| Abstract | Saturday, April 1, 1939
Beautifully warm & sunny.
Played Oxford & Cambridge hockey match in morning - Oxford won 8-3, but the
match was terrifically fast, & everyone felt dead by the time we had finished. Cam
: won the boat race by 4 lengths - what a wash-out! Felt very stiff & tired in
afternoon but got some watercress for Aunt Emma. Mother was helping Joan
with the children so I had tea on my own.
Sunday, April 2, 1939
Fine, warm & sunny.
Dr Young, one of Dr Beattie's partners, spoke in the morning & evening. He was
very young-looking, thin, fair & insipid. Looked rather like a precocious schoolboy. Preached 2 jolly good sermons. Helpless position, healing pool & happy
persuasion.
Monday, April 3, 1939
Fine with dull periods.
Had form hockey matches in afternoon - 1 hr games with no change of end.
Haven't felt so thoroughly miserable for ages. To begin with, we started in the
pouring rain, & then I did nothing but miss the ball or do something silly. Still, I
improved later on. We beat the middle & lower Vs & drew with the upper Vs, so
we had to have a final. We were feeling dead beat, but we managed to get one
goal & win the match - we keep the cup!
Tuesday, April 4, 1939
Warm, fine, with occasional heavy showers.
Coloured more maps of Bewdley for Miss Walker. Cleared up lost property
cupboard.
Had busy evening. Did up Joan's & May's peg-bags. Wrote to Charlie - he's
living in a hut, having rough meals & little convenience. 12 girls on island & 1000
men - girls mobbed at one & only dance!
Wednesday, April 5, 1939
Fine with showery intervals.
Had glorious breaking-up. To my great surprise, Miss King read out my name
amongst those who had got their hockey colours - Miss Holmes insisted on
pinning mine on. Then our form was presented with the silver cup & took it along
to Jefferies to have the inscription put on it - marched along High St. proudly
showing the bright cup (new-cleaned by Home Science girls).
Went primrosing in afternoon & got a lovely bunch - deliciously soft, wet &
fragrant - worth all the pricks I got from the bushes.
Thursday, April 6, 1939
Colder & grey.
Jean came round in morning to say Hilda had been called home to look after her
mother, who was ill, & she wanted me to help her. So went at 2p.m. & stayed
until 9p.m. The children were awful in the afternoon - squabbled & howled
alternately. Mafalda threw her glove in the sea & I had to fish it out with a stick.
Could have helped more in the evening, only Mrs Tapp took it into her head to
help for once - seemed to think I could not do it. Bought Joan an Easter egg.
Friday, April 7, 1939
Still cool but fine & sunny.
Mrs Tapp drove us all to Friday Woods where we all played games together. I
found some sweet wild anenomes growing there. Mrs Tapp was good fun &
acted just like a kid. Carol's friend Brownie turned up, to stay for the week-end -
believe she is going to be cheeky when she knows us better. Annie & I walked to
the decoy in the morning, so I was glad of a ride in the afternoon.
Saturday, April 8, 1939
Beautifully sunny & warmer.
Got some watercress in the morning - it is growing very quickly now. Went on the
Boating Lake in the afternoon with the children. Jennifer got tired because she
did a lot of rowing, & was disagreeable & rude for the rest of the day. Had a bath
there, & came home late. Dave Joan her Easter egg, & she gave me a nice one.
The children have simply dozens of them.
Mum planted 1st lot of potatoes, & I set some seeds - hope it was not too wet for
them.
Sunday, April 9, 1939
Fine & sunny, but cool.
Mr Dennis preached in the morning - he is quite old, florid & queer-looking but
has a nice voice. Sermon was disconnected but flowery. Dr Grant spoke in
evening - on subject of texts containing the word "hand" - very interesting.
Had first rhubarb for dinner.
Monday, April 10, 1939
Fine & sunny again - wonderful holiday weather, & the tide up in the afternoon
too. Helped Joan in the morning - cleaned the push-chair - J.K. picked up my
brush for me when I dropped it! Went on Boating Lake in afternoon with Mafalda
& Nicola - others went to a Scout Show in Colchester. Mr Tapp had tea in the
nursery - quite good fun. Had no fire at home for first time.
Tuesday, April 11, 1939
Warmest day this year so far. Simply marvellous weather.
Did some gardening in the morning. Went on Boating Lake again in afternoon -
Jennifer & Nicola both disagreeable & rude, but got over it later. Brownie went
after tea, thank goodness. Am reading "The Newcomer", Thackeray, in bed in the
mornings, & Martin Chuzzlewit whenever I have time - like them both.
