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18 January 1908 — 3 Savile Row | |
Saturday. 18th [January 1908]. Nellie went back to the Tile House today. Mrs Whitaker telephoned to me at 11 this morning to ask if I would like to go out with her in the motor to see a curious old Henry VII house near Maidenhead. I accepted the proposition & she called for me at 12 with the car open as it was fine & sunny. We went first to Windsor & on the way soon got into a thick cold fog wh clung to the river. We went to lunch with Lord & Lady Edward Churchill who have a very fine house just out of the town of Windsor. Met there a portly gentleman whom I found to be Lord George Pratt. I had last seen him a slim youth when we were young & used to meet at balls & dance together. He now sees me with snow white hair! There were also two daughters of Ct Waldersee spending their holidays from their school at St Leonard’s. Girls of abt 16 fair & rather plain. The house was pleasantly built in the olden style. Red brick with wood beams—a hall in the centre. We left directly after lunch & motored on to Ockley Manor the old house belonging to Sir James Berry almost unaltered since it was built. A children’s party was being prepared & Lady Berry did not appear, but a nice little child her daughter abt 6 took us over the house. All the outside ornamentation were of wood carved like usually done in stone– There was a fine hall with old coloured glass arms &c. There was the old buttery– The furniture & decorations all in proper style—only the electric light showed any signs of the present day. When Lady B. appeared dressed ready for her party she took us upstairs to see the Queen Elizabeth bed room & bed & hangings of English woolwork. It was charming & old world. Different children in quaint costumes began to appear ready to acting & fun, & they seemed to suit their surroundings very well. The garden, barns & outhouses were all of the same date—plaster & dark beams. We had to hurry away to get back to London in daylight as the fog came on thicker than ever. We got home at 5.30. Oranmore paid me a visit as soon as I came in. I dined alone. | |
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