BX September 2, 1916
How Folks “Over Home” Look After Wounded “Boys” – Miss Carolyn Powell Tells Interestingly of Sir Alfred Mond’s Garden Party – On a Gorgeous Scale – Nothing Left Un-provided to Give the Heroes the Time of Their Lives, Even Gaby Desly’s Being on Hand For Their Entertainment
Miss Carolyn Powell, daughter of Harry Hedley Powell in a letter home gives a graphic description of a garden party at the beautiful mansion of Sir Alfred Mond, noted capitalist, at Seven Oaks, Kent. She also tells with feeling of the work among the patients at the Massey-Harris War Hospital, where there are some of Brantford’s wounded soldiers. The letter follows:
“On Thursday last, we all, ie., patients and nurses, went to an all day garden party to a place at Seven Oaks, called “Coombe Bank,” the residence of Mr. Alfred Mond a naturalized British subject, largely interested in metallurgical and chemical manufacturing works, one of which, nickel refining, is in Canada, but more particularly engaged making some of the various kinds of gasses used by the government for war purposes. He is very generous, and has spent a very large amount of money in providing for the comfort and welfare of the wounded during the war. On this occasion he had over 1,500 soldiers from the hospitals in and around London. He hired motor busses, charaborys, etc., to convey them there in. We had some that held 25, and one ‘sister’ went in each load. We left the Massey-Harris Hospital at Dulwich at 10 a.m. and got there about 11.30. We wandered about the place taking snaps and rowing in the lake until 1 o’clock, when luncheon was served.
“The place is beautiful. I never saw such fine old trees in my life, and the rose garden was charmingly beautiful – beyond description by me. The home is a very large rambling grey stone building, built by the Argyles, and after passing through several owners was bought by Mr. Alfred Mond. After luncheon we were given the ‘freedom of the home,’ a lovely place, with white marble walls, marble staircase, mahogany rail and mahogany woodwork, beautifully carved and moulded throughout. Turkish carpets and rugs were everywhere, and such beautiful pictures and statuary! Imagine the pleasure of seeing such beautiful works of art in such magnificent surroundings.
“In providing for the reception of the soldier guests he certainly spared no expense, for he had all kinds of invalid chairs, stretchers, carriages, etc., to bring the cripples up from the gates, and hammocks galore as well as thousands of chairs.
“Tables were all spread under large tents and the Savoy orchestra to play while we were at luncheon and it certainly was a most beautiful one. After this all who could, wandered off again, this time about the circus or midway; donkeys to ride, shooting galleries, merry-go-rounds, boating, cocoa nuts to scramble for, the home of mirth, all mirrors, and other things of the kind. Then back we came to the open air concert. A real stage with dressing rooms, big piano, orchestra, and a real audience of 2,000 people. All the leading players of London took a turn at making “the boys” laugh. They sang, played, danced and recited, Evelyn Body, Maude Terry, Gerty Miller, Phil Brouder, Harold Moss, Max Daieserati and Gaby Deslys with her partner, Harry Pilser. She was a sight, for she is so eccentric in her dress. She danced beautifully and gave a musical sketch with two men, told some jokes and finally rode a donkey for the amusement of “the boys.” We took snaps of her and she signed many programs while at teas. We were sitting at the next table to her and a gentleman sitting at her table leaned over and said, “give me your program sister,” and got her to sign it, that set the ball rolling and she was kept busy after that. There was necessarily quite a number of doctors and nurses present with the boys. It was an ideal day and the 22 mile ride was surely fine. We drove through a park on a road that wound down the side of a big hill, very much like going down the mountain side to Hamilton, or rather at Ancaster. The roads over here are all a joy, no big ruts or bumps and all through the little villages or towns the men, women and children were out to wave flags and cheer the wounded soldiers. The choir, as our car load called themselves, sang till I thought their throats would burst, and funny? Well I am sure it was as good as any vaudeville show. They took moving pictures of the whole affair that day for some film firm, so you may yet see it. It was a truly magnificent entertainment. Every one enjoyed themselves, as “the boys” said, it was the limit of generosity and the donor seemed to enjoy himself the most of any. I surely hope he did. This with the many other entertainments similar but on a less gorgeous scale that the neighbors of our hospital are continually providing for the wounded and convalescing boys, is more than generous. They seem to vie with one another as to who will do the most for “the boys” and apparently this same spirit of generosity and kindness seems to permeate the whole mother land, but towards the overseas men especially.”
