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Lt. Col. Robert Story - Diary notes 1885

Notes from Robert's diary by MN D-W

Jan - May 1885

Jan 1st. "The new yeard finds us now about 9 months settled in our new little home. Floré getting better from an attack of conjestion of the liver. Myself wonderfully stronger, but at the moment suffering from a very bad cold. Vida as well and strong as she could well be." During that week they cleaned and put up the family portraits, and some horns, and the carpenter finished the shelves in the library so they could carpet and furnish that room and start arranging the books. Robert got up steam in his workshop several times and turned the top and legs of a stool for Aunt Fanny & cut 50 pieces of wood to make balusters - these he turned in 3 days and had a headache and a backache (no surprises!).

27th. "Heard of Evie's having become partner in a Hog Ranch in Kansas."

Feb 2nd. "Gudgeon informs me that Stratton means to raise my rent from £60 to £80 from March 24th 1884 - Saw Scotnety about it." They had a man in to make a dolls house for Vida's 4th birthday (the 8th) and she had a few small friends to a party on the 9th, They later bought her two waxbills and three siskins. Several times Robert went to choir but found there was no practice, another evening Liebick was very noisy on the piano, and there was an awful musical afternoon at the Penefathers.

In March Robert was having quite bad back trouble again, and Floré was also ill in bed. Stratton agreed to let them the house for another 3 years at £75 with an option for 2 more at £80. Robert bought 2 pigs (he already had hens and ducks) and put an advert in Exchange & Mart for two silkies after seeing some in a friend's fowl house.

24th. "Hired a large American organ & put it in the dining room but it kept Vida awake at night"

25th. "Moved the organ into the drawing room."

Unlucky April 13th for Bobby the dog - he bit a girl at Clifton and Robert shot him. Now they were sure of the house they started a great spring cleaning and decorating. "Paper for spare room and our bedroom, paper and whitewash for the the drawing room, whitewash for the library." etc.

May 14th. "Letter forwardes by Os to say that Ted is down with Enteric Fever on top of dysentary, sent it on to mother." Robert sent some fishing tackle and a letter to Wazir that day and bought a teaset as a wedding present for Charles Lacaita.

21st. "Heard from Evans that Ted dies of Enteric fever at the Cape about the middle of the month. Took the 1.06pm train & went to Dawlish via Salisbury & Exeter. Found Mother and Lou, Charlie and Florie at 7 East Cliff, Os having just left to return to Devonport. Wrote to Floré." Robert stayed a few days and saw the lawyers about Ted's will etc. They visited Torquay and Exeter and then went back to Clifton.

June - Sept. 1885

In June Robert was lent a steam yacht at Southampton and he took Floré, Charlie and Florie out to Cowes and back. Then on Monday 15th he went to camp at Altershot "Marched in 660 strong - got my kit unpacked & put my tent in order." He mentions feeling seedy and lying down, tennis, walks and going to the club but no military duties till the Sat. when there were two parades & a kit inspection. After it he took the train from Farnborough and went home for the weekend. The next week started with 2 parades, he was on duty, and they had a Brigade field day at the Queens Parade, did some musketry and saw some polo.

On July 1st Floré, Louie & Vida came for the day and saw part of a cavalry field day at the long valley. Robert went home again for the weekend. Camp ended the following Saturday, he paid off the men and went home. He found Vida very unwell with "lowering of the glands in the neck." (wonder what that was)

20th. "Found that Alice (one of the maids) was in trouble - went and saw the man and made him promise to marry her." On the 27th he visited his old pre school Twyford. The day after he went to stay with Os at Devonport aboard HMS Indus. While there he saw the Hotspur, Newcastle & Howe, played tennis & billiards (& pyramids?), went to the races where he left Os on the course and went and wrote letters in a hotel, went on various boathing expeditions and bought a dog called Fly from one of the Navy men for 10/-

He went home on Aug. 8th & found his Captain's Commission in the Militia waiting for him.

11th. "Barnes and another man cleared out the cesspit at night. Marshall dined with us."

12th. "During our morning's walk Floré gave me some news which gave me great pleasure. Said she hoped to have another child."

