P&A cut hedge down to half its size in am & burned bits. A&I put another coat on ceiling in aft. I typed Retrospect in am. R went to work (I took him). E went swimming in am. P went to turn pages for R Cupper at a wedding at RC church in aft. She babysat for Cookes in evening. R went to Y Club (got a girl friend). A Dolly came.
Notes
Cutting Our Hedge
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia) and A to my younger brother Alan. They cut our hedge back to half its size, see Chapter 126. They burned the cuttings which seems to have been the preferred way to dispose of garden waste at the time, see Chapter 109.
Painting the Dining Room Ceiling
Mum was in the process of painting two downstairs rooms which she referred to as the lounge and the dining room, see Chapter 126. The previous Thursday, she and Tricia had applied one coat of paint to the ceiling of the dining room. On this occasion, mum and Alan applied another coat of paint to that ceiling in the afternoon (aft).
Typing “Retrospect“
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 noted typing “Retrospect” in the morning (am).
“Retrospect” was a church magazine that mum had been typing and duplicating since 1966, see Chapter 90. I am not sure exactly what it was but I think it was some kind of church or circuit quarterly newsletter. I recall it because I remember helping mum with it, particularly with collating it, see Chapter 121. Somewhat surprisingly, I did not come across any copies among mum’s papers.
My Work
R refers to me, Roger. I went to work with mum noting that she took me. At that time, I had a Saturday job at The Scientific Anglian bookshop, see Chapter 119.
Swimming
E refers to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). She went swimming in the morning (am), see Chapter 122. Although mum does not say, it was likely that this was at St Augustine’s swimming pool. 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.
Tricia Went to Help the Organist at a Roman Catholic Church
In February 1976, my sister Tricia (P for Patricia) went to a wedding at a Roman Catholic (RC) church, see Chapter 115. She went to turn pages for Ralph Cupper, who was the organist and choir master at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church for a short time in 1976, see Chapter 124. I am not sure whose wedding this was!
Babysitting
My sister Tricia (P for Patricia) also went to babysit for Gerald and Thelma Cooke who she knew through St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church. During the late seventies, mum and Tricia often babysat for friends, see Chapter 122.
Youth Club
R refers to me (Roger). I went to youth club (Y Club), see Chapter 122. I recall attending a youth club around this time. Although mum does not name it here, elsewhere she referred to it as Chantry Youth Club and I referred to it as “Teens”. Based on the diaries, I attended it on a Saturday night at least between January and March 1976. I have vague recollections of it including walking home from it along Chapelfield Road. One thing I am sure of is that it was not at Chapelfield Road Methodist Church but I wondered if it might have been at Chantry Hall.
Researching Chantry Youth Club
So, I posted a question about it on Norwich Remembers Facebook Group. Quite a number of contributors recalled this youth club and confirmed that it was held weekly at Chantry Hall with monthly discos.
Memories
Richard Painter recalled that they had ultraviolet light, which made teeth look green and showed up dandruff on the boys’ shoulders! Alan Clarke remembered his first visit there on 1 May 1976 after the cup final. He wrote, “May 1st 1976 after cup final, very hot day, was my first time there as a 14 yr (month before 15th birthday) wearing brand new beige bags double belted with brown capped t shirt and thin beige with diamond pattern cardi, and it became a regular Saturday night ritual, meet in the Lamb Inn, then onto Teens (Chantry) until June 77 when people’s and the Samson became the new ritual.”
Affiliated to St Peter Mancroft
It appears to have been affiliated with St Peter Mancroft church and was known by various names including (St Peter) Mancroft Teens Club, Mancroft Youth Club and Chantry Club. I don’t think I knew about the church affiliation at the time and I don’t recall anything particularly “churchy” about it.
Girlfriend
Mum noted that I had got a girl friend, see Chapter 122. She gave no name and I fear I do not recall this! It was just before I started keeping my diary.
Valentine’s Day
This was Valentine’s Day. While this was a thing then, I do not recall it being a huge thing probably because I mostly did not send or receive Valentine cards! However, on 17 February 1977, I commented that I had received a Valentine’s card. I noted that it was “a bit late but appreciated anyhow”. I don’t think I knew who had sent it.
Auntie Dolly Came
A Dolly refers to Dorothy Rose who we referred to as Auntie Dolly. She was actually grandma’s first cousin. She lived in Bedford and she often visited grandma see Chapter 122. She always came by bus and, usually, one or more of us would pick her up from the bus station.
