| Description | /1 Manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from Stanway, Winchcombe, 17 April [?1899]. Wemyss apologises at length to Lodge for asking impertinent questions about a potential new post that Lodge had accepted the previous night. She assures Lodge that she will not spread the word about this business.
/2 Manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from Stanway, Winchcombe, 14 April 1899. Wemyss apologises for a hurried letter, as her young children are 'all about [her]', and thanks Lodge for sending a fairy tale book illustrated by [Richard] Dicky Doyle to her daughter Cynthia, who was recovering from an arm injury. She thanks Lodge for his friendship and kindness, and hopes that they will meet again soon.
/3 Manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from 62 Cadogan Square, S. W. [London], 18 June 1902. Wemyss informs Lodge that she is pleased with the photographs of Stanway [family home], and updates him about her mother's improved health. She explains the difficulties of caring for her mother, who prefers to take care of others instead. Wemyss recounts anecdotes of her mother's extreme altruism, and wishes she would accept more help. Wemyss includes other family news, including the worries about the pregnancy of her sister Madeline, the family's hopes for a son, and the recent birth of her own daughter, Irene. She invites Lodge to visit the family at Stanway with his own family over the Summer.
/4 Manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from Clouds [House], Salisbury, 17 April 1907. Wemyss apologises for failing to talk with Lodge at their most recent 'Easter party' gathering. She writes that she would have liked to tell him that she enjoyed his most recent book greatly, and their games of bridge, despite being distracted by her father not taking party guest [John Pentland] Mahaffy to the smoking room to allow her mother to join their game of bridge. Wemyss also writes a last reminder to Lodge that he is invited to 62 Cadogan Square on the evening of Friday 26 [April] for a gathering at which H. G. Wells, A. J. B. [Arthur Balfour] and other 'shin[ing] lights' will be present.
/5 Manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from Gosford, Longniddry, 25 September 25 1915. Wemyss writes to console Lodge about the recent loss of his son, Raymond, who was killed eleven days earlier, whilst fighting in the First World War. She offers her support to Lodge, and also includes details of the military postings of her own sons, Ego [Hugo], Guy and Yvo - two of whom later die in the war.
/6 Undated [likely 1916] manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from Gosford, Longniddry. Wemyss thanks Lodge for his letter to her on 3 May, which comforted her whilst her son Ego [Hugo] was missing whilst away at war. She writes about the tragedy of war - of young men dying needlessly, and parents suffering loss. Wemyss tells Lodge that Ego [Hugo] is alive but captured in Damascus after fighting bravely and being injured in the shoulder, and that she now hopes he will be spared from death in the war.
/7 Manuscript letter from Mary Wemyss to Oliver Lodge, written from Stanway, Winchcombe, 17 December 1931. Wemyss thanks Lodge for sending a book, 'Past Days', and informs him that she has been writing 'A Family Record', about the lives of her sons Ego [Hugo] and Yvo who died in the First World War. [This is published privately in 1932]. Wemyss also laments not being able to see Lodge whilst they were both in Scotland, and wishes that, 'if we are all alive next Summer' they should arrange to meet. Also includes stamped and dated envelope. |