Notebook 1: Mrs. Carl Goodman and Mr. Andrews reprints

Feb. 4th 1925
Halethorpe M.D.
The Editor of the Elizabeth Journal

Dear Sir:

Many thanks for your letter of Feb. 2nd and enclosures, which explain why I never received any the papers as I had which I had asked for.

In my letter of Dec 22nd I enclosed stamps and asked for copies of the paper and to be sent only one letter, the one which I had received from Mrs. Andrews. The letter from Mrs. Carl Goodman I had have never seen before (and re-enclose). Mrs. Goodman apparently did not send stamps, so probably Miss Foote thought I had sent both letters, and dispatched the papers straight to Plainview.

I am nevertheless very anxious to see the notice & likeness of Mr. Andrews...

all of which I should like to keep so I hope you will kindly send me a paper or papers if there was more than one notice of his death, which as the others have already received theirs I need not send on to them and can keep for myself. 

Thanking you,

Yours Truly,

Lucy Derrick Swindells

Carrie's Notes: This is an interesting note from Lucy to the editor of the Elizabeth Journal. Somehow there was a mixup in the previous notes sent requesting copies of an obituary or story written about the former Rector Mr. E. H. J. Andrews. It sounds as if the paper knew Lucy wrote both letters (which makes sense as her handwriting is so distinguished and recognizable) and sent all copies to her instead of passing them along to Mrs. Goodwin. Lucy's letters often show her ability to look past her own flaws in order to not accept blame for mistakes. 

Notebook 1: Mysteriously from Mrs. Carl Goodman

Jan 22, 1925

Mrs. E.H.J. Andrews

317 Beech St.

Plainview Texas

The Editor Eliz. New Jersey

Dear Sir: I have just seen the account of the death of Rev. E. H. J. Andrews of Plainsview former Rector 1917-1922 of All Saints Episcopal Church Elizabeth (Elmora) N. J. The Clipping was not dated but Mr. Andrews died Dec. 7th and the account was probably in your paper of the 9th or 10th. We have not here a picture of Mr. Andrews, and if you can... 

let us have the cut used with said article we should greatly appreciate it. Also Ms. Andrews would like to have one or more copies of your paper of the issue if you can spare from the files. I, acting editor (since Mr. Andrew's death) of the North Texas Adventure Diocesan paper, am anxious to have cut for use in ("Sam?"). Please send to me carriage collect. 

Yours very truly,

Mrs. Carl Goodman

Carrie's Notes: Located in the notebooks are several letters that Lucy must have penned for other people. I don't know how Lucy knew Mrs. Goodman, although I believe she may have known her husband when she lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey (before she moved to Maryland).  I don't know if Lucy penned these letters as a favor to friends or charged as an additional business venture. 

Notebook 1: Green-Leach & du Maurier Controversy Part 3

Jan. 20th 1925

Mr. C. A A Parker   Editor   L.Alouette??

30 Waite St. Malden Mass

Dear Sir. Mr. Parker

Many thanks for yours of Jan 17th. I had not heard that your Magazine was passing into other hands but I had heard of course of the Green-Leach and du Maurier controversy.

As it was represented to me that Mrs. Green-Leach had not treated Miss du Maurier fairly I appealed to the members of the Circle as to whether they were prepared to vote any want of confidence in Mrs. Green-Leach, and I was assured on the contrary that they are full of loyalty and devotion to her and their sympathies entirely on her side. Most of them live in town and know both ladies equally intimately, (as I living in the country) "bloom unseen or waste their sweetness on the desert air." but should let their poems be a source of joy and inspiration to others. 

Yours Very Truly,

Lucy Derrick Swindells

This is one of those notes in which I'm not entirely sure the end goes with the beginning! The last page may actually be from another letter, but they were side by side in the notebook. At any rate, I'm assuming Mr. Parker was at one point the editor of a now defunct poetry magazine, which I couldn't find any references too. What's interesting is again Lucy broaching the subject of the infamous Green-Leach & du Maurier controversy! It's amazing to me that word of the controversy could have reached outside of Baltimore all the way to the offices of a magazine editor in Malden Massachusetts! - Carrie

Notebook 1: A note on Flappers & short hair...

April 2nd 1925

Sir:

I should like to make a few comments on the letter "Flappers at 60" in this mornings paper. Why should women mind making the change which circumstances have already forced upon men.  

Until well into the eighteenth century gentlemen wore long hair. I say say gentlemen advisedly for poor men had already had to dispense with it. 

Long hair unless exquisitely tended is the ugliest thing in creation. Is not the charwoman style of curtains and a little twisted knob good for a laugh in any Pantomine. Where as the Prince in the Pantomine has always short hair not quite to the shoulders delicious curling all round the neck. 

The almost impossible task of doing long hair attractively before hurrying out to the day's work forced men to discontinue it. 

So now that daughters of most households work in offices or other places instead of lolling gracefully on sofas. They too have learnt the value of time. They have incidentally become most all more attractive and Mothers seeing their daughters charms with short hair like to look pretty too. 

L.D.S. 

This is the first letter we read that shares Lucy's strong opinions on the need for women to have short hair. One of her most well known (and published) letters to the Baltimore Sun contains a letter she sent to the King of England about his resistance to women cutting their hair. Today's letter contains wonderful language, I love that she mentions a "charwoman" - which is an older English term for a maid or cleaning woman. It is interesting to me how Lucy uses such generalizations about women such as... they don't have time to be lolling on sofas anymore... that long hair is only seen on maids or cleaning women (or therefore women of a lower class). The last sentence is rather telling as well. I wonder if Lucy initially cut her own hair when it became the style for her daughter to do so in the 20's. To see a picture of Lucy read the About page.   - Carrie

Notebook 1 - February 27th 1925

February 27th, 1925
Miss Elise Luckett
2315 North Calvert St.

My dear Miss Luckett,

Just a line to tell you that there will be no meeting of the Poetry Circle on March 2nd as most of the members are going to hear Edna St. Vincent Millay speak.
We were sorry you were not with us last Monday & I hope you will be able to come on the 9th.

Very Sincerely,
Lucy Derrick Swindells

The same to Mrs. Merryman, 118 Cakedale Ave. (B.?) & Miss Maria Hammond, 1622 John St.

This is a good example of Lucy's responsibilities as secretary of the Poetry Circle. This letter acted as a template for notes she needed to send to several members. I wonder what she would have thought of MS Word software and Mail Merge technology! It's also fascinating to note that Lucy probably saw Edna St.Vincent Millay, a famous female American poet, speak live at a public event! - Carrie

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

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

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

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

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