| Title |
Letters to Beaton |
| Reference |
A1/288 |
| Creator |
Dorothy Joseph (d 1983) |
| Covering Dates |
1936–1938 (Some undated) |
| Extent and Medium |
17 letters; paper; Manuscript |
|
| Content and context |
|
Beaton's first secretary.
With typescript account headed 4/1/37 Amounts paid out by D.J. for C.B. up to date.
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| St John's Library/Beaton/A1/288 contains: |
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1
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Autograph letter signed to Beaton, from London. Discusses jewellery taken over by Mrs Musker and what has been left. Thought best not to claim on the insurance for a lost cigarette lighter. Went to see the dress rehearsal of Beaton's ballet and thought it was heavenly. There were lots of people at the rehearsal and they were all very enthusiastic about Beaton's clothes. Also saw "Follow the Sun" and thought it was a poor show on the whole. Heard from Mrs Beaton that Beaton is arriving back in April. Hopes Beaton will not be furious, but she has told Martin that he had better stick in his present job and not go back to Beaton. Has heard appalling stories about his drunkeness from William. Asks if Beaton wants her to engage another chauffeur for him. Hopes she has done the right thing. Mrs Laycock has paid off her bill.
4p; paper. |
14 Feb. 1936 |
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2
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Received Beaton's cables yesterday. Specifies which pictures she is sending to him. Cannot imagine what has happened to the Castlerosse and Hoffman pictures. Has been to the post office and filled in a claim and enquiry form. If she cannot get a satisfactory answer, she will have two more sets made and try to claim the expense from the post office. Thinks the solution to the Ashcombe heating problem is an electric cooker and a new boiler. Is having a fitted electric stove put in Beaton's bedroom. Also thought there should be a small portable electric fire in the new bedroom. Discusses business details of Beaton's photographic clients. Everyone is in a dreadful state as the papers say that the King is abdicating. Heard that the Duke of York has refused the crown and that Queen Mary is going to be appointed Regent until 'that little horror' Princess Elizabeth is old enough to be crowned. Heard that the King is behaving like a madman and 'does nothing but cry and says he wants to abdicate'. The news has just come through the wireless that the King has abdicated. Thought Mr. Baldwin's speech was very moving.
2p; paper. |
10 Dec. 1936 |
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3
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Is distressed about photographs not arriving and about the things that Beaton does not appear to have in his luggage. Explains where various items were packed. Feels harassed by the news that Beaton had to leave his portfolio at customs and wonders what will happen to the pictures Mrs Von Hoffmanstahl is taking over. Is sending Beaton pictures for the exhibition. Gives details of what she is including. Has to go into a nursing home for a week for an operation. Has heard that Miss Penrose also has to have an operation as they think she might have a tumour. Thinks the public probably do not know this news. Will have "Vogue" send over the Mary Taylor drawing. Encloses some snapshots of Iris Tree and Nabokoff that she cut out, as she thought Beaton should include them in his photographs for the exhibition. Will have two more prints made at her own expense for Beaton's album.
2p; paper. |
11 Dec. 1936 |
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4
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Thanks Beaton for the Christmas present, which she gave herself from Beaton. Has bought Beaton a present from Brussels. Was excited to hear that his exhibition was a success. Mentions various cheques that she needs Beaton to get. Is sending Beaton's Christmas cards and press cuttings. Has paid various bills for Beaton and encloses an itemised list. Asks permission to sue Mrs Vera Bryce if necessary, as she is refusing to pay her bill. Has received an abusive letter from Mr Frederick Cox asking for money for work done at Ashcombe over a year ago. Thought everything had been paid to him and will have to look at the matter carefully. Mrs Simpson has died out as a topic of conversation. The telephone rang all day when she was first mentioned in the papers. One editor said that if Joseph would let him have a photograph of Simpson, she could name her own price and he would always swear they had not come from her. Joseph refused, saying there would have been nowhere else he could have gotten them from. Heard that Lady Margaret Drummond-Hay took some people over to Ashcombe at Christmas and found the house locked up as the Nobles had gone away. She then broke in through the upstairs bathroom window and took them all over the house. Would like to know how they got out.
