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Letter to Ruth Mallory from ’95 Arlington Avenue Westmount, P.Q.’ [Letterhead] [‘i.e.at the Basil Williams Montreal’ is written in Mallory’s hand]

Brief Summary
Reports on recent lecture in New York, complains of his lectures being reported as Anti-Prohibition propaganda, and describes social visits with friends in New York and Canada.

Detailed Summary
He was delighted to be in Montreal with friends including Mrs Williams, who had visited the Holt with Evelyn Clutton-Brock whilst he was away on the 1921 expedition. His fortunes had changed from hateful N.Y. His first lecture in New York had not been encouraging with technical difficulties caused by a 2nd rate operator and the hall full theatre had been depressing. However, all the members of the American Alpine Club who had attended the dinner were in the audience and they went away saying nice things. Afterwards they had gone to a hotel to eat ices which was a pleasant little party consisting of the Wethams, Mrs Colden Sanderson, Frisken, Poel and an actress friend of his.

It was important for his lectures to have good press but when he read the papers at breakfast there was almost nothing. A New York Times had 1/3rd of a column but it was turned into Anti-Prohibition propaganda. The Tribune gave a very good and sympathetic report.

He had lectured at a Country Club outside the city which was a dull affair before catching a train to Montreal. Had a good walk up the mountain with a wonderful view of the southern branch of St Lawrence and Montreal. The countryside was all snow and ice and it had been -10 when he had arrived. The Canadians didn’t like the cold as too many days in t took it out of one.

His next lecture was in Detroit (Michigan) but Toronto fell through. Keedick’s business was very badly run. He planned to spend the weekend with a friend, Monsieur Williams, whom he had known and liked at Charterhouse at a winter sports place. He planned to learn to ski from John Williams who was aged aged 16 and thought him a promising pupil on skis. He said the difficulty was to learn to stop, and until one had you just had to fall down.

He was much more cheerful and put it down to staying there with delightful people instead of by himself in a hotel. He missed her and found it much harder being without her there than in India.

His lecture there had gone very well and the audience were very good natured and amused.

She has read his letter to Ralph and Mary. Discusses his duties and living conditions as described in his last letter. Expresses her opinions about the progress of the war. Describes her walk with Clare and Mary. Discusses her thoughts on the fear of Hell and the merits of good behaviour. Intends to stay to see Henrietta Livingstone. Informs him his pamphlet has been read by Mr Clutton-Brock, Mr Arthur Benson, and Mr Fletcher and gives their opinions of it. Tells him she is proud of him. Describes the maps of Armentières and the trenches she was shown by Ralph. She hopes he does not have to see dead bodies.

7 July - She intends to write to Avie and Doris Turner. Tells him Doris had only achieved a fourth at Oxford. She has received his letter and is sorry he is having a bad time. Discusses the progress of the war and wishes for peace. Tells him how Clare has caught a cold from Mary Anne. Describes her visit to the Brocks. Discusses Mr Brock’s review of his book. Tells him she has had visits from Aunt Beatrice, Uncle Bertie, Aunt Agnes and Uncle Peter.

8 July – Tells him about her morning; Marjorie let the ferrets out resulting in an accident involving Clare falling out the pram. Discusses the progress of the war and reflects on helping at the hospitals. Informs him she will send him a cake.

Discusses her opinions on The Ultimate Belief by Arthur Clutton-Brock. Expresses her thoughts on the difference in education for boys and girls. Describes her previous tea with Mr Cockerell and describes his wife’s condition. Wonders what he wanted to tell her and couldn’t and discusses the progress of the war. Tells him about her dream. Is glad he received the butter and will send more. Informs him Marjorie has gone to fetch the Clutton-Brocks and their children for a visit. Relays a message of greeting to him from Mr Cockerell and Marjorie Waterhouse.

