Mum – Work all day. Mr S coming back on Friday. Met R in city at lunch time & bought guitar from Willsons for his birthday £30.79. Roy promised to let me have the money. FR didn’t come. I rang about 7. Alan wheezy still. 1S.
Roger – It was very busy at work today like a Saturday. At lunch-time mum bought me a guitar for my birthday which is on Friday. This evening had a bath and watched an old James Cagney film on the box. Alan has got a cold and Tricia seems very bad-tempered.
Notes
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 Tuesday, she worked all day. She noted that Mr Stephens (Mr S) was coming back on Friday. He had had gall bladder surgery, see Chapter 116.
Guitar for My Birthday
R refers to me Roger. Mum met me in the city at lunch-time and bought me a new guitar for my birthday, I was turning 16. Mum said we got the guitar from Willsons and it cost £30.79.
At this time, I was trying to learn to play guitar but not very successfully, see Chapter 122. I had earlier noted in my diary that I was hoping to get a new guitar for my 16th birthday. I had identified one I liked at a shop that I referred to as Wilson’s. In addition, I had noted that it would cost £30.65 a very slight discrepancy with what mum said she paid.
At that time, there were two music shops in Norwich that we might have been referring to, W E Willson’s and Willson and Ramshaw. Interestingly, in both cases, Willson was spelled with two Ls, a fact that mum knew but which was clearly lost on me at this time. I am not sure which of these shops we were referring to.
Money from Dad
Roy refers to my father Royle Drew. Mum noted that dad had promised to give her the money for the guitar, see Chapter 114. I am not sure why dad would have paid for all of this rather than them paying half each as a joint present. I know that money was a major source of tension between mum and dad at that time.
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, she noted that he did not come. I think he had been planning to come to Norwich but he may have cancelled because of poor health. Mum rang him about 7pm.
Wheezy
Alan refers to my younger brother. Mum noted that he was still wheezy. He suffered from asthma. She had previously noted that he was not very well without mentioning what his symptoms were, see Chapter 116. I noted that Alan had a cold.
Senokot
Mum took one Senokot (S) presumably for constipation, see Chapter 116. Senokot is a senna-containing medicine for the treatment of constipation.
Saturday Job
At this time, I had a Saturday job at the Scientific Anglian bookshop, see Chapter 119. I was working this day as it was half-term. I noted that it was very busy just like a Saturday.
James Cagney Film
I noted that, in the evening, I had a bath and then watched an old James Cagney film on the television (“the box“), see Chapter 122. Based on the TV Guide for the day, the film was “The Roaring Twenties”. This was on BBC2 at 9pm. It was a 1939 film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Priscilla Lane and Gladys George. An extract can be seen here.
Bad-tempered
Tricia refers to my older sister (Patricia). I noted that she seemed very bad-tempered, see Chapter 114. This may have been directed at me or possibly at other people. I was not aware of the conflict between mum and Tricia that there had been the previous evening.
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