| Description | Particular entries include details of Cecil and Harold's schooling. Cecil obtains a £30 scholarship at Radley College, recorded on 16 May, and is confirmed there on 11 June. He goes to Radley for the autumn term on 20 September after a trip to Oxford with his parents. Charlotte continues to teach Mary at home, and Harold remains at school at Great Malvern. Charlotte also continues to teach at the school, and attends a school inspection on 21 June. She is involved in the usual parish activities, including a children's party on 14 February with toys, oranges and sugar plums.
Leisure activities are mentioned. Fred joins Henley Music Society on 11 February, the boys play lawn tennis on 27 April while on Easter vacation from school, Charlotte visits the Royal Academy on 13 June while in London, and on another visit goes to the Crystal Palace with Fred on 6 August. Fred, Charlotte and Sidney take a short holiday at Lily Hill in May, and Charlotte attends the Retreat of the Clewer Associates at St Stephen's on 15 July. The family take a holiday in Folkestone in August and September, with relatives, apparently without booking lodgings in advance, and they spend some time trying to engage rooms. The holiday includes a visit to Canterbury and Ramsgate, and Charlotte is photographed on 29 August at 'Westons'.
Ailments are also discussed. Fred writes the first couple of entries in the diary, as Charlotte is too ill to write. She resumes her entries on 2 January although she still complains of feeling unwell and is only able to go downstairs to eat on 11 January. Mary is unwell with fever in January and February. The boys continue to see Mr Leibreich regarding their eyes on 30 April and both of them are infected with measles while at school at Great Malvern an she notes on 16 February that 'in all 14 boys laid up & one seriously ill'. Cecil appears to have dental problems, and visits London with his mother about his palate on 2 August. 'The dear boy was terrified when the mold was taken'. Fred also takes the boys to a dentist in Reading on 10 August.
Charlotte reports the death of 'Uncle Charles Eden' on 9 March. Matters of national interest are also referred to. Examples include: 'The 'Eurydice' training ship went down off Ventnor and 300 lives lost including Capt', 23 March and 'The news came of the death from diptheria of princess Alice of Hesse', 14 December.
Reading matter includes 'Life in Lapland', 'Hutchings on 'Conditions of Prayer'', 'The Dumb and Deaf Spirit',
'Spiritual Claims of the Church of England' and 'Theory of Development'. |