Thursday, June 1, 1939.
Fine and sunny - still windy.
Played tennis with Marjorie and Betty first period in afternoon. Miss Johnson was
watching us - asked us if we would like her to make a four! Naturally we agreed.
She was awfully sweet - has a good service but not brilliant otherwise. Watched
her play in staff match after-school - super games with exciting rallies - Miss
Allbrook looks awful in tennis things - cream, awfully short, shorts.
Friday, June 2, 1939.
Another lovely day - still windy.
Played tennis again first period in afternoon. Went to Christian Union - 12 of us
there - went on with the studies in "The Sword of the Spirit". Met Myrtle Willis -
looked the same as ever - had a little chat. Had jumping heats and practised
team races in gym. Concert: Viola recital by Frederick Riddle. Phil making a fuss
about library - long list of lost books. She's expecting Betty and I to read a
Dickens in next fortnight!
Saturday, June 3, 1939.
Warm - very windy.
Got some watercress - most of it has seeded now. Played tennis at Haywards in
afternoon - just right for playing as court is sheltered from wind.
Sunday, June 4, 1939.
Hot.
Joan came home for the day - she had a row with Joe because Aunt Emma had
spread a tale that Joan was sick of him. Don't know if this will mean a real break
or not - Joan's miserable - believe she really cares for him. Went for a walk with
her after Sunday School. Went into a stationary car on my bike and slightly
buckled the wheel - must get it mended. Although wind is strong, it has been
really warm.
Monday, June 5, 1939.
Very warm - less wind.
Amusement in English - while reading a play, I had to say to Miss Boswell, "Art
thou in love?" and she had to answer, " In love? At my years?" And as we all
know she is soon getting married, it was all I could do to keep a straight face! Ate
the first strawberries from the garden.
Tuesday, June 6, 1939.
Hot - heat wave.
Heard from mother that Mr Barras, that pleasant preacher, died suddenly last
week. Picked my first wild rose.
Wednesday, June 7, 1939.
Very hot.
Met Joan after school - went shopping with her - had tea at Jacklin's - went to
see Deanna Durbin in "One Hundred Men and a Girl." Enjoyed the music and
Stokowski's conducting, and Deanna was as charming as ever. Arrived home
late - found Mary Brand here - chatted with her. Would have loved a bathe, and
the tide was right, but had promised to meet Joan. Nancy beat the school
jumping record - jumped 5 feet! All very excited about it.
Thursday, June 8, 1939.
Not quite so hot - windy.
Played tennis first-period in afternoon - Johnnies played with us again. Miss
Shillito, Boswell and Birchby came to Mersea on the school bus - going to bathe
I expect.
Friday, June 9, 1939.
Warm, fine, windy.
Had jumping finals - all very excited - Nancy and Jean both cleared five ft and
thus broke the school record. Played tennis first period in afternoon. Vera Meckiff
brought a teeny baby bird, just hatched, to Miss Roper, and we fed it with drops
of milk and laid it on cotton wool in a matchbox. Went to Christian Union - Mrs
Clarke spoke on "His name" - she was sweet and everybody liked her.
Saturday, June 10, 1939.
Fine and warm.
Went to school in morning and umpired tennis match - we won 76 games to 23.
Played tennis at Haywards in afternoon and had some really good sets. Bought a
new expanding bathing costume that fits beautifully. Tried to get some more prep
done in the evening, then Mary Brand came in. She was so amusing, and we
chatted until 11. Felt very tired.
Sunday, June 11, 1939.
Heard steady rain in the early morning - the first for more than three weeks. It
stopped at about 10 AM and it has been fine and cool ever since.
Mr Colbert was at Chapel in the morning. Bob told me I have got to play the
piano for the anniversary - how awful! Went to Aunt Emma's to tea. Tried to find
a suitable hymn for Annie and I to sing together at a young people's special
Sunday evening service next week. Helen also wants me to speak - seem to
have so much to fit in. Swiss girl - governess at Tapps' - came to see us.
Monday, June 12, 1939.
Much cooler - rain in the evening.
Coming back in the bus, got into conversation with a pleasant Scottish lady
coming to Mersea for the first time. She told me she came from Glasgow, so of
course I told her mum and dad had been there, and she was very interested. I
love to hear the Scottish accent.
Helped mother wash and set her hair - lots of white and silver streaks in it now.
Tuesday, June 13, 1939.
Cool and windy - fine.
Great sensation at school - Miss Shillito has had her hair off - now she looks just
like anybody else (only worse) whereas before her style was rather uncommon.
Still, perhaps it will look better when we get used to it.
Wednesday, June 14, 1939.
Cool and fine.
Left my person in the cloakroom as usual, but unfortunately Muss Phillips found
out, and blew me up. Mrs March came to tea as Aunt Emma had gone out for the
day.
Thursday, June 15, 1939.
Cool and windy.
Practised team races in dinner break. Played tennis in afternoon. Supposed to
have read Bleak House by tomorrow, but have only got about halfway through it.
Umpired for the Old Girls' match after-school and helped with the tea. Did not get
home until 7:30 PM. Very tired, and it's the heats tomorrow.
Friday, June 16, 1939.
Poured with rain all day, so of course the heats had to be postponed. We at last
had a chance to choose our sports colours - only four to choose from. We
decided on a brilliant mauve - at any rate they'll see us coming. Saw my 38.
Saturday, June 17, 1939.
Fine, sunny and warm.
