Inscription
1889 – 1916
From Page 245, 1896
[From page 244] At the College Speech day this year the prizes were given away by “Bob Reid[i]” whom I remembered as a splendid athlete full of life & dash in the Playground – a notable prize winner also in the School. He met an enthusiastic reception as befitted one of the…
[Page 245 begins]
…most distinguished alumni of the School. Was he
not Captain of the Eleven & of the football team at
College & at Oxford besides playing Raquets for
both & did he not gain a Demiship[ii] at Magda
lene Coll & throw it up in order to try for a Balliol
Scholarship which he won. He was a sort of
Admirable Crighton yet a Radical withal & in t
his year of Grace 1909 Lord High Chancellor of the
British Empire
In July Lily went for a trip in Scotland
with Amy Hutchinson – our dear Ted
won the diving prize at Cambridge –
Mary was not well, suffering from some
form of peripheral neuritis in the hands
for which she saw Dr Ormerod – but was not
much benefitted.
On July 23 There was a large function at
the opening of the “Wilson Block[iii]” at the Delancey
Hospl to which Mr Charles Wilson, an Australian
brother of him of Hughenden, had very gene-
rously contributed. The chief burden of the
speaking fell to me & I was glad to raise
my voice in favour of an Institution which
has been my special care from its first
inception.
On July 24 Mary & I went to London to
attend a meeting of the British MedicaL Ass.
There was a good deal going on & among
other functions we attended a grand Reception… [end of Page 245]
[i]Robert Reid, first Earl Loreburn (1846 -1923) was Lord Chancellor between 1905 and 1912.
[ii]A Demyship (Wikipedia spelling) is a form of scholarship peculiar to Magdalen College, University of Oxford, so-called because the amount received by a successful candidate was half the amount paid to a Fellow of the college. E T Wilson has misspelt ‘Magdalen’.
[iii]The Wilson Block (pictured on the opposite page] still stands on the old Delancey Hosptal site and has been converted into living accommodation.
From Page 266 of My Life 1899 – 191.
With the New Year Ida went to the Moberlys & took the opportunity of consulting Sir Felix Semon[i] who gave a good account of the larynx.
On Feb 1. The New Cooking School was started with a flourish of trumpets but it was long before it attracted many pupils.
Feb 15 An Antivivisection meeting was held at which many errors passed without being contradicted some of which I felt it my duty to answer.
On the same day the School of Art[ii] prizegiving took place at which I presided. The results were as usual most creditable to Mr Millard & his assistant Mr Carrick.
Isabel Whishaw from N. Zealand paid us a visit on Mar 8 Friends in Council met at Westal & we discussed a paper on Physiognomy.
On Mar 15. My dear brother Rathmell was with us & I managed to obtain an excellent likeness of him, alas the last that was taken. He left us to stay with Mr and Mrs Butcher at Brimscombe where he was well looked after, & enjoyed himself in a quiet way.
Mary was busy on her ABC Poultry book - & I fear I dropped asleep over its pages. It was however a capital little work & met with considerable circulation. March & April were anxious months to me as there was an epidemic of Pneumonias, some of them of the severest type. Miss Raven [continuing on following page: Miss Prince & Miss Robinson are in Miss Draper’s house & others elsewhere were apparently at death’s door but all eventually recovered].
[Footnote:
[i] Sir Felix Semon (1849 – 1921) was a German-born expert in the field of Laryngology.
[ii] The School of Art in Cheltenham was founded in 1852 and was until 1905 located in the buildings which now form the Central Library and this museum.]
Page 285.
On Jun 7 Alfred Whishaw & Rhoda came on a visit.
On Jun 11 to London to pay a visit to the Discovery then lying in the E. India Docks. I was introduced to Capt. Scott, Lieut Royds & others of Teds future shipmates & had a very interesting time. Afterwards to the R. Academy & dined with [Ed] West.
Next day I met Ted at the Nat Hist. Museum & went on to Military Exhibition. Home in the evening.
On July 1 Jim went to Cambridge.
On July 3 The Nat Sc Soc spent a very pleasant time at Hailes Abbey where Canon Bageley was excavating & exposing the lovely tiles which formed the floor of the old abbey. They were buried some 4 feet underground yet were in perfect preservation. The bosses of stone which had fallen from the roof were exquisitely carved.
July 4 Mary & I went with my sister [Fan] & tidied up the little grave at Badgworth.
On July 8 Ted and Ory left us.
