| Description | Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury begins this letter writing about a committee meeting she had attended at Woodbrooke, remarking that the college currently had thirteen students who were 'the most studious set yet'. Despite financial difficulties, Taylor Cadbury comments that she considered Woodbrooke to be 'increasing in usefulness.'
Taylor Cadbury writes that she had attended a council meeting of the Birmingham branch of the National Union of Women Workers earlier in the week which had been held in the new Y.M.C.A. rooms at Dale End in the city. Unfortunately, the heating had been turned up too high and it had been necessary to keep the windows of the building closed to avoid noise disturbance. Taylor Cadbury writes that owing to this 'everybody felt in a collapsed condition', adding that the group would not 'be anxious to try the place again.' However, despite these problems, she remarks that 'the building and all arrangements are most complete and beautiful.'
The previous weekend Taylor Cadbury and her husband George Cadbury had been to Reading to visit their sons Laurence (Laurence John, born 1889) and Norman (George Norman, born 1890) who were at school at Leighton Park. Their younger son Bertie (Egbert, born 1893) had joined them from school in Clayesmore and the family had visited a church in Strathfieldsaye where Edith Cadbury and her husband William Pitt had been buried. Taylor Cadbury describes the church as 'curious and ugly', but notes that it contained 'the original of the coat-of-arms that we have in our hall window.' The family had returned to Leighton Park and the following day Taylor Cadbury had delivered an address to the school on Congregational Worship.
Taylor Cadbury's involvement with the Bournville Village Schools is remarked upon again in this letter. There had been significant delays in securing school facilities for Bournville owing to debate between the Bournville Village Trustees and the local education authority Kings Norton and Northfield Urban District Council Education Committee. Taylor Cadbury writes that she and George Cadbury had met with Dr. Heath from the Board of Education who she describes as 'a very interesting man'. She notes that Heath had 'promised that whatever we may want for our schools he will try and put through at the Board.' As well as her efforts to support educational provision in Bournville, Taylor Cadbury maintained a close relationship with residents and played an important role in community welfare in the village. Later in her letter she writes 'I am going over to the village directly to call on several people who are ill.'
Taylor Cadbury concludes with remarks about the activities of the extended Taylor family, particularly Taylor Cadbury's younger sister Josephine who was involved with missionary work in India. |