| Description | The diary is dominated by the progressive illness and eventual death of Charlotte's daughter, Mary. She visits Dr Webb for various treatments during the early part of the year, and has to give up teaching her bible class on 16 May, due to laryngitis. She continues to lose weight, and visits Dr Webb about this on 25 May. He sends her to a specialist, Sir Bertrand Dawson, on 4 June who gives the opinion that 'intestinal congestion, bad lower gums & teeth account for her condition'. Dr Webb prescribes a rest cure in the country for a month or six weeks, and Mary travels to Shiplake on 10 June and begins a fortnight in bed the following day. On her return, doctors visit and perform an operation on 1 July. Charlotte is informed that Mary has 'cancer of the intestines' and that 'no cure could be made'. Mary is prayed for, and her friends and family visit often. Sidney makes several short visits from Evesham. (Prior to this year, Charlotte noted on 20 January that she had not seen him for 2 years.) Mary gives Charlotte full instructions about her will on 20 July. Mary receives communion on 7 August and the Bishop of London visits and gives absolution on 12 August. She dies a week later and is buried at Harpsden next to her father on 22 August. Mary's rooms are disinfected by the County Council on 24 August and Charlotte gives out the possessions Mary had left to various people in her will. She also notes the letters of sympathy that she receives. Charlotte hears more bad news on 5 September when 'our very dear Bennett had been found dead on the floor of her bedroom'.
Charlotte's own health is fairly good, although she continues to receive treatment for her prolapsed uterus throughout the year. She spends her leisure time visiting her brothers, and Cecil and his family, as well as socialising with friends, attending church, and hospital visiting. She has a last holiday with Mary at St Leonards, beginning on 20 April , and goes out in a bath chair, and visits the memorial at Hastings on 21 April. Mary goes by train to Hastings to take a warm bath on 23 April. Charlotte also goes with friends to Folkestone on 15 September and takes a bath chair to Madeira walk, engaging in the usual activities, and returns home on 2 October. She has a family Christmas meal on 26 December with her brothers and Cecil, Ethel and the children.
Charlotte mentions 'the Ulster crisis' on 25 March and her first mention of the war which broke out in August is on 7 November when a friend's son is killed at the Front. On 24 December, she also writes: 'a bomb dropped by an aeroplane on Dover'.
Reading matter includes 'The Life of the Empress Frederick', 'The Sympathy of God', 'Primitive Saints', 'Life of Miss Nightingale', 'book on Luxembourg' and 'book on Canada'. |