July 10 a meeting was held to promote the building of a Hospital for Consumptives in the County. Numbers attended but now the hospital is to be built at Winsley nr Bath, there are but few subscribers in Cheltenham, & the town does not possess a single free bed
July 15 Lily & I went to Mrs Rendalls at Norwood on our way to Hilton where next day July 16 our dear Ted & Ory were married. They were quietly happy.
Title My Life 1889-191[8]
Year 1914
Page 417
My health now was thoroughly broken & my walking powers reduced to
a variable quantity. At one time I could walk to Dean Close School
& back without fatigue at another the round of the College playground
was quite enough. On Jan 13 Balfour came over from Oxford & I
thoroughly enjoyed showing him over the museum which had recently
been enriched by the collection of flints etc belonging to the late Mr
Macaulay. On Jan 21 my weight was 9 st 2lbs or a stone less than
my normal weight. The Binyons came over for lunch & on 26th
Leslie Inglis came on a week’s visit. On Jan 28 I had the pleasure
of showing Ted’s pictures, now exhibiting in the art gallery to Lily
Adam Smith – who was friendly & affectionate as ever.
On Feb3 Friends in Co met at Westal – & my voice held out well
during the reading of my paper;
On Feb 12 Jim & Norah paid us a visit.
On Mar 1 Ld Wm preached in the College Chapel & I was able
to go & hear him also a lecture on the 3rd by Grenfell of Labrador
a great treat
On March 6. I went with Mary to consult Sir Wm Osler about
my condition. We lunched there & he was most kind. After a very
full examination he pronounce me absolutely sound, said I
should live till 100th & those are my own feelings, I don’t feel
old; but capable of any thing, if only freed from the constant
attacks of fibroxitis [sic]which silently sap the strength of one’s muscles.
We visited the Ashmolean Museum where Mr Leeds showed
us round – truly a wonderful collection & then returned home.
Walks followed to Dean Close Sch. To Leckhampton etc. & all
seemed going well when suddenly & for no apparent reason
on Mar 18 an acute attack set in which lasted for ten days
& then I began my shorter walks once more
Year 1914
Page 418
On Apr 15 our old friend (Nurse) Mary Jones called and found me in much
pain, the attack lasting till May 11 when I was again in the garden. My
weight now was 8st.13. On May 14 with Mary to Copthorne, bore the
journey very well. The winds at first were bitter cold, but I managed to
get about in spite of aches. We had tea with the Masters in their Cottage
& Sir [Havenbury] Brown Kindly explained his instalment of wireless tele-
Graphy - by means of which he picked up conversations between ships
at sea & set his watch every evening by signals from the Eiffel Tower in
Paris. On June 3 I took a long walk in the Rowfant woods &
next day to the old Reservoirs in the wood where the stiles seemed
to try my tendons. Next day Mrs Oates called, the day following
Herbert Rendall, while Pollie & Peter came on the 12th & thoroughly
enjoyed the haymaking. The boys in the Bath were a constant
source of amusement.
On Jun 16 we returned home going with Lily & Tony on the way to see Ponting’s
wonderful pictures. One the 20th to see my old friend Mrs Mosley
now in her 100th year – & with her brain so bright that it was a pleasure
to talk over old Oxford Times & worthies. One Jun 25 by some
mistake I found myself stranded at Malvern Wells Station. But
I walked slowly to [Wychenside] & felt none the worse On the 29 with
Mary to tea with Archdeacon Scobell & to see Ted’s sledging
flag which now hangs in the Lady Chapel by Kind permission of
Dean Spence Jones. On July 8 Sir Clements & Lucy Markham arrived
& then came the memorable unveiling of Ted’s statue in the Prome-
nade. Sir Clements spoke very well & feelingly of Ted & Lady
Scott was able to see how much her work was appreciated. In the
garden were assembled all who appeared in the photograph taken
on the lawn. Besides these there were. Commander Royds RN.
Harry Wilson & his wife, Mr [Lilles], zoologist & many others.
Year 1914
Page 419
[On the left, normally blank, page there is a photo of the eldest son of Dr Edward Thomas Wilson Bernard with a caption that reads]:
‘Cap E. Bernard Wilson
6 KO Yorksh Lt Infantry’
There was a good deal of entertaining and standing about so it is not sur-
prising that a sharp attack came on, in the midst of which Sir Wm Osler called.
