Notebook 1 - Nov. 17th 1924: Dog Problems

Unfinished letter

The Chief of Police
Halethorpe
Nov. 17th 1924

Dear Sir:
Today Mrs. Kensey at corner of Rehbaum & Arbutus Ave. threatened my dog because she said he had wetted her porch. The reason for this is that...


I hate I don't have the rest of this amusing letter. (I'd love to know Lucy's reasoning behind the dog "wetting" the porch!) This snippet makes me laugh no matter how many times I read it. Poor Lucy, she really could have used the advice of Judge Judy! - Carrie

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 - 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

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

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