Grandad – Carrie came at 2.25. I am improving but had a bad night with heart pains. Irene still not well.
Mum – Chairman’s in am. Typed & duplicating until 10pm. R went to Lakenham swimming. A & E went to St Augustine’s. FR rang in aft. May come on 7th! I do so hope so.
Notes
Change in Handwriting
There had been a change in handwriting at the end of June. Based on this, it seems likely that this, and subsequent entries, were made by grandma even though this is not stated explicitly. If indeed this entry was made by grandma, she writes about grandad in the first person as “I“.
Carrie
Carrie came to visit in the afternoon. I believe she was a friend of grandma’s probably through the church women’s group she belonged to, see Chapter 124. However, I do not have more details.
Grandad’s Health
Grandad had had an operation to stretch his bladder neck early in July, see Chapter 116. However, this had not been very successful and he had been sent home with a catheter in place. Since then, he had not been well but he was improving although he had had chest pain overnight.
Irene Bell
Irene refers to Irene Bell who lived next-door-but-one to grandma and grandad at 162 Drayton High Road. She was still not very well, see Chapter 116.
Work for Rev Eddy
Chairman refers to Rev G T Eddy who was the Chairman of the Methodist District. Based on her CV, see Chapter 105, mum did some part-time secretarial work for him between 1973 and 1977, see Chapter 121. On this occasion, she went there in the morning (am).
Typing and Duplicating
According to mum’s CV, see Chapter 105, she ran a typing and duplicating business from home until 1975. She also did typing and duplicating for church. On this occasion, she typed and duplicated until 10pm, see Chapter 121.
Swimming
R refers to me, A to my younger brother Alan and E to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). I went swimming at the outdoor pool in Lakenham while they went to the indoor pool at St Augustine’s, see Chapter 122. However, I don’t know why we went to different pools! I do recall going to St Augustine’s a lot and only vaguely remember the outdoor pool at Lakenham.
Lakenham Swimming Pool
There was an outdoor pool in Lakenham. It opened in 1908 and closed in 1992 when costs of reopening of £100,000 could not be met. It was located on Martineau Lane near the Cock pub. I believe this is where Norwich Camping and Caravanning Club now have a site. There are some allotments there referred to as Lakenham Baths allotments. A video based on photos from Norwich Evening News can be found here, see Chapter 122.
St Augustine’s
This swimming pool opened in 1961 and was closed in 1997, see Chapter 92. The building was later demolished. For some more great photos of St Augustine’s see here.
Rev Dowson
FR refers to Rev F R Dowson. Frederick Rodham Dowson entered the Methodist ministry in 1936. He was born in Haxby, York on 5 August 1912 and he died in Selsey on 4 September 2011, aged 99. I believe he was superintendent Minister for the Park Lane circuit from 1968 to 1974. He and mum were close and they spoke and corresponded frequently, see Chapter 114. On this occasion, he phoned in the afternoon (aft). He told her that he might come to Norwich on the 7th, presumably of August. She hoped that he would.
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