Monday 24 July - Describes her morning on waking up late and her activities for the day. Tells him she has packed up the plates and bowls she has made for Nancy Warr. Describes a trip down the river with the Cockerells. Expresses that she misses him. Discusses the characters of Mr Cockerell’s and the Brock’s children and their upbringing. Expresses her anxiety over the war. Mr Pilsbury has come to dinner.

Tuesday 25 July – Wonders how is doing. Discusses the expense of the war. Discusses her views on religion and on the application of Clutton-Brocks’s theory from his book, The Ultimate Belief, into everyday life. Marjorie is leaving for her farming work and wonders how she will get on. Tells him she is to attend Highdon’s Ball that evening. Mentions the progress of the war.

Describes playing with Clare. Discusses the weather. Informs him that she will send him her Aldeburgh address when she arrives. Expresses her feelings about prayer and how the war has made her more grateful. Asks him if he would like book catalogues. Describes Clare’s appearance. Discusses her father and Mr Cockerell’s opinion of Mr Clutton-Brock’s book. Discusses the relationship between her father and Mr Clutton-Brock. Hopes to have their friends to stay after the war.

Discusses the benefits of love being enhanced by absence. Describes in detail a shopping trip with Mildred to buy Clare a birthday present. Discusses the difficulties of shops staying open during the war. Describes a conversation she had with Will Arnold Forster. Tells him she intends to make him a cake. Discusses the progress of the war.

Expresses her annoyance at him ordering a £50 book and discusses her thoughts on living within their means and saving money. Discusses her thoughts on his new location and the effectiveness of tanks in the war. Describes a trip to see Mrs Brock. Asks him about the possibility of getting leave in November.

Tells him she has received his letter and will send some more clothes. Describes in detail her trip to London to see Bridget. Describes dinner at Mrs Reade’s and the people she met there. Updates him on news about Geoffrey Young and Stuart Wilson. Asks if he would like a rubber hot water bottle.

Acknowledges his letter telling her about Bill moving away. Expresses her feelings about the war. Describes in detail her trip to London including shopping, a trip to the London Library and to the Arts & Crafts exhibition. Describes a painting she saw and a doll she bought for Clare. Tells him that the Fanshawes and the Brocks came to dinner and expresses her thoughts on Mrs Fanshawe's character. Updates him on Clare's progress.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

The mess was very quiet. He had been very sleepy all day after an exciting night. Although he was never away from the old battle area the spirit of autumn was everywhere and there was nothing like the healing power of nature especially trees.

He thought much about Charterhouse and imagined teaching and dealing with boys there again and the prospect was pleasing in many ways.

That afternoon he had been to A. [Arras] and had explored the outlying parts. Some of the buildings had been damaged but very few in the south west of the town had been seriously damaged. He had talked to more than one lot of refugees. He had returned with a good supply of vegetables - cabbages, brussel sprouts, onions and celery, in his rucksack.

The post was unreliable because they didn’t have their own censorship stamps as they should and the letters had to pass through so many different and changing hands that he feared she would never receive some of his letters.

He hadn’t yet thought deeply about the latest German Note although it didn’t strike him as satisfactory. It was evident democratic opinion didn’t yet control Germany and they had to wait for that but he felt that miracle would happen.

He wanted very much to see Clutton-Brock’s book and asks her to order him a copy and send it out to him. He had almost finished George Young’s book about the Balkans which was very interesting. He had recently read George Eliot’s Silas Marner which was a very pretty story which she would like.

Asks him if he would like enlarged photographs of herself and Clare and tells him about the parcel she is packing for him. Informs him that a former maid of theirs has heard that her husband is a prisoner of war and brings her news of the Spanish Flu in Portsmouth that has taken 150 lives so far. Discusses her father's and Mr Pilcher's ideas of Mr Clutton-Brock's book. Discusses the progress of the war. Tells him she intends to stay in London to visit two Montessori schools and her plans for visiting Doris and the British Library.

Updates him on all their health and recovery from influenza. Discusses her plans for the Montessori classes. Expresses her opinions on how and when to teach Clare about religion. Discusses the progress of the peace talks and tells him about her days activities.