BX January 28, 1919
Christmas With Convalescent Canadians – Nurse Carolyn Powell Writes Letter of Appreciation to the Brantford Women's Patriotic League – With the Wounded
The Women’s Patriotic League have received cordial thanks from Miss Carolyn Powell stationed at the Massey-Harris Convalescent Home for Canadian Soldiers, at Kingswood, Dulwich, for the Christmas gift sent her by the local organization. She writes interestingly of Christmas in the hospital as follows:
W.C. Livingston, President
Women’s Patriotic Association
Brantford, Ont., Canada
Dear Mrs. Livingston,
Will you convey to the members of the Women’s Patriotic Association my thanks for their kind remembrance of men at Christmas? Sweets have been most acceptable since the shortage of sugar has made it hard to get them over here. Please give my best wishes to every member for a Happy New Year, rich with every blessing.
We had a very happy Christmas here, the last away from home we hope. The scene of relief mingled with the general rejoicing was due to the knowledge that no one had to go back to the front again, and both patients and staff made merry with all their hearts.
Thanks to such societies as yours, our boys had wonderful Red Cross stockings put round on their beds and awakened to find them Christmas morning, like a delighted family of children. The day thus begun went on to a happy close, each satisfied with himself and the world.
During the morning all the boys who were able, went to church or for a walk to work up a good appetite for dinner, while some of the sisters and an orderly or two trimmed the huge Christmas tree with myriads of lights, candles and glittering tinsel, tying on a personal gift for every man in the house. Others of the sisters busted themselves setting the tables for the boys’ dinner. Holly and red crepe paper made a pretty effect on the white table cloths, and dishes of apples, nuts, candy and oranges gave a very homely touch to the general effect.
At noon the boys sat down to a sumptuous dinner of turkey, plum pudding, etc., the sisters and staff waiting on them. It was such a treat to see their happy faces beneath the funny caps of every description which they found in their Christmas crackers at each plate, and excitement ran high when it was announced that the plum pudding had coins hidden in them, some gold, some silver, and rings, buttons, etc. Such a lot of ‘Buckshees’ the sisters had to serve; and such bliss when a boy was lucky enough to find a golden coin. All this fun was made possible by a kind hearted neighbour of ours, who is only one, among many, of the friend’s old England have given us.
At three o’clock the Recreation Room was opened and everyone thronged in to see the Christmas tree and distribution of gifts by a big, fat, jolly old Santa Claus. He called up every man whether a patient or a visitor and it was funny to watch the surprise and then the delight as some of our ‘old boys’ realized that they were included once more in the family circle at ‘Kingswood.’ Many of them have been in France a second time since being here as patients and some of them were on leave direct from Mons and Cologne. Every boy was cheered when he went forward to receive his parcel and the noise was deafening at times, at least so it seemed to the sisters when they had to face the music, but it was with most graceful appreciation that the later received the gift the boys had put on the tree for them, they will always be kept as reminders of happy days with their patients.
The men on leave from France and Germany told us many interesting tales of the forward march into re-occupied territory. They have been treated like heroes and given the best accommodation and attention. The Huns have been made to suffer those little indignities and humiliations that they meted out to the Belgians when that country was occupied by them. One boy laughed as he told of an incident like this. A Canadian officer was moving to another area and his batman having packed up all his kit went out into the street, commandeered the best dressed most important looking ‘fritz,’ loaded him up with luggage and walking ahead of him made the German carry the pack to the train. ‘Good enough for him too,’ remarked a boy sitting near. Another told us thrilling stories of the Cambrai attack, to harrowing to pass on, while still another returned prisoner gave an account of his treatment in a German camp, these tales very. Some are very badly used, some subject to petty abuse, others quite kindly treated, especially when working farmers. We are close to the making of history, and truth is at least as thrilling if not stronger than fiction.
Among the greatest of the many kindnesses shown by our Red Cross friends was the sending of big parcels to ‘some homeless boy.’ When these arrived, we readdressed them to boys who had no homes, no parents and sometimes no friends. I wish you could have seen the tears of joy and the look of happiness with which a box was received, to feel that someone really knew and cared enough for them, to send them a Christmas box, you would have aided us in our little ruse, I am sure instead of giving it simply to ‘a friendless boy.’
Our hospital is in rather a unique position, being privately maintained without a grant from Government or Red Cross, so it may be kept open for some time longer than most auxiliary hospitals. We had many cases of ‘flu’ during the autumn, which kept us busy, but all our patients made good recoveries. You too, had a strenuous time, I believe, in Brantford, and I was proud to hear that the First Aid Home Nursing classes offered their services so promptly and did such noble work. The V.A.D.’s have surely won their laurels in this war; congratulate them all for me.
I wish to add my tribute to the good work done by all Red Cross workers; they too have done their bit.
With many thanks again for your remembrance of me and with sincere good wishes to you all. Believe me.
Sincerely yours,
Carolyn Powell
