In 1949, Kate is 70 years old and Alys is 65 years old. Eva is 40 years old and Philip is 36 years old (Alys and Dennis’ daughter and son). James is 11 years old (Eva and Teddy’s son) and Eve (Eva and Teddy’s’ daughter (my mother)) is 9 years old.
In case of accident refer to Dr D. P. Embleton at address below:
Name: Katharine Boyd
Address:
12 Grove Road
Northwood
Middlesex
Telephone No:
Northwood 1356
Saturday 1st January 1949
Very windy. Cool showers.
Phil didn’t dress all day, but meals in his dressing gown. I to get cakes and ices (at Poppies); and mackerel. Alys to Cattle’s about garage and to shops in JLN. Hot beef, mashed turnips. Roquefort? Alys and I in car for sardines. Gardener moved things for garage, and logs. Rest, two plays. Grilled mackerel, ices and hot chocolate sauce. Mrs Lata phoned (Mrs Emile Gray introduced). Deedie phone. To bed 9.15. “A Sleeping Clergyman”, James Bridie.
Memo:
Points period
1st day of Phil’s holidays, after being Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at London Chest Hospital.
Sunday 2nd January 1949
Milder, fair, showers.
Phil up about 11.30 and out walk to see new garage in house, St Mary’s Road. Alys roasted chicken from Layton, sprouts, bread sauce. Baked apples. Cheese, biscuits. Posted letter Murray for oatmeal. Did salted almonds; and picked up more. Mrs Lata and gill came 6, and had sherry. Mock turtle soup; galantine (Australia). Times Quiz. Kit phoned re. Sylvia’s phone message re. Doz.
Monday 3rd January 1949
Fair.
Men began garage 8.30. Phil took me to station. To Club (left bag). To Sales. Got coat, Fenwick’s. Lunch Club. Bus and taxi to Kit’s. We rested. Tea. Old letters and dance list. George in. Letter from Barbara. Tripe, bel paese and baked fairy toast. To bed about 9.30. Phoned Alys and Broadway Hotel.
Broadway
Tuesday 4th January 1949
Heavy showers. Mild.
Breakfast 8. Taylor’s car 8.45 – no petrol. So tube Paddington. 10.45 to Moreton (man and labrador), arrived 12.7. Car to Broadway Hotel. Lunch. Room 6. To Lucy and to Sands Meadow. Saw Nellie and Sylvia Lethbridge. To Dr Willoughby’s. To Foss. To Doz and up with her. Tea with Doz. Wrote Alys and Kit. 6.15 rest. Dinner 7. To see Doz. Dr Till had been and put tube in. Hotel at 9.
Wednesday 5th January 1949
Fine.
Breakfast 9.10. To buy battery and oranges. To Doz 11 – 1. Nellie back to lunch with me. Then rest 2 – 3.40. Wrote Alys. To post, and then to tea in Doz’s room, and I stayed till 6.30. To Lucy‘s. Hotel 7.25. Sylvia to dine with me. Sylvia left at 8.45. Up to bed. Read “Phantom Lobster”.
Thursday 6th January 1949
Fair, mild.
To Doz’s about 10.45. Still being cleaned up. Tube too small. Up with her, got addresses and wrote 4 postcards for her. Lucy to lunch with me at hotel. Rest. Posted lettercards to Alys and Kit. To Doz’s for tea. Sylvia Lethbridge to Cheltenham. Talk and crossword. Dinner alone. Talked to Mrs Jacque re. lodgers. To Lucy’s. “ITMA”.
London
Friday 7th January 1949
Dull, mild.
Round to Doz. Dr Willoughby there putting in larger tube. Sylvia Lethbridge showed us her skirt and scarf from Cheltenham. To Lucy‘s, and to hotel. Paid bill. Car 12.42 Moreton-in-Marsh. 1.6 train. Luncheon car all way. Lunch 4/–. Talk with Meachin? Re. salesmanship, “Mamsell”, Nottingham. Killick at Paddington 3.35. Home 25/– plus 4/-. Phil away to Morlock’s in car. Milk soup, Cornish pasties, peas. beans. Alys phoned kitty. “Much Binding”.