Describes the weather. Acknowledges his letter stating he was playing football with Trafford. Tells him about the cat getting stuck in the door. Expresses her worries over not being ready to teach the Montessori classes. Describes her conversations with Mary Anne when she came for tea. Informs him that David Pye is coming to visit. Discusses what servants they will need at the Holt. Expresses her opinions about Mary Anne's Young Wives Fellowship group. Expresses her opinions about how to introduce religion to children.

Describes her previous evening's activities. Describes in detail David Pye's arrival and the troubles he encountered getting there. Updates him on David's news. Informs him that Jelly is coming to play at Charterhouse and expresses her wish to go. Updates him on Clare and Berry's progress. Discusses asking the O'Malley's to move out of the Holt in early January.

Acknowledges his letter telling her he is being moved. Discusses her thoughts on Figaro and the process musicians take to create music for a play. Expresses her disappointment with the second Montessori book. Tells him she will send him Mr Clutton-Brock's book. Expresses her thoughts in detail on the grace of God. Tells him she is sending his flour and asks if his letters will be forwarded to Paris.

Tells him she did not go to church and that her mind is occupied with finding servants. Reflects on what their life will look like at the Holt. Informs him of her intention to hear Mr Clutton-Brock speaking for Labour and her plans to stay in London for a few nights. Tells him she is feeling tired and updates him on her father's health. Describes how Clare has been pretending he is home.

Tells him about Clare and Beridge attending a party at the Holt. Describes Violet's reaction to receiving her five pound bonus. Describes making a necklace for Marjorie. Asks him for reading suggestions and expresses what she would like to read. Tells him she would have liked to vote in his place. Asks him where in Calais is he located and expresses her fears of him being assigned another task that will keep him from coming home. Expresses her opinions about party politics. Discusses the nature of their friend's marriages and openness of their lives. Tells him she will always use the baby welfare group for doctor's advice because it is paid for by the rates. Sends him Christmas wishes.

Letter from Ruth Turner to George Mallory written from Ireland

Discusses her opinions on truth and reflects on growing up. She has changed her opinion of her book The Brothers Karamazov and has started reading William Morris by Mr Clutton-Brock. Expresses her desire to have Barnsley furniture in their house. Urges him to attend his sister’s wedding without her. Requests a photograph of Mary.

Letter to Ruth Turner, written from Charterhouse School [Ruth was in Ireland with her family]

Teases her about misspelling the word 'glacier' [Ruth had dyslexia]. Misses and loves her. Is frightened when she says their life will be perfect together and warns her to expect downs as well as ups but thinks it will turn out at least as good or even better than she imagines.

Would send her a letter from his mother and asks her opinion. He describes the previous day when he had been walking with Hilton Young [Geoffrey Young’s brother]. They had met another Cambridge friend was was now a doctor and a man he knew slightly. His friends were nicer now than when they were at Cambridge. Puts it down to having a job. He lunched with the Clutton-Brocks and played cricket with the boys.

He was behind with work and worried about the Shakespeare papers which he had been correcting - the boys didn’t appreciate Cordelia. They didn't have the necessary emotional experience. He wanted to write an article about Cromwell. Clutton-Brock had given him his book about William Morris which he would read and send on.

He had received a cheque for £100 as a wedding present. It was a serious annoyance to him that she was rich and he was poor.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

22 June – had received her letters and cake. A good cook had arrived with the other half of the battery so things in the Mess were better.

23 June – had to stop writing last evening to do more mathematics and registering of targets and had been very busy since then. Was delighted with his birthday present. Comments on her visit to Mary and Ralph’s.

There had been a great storm that afternoon when he was working in the ex-messroom with Lithgow. They had made inadequate arrangements to carry water away. Had to make some damming arrangements. The tent he shared with Bell had been blown away and their things were exposed to the pelting rain. Wondered how he would manage for dry bedding although the weather had turned warmer in the last couple of days.