By the 25th I was out & about again & on July 30 for a chat with Mrs
Mosley & then on Aug 4 came WAR. a shock indeed, but a relief
after the shilly-shallying of our invertebrate Government. During the
weeks which followed in more or less of pain, Mr Carles, Mr Bushnell
& others were very kind in calling for a chat, & especially Capt
Savile RN. who had been the first man to enter Saratoga harbour
after the Spanish American War. He suffered from a weak heart
but in spite of this was given a Command & died suddenly
when on duty. His kindly face will long be missed. In time of
quiescence & improvement set in. my weight was 8st 8. – on
Sep 1Lilly & Tony came on a visit on a fortnight. Miss Harland
was most kind in taking me for a motor drive occasionally.
& on Sep 21 Dr Meyrick Jones applied the x rays to [fibrous]
nodule on my right arm with some success.
On Sep 23Bernard was gazetted Captain in the 6 KO Yorksh
Light Infantry, a true patriot if ever there was one.
The Temperatures were persistently subnormal & my weight had
risen steadily to 8st 11, but there was seldom freedom from
pain. I managed however to get about & on Sep 30 went to
Malvern. On Oct 2 Lafayette called & did excellent photos
Of Mary & myself sitting in the Drawing Room at Westal.
On Oct 11 a very painful attack came on & when it went off
Dr Collins tried a vaccine inoculation which for a time raised great
hopes but in the end my system seemed incable [sic] of growing
any more ‘antibodies’ & the injection was on two occasions followed
at once by acute attack. It was very disappointing but one
had to succumb. Meanwhile we had pleasant visits from
Years 1914-1915
Page 420
[continues from the previous page] Pollie & her little Peter, Fan Whishaw (from Dover) Fred Whishaw
[Larden] Bushnell & others. During the last half of Oct & well
into November the pains were very severe, & then came a lull
until the Christmas guests began to arrive. First Polly & Godfrey
with their merry crew & a ‘merrie’ Christmas time was anticipated
unfortunately an injection by Dr Collins brought on an acute
attack & believe for the first I had to spend my Christmas
day in bed. The attack lasted to the end of the year.
-1915-
The record of the year 1915 if given in full will be one
mainly of pain (not always acute) & great weakness – I was unable to
take part in any public business or to attend any meetings. Janry was
a month of much suffering in spite of inoculation treatment which
for a time seemed to promise relief, but eventually caused an
acute attack at each injection.
Feb. was full of pain & in one of the most unbearable attacks Sister
Katherine (Mrs Crawford) who happened to be staying on a visit was able
to give the greatest relief.
March showed improvement, the attacks being less acute up to the
beginning of April when they were again very acute.
On Apr 3 we all went for [tea] to Mr [Woodthorpes].
May Pains fluctuating.
June a bad month of pain. Longed to be going with the Nat So much.
Mr Bushnell’s guidance on the 19th.
On the 28 Sir Wm Osler called.
July showed some improvement Jim came on a short visit. I set
in the garden
12 Jim and HL. Weight 8st.
20 Jim Norah & Pat to lunch. They have come for a holiday on Cleeve Hill.
An inset 1:
Langton House,
Charlton Kings,
Cheltenham.
31st May 1915
‘My dear Wilson
The trustees of Delancey
Hospital this afternoon met
the new Governing Body at the
Hospital, and it was arranged
that the transfer of authority
shall take effect from tomorrow.
The trustees have instructed
me to write to you and
express their regret that you
were unable to attend this,
their last meeting, and to
communicate to you their
appreciation of the valuable
services you have performed
as their Secretary for so
many years.
Very truly Yrs
William [Crooke]’
Year 1915
Page 421
[On the left, normally blank, page there is a photo of a young boy with a dog. The caption underneath reads]:
‘Tony to school at Folkestone.
Sep. 27.’
On June 20 we heard by wire that our dear Bernard was wounded & soon
after that he was in Herbert Hospital, Woolwich for treatment. All went
only too well and he was allowed to leave the Hospl much too soon. His head if
not actually fractured had had a severe shock & a long rest should be
insisted upon but it was not to be as in Sep he was [passed] as sound
in spite of headaches, & sent to the Depot at Rugby, Staff.
On the 27 My sister Fanny who had been paying us a nice visit left for
her home in Salisbury. Good, unselfish Soul, she was of the utmost help
to all in her quiet way - She went about doing good.
July 20 We all had early [tea] with Jim officiating.
On Aug 2 Dr [Fliecker/Flicker] called & on 4 Lil & Tony came. I
weighed 8st.2.
