sort of communal life must have been a revelation.
On Sunday evening we had a service of our own with something for or from each community in it. It was conducted by Mrs Sen, who was our Commandant. She read a sort of general prayer, and then we said the Guides’ Litany based on the guide laws. Next a Scotch teacher from one of the schools, who has a heavenly pure soprano voice, sang an anthem. Then a jewish girl read a fine passage out of the Jewish scriptures. A Bengali girl sang a Bengali Hymn. Mrs San gave us an excellent address, and we finished up by singing one of the Guide Hymns. I had worked hard to get this combined service for I don’t see why we should cater only for the Christians. I want to get something of the sort on a larger scale instead of the Parade Service at the Cathedral this year.
All the Staff work went so well on Monday morning that we had the lorry loaded and the children packed into the bus and cars by 7.30. We had finished our clearing up by 9.30, and left about 9.40, getting to the Guide Headquarters by 10.20, where we had to sort out the stuff which had been dumped there by the lorry, and return Camp beds, cooking-pots, curtains etc to their rightful owners. It did not take so very long and I was back home by 12 o’clock, hours before I thought I should be. I must say I enjoyed a bath, and a quiet lunch, after which I lay down and slept for an hour or more, as I had been up at 5 o’clock, and awake before that.
I did not see Herbert till quite late, for it was the first day of Council, and after Council rose he had to go to see the Governor with one of the Indian Ministers, and he did not get home till almost 8.30. He was tired, but I am glad to say not nearly as exhausted as I had feared he would be. He is fed to the teeth with the way the Indians who promised support to the Bill are ratting on it now. He came home yesterday, after the first day of the debate, very annoyed, because during the last few days he and Nazimuddin, the Minister in charge, had compromised with several influential men, consenting to modify certain clauses if they would give their support, not speak against Government (This is a Government Bill) and not vote against it. The compromise was made, and then in Council they all broke their word, and went into opposition. The sense of honour may be pretty thin and shaky in English politics, but the Indian politicians just don’t know that such a thing as honour exists or could ever be possible. Really what the Government of this wretched country will be when it is left to them one wonders more and more.
I am having a lot of evenings out this week. I was dining out on Tuesday and it was such a nice party, till they began playing “Lexicon” at the hour of about 10.30. There was not the slightest need to do so. We were all talking most happily and I don’t believe a single person there wanted to play. My goodness! What a dreary game! Its not a patch on the old “Word Making and word Taking”
Some time ago, forgetting that council would be on, and not knowing that Herbert’s Bill would be before it, I asked some people to dinner before a concert, - - one of a seriers of Chamber Music concerts got up by the School of Music, - - Fearing that Herbert would be awfully tired and worried, I transferred my party to the Saturday Club, where they give you very good mixed grills any evening of the week, if you give 12 hours notice. We had a nice little party and a nice concert.
To-night I dine out with one of the Geological Survey men who was out climbing with G.B. last year. G.B. and one or two others will there and we are going to look at the photos of their last year’s trip on the epidiascope, so I have no doubt we shall enjoy ourselves.
Oh! Before I stop I must just tell you rather a bright exchange of wit which took place when we were sitting talking and having drinks after bathing the other evening. Someone mentioned a certain man, who happens to be an Oxford Groupist, and said they believed he had gone to Abyssinia. “Ah! Gone to take the “Sin” out of Abyssinia”, I suppose said someone else. “Well, If he does that there wont be much but an “abyss” left said another. I thought for this hot stuffy weather when our brains all feel a little mouldy, that was rather bright.
The Groupists are still rampant in Calcutta, especially in the United Service Club. Rex Fawcus said he stayed there for a few days, and he was constantly meeting people who wanted to take him into quiet corners and confess their sins. I have not heard whether it has caught on with the Indians at all yet. There are a certain body of Anglasised Bengalis in Calcutta, who are always out for new sensations, to whom it might appeal.
Bryan Jones is down from Jalpaiguri where he is now stationed, for a day or two, and I am lunching with him at Firpo’s to-day, so I must not loiter over my letters this morning.
Best love to you all. I am glad to hear that you had some summer at last.
LJT
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
August 8th
My dear Annette.
