| Ref No | MS 466/1/1/6/3/5/6 |
| Finding Number | MS 466/177/5 |
| Title | Family journal letter written by Bertram F. Crosfield relating to Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's ninetieth birthday |
| Level | Item |
| Date | 01 July 1948 |
| Description | Reflecting the purpose of Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's own family journal kept throughout her life, Bertram F. Crosfield, the son of Elizabeth's stepdaughter Eleanor Cadbury wrote this letter to his family in July 1948 which includes a detailed description of Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's ninetieth birthday celebrations. Crosfield refers to Taylor Cadbury's family party at The Davids, the home of Taylor Cadbury's eldest son Laurence John Cadbury, who Crosfield writes had 'provided a marquee with a fine spread'. Crosfield comments on an 'immense' family photograph taken by Morland Braithwaite which he suggests would be 'a most interesting record' of the event. He notes that Laurence Cadbury had cut his mother's birthday cake with her before making a speech 'of appreciation and congratulation'. Photographs of the event were also taken to feature in the following day's newspapers.
Bertram Crosfield also refers to going on a trip around the Cadbury factory in Bournville with some of his relatives and a family wedding at which Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury had made a speech. Many other family occasions including lunches, receptions and dances are also mentioned in Crosfield's letter as well as the Sunday morning Meeting at the Meeting House in Bournville where Evelyn Sturge had given an address commemorating Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's life. Crosfield remarks on Evelyn Sturge's 'unusual course of asking her listeners to clap when they agreed with what she said, which they did very heartily several times'. Crosfield's letter also refers to the funeral of Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's close friend Sir George Newman who had died earlier that year on 26th May 1948. |
| Extent | 1 |
| Format | Item |
| Related Material | Biographical information about George Newman taken from Steve Sturdy, 'Newman, Sir George (1870-1948)' Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35215], accessed 20th March 2009. |
| Access Status | Open |
| Language | English |