Played tennis at Haywards' in afternoon - had some good sets - enjoyed myself
but got very tired.
Sunday, June 18, 1939.
Warm but windy and showery.
Went to chapel and Sunday School. In the evening had special young people's
meeting. Annie and I sang and spoke, Ruth sang and there were other solos and
talks. Captain Currie was there. Rev Morrison Jones gave a short talk - he had a
lovely deep, musical voice. Aunt Lena and Uncle Alf were there. We had a
marvellous time. When I got home, Joan came in with Mademoiselle, and I
stayed up late talking to her again.
Monday, June 19, 1939.
Steady rain.
Sent challenge to Tech tennis team - mainly masters - as they complained that
when we played them in practices we never wore white. So we have sent a
formal challenge to a real match, and I put in brackets that we would wear white.
Tuesday, June 20, 1939.
Fine and sunny after wet morning.
Received card at Tech School - Mr Enoch told Nancy, adding that they were
going to wear pink! Decided on couples for form tennis teams - Joan Brown and I
are third couple. Have got to fit in nine matches somehow.
Wednesday, June 21, 1939.
Fine and warm.
In the dinner hour Pauline and I read through some of the Greyfriars contributions
to the magazine. Then N and I went to Greyfriars to help with the pre-sports. We
gave out programmes and watched the races. The little ones were surprisingly
good. The highest jumper cleared 3 foot five. In one race they had to push prams
between flowerpots - it was a scream. One of the visitors' prizes was a tiny baby
panda. Glad I had to go as I enjoyed it.
Thursday, June 22, 1939.
Dull first - fine later.
Ground too wet to run on so had to postpone heats again - want to have them
tomorrow morning so hopefully will be fine. Had Magazine meeting after school to
judge Greyfriars competitions - had lots of entries, with a high standard. Lovely
sketches and mlino-cuts and heaps of poems. It's the result of giving one decent
prize for the best miscellaneous entry. Got home at 6:30 - Mum gone to Carnival
with Joan so was alone. Saw my 40. Finished Bleak House. Loved it.
Friday, June 23, 1939.
Warm - rather muggy.
Had heats at last. Took so long that we had to finish them at 3:10 in the
afternoon. I came in three first heats but no second heats, so shall only be in
team races in the Sports. The obstacle race was great fun but we all got
absolutely filthy crawling about on the field. Went to anniversary practice. Mr Roff
had put the piano in the chapel - it does not sound half as nice as the organ. We
had a long practice - think we shall get on all right.
Saturday, June 24, 1939.
Cool - drizzly.
Biked to Moor Farm in evening for eggs and tomatoes. Pick some wild daisies in
the field on the way back to take to decorate the chapel for the Anniversary. In
the afternoon at about 2.30 visitors arrived. A queer little Cockney drove them
down by car. They are very pleasant friendly people, and soon made themselves
at home. In the evening they went to see Joan at the Firs as they know her friend
Eva. Mrs Garrard is very indignant about Eva's husbands Cyril, who, it seems,
has a form of religious mania and is a perfect pig toward Eva.
Sunday, June 25, 1939.
Fine. Fairly warm.
Did not get on at all badly playing the piano in the chapel. In the morning Mr
Tebbit, a white-haired, distinguished, soothing-voiced man, spoke about nails, in
the afternoon about remembering and tying knots in handkerchiefs, and in the
evening about the birth of John the Baptist. Each time he was very interesting,
speaking simply and clearly - he had really lovely diction. Mr Garrard is 36 -
rather fat - very amiable, with the most amusing laugh - sort of chuckle. Mrs
Garrard is fair with faded pretty pretty looks - 35 - has the most lovely
complexion - pleasant.
Monday, June 26, 1939.
Fine and warm - a few showers.
Went on the beach in the morning with the two kiddies. Beryl is nine, very fair,
rather thin, rather precocious. Joan is seven, not so fair, rosy-cheeked - not so
dependable as Beryl I think. Both wear glasses. We went on the mud and
collected winkles. After dinner I took them for a long walk via the seawall and
home by the road. Then I went to the tea at the chapel with Nettie. In the evening
Mr David Vanstone gave the address. He was most amusing - spoke about
watches in quite broad Cockney - told tales with expressive voice and
movements.
Tuesday, June 27, 1939.
Even finer - very warm.
Started school again. At last managed to arrange one match - hope it won't rain.
Wednesday, June 28, 1939.
Warm, windy, occasional showers.
Joan's friend Eva was coming down for the day but sent a telegram at the last
moment to say she couldn't - don't know why not yet. Knitted the arms of a
woollen doll we are making between us for the Sports stall. Had a card from my
French correspondent - she thought I had not received her last letter because I
had not written! Now I want a 42 in car numbers.
Thursday, June 29, 1939.
Fine and warm.
Played tennis one period in afternoon - Johnnie played with us. Had match
against UVA - lost 2 to 7. Still, we didn't expect to win.
Friday, June 30, 1939.
Lovely and fine in the morning, then just as Mother and the Garrards arrived at
school to watch the sports, it fell down. The shower lasted about half an hour so
the grass was too wet to run on. We decided to have them tomorrow morning at
10 AM. The children were very disappointed. We took them around the park, then
they went home with mother while Joan and I and the Garrards had tea at
Jacklin's and then went to the pictures. One film was a comedy and the other a
mystery, and we also saw quite a long film of the King and Queen's visit to
Canada, so it was a good all round programme. Mr Garrard put my hat on
coming home - he is a scream.
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