13th. About 100 people came to us for a garden party from 4 to 7."

He was busy as ever with his lathe, build and bought doves doe a dove cote, and was troubled with rats in the out houses.

On Sep 10th & 11th he went shooting, at the same time there were men in varnishing the drawing room and white-washing the corridor ceiling. He cut down two fir trees on the lawn and blasted the stumps (twice). A truck of coal and a greenhouse arrived. He bought a spaniel pup and called him Punch - that same evening Floré was taken ill and had a miscarriage.

He finished glazing the greenhouse on the 24th, and next day went shooting. When he got home he found that the marmonium and some china had arrived from Bingfield. A lot of the china was broken but he put the harmonium in the drawing room and sent the American organ away.

Oct & Nov 1885

Oct 5th. "A tramp came to beg & I set him to work but he left his work and made off." Robert had a good day shooting on the 7th,

16th. " Recd a Memorial signed by 22 of my Corduff tenantsout of 25 demanding a reduction of their judicial rents." Wrote to them and to Tatlow refusing their demand."

On the 23rd he was appointed Treasurer of the Winchester Choral Union. He was also asked to help canvassing for the forthcoming election and spent much time "Beating up" voters (I hope this expression had a different meaning in his day!) He was thinking of selling his engine and boiler. had a lot of trouble getting harmonium put right, & furnished the greenhouse and potting shed with shelves and had it all painted.

Nov 3rd. He and Floré went to London and stayed with the Sampsons at 8 Linden Gardens, Bayswater. They saw the Indian Village & Earth Men at Albert Palace (Battersea), went to the Tower & saw Colleen Bawn at the Adelphi.

14th. "Heard from Col. Pemberton (to whom I had written) that it was impossible for me to return to the regular forces & that he was making enquiries about my serving at the Rifle Depot. Went to Horse Guards and saw Sir Redders Buller."

15th. "Went with Floré to see Erichsen who put me under treatment. Found the American orgen from Nottingham to be a swindle - wrote to the man about it, & got King to examine it."

22nd (Back home). "Dr Richards came to see Floré & said she must have an operation to remove a lump in her right breast,"

23rd. "Went to Tottenham Committee room and received instructions about the election on Wednesday. Took Floré to a large Conservative meeting at the Corn Exchange got next to a man who was half drunk and carried a sword in his hand."

25th. "Spent the morning beating for Loftus Tottenham. Beat up voters again in the evening. Took Floré to a room above Nash's shop to hear the Poll declared. Tottenham's majority was 171. The election passed off very quietly."

26th. "Wrote to the editor of the Monthly Illustrated about my M.S.S. (He was writing a story called Story of a Leech) he went to stay with his mother and to see Os.

27th. "Went to the club with Os. Evans came to lunch and carried me off to Charlton with him. Saw an enormouse quantity of meteors as I was walking home said to be part of Belas Comet through which we must be passing,"

Floré was not well so Robert and his mother begged her to come and join them. She came with Vida on the 30th.

December 1885

Floré was operated on at 36 Canynge Square on Dec. 3rd. with 3 doctors present. Next day one Dr. & Mrs Bush came to see her. Robert took Vida out and bought her some shoes. During the next days the doctor called daily, poor Floré was in some pain. Various people came and took Vida out and to see Floré, and Robert read to her in the evenings. He put his servants on board wages as he would not be home for some time. On the 9th he took sections of Floré's tumout to Sir Joseph Lister in London "His opnion was very favourable."

It was very cold weather, Robert, Os and Charlie went skating on the frozen marshes at Salford. fran arrived from Worcester on the 19th & Arthur from Edinburgh on the 20th. Robert went out Xmas shopping and bought a box of oil paints for Floré. He and Arthur spent part of Xmas day at Lou's, and Floré came downstairs for the first time. Os left on Boxing Day and Robert played duets with Arthur. On the 28th Robert & Arthur played billiards with their mother & on New Year's eve they went to a pantomime.

A few notes on his accounts show that his Retired Pay was £30 per quarter, and his total expenses for 9 months, including money from Floré and Tatlow was under £300.

Owner of original	1885
Linked to	Lt. Col. Robert Story