Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Isabel Field
Date
09 Jun 1893
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Object Detail
Date
09 Jun 1893
Transcript
Cranmore Lodge Friday evening
My dearest old Girlie
I am afraid you will think I have neglected you sadly this week, but really dearie I have been so busy that I have scarcely had any time for writing but you shall have an extra long letter tonight. I want to make the most of Nerli’s lessons and have been painting hard all the week and the evenings always find me more ready for bed than for letter writing. I was so glad to get your letter on Wednesday and to hear that you have at last got into your house. How thankful you must be. I hope I will see Rosie Webster soon and hear all about it. The very liberal wedge of wedding cake arrived safely. Thank you very much indeed dearie, it is a great improvement on the first one isn’t it?
Did the two Holbeins arrive safely that I sent by Archie Bartleman? I think so often of your house and how it will look with all your pretty things in it. When you have time you must give me a full description of it and of all the things you have bought. Out of curiousity I went the other day to see Mrs Scott’s couch and chair, her room is an appalling one and they did not show to advantage but I sat long and critically on all parts of the couch and came to the conclusion that it was the most comfortable one I have ever sat on. I like the chair especially. I must make Will a good fat cushion for it.
I don’t think I have any special news to tell you since my last letter. You won’t be surprised to hear I didn’t go to the Morris’ after all. It was a splendid dance but I am sending you a Witness with a better account than I can give you. Daisy is thinner than ever and George has grown fat! Jessie Dymock is going back to Napier with them. Today Maggie Gilkison and the Spences gave Daisy afternoon teas. It was a bitter day, one of the wildest snowstorms I ever remember, but I braved the elements and went to them both. We were asked to another at the Carew’s but did not go. That is all my gaiety for the week I think, with the exception of the Savage on Tuesday I went to dinner at the McLaren’s and went with them. It was a splendid evening and I enjoyed it immensely. Next night May is going to do a little dialogue piece (out of Black & White) with Miss Issy Cargill and great things are expected of them. I am down for the programmes and May Burnes is going to play. Doesn’t that strike you as a fine display of talent? The Kenyons had rather nasty accident which might have [been] a very serious one the other night. One of the children was ill and they sent for Dr Ferguson and he drove up in the glass hansom cab with a very fresh horse and coming up the Kenyon’s drive the horse shied and the cab went over the bank and the driver had one of his ribs broken and his lung punctured and was rather badly cut about the head but the Dr escaped without a scratch. It gave them all a great shock, and May raised some amusement but very little sympathy in a hard hearted contingent of Norris’ (who were helping with the cab) by a series of faints of which they were cruel enough to doubt the genuineness. Tonight I was asked to a euchre-party and dance at the Zieles but did not go. The Roberts are giving a “bal poudre” next Thursday week. It is Amy’s idea and everyone seems to think it is a very good one. I went to see Mr Cole’s studio today. I admire his work and his method tremendously but I think compared with Nerli his work is lifeless. What an artist a judicious blending of the two would make! Nerli has been most awfully good to me and gives me an extra lesson on Saturdays in his studio. Lulu Roberts & Peep Gibson are learning and I think Rattie Neill is going to have lessons.
Have you seen anything of Bea Ashcroft? Dora is staying with Mrs Wood. I told you I had been to the Gaiety Company, didn’t I. I suppose you heard of the horse-whipping the chorus girls gave the Editor of the Workman. Mr Mason, Mabel Maitland’s husband, has been fetching them in a royal style much to the disgust of his relations. This is pure gossip isn’t it and take it for what it is worth. Ethel McLaren is going to sit for me, I think I told you, and she is coming for the first sitting on Tuesday. Mrs Finker has a cousin from Auckland, a Miss Moss Davis staying with her, who sings and recites very well. Willie and I went to supper there on Sunday to meet her. Mr Gully and Mr Marshall made up the party. Mr M. in his usual impressive style said “and how is my dear friend Mrs King”. I am afraid I looked rather blank and he added “dear Miss Hodgkins that was” and then I explained that your name was Field not King and he seemed a little put out at his mistake for a moment before he had told me he had sobbed outside the Church the whole time you were being married and it looked a little inconsistent not to know the bride’s name.
Well I must not write any more rubbish, my fingers are numbed with the cold and I am going down to thaw myself with “Whisky hot”. I was commissioned this afternoon to send you loves galore, but it is much too cold to tell you who sent them. Write to me soon dearie, you don’t know how I long for your letters, there is never an hour in the day that I don’t think and long for you and it is a very good thing for me that I have my painting as a rival in my affection for you, otherwise I think I should be a very unhappy creature. With ever so much love to you both. Ever yours lovingly Fanny. Mother is very well and sends her best love.
