Week of 21 February 1927

Monday, 21 February 1927

Dedham - East Bergholt

We left "The Old House" at about 11 am and motored through Colchester to Wickham Bishops and looked over the Old Vicarage - and spent some time doing so - then on to Maldon to lunch at "The Blue Boar" Trust House. Then back to Wickham Bishops, looked into "Five Corners" - no good. Then through Witham to Rivenhall Old Rectory - very interesting but enormous - then home via Colchester to "Fuji-Yama" (next to Post Office). Prop. Mr J.G. Tricker whose wife is French. Each of us has a bedroom and we have a sitting room.

We went for a walk after tea to near Flatford Mills.

Tuesday, 22 February

East Bergholt

We motored to Dedham and looked over"The Lodge" - dreadful house - then back through Dedham and Higham where we looked at outside of picturesque but dilapidated old house called "Barrons"?

Very pretty villages. Lunch at our lodgings - Drove after lunch via Manningtree to Tendring - looked at outside of "The Church House" - no good. "The Hall" already sold. Then on to Wheeley to see outside! of "The Fields" - no good. Back by same route - I walked down to look at Flatford Mill after tea.

Days running 10 miles in morning, 33 miles in afternoon

Wednesday, 23 February

East Bergholt

We made an appointment with H.A. Cobbe, 10 Tower St, Ipswich and motored in and had interview. He gave us 3 more particulars of places and orders to view - back to lunch. After lunch we motored to Edwardstone House, near Boxford (Mr Angus Powell) and were taken over the house and grounds - the most attractive we have yet seen. Back to tea and we took a walk afterwards.

Leslie Fryer rang up about 9 am to say Kit was doing well but had had a little setback on Monday night and on Tuesday.

Motoring: 21 miles in morning, 25 miles in afternoon

Thursday, 24 February

East Bergholt

Very wet all day - Polly did not go out. We did a lot of letter writing, etc. I cleaned the car a little in the garage in the afternoon.

I had a talk with Leslie Fryer on the telephone in the evening and heard a good account of Kitty who was sitting up in her bedroom. I went for a walk after tea.

Friday, 25 February

East Bergholt

We took our lunch with us and had a run in fine weather till we got to Ashbrooking Rectory - too dismal for words - We put up the hood and ate our lunch in the car while the rain, which had come on suddenly, came down very heavily. We decided to go straight back - via Ipswich - we had come via Bramford and Claydon. We did letter writing on our return to various house agents.

Saturday, 26 February

East Bergholt

We left in the car about 11 am and went through Colchester to see Inworth Grange, about 4 miles south of Kelvedon - not attractive - quite good rooms and large farm buildings - no good for us. We changed wheels for puncture and stopped at Marks Tey to put new tyre on the spare wheel and had the tube repaired - had lunch. Then on to Great Hawksley and called in on Col. and Mrs C.H. Haig at Woodhouse Farm - they showed us over the very attractive house and the garden. They came in the car with us to see "The Old House", Gt Hawksley, and "Jocelyns", a restored old house and the latter very pretty. We left the Haigs at their place and came back to East Bergholt. We had the hood down most of the drive.

Distance: 57 miles

Sunday, 27 February

East Bergholt

A dreadful day of storm and rain. We stayed indoors all day - did writing and a lot of reading. Telephoned to Leslie that we would not come to Freston today. Polly stayed in bed till lunchtime.

Wrote to Mr Angus Powell at Edwardstone House that we proposed coming over tomorrow (Monday) morning.