Wednesday, April 12, 1939
As hot as summer - temp rose to 78° F in places! Was lovely on the beach - I
could have bathed with pleasure. Had a letter from Dad.
Mrs Tapp left 7/6 with Joan to give to me, so I shall be able to use it for pocketmoney at Bewdley.
Thursday, April 13, 1939
Not quite so warm, & with a strong wind, but marvellous sunshine.
Did some gardening in the morning.
Went on the Boating Lake again in the afternoon - hard rowing against the wind
but jolly good fun.
Went to choir practice in the evening - discussed what we should buy Flo Smith
for a wedding present.
Friday, April 14, 1939
Cooler & windy. Some showers.
Went primrosing in the morning & got a lovely bunch. Joan's half-day, so I took
Nicola out alone & Mrs Tapp took the other 3 to the skating rink in Colchester.
Nicky was very good, & I got on well with Mrs Tapp for once. In the evening we
went to see "Doctor, there's danger" acted by the Mersea Dramatic. Vivien D'Wit
had the chief part & was surprisingly good. It was a comedy-thriller with plenty of
excitement by Mr Nicholson as a Russian, & amusement by Ida Adnams as an
old housekeeper.
Saturday, April 15, 1939
Windy but bright.
Lavatera seeds which I put in last Sat. are coming up beautifully.
Mafalda went to tea with Richard Hudson, & the others were very irritable all the
afternoon. Mr Tapp was doing his accounts on the nursery table when we
returned, & I had to ask him to move so that I could set the tea! Felt such a fool,
but he didn't mind. Didn't forget to put our clocks on.
Sunday, April 16, 1939
Fine & sunny - occasional showers - colder.
Had a good time in the morning - Mr Roff & Bob spoke & we had some of my
favourite hymns. Had a discussion in class at S.S. on problems of the Christian
life - spoke about luck & pleasure. Then Annie & I went to P.M. at the Clarke's
house - had a jolly good time - Joan C. took the meeting as Helen was away.
Shall go again.
Mr Scutton of Rowhedge preached in the evening. He was short, going bald, &
wore glasses - had a strong Essex accent, hard to understand at times -
insisted on singing choruses of hymns twice.
Monday, April 17, 1939
Windy, bright with occasional showers.
Helped Joan in mornng as well as afternoon. Children went roller-skating & out to
tea, so I had tea with just Joan & Nicola. We could have had tea at D.C. but Mum
was spring-cleaning. Told Joan about the trumpets found in the 3,000 year-old
tomb of Tutankamen, which were relayed from Cairo by the B.B.C. - very clear,
hard notes, remarkably like modern instruments.
Tuesday, April 18, 1939
Bright, cool, very windy.
Man came with a Hoover & did our front room carpet for us - ooks lovely now, &
the H. did not take the pile off. C & J went to tea at the Hudsons, so we only had
N. to take out. Went on the beach with her & it was lovely. Patrick came to tea, &
Mafalda, who had been to lunch with him, tactlessly said how tough the meat had
been!
Wednesday, April 19, 1939
Fine, warm & sunny.
Mum & I went to Colchester in the morning to do some shopping. Bought a nice
green tie to go with a new cream blouse to wear with my costume. Joan had her
half-day, so I helped Mrs Tapp with the children. C & J went to Mrs King's to act in a play, while I took Mafalda & N down to the beach. Mrs T. joined us later, & walked back with us. Mrs T., Mrs P. & Charlie P had tea in the nursery. He is a strange young man - large dark brown eyes & thick black brows, rather surly,
doesn't say much.
Thursday, April 20, 1939
Lovely day - warm and sunny.
Was lucky again because the children went out to tea and Joan and I only had
Nicola to take out. We went on the beach and enjoyed the sun. Then Nicola
came to Dover's Cottage to tea and was sweet. She played hide and seek with
mother and had a fine time. It made a nice change for Joan.
Friday, April 21, 1939
Fine and warm.
Played tennis for the first time this season with Barbara and Gordon. Had a lovely
time, but it was very warm playing. Again we only had Nicola to take out -
children went to Kings' to tea. Went on the beach again, then Mother came to tea
with us in the nursery. I prepared the rose leaves and silver confetti for the
wedding.
Saturday, April 22, 1939
Fine but very windy.
