In 1953, Kate is 74 years old and Alys is 69 years old. Eva is 44 years old and Philip is 40 years old (Alys and Dennis’ daughter and son). James is 15 years old (Eva and Teddy’s son) and Eve (Eva and Teddy’s’ daughter (my mother)) is 13 years old.
This Diary Belongs to:
Katharine Faraday Boyd
12 Grove Road
Northwood
Middlesex
And/or
119 Bickenhall Mansions
Baker Street
W.1.
Telephone No:
Northwood 1356
Welbeck 6522
Thursday 1st January 1953
Sleet and cold rain.
Awake most of night with pains. Alys in bed all day with pains. Ate only toast in evening. Mrs Bearcroft in a.m. I not out. Wrote Amy Steel and Motor License with cheque £10. Slept in armchair in p.m. Read “Venture to the Interior”, van der Post. “The Duchess at Sunset” by Proust.
Friday 2nd January 1953
Fine a.m. Cold.
Alys better and up. Letter and postcard from Phil (Piraeus). Laundry, (but didn’t hear bell). To Food Office, and met Mrs Hill. Kitty appeared and stayed lunch. Took her to 2.6 train. Rest, sleep. Read. Wrote Sissie. Got petrol 2 gallons and air in BHN.
Saturday 3rd January 1953
Some snow.
Letter from Phil from Hotel Metropole, Limassol. I took Brett in BHN at 10.30 to Great Missenden. Snowing on way. He pruned the fruit trees. I took Cozy stove parts. Back at 1.5 (left at 12.30). Lunch (mince). Took Alys to 2.3 train.. She to stay night with Kitty. Rested on armchairs. Wash things. “Sherlock Holmes – The Strange and Apocryphal Case of Miss Alice Faulkner”.
Memo:
1st Sissie.
7th and 8th – 119 Bickenhall Mansions.
Sunday 4th January 1953
Fair, cool.
Ironed napkins and clothes. In BHN to meet Als (from Kitty’s) at 2.51. Good little play, “Kangaroos at Christmas” by David Scott Daniell 3 – 4. “Bomber’s Moon”, 7.30 – 8.30, also good, by Wing-Commander E.W. Anderson. Later George Hudson “Railway King”. Duke of Wellington and school fire.
Monday 5th January 1953
Fine, frosty.
Alys to Wiz’s “factory”. Mrs Bearcroft cleaned my room. Walked to shops with George (scotty)’s mistress. Heard of his operation. Walked up with Mrs Hill – curried mince. Rest. Began black welt. “The Troubled Air” by R. Byrnes and Monica Mugan from novel by Irwin Shaw (Communism in USA).
Tuesday 6th January 1953
4 inches snow in night. Slow thaw.
Card of Dome Hotel from Phil. I cleared snow with spade and broom. Alys walked and bus to Northwood Hills. Mrs Bearcroft cleaned about house. Boiled cod in salt water. I walked to Boots, also got bread. Rest. Alys cooking for children next 2 days. Icy roads.
Wednesday 7th January 1953
Fair, dry, cold.
Put meths in radiator of BHN. Snow. Alys took me to station 10.5. Curried eggs at 119 Bickenhall Mansions. To Selfridge’s, Pemberley’s, Swan & Edgar for panties. To Dutch pictures at Burlington House about 3. To Sir Gyles Isham‘s lecture on Lamport Hall pictures Society of Antiquarians 5 – 6. Bus to 119 Bickenhall Mansions. Tunny fish supper. “The Constant Wife”, Somerset Maugham.
Thursday 8th January 1953
Dull.
Mrs Bearcroft at 10.15. Stayed till 4.15. Brought sandwiches. I out to Shearn’s and Fern’s; back and lunch about 2. Put up clean net curtains, both rooms with Mrs Bearcroft. She washed all paint. At 4.30 I to Continental Ciné – Montmartre and La Kermesse héroïque (1616), Françoise Rosay. Home at 8 for “Suspense”, McCormac escape from Japanese.
Friday 9th January 1953
Dull.
