May to David 18 Manor Rd Beckenham Wednesday 6.2.18
My dear David,
Monday. Left at 5.30. (our hours have gone back to that time, as it is now light when we leave), went straight home and knitted. I would like to know how many miles of knitting I have done during my life time. Finished the first front of the coat. It looks a remarkable shape on the shoulder, but perhaps when the back is done it may be alright. The shoulders usually worry me. The knitting books generally make them too clumsy.
Tuesday. Nothing of importance happened. At the office the work is now going on very smoothly. Got my senior girl back again now. Came back Monday. She has been away a month, breakdown through overwork. She would slave at her work in the office (being an old Datchelor girl I suppose she cannot help it) and then during the weekends she used to work at a hospital. Now it is a mistake to have definite work you feel you must do during weekends if you work hard all the week. In the evening I knitted.
This morning your postcard arrived dated 17th January. Really you are a dear to write like that. I think I have mentioned that the Insurance Institute is now opened to women, so I promptly joined. The lectures are one a month at the Gresham. Next Monday there will be one on Motor Insurance. Having taken over the “White Cross” which I believe is the best paying Motor Insce. Co. I shall be going to the lecture, though I do not know that I shall benefit from any extra knowledge; but I may as well have it. It was thought that we should have the Marine Dept. in our building, but was found impracticable, so the Co. Have taken an extra room over at the Indemnity Mutual Marine which we have bought up, and I have sent two of my girls there, and they work with two of our men, one of them (who looks after the girls) being a bad tempered (somewhat) man named Taylor. The work is increasing so much that when there are some straightforward copy-policies wanted one of these girls beings them over to us and I give them to a super to do. Now, you need not worry about my working too hard. I don’t do the work, I do the martyr, while the others do the work.
I have sent your postcard on to Mrs Taylor with instructions to keep it till the weekend when I expect to come over. I have ordered some slack lime for the garden. If it arrives today expect I shall be busy on Saturday putting it on the ground, and in that case will go to 56 on Sunday afternoon and stay the night.
Cannot stop any longer now, as I have given my head girl the day off. It was owing to her. Perhaps I shall have a day off next week, in which case Mrs Taylor and I shall be shopping, I hope.
Goodbye for the present.
May
P.S. Mrs Taylor just called. She bought 2 pieces of yours, 17th Dec and about 7th Jan. Last Saturday I took over to Balham an enlargement of you done by Wykehams. They could not get it done before Xmas – in fact it was only finished last week. It is excellent. She came to say how pleased she is with it. She is off to Watford tomorrow for a few days.