Mr Kipling

Abstract

‘The Elms’, home of Mr and Mrs Rudyard Kipling and their three children, John, Josephine and Elsie. Mr Kipling was at his best when with his children and their playmates; he had a large sand-garden made for their delight which they played in when not able to get to the beach. One of their little friends, Molly Stanford, told me Mrs Kipling grew gourds and cut the initials of each child upon a different gourd, and each day they would watch to see whose initials had grown largest. They were so happy and safe in that high walled garden, and were taken each day to visit Aunt Georgiana who was Lady Burne Jones and lived just across the Pump Green. Mr Kipling had a charming lady named Miss Anderson who was his secretary and she lived in rooms opposite the Black Horse just above the surgery of Dr Ridsdale. I used to run errands for her and tidy up her room and make her fire. One day she was expecting Mr Kipling to call with his work for typing. She asked me to make the fire. I tried very hard to get it to burn before he came as I did not want to be in the room at the time, he rather scared me with his thick spectacles and black eyebrows and very quick movement. Presently I heard that quick step coming upstairs and enter the sitting-room. After talking to Miss Anderson, he looked down at me and said sharply, ‘What are you doing child?’

Kipling journal, xxxvi (Mar 1969) 14–17.