[Janet Beverdige, wife of Sir William Beveridge, ‘Architect of the Welfare State’.] Typed Letter Signed to V. H. Collins, regarding her sister’s death, her book on the Beveridge Plan, Sir William’s punctiliousness and ‘the kilt’.

See Sir William Beveridge’s entry in the Oxford DNB: 'An overbearing and temperamental Scotswoman, Mrs Mair had come to the school [the LSE] with Beveridge in 1919 (having been his secretary and aide during the war) and was highly unpopular with many of the school's professors. Throughout the 1930s there were complaints about the ‘Beveridge–Mair dictatorship’ and a general sense of relief when Beveridge decided to leave the school to accept the mastership of University College, Oxford, in 1937.' 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with one dog-eared corner. Folded twice for postage. Signed ‘Janet Beveridge’. The recipient Vere Henry Collins (1872-1966), was an author and grammatical stickler. She thanks him for writing to her about her letter to The Times, and reminding her that they had met ‘in my sister’s flat in London. Her death two years ago was very sad for me; I miss her more than I ever thought possible.’ She discusses her use of the word ‘Lady’ in the letter, which she says was done ‘for the very special reason that I felt that the women making a fuss about the kilt would describe themselves as Ladies’. She is on his side ‘about the nomenclature in general’, and asks him to ‘read the book I had published a month or so ago, “Beveridge and His Plan,” and let me know if I have transgressed the rules in my use of language.’ She cannot understand ‘how it came about that William did not acknowledge your letter to him - he is puncilious in this as a rule’. The reason may be that they have spent a couple of months in America without a secretary. She concludes with reference to ‘some members of our society who, being indignant at such vulgarians as myself for wearing a kilt, would equally object to my calling them women!’