BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [9 MAR. 1917]
BRACERS 19133. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

Friday1^, 2^, 3

My Darling Loved One —

I am sorry to have been so remiss as to letters lately — I have been rushed and busy — I long to hear from you and know whether Brighton4 is doing you any good or not. I keep on missing you dreadfully, and thinking of you all day long —

The War Office and Home Office both refused to let me see C.A.5 — I had a fit of rage, but it is passed — I hate not seeing him — CEM6 went today — I haven’t heard her report. Fenner7 turned up today, very well, quite jolly — the baby8 was glad to see him — his escort were charming fellows — we all had lunch together and then saw him off from Euston —

Irish affairs9 are very exciting. Goodbye my Beloved. My heart is with you.

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200106.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | Royal Crescent Hotel | King’s Cliff | Marine Parade | Brighton. Pmk: LONDON W.C. 1.15 AM | 10 MAR | 17 | 3

• 3

  [date] Colette wrote “9 March” on the letter.

• 4

  Brighton Colette was recuperating from an illness, staying with her husband Miles Malleson at the Royal Crescent Hotel in Brighton. They were later joined by Colette’s mother, Priscilla, who was footing the bill.

• 5

  both refused to let me see C.A. He first conveyed this banishment in his letter, with assigned date of 2 March 1917 (BRACERS 19129); Colette acknowledges his comment in her letter of 12 March (BRACERS 113000). Clifford Allen (C.A.) was being held at Maidstone, Kent which was in a prohibited area. The government had banned BR from travelling to all prohibited areas which included the entire coastline in 1916. For further information on Allen, see BRACERS 19046, n.7.

• 6

  CEM Catherine Marshall (1880–1961). For further information on her, see BRACERS 19043, n.5.

• 7

  Fenner (Archibald) Fenner Brockway (1888–1988). For further information on him, see BRACERS 19053, n.6.

• 8

  the baby Possibly Fenner Brockway’s daughter. He married Lilla Harvey-Smith in 1914 and the couple had four daughters. He was incarcerated in several prisons in 1917 including one night in the Tower of London.

• 9

  Irish affairs The Irish question was discussed in the House of Commons on 7 March 1917. T.P. O’Connor, an Irish nationalist, moved it was time “to confer upon Ireland the free institutions long promised to her”. Major William Redmond seconded the motion. The Prime Minister, Lloyd George, responded (Parliamentary Debates [Commons], 5th ser. 91: 425–528).