Abstract | Monday, May 1, 1939.
Rain in morning, fine later.
Took a train to Kidderminster and went to a carpet factory. They use huge
machinery which is very dangerous and accidents are common - the young man
who took us round had only one arm. In the designs and cameras of the carpets
were lovely - we were privileged to be allowed in at all because of secret
processes. In the afternoon we went for a lovely long walk - climbing up slippery
Jacobs ladder. Lost Clytie - cooeed loudly - found a man who had seen her -
returned to the Manor and found her there!
Tuesday, May 2, 1939.
Fine again.
Went by coach to a granite quarry, bleak and bare. Saw a red squirrel. Then went
to Ludlow, where I climbed all over the lovely old ruined castle - could have
explored it for hours. Went over the Ludlow parish church - windows lovely.
Prayed there a bit. Saw Housman's memorial stone. Had tea at the Feathers, a
beautiful old Tudor house with carvings, pewter and silver everywhere. On the
way back stopped at Mamble colliery and looked right down the shaft - miners
very pasty-looking.
Wednesday, May 3,1939.
Fine but cool.
Went for a 5 mile walk with Mr Philpott in Wyre Forest. The paths are so welldefined and the trees so far apart that it hardly seems like a forest, but it is very
lovely. Anemones absolutely carpet the ground. We left by the 1 o'clock train for
Kidderminster, and travelled to Paddington, getting there about 445. Crossed
London by tube to Liverpool Street, where we had tea. P and I walked down the
East End a bit as there was a two hours wait. Uncle Alf brought me home from
the station at about 8.30.
Thursday, May 4, 1939.
Fine and sunny.
Was busy in the morning getting things ready for school. Felt quite glad to be
back again. Told everybody at school about Bewdley. Finished sticking things in
my Bewdley notebook in the evening.
Friday: May 5, 1939.
Beautifully sunny.
Did not do much work at school. Had a nice game of tennis with Betty first period
in the afternoon. Lecture on Flemish art, by . Had our PM after school
with Pauline, Thelma and Betty - getting down to things now. Wrote to my
French correspondent, Yvette Lambert, and took hours over it. She lives at
Soissn. Have now reached 31 in car numbers.
Saturday, May 6, 1939.
Lovely fine day.
Gathered some water-cress in the morning and did errands. In the afternoon
Annie, Denis, Gordon and I played tennis. Annie and I beat Denis and Gordon six
- four, six - three, seven - five. Were they sick! Boys are rotten losers.
Sunday, May 7, 1939.
Fine, warm and sunny.
Mr Allen preached in the morning - grace and glory. Played piano at Sunday
school. Did not go to PM as it was Joan's half day, and I had such a lot to tell her.
Mr Bocking, Mrs Farr's son-in-law, preached in the evening - he has dark curly
hair, a rather white, round face, small mouth with thick lips, white teeth, the
teeniest trace of a Scotch or some similar accent. A good speaker - ought to be
for he is a missionary in North Africa.
Monday, May 8, 1939.
Lovely and fine.
Played tennis first period in the afternoon. Was made a prefect, along with
Nancy, Clytie and Helen - everyone congratulated us, though we didn't think
much of it. Bought a new case - eight shillings 11d. Saw my 32. Saw my 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 at Bewdley or soon after!
Tuesday, May 9, 1939.
Warm and fine - lovely.
Saw my 33 and 34. Homework coming in fast now - weather too fine to stay
indoors for prep, so went outside, and of course did nothing. Work is a curse
when we do get a fine day. Finished reading The Newcomers. Conscription is
news - everybody talking about it.
Wednesday, May 10, 1939.
Even warmer - sunny.
Received a prefect's badge from Miss King - polished it when I got home. Saw
Miss Walker's snaps of Bewdley - some of them are very good. Played tennis
with J. Blomfield in the afternoon - actually beat her, but it was only a fluke. After
choir practice, went to see Florence Smith's wedding presents - she had 70 -
lovely ones of every description.
