Mum – Went to MM in am. Saw Auntie Eva then went round shops. A & I went walk round village in aft. We all went to see Carole & Tony, Stephen & Alison in evening. Longings intense. 1T at night.
Roger – This morning went to work. Ross seems OK although Vivien reckons he was never ill. This evening went to “Caribbean Evening” at our school was working behind the bar. I enjoyed myself although worn out. Walked home with Claude and Sarah. I am tired and intoxicated.
Notes
Melton Mowbray
Grandma, mum and my two younger siblings Alan and Liz (Elizabeth) had gone for the weekend to visit Olive and Alf Holland in Old Dalby near to Melton Mowbray, see Chapter 122. Olive Holland née Evans was grandad’s niece, the daughter of his sister, Eva. As a result, she was mum’s first cousin and my first cousin once removed. However, she was quite a bit older than mum so mum referred to her as Auntie Olive.
It was the day after they had arrived and they went to Melton Mowbray (MM) in the morning (am).
Auntie Eva
They saw Auntie Eva who was grandad’s sister, see Chapter 1, so mum’s aunt and my great aunt. Eva had been born in 1897 so was two years older than grandad. She married Joe Pacey in 1916 and they had a daughter Olive. However, Joe died in 1918, see Chapter 10. Eva remarried, Arthur Evans, and they had a son Roy. Olive took on her stepfather’s surname and was known as Olive Evans before she married.
Shops
Mum noted that she went round the shops in Melton Mowbray but she did not specify what she bought if anything.
Walk Round the Village
A refers to my younger brother Alan. He and mum went for a walk round the village of Old Dalby in the afternoon (aft).
Carole and Tony
In the evening, they went to see Alf and Olive’s daughter Carole and her husband Tony Pacey. Of interest perhaps, Olive had been bridesmaid to grandma, mum bridesmaid to Olive and Tricia was bridesmaid to Carole while I was a page boy.
Top left – Auntie Bertha, Tricia and Alan
Top right – Tricia, me, dad and Alan
Above – group photo. I do not know many people but the people on the right (to Carole’s left) are Anne Evans, Alf, unknown, Eva, Roy and Olive. Tricia and I are at the front
They also saw Carole and Tony’s two children, Stephen and Alison. Stephen (b1967) would have been nine at this point and Alison (b1969) was nearly seven.
Longings
After mum and dad separated in June 1973, mum often noted having “longings”, see Chapter 114, as she did on this occasion. 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 noted “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”.
Antidepressants
From time to time, mum took antidepressants, see Chapter 116. At this point, she was not taking them every day and was trying to come off them. However, on this occasion, she took one tablet of amitriptyline (Tryptizol, T) at night as she had the previous day. I am not sure if she was feeling particularly depressed and, if she was, whether anything specific had triggered that.
Saturday Job
I noted that I went to work in the morning. At that time, I had a Saturday job at the Scientific Anglian bookshop, see Chapter 119.
Ross
Ross was another boy who worked at the shop. I do recall him but not his surname. I believe he attended King Edward school and possibly went on to study law, see Chapter 119. The previous week, I had noted he was not there as he was ill. On this occasion, he was back although another worker, Vivien Gamble, doubted that he had been genuinely ill!
Caribbean Evening
There was a Caribbean evening at school, see Chapter 118. I was helping Mr Cheeseman behind the bar despite only being 15 at this point! I noted that I enjoyed myself but was worn out. I walked home with Sarah and Claude. I noted again that I was tired and also commented that I was “intoxicated“. I recall this evening although not much detail. I believe there might have been some kind of limbo dancing competition!
Sarah Camp
The Sarah referred to here probably refers to Sarah Camp who lived opposite me in College Road. We quite often travelled to and from school together. As here, this might have involved walking but I also recall giving her lifts on my motorbike. In 1978, she passed religious studies A level. I am not sure what she did when she left school.
Claude
I don’t know who Claude was. However, I did find a Claude Alberts in my year in 1976. I do not recall him. Also, I have a vague recollection that Everard Mascarenhas may have used the name Claude at some point but this could be completely wrong!