Mum – Hot. Hair set in am. P took R & A to school. E had day off. P & I went in city. I bought N/Dress £6.50 from M&S. Took P to Baltic House to give papers in re her Nat Ins No. She told me at dinner time she was going to see Joseph at Theatre Royal with Andrew on Sat. I was very depressed & rang Andrew. He called to see me at work in aft. Seemed to understand. I talked to P after tea – she didn’t & went out after a time. Rang Malcolm twice. Went to Cromwell House in evening with choir to sing. Nice. P went to Mr Wilson’s at night – all his chemistry class went. R went to party. V depressed & worried.
Roger – Chris Evert (US) bt Evonne Cawley (Aus) in three sets in the women’s final. I don’t know the women’s doubles results. The men’s final is between Ile Nastase (Rum) and Bjorn Borg (Swe). This morning and part of the afternoon we had our induction course. however, at lunch-time I went swimming. This afternoon after school Gary & I played our guitars. Then this evening we went to Kay’s party. I spent most of my time talking to part of the French party which is over here. Tomorrow I am going to Miss Simpson’s party at 6 Beaumont Place.
Notes
A Note on the Weather
Mum noted that it was hot. She had noted that it was hot or very hot for most of June. This is not surprising as 1976, is well-known for having had a very hot and dry summer, see Chapter 129.
Hair Set
Mum had her hair set in the morning (am).
A Lift to School
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia) who was 18 at this point. She took me (R for Roger) and my brother Alan (A) to school, see Chapter 118. E refers to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). She had a day off school but I am not sure why.
A Nightdress
Mum went shopping in the city with Tricia (P for Patricia). Mum bought a nightdress (N/Dress) from Marks and Spencer (M&S) for £6.50, see Chapter 125.
Marks and Spencer
Established in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds, Marks and Spencer is a well-known department store. The Norwich store on the corner of Rampant Horse Street and St Stephens has been there for as long as I can remember, see Chapter 108.
National Insurance Number
Mum noted that she took Tricia to Baltic House in Norwich to give in papers concerning her National Insurance Number (Nat Ins No). A new system had been introduced in 1975 meaning that those turning 16 after that date received their National Insurance Number automatically provided that they had received family allowance. I had benefited from that system receiving my number two days before my 16th birthday. However, as Tricia had turned 16 in 1974, she had to apply for her number manually.
Baltic House
Baltic House in Mountergate is currently a Health Assessment Advisory Service centre. It is managed by Ingeus who provide this service for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) across London, East Anglia and the South East. Various kinds of benefit eligibility assessments are carried out at Baltic House.
Baltic House was a government property. In 1998, this was sold to Trillium under a PFI agreement which saw the property leased back to government, primarily DWP, for 20 years. Although that agreement expired in 2018, Trillium continues to lease Baltic House to DWP.
Apparently, it was built in 1970s in what is known as a brutalist, red-brick, functional design. In 1973, it became a new social security office bringing together two offices that had previously been separate. In 1977, responsibility for the northern area of Norwich and Norfolk was transferred to Chantry House with the southern part of Norwich and Norfolk still covered by Baltic House.
Joseph at the Theatre Royal
Mum noted that Tricia told her that she was going on Saturday (Sat) to see “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Theatre Royal, see Chapter 122. She was going to go with Andrew Wright who she knew from St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church. Mum was not happy about their friendship as Andrew was much older and was married, see Chapter 114. However, I think he also played a leadership role in the church’s work with young people and it seems natural to me that he supported and befriended Tricia in that role. In addition, Tricia was 18 at this point so able to make her own judgments on such matters! I am not sure if they were going as part of a group or on their own.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat“
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is a very well-known musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Its professional premiere was in 1972. Apparently, it was on in Norwich from 21 June to 17 July 1976. Cast included Ray C Davis, Tudor Davies, Mason Taylor, Louise Gold and Steve Devereaux.
I came across an advert for, and a review of, this in the local press. The review referred to this as “Joseph Mark II” and started very positively praising Tudor Davies for all the roles he played including director, choreographer and narrator. The reviewer found the portrayal of Joseph “immensely appealing” while the brothers’ performances were also praised. However, the reviewer criticised the distorted amplification and felt that the production lost the basic simplicity of the musical. He considered it “over-produced and over-ornamented”.
Depressed
Mum also struggled with depression and anxiety during this period, see Chapter 116. Sometimes, her feelings of depression were triggered by particular things as seems to be the case here. At the end of her diary entry for this day, mum noted that she was very depressed and worried.
