Monday 4 to Sunday 10 November 1918

WEEK 228: THE LORD MAYOR’S SHOW

Monday 4 to Sunday 10 November 1918

On 8 November, a German delegation arrived at an isolated railway siding in northern France for a meeting with the Allied Supreme Commander, Ferdinand Foch, to open armistice negotiations. Foch’s message to the delegation was curt: the Allied terms were non-negotiable. If Germany wanted peace, they had 72 hours to sign the agreement as it stood. On 9 November, the American demand for the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II before peace talks could commence was realized: Germany was declared a republic and the Kaiser went into exile. On the same day, Max von Baden handed over the chancellorship to Friedrich Ebert, leader of the country’s Social Democratic Party. On 10 November, Ebert instructed the delegation in France to sign the armistice. In the meantime in England, the long-established Lord Mayor’s Show was held in London to celebrate the appointment of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. Although peace had not yet been declared, the parade doubled as a victory procession, and people lining the streets cheered themselves hoarse, as tanks, military troops, and captured German guns filed past.

Monday 4 November

Tom’s head still bad, but she seems a bit better. Ione came round in the morning, & did the shopping. Mrs & Miss Phillips came round, & I went down to see them, & we talked in the hall. I went out with Ione for lunch, then K. called for her. Sir T. came in the afternoon, he seems pleased with her, but says the lung is clearing slowly. He says he think[s] her head comes from the pneumonia, as you often get pains & aches from it. H. didn’t go to bed till about seven, & she had been up all night, & Muz didn’t get much sleep either. I stayed up till after twelve, then H. came in, & I went to bed.

Tuesday 5 November

Tom seems just the same, & her head no better. Ione came round in the morning & stayed all day. H. went to bed about twelve. I sat in her room some of the time, & wrote letters. I went out to get the luncheon. H. got up about six. We heard yesterday from Mrs Roxburgh, that Duskey isn’t looking well & has got a little sore. I do wish I had her with me, or could go to her. Mr Penrose came at about six, & I went down to talk to him, he wanted us to take Tom down, to stay with them. He went about seven, it was awfully nice seeing him. Ione went back at about ten, & I went to bed at about eleven. H. sat up & Muz didn’t get any sleep at all, as Tom very restless all night with her back.

Bad news about Dusky

Wednesday 6 November

Tom says her head is a bit better today, but the pain in her shoulder is very bad. She isn’t having much food today. Ione came round in the morning & stayed till after tea. H. went to bed about eleven, & got up about 8-30. Sir T. came before tea, & seems satisfied with her. Muz rubbed her back a good deal, as it was giving her a lot of pain. I went to bed at about eleven, & Muz settled off then too, & had a little sleep, & Tom had a more restful night. Huff arrived this morning, he got ten days leave, & came here to see how Tom was. He had breakfast & a bath here, & we sat in the drawing room & talked. He had had flu too, but goes home today. Muz saw him for a few minutes. He is awfully worried about Tom, but we couldn’t let him see her, but is coming again, on his way back again.

Thursday 7 November

Tom still got the horrid pain in her back & head, & isn’t eating much. Ione came round in the morning, & stayed till after tea. Cousin Amy & Freddie’s wife came to ask how Tom was. H. stayed in all day, & then went to bed in Muz’s bed, all night. Muz stayed up, & I went in to her at about 2-30, & we had some gruel. At about seven this evening I went down to see Mrs Isacke, she is staying in the hotel, with a friend. Tom was quite interested to hear all her news of Jack. I only talked to her on the stairs, as she was tired, as she had been at Aldershot or somewhere all day, seeing her friend’s husband, who has been wounded.

Jack Isacke

Friday 8 November

Tom seems better today & seems to be taking more interest in things! Ione came round in the morning, & stayed till after tea. I went out to shop in the morning, & shopped again in the afternoon. Sir T. came at about four, & says she is going on very well, & isn’t coming again till Monday. H. was up all day, Muz went to bed the first part of the night, & H. in the morning. I didn’t go to sleep till after two. After dinner I went down to talk to Mrs Isacke, & thank her for the flowers she sent Tom. I had coffee with her, & came up at about nine.

Saturday 9 November

Tom seems better today & her back a bit better too, & she is taking more interest in things. She asked me to read to her, so I went out to get her a book, & got milk etc too, then read to her for a bit. Ione came about lunch time. I didn’t have any lunch, as I was in the other room. Then I went down to see Mrs Phillips. At about three the Lord Mayor’s show started going past, & I watched it from my window it lasted for about an hour, & the crowds in the streets were wonderful. They had captured guns in the procession, & girls making aeroplanes, & all kinds of things. Ione stayed till about six. H. lay down for a bit. Muz & I went down for a bit, & talked to Mrs Isacke & her friend. I went to bed at about eleven, & H. went to bed the first part of the night, & then Muz went.

The Lord Mayor’s Show

Sunday 10 November

Tom a good deal better today, & taking quite an interest in things. Ione came about lunch time, & stayed till after tea. In the morning I read to Tom for a bit. In the afternoon I went downstairs & wrote letters. Then I read to Tom again. We got things fixed up for the night, & Muz went to bed, & H. sat up, & then H. went to bed in the early morning. I went to bed about 11. Tom had a good night.

“The Twins Leave the Circus”