Diary, 1932 - London, Sussex and Europe

A decrease in banking and related activities and theatre and concert going and an increased interest in local affairs in Sussex, extending Woodside and altering the garden. By the end of the year Addis has retired from his work for the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements and h...

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Order number: PP MS 14, Box 5
Date(s) of creation: 1932
Level: File
Format: Archive           

Order number: PP MS 14, Box 5
Summary: A decrease in banking and related activities and theatre and concert going and an increased interest in local affairs in Sussex, extending Woodside and altering the garden. By the end of the year Addis has retired from his work for the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements and his retirement from the Chairmanship of the London Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Committee and the Universities' China Committee is under discussion. Work for the P&O, Bank of Morocco and London University and St Felix Council continues and Addis begins service on the Chatham House Currency Committee. JANUARY To Frankfurt and Basel for Bank for International Settlements meeting and visit from daughter Margaret; Committee of Treasury, Bank of England Court and Tuesday Club meetings; purchase of a car, an Armstrong Siddeley, 'just the thing for an old grandfather', 22; arrival of O.J. Barnes, new senior manager for the London Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) office; staff problems and changes at the P&O. FEBRUARY Uncertainty about Japanese intentions after the bombing of Nanking; staff and financial problems at the P&O; London University Court accept gift from Samuel Courtauld, art patron, of a house and pictures in Portman Square, London; to Basel; son Tom suspected of diabetes; at the Committee of Treasury, supports a fall in the bank rate; questioned about sterling deposits at the Bank for International Settlements; signs a letter to The Times about the Sino-Japanese situation but refuses to discuss the crisis at a meeting of MP's; planting new spinney at Woodside. MARCH P&O meeting and continued problems; Committee of Treasury meeting and further reduction in bank rate; to Paris and Basel. APRIL Continued problems at the P&O; final meeting as member of the Committee of Treasury discussing Japanese loan to Manchuria, 'now that the tie is severed 1 realise how much the Bk of Eng is interwoven with the roots of my life during the last 14 years', 6; meeting at the Foreign Office on China, 'I can discover no policy at the F.O. - simply drifting', 8; meeting of London University Court and talks on building in Bloomsbury; progress in the new wing at Woodside. MAY Leaves the Bank for International Settlements. 'The monthly journeys to the continent which began in October 1924 with Berlin & reparations are now at an end: Sic transit', 12; attends discussions on the setting up of the Chatham House Currency Committee; to Paris, P&O problems affected by the death of Lord Inchcape, ship owner; discussions on proposed Anglo-French economic conference; British and Chinese Corporation (B&C Corp.), and Universities' China Committee meetings. JUNE Attends P&O, Tuesday Club and Universities' China Committee meetings and also a talk by Bland on China, 'Clever but shallow. Gibes at missionaries & pacifists & Young China. Nothing constructive', 16; receives gift of an album of cartoons and a picture from Bank for International Settlements colleagues. JULY Continued P&O business, 'A note from Shaw of the P&O. Then 2 telephone calls. Then will I go round. He is fearful of responsibility & wants support for every action', 7; contacts the Home Office over attempt to deport son George's Austrian fiance, resigns from the Universities' China Committee, 'Can no longer be of use in pursuing policy of which I disapprove in view of increased grant to Univ. Chairs of China', 12; St Felix council meetings; to Paris; Currency Committee meeting; 'I have now taken to gardening', 29. AUGUST Chairs a council to advise the Prime Minister on an international monetary and economic conference; Currency Committee meetings. SEPTEMBER Attends Currency Committee and economic and financial advisory committee meetings. OCTOBER P&O meeting; to Paris, retirement from the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), B&C, Chinese Central Railways and Consortium under discussion, following imposition of a retiring age of 70 for members of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) London Committee; Currency Committee and British and Chinese Corporation (B&C Corp.). meetings. NOVEMBER Continued discussions on retirement from the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and at London University Court concerning the Bloomsbury site; attends P&O meeting; writes to the Foreign Office on the Japanese loan to Manchuria. DECEMBER Retirement from the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) London Committee still under discussion, also attends British and Chinese Corporation (B&C Corp.), and London University Court meetings and talks on the Currency Committee report and, at the Foreign Office and Treasury, talks on Chinese affairs.
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Language: English
Format: Archive