Item 11: Miles Franklin pocket diary, 17 February-29 December 1918

MAY - 1918

30. Thursday. Lovely day. Pottered and did a little short hand in forenoon. Afternoon went to hear Dr Harold Williams at Lyceum on Russia. Not feeling very strong.

31. Friday Pottered around. Went up to Miss Hodge in evening on message only Greta there

1 JUNE. Saturday F.P. rang up at noon & invited me to Hambourg Chopin recital in Cent. Hall. Tea at Victoria & went to Kensington Gdns. & brought F. home with me for supper He stayed till 12.10. I shewed him photos. Miss S. away for week end. Lovely , lovely weather. Visited Sir James in morning

Weekend. [no entry]

JUNE - 1918

13. Thursday Stayed home to rest but had to run around & do housework so might as well have gone to Café & earned a penny. Threatening cold day. Alister came & we had tea in the garden.

14. Friday Struggled down to Minerva, oh the terrible fainting feeling. Dragged home at 5.30 & went to bed. Arose for dinner & to recieve Mrs Post & Mme. Jalhay. Heavy rain in afternoon & evening.

15. Saturday Cold greyish day. Met F.P at Piccadilly at 4 p.m. Went to see Australian pictures at Grafton Galleries. Tea at "Blue Bird". Then talked a while in Park. Came to Swiss Cottage & failed to find Bambacionis.

JUNE - 1918

9. Sunday Went to Miss N. at 10.30. Left at 4.30 & went to Mrs Ussher & Kath. [J , T or a crossed out inital] Malone also there after being gassed. Dropped in to see Mr & Mrs de Valder. Home at 10.30 quite exhausted.

10. Monday Went to Minerva at 10. Oh so exhausted. Home & rested an hour. Then Mme. came & gave F.P. a lesson in French.

11. Tuesday Stayed home. Wrote article & sent it to Paget. F.P. rang up at lunch & I met him at Piccadilly fnt. [fountain] at 7. Dinner at "Popular" then sat in in Rgts Palace talking & he saw me home by 11.30 Lovely day

12. Wednesday Horribly fatigued. Went to Minerva at 10 & home at 5.30. Rested a little. Then dressed up in S.W.H. overall & cap. Nelson & Miss Barfield came. Lovely day.

JUNE - 1918

6. Thursday Warmish day. Hardly able to crawl but went to Minerva & to Caxton Hall to serve tea in afternoon. Thence crawled home to bed

7. Friday Cold grey day. Wrote a little. Quite a [talk?] with Mdme

8. Saturday Lovely day. Went to Clara Butt & others' concert in Albert Hall with F.P. Then we had tea at Knightsbridge & put A.A.S. on bus for Charing Cross. F.P. & I took her rubbish to Despard Arms Then rode on bus to Mrs. Mills. Had supper at Marble Arch & got home at 10. F.P. left at 11.20 He did not like C.B. & was cross.

JUNE - 1918

2. Sunday Glorious day. Met F.P. at Marble Arch at 12 & went to Hampton Court returning by 9 p.m very tired Had a very pleasant day. Discovered a lot of philosophy & self control in F.P.

3. Monday Lovely day. Went to Café & then to Caxton Hall to serve tea to B.D.W.S.U. "At Home" Crawled home & had attack of malaria 101°.

4. Tuesday Temp at night. Cooked at Minerva & home & to bed exhausted. F.P. called up about Am. mail.

5. Wednesday Feeling v. ill & tired. F.P. called but left earlier owing to my indisposition. I dressed up in pink rose dress. In bed in fornoon served tea at Caxton Hall afternoon