Grandad – E went to Norwich. 7/2 bus fare return. Arth came. Another hot day.
Mum – Barbara came to work in am. Mr A was nice as usual! Went to babysit for Gerald & Thelma at night. Very hot & sticky all day – not at 41 though! Mrs Drewry said Eliz had offered to feed their cats while they were away, so we got lumbered with cats, canaries & guinea pigs.
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 herself in the third person as E.
Grandma Went to Norwich on the Bus
E refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. She went to Norwich on the bus, see Chapter 127. I don’t quite understand the reference to bus fare as that price looks like a pre-decimal one but we were using decimal money by this point, see Chapter 112. It was not unknown for people, especially older people, to convert decimal prices back to pre-decimal ones. If so, this would equate to about 36p.
Arthur Elsegood
Initially, I thought this said Ar/n but it seems to be Arth which presumably refers to grandad’s friend Arthur Elsegood. He came to see grandad while grandma was in Norwich, see Chapter 116.
Comments on Weather
Grandad’s diary notes that it was another hot day. Mum noted that it was very hot and sticky all day except at 41 Newmarket Road where she worked, see Chapter 121. I think she always found the office there cold.
Mum Worked for Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens
A few weeks earlier, mum had started a new job as part-time medical secretary for the private practice of two surgeons, Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens, see Chapter 121. This practice was based at 41 Newmarket Road. She worked all day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and half day on Fridays. As this was Tuesday, she worked all day. She noted that Barbara, Dr Batty Shaw’s secretary, came in in the morning (am) and that Mr Ashken (Mr A) was nice as usual.
Gerald and Thelma Cooke
Gerald and Thelma refer to Gerald and Thelma Cook who were friends of mum’s from St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. Mum went to babysit for them.
Mrs Drury
Mrs Drewry refers to our next-door neighbour at 190 College Road. Mum spelled her name Drewry but, based on phone directory entries, it was spelled Drury. Eliz refers to my yopunger sister Liz (Elizabeth) who would have been ten at this point. It seems she had offered to feed the Drurys’ cats while they were away, see Chapter 122. It seems mum was not best pleased as she felt “lumbered” not only with the cats but also canaries and guinea pigs!
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