Grandad – Ethel went to the clinic at the hospital she took Jessie Cushing with her.
Mum – GTE’s in am. Work in aft. “Aleks” offered me £8 for my brooch – I told him he could keep it. Church Fam Comm Mtg in evening. Gerald Cooke brought me home! Ken asked me to have students on Sunday evening. FR rang at 2.30 on way home.
Notes
Grandma Went to the Hospital
Ethel refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. Although grandad referred to a clinic at the hospital, I wonder if he meant canteen as grandma used to go to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on some Mondays to volunteer in the canteen, see Chapter 88.
I am not exactly sure who Jessie Cushing was. It seems grandma knew her through the weekly women’s meeting held at Drayton Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. On 4 February 1975, Mrs Cushing came for the afternoon as she had joined the meeting and grandma wanted to see her.
Rev G T Eddy
GTE stands for Rev G T Eddy who was the Chairman of the Methodist District. Mum did some part-time secretarial work for him, see Chapter 121. Mum noted that she went there in the a.m., that is in the morning.
Work for Dr Day and Dr Downes
She noted that she went to work in the “aft“, that is, in the afternoon. Based on her CV, see Chapter 105, I assume this was her job as part-time receptionist for Drs Downes and Day, see Chapter 121.
Mum’s Brooch
I assume this brooch was the one she had been given by Robin Harrison and which she had had valued at Parton’s on 8 January 1975. Aleks is a jewellers on London Street that is still in business. Their website says they have operated for more than fifty years but I have not found them in the Kelly’s Tradefinder for 1971/2.
I am not sure why mum put their name in speech marks. It is clear that she did not accept the offer they made for the brooch. It was not unusual for mum to think that her possessions were worth more than others were willing to pay.
An Evening Church Meeting
I assume Church Fam Comm Mtg stands for Church Family Committee Meeting, see Chapter 124. I am not entirely sure what that committee’s remit was but perhaps it had responsibility for families within church life including perhaps work among children and young people.
The most noteworthy thing appears to have been that Gerald Cooke brought her home and that merits an exclamation mark. Mum was friends with both Gerald and Thelma Cooke. However, in her diary for 6 July 1976, there is a shorthand entry about Gerald which reads “he is rather nice“, see Chapter 114.
A Request from Ken Elworthy
Ken Elworthy was one of the Ministers at St Peter’s Park Lane. Ken was one of them and he had a particular responsibility for university students, see Chapter 124. As noted in mum’s diary, Ken had asked mum to host some students on Sunday evening.
Rev Dowson
FR refers to Rev F R Dowson. Frederick Rodham Dowson entered the Methodist ministry in 1936. He was born in Haxby, York on 5 August 1912 and he died in Selsey on 4 September 2011, aged 99. I believe he was superintendent Minister for the Park Lane circuit from 1968 to 1974. He and mum were close and they spoke and corresponded frequently, see Chapter 114. Mum noted that he had phoned on his way home. Presumably, he must have stopped and called from a pay phone.
Leave a Reply