Grandad – Ethel went to Norwich, paid the water rate £10.40 for the year. Paid £800 to Nottm to be added to our previous bond investment, making £2000.
Mum – Went to choir at night. P went to Robert’s party 8-?? pm. Roger came home & decided he wanted to go to a disco on Sat. As P is babysitting for the Cookes I’ve decided to come home to sleep. Bit dejected over cassettes – then remember what has been given me – then longings!
Notes
Grandma Went to Norwich to Pay the Water Rate
Ethel refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. She went into Norwich to pay their water rates for the year, a total of £10.40. Prior to water privatisation in 1989, water was paid through what was known as water rates. This was essentially another property tax and was not directly based on water use.
She Also Invested Some Money
Nottm refers to Nottingham and in this case specifically to bonds issued by Nottingham Corporation. Grandma bought £800 of such bonds bringing their total investment in Nottingham bonds to £2,000. Grandma and grandad had money invested in various bonds, including with the Nottingham Corporation, see Chapter 91.
Mum Went to Choir
Mum attended what I assume was a choir practice. She was involved in the choir of St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124.
Tricia Went to Robert’s Party
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). I assume this party was the one that Robert Stewart invited her and other High School girls to on 24 March 1975, see also Chapter 118 and Chapter 122. Mum noted that the party started at 8pm but she denoted the ending time with two question marks. It implies that she did not know whent he party ended and I assume she was not happy with this.
I Wanted to Go to a Disco on Saturday
Roger refers to me. Mum noted that I came home, presumably from dad’s where I had gone on 10 April 1975. She also noted that I wanted to go to a disco on Saturday (Sat), see Chapter 122. I would have thought that was a pretty reasonable request but I don’t think mum was happy about it!
Mum Decided She Would Have to Come Home to Sleep on Saturday
The issue was that mum was going to a Women’s Fellowship Conference in Overstrand on Saturday and Sunday, see Chapter 124. The implication seems to be that had Tricia been in that evening, she would have been happy to stay overnight. Tricia was almost 17 at this point. However, because Tricia was babysitting for church friends Thelma and Gerald Cooke, mum decided she would need to come home. I am not sure if my being out that evening was also a factor but the way it is written makes it seem it was. I was nearly 15 at this point.
Mum Was Dejected Over Cassettes
I don’t really know what the issue over cassettes was. Mum had bought a new cassette player/recorder in February 1975, see Chapter 125, so perhaps there were problems with that. I also recall that, quite often, there were problems with the cassettes being “chewed” by the player. This could sometimes be resolved by rewinding the cassette with two pencils! But, sometimes, the damage was too bad.
Whatever the cause, mum then seemed to counter this by remembering everything that had been given to her such as perhaps might be done when you “count your blessings“. But, this then led to what mum described as “longings“, see Chapter 114. All in all, I find this a pretty odd train of thought!
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