Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Notebook 1 - Feb 15th 1925


February 15th, 1925
Halethorpe

The Editor of the "Sunday Times"

Dear Sir:
I notice in your Photogravure Secture of today's issue where the Earl & Countess of Coventry are shown, that they are said to have been married 75 years and to be over 92 years old.
This is a mistake as they were married 60 (sixty) years ago, (And 60 years being called a "Diamond Wedding" in England) and the Earl is only 89, having been born in 1838.
The enclosed cuttings from the Overseas Daily Mail may be of interest to you, I do not need them returned.

Faithfully,
Lucy Derrick Swindells

This is another one of my favorite aspects of Lucy! She is never shy about correcting the local newspaper in areas that she feels she is an expert, particularly politics and English Society. While Lucy left England in 1921, she never lost her love of being English. She was extremely proud of her heritage and her mother country. - Carrie

Monday, November 29, 2010

Notebook 1 - April 3rd 1925 - Selling Stories



April 3rd 1925
The Editor
The Pictorial Review

Dear Sir or Madam:
I shall be pleased if you will make me an offer for the enclosed short-story culled from my experiences as an artist. Relative to which I enclose a cutting. I have also been an author since my first story was accepted for a magazine in 1907. Also And since coming to America the Elizabeth Sunday Times contained a short-story from my pen every week for 18 months that I lived in Elizabeth (New Jersey), the Elizabeth Daily Journal also publishing many of my articles. While there I was chairman of the Committee to the Arts' Club & painted portraits of the President & Vice President of the Women's Club, and many lovely children of the wealthy residents. Nearly 2 years ago I moved re-moved here & am now at work upon a Jubilee Presentation portrait of the Rev. Dr. Peregrine Wroth who has been for just upon 50 years Rector of the Church of the Messiah, Baltimore.
I have been a subscriber to the Pictorial Review ever since I came to America.

Very Sincerely Yours,
Lucy Derrick Swindells

This letter gives us one of the first glimpses of Lucy finding ways to earn money. She was primarily a poet, a writer, and an artist. She often sent letters to local businesses trying to find customers for portraits, along with writing newspapers, magazines, and department stores to see if she could sell her short stories and poems. As an English woman raising her older teenage children in America, with very little help from her husband, she really had to work hard to scratch out a living, especially to help maintain her need to feel like an upper class Baltimore socialite. - Carrie

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Notebook 1 - A woman's social life is so fatiguing...


Undated partial letter ~ 1925?

...it is a branch of All Saints presided over by Mr. Manning as also it is an hour's ride in the car each way to Baltimore and I find it so fatiguing that I cannot help dropping out of my former activities there.

With kind regards and all good wishes

Yours Sincerely,
Lucy Derrick Swindells



While this partial letter doesn't tell us much about Lucy's life per se, I find the language very amusing! It's such a cliche for women of earlier times to faint or be easily "fatigued." I suspect in general this is probably not the case for Lucy as she lives such a busy life.. it's still fun to "hear" her using the phrase to decline a social activity. - Carrie

Notebook 1 - Feb 9th 1925 - Poetry Circle Notes



FEB. 9th 1925
Meeting of the Baltimore Poetry Circle at the home of the President Mrs. Leacey Naylor Green-Leach at 1613 Bolton Ave. 

1. Committee Meeting to discuss Preparation for Card Party to be held on Valentine's Day at the Women's Club, Roland Park. 

2. Read by Mrs. Helen Bayley-Davis. "Skit on Montana" by M. Lippman. 

3. Mrs. Green-Leach announces that the "Contemporary Verse" Magazine is in it's last year. 

4. Read by Mrs. Helen Bayley-Davis and Mr. Arthur Miller Easter a Duet - from Browning. 
    "In a Gondola" by Mr. Easter
    "Say after me these words" Mrs. Davis

5. Read by Miss Rives & composed by her: "Rastus Possum" by: Miss Jane Gilliam Rives

6. Read by Mrs. Helen Bayley-Davis: "Evelyn Hope" by Browning.

7. Read by Mrs. Virginia New Merryman: "Wanting is What" by Browning.

FEB 14 - Card Party at the Women's Club. at Roland Park
In Charge of Party: Mrs. Ferguson, Mrs. Anna Hamilton-Wood, and Mrs. Helen Bayley-Davis -- under direction of the President. 

