Grandad – E went to see Irene – she went for xray. They brought the windmill back at 22 o’clock.
Mum – Went to Royal Norfolk Show. Helped in church tea tent from mid-day. Lovely weather but clouded over about 4. Alan went swimming with BB at night. P R A & E all in bed by 9pm so I came early too – nothing on TV & frightened I may get depressed if I stay up alone.
Notes
Change in Handwriting
There had been a change in handwriting two days earlier. Based on this, it seems likely that this, and subsequent entries, were made by grandma even though this is not stated explicitly. If indeed, the entry was made by grandma, she refers to herself in the third person as E (Ethel).
Irene Bell
Grandma went to see Irene Bell who lived next-door-but-one to them at 162 Drayton High Road. She had not been well and she went for an x-ray, see Chapter 116.
Windmill Returned
During the late sixties, see Chapter 94, and early seventies, see Chapter 109, grandad made three windmills. These were of different types.
The first one, which he made in 1966, was a tower mill . This had been borrowed two days earlier for use at the Royal Norfolk Show, see Chapter 122. As the show was now over, the windmill was returned. It seems it was brought back at 10pm which would fit with it being returned after the show had ended. However, 22 o’clock is a strange way of saying this!
The Royal Norfolk Show
Mum noted that she went to the Royal Norfolk Show, see Chapter 122. Tricia and grandma had been the previous day. As a child, I recall going to the Royal Norfolk Show pretty regularly including in the late sixties, see Chapter 92, and early seventies, see Chapter 106.
Mum helped in the church tea tent as she had done from the early seventies, see Chapter 106. I have vague recollections of this tent which we used as a base from which to explore the showground.
A Note on the Weather
Mum commented that the weather had been lovely but that it had clouded over from about 4pm.
Swimming with Boys’ Brigade
Alan, my younger brother, went wwimming in the evening with Boys’ Brigade (BB), see Chapter 124..
An Early Night
P R A & E refers to me and my siblings. P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia), R to me, A to Alan and E to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). I am not sure if we had all actually gone to bed or perhaps just to our rooms. Whatever, mum decided also to have an early night.
Nothing on TV
Of course, when mum said there was “nothing on TV” she meant there was nothing she wanted to watch, see Chapter 122. I was intrigued to see what was on. According to that day’s TV guide, from 9pm, BBC1 had the news followed by “For Richer….For Poorer” and then Andre Previn’s Music Night. BBC2 was showing the play “The Poisoning of Charlie Bravo” followed by highlights from Wimbledon. ITV were showing a programme about motorcyclist Barry Sheene followed by “Sadie, It’s Cold Outside“. I am a little surprised that there was nothing mum wanted to watch here. She loved Wimbledon but perhaps the highlights were on too late.
Fear of Getting Depressed
During this period, mum had severe struggles with her mental health, suffering with depression and anxiety, see Chapter 116. She noted she was afraid to stay up on her own in case she became depressed.
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