1 March 25th 16 Ardeevin Epsom Dearest Mamma Your letter just arrived
I was so glad to get it. Please thank
Ruth & Helen for theirs also. I have just been writing letters about posts
but dont feel at all hopeful about them
& I am disappointed at not hearing from
Mrs Arnold Forster. I heard it was
useless to approach the Admiralty without
a letter of introduction to some
definite person as being on the list
counts for little so I wrote to her but
got no answer. Yesterday I spent a nightmare day
going from 1 one Bureau of Association to
another. Miss Sharek started me with
two letters & each seemed to send me
on some place else I started at Victoria
St then made my way into the heart
of the City then Baker St & Oxford Circus
ending up at South Kensington. There
was some amusement in discovering routes
& on the whole everyone was agreeable
2 but such dreadful women all asking me
the same questions my shorthand speed
especially & telling me to be willing
to start with little pay. I said I
would prefer a private residential
post but am told they are practically
nil since the War & moreover it
was so much better to carve out
a career(!) I have joined the
Association of Clerks & Secs: & various
people have written down my name
on forms & promised to write but I
have not much hope of them & have
a feeling that I should detest
anything they offered me! I have
made up my mind that I will not
be an office clerk working from 9 —6
on small pay. I struck one
rather decent man in an office off
the Strand who gave me an address
of a Capt Stil who wanted a
Secretary for a hospital at Camberwell 3 and I have written to him One of these official ladies told me so
many incompetent women had got them
into Admiralty work through influence
that the authorities are disgusted
& probably most of them will be turned
out as incapable. I dont know
what they are disposed supposed to do
exactly. I was glad to meet Celia at South
Kensington foreign offices typewriters!
We called on Mrs Macleod but she was
away so we went to Pontings where
I bought a hat & we into
Bakers for tea. I shall meet Celia
again for a half day next week &
expect to go to Eastbourne on the 1st
Celia is always cheerful & uncomplaining. Aunt Fanny & Uncle Edmund are kindness
itself but you know how long days can
be but I smile cheerfully at her
all day & sing to him in the evening.
We had a wee dinner at the
Clubrooms where the women attempted 4 to dress so were frozen in a miserably
cold room the men remained in morning
clothes smoked pipes all night till
I was nearly suffocated. I have avoided walking into the town
with Aunt F this morning in order
to write to you but this afternoon we
are to have a good constitutional.
Baby is very well but her health
is almost entirely the only subject
of conversation. It is so funny
to see her dancing with her
grandparents. Uncle E kicking up his
heels. Aunt F hopping with a face
of intense misery. Uncle E looks
just the same & is still talking
of his golf swing and of ' a
man I know' Tomorrow we walk over to Cormac
Janet has been poorly & so has Harry
but both are better. Janet has
come into money it seems. 5 The other day we went for tea at
the Bayshaws in the creepy underground
house. The drawing room chairs
were all covered with white calico.
Mrs B is so fat she cannot sit
down but she leans against a solid
seat. The other visit was the other
of one I paid years ago & was
asked exactly the same questions about
the Souths & Corrys as before. I felt
I was dreaming! I am sorry about Charlie's training
being a farce it seems very stupid.
I would join Marjorie if she wanted me
& come back to London. I'm glad
you have Ruth at home & hope to
hear of Emma soon. I feel my brains cooking in this
little study. Epsom is the most bilious
place I have ever been in . I hope
you wont find it so & that you will
make up your mind to come over. Best Love Dear Dorothy.