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21 July 1899 — Budleigh Salterton | |
Friday. 21st [July 1899]. Bad accounts of Lady Vivian. The betterment is not maintained. I left by 9.10 train with Leo for Exeter on my way to Dowlais. On the way I had a serious talk to him about his matrimonial prospects. He had told me he liked a Miss Ryves & his father expressed a wish to me last night that Leo should marry her. It appears Leo must ask his father for some money in the case– I promised to write & suggest thus to Edgar. We got to Exeter at 10.25 & had to drive across the town to the G. Western station. We caught the 10.46 train & then Leo left me having put me in charge of the guard of the train. We went via Bristol where I got a lunch basket. After Pontypool I changed trains & after waiting 20 minutes took a train to Quaker’s Yard & there changed into the Merthyr train. I got to Merthyr at 3.30 & took a cab up to Dowlais House. I got to the old home again after 31 years. I found that the Wimbornes were not arrived nor expected until 9 in the evening. I was quite glad to be alone for a while to get over the emotion of the return to the old home after not having seen it for so long. I had some tea—wrote some letters, looked over the house & wandered in the garden. I thought of my father & his hard work when the works were small & he had to manage them himself. I thought of his death which I can well remember. I reflected how pleased our mother would be at Ivor’s return here—& that after so many years patience the Clarks should be all out of the place & we back in it. No doubt Mr Clark acted well towards Ivor but he had always shown jealousy of the name of Guest & had tried to keep us all away from the place. He had grown very rich from this works & my father’s grand children were some of them in comparative poverty. It could not be helped—but it is a good thing over. I found the old man who kept the garden walking round & gazing at his dahlias fondly. He said he had been 60 years in the place & no one took any interest in the garden but himself. I assured him Her Ladyship would be certain to do so. I said he must have known me when I was a child. He said “Likely—I remember all the children in the window over the front door gathered to see Sir John when I [sic] returned from the election as first member for Merthyr”– A little after 9 Ivor & Cornelia arrived & with them Duncannon & his friend Mr Gordon (Gordon Hotels) & young Ivor Guest. We quickly got some dinner & directly after Cornelia & I paced up & down the drive & talked. I told her how pleased I was to see her here & she said she enjoyed it & we agreed that it was good the old Clark was gone good as he had been—for she knew he had kept them away & she saw how right it was the master should be here. She said “To me it is all a revelation. To you all it is natural as you were all born here.” When the gentlemen came out of the dining room they joined us on the drive & Ivor said how pleased he is to be here– The house had been turned into offices. Half of it has been taken back & refurnished & looks very nice. Ivor has put back the old clock into the front hall & it stands there like an old friend– It told the time to my father & grandfather. The works are, I believe, to be turned into a great Co of wh Ivor is to keep the largest share & the object of this visit now is make arrangements for it. The prospect as we walked up & down was curious & beautiful in its way. The process of steel making is such that a beautiful light is blasted up wh has all the appearance of fireworks. The old method of making iron has gone & with it the many fire spitting chimneys—but electric light in all directions shines through the smoke & steam & the old familiar noises will not disturb out rest tonight. I thank God to be back again at Dowlais under the present circumstances. | |
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