Dame Louisa Aldrich-Blake / by Lord Riddell.

  • George Riddell, 1st Baron Riddell
Date:
[1926]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dame Louisa Aldrich-Blake / by Lord Riddell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the duty of doing things for other people. She was, I think, the most unselfish woman I ever knew, and we adored her in a rather undemonstrative way. She was reserved and so were we, but we never doubted her devotion, and our home was a very happy one. Father was the old-fashioned type of clergyman, doing his duty Sunday by Sunday, with little or no variation in the services, visiting his parishioners in illness or trouble ; but otherwise Mother did the visiting, and provided remedies and little luxuries for all who came for help.” When her mother died in January 1918 Louisa wrote to Miss Eveline Mitford : “ Dear little mother, I think she was the best person I ever knew and ours has been the most perfect relationship always. She never said a cross word or did a selfish thing—I don’t believe she ever had a selfish thought.” Miss Aldrich-Blake’s family ties were strong, exceptional and lasting. Despite her strength of character and her achievements, she remained dis¬ tinctly feminine in her family relationship. She never became an individual unit. To the day of her death she was an integral part of the Aldrich- Blake family. Her nine nephews and only niece were her special joy, and she lavished on them what amounted almost to a mother’s devotion.