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In the course of my transcribing Carrie's diaries, odd thoughts and tranis of thought come into my head. The one which has started buzzing this evening runs as follows: :In September 1931, the Kiplings spent quite a long time away from Bateman's, 9-23 September, mostly in London, at Brown's Hotel, but also staying with the Bathursts. Well, for much, if not most, of their married life in England, Carrie had a personal ladies' maid (usually they only appear in the diaries when Carrie found their service inadequate, and sacked them). So when they were away from home, her clothes etc, were looked after the whole time - her maid, it would appear (and it would have been quite usual) went everyehre with her. But after having had a body servant in India, I don't believe Kipling ever had a valet. So, did Carrie's maid look after the laundering and ironing of his linen, press his suits, etc?. Or did he just rely on the hotel services, and borrow a valet from the house when they went on country-house week-ends? - they went to many 'grand' house (which were still quite grand in the interwar years) Does anyone know the answer? It occurs to me that a guide at Bateman's might know, or be able to find, the answer, if no one else knows. And as an aside, I don't believe they ever had any male indoor servants at Bateman's - at all events, none appear in Carrie's diaries /Alastair Wilson/