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Personal diaries: Volume 75, 1958-07-22 - 1959-03-27

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0271/GCPP Tillyard 1/1/75

Scope and Contents

St John's Home, Oxford. Health very poor indeed: several periods of being nursed; several major crises of ill health, including one during which she is given unctions in Feb 1959 - 'Perhaps at last I am near my heavenly birthday'. Rare visits to Mass leave her completely exhausted; often has Communion brought to her; very rarely has 'definite religious experiences now', but does her best to keep up religious routine and debate to the last. Visits Cambridge in August 1958; diaries and books are sent to Girton College; various Cambridge business interests and property are sold. Family: marriage of Veronica to 'an Indian mathematician'; Eustace's success as Master of Jesus College has "removed him far from Julius and me"; he is shortly to retire from the Mastership; disagreement over the future of Wetenhall Cottage; Eustace has heart trouble. Visitors include Hilda Harrison, Alethea, 'my dear Barnardo niece Heather', and Eustace. Still receives huge numbers of letters (correspondents include Joan Cooper and Helen Megaw) and retains an interest in all manner of things, eg makes candid comment on a priest of Alethea's acquaintance accused of homosexual practices. Diary entries are remarkably frequent to the end in spite of age and ill health. AT died on Dec. 15th 1959, but this volume appears to be the last of her diaries: the very last entry is written on Good Friday 1959, March 27th - Mass at 8, wireless - evensong from York etc - 'I felt mildly irreverent to be munching my tea while it was going on, but if evensong is at 4 and so is tea, what is one to do?', followed by rather more spiritual remarks.

Dates

  • Creation: 1958-07-22 - 1959-03-27

Creator

Extent

1 volume(s) : Paper

Language of Materials

English

Originator(s)

Tillyard, Aelfrida

Finding aid date

2004-03-29 12:27:15+00:00

Repository Details

Part of the Girton College Archive Repository

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