Was feeling tremendously strung up for great things and hoped they would begin soon.

Comments on Stephen and Bridget’s relationship. Wishes he could talk with her more and although they were ok for officers now it would be a while before he was due leave.

Asks her to thank Clutton-Brock for his book which he had received.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Was working in shifts of 24 hours. Apologises that he hadn’t had chance to write. Had been on the guns from daylight to diner. They were all happy and full of hope. The men rise to the occasion and will enjoy it even if they have a bad time. Was feeling rather deaf last night. Lithgow looses all sense of cool control the moment a hitch occurs. Thinks people in England must be excited. Didn’t think the Germans would take Verdun. Had heard that five German divisions had been taken from the British front.

Was glad she had enjoyed her time with Mary. Ask what she thinks of Ralph. Acknowledges letters, soup tablets and cakes and thinks the prunes were a good idea and he would save them for private consumption. Describes the mess and people he eats with. Asks her to send one cake a week. Had read most of Clutton-Brock’s book The Ultimate Belief which he comments on and he recommends she get a copy too.

He was in the map room standing by to be given a job. He was always standing by. Hoped to get some sleep before going on night duty again.

Wonders what the future held for them and whether he would be home for good before Xmas as he longed to be with her and build up a life together again.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France during the Battle of the Somme, 'Thursday July 27'

Advises her to read Mr Brock’s letter to answer her questions about the good, beautiful and true. Would love to discuss it with her. Gives brief summary of his views.

Thanks her for Sidney Cockerell’s message and was sorry to have missed his visit to Westbrook. Explains how Cockerell was received in Cambridge.

Nothing had transpired about the aeroplane work so far. Had taken his turn in the forward party. Seen firing on the German front line and a bombing attack. Had found a very safe way to get there and back but it was rather gruesome. His nerves were unaffected but his nose wasn’t. Exclaims at the pity of it when seeing the dead lying out and feels anger when corpses are inexcusably not buried.

Had received good news but wasn’t sure how good as it would depend on fighting elsewhere. Didn’t think war would be over by Xmas. Disappointed by slow progress of the Russians. The Germans were making a wonderful fight.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France, 'Nov 26 1916' and 'Nov 27'

Discusses the possibility of leave and the disappointment of delays.

The partition wall between the Captain’s dugout, or map room as it had come to be called, and the telephonists’ place fell in as it was waterlogged. He had to carry out his Battery Command work from the mess room which was also where the Captain and two signallers would have to sleep. Deluge again which his dugout had survived with only a mild stream down one wall making a puddle under his bed and minor damage to the staircase walls. The big new work didn’t get covered in time and was in a mess.

Was going to plan the feast and festivities for the men’s Xmas.

Discusses the news from Romania.

[Letter continues 27 Nov] - The discomforts there would be nothing like those he experienced in Weymouth the winter before. The sordid room he had shared with Hooper and general messiness of No. 14 made him shudder to think of it. Her being at Abbotsbury redeemed it all.

He was glad she found time for reading and liked Boswell. It was time for her to read his book and then the Tour in the Hebrides. Ann Veronica [by H.G. Wells] made a sensation when it came out and he shocked people when he read it in Cambridge. Thinks she might enjoy Tono Bungay more.

He had heard from Polly - a long rigmarole of trivialities and she must have bored the Brocks. Says he has the keenest scent for detecting a bore and will go to any lengths to avoid them.

Her instructions for finding Bob Morgan would be thrown away as if the occasion arose he would be sent the other way.

Explains the problem with his ankle and that it was getting better.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from ‘Hotel Flanders’ [Letterhead], ‘Waiting Room, Sheffield Mass’

Brief Summary
Describes his trip to the opera, compares the audience at a classical concert with an English audience, gives his opinion on American women, their conversational skills and lack of intelligence, and his time staying with the Burrs in Boston which he enjoyed.