In morning got some cress - water very cold - and arranged with Mrs Tapp for
her to fetch Mother and take her to East Mersea to May Austin's wedding. May
looked lovely, in a white satin dress with a high quilted ruff and padded
shoulders. Albert was awful - he did not know what to do, said "I will" before he
should have done, and didn't hold May's arm going up the aisle. The new vicar
there, Mr King, is quite old, but has a nice voice. Joan stayed to the reception
while I went back to the Firs and helped Mrs Tapp with the children.
Sunday, April 23, 1939
Rain and wind with bright intervals.
Dr Beattie preached morning and evening. Sprung a surprise on us in the
morning by bringing along Dr and Mrs Young with their young daughter Valerie
(about seven weeks old) to be dedicated. He held the baby so gently and kissed
her before giving her back to Mrs Young. In the afternoon we started practising
Anniversary Hymns - went to PM. Dr Beattie gave an absolutely inspired
message in the evening, showing how God has given his chosen people the
whole world, everything is ours, but we are all He's got to give His message to
others.
Monday, April 24, 1939
Cold, windy but fine. Some showers.
Helped Joan in morning until 11.30, when biked to Pauline's to discuss Bewdley
prayers. We decided on subjects, readings and hymns - think we may do some
useful work there. Went to the Firs again in the afternoon - fetched children from
Mrs Chapman's - she has a lovely garden. We all went for a long walk. Hermione
Hant came to tea with the children. Mrs P sent another large parcel of books to
Charlie. Mother planted some peas.
Tuesday, April 25, 1939
Showers and bright intervals.
Was busy getting things ready for Bewdley in morning. Did a little spring-cleaning
and mending in the afternoon. Went to help Joan after tea. Mrs Tapp was in a
very good mood - watched me doing the children, and later gave me another
seven and six. I do feel rich. Almost wish I was staying on there and not going
back to school.
Wednesday, April 26, 1939
Warm and sunny.
Travelled to Bewdley with Roper, Thelma and Mary. Had a lovely journey. Saw
Shakespeare's grave and Ann Hathaway's cottage at Stratford. The Manor
House is lovely - old, roomy, comfortable. Thelma, Pauline and I sleep together
in a dear little low-roofed bedroom. Mr and Mrs Philpott are homely and kind.
Went for a walk all among the trees and up and down hills. Wild flowers cover the
ground - violets, anemones , bilberries, heather, gorse, wild peas, cowslips and
bluebells all amongst lovely larches. Saw my first deer (wild) and my first
parachute jump on the way.
Thursday, April 27, 1939
Still fine.
Went for another walk in the morning and came back by the bank of the Severn.
It is well worth climbing for the lovely views of cherry orchards in full bloom and
patchwork quilts of lovely pinkish-brown and green fields. Visited Cadbury works
at Bournville in the afternoon - got sick of the smell of chocolate. The factory girls
work at a terrific rate, and the machinery is uncannily clever. Pauline, Thelma,
and I are having good fun - have Quiet Times together and enjoy taking morning
prayers.
Friday, April 28, 1939
Cool but sunny.
Went to Worcester porcelain works - bought an ashtray for Joan and the handpainted thimble for Mother - lovely place. Visited Worcester Cathedral - aweinspired - marvellous stained-glass windows. Then went by coach to the
Malverns where we climbed over so far, going over 1000 feet in several places
(beetles' remains). Near the foot of the hills we reached a steep slope and before
I could stop myself I was flying down it. Fell on a path at the bottom - grazed my
nose and forehead, cut my lip, grazed my knee. Allbrook was sweet, and helped
me back to the coach.
Saturday, April 29, 1939
Cold and rainy
Felt terribly stiff and sore, and my lip was very swollen. Three other girls fell as
well, and were also stiff - Dorothy Martin had fallen in a gorse bush and was full
of prickles. We went by coach to Church Stratton, where we had lunch. Then the
stiff ones stayed behind in the coach while the others walked along the Long
Mynd. We made friends with the driver and conductor, who told us all about their
working conditions. They have a lovely brogue around here. Jack and Cecil were
amusing.
Sunday, April 30, 1939
Frequent showers.
Another party is now at the Manor - queer birds, one little dark man especially
funny. Went to church and hated it because it was so high. Went to little Baptist
Church next door and loved it. The preacher was quite young and had a nice
voice. All the people were so friendly and shook hands with us after the service. Wrote to Mum and Dad in afternoon. Played Alibi and Man and His Object in the evening. Mary Walker "went into a blank" - to help prove her alibi - she will never hear the last of it.
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