Mum Waded In
Rather than respecting boundaries, mum decided to intervene in the situation. In the first place, she did this, not by raising any concerns with Tricia, but by phoning Andrew Wright. He responded by calling to see her at work in the afternoon (aft).
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.
Understanding
Mum thought Andrew understood her concerns. So, after tea, she spoke to Tricia (P for Patricia) about the issue. She did not understand and “went out after a time”.
My perspective on this is that mum tended to think people “understood” a situation if they appeared to agree with her and did not challenge her. This was based on a strong sense that her view was the correct one and people would see things as she did if they understood things properly. So, if someone disagreed with her, this was not because they had different views and perspectives but because they had not understood a situation properly. This often resulted in mum concluding they were “thick”!
My interpretation is that mum and Tricia had a blazing row because Tricia dared to challenge mum’s assessment of the situation. I imagine Tricia stormed out and I confess that I did the same on many occasions! In such situations, I found it was often best to get out and go somewhere else! I think this is what Tricia did on this occasion.
One of mum’s frequent complaints was that I did not tell her what I was doing, where I was going and who I was going with. I think this incident illustrates why I avoided, as far as possible, telling mum these things! I was pretty sure if I told her she wouldn’t approve so I tried to give her as little information as possible!
Double Standards
With the benefit of hindsight, it strikes me as ironic that mum was so disapproving of Tricia’s friendship with Andrew Wright when she actively sought such supportive friendships with married men within the church, including Rev Dowson and Rev Carter. I imagine those relationships led to as much church gossip as any of Tricia’s friendships did!
Malcolm Carter
Malcolm refers to Rev Malcolm Carter. He was a Methodist Minister who became mum’s friend and confidant, see Chapter 114. From Merseyside, he served in the ministry there and in Darlington and East Anglia. He was Minister at Court Hey Methodist Church from 1978 to 1986. He was the Methodist chaplain to Walton Prison, now HM Prison Liverpool, for 20 years. I found a YouTube video of him taking a service at Wonford Methodist Church in Exeter in July 2024. When he was in Norwich, he was mainly based at Bowthorpe Road Methodist Church. On this occasion, she phoned him twice presumably related to the issues mentioned above.
Singing at Cromwell House
At night, mum went to sing at Cromwell House with the choir from St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. Mum described this as nice.
Cromwell House is a purpose-built care home which opened in April 1969, see Chapter 107. Grandma lived here in later life. Mum was very involved with Cromwell House for many years but, when she needed residential care, she moved to another MHA home, the Martins, in Bury St Edmunds, as this had/has greater provision for people with dementia. It is interesting that grandad refers to MHA as Methodist Homes for the Aged and this appears to have been the organisation’s original name. But, the MHA website states that it was founded in 1943 as Methodist Homes (MHA). MHA currently has 90 care homes, 7,500 employees and 4,000 volunteers supporting 18,500 older people across the UK.
Mr Wilson
At night, Tricia (P for Patricia) went to Mr Wilson’s. He had been her chemistry teacher, see Chapter 118, and the rest of his chemistry class went too.
Parties
R refers to me Roger. Mum noted that I went to a party, see Chapter 122. I noted that this was Kay’s party. This party is significant as I had hoped to hold a party on that day but was unable to because this party was already scheduled. I fear I do not recall exactly who Kay was. There was a Kay Burton in my year so it could have been her but I am not sure. I noted that I spent most of my time speaking to members of a French part, probably an exchange group, who were visiting.
Also, I noted that I was going to Miss Simpson’s party the following day. I am not entirely sure who she was, a teacher at school presumably. The party was to be held at 6 Beaumont Place. The picture of this house seems vaguely familiar and I think I may have some memories of this party. However, it is a long time ago and I am not completely sure.
Wimbledon – Women’s Singles Final
I noted that Chris Evert (US) beat Evonne Cawley (Aus) in the women’s singles final in three sets (6-3, 4-6, 8-6), see Chapter 123.
Women’s Doubles
I noted that I did not know the women’s doubles results. In fact, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova beat Billie Jean King and Betty Stöve 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, see Chapter 123.
Men’s Singles Final
I also noted that the men’s singles final was between Ilie Nastase of Romania and Björn Borg of Sweden, see Chapter 123.
Sixth Form Induction Course
I noted that I went to the sixth form induction course, see Chapter 118, in the morning and for part of the afternoon.
Swimming at Lunch-time
I noted that I went swimming at lunch-time, presumably in the school pool, see Chapter 118.
Playing Guitars
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, my friend Gary Wood and I had brought our guitars to school in case there was a group practice. It seems that there was not but we played our guitars together for a while.
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