Thursday, May 11, 1939.
Cooler and windy - some rain.
Played tennis in the dinner hour - Sheila and I beat Jean Kemball and Joan
Chrystal six - three. Had a notice about an interview next Wednesday at 11:45,
to do with my Intending Teachers Certificate. Getting a prospectus from each
college to see which one to choose. Aunt Hattie came to tea - couldn't do much
prep - she talked so much.
Friday, May 12, 1939.
Fine, but cool and windy.
Concert: song recital. Folksongs of many Lands by Eve Maxwell-Lyte. She was
marvellous had a lovely dress with a flowing skirt which she used as a shawl or a
hood or even a baby, acting as she sang. Went to C.U. Miss Grant spoke on
Exodus 33, John 14, 1 Kings 18. Three ifs. , Past conversion, present
companionship, future promise. Had a good few there and got one and five
collection. Bought mother some combs for her birthday. Charles sent her some
nice things from Kirkwall.
Saturday, May 13, 1939.
Fine, warm but windy.
Went to see Aunt Beat in morning, she was very friendly. Played tennis with
Annie in afternoon - we were beaten by the boys this time six - three, five -
seven, six - one, so they were satisfied. In the evening, struggled to write two
essays, one on detective novels and another on for and against conscription.
Took me ages, and now I've finished they seem to read utter rot. Its mum's
birthday, and she's had lots of cards and presents - 57 she is.
Sunday, May 14, 1939.
Fine at first, rain later.
Mr Clark came back. Looked much the same, except that his hair is going whiter
still. Gave a short, simple talk. Alf W was there - as fidgety as ever. Went to
Sunday School and then to PM - enjoyed both. Mum went into Colchester to see
uncle Charlie, so I went to aunt Emma's to tea. All the Stowmarket folk were
there - had great time with Gordon and young Os and his young lady trying to
eat everything on the table. In evening Kathleen, newest nursemaid, came to see
my stamp collection - think she is dotty.
Monday, May 15, 1939.
Cool, windy, some rain.
Brought home some more prospectuses - all the colleges seem nice - don't
know which to choose.
Tuesday, May 16, 1939.
Poured at first - windy later.
Finished the last woolly blanket. Went to school society - lecture on Iceland. A
very pleasant woman spoke in a chatty way, and told us all her adventures in
Iceland. She went there by a small steamer, not by ordinary tourist lines. The
roads were so bad that the car was always breaking down and they had to wait
hours while it was mended. The food was mainly black bread and mutton hash,
with eggs. The farmhouses were made of boulders stuck together with clay, and
with the roofs made of natural thatch - flowers growing on it!
Wednesday, May 17, 1939.
Rainy at first, fine later.
Had an interview. A small dark man with a moustache opened the door for me
and called me Miss French. A pleasant grey-haired lady with spectacles asked
me questions, and so did a tall fair man with a long but not unpleasant face, a
soft deep voice and staring eyes. Decided I must have a teaching trial in
Colchester at the end of the summer holidays. I quite enjoyed it.
Played tennis all the afternoon - felt guilty as we are only supposed to play two
periods a week. King and Queen arrived in Canada after being delayed by
icebergs.
Thursday, May 18, 1939.
Fine at first, cool and showery later.
Had quite a busy day - on break duty. Asked Miss Johnson to arrange a staff
tennis match.
Friday, May 19, 1939.
Cool but fine.
Concert: pianoforte recital by Esther Fisher. Lovely Arabesque by Schumann
only piece I really liked. Went to Christian Union - had 14 girls there - almost a
record. Had a Bible discussion on sin and judgement - got some very helpful
booklets with references. Tried hard to get a lot of prep done in the evening but
seemed very dull and slow. Topped and tailed our first lot of gooseberries from
the garden.
Saturday, May 20, 1939.
Fine and sunny - cool.
Gathered a lovely lot of watercress in the morning and took some to Aunt Emma
and Mrs Rudlin. Annie went to Malden with Maggie Weeks in afternoon, so I did
some more prep, had a bath and washed my hair.
