Mum – Hair set in am, then to GTE. Work in aft, Went to see Mr Adcock at night – no choir practice. Longings – all sorts – very strong. Watched “Hadleigh” at night which didn’t help!!! 2S.
Roger – Although Mr Ames was still away today we worked hard in Economics – revising. I went swimming at lunch-time so did Gary, Andrew & Roger. After school had another group practice we are getting quite good. This evening watched tele. I am staying in tomorrow to watch the cup final.
Notes
Hair Set
Mum had her hair set in the morning (am).
Work for Rev Eddy
GTE refers to Rev G T Eddy who was the Chairman of the Methodist District. Based on her CV, see Chapter 105, mum did some part-time secretarial work for him between 1973 and 1977, see Chapter 121. On this occasion, she went there after having had her hair set.
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. On this occasion, as it was Friday, she worked in the afternoon (aft).
Bert Adcock
Mum saw Mr Adcock at night. She had done something similar earlier in April but these appear to be the only two times he was mentioned in the diaries. I am grateful to Barry Ferguson for explaining to me that he was the caretaker at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124 and he lived close to the church.
Longings
Mum complained of all sorts of “longings” and noted they were “very strong“. After mum and dad separated in June 1973, mum often noted having “longings”, see Chapter 114. These “longings” may have been of a physical nature but were also for intimacy with “someone” or “someone special” who she could share everything with. In his letter of January 1979, Rev Dowson notes “it is natural for you to have your longings. It’s worse for you than a spinster…. She had not known the joys you have; that’s why a widow or widower or divorced person seeks to get married again – to recapture what has been lost”.
Choir Practice
Mum was part of the choir at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. Usually, on Fridays, they had practices but there was not one on this occasion. Mum did not say why.
“Hadleigh“
Mum noted watching “Hadleigh”, see Chapter 122. I am not sure if mum had a “crush” on Gerald Harper but she noted that watching this did not help with her “longings”! It was a Yorkshire TV production that was broadcast from 1969 to 1976. In addition to Gerald Harper, it starred Peter Denis, Ambrosine Philpotts, Alastair Hunter, Hilary Dwyer, Gillian Wray, Gerald James, Jane Merrow, Jenny Twigge, Georgina Melville, Kathy Staff, Peter Sallis, Garfield Morgan and Derek Benfield.
Senokot
Mum took two Senokot (S) presumably for constipation, see Chapter 116. Senokot is a senna-containing medicine for the treatment of constipation.
Mr Ames
I had noted the previous day that Mr Ames’ five-day old son, who I learned was called Andrew Christopher, had died, see Chapter 116. Mr Ames was one of my teachers at the Hewett School, see Chapter 118. He taught me social economics throughout years 4 and 5. From my reports, it seems he thought I would have got a higher grade but he was concerned that I had “some difficulty in writing a detailed essay”. I remember Mr Ames fairly well. He was my form tutor in fourth year. In his reports in that capacity, he noted that I was part of the basketball team, a table tennis club and had been made a Middle School steward.
He had been a pupil at Hewett, before it became a comprehensive. He still held some sports records when I was there. From memory, one of them was for 100m but that was broken by a boy in my class, Timothy Fisher. Based on a post on Facebook, it appears that he also taught PE and social studies. It seems that his first name was Paul, the subjects he taught included geography and he died suddenly in 1995 aged only 48. I also came across a school newsletter from October 1976 which noted that Mr Ames had become Head of Humanities. This newsletter noted that he had been a pupil at the Hewett Grammar School. Later, by the nineties, I believe he was head of Lower School. I think Mr Ames also features in the video “A Hewett Day” where he is seen (25.17) chairing an inter-disciplinary humanities group meeting.
Economics
I was studying social economics at O level and I noted that we worked hard in that lesson despite Mr Ames’ absence. At this stage, we were revising for exams, see Chapter 118.
Swimming
I went swimming at lunch-time, see Chapter 118, and noted that some of my friends did too including Gary Wood and Roger Boothby. Andrew probably refers to Andrew Ellson but could refer to Andrew Sheppard.
Group Practice
While I was at school, I was part of a music group and was trying to learn guitar, see Chapter 118. However, I was never very good and was always on the edges of the group! On this occasion, I noted that there was a group practice after school. I referred to the group as “we” and commented that we we were getting quite good.
TV
In the evening, I watched television (tele) but did not specify what I watched, see Chapter 122.
Cup Final
I noted that I would be staying in the next day, that is, not going to work, see Chapter 119, as I would be watching the FA Cup Final, see Chapter 123. I can’t imagine doing that now but then it was one of very few football matches shown live on TV.