Mum – Hot. Took Alan to see Mr Hunt – opticians in aft. His eyes are “abnormal”. To have new glasses & return in 1 year. Went to St P Guild at Jill’s – Chinese meal. V nice. £1.25 – but I’m odd one out, but they don’t make me feel this. Made Alan 4 loaves bread & fruit cake & krispies. FR rang briefly in aft. Had letter from Cecil – he & Boxalls going to Dhalling Mhor 24 July – 7 Aug. I was very depressed about this but turned it over to God – hard but hoped I did so.
Roger – I got to school about ½ past 8 and the choir was just leaving. Everybody’s had enough of the induction course. Tomorrow quite a lot of us are going swimming at lunch-time. Simon is having party and I’m spending the night at Gary’s.
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 and July. This is not surprising as 1976, is well-known for having had a very hot and dry summer, see Chapter 129.
Alan’s Eyes
Alan refers to my younger brother. Mum took him to see the optician, Mr Hunt. He told mum that Alan’s eyes were “abnormal“. He prescribed him new glasses and said he would see him in a year. Following a couple of reviews, Alan was referred to an ophthalmologist and, in July 1979, had squint surgery, see Chapter 116.
Robin Hunt
Robin Hunt worked at L L Tillett’s at 87 Upper St Giles Street. Apparently, he was born in September 1944. L L Tillett was dissolved in 2010 but there is still an optician at 87 St Giles Street called Tillett Adams, see Chapter 116.
St Peter’s Guild
Mum went to a meeting of St Peter’s (St P) Guild, This was a fellowship group based at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124. They used to meet at different people’s houses. On this occasion, they went to Jill Stock’s for a Chinese takeaway. Mum noted that it was very nice and cost her £1.25.
Odd One Out
Mum and dad had separated in 1973. As a result, mum attended activities on her own. Because church activities at that time often involved couples, she often complained of being the “odd one out“, see Chapters 114 and 124. On this occasion, while mum noted that she was the odd one out at Guild, she noted that the other members did not maker her feel this.
Baking
Mum noted that she made my brother Alan four loaves of bread a fruit cake and “krispies“, see Chapter 126. These would have been gluten free because Alan had coeliac disease, see Chapter 116. I am sure she did this for them to take away on holiday when they went on Saturday, see Chapter 122.
I believe “krispies” were cakes made with Rice Krispies and chocolate. I recall these as a child. I am pretty sure these were made with conventional Rice Krispies but my understanding is that these are not gluten free as they contain barley malt. Gluten free alternatives are available.
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, he phoned briefly in the afternoon (aft).
Letter from Cecil
Mum received a letter from Cecil. While I am not exactly sure who he was, he and mum seemed close in the late seventies writing to each other frequently. My impression is that they had met on a Methodist Guild Holiday prior to 1975. Their correspondence gradually reduced and the last letter mum noted receiving from him was in July 1977. In June 1978, mum heard from Joyce Boxall that Cecil was remarrying and this upset her, see Chapter 114.
On this occasion, Cecil told mum that he and the Boxalls would be at Dhalling Mhor in Dunoon from 24 July to 7 August, that is they would be arriving on the day mum was leaving! Given how meticulously mum planned everything, this seems like pretty disastrous planning on her part! However, it is possible that she was going on the only days that Dhalling Mhor had available, see Chapter 122.
Depressed
Mum 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 with the news that Cecil would be arriving in Dunoon the day she was leaving.
Turning Over to God
Despite mum’s very active involvement in church life, she wrote very little about spiritual matters, such as her beliefs. However, she did sometimes talk about finding and following God’s will as implied here, see Chapter 124.
Hewett School Choir
I noted that I got to school about half past eight and the choir were just leaving. They were going on a trip to Vienna, see Chapter 118. I am not sure why I noted this as the choir was not something I was involved in at school! Possibly, it was because it was quite a big trip for the school and the choir. According to the local press, they were taking part in the fifth International Youth and Music Festival. They were the only British choir taking part with others from countries including Austria, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Poland, USA and West Germany.
Sixth Form Induction Course
At this point, I was doing a sixth form induction course, see Chapter 118. I noted that “we had some general studies and I described this as fairly interesting.”everybody” had had enough of it!
Swimming
I noted that quite a lot of us were going swimming the next day at lunch-time presumably in the school pool, see Chapter 118.
Simon Hook’s Party
I noted that Simon (Hook) was having a party the next day, see Chapter 122. Simon was in my year at Hewett although he was not one of my closest friends. I noted that I was staying overnight at my friend Gary Wood’s. This was because mum and my two younger siblings, Alan and Liz (Elizabeth), were leaving for a holiday in Dunoon early the next morning, also see Chapter 122.
My suspicion is that mum probably complained about my plans to go to this party hoping that I would cancel and stay in. I suspect the solution of staying at Gary’s was probably my idea and not one my mother particularly welcomed!
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