Mum’s Diary
Did some typing in aft of coeliac letters – bit tiring. Played games at night with P & A. Ken E came in evening to say Heather had baby girl – Tabitha – 8lb 6oz
in morning. R. rang. FR rang in aft & I rang back.
Roger’s/My Diary
Had to sweep outside the games’ room as my chore, Breakfasted with the Leeds’ girls then set off. Walked by the roads until near Bretton Y.H. and then went cross-country. Down a steep hill, across a bog and followed Bretton brook till I reached a place called Abney Grange. It was very misty & looked as if it might rain but it didn’t. I saw a pheasant. Reached Bradwell at about ½ past 12 and sat in the Leg of Mutton till ½ 1. Then sat on a hill till about 3. As
I walked through the cement-works I met 2 men who offered me a cup of tea & a meal at their cottage. They then ran me into Castleton for 4. Booked in, showered & am staying here tomorrow as Hathersage & Buxton are closed on Sunday & Edale is only taking booking. Now am going into village to ring mum. Spent the evening playing cards
Notes
Typing Coeliac Letters
According to mum’s CV, see Chapter 105, she ran a typing and duplicating business from home until 1975. However, she did typing and duplicating after this date, particularly for the church, see Chapter 121. On this occasion, she noted typing “coeliac letters” in the afternoon. My brother Alan had coeliac disease. Mum was active in the fledgling Coeliac Society, now Coeliac UK, both locally and nationally, see Chapter 116. I assume she was typing letters related to that involvement.
Mum was recovering from surgery for a renal stone which she had had at the beginning of August, see Chapter 116. She had been discharged from hospital just over a week earlier. She had been given the all clear by her GP, Dr Welch, the previous day to go back to work. Presumably, that is why she felt able to do this typing although she found it tiring.
Games Night
P & A refer to my siblings, my older sister Tricia (Patricia) and my younger brother Alan. They and mum played games at night. As a family, we enjoyed playing board games. I recall that board game playing within the family was highly competitive and, particularly as we got older, we enjoyed games of increasing levels of complexity. This could be overwhelming to people from outside the family who had to spend time with us! Games we played during this period included Escape from Colditz, Mastermind, Monopoly, Ratrace and Scrabble. However, mum did not specify what they played on this occasion, see Chapter 122.
Tabitha Elworthy
Ken E refers to Ken Elworthy who was one of the Ministers at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church at that time, see Chapter 124. He came round to see mum to tell her that his wife Heather had had a baby girl, Tabitha, who weighed 8lb 6oz, about 3.8kg.
I Phoned
R refers to me (Roger). Mum noted that I rang. I was away on a youth hostelling holiday in the Peak District on my own, see Chapter 122. My suspicion is that the price I paid for being allowed to do this was agreeing to phone home regularly, probably every day! It is interesting to note that this was the first of only a few times when I noted making these calls!
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 in the afternoon (aft) and mum phoned back.
Date Correction
One feature of this diary entry is that I initially wrote the date incorrectly as 20th and changed it later to the 21st. I must have lost track of days as I made these corrections from Wednesday 18 to Friday 27 August 1976.
Eyam Youth Hostel
I had stayed at the youth hostel at Eyam the previous night. I don’t think I ever stayed there with my dad as it did not open until 1971. However, I think I stayed there with my friends in 1975.
Sweeping the Games Room
I noted that I had to sweep outside the games room as my chore, see Chapter 122.
Chores
This requirement, of guests doing a job or a chore, was one of the things I recall from our early youth hostelling experience, see Chapter 92. Apparently, they were phased out in the eighties.
Breakfast with Girls from Leeds
I had met three girls from Leeds the previous day. I had breakfast with them and then set off.
Eyam to Castleton
Eyam to Castleton is about nine miles. My wife and I also walked from Eyam to Castleton in 2023 when we did what I referred to as a “nostalgic walk” in the Peak District. We followed a similar route. In Eyam, we stayed in Innisfree Cottage Bed and Breakfast as we had been unable to book at the youth hostel. The next morning, we met our friends, Dave and Janet Brown, in the free car park close to the museum. We then exited Eyam to the north west following Hawkhill Road uphill before branching left to take The Nook and the ensuing footpath. At Highcliffe, we turned left and followed Sir William Hill Road.
Bretton Youth Hostel
On this occasion, I walked on the road until near Bretton youth hostel (YH). As far as I can recall, I have never stayed at Bretton youth hostel. It opened in 1967 and was sold by YHA in 2014. It continues to function as an independent hostel.
Abney Grange
I then went cross-country, down a steep hill, across a bog and then followed Bretton Brook until I reached a place called Abney Grange. It was very misty and looked as if it might rain but it didn’t. I noted that I saw a pheasant.
In 2023, we carried on the road a bit further before finding footpaths towards Abney Grange and Abney Moor. We did have to go down a steep hill and across a boggy area as described in my diary.
While I did not mention Abney Moor specifically, I think I must have crossed it to get to Bradwell as we did in 2023.
Bradwell
I reached Bradwell at about 12.30pm.
Shoulder of Mutton
I sat in a pub that I called the Leg of Mutton until 1.30pm. In fact, this pub is called The Shoulder of Mutton. I then sat on a hill until about 3pm.
Hope Cement Works
As I walked through Hope Cement Works I met two men who offered me a cup of tea and a meal at their cottage. They then ran me into Castleton for 4pm.
I think times have changed as now accepting a drink and meal from two total strangers seems very hazardous and extremely naive to me! I suspect it probably was then and I am sure my mother would have thought so had she known!
Castleton Youth Hostel
At this time, the youth hostel was in Castleton Hall. I stayed here with my father in the late sixties, see Chapter 92. I noted that I booked in and showered. My diary noted that I was going to stay in Castleton the following night as Hathersage and Buxton were closed on Sunday and Edale was only taking bookings. After I wrote my diary, I went into the village to ring mum. I spent the evening playing cards.
Castleton Hall is no longer a youth hostel. However, in 2023, we stayed in a place called Haddock Hideaway, a self-catering cottage which is actually part of the old youth hostel.
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