At 10.30 Onsite men came and washed carpet. Took away rugs and cushions and saddle bags to clean. At 12 I to get wool and to Dorlon’s. Took 1lb sugar, got chocolates. Back and buckling at 1:15. Porter up at 2 and cleaned windows 7/6. To 11 Chandos Street. Mr Farthing lectured on disappearing houses. Lois there. To Northwood 6.20. Walked up. Chicken casserole. Bernard Shaw’s “The Millionairess”.
Saturday 10th January 1953
(no weather)
Alys to shops. I wrote cheque. I to Boots in p.m. Also bought brassière at Ryder‘s sale. Posted cheque £12.10.0 for car tax. Left 10/6 at Dr Baker with his account. Slept in p.m. “Bonaventure”, Charlotte Hastings. Convent and artist sentenced to be hanged.
Memo:
7th R.A.I. 5 pm Lamport (Eve and James with Alys).
8th Mrs Bearcroft, Bicky.
9th B.A.A. Farthing 4.30 – demolition of historic buildings post war.
9th Onsite 11.
Sunday 11th January 1953
Dull. Not very cold.
Wrote Jim Archer re. going on 22nd. Sent cheque to P.D.S.A. and for book. Alys sore throat. Rest on bed and finished “The Heart of the Matter”. Did it up to send to June Bishop. Arnhem man without hands (“Living Without Hands”) spoke. Barbara phoned.
Monday 12th January 1953
Fair, mildish.
A letter from Phil. Alys still sore throat but to hairdressers (wrong day). She met me (BHN) and we to Cook’s (JLN left there for greasing). Mrs Hill, curry. Laundry in pink hut. Very damp. Rests. “The Seagull”, Chekhov.
Tuesday 13th January 1953
Dull. Raw.
Mrs Bearcroft cleaned dining room. JLN was brought back by man; Alys to shops in it. Then I took Alys to station (she to 119 Bickenhall Mansions, and at 2.30 to meet Kitty at St Thomas’ Hospital for thumb operation). I washed clothes, and dried them by Cozy stove. Knitted. “Storm Centre”, Orkney hurricane. “The Shadow of Cain”, Edith Sitwell from Albert Hall.
Wednesday 14th January 1953
Foggy, raw.
Ironed things. When Mrs Hill came, I to get sprouts and potatoes. Cheese pudding. Gasman at 2 to do Alys’ bedroom fire (deaf man). Alys home at 4. Put welt on black cardigan (finished knitting it). “Journey to Earth”, Flora Robson as nun who came out.
Thursday 15th January 1953
Dull, drizzly.
Letters from Jim and Frank Archer (Jim‘s dictated). Mrs Bearcroft, bathroom. Alys to High Street. I walked to post (registered). Dennis Laughton‘s cruise paper to Jim. Baked haddock. Sewed and tidied work cases (K.H.D’s.). Tongue and sprouts and celery mixed, chopped. “Suspense” 8, escape in train over Czech border 1951 Prague to Asch.
Friday 16th January 1953
Fair, mild.
James very sore throat and 101°F. Alys phoned and out to hairdresser. Mrs Hill, tinned sausages and leeks. Alys in JJ to Eva‘s, taking food. Brett here, pruning apple trees. Phoned Kitty (and Barbara) would come. Teddy still in bed with lumbago. Eve better. Dr Aralis going daily. “The Waltz of the Toreadors”, by Jean Anouilh.
Saturday 17th January 1953
Dull, mild.
To Kitty’s at 12, as she in bed with thumb hurting. Got our lunch (her’s in bed, cold chicken and bacon). Rest in p.m. Tea at 4.30. Scrambled eggs at 7. Home by 8.26 from Finchley Road (Alys at Eva‘s all p.m., to help). “The Feast”, M. Kennedy. James still temperature and sore throat. Teddy still in bed.
Memo:
13th Alys with Kitty to St Thomas’ for thumb cyst operation. Slept at Frognal.
17th To Kitty’s 12.
The Diaries of my Great-Great-Aunt Kate 