Friday 1 June
Saw Mother off to Ipswich for the weekend. She caught the 6 o’c train and went with Uncle Willie. I went to Maths. Didn’t do much else. The weather is rotten. Cold and wet in spots with a bit of sun here & there.
Saturday 2 June
Went shopping in the morning. Managed to get some soap flakes and some real starch, both at Woolworth’s. Went to the hospital in the evening. Nothing doing there worst luck. We just sat and folded gauze.
Sunday 3 June
Went to 8 o’c Mass (1st Sunday). Procession in the afternoon. Outdoor. Corpus Christi. Quite well organized for a change. Josie came to tea. It poured in the evening.
Monday 4 June
Went to French. It is very difficult now. Or, seems to be to me. Went to the Pav. after. Saw “Mr Emmanuel”. Quite good. Felix Aylmer. Also, “South of the Border”. I’d seen it before. It wasn’t bad. Gene Autry, who’s rather stodgy.
Tuesday 5 June
Went to History. It was Mr Armstrong again. As usual he ran on about things which, though quite interesting, are no earthly use to us in the exam. Didn’t do much else. Mother saw “The Unseen”. She said it was quite good. Tessy’s found out there are over 75 “Horns” in Switzerland! (She’s mad on mountaineering since she saw “The Challenge”.)
A General Election had been called for 15 July. The defeated Conservative candidate in the by-election, Brian Cook, was not in the running this time.
Wednesday 6 June
Went to a Conservative meeting at the Corn Exchange. Hubert Ashton is the candidate. He’s not bad, but he was a cricketer and keeps talking about “sticky wickets” etc. That sort of thing bores me stiff. I wish Cook was standing again.
Thursday 7 June
Went to church at 6.30. Then went with Mother to see “A Song to Remember”. Good. Lovely music. The life of Chopin but not very accurate as to facts. Still, it was worth seeing just for the music. Jose Iturbi played. Cornel Wilde was Chopin. He was quite good but not much like Chopin to look at.
Friday 8 June
Went to Maths. The office gets worse and worse. Rotten lot! I’m getting desprit! [Although this spelling is now common on message boards, usually followed by “lol” etc., here it must be a deliberate misspelling, probably an allusion to some long-forgotten joke.] Can’t stand it much longer. I think I’ll have to advertise for a Maths teacher. Don’t get far with the Tech one. Beastly weather still, on and off.
Saturday 9 June
Tom-Tom, Percy, Joan & I were the only ones at work this morning. We had a discussion about various things, such as there being no such thing as time or space. Tom-Tom was very profound. Went to dance at the Tech. Quite good. Nice lot there though mostly youths!
Sunday 10 June
Went to 9.30 Mass. Didn’t do much of note. Have nearly finished one sandal now. (Rope soled). Went to church in evening. It rained hard later on. Flaming June!
Monday 11 June
The office is just like a prison. They want our time sheets every day now, presumably to try to make us work harder. They won’t succeed that way, not with me anyway! Went to French. I don’t think there will be many more classes at the Tech.
Tuesday 12 June
Went to History but no-one else turned up. Had Mr. Armstrong to myself! He said I could study on my own so I left at about 7.15 & went to the pictures! Saw “Hotel Berlin”. Good. Helmut Dantine, Peter Lorre, Raymond Massey.
Wednesday 13 June
It gets worse & worse at the office. I will go off my head soon! Went to church, then took Chum for a walk with Tessy. Lovely evening. Looks as if the weather is changing for the better.
Thursday 14 June
The weather hasn’t decided whether to be fine or not. Went to church at 6.30. Spent the rest of the evening studying history etc. Saw Mary at church and arranged to go for a walk along the river on Saturday if it’s fine. (This isn’t a Red Letter day! I just happen to be using a red ink pen.)
Friday 15 June
Went to Maths. Didn’t do much else. Wish I could find someone to give me Maths lessons. I’ll have to advertise. Should write some letters but just haven’t got the energy. I’ll be glad when September’s over & I can relax, or can I?
