In 1955, Kate is 76 years old and Alys is 71 years old. Eva is 46 years old and Philip is 42 years old (Alys and Dennis’ daughter and son). James is 17 years old (Eva and Teddy’s son) and Eve (Eva and Teddy’s’ daughter (my mother)) is 15 years old.
This Diary Belongs to:
Name: Katharine Faraday Boyd
Address: 12 Grove Road
Northwood
Middlesex
Or/and
119 Bickenhall Mansions
Baker Street
London W.1.
Telephone: Northwood 1356
Welbeck 6522
In event of accident please notify…
Dr Philip Embleton at Northwood
or 5 The Rest, Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
Phone Aldeburgh 380 or Ipswich 77251
Aldeburgh
Saturday 1st January 1955
Much colder. East wind.
With Alys to shops – wool. Eve and Phil a walk. All to lunch at Windmill at 1.15. Bought 20oz black and white wool at 1/8½. Alys and Phil rests. James and Eve card-building. Monopoly at 5.15 till 6.50. Phil and Eve to “Elephant Walk”.
Memo:
1st Air-mail letter to Amy Greenough (Steel).
Sunday 2nd January 1955
Rough sea. Cold. Grey.
Phil, James and Eve a walk (they met Phil). Stew of pork, sprouts for dinner. I stayed to it. Ham Toasts for supper. Phil showed films – Ozzy and James aged 3 weeks, Iguazú. Phil took me to Brown Acres at 9 with hot water bottle. James and Eve to “Carbine Williams”, film. James’ set exploded.
Monday 3rd January 1955
Gales. Very rough.
Got Farrington bills. Down with James at 11. Alys and I to Mrs Robinson‘s to see rooms. To Ing’s with glasses. To Windmill, lunch. Did sewing on James‘ new nametapes (socks). I nearly to Thorpeness, Eve came back. James saw me to bus, and took it to Albert. Big dinner of beef, Yorkshire puddings and apple pie. James back at 9 and very cold.
Tuesday 4th January 1955
Sleet and gales.
Moved my room to warmer one. James had his haircut. Library. Josephine Tey books. Rest on Phil‘s bed and slept. Wrote Mrs Hill re. my BHN book and insurance. To “Meet Mr Callaghan”, Derrick De Marney. Supper, 2/4 each Windmill. Bus to station!!! We walked back in slush. James with Mr Farrington doing wireless.
Wednesday 5th January 1955
Snow, but a bit warmer.
Down with James and bought wool for his cap. Lunch, Windmill. Knitted. Alys and I to Alice Embleton‘s (a fit). Played “Popoly” 5 till 6.45 (The Archers). Then I went to Brown Acres. Mrs Farrington to cinema.
Thursday 6th January 1955
Dull, thaw.
Doing crossword with James. He read Maugham stories, and I sewed nametapes on snakeskin shirts. Eve’s hairdo at Joyce’s. Roast beef and leeks at home. Alys shopped. James and Eve, long walk. I knitted. Wrote cheques (Johnson, Hazel, self to Bank). Brown Acres at 6.45. James at 8, and worked with Mr Farrington. Finished cap.
Friday 7th January 1955
Dull. Thaw.
James made pom-pom for cap. Lunch at Windmill. Alys and I shopped. James and Eve terrible quarrel over paints, pencils (broken). Eve painted foal. Tea. All to “The Far Country”, James Stewart, Gold Rush, 2/5. Supper at windmill. Taught James to knit. Alys and James to buy pyjamas.
Saturday 8th January 1955
Dull.
Eve still unforgiving. Alys and James to Saxmundham for cake. Eve drew, I knitted Phil‘s pullover. Lunch, Windmill. James took saucepan to Mollie. Alys and Eve to Thorpeness. Sent Alys’ cheque to Clectricity Board. James knitted his scarf. Eve helped! Mended frock, and knitted Phil’s pullover. Back at 7 for supper. James at 9.15 and checked over his clothes for trunk.
Memo:
3rd Paid Farrington £14.0.0 – 2 weeks at 7/ till 3rd.
Alys paid Farrington for James‘ bed and breakfast £10.10.0.
Christmas dinner £1.15.0 (7/6 each).
Sent lettercard to Mrs Bearcroft with 40/- Postal Order. 15/– per week till 15th +1.10 postage. 7/4 in hand (macintosh).
Sunday 9th January 1955
Dull, raw.
Wrote lettercard to Mrs Bearcroft with instructions. James wrote to Eva. I mended his blazer. He to Alys’ first. Then I. He wrote to Eva too. James and Eve both knitting his scarf, with coloured rows. All to Dolphin, Thorpeness, lunch (7/6). Phil at Lady Eddis’ for Yacht Club meeting. James and Eve played Popoly. “A Life of Bliss”, “Life With the Lyons”, “Top of the Form”. Phil in for cuppa and “Take it From Here”.
Monday 10th January 1955
Dull. Rainy. Mild.
Both down at 10 or so as began to rain. Presents arrived from Singapore. Alys and James out for navy pullover. Lunch, Windmill. Home; then all to Amy Nichols’ for 45 minutes or so. Home, then Alys and James to Mollie Hadow’s for tea. Jennifer, there. Berry’s played Popoly. Cast on front on Phil‘s pullover.
Tuesday 11th January 1955
Fine.
Alys had hair done at Joyce‘s. I to 5 The Rest at 12.20. Washed mince machine. Out to lunch, Copper Jug (2/9 + 5d tip). In JLN to take Phil suit to Haig at Uloff’s bungalow, Woodbridge. Met James with broken tooth. Eve locked us out! To “Susan Slept Here” and “Below the Sahara”. Alys took Hadow’s to Windmill for supper. Home by Wentworth Cut.
Wednesday 12th January 1955
Frost and sun.
Wrote Kitty. James did his shoes, gym. Mended Eve’s clothes, buttons. Lunch Windmill. James and Eve to Oakley House for loudspeaker. Alys and James to Brown Acres to pack James‘ trunk. Eve made Arab horse and rider. Lettercard to Mrs Hill, with pound note.
Thursday 13th January 1955
Fair. Sleet later. Cold.
Wrote Eva. To butcher for Alys. Men to assess rates at in No. 5. James and Margaret Hadow to Brudenell (High Tide). All of us Windmill lunch. Eve very disgruntled about going to Hadow‘s. She and James to tea there with stamp books. At 6 we 4 to see “Betrayed”, Clark Gable, good. Sausages, fried by Eve at home. James and I back at 9.55 in sleet. News and knitting (James) by fire till 10.25.
Friday 14th January 1955
Lovely day. Frosty.
Wrote cheques – Baker, Fern’s, Haughton (P.D.S.A.). Alys and Eve shopping for school. Eve’s trunk packed in p.m. by Eve. Lunch Windmill. James knitting scarf hard at intervals all day. Phil came about 5.30. I walked up on very slippery roads. James up about 9.30. He knitted and I read to him from “Ghost Cruiser HK 33”, (Kruder).
Saturday 15th January 1955
Thaw.
Did up parcel and sent to self at 12 Grove Road. To 5 The Rest and did up James‘ stamps and sent, registered to Abbey House. All lunch Windmill (Phil and James in car). I ironed Eve‘s things. Eve, James and Phil to “Betrayed”. I supper Brown Acres. Knitted scarf. “Marie Lafarge”. Phoned James to bring yellow wool. Horse chase by James, milkman, Farrington and Sergeant.
The Diaries of my Great-Great-Aunt Kate 