21st December 1664
“Up, and after evening reckonings to this day with Mr. Bridges, the linnen draper, for callicos, I out to Doctors’ Commons, where by agreement my cozen Roger and I did meet my cozen Dr. Tom Pepys, and there a great many and some high words on both sides, but I must confess I was troubled; first, to find my cozen Roger such a simple but well-meaning man as he is; next to think that my father, out of folly and vain glory, should now and then (as by their words I gather) be speaking how he had set up his son Tom with his goods and house, and now these words are brought against him — I fear to the depriving him of all the profit the poor man intended to make of the lease of his house and sale of his owne goods. I intend to make a quiet end if I can with the Doctor, being a very foul-tongued fool and of great inconvenience to be at difference with such a one that will make the base noise about it that he will.
Thence, very much vexed to find myself so much troubled about other men’s matters, I to Mrs. Turner’s, in Salsbury Court, and with her a little, and carried her, the porter staying for me, our eagle, which she desired the other day, and we were glad to be rid of her, she fouling our house of office mightily. They are much pleased with her. And thence I home and after dinner to the office, where Sir W. Rider and Cutler come, and in dispute I very high with them against their demands, I hope to no hurt to myself, for I was very plain with them to the best of my reason. So they gone I home to supper, then to the office again and so home to bed.
My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen (at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary thing that ever he saw.” (Samuel Pepys)
21st December 1940
“I am sleeping. I am forgetting. I am basking in the sun and aching for Cairo …
The Captain, huge and inefficient, told us yesterday that we should get off today, of course we didn’t. No one knows how we can, if ever, get away from this hot operatic island. All are frantic except me; they haunt the British Club, drink gin and read back numbers of the Bystander. I bathed and basked in the sun, and later we all, including the Captain, drove up into the mountains to spend the day. A long dramatic drive, massive cactus, acres of them; huge banana groves and bougainvillea of every colour. We arrived at an ex-monastery called ‘Les Huiles’, the most attractive hotel I have ever known, white, flowery, hot. Delicious food and Norman Douglas atmosphere. Probably the most lovely drive of one’s life.
We shall never be in Cairo for Xmas now.” (Henry, ‘Chips’, Channon)
21st December 1947
“I caught the train for Oxford to stay with Michael and Nic Hornby. Thirty-four years ago I stayed in the same house – Pusey – with my friend Denis Anson as the guest of his uncle, Sir William. It was in September. Sir William, whom I didn’t know, lived there with two old maiden sisters. During dinner I received a telegram from my mother to say that I had passed into the Foreign Office. It was a great moment for me which I longed to celebrate, but I could do nothing about it except inform my host who congratulated me in a courteous stately manner and drank a glass of port to my health. That was the beginning of my connection with the Foreign Office which ended yesterday. The morrow was I remember a beautiful September day. I long looked back upon it as the happiest day of my life. Within a year Sir William, his brother who was Dennie’s father and Dennie himself, who had then become the baronet, were all dead.” (Duff Cooper)
21st December 1969
“Dine at Pratt’s. Every single person round the table was in the Brigade of Guards. The talk is exclusively military. It is interesting how everybody now concedes that Monty was rather a fine General and cared not to lose lives: ten years ago – and much more twenty years ago – nobody in the Brigade had a good word for him.” (Kenneth Rose)
21st December 1980
“Walked out on the steps and looked at the full moon behind the trees. Very cold, but clear. Had spoken to C, who had agreed to meet me at Albany tomorrow to discuss Cézanne still-life. Looked around, and up at the towers. Am I, at last, some £500,000 later, really going to own it all, unencumbered? Will have to do a really careful think through at the turn of the year.” (Alan Clark)
21st December 1983
“Lunch at the Beefsteak. Alistair Horne talks rather uneasily about his biography of Harold Macmillan. They have had long and difficult talks about the repatriation of the Cossacks and other dissident nationals at the end of the war.
Nico Henderson says that when there was a Press strike of national newspapers, the Queen did not know it, saying to him: ‘I got my Sporting Life as usual.’ “ (Kenneth Rose)
21st December 1995
“I give breakfast to Charles Guthrie at the Hyde Park Hotel. He tells me of the four pieces of advice given by his RSM at Sandhurst.
1. Never get separated from your kit.
2. Never put your trust in the RAF.
3. Never march on Moscow.
4. Never become involved in the Balkans.” (Kenneth Rose)