| Description | These letters are predominantly from friends of Cynthia Mosley, although there are also a small number of letters from individuals who seem to have corresponded with her on a less personal, though still informal, level. This correspondence has been filed together because the letters have, for the most part, been signed only by the sender's first or last name, or by initials only, making it impossible to confidently identify these individuals. The content of the correspondence varies, and some letters, particularly from the late 1920s and early 1930s, refer to contemporary political issues, but the majority are concerned with personal and social matters. Letters comprise:
/1 from 'Alice', Windsor Castle, 1920.
/2-/3 from 'Alan', Fitzroy Square, London, undated
/4 from 'Angie', concerning her recent marriage to 'Stewart' and expressing her certainty that Cynthia will be happy in marriage
/5-/7 from 'Armand', Rue de Varenne, Paris, undated
/8 from 'Arthur', Belgrave Square, London, 1924
/9 from 'Audrey', Deanscroft, Oakham, undated, asking Cynthia to visit her
/10 from 'B', Arlington Street, London, undated
/11 from 'B', Royal Northern Club, Aberdeen, 1929
/12 from 'Beattie', South Kensington, undated
/13 from 'Betty', Mansfield Street, London, 1916, concerning the birth of her baby
/14 from 'Antoine Bernstein', St Moritz, undated
/15 from 'Bill', Cap d'Antibes, France, congratulating Cynthia on her election victory 1929 and giving details about his recent operation for 'mastoid'
/16 from 'Blos', Avenue St Honore d'Eylau, Paris, 1930, concerning Cynthia's wedding anniversary and mentioning 'Nigs'
/17 from 'Bobbie', Lathbury Park, Newport Pagnell, undated, but written after Cynthia left school in 1916. Contains references to social activities at Cliveden, the home of the Astor family. This correspondent' is probably Robert 'Bobbie' Shaw, son of Nancy Astor and her first husband Robert Gould Shaw
/18 from 'Bruce', Welbeck Abbey, Worksop, Notts, undated
/19-/20 from 'Charles', British Embassy, Paris, undated, making social arrangements
/21 from Colin, White Star Line, to Cynthia and 'Tom' [Oswald Mosley], undated
/22 from 'Con', Park Lane, London, 1916
/23 from 'Curtis', Fitzroy Square, London, acknowledging receipt of payment for a Lurcat painting
/24-/25 from G. Delayth, Godalming, Surrey, 1921-1922, concerning gardening work, particularly the supply of plants and flowers
/26 from 'Diana', Warwick Lodge, Melton Mowbray, undated, concerning her forthcoming marriage to 'Percy'
/27-/29 from 'Dicks'. /27 is sent from Dunkeld House, Perthshire, 1919, and gives details about social activities with 'Barbie' (see OMN/A/2/23/59-64 and OMN/A/2/15). /28 is sent from Witley Court, Worcestershire, dated 1920, and discusses her feelings after the recent death of a relative, probably her mother. /29 is sent from St Jean Cap Ferrat, dated 1921, giving details of her social and travel plans with 'Con'
/30 from 'Docs', 1921, giving an account of recent travels, and mentioning 'Quart' - Gladys Waterbury (see OMN/A/2/16)
/31 from 'Dot', Trent, New Barnet, 1916, discussing the marriage of Cynthia's father, George Curzon, to Grace Duggan
/32 from 'Edwina', Hotel Lutitia, undated
/33-/34 from 'Elsa'. /33 is written from Cambridge, Mass, 1927, discussing her plans to come to Europe, /34 is written from Rue de Bruxelles, undated.
/35-/38 from 'Elsie', Munden, Watford, undated. Elsie is the wife of 'Rob' who wrote to Cynthia during his service in Palestine in the First World War (see OMN/A/4/2/9), and who is also mentioned in these letters. /36 refers to the marriage of Cynthia's father, George Curzon, to Grace Duggan, so presumably dates from 1916. /37 asks Cynthia to be godmother to her son Patrick.
/39 from 'M de Felcourt', Hyde Park Hotel, London, 1924, making social arrangements
/40 from 'Francis', Great James Street, London, undated
/41 from 'Francis', Boulevard St Germain, 1930, written in French
/42 from 'Hazel', Malvern Wells, undated
/43 from 'Hermione', undated
/44 from 'Hilda', Roxburgh, undated, mentions 'Buchie' and 'Chips' (see OMN/A/2/22/69 and OMN/A/2/22/17-18)
/45 from 'Hutch', 1923, written to Cynthia in Paris, discussing social activities. This is possibly Leslie Hutchinson, jazz musician
/46 from 'Jeanne', Bryanston Square, 1916, discussing Cynthia's success at school in cricket and tennis, and giving news of the success of 'George' in his exam for Eton
/47 from 'Joan', Hurtwood House, Albury, Guildford, Surrey, 1928, containing map of directions to Hurtwood from Dorking
/48 from 'Joanie', Portman Square, 1922
/49 from 'John', Fifth Avenue, New York, 1932, discussing his writing career, and enquiring about Cynthia's health following the birth of her son Michael
/50 from Mr 'Jones', Crediton, Devon, 1928, referring to Cynthia's recent visit [to Berlin], discussing local politics in Smethwick, and the Labour Movement, and mentioning the kindness experienced following the loss of someone close to him, possibly his wife.
