Pièce 3 - Letter from Stella, 2 April 1924

Letter from Stella, believed to be Stella Cobden-Sanderson. Postmarked 2 April. Mallory used the envelope to note down the code numbers and pressures of five oxygen cylinders.
This letter was found on George Mallory's body in 1999. It was wrapped in a handkerchief along with two other letters.

Full Transcript

Forum Club,
6, Grosvenor Place,
Hyde Park Corner,
S.W.I.
[Address has been crossed out and replaced with ’23 Hertford Street. W,]

Dear George,

Just after writing to you last week, I saw in The Times that the expedition had started from Darjeeling – And now you are really on the march. I think of you so often & try to imagine what you are doing. What is the weather doing? Is it terribly hot?

I am so longing for sun & warmth that today I have definitely decided to go to my friends near Cannes for about a month from the middle of May – It won't be fashionable but a great great joy to get to the south. The flowers will be heavenly then.

My alternative was to do a round of visits in England. For a long time I was tempted to do this because I love my friends & making new ones. But I suddenly had such a desire for the south & peace. And now I am glad to have decided this.

I expect to go to Paris for Easter with the Macmillans then join the Shears & other American friends in Paris until middle of May. So I shall start with a gay time.

Last night I saw Shaws St Joan” I was very much moved & impressed with it. And I do think that its wonderful of Shaw at his age to write without exaggerating his mannerisms. Some of the dialogues are far too long – But its wonderfully written & without the desire to show his own personality too much. The acting is excellent & its most beautiful to look upon.

I had lunch with Mrss Graies yesterday at her club – Sissie is in Italy & she pressed me to go saying she was lonely & had a great many things she wanted to discuss with me. But these consisted of abuse of Macdonald because she had not seen him, that Ishbel's head had been turned, & that Macdonald had treated Sissie badly. In between this, improper stories. And all this shouted at the top of her voice in a public room. My answers having to be made equally loud down a speaking tube! Poor Sissie, I am really sorry for her.
London with the strikes has been very exhausting & terrible for the wretched daily workers. It’s amazing how good natured is an English crowd.

On Saturday the day of the boat race my brother is expecting nearly 200 as their garden goes down to the river at Hammersmith. Mother & I are not going as we have too many old associations of my father.

I am longing to hear from you since your arrival.
My love to you dear
Your affectionate
Stella

April 2