What I did on my holidays
An exploration through the papers of Sir Rowland Whitehead (1863-1942) MP for South East Essex from 1906 to 1910.
Sir Rowland Whitehead (1863-1942) was a Liberal MP for South East Essex from 1906 to 1910 as well as private secretary to Herbert Samuel during the same period. In 1931 he inherited the Whitehead Baronet family title. The Parliamentary Archives holds Whitehead’s papers, a variety of his political and personal papers from election material and newspaper cuttings to his diaries and family holiday sketch books.
We know from his diaries that he would go on holiday with his family every year around August or September. The sketch books date ranges from 1902 to 1913. So, by combining accounts from his diaries with the sketch books we can take a tour through the Whitehead family holidays and see what a holiday from over 100 years ago was like. They were usually filled with plenty of walks and bicycle rides, days out on the beach and visiting the local towns. And like any typical British holidaymaker, he still complained about the weather.
Meet the Family
Photographs of Ethel, Rowland, Hermione, Eileen, Philip, and Gilbert Whitehead, 1912, Parliamentary Archives, WHD/16
Rowland’s wife, Ethel, was from the well-known Rathbone family and was aunt to famous Sherlock actor Basil Rathbone.
Rowland and Ethel married in 1893 and had four children together: Hermione, Eileen, Philip ....
... and the much later arrival Gilbert (only born in 1910).
France in 1902
The first holiday recorded in the sketchbooks, the Whitehead family traveled to France, a regular destination for their holidays. In 1902 the 3 children were Hermione (8), Eileen (7), and Philip (5).
Starting off in a hotel mostly full of English and American tourists, they made friends with other guests, including a couple from San Francisco. They tried and failed to get used to local French customs and cuisine and eventually left the hotel. They booked to stay in a house, with English meals and a “madcap French cook named Josephine”.
Extract from Whitehead Diary, 1902, Parliamentary Archives, WHD/16
Later in the holiday, they visited places along the North French coast towards Fecamp. They decided that Veules was the best place they had visited, featuring multiple times in Rowlands sketch book.
Veules sunset, 1902, Parliamentary Archives, WHD/18/1
1907
Fast-forwarding several years to 1907, the Whitehead’s return to France with the 3 children: Hermione (13), Eileen (12) and Philip (10).
Throughout the holiday, in-between day trips to visit the local areas and their history, there was plenty of downtime. The family enjoyed plenty of sun on the beach, building sandcastles, skimming stones on the water and swimming in the sea. On one of their day trips they visited the picturesque Chinon, with beautiful views and sketched the tower of the ruined castle.
This 1907 holiday is special, as the collection holds sketchbooks for both Rowland and his wife Ethel, so we can compare their artwork.
They didn’t always draw the same subjects or in the same style, Rowland often favouring landscapes and watercolours whilst Ethel preferred people, details and simpler sketches but on occasion the two do line up.
For example, this drawings is by Ethel and the watercolour below is by Rowland both are from their visit to the chateau Azay le Rideau.
They also visited the area of Loches, staying in an old-fashioned inn.
Whilst sitting in a meadow Rowland sketched a panorama of the area featuring some of the local landmarks they visited including the Louis XI tower and the castle.
Both Ethel and Rowland sketched the Loches castle, you can see the different perspectives and angles in their drawings.
1913
In 1913, the Whitehead’s holiday a little closer to home, in the county of Oxfordshire. Now with all four children, Hermione (19), Eileen (18), Philip (16) and baby Gilbert (3).
This holiday was with both family and friends, with 12 people in the holiday party, and a total of 38 bags, bikes, and a pram for Gilbert. They stayed in Manor House in Black Bourton, near Alvescot. They visited several local churches and played, listened to, or danced to music most evenings.
They travelled through Farringdon, some driving and some bicycling, to see the Great Coxwell barn. It was originally built in 1190-1200; Rowland describes it as “an enormous structure more like a cathedral than a barn 150 feet long”.
Rowland celebrated his 50th birthday whilst on holiday. They had to abandon plans to visit Cirencester due to the weather but there was birthday cake and presents. The 7 young people on the holiday presented a short play, they had put together that afternoon with costumes, firstly performed as a tragedy and then performed again this time as a comedy followed by dancing. Later Rowland bicycled with Philip to see the White Horse landmark in Uffington, catching butterflies and sketching the view of the rolling landscape from the hill.
Hope you enjoyed taking a look back through some selected highlights from the holidays of the Whitehead family. From family fun days on the beach to bicycle rides and castle visits, there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Both the beautiful drawings of Mr and Mrs Whitehead and insights from Rowland’s diary, provides a great example of British family holidays from over 100 years ago.
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