I am involved in law making. Council every day. My Bill – and I’m sorry that ever I launched it. We are getting on: fixed up a compromise, had it broken, fixed it up again, and miraculously found that this time the compromises delivered the goods. But the talk goes on: and we were as near as a touch defeated over a trifle yesterday. If we had lost people would have ratted – and then it would not have been a trifle for us. I have been making long speeches. Explaining finance. What three canals have cost, counting in losses, and how far they could be called a success: why civil courts should be barred in connection with my Bill: what the magnificent effects would be if it went through: How other provinces do this and that – and so on. Very tiring.
Three days more is the lowest estimate: twelve the highest, from someone who ought to know – for he organised the opposition with which we had to compromise. The weary part has been keeping my temper – being conciliatory. One of the officials said that I merely looked contemptuously on, instead of talking contemptuously at, them: but that is prejudice.
As to news, I went to the movies, on Sunday maybe. A very good Mickey Mouse – coloured – the band and the Duck. I laughed till I wept. But the main film – after some ten minutes I couldn’t bear it and I came out. To your mother’s annoyance: she hates waste: though she agreed that it was bad.
Oh, and I lunched with the Governor on Friday. We met an American Engineer there who builds great iron and steel works: interesting. He says that the Tinplate works is the best run show in India. (Uncle Harry’s)
This morning I watched with interest the next-door guinea snout being openly menaced, derided, and persecuted by a crow. Playing round and round the gooseberry bush. Funny: though I suppose the guinea pig thought ill of the game.
The biggest dog in Calcutta, a Great Dane was in here tonight. he ate lumps of ice.
I shall not write to the others this week. Up to the ears is no phrase for it.
I must hurry myself tomorrow.
Much love
Dad
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
August 8th 1935
My Darling Annette,
I liked hearing about your visit to school. It must have been rather fun being there as a sort of guest. I am longing to hear the next report about your eyes, and know whether they are really getting on properly.
Richard sent us a programme of the Greek Play. I must say most of the characters seem to be a dirty set of dogs. I have often thought that about the Greeks. In their mythology, they made their gods play such unspeakably mean tricks both on each other and on mortals. I believe they must in some ways have had minds rather like the Bengalis, only with a tremendous feeling for beauty in all its forms.
Dad is keeping up wonderfully considering how much work he has been doing and how much emotion he has been putting into it, but I thought today that the moment had come to get him a bottle of that wonderful tonic made of a sort of concentrated essence of liver, which he calls “the liver mucks” and which is the only medicine I have found that definitely picks him up and does him good almost immediately. The drawback is that it is terribly expensive.
I am glad you have got to the stage of being able to take yourself about London and so alone. It is a great convenience not to be dependent on other people. I quite agree that it is often easier to make ones way alone. Its certainly quicker, for one so often pauses just that extra second before crossing the road, to see if a companion is ready to go, and then gets cut off and has to wait.
I keep on debating with myself whether to resign firmly from some of my guide work, when people come back from summer leave. I really feel that I have not enough time for my own affairs as it is. I should like just to keep on my company as Captain, and retire from being Commissioner.
Just room to squeeze in my good-byes, by altering the alignment.
Best love My darling, and thank you for all your letters.
Mum
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
August 14th 1935
My dear Annette.
When my Bill had gone through, after complimentary speeches and hand shakings from many including my opponents, I ran into the Finance Member who said “And now for the next struggle!”. In good faith I replied “Yes, with the Finance Department.” But he meant, as he explained regarding my Indebtedness Bill.
Vaguely I had thought that I’d have a holiday when the Bill was through. But it looks as if I’d have to set to work again with fury. The jute restriction scheme is on again. Theres a scheme to be worked out to abolish water hyacinth (possible but wildly improbable, like bugs or mosquitos) and most important I have to make my Bill work. In other words I must work out all the detail of assessment and collection and wring the money out of the Finance Dept. Besides seeing that the new irrigation and drainage works about which we have talked come into being. The native papers have been going for me vigorously especially since the passage of the Bill. But the interesting thing is that they apparently believe in it.
I met Mr Fawcus the other day. He has been laid up with a bad leg (blood poisoning perhaps). Someone said no wonder when he runs round the squash court in small circles. So I set abroad the rumour that he was suffering from squirrels’ knee. He retorted that I must be suffering from digs leg judging by the way Bengal was flooded. And it is true that there is a huge flood coming down the Damodar: 5,50,000 cusecs passing over the dam. Embankments are breeched, Burdwan Dam is flooded and generally the people are taking it in the neck. The drought lasted long enough to help my Bill through.