I love these notes taken by Mrs. Lucy at a Poetry Circle Meeting! The members were obviously fans of Robert Browning. I don't know a lot about how the meetings were planned, but it would be interesting to know if certain poets were highlighted each month. Members often shared their own poetry as well. When I visited Baltimore one summer during college I looked up the streets that were mentioned in Lucy's letters. Amazingly where I stayed that summer was right in the middle of downtown Baltimore, with the streets of Lucy's friends literally surrounding me. It was haunting in a way. - Carrie


Saturday, November 27, 2010

Notebook 1 - Dec 22nd 1924 - Dancing Lessons


December 22nd 1924
Professor Watkins
614 N. Fremont Ave

Dear Sir:
Will you kindly let me know your terms for teaching dancing. I have a son & daughter aged 16 & 21 respectively who would like to take lessons, but I should like first to see your studio and if possible your pupils dancing.
Hoping to hear all particulars.

Yours Faithfully,
L.D. Swindells

This is the first letter that mentions Lucy's two children: Ian & Heather Derrick-Swindells. Lucy might be considered an overprotective mom of a 16 & 21 year old, as she mentions wanting to see the studio and pupils dancing. I wonder whose idea the lessons actually were! - Carrie

Friday, November 26, 2010

Notebook 1 - December 22, 1924


Halethorpe (MD)
Dec. 22nd 1924

Dear Mr. Swift,

Would you kindly put the enclosed notice in the journal. Altering it in any way if you wished, but making it a fitting response to the enclosed touching appeal from dear Mrs. Andrews.

Would you kindly return her letter which is very precious to me and send me several papers so I may send her one.

With the complements of the season,
Sincerely yours,
Lucy Derrick Swindells



FORMER RECTOR OF ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL

Ch. Eliz.
An appreciation of the late Ethelbert H.J. Andrews, Rector of S.Marks Plainview Texas
by Lucy Derrick Swindells, Secretary of the Baltimore Poetry Circle and fellow of the International Order of Bookfellows.

On Dec. 7 there passed away at Plainview Texas the Rev. E.H.V. Andrews who for almost a decade was Priest in Charge of All Saints Church El Mora Ave Eliz. and who - with Mrs. Andrews was most deeply loved.

Mrs. Andrews was the granddaughter of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar who was elected President of Texas in 1838 and whose family still resides there and it was in order to try the benefit of her native air on account of her delicate health that Mr. Andrews took his wife to Plainview in 1922.

Mr. Andrews had always possessed considerable literary ability and he was a member of the International Order of Bookfellows. In Texas he edited the North Texas Adventure, and at a recent convention of the Texas Press Association he was elected it's Poet Laureate.

I cannot adequately express describe the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews to us when we arrived from England, three years ago (1921), lonely strangers in a land which was new to us, but their lives have been such a ministry of love and service and it has been such a perfect union which now seems so cruelly severed.

In conclusion I desire to quote the following poem from the pen of Mr. Andrews which I was privileged to use in an In Memoriam notice of my brother who died on Nov. 1, 1923, his fatal seizure following his presence at Holy Communion on All Saints Sunday.

The following poem was printed on Nov. 1 this year in the Hertfordshire Express England and now becomes doubly appropriate for it's Sainted Author who was called home on Sunday eve about nine o'clock after a day's beautiful service, after a lifetime of beautiful service:

- In Memoriam: A Rendezvous with God. -

Sadly, the poem itself is missing. We learn a lot about Lucy from this lengthy tribute. She arrived from England 3 years earlier, this family was incredibly kind and helpful to her family. Her brother (Ellis Raves) died in November of 1924.  Lucy is definitely close to several members of the Andrews family which we will read about more in later letters - Carrie

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Notebook 1 - Green-Leach & du Maurier Controversy Pt. 2



Partial undated letter probably from late 1925 - early 1926 

(to Mrs. Croker - another member of the Poetry Circle -- Carrie)

...quietly accept the fruits of all Mrs. Green-Leach's labors so dear Mrs. Croker you will see that as to me, Mr. Meredyth and Miss de Maurier appear a couple of unscrupulous schemers...