Saturday 16 June
Frances came at about 11.30. Got up early. Did some housework, then met Mary at about 11.45 and we cycled to Little Baddow, left our bikes there & walked along the towpath as far as Alting [sic: she means Ulting]. Lovely there. Quiet. Hardly a soul in sight at all. Dull day though. Went to hospital in evening. Quite interesting. Still don’t like Dr. Allen.
Sunday 17 June
Went to 9.30 Mass. Mary Weston asked me to tea to-day. I got there at about 3 o’c. (She lives in Rectory Lane. It’s very quiet there.) Nice day. Had a nice time. F[rances] & Mother cycled to Billericay this P.M.
Monday 18 June
Think I’ve got a puncture. It may be the valve rubber though. Went to French. Not many there. Probably because the weather is so nice to-day. 5 of them are going in for an R.S.A. exam next Monday.
Tuesday 19 June
It is a puncture I’ve got. Managed to pump it enough to get to work & back. The worst of it is that the puncture is near the valve, if not on it so I’ll probably have to have a new inner tube. Went with Mother to the Liberal Meeting. Not Bad. Hilda Buckmaster (the candidate) is quite nice.
Wednesday 20 June
Had a big tea then went to Mrs Alford’s “At Home” & found a large spread there! Couldn’t eat all I wanted to. Had quite a nice time. Better than I expected. There were a lot of people I didn’t know there though. (All from the hospital F[irst] A[id] Post.)
Thursday 21 June
Went with Mother to Ashton’s meeting in the Corn Exchange. Douglas Jerrold [a right wing author and publisher, a Catholic and an associate of Graham Greene] spoke. He was very good. Pretty good meeting altogether. Best I’ve been to. We went after to the Pav. & saw “Love Story” Stewart Granger & Margaret Lockwood. Quite good.
Friday 22 June
Mary Symonds & Barbara [Fisher]’s Birthdays. Went to a sale of ARP equipment in the casualty clearing station. Had to queue for ½ an hour, then didn’t get anything! They let people have as much as they liked so there was nothing left, & we were near the front of the queue. (Jean L. & I.)
Saturday 23 June
It was the Crusade of Rescue [a charity set up to provide homes for Catholic children] day to-day & Gerry and I sold flags in the afternoon. Rotten job! It was blazing hot too. Don’t think I did badly, all the same.
Sunday 24 June
Didn’t do much. Went to 9.30 Mass. Mended my bike again but don’t suppose it’s any good. The puncture is on the valve. Went to church at 6.30. The Canon didn’t preach.
Monday 25 June
Went to French but no-one turned up, not even the mistress, so I went with Gerry to see “The Keys of the Kingdom” (Cronin wrote the book) Very good. Gregory Peck was Fr Chisholm & was just right for the part.
Tuesday 26 June
Went to History. No one there! Nice lot. I expect they’ve given up. I shall have to study on my own now. Don’t fancy taking Matric in September really, but must all the same. Didn’t do much.
Wednesday 27 June
Aunty Riley came. Took Chum for a walk with Tessy & Mary. We went to the “Matterhorn” again. Didn’t do much else. Jawed with Mother & Aunty Riley. Don’t do much studying I am afraid. Must pull my socks up.
Thursday 28 June
Went to church then went with Gerry to see “Music for Millions” with Margaret O’Brien (child prodigy). Didn’t think much of it (or her). Was rather bored. Gerry too. Quite nice music though classical.
Friday 29 June
Went to Mass (Sts. Peter & Paul). Went to Maths in evening. Last lesson of that. Must advertise for someone to teach me or I’ll never pass Matric. Haven’t much time either, shall be glad when it’s all over.
Saturday 30 June
Went for a walk with Mary in the afternoon, over the fields to Baddow, then back by the river. Went to the hospital. Quite busy. Several patients in. Added to that they were taking an inventory & all the equipment was laid out all over the place. Didn’t get home till 11.20!
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