Grandad – Dolly went home at 6.45 a taxi called for her. Sheila battery was flat.
Mum – Should have taken A Dolly to bus at 7am but battery flat. Walked to work morn & aft. Charger on all day. Mr A came in in aft – got paid. Posted letter to FR. Roger rang in evening – coming home tomorrow. I’ll be glad to see him.
Notes
Auntie Dolly Went Home
Dolly, as used by grandad, and A Dolly, as used by mum, both refer to grandma’s cousin Dorothy Rose. As children, we knew her as Auntie Dolly. She lived in Bedford but was visiting grandma and grandad at this time, see Chapter 122. She went home by bus.
Taxi
Auntie Dolly went to the bus by taxi as mum’s car had a flat battery. Mum had been having problems with the car battery for some time, see Chapter 127. When she had been away on holiday in Colwyn Bay, the car would not start. She had a garage look at it and they told her it was holding its charge. The previous day, Tricia had put the battery on charge overnight but presumably it had not charged. Mum put the charger on all day.
At this point, she had a Simca which she and dad had got in February 1972, see Chapter 110.
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 Wednesday, she worked all day. Because of the problems with the car, she walked to work both in the morning (morn) and afternoon (aft). Mr Ashken (Mr A) came in in the afternoon and she got paid.
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, mum posted a letter to him.
Roger Rang
Roger refers to me. I rang in the evening and told mum I would be coming home the next day. Mum noted that she would be glad to see me. I had been staying with my dad while mum had been away on holiday, see Chapter 122.
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