Mum – V Hot. R at school all day. P went round Mackintosh’s in aft. Saw FR aft & even. Lovely as usual. Saw Dr W in am. Went for another blood test in am. PRAYER OF RELINQUISHMENT If you want me to be alone for the rest of my life, help me to want that too & to be happy & not complain. I want You – at least I want to want You more than anything. I want your will to be done for me. I don’t understand how I can not ‘do’ anything myself but will try & I leave it to you to show me the way.
Roger – The exams are now all nearly over. According to Mrs Alderton not many people have got any more exams but nearly everybody I know has. This morning I gave in many of my books and attended a talk which lasted for over an hour by Miss Norman on the duties, responsibilities and privileges of the sixth form and on the aims of the induction course and how it works. It starts a week today. Mr Macro gave a brief talk on the merits of General Studies. This afternoon I had my second german paper, a comprehension and two compositions. It was our school sports day today, I only saw one race the steeplechase. John Durrant beat Mr Macro. Mum is going to write to Dr Roy about my options, it might have some effect. Am going to have a party a week tomorrow I think. A belated celebration of my birthday and an up to date celebration of the end of exams. This evening had a bath & watched tele, everyone else went out.
Notes
A Note on the Weather
Mum simply noted that it was very hot. This is not surprising as 1976, is well-known for having had a very hot and dry summer, see Chapter 129.
O Levels
R refers to me Roger. I was taking my O levels at this time and only had to go into school when I had exams. Mum noted that I was at school all day, see Chapter 118.
Mackintosh’s
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). She was just finishing, or had just finished, her A levels. On this occasion, she went round Mackintosh’s factory presumably as part of an end-of-exams school trip.
Mackintosh was a very well-known chocolate factory on Chapelfield Road where Chapelfield Mall is currently, see Chapter 90. The factory was opened in 1880 by Caley’s which was taken over by Mackintosh in 1932. They traded as Mackintosh Caley but, in 1969, Rowntrees and Mackintosh merged forming Rowntree Mackintosh. This, in turn, was taken over by Nestle and the factory closed in 1996. Chapelfield Mall opened in 2005.
I think everyone of a certain age from Norwich will remember this factory and the all-pervasive smell of chocolate that there was in that part of the city.
Certainly I do. In my view, many, if not most, will have visited the factory. I did, perhaps as part of a school trip. I always remember it as Mackintosh and there was quite a lot of hostility when it merged with/was taken over by Rowntrees. Dad always pointed out that it had originally been Caleys until it was taken over by Mackintosh.
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, mum saw him in the afternoon (aft) and evening (even). She described it as “lovely as usual”.
Dr Welch and a Blood Test
Mum saw her GP Dr Welch (Dr W) in the morning (am) and also went for another blood test, see Chapter 116.
Prayer of Relinquishment
Despite mum’s active involvement in activities at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, her diary contains relatively little about religious or spiritual subjects. However, she did write from time to time about prayer, particularly after reading books by Catherine Marshall, see Chapter 124.
On this occasion, mum noted praying a “prayer of relinquishment” which is one of eight types of prayer proposed by Catherine Marshall in her book “Adventures in Prayer“. The other types are prayer of asking, prayer of helplessness, waiting prayer, prayer in secret, prayer of joyous blessing, prayer that helps your dreams come true and claiming prayer.
Mum wrote down the detail of her prayer which revolved around her “being alone” for the rest of her life. By this, I think she was referring to not having a partner/being married.
Exams
I was doing my O levels that year and noted that our exams were nearly over, see Chapter 118. I noted that one teacher, Mrs Alderton, said that not many people had any more exams but I noted that nearly everyone I knew did have!
Mrs Alderton
I am not entirely sure who she was but it seems, based on the Upper School section of the 1975 school magazine, that she may have been a careers teacher with Mr Williment, see Chapter 118.
Entering Sixth Form
As a result of most exams being over, I handed in many of my books and attended what appears to have been an introduction to the sixth form and a forthcoming induction course, which was to start in a week’s time, see Chapter 118. I noted that Miss Norman gave a talk, for over an hour (!), on the duties, responsibilities and privileges of the sixth form and on the aims of the induction course and how it works. I also noted that Mr Macro gave a brief talk on the merits of general studies.
Miss Norman
Miss Norman was one of two deputy heads at Hewett and I recall her more in that role than as my politics teacher. I confess I had forgotten that she had taught me politics, see Chapter 118. She features in the video “A Hewett Day” in two places. In one (12.55) she is one of two guests in the school flat. In the other, she is seen (25.45) in a personal interview discussing her daughter’s sixth form choices with one parent.
Many former pupils recalled her on Facebook and noted that she was known as “Nippy” Norman. She features in the 1977 photo of a German exchange which also features Mr Macro. I am not entirely sure what subject she taught/had taught.
She went on to be head at Heartsease in 1982 at the age of 42. Before teaching at Hewett, she had taught at Wymondham College. Born in Norwich, she went to university in London to study history and obtained her teaching qualification in Southampton.
As a former member of Hewett staff who was going on to be a head elsewhere, she contributed a piece to the anniversary brochure produced in 1982. She noted that she had come to Hewett Grammar School as senior mistress in 1968, at a time when the amalgamation of the three schools was being planned. Highlights of her time at Hewett included her association with the sixth form; highlights in music, sport and drama; participation in school journeys and, above all, the atmosphere of warmth, friendship and consideration created by both staff and pupils.
Among my school reports was one from her for politics in January 1977. This did not give me any grades but she commented “always prepared to participate in group discussion, Roger has a good general knowledge of national and international issues.”
Mr Macro
Mr Macro taught me German O level in both my fourth and fifth years, see Chapter 118. He also coordinated general studies in the sixth form. In addition, he was a very good runner and possibly cyclist also. I have vague memories of discussing a possible cycling holiday in Europe with him and of him running the Caister to Happisburgh walk with a small group of students. He features in the 1977 photo of a German exchange which also features Miss Norman.
German Exam
In the afternoon, I had the second paper for my German O level. I described this as a comprehension and two compositions, see Chapter 118.
School Sports Day
I noted that it was our school sports day and I only saw one race, presumably because I had my German exam. The race I saw was the steeplechase. In this, my friend John Durrant beat German teacher Mr Macro, see Chapter 118.
A Level Options
I noted that mum was going to write to Dr Roy, the overall head of my school, about my A level options. This had been an ongoing issue, see Chapter 118. I had wanted to study German and chemistry but had been told I could not. As a result, I missed, or would miss, the deadline for submitting my choices. It is a bit surprising both that mum told me that she was going to write to Dr Roy, as she tended to do such things without telling me (!), and that I seemed OK with it! I noted that I thought it might have some effect. Although this was a big issue for me at the time, and one I am still resentful about (!), mum did not note anything about it in her diary entry for this day.
Planned Party
I noted that I was planning a party in just over a week’s time. This was to be a belated celebration of my birthday and an up-to-date celebration of the end of exams, see Chapter 122. However, I had to cancel these plans as someone else was already planning a party for that date. As far as I know, my planned party never happened but I did jointly organise a party with my friend Everard Mascarenhas in November 1976.
Bath and TV
I noted that, in the evening, I had a bath and watched TV although I did not specify what I watched. I noted that all my other family members went out but I did not specify where. Mum mentioned that she saw Rev Dowson but she did not state where my siblings went.
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