3p; paper. |
5 Jan. 1937 |
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5
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Has received a Royal summons and must see the Kents on Wednesday. Does not know what about, but presumes it must be the photographs. Miss Penrose would like them to ask the Kents if "Vogue" could have the "Winterhalter" pictures of her exclusively. Mr Cook would like to know if he could trim some of the photographs as they will not all work with the page layouts. Is going there this afternoon to see what she can do. Mentions various people using the car. Mr McMullin has sent Beaton three ties. Hopes that Scheidegg is lovely.
2p; paper. |
11 Apr. 1937 |
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6
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Mr Celements says that no paper will take the story as it has been ruined by the articles in the "News Chronicle". He did not realise that the "Chronicle" were printing articles and had thought they were only using photographs. He feels that his story no longer has any value. Brian Cook is going to send a cable to Scribners saying that the sales here are extremely good. Went to see Mr Messel this morning and found him depressed about his work prospects. Mrs Fleischmann has paid her bill. Her secretary told Joseph that they had sent Beaton a pot of caviar. Thinks that in the rush of the party it must have been taken to be part of the provisions. Suggests Beaton write to Mrs Fleischmann to explain this.
2p; paper. |
30 Sep. 1937 |
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7
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Discusses material she has sent to "Life". Suggests Beaton go through his scrapbooks himself with them, as they were hazy about exactly what they wanted from them. Brian Cook and Mr. Hill have decided not to have their private view party on the same day as the exhibition opens. Thinks the gallery will look very nice. Zandra and Nanny are staying for a fortnight. Encloses some letters and press cuttings. Thought that Raymond Mortimer's review of Beaton's book was very catty. The Duchess of Kent wants a plain photograph of herself.
3p; paper. |
26 Oct. 1937 |
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8
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Gives details of the sales of Beaton's book. Batsfords are printing another 1200 copies. They have kept back 100 copies to sell at the exhibition next week. Is delighted that the book is a success. Mrs. Helen Normanton has written a book justifying the abdication. The Duchess of Windsor wants Beaton's pictures of herself and the Duke to be used as illustrations. Has to obtain Mrs. Chase's permission.
2p; paper. |
29 Oct. 1937 |
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9
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Details prints she has sent to Beaton. Cannot find the negatives of the four prints mailed today. Ponders what could have happened to them. Spent the whole day searching for them. Reminds Beaton to get all of his original material back from "Life". Cannot understand Beaton saying that there have been no reviews of the book as she has sent over cuttings in almost every mail. Has spent most of the day at Batsfords and is not going to say anything about the exhibition as she feels rather discouraged about it at the moment. Will write to Beaton again on Thursday.
2p; paper. |
2 Nov. 1937 |
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10
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. The exhibition opened on the 3rd and looked very nice. Describes how they decorated the room. Somebody from the London News Agency took photographs and Mr. Pape took pictures of the walls, both of which she will send Beaton. Will try to let Beaton know who came. The only press person there was Miss Simpson. De Groot was there but does not seem to have done much about it. Thinks the "Sketch" or "Tatler" will use a page of photographs taken at the party. Both Brian Cook and Derek Hill worked very hard over the whole thing. Discusses how many of Beaton's books are left. Has just had a row with de Groot about why he has done nothing about publicity about the exhibition. He said that the "Scrapbook" has already been publicised and that the only news value is in who was at the party. Encloses a catalogue.
2p; paper. |
5 Nov. 1937 |
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11
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Is going home at the end of next week and taking the press cuttings with her. Can't settle down to them in London. Will continue to see to Beaton's correspondence and come to London should the need arise. Details who has ordered photographs. Describes her trip to Paris. Did lots of things she has never been able to afford before and probably will never be able to afford again. The galleries are keeping the exhibition on for another week. They would not give her a list of sales yet. Since the Hesse air disaster, the galleries have been packed. Miss Kay Norton wanted to buy the big Pavillon picture but could not afford it. Asks how much Beaton would like for it. Has had a picture of the Duchess of Kent enlarged, as she wanted one that she could give to hospitals and charities. Mr Cook is sending a letter and the photographs by the next mail.
