BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [21 DEC. 1916]
BRACERS 19096. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
The Manor House
Garsington
Oxford1
Thursday2

My Darling

No letter so far has come from you — the posts here are terribly slow. I have spent almost every minute writing a memorandum on Ll. George’s universal national service3 — for the J.A.C.4 — to be sent to N.C.F.,5 F.O.R.6 and F.S.C.7 I shall get no holiday, as I have vast accumulations. So far, Brett8 and Huxley9 are the only visitors, but thousands of others are coming. Chappelow10 is here — I don’t take to him.

Ll.George’s speech11 might have been worse — the door is not closed.

Post going. My love, my Darling — Don’t think I am aloof because I am away and busy. My thoughts are with you always, my loved one.

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200066.

• 2

  [date] Colette wrote “21 Dec. 1916” on the letter.

• 3

  memorandum on Ll. George’s universal national service “Universal National Service”, 13a in Papers 14; originally published as B&R A26a.

• 4

  J.A.C. Joint Advisory Council, made up of three organizations: No-Conscription Fellowship, Fellowship of Reconciliation and the Friends Service Committee.

• 5

  N.C. F. No-Conscription Fellowship.

• 6

  F.O.R. Fellowship of Reconciliation.

• 7

  F.S.C. Friends Service Committee.

• 8

  Brett Dorothy Eugenie Brett (1883–1977), painter, known as “Brett”.

• 9

  Huxley Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894–1963), novelist.

• 10

  Chappelow is here Eric Chappelow, a poet and conscientious objector who refused military service. He had received an exemption and was working in the Education Department of the London County Council. Shaw, Yeats, BR, Gilbert Murray, E.D. Morel and C.P. Sanger tried to assist him in April 1916 when he was arrested and sent to Kingston-on-Thames barracks.  Photographs of Chappelow (not identified but wearing only a blanket) appeared in the Daily Sketch on 16 April 1916. Philip Morrell spoke about the case in the House of Commons on 18 April 1916. Shaw wrote a lengthy letter to the editor, “Conscientious Objectors”, that appeared in The Nation, 27 May 1916, pp. 258–9. Two photographs of Chappelow at Garsington are found in Lady Ottoline Morrell’s photograph albums (National Portrait Gallery).

• 11

  Ll.George’s speech David Lloyd George’s first speech to the House of Commons as Prime Minster, 19 December 1916.