Letters to Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott from various family members, September 1913 - September 1930 - Part 6

and Emily is glad of it for the garden,

She came to stay a few days with us

in April, and we returned here together

on the 27^th, I decided not to try to

let Cross-park this year, but to go

away for a short time, and leave

Nurse to manage the Spring Cleaning

and some painting that had to be

done. I had great searchings of

heart before I made up my mind to

leave, because it seemed to me

doubtful if I could get back again

when I wanted to. However everyone

said the Coal strike must be

settled soon, tho' it didnt look to

me like it. So I came. Now, unfortunately,

the industrial outlook seems

worse than ever, with the chance

of a General Strike on the horizon.

I feel as if it would really be the

worst plan to start for home to-day

while trains are still running. But

it isn't v. convenient, so I suppose

I shall have to 'wait and see'. All

here are pretty well just now - they

had a poor time with colds &c in

the winter but have got over the effects

(2                                                   

now. Emily was a good deal run

down, but the few days in Devon did

her good, Of course the works have had

to shut down, like many others, for

want of coal, so Lloyd is having an

anxious time. I suppose trade of all

sorts will soon be at a standstill.

I can't think how anybody can hanker

after a share in the Govt. of the country

in times like these.& the responsibility

is a terrible one. Your Mr Hughes

must be a wonderfully clever man.

I was amused at the picture incident

The gift of repartee is vauable in

any state of life, but must be almost

indispensable to a Prime Minister. I

don't know enough history, though, to remember

if our most successful P.M.s have

always had it. Ll. George is pretty

good, and Mr. Balfour was always

v. much 'on the spot' I should imagine,

and able to parry all attacks with

the most unruffled urbanity. The

feeling of being bound to act with yr

party and for yr party must indeed

be galling - I don't see how any other

system would work better, in large

and complex communities, so let us

hope that in the long run its advantages

outweigh its disadvantages - Personally

if I had to select a mode of government

I should choose a benevolent despotism

wh. I am sure would be more satisfactory

for the governed practically, whatever

a democracy may be theoretically-

J.C. has gone off to France to-day, 

with other terra-cotta people, on some

sort of business tour in Alsace-Lorraine-

visiting other works or consulting like

that. I dare say he will enjoy it.

Patty is well but rather chafing at

being held up by train shortage from

paying some visits she had intended

She drives the cars quite nicely. I 

have been out with her once or twice

and admired her skill - we nearly

had a nasty accident on Llangollen

Bridge a day or two ago - It was rather 

congested with market traffic and

a stationary cart, and a runaway horse

with dangling chains and a broken

shaft dashed across. The car got

some good whacks. But the windscreen

escaped, or we should have had our

faces cup up, I expect. There are rumours

that Gertie is engaged, but it has

P.S.

E says she is afraid she

never thanked you for those beautiful

photos you sent at Christmas. - I

was admiring them a day or two 

ago - She is still having bothers about

servants - where they are not unsatisfactory

in other ways, they get ill, and

so on.

I hear from Nurse that she and Kitty

are well, and hoping I shall return

next week - but I doubt if I shall be able to.

Moretonhampstead

Devon:

England

July 2^nd

Dear Cousin Harold,

It seems a long time since

I had yr last letter dated 11.3.22 -

you are now in the depth of winter I

suppose & hope it is not a v. severe one.

I thought we were going to have a summer

like 1921, but the drought has properly

broken, thank goodness - I fear the

hay & corn crops are v. poor - I think

all the hay was cut and carried,

what there was of it, a week or two

ago - very early for these parts - what I saw
was cut one day and carried the next.

Now I hope this rain will save the

potatoes and roots - the latter I believe

have had to be sown 2 or 3 times (I mean 

the farmers'). The vegs; in my garden

went on growing gaily and didn't 

seem to want any moisture, except

anything that was moved of course.

I had to water things like lettuce

and celery, and a good many things

in the flower gardens for a time. I

hope yr. new garden continues to grow

satisfactorily - I expect everything springs

up much more rapidly in yr climate

and is over sooner. What a pity

that you couldn't have a library

in the new house - I expect you will

add one later on though.