/51 from 'Archie C Kerr', Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, 1929, making arrangements to meet, and mentioning recent social activities with 'Nigz' (see OMN/A/2/23/73-76) and 'Blos' (see OMN/A/2/23/16)
/52 from 'Kiki', Hotel Bradford, Paris, [1929], containing congratulations on Cynthia's maiden speech
/53-/54 from 'Krishna'. /53 is written from 'The Laurels', 1918 and the writer discusses studying with a tutor and working for an exam.
/55 from E de Lannx, Rue Visconti, Paris, 1929, concerning Cynthia's requirements for a divan she has ordered
/56 from 'Lilias' (nee Hawker), South Australia, 1920, after her marriage, giving details of her life there (see also OMN/A/4/1/3 for letters from Lilias)
/57 from 'Lizzy', Portman Square, London, 1922
/58 from 'Lindsay', Buckingham Palace Road, London, undated
/59-/64 probably from members of the Lutyens family, Thorpeness, Suffolk, and Dunkeld House, Perthshire, 1919-1920. Letters give details of leisure activities including swimming and sailing, and several mention 'Barbie' - Barbara Lutyens (see OMN/A/2/15). The correspondents are possibly her sisters. Only a small part of /64 survives; the rest has been torn away.
/65 from 'Margaret', Marine Hotel, Lossiemouth, undated. The writer gives an account of activities at Lossiemouth and mentions that Ramsay [MacDonald] seems to be much happier in this environment. She expresses her disappointment that Cynthia and Oswald Mosley are unable to be there, suggesting that that the gathering at Lossiemouth may have been a Labour party event
/66-/68 from 'Marjorie'. /66 is written from Switzerland and /67 from Cap d'Antibes. All are undated. /66 and /67 encourage Cynthia to shop at Wanda Watazzi, a Paris boutique
/69 from 'Manz', 1917, discussing social activities, and enquiring about Cynthia's illness
/70 from 'Merard', Rue Notre Dame des Champs, Paris, undated, giving details about a flat for rent in Paris
/71 from 'Merk', Boston, Mass, 1920, giving an account of the voyage to New York and current activities in Boston
/72 from 'E. Munthe', Societa Italiana Servizi Marittimi, undated
/73-/76 from 'Nigs'. /73, written from the British Embassy, Paris, congratulates Cynthia on her engagement in 1920. /76, written from Belvedere, Calcutta, 1931, discussing Indian politics and the possibility of a new Indian Reform Act
/77-/81 from 'Nora', dating between 1919 and 1930. Several are written from 'White Star' passenger ships
/82 from 'Oozibrozivo', H.M.S.Highflyer, East Indies Station, Calcutta, 1911, containing an account of events organised for the Delhi Durbar to mark the coronation of George V
/83 from 'Paul', Villa Abamelek, Rome, 1923
/84 from 'Philip', New University Club, London, 1932
/85 from 'Pierre', Avenue Henri Martin, Paris, 1930, discussing his social plans, and enclosing a cutting from a French newspaper which mentions the presence of Cynthia Mosley at a social gathering
/86 from 'Phoebe', Lansdowne Terrace, Eastbourne, undated
/87 from 'Simon', Upper Brook Street, London, 1922, announcing the birth of a baby to himself and 'Barbie, with undated letter, presumably from 'Barbie', thanking Cynthia for her present for the baby
/88-/89 from 'Sylvia'. /88 is a telegram, sent from Paris, possibly referring to a school reunion.
/90 telegram from 'Treves', sent to Cynthia care of Lady Miller, Manderston
/91 from 'Tyrell', British Embassy, Paris, 1930, discussing matters relating to the arrival of a French parliamentary delegation in London and suggesting arranging a meeting with 'Wedgwood Benn'
/92 from 'Viola', Woburn Square, London, undated, concerning the cost of renting a villa
/93 from 'Violet', Portofino, Italy, concerning arrangements for Cynthia's honeymoon in 1920 and the possibility of leasing a villa. She suggests contacting the Grenfells
/94-/95 from 'Willie', Royal Palace, Brussels, 1930-1931./98 makes arrangements for Cynthia to meet the Queen and the Duke of Brabant in Brussels
/96 from 'Willie', probably written in 1929, expressing concern about Cynthia's illness and congratulating Oswald Mosley on his post, but commenting, 'I cannot allow myself to admire Mr Jowitt very much'
/97 from 'Willie', concerning news about wounded officers during the First World War
/98 from 'Will', Mayfair Hotel, London, undated, thanking Cynthia and Oswald Mosley for their hospitality and asking them to visit New York
/99 from 'Willingdon', P&O liner, 1931
/100 from 'Witz', Rue Duguay-Trouin, Paris, 1927, written in French, making social arrangements
/101-/144 are written in English and French, from individuals who cannot be confidently identified even by a first or last name. Some are incomplete. The majority discuss social engagements, and many are letters of thanks to Cynthia for her hospitality at parties and other social events.
/128 includes a cutting from a French newspaper on the subject of disarmament, 1930
/145 and /146 are letters not apparently written to Cynthia but found in her papers. /145 is a letter from unidentified sender addressed to 'Mrs Parsons' in 1923 concerning the hire of a villa in Italy. /146 is an undated letter sent from Eaton Grange, Wellington, Shropshire to 'Darling Mother', written by an unidentified child and containing a description of life at school. |