Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1916-1917

FRI. DEC. 22 1916 Broke record in Café Left at 5 - closed till 29th. Did washing & pottered at mending & sent Xmas cards during evening. Feeling well & not tired.

SAT. DEC. 23 1916 Did some shopping on King's Rd. & then had lunch & went to see Maud & got old red fur-lined coat . Mrs Black was there from America Wet day

SUN. DEC. 24 1916 Rose late & took a pot plant to Miss Champion on my way to Miss Smith where Mrs D.B. Montefiore & Mrs Thompson Price called for tea.

MON. DEC. 25 1916 Christmas dinner with Miss Smith - Mabel Barfield also there. I came home to Dug Out at 6 p.m. to celebrate with Usshers & Nell

TUES. DEC. 26 1916 After lunch met Miss Smith at Old Vic to see Ben Greet & Co. in "She Stoops to Conquer" & went home with Miss Smith. Had good warm bath. Foggy.

WED. DEC. 27 1916 Stayed with ["with" written again & crossed out] Miss S. Feeling very stricken & weak. Dense, dense fog. Washed head at night. Retired at 12 p.m.

THUR. DEC 28 1916 Rose betimes & went to Minerva to cook. Frosty morning & some foggy. Home & to bed a bit weak.

FRI. DEC. 29 1916 Cooked at Minerva Cafe. Home about 7.30 dead exhausted so I crept to bed. Warm day almost clear

SAT. DEC. 30 1916 Glorious clear day & warm. Cooked & waited at Minerva. Home about 5. Put Mrs Ussher to bed with cold. Slept an hour pottered till 11.

SUN. DEC. 31 1916 Arose betimes & attended to Mrs Ussher. Opened all unopened letters & wrote replys & cleared up the slate in readiness for New Year. Went to Knightsbridge & had tea with Miss C. at her Club. A little rain. Very warm.