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1 March 1900 — 3 Savile Row | |
Thursday. 1st March [1900]. Today we seem all gone mad. I was not quite dressed this morning when I heard Monty calling me & I ran out in my dressing gown to hear that Ladysmith has been relieved– There are many thankful hearts in England today—& by the evening half the population was in the streets shouting waving flags, singing God Save the Queen & Rule Britannia. I went abt 11.30 to see my brother Wimborne– His son Ivor left today for S. Africa all cheered by the good news. Flags were out all over the streets which were full of joyful faces– I went in a hansom to Kensington to try on a dress at Nellie’s shop & we returned home together. Found Nela Du Cane & Mrs Clay Ker Seymer waiting for me on my return– They stayed to lunch. Daisy called for her sister Nela afterwards & then Nellie & I went for a walk. Blanche had come to beg me to dine with her tonight & so Nellie & I walked to Queen Anne’s Mansions to put off Augusta Gregory from dining with me today till tomorrow– Then on to Barton St where I saw Mrs Benson & heard that the Miss Somerset she recommended for Violet Vivian was the same lady my sister Connie recommends & so I will leave it to her. Mrs Benson was very kind. We only stayed a short time & then walked home to 5 tea. Arthur Du Cane came. Dined at 17 Cav. Sqr & met Sir Francis & Lady Knollys—Lord Vivian, Mr C. Lawrence & Lord Mont Bretton. The girls sang in the eveng. By this time the excitement about Ladysmith has risen to a kind of delirium. Many houses are illuminated– Bells are ringing—people shouting & my maid Knapp says the streets are like a Carnival. Soldiers are carried on peoples’ shoulders, waggons of people singing & waving flags &c. But the whole thing is spontaneous. No one can say English people are not demonstrative! Blanche’s dinner table was pretty & patriotic tonight—a large flag was on the centre of the cloth—the candlesticks &c wreathed with red, blue & white ribbons– Each guest had a small silk flag put on their plate instead of a flower & we all decorated ourselves with them. The girls sang war songs & we all joined in the chorus. The weather is very cold again today. It even snowed a little at 1 o’cl—but it is a dry cold this evening. | |
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