Mum – Family Service in AM – WGBR. Not very good. JMA medals etc presented. Went to Drayton in aft. P & A cut lawns. E went to stay with Caroline. Watched Songs of Praise in evening – recorded in Nor. Good of me and P at times – also the Papworths. Had changed the “commentator” – Geoffrey Wheeler on tonight but he didn’t record it with us. Roy rang – can he come for Easter. 2S.
Roger – Arrived at Zeebrugge at about 10 to 7 but most of us had been up since 5. Left the ship at 10 past 7 and drove to Lille we had to wear our seatbelts as it is illegal not to do so. We drove really hard and reached the campsite “Le Paradis” at 8 French time (7 English time). We had gone via Lille, Paris, Orleans and Limoges. We pitched camp and some of us went out for a meal. I was feeling very tired and thought I might have a cold so I left before the end & went straight to bed.
Notes
Family Service
Mum went to the family service at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church in the morning (AM). The service was taken by the church’s senior Minister Rev Ream (WGBR), see Chapter 124. Mum thought it was not very good but did not explain why.
JMA Medals
Mum noted that JMA medals were presented at this service. At that time, JMA stood for Junior Missionary Association but it now stands for Junior Mission for All. JMA basically involved children collecting money for Missions and you received a medal each year depending on the amount collected. All of us were involved in collecting for JMA at some point, see Chapter 90.
Drayton
Mum and my other siblings went to grandma’s in Drayton in the afternoon (aft). This was our usual practice on a Sunday afternoon, see Chapter 122.
Cutting the Lawns
Grandma had large lawns at the front and back of her house. These needed frequent cutting and, as grandma and grandad had got older and frailer, we increasingly did this. P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia) and A to my younger brother Alan. On this occasion, they cut the lawns, see Chapter 126.
Caroline Douglas
E refers to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). Caroline refers to Caroline Douglas who lived next door to grandma at 168 Drayton High Road. Caroline was a year older than Liz and they were friends. On this occasion, Liz went to stay with Caroline, see Chapter 122.
“Songs of Praise“
Mum watched “Songs of Praise” in the evening and noted that this had been recorded in Norwich (Nor). In fact, this had been recorded in Norwich Cathedral in November 1975. Mum had been involved in this and in a number of practices, see Chapter 124. Mum felt it was good of her and Tricia (P for Patricia) at times. She also saw her friends from church the Papworths. Mum noted that the commentator was Geoffrey Wheeler but she seemed affronted that he had not recorded with them but had been added later.
Dad Asked to Come for Easter
Roy refers to my father Royle Drew. He phoned mum and asked if he could come for Easter the following week, see Chapter 114.
Senokot
Mum took two Senokot (S) presumably for constipation, see Chapter 116. Senokot is a senna-containing medicine for the treatment of constipation.
School Camping Trip in France
It was the first full day of our school camping trip in France, see Chapter 118. I noted that we arrived in Zeebrugge at about 6.50am. Most of us had been up since 5am. We left the ferry at 7.10 and drove to Lille. One thing I noted was that we had to wear our seatbelts as it was illegal not to do so. We then “drove really hard” and reached the campsite “Le Paradis”, where we had stayed the previous year, at 8pm. I noted this was French time and that it would have been 7pm in the UK.
We went through Paris, Orléans and Limoges. The distance from Zeebrugge to “Le Paradis” is around 850kms. Once we arrived, we set up camp and then some of us went out for a meal. I think I went but I was feeling tired and thought I might have a cold so I returned to the campsite ahead of others and went to bed.
Note on Seatbelt Legislation
France first introduced seatbelt legislation in 1973 whereas a similar law was only introduced in the UK in 1983. As far as I can see, the law only applied to the driver and front passengers but I think Mr Cheeseman applied it to us all.