Grandad – Frank rang to say A Bertha passed away at 10.30. Vera was with her. Funeral on Monday. I’m still queer, in bed all day.
Mum – Auntie Bertha died at 10.30am. Mum quite upset. Did not very well either. Took P to see Mr Hunter at N&N. Eyes still same. If she had glasses to correct the right eye she would see double – he tried it. Can drive – go & forget it he said.
Notes
Grandma Was Keeping Grandad’s Diary at This Point
Grandad (Gordon) was not very well at this time, see Chapter 116. I think this means that grandma filled in his diary for him. The evidence for this is the change of handwriting but also that, sometimes, she referred to him as Gordon and not as “I“. Grandma completed grandad’s diary quite a lot when he was sick, see Chapter 113. However, she was not always consistent. Sometimes, she referred to herself in the first person and grandad in the third person while, at other times, it was vice versa. On this occasion she referred to grandad in the first person.
Bertha Seville Died
Frank refers to grandma’s cousin Frank Seville. Although his first name was Frank, he was almost always known as Jim as his father’s name was Frank. As children, we knew him as Uncle Jim. Grandma had referred to him as Jim the previous day when he phoned to say that his mother Bertha Seville was very ill, see Chapter 116. On this occasion, he phoned to say she had died. Vera was with her. I am not sure of her exact identity but she was a friend of Auntie Bertha’s who was mentioned several times in the diaries. Mum noted that grandma was quite upset. She also noted “did not very well either” but it seems a word is missing, perhaps “feel“. Grandad noted that the funeral would be on Monday.
Bertha was grandma’s maternal aunt being the younger sister of her mother. As grandma’s mother died in 1937, see Chapter 23, Bertha had become a kind of mother figure for grandma.
Grandad Stayed in Bed All Day
Grandad was not very well (“queer“) and he stayed in bed all day as had been recommended by Dr Eve, see Chapter 116.
Mum Took Tricia to See Ophthalmologist Peter Hunter
P refers to my older sister. N&N refers to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Mum took Tricia to see ophthalmologist Peter Hunter about her eyes, see Chapter 116. He noted that her eyes were still the same which presumably means he had seen her before. If she had had glasses to correct the right eye she would have seen double. He tried it. He told her that she could drive and she should “go and forget it”. From what I know, Tricia had very reduced vision in one eye. Also, as far as I know, it has never given her any difficulty.