Union-Castle Line
(Monday) June 24th 1912
Off Cape Finisterre
My own darling Sweetheart
Your mother wrote me such a sweet letter. Did you see it? I was feeling rather mournful & sad on Saturday morning & her letter quite cheered me up. I have just replied to it & no doubt you will see it & appreciate the kind regards I send to you. Now dearest I will try & give you a detailed account of everything but there is not much to tell as yet.
We left the Manchester on Saturday about 10.45 & drove to Waterloo. Cochrane & Jones were with me. We had a final drink & I was introduced to a fellow traveller. He was going second class though so I shouldn’t be able to see him as much as I might. I don'’ mind much, ‘cause he ain’t a particularly nice chap seeing as ‘ow he’s a Jew. On the platform I was introduced to another man & he was nice. I didn’t see him till later, but of that more anon. (This boat does pitch). Jones came down with me & we had a good lunch on board. There was some difficulty about us getting away. The firemen struck about some trivial matter but eventually they resumed work & I said good bye to Jones. He watched the boat out, & we sailed at 5.20 instead of 4-0 o’clock. We saw the Olympic come in & she looks a huge ship. You cannot realise the extent of the Titanic disaster until you see the immense size of her sister. We sailed away quickly & soon left England & the Isle of Wight behind. I saw a nice little dog on board & made friends with it because it’s a good way to make friends with the master. Right enough it came off & he is a colonial of the best sort. We went & had a drink together & there met my acquaintance of the platform. I introduced them & in the course of the conversation I learned his (the platform acquaintance) cabin was 256 – the same as mine.
Wasn’t that a most extraordinary thing. We arranged our seats for the voyage & we are at the chief officer’s table. We all had a good dinner & I was mightily surprised to find a lady sitting opposite to me, who had a great many of your characteristics. (Do they spell it that way. Seems funny to me & my dictionary isn’t handy). She is just about your height – perhaps a little taller & the same bright look & has a lot of your lovable qualities. She is married & has a sweet little baby. She isn’t to be compared with you sweetheart by a long way, although she is nice. After dinner we adjourned to the smoke room & talked. I learned a lot of things.
We retired about 9.30. Fact I assure you. After the late nights I had at home & in London I wanted to feel fresh & bright so I concluded the best thing to do was to go to bed early. I didn’t sleep much. I don’t know whether it was the motion of the ship or the turbines or what it was but it was hopeless so I watched the sun rise. I had my bath at 7-0 o’clock & after dressing went on deck & had a good sickness & for breakfast had a cup of tea. I didn’t feel inclined to do much in the morning so sat on deck & tried to sleep. I didn’t have much lunch either & all afternoon I wrapped myself up & slept in the drawing room, & awoke just in time for dinner. I chanced a little dinner because I was so hungry & although I felt funny afterwards I stuck it alright. We sat in the smoke room all night & listened to the band & discussed ethics politics & religion – altogether a most interesting affair. I heard also one of the finest arguments against suffrage I have ever head altho’ the man himself was in favor of it. He came across some of the WSPU ladies in London & they argued with him. He said – "now look here ladies – you know me & I know you. You are all over 30 years of age so don’t take offence at what I am going to ask you. I want a straight answer. Suppose tonight one of you were arrested on a criminal charge – would you sooner be tried by 12 men or 12 women" & they all said 12 men. "Therefore" said he "you prefer to be tried by men but you object to men making laws for you. The two things are not consistent".
After that we went to bed by 10-0 o’clock & I had a splendid night & felt absolutely fit this morning. I have done nothing except put a pair of trousers in the press – write home & your mother & your sweet self. It is afternoon & I was in two minds whether to go & have some tea or wait till seven o’clock. I decided to wait & have just been digging my dress clothes out of my trunks. I have also spoken to the purser & got another cabin for my mate to dress in though we shall sleep together. I do wish my dearest you were with me. I would give almost anything at the present moment just to even see you. Someday I might possibly manage to bring you with me. I will try – as I think I shall come out again. We have been discussing a sports committee, & arranged to form one on Wednesday after we leave Madeira. I think we shall have a pretty good time. It is not impossible sweetheart is it, for you to have some holidays? Surely you can arrange to have at least a fortnight. You know as well as I do dearest – you have not had a decent holiday since Switzerland. You were not on your own with Miss Ashton & altho’ you may have enjoyed it – as you did – it is not like pleasing yourself what you do. Please see what can be done. This boat keeps pitching all over the place altho’ the sea looks quite calm. There is another heavy swell on & the chief officer felt funny yesterday as he has been on shore for six months. We have lost all sight of land & ships, & we are alone on the wild ocean – sounds nice doesn’t it. The sky is a beautiful blue & there is a nice breeze & the whites of my eyes look white & altogether things are happy. When I send you my photograph from Capetown – just notice how well I look. There is really nothing else to write about at present sweetheart so until tomorrow I will put this away – The pen writes beautifully & I treasure it immensely. The card case looks awfully sweet when I exchange cards with another man, & he asks to look at it a moment when he catches sight of the initials. I shall have to shave before dinner – a bally nuisance. However my darling – till tomorrow when I hope something interesting will have turned up.
Nothing has turned up. We had dinner & afterwards listened to the band for an hour or so. We went to the smoke room & discussed business matters, just my cabin mate & self. The others came in so we had to sit with them & it was a night. Thank heaven I was T.T. or I should have been in the cart. We sang all kinds of songs without any music & I had to sing one as well. You never would let me sing one at Salford but you wait till I come home! You’ll get the biggest shock of your life – I mean to know that I can sing. (Phew its hot today). However I left them to it at 11.15 & they went on till one o’clock. They all feel pretty groggy just at present but they are all hardened sinners & can stand a lot.
I have just asked a lady for this paper. Never seen her before, she is on deck for about the first time. She looks fairly nice but not quite worth flirting with. In fact there is only one girl worth it & she is married – the one I mentioned previously. This morning I played quoits for an hour or so & just for a whim had ten minutes at the piano. I got my duets out & wanted a man to come & play with me. He promised if I would go & have a drink. I did but he didn’t come & play. Some other chaps came in & we threw the dice about as to who should pay. I did once & it cost me 5/4 for a round of drinks. I got my own back later as I won 12/- in a small "sweep". The sea swell is still on but I am used to it now. I will send you an "official" sort of card tomorrow from Madeira, just for old times sake. Do you know what I found in my pocket? The Chester hotel bill! I wish I could slip over tomorrow & take you there & love you in my arms. I keep looking at your photograph & almost talk to it.
I shall make up for lost time when I get back. You wont have a moments peace for weeks. You will wish I was away again – then you could do some work. Am in the seventh heaven of delight to know you love me. I haven’t really realised the fact before but I do now & I am as keen as it is possible to be to get back as soon as possible & come & claim you.
I haven’t time to write more before dinner nor shall I have afterwards as the post goes 8.30 tonight, or rather closes.
Beloved you know what I want you to do re holidays. Do your best my dearest & think of me as your most affectionate loving sweetheart. My love to you a thousandfold.
Harry
PS On reading this over it seems abrupt. You know dearest I don’t mean it to be but I dislike a lot of "ands" & "buts".
PS No 2 What do the office say about the letters? Anything? Let me know.
Miss Darlington
Grosvenor Chambers
16 Deansgate
Manchester