Sunday, May 21, 1939.
Fine and warm.
Mr Clarke seems more himself again now. All the choir were given a piece of
Florence's wedding cake. Annie brought me back some Maldon rock. At Sunday
School I noticed a baby robin which flew out of the nest on top of the cupboard.
Ruth went to the P.M. - Ethel took the meeting and we had a good time. Joan
and Nicola came to tea. Aunt Hattie came to see us in the evening. Dad is at
Arcachon, west of France and he says it is very lovely there.
Monday, May 22, 1939.
Fine and warm.
Had meeting after school to present our gifts - a colour film for Allbrook, a snap
album for Walker, and a nature picture for Roper - for taking us to Bewdley. We
also ordered snaps from those who took them. After the meeting Pauline and I
started checking - got home at 6:30 PM. Wrote a geography essay straight off.
Tuesday, May 23, 1939.
Very warm and sunny.
Started my summer dresses and Panama hat. Had a meeting after school to
show on the Lantern our Bewdley snaps and pictures, and told the audience all
our adventures, and what we saw. Enjoyed ourselves. Checked some more of
the library afterwards.
Wednesday, May 24, 1939.
Even warmer and very bright.
Spent the whole afternoon on the field reading Pride and Prejudice - made
friends with a dear little kitten that came along. Did some more checking after
school. Saw Miss Allbrook playing tennis - she looked lovely in tennis things and
seemed to be playing jolly well.
Thursday, May 25, 1939.
Fine, but cooler and windy.
Finished checking the library in the dinner hour, so I arrived home at 5 PM for the
first time this week. Have seen my 36 and 37 this week. Seem to be catching up
with work a bit more now.
Friday, May 26, 1939.
Warm and fine.
Learned that we are having sports on field this year as chairs make holes in new
tennis courts. Played tennis in afternoon for one period. Had a letter from dad -
he's at Arcachon, a lovely town in west of France. Had a nice Christian Union,
Miss Crawley spoke on the Holy Spirit - said He helps us in our thinking, feeling,
choosing and judging to be more like Him. Finished reading Pride and Prejudice.
Saturday, May 27, 1939.
Very warm and sunny.
Went to get some cress in the morning - got chatting with a friendly old man
down there - found some pretty wild flowers like forget-me-nots, and also some
water irises. Played tennis in the afternoon. Denis did not turn up so we played
one against two. Had a jolly good game, but got very hot. Geoff Martin called in
and had tea with us - told me that he was near Bewdley when I was there and he
climbed to the top of the Beacon the same as we did.
Sunday, May 28, 1939.
Warm but windy.
Crowds came to Mersea. Uncle Ted met Mum out of chapel and took her back
with him to have dinner and keep Grannie company while they went out. So I had
dinner alone. Went to Sunday School and prayer meeting - had to take it - only 4
there. Then biked to Moor Farm. Lovely ride - beanfields smelt delicious. Had tea
there, and looked around in the evening. Two sweet little white and brown
puppies, and lots of flowers. Read on the lawn in the sun. Biked home at about
10 PM. Had the wind behind me and it was moonlight - tide was lovely over the
Strood.
Monday, May 29, 1939.
Sunny but windy.
Did a little gardening in the morning - climbed up apple tree and brushed off
American blight. Went to play tennis at Haywards' in the afternoon. Joan played
as well and Mum watched. Mr and Mrs Olley, both young and pleasant, played
too, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Harold is playing much better this year. Went
again in the evening.
Tuesday, May 30, 1939.
Fine but cool - windy.
Miss Chapman told Upper Sixth that they are having their French oral exam next
Monday, so Pauline and I talked French all the way home in the bus. Miss Coupe
played us Bach's Melody for G string, and I've had it on my brain ever since.
Wednesday, May 31, 1939.
Warm but windy.
Had to read out my notes in Geography - we each had to do it in turn. Played tennis first-period in afternoon.
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