On Sunday I went to the pictures: quite a good show: I laughed a lot. Perversely I was most interested in a silly little series of 12 physical jerks – at least I’ve been conjuring my brain since to remember what they were. Almost I feel that I should go again to see: but I couldn’t sit through the whole show.
I am sorry that you should have to learn the typewriter again owing to the key board being different. What a deceiver Peggy is. She writes a good letter though. I felt definitely benevolent towards her and hoped that she wasn’t falling into sin. Your mother has discovered that a domestic whitened his toe nails as a charm to cure stomach ache. So now we know why some (Peggy ? ? ) redden their finger nails. I do not care to ask where the pain is. Me, I don’t like red finger nails: I have an uneasy feeling that they are a sign of a nose picked to the quick: as some people bite their lips till the blood comes: for the fun of it.
Does it do me good to be abused? I don’t know. I sat through it and didn’t reply.
Much love
Dad.
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
August 21st 1935
My dear Annette
With the passing of the days since the passing of my Bill I have become more and more abject and inert. No charm has been of avail: in vain I have swallowed the liver mucks, in vain slept at all possible moments. Gradually I have fallen into deeper exhaustion. – May be if I had tried the device of not working for a day or two, that would have done the trick: but it could not be. However I put in some useful sleep last night. From 10.30 till 8.30. And this afternoon: today was an office holiday: and for a change I took it. I expect at this rate to feel quite revived. The sad thing is that when one is thoroughly tired out the old liver chips in and goes wrong: and on such occasions the remedy of hard exercise will not work. One cannot take hard exercise when really tired.
I continue to dream about my Bill and wake weary from it. But nothing much is doing about the Bill; the floods are occupying the attention of the irrigation department and I can’t get facts and figures out of them or stimulate them to beautiful thoughts as to the future.
We went round to see brother Harry and found that the whole household had been suffering from windy stomach aches. None very cheerful. Cause unknown. – Other relaxations. Tea out at Tollygunge. Diving four afternoons or five. Your mother’s stamp-and-up-in-the-air dives progress slowly. I have done nothing good. Strange to say when tired I lack the courage to try anything new: i.e. to go back to dives which I used to do three years ago.
And even when not tired, shall I have the enterprise to try them? I don’t know. Why don’t I do the French records?
Much love
Dad
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
August 25th 1935.
My darling Annette,
It was a great relief to hear from Auntie that Sir John is satisfied with the progress your eye is making, but it seems a slow job, my poor girl! What a bother for you that the old typewriter had a different key board, for I am afraid it will make it terribly difficult for you useing the new one. However that will have the standard keys, so once you learn it you will be able to use any one of the modern ones. I do wish my first Air Mail letter had not gone astry, so that you had had the German Linguaphone records long ago. I shall be most interested to hear how you find them, and if they are really helpful.
We were much entertained by your account of the cooking done by Joyce and yourself. I am sorry we were not at home to taste the “Glory Jam” but I dont think it sounds very entrancing.
Lately I have been making a great effort to make my Patrol Leaders do more leading, and was glad to see at the rally on Tuesday, that they seemed to have grasped the idea of it. Its sad that these poor Anglo Indian girls have so little energy and initiative. One wonders what sort of a business they are going to make of their lives whether it is in some sort of job, or as wives and mothers.
Miss Capstick wrote last week to say they were so glad that you had been able to go down for the prize-giving and for the Old Girls match, and how much she hopes you will be back at school next term.
I am getting very sleepy (Its now 2.30 p.m.) and the sad thing is I have not written Richard’s letter yet. I must prop my eyelids up and get on with it. I went to a small concert last night, and then on to the Saturday Club to drink beer, and did not come home till past mid-night, then foolishly, instead of falling asleep in a moment as is my custom, I started thinking out plans for Mr Mathews’ garden, and stayed awake quite a time.
Best love, my darling from
Mum
From HPV to Annette
Calcutta
August 28th 1935
My dear Annette.