Detailed Summary
[Starts the letter on 25th Feb in the waiting room waiting for his train] - His impressions of America were more agreeable when he wasn’t in New York. Recaps his time in New York where he had felt ill before travelling to Boston.

He had attended the opera which was reputed to be done better there than anywhere else. He imagined it was the biggest opera house holding 5,000 people and was always full with the boxes being taken for the season. Wonders how many New Yorkers went to the opera because they loved it and how many went for other reasons. The ladies pushed forward in their gorgeous dresses and diamonds and pearls and were illuminated as though they were the sight everyone had come to see. Compares the display of wealth and splendour with France in the time of Louis XIV. The orchestra was extraordinarily fine and sensitive, the singing good, the costume well done and the acting ‘quite amazingly better than anything I have seen elsewhere. Concluded the audience was really fond of music.

The atmosphere of New York was so charged with amazing contrasts it was impossible to generalise. It was vastly cosmopolitan with the German and Latin elements helping so far as music was concerned. He had been to two concerts at the Aeolian Hall. Describes how the audience reacted to Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt. Compares them with an English audience.

The most marked trait was a lack of depth with the atmosphere being sprightly and superficial. Thought the women knew extremely little and had very untrained minds although they appeared intelligent at first. The great subjects of conversation for him were Europe and the differences between England and America. It was amazing how many Americans had travelled to Europe. It was the first thing they did when they got rich enough. They were very conscious of being a new country.

Has to stop writing as the train had arrived.

[27 Feb letter continues] - Boston was being very kind to him as were Mr and Mrs Burrs in whose home he was staying. He was a member of the Alpine Club and gave a large dinner in his honour last night with nearly 40 men present at a room at the Union Club. He did not enjoy these functions, particularly when he had to speak. He was very busy seeing people who were all very pleasant and much more like the English than New Yorkers.

Asks for news of Arthur [wo had undergone a second operation]. He was enjoying bits of things, but the background was all grey. Didn’t hope to get away much before the end of March.

Is glad she has heard from him. Describes the Clutton-Brocks garden. Discusses the possible repercussions of Lord Kitchener's death. Tells him Mr Brock intends to send him his book. Updates him on Clare's progress. She has heard about Mr Kendal from Mr Brocks regarding the headmastership. Intends to take a trip to London.

Morning - Describes her journey to London and tells a story about a Canadian leaving his rifle behind. Describes the women at the Women’s Land offices where Marjorie applied for farm work. Informs him Marjorie has been assigned to a farm owned by Olive’s brother and will stay for 4-6 weeks.

Afternoon – Describes her conversation with Uncle Hawes and Aunt Jessie about their visit to Ogwen Lake. Describes her activities in London; shopping at Wedgwood and Oxford Circus for clothes, tea with Mrs Reade. Describes the relationship between Mr Reade and Owen and expresses her own opinions on the matter. Intends to send Mrs Reade his letters to read. She will thank Mr Clutton-Brock for the book he sent.

Describes in detail the garden at the Holt and her plans for it. Tells him about her plans to meet Mrs Heanni. Describes Clare playing with her father. Discusses an article about Ireland from the Round Table. Tells him she has received his letters. Describes Clare’s appearance. Discusses the differences in their sense of humour. Tells him she hopes he can have debated on religion with her father in the future. Describes her father’s opinion about Mr Clutton-Brock’s book The Ultimate Belief.

Discusses an article in The Times entitled Ten months in Germany regarding prisoners of war, and her opinions on the progress of the war. Describes the plants she bought from the Brocks and where she will put them. Describes the weather they have been having and wonders if they will feel happy living together when the war is over. Discusses the progress of the war. Describes what makes her happy and Clare’s appearance.

Informs him she is visiting Doris and expresses her opinions about relations. Describes taking Clare out to the Brocks and making a smocked tunic. Discuss the progress of the war and when he will get leave. Expresses her love for him and her wish for the war to end.