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

JULY - 1918

11. Thursday. Rained heavily nearly all day. Typed "On D. Street" Fred P. rang up at 6 & came out to supper with me & stayed till nearly 12. Had a fire - such a luxury. xxxxx

12. Friday. Heavy showers again. Typed again Depressed & miserable

13. Saturday. Fine in morning but heavy showers again. Miss Ince took me to dancing exhibition in Albert Hall in afternoon. Typed again - Making my shoulder very tired.

Week-end. [no entry]

JULY - 1918

7 Sunday - Terribly depressed & irritable. Got up & went out a little to post letter. F.P. came & talked to me. Had attack. Rigor. temp. head.

8 Monday. Got up & did things all day. F.P. rang up. Claude came in evening.

9. Tuesday. Got up again. Met Mrs Fisher at Victoria at 5 & went home for the night. Had a lovely fire, entirely necessary in this climate.

10. Wednesday. Came on to rain in the early morn. Went up to town with Mrs Fisher & got home between showers Fire again at Fishers

JULY – 1918.

4. Thursday. F. P called up. Met him at Oxford Circus at 1.30. Went to see "Old Glory" and the U. Jack floating over H. of P. & other public buildings & then spent the afternoon in Batter sea Pk. Brought him home to supper. He had had Spanish Flu & was most astonished by sickness. Feeling dead exhausted. Lovely day.

5. Friday. Grey day. Sun in afternoon. Went to Peter Robinson's & bought pink suit then to Miss Fairbairn's dancing with Maud but had to leave & crawled to bed very ill. Vomited & head bad

6. Saturday. In bed alone all day. Unable to go out for food or cook anything. Weak & terrible depression

Week-end. [no entry]

JUNE – 1918.

30. Sunday Lovely day. Dawdled about. Girlie brought another little friend. A Miss Naylor came from London

1 JULY. Monday. Got up feeling weak. Maud & I went for ferns. Retired before dinner with an attack

2. Tuesday. Feeling weak but got up & pottered about. Lovely weather

3. Wednesday. Left for London. Paul and Olaf met us at Waterloo. I went to bed at 2 & at 4 had a violent attack. Damp, cold bed I think. Had to call Mrs Carpenter. F. P. called up but I was too ill to answer. Lovely day

JUNE -1918

27. Thursday. Slept & rested & read & in afternoon Maud & I went for a nice walk. Nice day but cold.

28. Friday. Same routine. Went to Bedales after tea to see Girlie Smith.

29. Saturday. Lovely day. Miss Whishaw Maud & I walked to Frox In afternoon Girlie Smith & a small companion came.

Week-end. [no entry]