On Aug 5 we all migrated to Cleeve Hill. (Gambles End) The change as
regards myself was not a success at the time tho’ it may have helped me
eventually. The weather was wet with frequent thunderstorms. Our dear
Bernard paid us a flying visit - & many old friends Mrs Allhusen
Mr Bushnell & others. Miss Harland kindly gave me a motor drive
On the 18 Aug. Mary on the invitation of [Canon Waterfield] unveiled
[Riviere’s] beautiful picture in the College library & made a little
Speech which was approved by all.
On & after Aug 21 we had several pleasant visits from Lily Doane
& Vi . It was a teat to talk over old times we were sorry
to say Goodbye. During Oct I made some progress & enjoyed the
visits of old friends, Dr [Fliecker/Flicker], Carles Bushnell , Col Geddes etc
& on Oct 13 weighed 8st.3. On Oct 12 our old friend Lily Adam
Smith stayed here – alas she has lost her eldest son killed at the
front. On Oct 23 Bernard paid what was thought to be a
farewell visit, but he was given work at home & not long after
was made Staff Inspector of French work over a large
An inset 2:
Letter-headed:
Cheltenham Natural Science Society
1 Selkirk Parade
Cheltenham
Oct.18th 1915.
‘Dear Sir,
I have much pleasure in
informing you that by a special
Resolution passed at the Annual
Meeting, held this evening, you
have been elected an Honorary
Member of this Society.
The President, in moving the
Resolution, expressed the feeling
of every member in referring to
the great loss the Society sustains
through your withdrawal from
active participation in its work,
and we can only ask you to
accept this slight token of our
appreciation of all you have
done for the Society during the
twenty-five years that you have
been its President.
I am, dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
John. B. Lloyd
(Hon.Sec.)’
Dr. E.T.Wilson
Year 1915
Page 422
[A sepia photograph of Dr E T Wilson]
[continues from the previous page] district with his Headquarters at Stafford.
On Oct 20 my sister Fan came to stay & on Nov 8 Capt Hedley (formerly
Of Copthorn) called & we had much interesting talk – other
kind callers were Mrs Witts, Mr Carles [possibly identical with Carles Bushnell, see above], B Roberts & others.
Oct 30. I was well enough to get to the College & see the picture which
I admired very much, the likeness good and the dogs very life like
Dec 3 Arthur Worsey called, having short leave from the front, after some
very narrow escapes in the trenches.
On Dec 9 Bernard was definitely gazetted as Chief Entrenchment officer to
one of the Divisions at Stafford – an interesting & important post entailing
responsibility for the teaching of 30,00 [sic] Recruits, officers of men.
On Dec 10 the Delancey Trust was finally wound up & the building handed
over to the new Governing body & thus that chapter of my life comes to a
close. May our successors meet with equal good fortune in the
control of infection & the treatment of disease. & live up to the
ideal which for so many years has been set before them.
I have much to be thankful for this Christmas time as the diminution
of pain has enabled me to enjoy the visits first of Godfrey & Pollie with
Ruth, Peter & Betty who came on 22 Dec & next of Bernard who got
away for our Xmas & added much to our enjoyment. I was even able
to carve the Turkey. On the 26th my 83rd birthday no visitors were
present but we were happy and united party – on the 29th
Ber Lily & Tony came & our party was complete- The weather was
wet & stormy, day by day. but we had our New Year’s Eve
feast on Dec 31 Fred & Ethel Whishaw being present; & so ends
the year 1915. May God grant us all a happier time in the
coming months – a glimmer possibly of peace, for me a realisa-
tion, if it be His good pleasure, of the faint hopes raised by a partial
improvement.
Page 423
[The page is blank and contains a sepia photograph of Capt. E B Wilson and a letter]
An inset 3:
[[1]]
Letter-headed:
District Nursing Association.
Victoria Home.
Cheltenham.
March 2nd 1916
‘Dear Dr. Wilson,
The Committee received
your resignation as
President of the District
Nursing Association on
Tuesday with the utmost
Regret & sympathy –
Mr. Cardus voiced what
we all felt, when he
said that no one could
[[2]]
take your place, &that
all connected with
the work were under the deepest debt of
gratitude to you for
the help & interest and
unfailing kindness you
have shown for so
many years. But we all hope that the Spring
[[3]]
will bring you a measure
of strength & that we
may perhaps see you
here from time to time.
Mrs Wilson kindly asked
me to come in some little
time ago, & I hope to avail
myself of her invitation
soon, & perhaps you
would like to hear of
all we are doing.
Both my son & I
have had influenza
so I have not been
[[4]]
visiting friends for some
weeks.
With kindest regards
Anne [G. Harper]’