Sir H. Wilson's murder gave England

a great shock - I hoped it might

last long enough to compel the Govt.

to be firm in their Irish policy - but

I think the English are superficial

in some ways, or else they have grown

hardened to horrors of late, and they

soon forget - and though the Govt. talk

v. correctly and v. 'big' at times, they

are just as likely to let things

slide again and truckle to Dr Valene

and his crew as they have before.

It is too sickening. The English know 

so little about what has been happening

in Ireland all this time

and the Govt. trade in their ignorance.

I don't think Lloyd George &c have 

anything to fear from the Suin Fein

assassins How dreadful the

Bush fires must be, and how lucky

(2                                        

that yr. cottage escaped! Do the fires

start spontaneously, or is it human

carelessness? Are you against

the Canberra city scheme? I should 

think it would be a great nuisance

to have to move there for so many

months in the year. Why did they

decide to have it in such a remote

place, I wonder?

What happened on St. Patrick's Day? Did

they Irish try to have their procession

through Melbourne after all? I

suppose the Bolshevists & I.W.W.

stir them up out there, just as

they do in Ireland itself.

I hope ^ ^the children are flourishing, and 

Mrs. Harold and yr. mother and the

rest of yr. family. We have been

rather unlucky this year - Lily

Edwards had been feeling very ill

at times, and a London doctor told

her she had "Grave's Disease" and must

go to bed for months and rest. It

affects yr. heart v. badly and makes

your eyes look v. odd and prominent.

She waited till after Gertie's wedding on

Ap. 27^th and went to bed directly after.

She has been very ill indeed but is

getting on better now. Anne went to

keep house at B. Howel and look after

Lily, but she is so weak that they

had to get a trained nurse after a time.

Gertie and her husband are now at

the Tower for the summer. Then

Caroline who was also staying at Bryn

Howel after the wedding had to go to

hospital and have a slight operation.

I also had the pleasure of 2 or 3 weeks

in hospital at Newton Abbot in the 

Spring. Early in February I screwed up

my courage and consulted a good

doctor in that town (it is 12 miles from

here) and as soon as they had a 

private ward vacant at the Hospital

then had to go and have an operation.

Fortunately it wasn't as serious as I 

feared it might be, and I have felt

a good deal better this summer,

on the whole. Emily Edwards had

a very bad time with influenza in

the Spring - She and Patty paid me

a short visit just before Easter - It

wasn't long enough to do her any

good I am afraid, tho' she said it

did. She has been wanting me to 

go to Trevor, but so far I haven't felt

up to travelling & I hope to go in September.

(3

Alicia Carter is staying with Henry

at present. His wife was so seedy

that she decided to go away for

a fortnight's treatment and massage,

wh I hope will do her good. She got

so thin that she only weighed 7 stone

9 lbs, just about my own weight, who 

am quite a foot shorter. Martha 
Hamersley returned from India on

the 16^th June - She had a v. poor time

there, and finally had to go to hospital

at Simla, where her husband now

has an appointment for 4 years. So

she decided to come home. Alicia

says she doesn't look as bad as she

expected, but has lost her looks to

a great extent. Alicia was here

for 2 or 3 days not long ago, and was

^^pretty well, and cheerful. I don't think

she works quite as hard as she did

or gets up so early - She is very devoted

to the grandchildren. I suppose Violet

is growing fast - I hope she is becoming

an expert at tennis as well as

swimming. Tennis is quite a rage

over here now - that happens about

every 20 years, till people get tired of 

it again. It is a good game: I really

think one enjoys it most when one

is a "duffer" though.

We go on in the usual humdrum

way here. Nurse is v. well, I think;

and I bought a new lawn-mower

the other day, wh she enjoys using,

and isn't quite such hard work.

I expect I told you that Mr. Chalmers

died last winter - Mrs Chalmers now

lives with the elder son, who has

a Govt. job, near London. Most of

the Moreton residents are away just

now. One of my nearest neighbours

has kindly offered me the use of

her piano while she & her husband

are away, wh. will be a treat. We 

play duets sometimes. They have taken

a stationary caravan on the side

of a hill close to the moor, and are

going to have some lovely moor walks.

I do envy them.

What do you think about Russia?

Do you approve of Ll. George's wish to

make friends with the Bosheviks?

I think he is really evil, sometimes.

Hoping you are well and happy,
yr. affecate cousin
Martha T.