Too Hungry to Dine with Mr.Asquith

Date: February 6th, 1915

Address: Not given

From: (in Tom Gray's handwriting)

To: Not specified

A visit to London (part 1)
We left Wycombe at 9.15 a.m. and arrived at Marlybourne at 10 a.m. We had taken our overcoats, but as it was now very fine we left them at the Left Luggage Depot. We immediately took the tube (underground railway) to Leicester Square, on arriving there we went up Charing Cross Road to Oxford St - turning to left we went along Oxford St until we came to Hyde Park - went through, passing some Grenadiers drilling and came to the Serpentine and then to Rotton Row where the Society of London exercise themselves cantering up and down on horseback or parading on the broad path which runs alongside or sitting on the numerous seats. We then went to Buckingham Palace, the Royal Residenceand observed the netting above the roof for protection from air bombs, and also the Royal Standard flying. There is a very fine monument to Queen Victoria in front of the Palace, the base is circular and large, and is like a fish-pond although it is dry, with four lions, etc. extending from the central figure to the outside. The monument is white and clean and about 100 yards round the circumference. (Hope this description is understood).

A party of His Majesty's Royal Horse Guards passed us here on their way back to Barracks - they have an imposing uniform with shining body armour and a white plumed helmet, they ride with drawn swords on black horses. We passed out of the park near the American Embassy and worked our way to Trafalgar Square - the monument was decorated with recruiting posters at the base, one being the historical signal of Nelson "England expects that every man this day will to his duty"; another is the sentence of Mr.Asquith in a speech "No sacrifice can be too great to uphold the honour and ensure the freedom of Great Britain".

Close to the Trafalgar monument is the National Art Gallery and we spent half an hour in it. We went into the park again and came out close to Westminster Hospital (full of wounded Belgians), Wesleyan Central Hall, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Crossing Lambeth Bridge we worked our way round to Westminster Bridge back to the Houses of Parliament. At a crossing here we stood for a quarter of an hour watching the busy traffic. We then went through the Houses of Parliament, accompanied by a guide. On coming out the guide offered to conduct us over the Tower of London; we agreed and took the tube which landed us near our object. We went through the various places open to us and on coming out we thought we would take another look in the armoury and especially at the crowns, etc in the strong room; so we dismissed our guide and went through again. The Tower Bridge is close to, and of course we had to go over it, but did not see it open.

We took to the tube again and landed back at Westminster, went to Trafalgar Square, and down to Whitehall to Downing St.

We felt too hungry to wait a little to dine with Mr.Asquith, so we went back passing the War Office, Admiralty, Privy Coucil, Treasury, Board of Trade etc. and took tea at Lyon's Cafe in Whitehall. It was now nearly 6pm and dark, so we thought we would see what the streets of London are like on a Saturday night; we went up Charing Cross Rd and back again along the Strand and back again to Trafalgar Square. We now went back to Westminster to the Wesleyan Central Hall, which we had passed earlier in the day, to a weekly Popular Concert and spent a good time until 9.50 pm when we left and took the tube to Marylebourne and got there just in time to get our overcoats and catch our train to Wycombe, giving our passes in 5 minutes before they were due (12 midnight) and landed in bed at a quarter to one on Sunday morning, very tired but well pleased and satisfied with our day's holiday.

National Art Gallery
This is very fine and all the pictures are of 1st class order, many of them being protected by large glass screens a yard in front of them.

The Streets of London
The streets are just the same as any large town. In the Strand and Charing Cross Rd are the great picture halls. In Whitehall are all the Gobernment head offices - War Office, Admiralty, board of Trade, Treasury, Privy Council and the chief offices of Insurance companies - it is a fine street similar to Grey St at Newcastle. The famous Strand is a little better than High St in Sunderland, but not as good as Fawcett St. Such was the impression I got - all the big lights were out and it may be a brilliant St in times of peace. I notices many shops had placards in their windows "Ici on parle Francais" (We talk French here). This will be to get the trade of the French visitors.

Several searchlights were moving about the sky searching for aircraft which might make a night attack.

The traffic in the streets I have mentioned, is very great and is controlled at the crossings by a big lamppost in the middle of each of the four roads. A policeman is there, but his work is easy.

In Trafalgar Square, Westminster, etc where the roads do not take the form of a cross, the traffic has to be controlloed entirely by the policeman. The public travel in motor-buses instead of tramcars as is the case in most towns. Only in Lambeth did we see tramcars.

Underground Railway or Tube
In almost all the main streets you will find entrances to the Underground Railway, commonly referred to as the Tube, and by using this means of travel you can get to any part of London. For instance, when we arrived at Marylebourne we wanted to get to Leicester Square, so we went down the tube, you got a ticket, and got in the train going in that direction. At all the stations and in every carriage there is a plan of the railways and all the stopping places, and changing places, on that part of the system, so that everyone can see for themselves when and where to change or get out without bothering porters, etc. Again, we wanted to go from Westminster to the Tower, so we went down to the tube and landed at the Tower. At night we wanted our station and did not know where it was or how far it was, so we simply went down the tube and in a few minutes we had got what we wanted. The train is composed of a number of cars similar to single decked tramcars coupled together and driven by electricity. In some places there is only a single line in a tunnel, in most cases a double line and all stations are well lighted by electricity. From the underground you get to the surface by stairs or lifts and in one case by a travelling staircase. This is like a screening belt used at the pit, but when it gets on the slope it forms steps.