My dearest old Girlie
I am afraid you will think I have neglected you sadly this week, but really dearie I have been so busy that I have scarcely had any time for writing but you shall have an extra long letter tonight. I want to make the most of Nerli’s lessons and have been painting hard all the week and the evenings always find me more ready for bed than for letter writing. I was so glad to get your letter on Wednesday and to hear that you have at last got into your house. How thankful you must be. I hope I will see Rosie Webster soon and hear all about it. The very liberal wedge of wedding cake arrived safely. Thank you very much indeed dearie, it is a great improvement on the first one isn’t it?
Did the two Holbeins arrive safely that I sent by Archie Bartleman? I think so often of your house and how it will look with all your pretty things in it. When you have time you must give me a full description of it and of all the things you have bought. Out of curiousity I went the other day to see Mrs Scott’s couch and chair, her room is an appalling one and they did not show to advantage but I sat long and critically on all parts of the couch and came to the conclusion that it was the most comfortable one I have ever sat on. I like the chair especially. I must make Will a good fat cushion for it.
I don’t think I have any special news to tell you since my last letter. You won’t be surprised to hear I didn’t go to the Morris’ after all. It was a splendid dance but I am sending you a Witness with a better account than I can give you. Daisy is thinner than ever and George has grown fat! Jessie Dymock is going back to Napier with them. Today Maggie Gilkison and the Spences gave Daisy afternoon teas. It was a bitter day, one of the wildest snowstorms I ever remember, but I braved the elements and went to them both. We were asked to another at the Carew’s but did not go. That is all my gaiety for the week I think, with the exception of the Savage on Tuesday I went to dinner at the McLaren’s and went with them. It was a splendid evening and I enjoyed it immensely. Next night May is going to do a little dialogue piece (out of Black & White) with Miss Issy Cargill and great things are expected of them. I am down for the programmes and May Burnes is going to play. Doesn’t that strike you as a fine display of talent? The Kenyons had rather nasty accident which might have [been] a very serious one the other night. One of the children was ill and they sent for Dr Ferguson and he drove up in the glass hansom cab with a very fresh horse and coming up the Kenyon’s drive the horse shied and the cab went over the bank and the driver had one of his ribs broken and his lung punctured and was rather badly cut about the head but the Dr escaped without a scratch. It gave them all a great shock, and May raised some amusement but very little sympathy in a hard hearted contingent of Norris’ (who were helping with the cab) by a series of faints of which they were cruel enough to doubt the genuineness. Tonight I was asked to a euchre-party and dance at the Zieles but did not go. The Roberts are giving a “bal poudre” next Thursday week. It is Amy’s idea and everyone seems to think it is a very good one. I went to see Mr Cole’s studio today. I admire his work and his method tremendously but I think compared with Nerli his work is lifeless. What an artist a judicious blending of the two would make! Nerli has been most awfully good to me and gives me an extra lesson on Saturdays in his studio. Lulu Roberts & Peep Gibson are learning and I think Rattie Neill is going to have lessons.
Have you seen anything of Bea Ashcroft? Dora is staying with Mrs Wood. I told you I had been to the Gaiety Company, didn’t I. I suppose you heard of the horse-whipping the chorus girls gave the Editor of the Workman. Mr Mason, Mabel Maitland’s husband, has been fetching them in a royal style much to the disgust of his relations. This is pure gossip isn’t it and take it for what it is worth. Ethel McLaren is going to sit for me, I think I told you, and she is coming for the first sitting on Tuesday. Mrs Finker has a cousin from Auckland, a Miss Moss Davis staying with her, who sings and recites very well. Willie and I went to supper there on Sunday to meet her. Mr Gully and Mr Marshall made up the party. Mr M. in his usual impressive style said “and how is my dear friend Mrs King”. I am afraid I looked rather blank and he added “dear Miss Hodgkins that was” and then I explained that your name was Field not King and he seemed a little put out at his mistake for a moment before he had told me he had sobbed outside the Church the whole time you were being married and it looked a little inconsistent not to know the bride’s name.
Well I must not write any more rubbish, my fingers are numbed with the cold and I am going down to thaw myself with “Whisky hot”. I was commissioned this afternoon to send you loves galore, but it is much too cold to tell you who sent them. Write to me soon dearie, you don’t know how I long for your letters, there is never an hour in the day that I don’t think and long for you and it is a very good thing for me that I have my painting as a rival in my affection for you, otherwise I think I should be a very unhappy creature. With ever so much love to you both. Ever yours lovingly Fanny. Mother is very well and sends her best love.
Pages
8 pages
Sender's address
Cranmore Lodge
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-02
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-02.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23212975
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23212975