Grandad – Had a bad night & worse morning. They took the ca out but had to put another in. E came early – Sheila & Roger came & took her for tea. Roger & E came in the evening. I was very poorly. Rev Hayman came.
Mum – I was comm steward. Tony Woods helped. Long service. P & A went with Spotsoc to Wacton to do Holy Moses in evening. R went to hosp in evening. I went to service. Dad very depressed.
Notes
Change in Handwriting
There had been a change in handwriting a few 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 (for Ethel) and grandad in the first person as “I“.
In Hospital
Grandad was in hospital having been admitted a few days earlier with symptoms related to a further urinary obstruction, see Chapter 116. He had had surgery to stretch the bladder neck. This was carried out by consultant urologist, Mr Ashken. He had been feeling better but he had a bad night and worse morning. I am not sure if the two things were linked but they had taken the catheter (ca) out but had to then replace it. Grandma noted that grandad was “very poorly” while mum noted he was “very depressed“.
Visitors
E refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. She came to visit early. Sheila refers to my mother, Sheila May Drew, née Parkin and Roger to me. We came to visit and also picked grandma up to take her for tea. Grandma and I came back in the evening. Rev Hayman, the Minister at Mile Cross Methodist Church, see Chapter 124, also came to visit, see Chapter 116.
Communion Steward
In the morning, mum was communion (comm) steward at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. She noted that Tony Woods helped. I am not sure who he was, not a name I recognise. Mum noted that the service was long.
Spotsoc and “Holy Moses“
Spotsoc refers to the young people of St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. From memory, it stood for St Peter’s Over Twelve Society. All my siblings were involved in it, I believe. However, although I did go to one or two of their activities over the years, I was never really involved.
“Holy Moses” is a musical of about 45 minutes in length that tells the story of Moses in a way that is aimed at children. Various performances of it are available on YouTube including this one. I also found news articles concerning relatively local school performances of the musical in King’s Lynn in 1977 and Laxfield in 1988.
Spotsoc had performed it before at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church and in Diss. On this occasion, they went to Wacton. My siblings Tricia (P for Patricia) and Alan (A) went as part of the group.
There was a Methodist church in Wacton although this may have been demolished and converted to housing in 2020. I have not found many details but it was a Wesleyan chapel originally. Also, I did find a news article from 1911 noting the celebrationof the reopening of a harmonium. I also found announcements of harvest services there in 1899.
Evening Service
Mum noted that she also went to the evening service at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124.
Leave a Reply