Letter from Annie McRobie to Caroline Phillips

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Letter from Annie McRobie to Caroline Phillips

AssociatedAssociated with Caroline Phillips (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1874 - 1956)

Date22 July 1909

Object NameLetter

Mediumpaper and ink

ClassificationsSocieties

DimensionsFolded: 17.7 × 11.4cm
Unfolded: 17.7 × 22.8cm

AcquisitionPresented in 1988.

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDMS082740

Keywords

About MeThis is part of a collection of documents relating to Caroline Phillips (1874-1956), an Aberdonian journalist who was involved in the women's suffrage movement. The collection contains important correspondence between Phillips and key leaders in the suffrage movement, including Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.

2 Rosemount Terr
Aberdeen
22 July 1909

My dear Miss Phillips
Thank you so much for you letter this morning, Let me take the purely personal item first.
As you may suppose, the information that Miss Pankhurst had been making certain inquiries about me, came as a shock albeit an exceedingly pleasant one.
I confess that for one brief moment I ‘soared’, and then I came back to solid earth again.
No, my dear the opening which you hint at, is not for me, even, if on closer
acquaintanceship, Miss Pankhurst were satisﬁed that I might be of use to the W.S.P.U. I cannot leave Aberdeen.
For a considerable time now, I have been my mother’s chief support and sole companion. She is very old, and it would be cruel on my part to leave her.
Clearly my duty is at home. Apart from this however, I am very conscious that there would have to be considerable ‘locking into shape’ before I could be of real service, and – well one is not to adaptable and easily moulded when one is no longer youthful.
And so I have put from me all thoughts of the wider sphere and shall give my best to the work here.
I appreciate more than I can say this fresh evidence of your kindly interest in me. I shall not forget it.
Of course I shall preserve the most absolute secrecy on this matter. And now about Wednesday’s meeting. Yes, that was a field night. Our friends were out in full war paint. I was glad you were not present and yet I regret that you missed the show.
An atmosphere of virtuous indignation pervaded the front benches, and there was something irresistibly funny in the solemnity with which the enormities of our secretary, were reeled off from bulky M.S.S.
After mauling you beyond all recognition, they lashed out against Helen Ogston, gave Constance Ogston a kick in passing, and as a grand ﬁnale, wiped up the ﬂoor with Sylvia Pankhurst. Oh, I tell you it was a triumphant march from Glory unto Glory!
I presume Lady Ramsay's speech on the N.W.S.P.U. was a repetition of the one given at Westbourne House.
I would not have though it possible for a woman of the world to speak so much wild nonsense in the time.
Really I did not know which was strongest in me - the inclination to laugh, cry, or swear! I'm afraid I yielded to the last one - mentally. As for the allocation of the funds, I feel very bitter when I think that the money which was won for us by Mrs. Pankhurst, and Miss Helen Ogston, should be handed over to other societies. So far as I am concerned, one result of the meeting is, that I have vowed I must learn to speak without making a fool of myself through sheer nervousness.
I shall be seeing you soon.
With very warmest regards.
Sincerely yours
Annie McRobie