Main Content

Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day," 6/9/1939

The Household Staff Prepares for a Royal Visit

Copyright © White House Historical Association. All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Requests for reprint permissions should be addressed to books@whha.org

WASHINGTON, Thursday—I have just made the rounds of every room in the White House with Mrs. Nesbitt,1 the housekeeper. We even inspected the third floor, which, this time, instead of housing grandchildren, will have our royal visitors' personal servants. Ordinarily, when the house is going to be filled. I tell Mrs. Nesbitt to get in touch with the nurses to find out what food should be ordered for the various children, but on this occasion I have no babies to worry about!

I have to explain, however, with extreme care certain English customs, such as early morning tea and bread and butter and water which must be cooled but must not have ice in it. Only in our own country is water with ice floating in it considered a necessity.

I think Mr. Reeves,2 the head gardener, has done the most beautiful job with the flowers in and around the house. It has meant a great deal to him to have such wonderful flowers sent in from various parts of the country. From a friend in New Jersey, have come some of the most beautiful roses. Pink gladioli have come from Alabama and the orchids which will be the central decoration for the table tonight, came to us through a friend in New York City.

The arrangement of all this profusion of beauty is all done by Mr. Reeves and his assistants. When I went out on the porch for my breakfast, I could not help exclaiming over the gorgeous vases of deep purple gladioli standing by each column.

The railings of the steps leading down to the garden are covered with honeysuckle in bloom and the big magnolia tree planted by Andrew Jackson3 has opened wide its blossoms. England is a land of beautiful gardens and flowers, but I do not think the magnolia will be duplicated there.

I am writing this column early this morning because I have an idea the rest of the day may be somewhat busy. The President told me firmly that I must ready at ten minutes before eleven. From then until the King4 and Queen5 come back to dress for the garden party at the British Embassy, I do not see that there is going to be any time for them, or for me, to do more than remove a hat!

Three of our boys with their wives arrived last night for dinner and I have talked to them all this morning on the telephone. It seems rather queer not to have them in the house, but it is certainly nice to have them in the same city. Franklin, Jr.,6 brought his Great Dane to stay until he takes him to Hyde Park, which will add a homelike touch to the South Lawn. All the shops and offices are closed for part of the day, but I notice that one is still able to get the heads of departments to work, for one gentleman came in to see me at 9:00 o'clock this morning to talk over certain conditions in different parts of the United States.

After all these preparations, it is exciting to reach the actual day of arrival and I am looking forward with keen pleasure to meeting two people who have impressed their sympathetic personalities upon a continent.

E.R.

Copyright, 1939, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Footnotes & Resources

  1. Victoria Henrietta Kugler Nesbitt, 1874-1963, White House housekeeper 1933-1946
  2. William Reeves, Head White House gardener
  3. Andrew Jackson, 1767-1845, President of the U.S. 1829-1837
  4. George VI, 1895-1952, King of Great Britain
  5. Queen Elizabeth, 1900-2002, Consort of George VI, King of Great Britain
  6. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. (Franklin Delano), 1914-1988, Third son of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt

Share

Related

Related
Next The Ford White House 1974 - 1977

You Might Also Like

  • Collection

    The Ford White House 1974 - 1977

    Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the nation’s only unelected president and vice president, served thirteen terms in Congress before rising to national attention in 1973, when President Richard Nixon nominated him as vice president. Less than a year later, Ford became president, following President Nixon's resignation from office. The Fords made and celebrated history during their time in the White House, fr

  • Collection

    The Nixon White House 1969 - 1974

    On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1969–74), President Nixon sought to unite a divided nation after the social, political, and cultural turbulence of the 1960s. Before becoming president, Nixon served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as

  • Collection

    Presidential and First Lady Portraits

    Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies, a long-standing tradition of the White House Collection. Recent presidents and first ladies typically select their respective artists before leaving the White House and approve the portraits before their formal presentation to the public and induction into the collection. The

  • Collection

    State Dinners

    A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous of White House affairs. It is part of an official State Visit and provides the president and first lady the opportunity to honor the visiting head of state and his or her spouse. In this collection, explore the history of

  • Collection

    The Johnson White House 1963 - 1969

    On November 22, 1963, about two hours after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson took the Oath of Office, becoming the thirty-sixth President of the United States. Prior to serving as vice president, Johnson had represented his home state of Texas for more than twenty years in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. As

  • Collection

    The Kennedy Rose Garden

    It is hard to imagine that it was something as casual as a lunch conversation between a newly elected president and an amateur gardener that gave rise to one of our nation's most iconic outdoor spaces. In this collection, Rose Garden designer Rachel Lambert Mellon explains how the grounds were so thoughtfully transformed, while others detail the White House's diverse

  • Collection

    Dining in the Executive Mansion

    A dinner at the White House has always had significance beyond the gastronomical delights. The elegance of the State Dining Room and the intimacy of the Family Dining Room set the stage for the politics and diplomacy that takes place between courses. In this collection, learn how the style of each room has evolved with its purpose, and how the

  • Collection

    The White House Social Secretary

    For more than one hundred years, White House Social Secretaries have demonstrated a profound knowledge of protocol and society in Washington, D.C. The position had its beginnings in the Theodore Roosevelt administration when First Lady Edith Roosevelt hired an executive clerk. From the intricacies of ceremony planning to routine office work, the social secretary must possess unfailing tact in