Grandad – Ethel went in the afternoon with ladies from DMC to Mulbarton. Arthur came & stayed with me. Arthur & I pulled part of the front windmill to be repaired when I am able to do it.
Mum – Roger went to Roy’s. Got deeds & transfer from John Guy. Also old will from Daynes C & B. Took Roger to station then car wouldn’t go called AA & when they arrived it went! Stayed at work all day. Nice as usual. Met FR briefly at 5.30. Gave me a book “The Joy of Sex” to look at. Very hot.
Notes
Mulbarton
Ethel refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Cirket. In the afternoon, the women’s group, from Drayton Methodist Church (DMC), to which she belonged, went on a trip to Mulbarton, see Chapter 124.
Arthur Elsegood
Arthur refers to grandad’s friend Arthur Elsegood. He came to keep grandad company while grandma went on her trip. Previously, they had often done practical tasks together but had not been able to do so for some time because of grandad’s poor health, see Chapter 116. Grandad was clearly feeling much better as he and Arthur were able to pull part of one of grandad’s windmills to pieces with the intention that grandad would repair it when he was able, see Chapter 126.
Grandad had made three large models of windmills in the 1960s and these were prominent features of grandma and grandad’s gardens. They required a great deal of repair and maintenance, see Chapter 109, and, as grandad aged and his health failed, he became less able to do this.
I Went to Dad’s
Roger refers to me and Roy to my father Royle Drew. Mum and dad had split up in 1973 and, at this point, dad was living in London, see Chapter 114. It seems mum dropped me at the station and I went to London on my own on the train.
Deeds and Transfer
Mum noted that she got the “deeds & transfer” from John Guy. This relates to the house we were living in, 192 College Road, see Chapter 117, and the process of transferring ownership from mum and dad’s joint ownership to mum’s sole ownership.
John Guy
John Guy was a lawyer with Mills and Reeve. He handled the porocess of transferring the house into her name, see Chapter 114.
Mum’s Will
Mum had moved lawyers from Daynes Chittock and Back (Daynes C & B) to Mills and Reeve. As part of that process, she asked her former solicitors to send her will to her new lawyers, see Chapter 114.
Mills and Reeve
Mills and Reeve are a firm of solicitors that are still operating. Currently, they are based at 1 St James Court, Whitefriars, a new development close to the inner ring road.
According to the 1960 and 1967 Kelly’s Directories, they were based at 74 and 75 The Close with sessions in Kenninghall on Mondays and in Long Stratton on Tuesdays. 74 The Close is still home to a firm of solicitors, Leathes Prior who, in the 1960s, were based at 12 The Close.
In the 1970/1 and 1971/2 Kelly’s Tradefinders, the entry for Mills and Reeve noted that they had taken over Claude Stratford and Moore that had been based at 12 Castle Meadow and they now operated from 3-7 Redwell Street and 2 Upper King Street, which is now home to a bar/restaurant called Mr Postle’s Apothecary.
Daynes Chittock and Back
According to Joe Mason, Daynes Chittock and Back became Daynes Keefe and then part of Evershed before leaving Norwich some time before 1981. I presume this refers to what is now Eversheds Sutherland. They appear to have 11 branches in the UK including in Cambridge and Ipswich.
Mum Worked for Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens
During this period, mum worked 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 it was nice as usual.
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. Mum met him briefly at 5.30pm. He gave her the book “Joy of Sex” to look at.
The Joy of Sex
As noted above, Rev Dowson gave mum a book “The Joy of Sex”, see Chapter 114. I am not sure what to make of this. I am slightly surprised that a male Methodist Minister would give a woman this book and part of me, at least, thinks it is bordering on the inappropriate. But, I am not sure.
Comment on Weather
Mum commented on the weather simply noting that it was very hot.
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