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Authors: Yvonne M. Ward
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Bundles and boxes of previously unknown letters would surface from other collections in the Royal Library, or from a distant room of the castle.
His domestic life did not help his mood. Benson was lodging at Mustians, the home of A.C. Ainger in nearby Eton. Ainger had tutored Esher at Eton and remained a guide and mentor throughout Esherâs adult life; in the 1880s and 1890s, Esherâs two sons had lived at Mustians, when they started at Eton. Here, billiards rather than conversation occupied the evenings.Benson hated billiards. And he had âthe strange experience of mingling with old friends who were no longer colleagues, of meeting daily boys over whom he no longer had any responsibility, and of living the life of a revenant â¦â As February progressed, he felt much worse: âI have not had such an acute attack of depression since I was at Cambridge, in 1882. It dogs me all day â though I can work and read it is all without savour or intellect.â He sadly described his condition as a âneuralgia of the soulâ.
As the month went on, however, Benson was relieved to be able to record something resembling a daily routine:
I get to the Castle by 10.30 and I am let in by one of my faithful henchmen. It astonishes me to find how pleasant the Castle servants all are. Then I go to the Strong room to select a few volumes for upstairs; see what Miss Williams is doing: and then begin work. I write a letter or two, and then just read and select. The work is very interesting and time flies past ⦠lunch ⦠walk ⦠tea at 5.00, work till 8.00 reading and writing. I suppose I do about 6 hours work a day, but very concentrated work. I see a glimmer of light with regard to the book now. One must have a brief introduction & plunge into the letters at once â There is certainly no lack â & plenty of good footnotes must be appended to explain people. I have written a sketch of much of my Introduction already.
On finding how many volumes of letters were to be gone through, Benson soon realised that he would need an assistant. Esher suggested that a soldier might be suitable. Instead, Bensonâs old Eton friend, Hugh Childers, offered to do the job for £100 per year and to be at Windsor four days per week. Childers was âa good workerâ and knew political history well. He was the son of H.C. Childers , a politician who had begun his career in Australia before returning to take up a seat in Westminster. In the editorial note to the first published volume, Hugh Childers is recognised for his âungrudging help in the preparation of the Introductory annual summaries, and in the political and historical annotation, as well as for his invaluable co-operation at every stage of the workâ. He also supported Benson as a friend and they holidayed together in 1905.
It is possible that in suggesting a soldier for the position of assistant, Esher was hoping to have Maurice appointed. By this time, Maurice had served in the Coldstream Guards for nearly two years, during which time his father had pulled âevery string for his advancementâ while still obsessively seeking out his company. Esher had an inflated view of Mauriceâs abilities (Benson described Maurice as âstolid and rosyâ). Considering the range of tasks undertaken by Childers, had Maurice been Bensonâs assistant, the book might never have been published. The tone of the editorsâ correspondence on this issue suggests some coolness, although Esher later complimented Benson on Childersâ work.
Benson agonised over the working conditions for his staff. He worried that some of the rooms were too dark for long hours of reading. There were logistical problems concerning keys and access to the Round Tower. On one occasion, he found himself locked in and had âa ten minute walk around the whole Castleâ in order to find someone to let him out. Further, there were major
His domestic life did not help his mood. Benson was lodging at Mustians, the home of A.C. Ainger in nearby Eton. Ainger had tutored Esher at Eton and remained a guide and mentor throughout Esherâs adult life; in the 1880s and 1890s, Esherâs two sons had lived at Mustians, when they started at Eton. Here, billiards rather than conversation occupied the evenings.Benson hated billiards. And he had âthe strange experience of mingling with old friends who were no longer colleagues, of meeting daily boys over whom he no longer had any responsibility, and of living the life of a revenant â¦â As February progressed, he felt much worse: âI have not had such an acute attack of depression since I was at Cambridge, in 1882. It dogs me all day â though I can work and read it is all without savour or intellect.â He sadly described his condition as a âneuralgia of the soulâ.
As the month went on, however, Benson was relieved to be able to record something resembling a daily routine:
I get to the Castle by 10.30 and I am let in by one of my faithful henchmen. It astonishes me to find how pleasant the Castle servants all are. Then I go to the Strong room to select a few volumes for upstairs; see what Miss Williams is doing: and then begin work. I write a letter or two, and then just read and select. The work is very interesting and time flies past ⦠lunch ⦠walk ⦠tea at 5.00, work till 8.00 reading and writing. I suppose I do about 6 hours work a day, but very concentrated work. I see a glimmer of light with regard to the book now. One must have a brief introduction & plunge into the letters at once â There is certainly no lack â & plenty of good footnotes must be appended to explain people. I have written a sketch of much of my Introduction already.
On finding how many volumes of letters were to be gone through, Benson soon realised that he would need an assistant. Esher suggested that a soldier might be suitable. Instead, Bensonâs old Eton friend, Hugh Childers, offered to do the job for £100 per year and to be at Windsor four days per week. Childers was âa good workerâ and knew political history well. He was the son of H.C. Childers , a politician who had begun his career in Australia before returning to take up a seat in Westminster. In the editorial note to the first published volume, Hugh Childers is recognised for his âungrudging help in the preparation of the Introductory annual summaries, and in the political and historical annotation, as well as for his invaluable co-operation at every stage of the workâ. He also supported Benson as a friend and they holidayed together in 1905.
It is possible that in suggesting a soldier for the position of assistant, Esher was hoping to have Maurice appointed. By this time, Maurice had served in the Coldstream Guards for nearly two years, during which time his father had pulled âevery string for his advancementâ while still obsessively seeking out his company. Esher had an inflated view of Mauriceâs abilities (Benson described Maurice as âstolid and rosyâ). Considering the range of tasks undertaken by Childers, had Maurice been Bensonâs assistant, the book might never have been published. The tone of the editorsâ correspondence on this issue suggests some coolness, although Esher later complimented Benson on Childersâ work.
Benson agonised over the working conditions for his staff. He worried that some of the rooms were too dark for long hours of reading. There were logistical problems concerning keys and access to the Round Tower. On one occasion, he found himself locked in and had âa ten minute walk around the whole Castleâ in order to find someone to let him out. Further, there were major
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