2p; paper. |
19 Nov. 1937 |
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12
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Autograph letter signed to Beaton, from London. Discusses de Groot and what publicity they have received by him. Brian Cook is keeping the exhibition on for another week. Thinks he is crazy, but he did it without consulting her. They have sandwich men patrolling the street with placards. Thinks this is a good idea, but that he should have done it earlier in the exhibition. He did not even put the sign up outside the shop until the end of the first week. Discusses Beaton's fee for the exhibition. Heard that Mrs. Douglas had left "Vogue". Thinks she must have been given the boot. An irritating woman called Mrs. Ranibird has taken her place. Derek Hill sent her tickets for his ballet. The opening night has been postponed due to Mrs. Baylis' death.
4p; paper. |
28 Nov. 1937 |
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13
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Was unsure whether to cable Beaton. The papers in England are saying that Beaton has resigned from "Vogue". The office and the newspapers keep ringing her up to ask what has happened. Thinks it would be a pity if Beaton severed his connection with "Vogue" now. Advises him to wait until he has established himself firmly as a writer. Asks Beaton to let her know the whole story. Had a wonderful ten days in Switzerland and came back to find that Beaton's mother had gone to Biarritz. Discusses arrangements for this. Hopes there is not going to be any trouble about the picture of Rosamond Pinchot published in the "Express". They asked Joseph if they could use a picture and she said that they could use the photograph from the "Book of Beauty" but not the sketch. They used the sketch anyway and have said that if there is trouble, Joseph should say that they photographed the sketch straight from the book without anybody's permisssion. Hopes Beaton finds time to tell her the whole story and hopes it is not going to bring a storm down on his head.
2p; paper. |
26 Jan. 1938 |
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14
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Letter concerning Beaton's financial situation. His account is overdrawn. Joseph was surprised at this as she has been giving Beaton's father cheques since Beaton has been away, but he is using them to pay Beaton's income tax with. Is writing so that Beaton does not get too depressed or panicky. Throughout the year Beaton has had to pay large sums that are not normally part of his expenditure. These costs should not occur again, so Beaton should not worry too much, though he is rather extravagant.
1p; paper. |
1936 |
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15
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Supposes Beaton must have heard that the King is dead. Describes the reaction of people and the atmosphere of the country. The new King has been proclaimed King. The coronation is not for a year. The court will be in mourning for six months and everybody will be in mourning for six weeks. Ha saved all the papers for Beaton and will send them to him at the end of the week. Martin asked if Beaton definitely wants him to come back and Joseph said yes. Asks Beaton to let her know straight away if he changes his mind about having him back. Encloses a letter from Mrs. Macdonald, as she did not know what Beaton would want her to do about it. Mrs. Musker is sailing to New York on Saturday, so Joseph has given her various items to give to Beaton. Discusses picture frame idea for Beaton's wardrobe. William has arrived and looks like 'nothing on earth' in Beaton's trousers and Martin's coat. Miss Penrose does not seem at all anxious to photograph Beaton's drawings. Feels she has used a lot of his drawings and it would be too repetitive to use any more. Beaton's uncle is improving. Cannot bear Martin, but has no concrete reasons and he is a good servant.
4p; paper. |
22 Jan. 1936 |
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16
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton, from London. Could not understand Beaton's cables, but is sending a selection of negatives with Mrs. Abbey who sails tomorrow on the Manhattan. Details other items she is sending to Beaton. The car is safely housed in the Knightsbridge garage. Would like Beaton to send Mr. Cook a few lines about what he wants for the exhibition. He and Derek Hill want to have a cocktail party the evening of the exhibition and ask people who would be likely to buy and also Beaton's friends. Has let her flat and is staying at the Mount Royal. Would like to know what is going on with Beaton's income tax in America this year.
2p; paper. |
1937 |
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17
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Typescript letter signed to Beaton. The Duchess of Gloucester's lady-in-waiting rang to say H.R.H. would like to be photographed next week. It serves her right that she cannot be done now, since she refused before. Gives details about the organisation of the exhibition. Mrs. Beaton went to Ashcombe yesterday.
1p; paper. |
15 Oct. 1937 |
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