Notebook 1 - Nov. 13th 1924: The Chief Charm

Nov. 13th 1924

My dear Mrs. Green-Leach,

Many thanks for your letter. The address of the Printer (Soldier) I mentioned is:
C. Kenneth Greer
3 Grindon Lane
Learford Road, Balto M.D.
Telephone No. "Hamilton 0612 W"

We all missed you very much at the meeting on Monday. Your personality makes the chief charm of the Poetry Circle. We were however pleased to hear that the reason of your absence was a pleasureable one.

With our love
Very sincerely yours
Lucy Derrick Swindells


Another note to Mrs. Green-Leach. First of all, you just couldn't make up a name like that. Lucy is always overly polite to Mrs. Green-Leach. I don't know if this is because she is genuinely her friend or if it's a friendship that she hopes to build through the social connections of the Poetry Circle. I love that Lucy complimented Mrs. Green-Leach by calling her "The chief charm" of the Poetry Circle.  I'd love to know more about what Mrs. Green-Leach planned on printing via Mr. Greer. - Carrie

Notebook 1 - 1924 Piano Tuning

Undated letter probably from 1924

Mr. F. Schulze
Piano Tuner 1201 N. Lucerne Ave.

Dear Sir:

Will you kindly let me know what would be your charge for coming out here to tune my piano.
The Tuner who was in the habit of tuning for this district has been away in a sanitorium for some months on account of ill health, so that if it should be convenient for you to come out - by sending out circulars in advance you could probably do a day's work here. Halethorpe is the terminus of the Halethorpe & Wilkins Avenue Car Line of No. 9 Cars.

Yours Faithfully

L. D. Swindells

This is a very interesting letter to me in multiple ways. First either Lucy or her daughter Heather probably plays piano (Son Ian is deaf, so therefore, I'm assuming he most likely would not play piano.). In later letters Lucy references to Heather singing so she may play piano or Lucy may play for her. Secondly, I love Lucy's bold business sense in suggesting to the piano tuner that he could probably have an entire day's business if he sent flyers (or circulars) out prior to his visit. Lastly, it's interesting how Lucy describes to the Piano Tuner where she lives at the end of the letter ( I assume so he would know where to send circulars!). "Terminus" may refer to a train station or cable car station in Halethorpe MD area. I can't figure out if "No. 9 Cars" refers to trains or cable cars though. Have any thoughts?  - 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 - 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