Grandad – E & D went to Butchers. In the aft went round the Bungalows. A coffee evening for SS made £20.
Mum – Did some gardening in am. Work in aft. Mr Ream & Ken came to sort “classes” out in evening. Lonely after they’d gone. Took S L & H tabs.
Notes
Grandma Was Keeping Grandad’s Diary at This Point
Grandad had not been very well, see Chapter 116. I think this means that grandma filled in his diary for him although he may have made the odd entry. The evidence that grandma was mostly keeping his diary is the change of handwriting, some of the topics discussed and 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, grandma is referred to in the third person as E.
Grandma and Auntie Dolly Went to the Butchers
E refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. D refers to Dorothy Rose who we knew as Auntie Dolly although she was my grandmother’s first cousin. Grandma’s father (Charles Cirket) and Auntie Dolly’s mother (Lois Rose née Cirket) were siblings. Auntie Dolly visited grandma and grandad often coming by bus from where she lived in Bedford to Norwich bus station, see Chapter 122. She had arrived a couple of days earlier.
They went to “Butchers” which I assume refers to the type of shop they went to but it could potentially be the name of people they visited.
Grandma and Auntie Dolly Went “Round the Bungalows“
In the afternoon (aft), someone went “round the bungalows“. I assume it was grandma and Auntie Dolly but I am not sure what they did. Perhaps some new bungalows had been built and they went round them, see Chapter 117. It was at a time when grandma had mentioned to mum the possibility of moving.
Sunday School Coffee Evening
In the evening, there was a Sunday School (SS) coffee evening which raised £20, see Chapter 124.
Gardening
Mum did some gardening in the morning (am), see Chapter 126.
Mum Worked for Dr Day
Based on her CV, see Chapter 105, mum worked as part-time receptionist for Drs Downes and Day from 1974 to 1975, see Chapter 121. On this occasion, she worked in the afternoon (aft).
Sorting Out “Classes“
Mr Ream and Ken refer to the two Ministers at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church at that time. The senior Minister was Bill Ream while the other Minister was Ken Elworthy. They came to sort out “classes” as they had the previous week, although on that occasion Sister Margaret came too, see Chapter 124.
Classes were an integral part of Methodism as a movement, comprising small groups. Over time, a wide range of such “classes” were introduced, e.g. for women, young people. I am not sure what sorting out they needed!
Loneliness
My parents had split up some two years previously, see Chapter 99, and, from that point, mum complained of loneliness, see Chapter 114. On this occasion, it seems to have been worse after the two Ministers left .
Mum’s Tablets
During this period, mum had severe struggles with her mental health, suffering with depression and anxiety, see Chapter 116. She was taking antidepressants and sleeping tablets and I think this is what S, L and H refer to. S refers to the antidepressant doxepin (Sinequan), L to long-acting amitryptilline (Lentizol) and H to the sleeping tablet clomethiazole (Heminevrin).
Leave a Reply