I have been writing solemnities to Richard about my schemes, like extracts from a leading article. The miserable Richard! - You are privileged to receive less solid matter: but I imagine that you must waive the privilege because my mind is not exactly fluid at the moment. I have been sitting too much in Council; I have skinned my big toes thumping them on the bottom of the swimming bath; I have blisters so-to-say inside my lips; and my lower false-teeth, remodelled, hurt my gums. No song of Sion this time for you, Miss, at least not from me. Touching the toes; I dived flatlings into the fairy pool: but not flat enough: tiny scrapes but just where the shoes press. As to blisters, I suspect acid in the toothpaste, badly mixed: but may be it is like hives, striking inwards. The weather is abominably sticky: and that may be the cause. Item, it may be sin in a previous life (not in this, as I need hardly mention): but what it is not, very definitely not, is the false teeth; because the dentist was very clear on that point this morning when I suggested it. However Rosemary’s letter is full of sound stuff about my teeth, they would fit more easily if I clashed them instead of using them like a mincing machine almost, - whirling them in the mouth.
In Council yesterday the Nawab Faroqui, Honourable Minister, suddenly said “Oh! lend me your spectables!” and I did so, wondering; he used them for nearly half an hour, reading out replies to questions. Afterwards the finance Member, Sir John Woodhead, seized them from me, to read a note. I begin to suspect that any spectacles are as good as any other: and that they are a sort of faith cure.
Your mother has developed a tenderness for our two lizards. Mere reptiles: but they keep their heads where horses keep their tails – not on the seats as you vainly suppose (by way of being clever at my expense) but up. Therefore she cossets them: spending last night five minutes in tempting one to eat a revolting corpse of a blue-bottle: squashed and in no way resembling anything known by lizards to be edible. The accepted process for tempting lizards to eat a revolting morsel is to throw bits of broken match towards it. This has no effect whatsoever but one feels one has done one’s daily bit. The appropriate costume for this sport is an undervest. (The “bête ignoble” was unmoved.)
Did I tell you that by mischance I had changed my bathing costume for another’s at the swimming bath? Anyhow I did it: and what is more I have done it again. And my this time’s spoil is so small that (1) I cannot conveniently move in it and (2) I have split it.
I have practised lying on a rubber mattress as a preparation for the Sikkim trip. The difficulty is to keep poised on top of it. It jellies beneath one. The technique is the same as for eating mangoes: keep each elbow in a flower pot or soup plate. This I discovered, using however upturned moras. Have you forgotten what that is! really a morha: a round wicker stool thing picture inserted) so: one sits on it if one feels that way.
Item the typewriter was for you: not common to the family. This I say, not because the others used it (why not? if you allow) but because there was a query in your Aunt’s letter.
Much love
Dad
From LJT to Annette
14/1 Rowland Road
Calcutta
August 29th 1935.
My darling Annette,
We have told Auntie that we want the new typewriter to be your own private property, and that it is not instead of birthday and Christmas presents, but as some sort of an appreciation of the fact that you have made such good use of these long weeks when you have not been able to see to do the ordinary things. I have heard before that Coronas are very, very light, but I suppose you will soon get used to the touch.
Rosemary’s ravings on the typewriter have pleased us much. Odd how the mind works when let loose!
I wonder whether this will reach you “somewhere in France”. I do hope you manage a couple of weeks the other side of the Channel. I have not looked at a French book or listened to the French gramaphone records for months. I just seem to be swamped with Girl Guide and Himalayan Club work. It is a great relief to me that the big G.G. test afternoon I arranged yesterday, went off alright, and on the whole the girls seem to have done pretty well, especially in the First Aid, about which I am specially glad, for I got two examiners from St John’s Ambulance, and then got the wind up that my girls would not know anything. My lieutenant, Barbara Griffin is coming to lunch to-morrow, and we are going to fill up test cards, and fill in the company charts. We had 24 girls going in for First Aid, for Knots and for Health, and while waiting their turns, some of then managed to write out their Law test.
One of the children has written in Health Laws about the 10th Law. “To keep ones mind clean and not to let anything get inside of it”. (I cant help thinking that she has been remarkable successful in the last part of this!) When Dad heard this he said “I wonder what it would look like if what is inside of my mind were served up on a plate”, and inspiration falling on me I said “Haggis”
Best love, my darling
Mum
Sorry I am typing so very badly – I find I often do, when I have been at it all morning –