Your warm reception of Mr. Meredyth & his fiance show that you do not believe that this couple are the unscupulous schemers which other members of the Circle believe them to be their actions have proved them not to be so I do feel you will have the goodness give some explanation we should all be indebted to you could give some explanation to throw any light..

Being Mrs. Green-Leach's personal friend it is unreasonable to suppose you would "run with the hare & hunt with the hounds" as we say in England without some very strong motive. Please do forgive me for asking your kindness in explaining all this for being English I do feel at such a disadvantage. 

Hoping to hear from you.

Very Sincerely Yours, 
Lucy Derrick-Swindells


This letter from Lucy to Mrs. Croker, which is trying to delve deeper into the Green-Leach & du Maurier controversy is classic "Lucy." I love how sweetly she comes across as simply being nosy and is dying to figure out what happened within the Circle to cause Miss du Maurier to leave! I love the false assumption that because she's British she's at a social disadvantage to understand the ways and means of Americans. This whole letter could be summed up as Lucy saying to Mrs. Croker, "Would you just tell me WHAT is going on?" But that would be too brutally American! - Carrie

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Notebook 1 - The Green-Leach & DuMaurier Controversy



Undated letter probably from 1925 or early 1926

My dear Mrs. Davis,

I have been anxious to have a little quiet chat with you for some time, but have been ill during the holiday, and our living out of town does increase our difficulty in seeing each other. I will therefore write a few lines as I am anxious to have your opinion and the opinion of any members of the Circle you are able to reach on the Green-Leach / du Maurier controversy.

At the beginning of December, Miss du Maurier resigned from the Circle and upon my urging Mrs. Green-Leach by letter to investigate the matter & try and get Miss du Maurier back. Mrs. Green-Leach came over to see me, & gave me to understand that the breach was final. Shortly after, Mr. Meredyth & Miss du Maurier came to see me & complained that, dating from their engagement Mrs. Green-Leach had subjected Miss du Maurier to considerable annoyance and had spoken of Mr. Meredyth (to?) as a common working man etc... having heard both sides of the question I yet have heard nothing suggested to explain the matter except  annoyance on Mrs. Green-Leach's part at the engagement.

It seems to me that for two members of the Poetry Circle to get engaged is not a crime, especially as the Poetry Circle is more or less of a social character. Yet for this offence, Miss du Maurier was in a way pushed out...

-Unfinished letter by Mrs. Lucy Derrick-Swindells, Notebook 1

This is one of my favorite letters in the first notebook. Lucy often sees herself as upper class and socializes with those in the upper class society in the Baltimore of the 1920's and 30's. However, financially they are anything but upper class as we will discover in later letters. While Lucy is a proud woman and enjoys associating with people who are more well off than she is, I admire her tenacity and her ability to see through conflicts that seem silly today. - Carrie

Notebook 1 - 1919 Letter from a doctor


55 Brunswick Square
Hove, Sussex

17th Sept. 1919

Dear Mrs. Swindells,
I thank you for cheque 11 guineas. The amount should have been 12 guineas but we will consider it settled.
I was sorry to hear the boy had still some contraction and hope it has yielded to the treatment.

Yours Sincerely,
(Lucy's Doctor with illegible name.)
Burgess Hill


Most likely this early note from 1919 is regarding payment for treatment done to Lucy's son Betram Ian Derrick-Swindells. He went by the name Ian and was deaf. I love this note it just shows you that bill collectors have always been around, although often not nearly as accommodating! - Carrie 

Notebook 1 - $5 Membership


Feb. 23rd (probably 1925?)

Mrs. Green-Leach suggested that 20 members should give $5.

-note to self, Lucy Derrick-Swindells

*This is most likely referring to dues to the Baltimore Poetry Circle that Lucy was a member of and later became the president of. -Carrie

Notebook 1 - July 24,1925


July 24, 1925

Dear Sir:
I am a most-accomplished artist trained in the best art schools in London and Paris and should be pleased to come and see you and bring a specimen of my work. In England I painted the portraits of many distinguished people from life until the War spoiled my business. I came to America hoping for better things -- but find too many artists already in Baltimore. As I am a married woman with a home which demands part of my attention; I copied photographs for "Boots" a high class drug store and fancy store which has branches in every large town in England. I am a married woman & like work which I can do in my home.

- Unfinished letter from Lucy Derrick-Swindells, Notebook 1