Entitled an autobiography, it relates more to her parents and extended family than to herself and there is little specifically about Gladys’ own life before chapter 3. The last chapter tails off rather suddenly so it is presumed that it is incomplete. The original document is handwritten and appears to
have been produced over a considerable time. It is thought that the first two chapters were written when Gladys was in her thirties. Then these chapters were rewritten and the rest of the chapters added when Gladys was probably in her 70s.
Chapter 1 describes the years leading up to the marriage of Gladys’ parents (John Frederick Williams, b. 1855, and Alice Presland, b. 1858), including John Williams’ time in South Africa in the early 1870s working for a City firm of ostrich feather importers and a description of early diamond mining in South Africa.
Chapter 2 concentrates on Alice Presland, including the story of how she came to marry John Williams and her brief period of work as a governess; also how John Williams’ boss, Saillard, wanted him to marry his daughter instead; and the departure of John and Alice, together with Alice’s sister Hannah, for Australia, where their three children were born.
Chapter 3 tells of the family’s life in Australia for six years and their return to London. From the middle of this chapter onwards there is a little more of Gladys herself, including early childhood memories. She describes her father’s efforts to ‘educate us himself’, through reading poetry and visiting museums and galleries, in addition to their schooling. She ‘became a Girton girl - - - in the teeth of my mother’s opposition’, who said ‘I should get plain and spotty and have to wear glasses like all Girton girls - - - ‘.
Chapter 4 describes Gladys’ time at Queen’s College, Harley Street, from the age of 14, including anecdotes concerning a Professor Cramly who taught history and the ‘Profs’ of German and Latin who inspired her love of language.