Saturday 8th January 1949
(no weather)
Alys to shops. I did coat with “Neva Wet”. Both lunch Durham. Rest in p.m. Phoned Teddy re. garage. Mince and noodles, beans. “Viceroy Sarah”.
Memo:
Return Moreton 25/2. Car (Whittaker’s) to Broadway 14/- plus 1/- tip.
7th Blain’s to Northwood.
5th Wrote Pelham’s re. garage.
Tommy Handley died.
Sunday 9th January 1949
Fine, cold.
Grilled chops and kidney. Plum pudding. Wrote Teddy and Eva re. garage. Alys and I in car round about Watford, Bushey. Noodles, ice cream. Phoned Kitty and Nelly. Very sick 10 – 2 and diarrhoea.
Monday 10th January 1949
Dull, cold.
Up at 6.50 and down, Alys got breakfast. Back to bed and Alys phoned Sylvia – I couldn’t go to Broadway. Orange juice all day. Phil home 4 from Morlock weekend. “Flare Path”, Terrence Rattigan. Read “Phantom Lobster”, Leo Walmsley.
Tuesday 11th January 1949
Dull. Mild. Some sun p.m.
Alys brought bread and milk at 9. Dozed and wrote to Doz. Got up at 12.30. Did up oatcakes for Doz. Fish in milk and baked apple. Phil and Alys other things. Phil to town in JLN to buy pyjamas. Alys and I kippers in sitting room. “Much Binding”, Naunton Wayne in “Having a Wonderful Crime”, “Paul Temple”.
Wednesday 12th January 1949
Sunny and cold.
Alys to town to meet Kit with 3lb sugar for marmalade and Sagne’s. I got up 12.30 and had chicken legs in sitting room. Phil lunch Northwood Hills. Rest till 5. Mrs Cox ironed (cried about button). Phil working at boat. Soup, fish, Queen of puddings. Phoned Nellie Moir at Club.
Thursday 13th January 1949
(no weather)
Up at 8. Alys down to at 8.30 to move car. Mrs Bearcroft cleaned and washed. Alys to shops. She cooked beef and mince and warmed up fish, cauliflower and apples. Rest. Alys and Phil packed. I undid U.S. parcel and began letter to Amy. Omelettes and fishcakes. Alys cut her finger. Memorial to Tommy Handley at “ITMA” time. “P.C. 49”.
Friday 14th January 1949
Very cold.
Alys and Phil packing, and off at about 12 in JLN to Southampton. I got hot mince and cauliflower, apple purée and cream with white of egg. Mrs Cox cleaned kitchen and ironed. I rested and wrote Eva (re. coupons), Ernest Miles and Amy Steel. To post them 5 p.m. Milk soup, Ryvita.
Saturday 15th January 1949
Very mild. Showers.
Wrote and to post and walked round block. Man and boy working all day in garage. Picked spinach and had it with mince and Queen of puddings. Kitty and Nellie Moir and Alys phoned. Soup, plums, cheese. “Trimalchio’s Feast”, Petronius (Nero’s time).
Memo:
13th Amy Steel’s parcel arrived.
10th To Broadway 9.45?
14th Alys and Phil away, Southampton – Royal Court Hotel.
Nellie Moir up from 12th to 19th.
Sunday 16th January 1949
Fair. Mild.
Wrote Doz, a lettercard to Alys. Reboiled tangerine marmalade. Defrosted Fridge. Mince and spinach. Took letters to post to pillarbox. Read on couch. 2.30 “Bookshelf” books recommended “Amanda Ros, Irene Iddersleigh” authors. Yeats spoke. Cheese omelette. “The Brontës Day-Dream Writings”. Phyllis Bentley. Bertrand Russell “Authority and the Individual”.
The Diaries of my Great-Great-Aunt Kate 