March 1945

Thursday 1 March 100 from Ken. 211 in all evening - washed my hair
Friday 2 March. Usual sort of Friday. In all evening. War news good. Germans getting terrific battering.
Saturday 3 March. Letter from Betty. Did Red X. Neil and I went to Palace. 212 to Ken. Lovely day but cold. John bought spaniel puppy.
Sunday 4 March. Very dull. 212. Played gramophone records all evening.
Monday 5 March Busy at the office. Betty rang up from Fairfield. Altered grey skirt. 213
Tuesday 6 March 213 Saw "laura" with Kathleen. Very good. Had two gins at the Red Criss. Betty rang up.
Wednesday 7 March. In all evening. Betty rang. Wrote to Ken. Letter from Ken's mother.
Thursday 8 March. Same old Thursday. Made treacle tart and sausage rolls to take to Chief. 214
Friday 9 March. Same old thing - work
Saturday 10 March. Went to Fairfield to visit Chief in hospital. Captain Hammerdick there, also Fred from San Antonio. Lovely weather.
Sunday 11 March Came Home - dreadful travelling on Sunday.
Monday 12 March. Wrote Betty and Frances. 215 to Ken. Felt very tired all day. Collected rents after work. Lovely weather.
Tuesday 13 March. Dull as usual. Work best time.
Wednesday 14 March. Letter from Jock. Horrendous weather for about a week. Letter from Betty. 216
Thursday 15 March. Work as usual, lovely day. Went to bed early and listened to the wireless. Always bored these days.
Friday 16 March. 217. No letter from Ken for over a fortnight. Chief moved 74th gen. hospital. Betty rang up.
Saturday 17 March 218. 101 from Ken. Collected for Red X. Flicks with Nigel
Sunday 18 March. Indoors nearly all day. Wrote to Chief also his mother. Betty rang from Clevedon. Read quite a bit.
Monday 19 March. Letter & photos from Ken. 102. 219
Tuesday 20 March. Took Red X bag. Spent pleasant evening with Kathleen & Lionel. Wrote to Jock. Lovely weather.
Wednesday 21 March. Betty came home from Falfield. Glorious weather. 220 to Ken.
Thursday 22 March. Usual sort of day - in all evening.
Friday 23 March. Lovely day again. Mother, Betty and Neil went to the pictures. 221
Saturday 24 March. Betty and I went to London to see about the passage to America. Met Jock for lunch at Trevor Arms, Knightsbridge. Very warm weather.
Sunday 25 March. Mother, Betty and I went to Bristol to see Chief as he is leaving for the States on Monday. Terrible return journey.
Monday 26 March. Chiefs 25th birthday. Drank his health at 10pm. 222. Rent collecting. Boy on bike ran into car in Downley.
Tuesday 27 March 105 from Ken. Lovely day. Washed my hair. Anne's 6th birthday. Chief left for America.
Wednesday 28 March 228 Rained nearly all day. Rang Jock. Washed Mothers hair.
Thursday 29 March. Betty and I went to the pictures. Rained like the devil when we came out.
Friday 30 March. Finished work at 3.30. Red X 225. All at home in the evening writing, knitting,washing etc.
Saturday 31 March. Betty and I shopped in Wycombe all the morning. Spent rest of day at home.

February 1945

Thursday 1 February Went to see 'The White Cliffs of Dover'. Much warmer weather. Betty rang up from Bristol on her way back to Teddington.
Friday 2 February Started 200 to Ken. Betty rang up. 93 from Ken. Said had benn on a very cold trip 7000 ft
Saturday 3 February Mother N went to Teddington and bought Betty's things home also Betty. Did Red X collecting. Stayed in all evening.
Sunday 4 February Finished 200. Lovely warm and sunny day.
Monday 5 February . Letter from Chief. 201 lovely sunny day.
Tuesday 6 February  Went to London. Left Ma's umbrella in Marylebone station cloakroom very wet
Wednesday 7 February  Saw "Pride and Prjudice" letter from Betty
Thursday 8 February  Very busy at the office. Rained all day. 202 to Ken.
Friday 9 February  Usual sort of day. Very Dull evening.
Saturday 10 February . 94 + 5 from Ken. 203. Washed the car. Wrote to Chief, Francis and Mrs Clark. Stayed home all day.
Sunday 11 February  Very wet day. At home all the time. Wrote Ken a surface letter and sent a diary etc. Ida and June came up. John took me to the Hallow in the evening.
Monday 12 February  96 from Ken. Write to Betty and sent the rent.
Tuesday 13 February. Terribly dull - usual routine. Went to bed very early. Started 204
Wednesday 14 February Lovely sunny day, Betty rang up from Bristol. Sent 204
Thursday 15 February. Same old thing - work. Betty rang up in the evening. Scottie back from the vets.
Friday 16 February. Mother went to Fairfield to say with Betty for a few days. 205
Saturday 17 February Neil and I alone. Went to see "Rainbow Island" and a funny Boy Scout film.
Sunday 18 February. Glorious day. Walked through Naphill and N. Deans. 206 to Ken also wrote Betty. Good war news.
Monday 19 February Collected rents. Cooked pasties in the evening. Work as usual.
Tuesday 20 February Mother and Betty came from Fairfield. Lovely day. 209 to Ken.
Wednesday 21 February. Saw  "Casanova Brown"
Thursday 22 February. In all evening. Betty at home 208. Lovely day.
Friday 23 February. Joan Lively came to tea. Finished 208.
Saturday 24 February. Betty and I left home at 7 for Bristol. Reached Fairfield at 2.30 and got to the hospital to see Chief at quarter to four. He looked well. Lovely day.
Sunday 25 February.caught 4 o'clock bus to Bristol, reached London at 8.30 and Wycombe just after 11 pm. Enjoyed the weekend.
Monday 26 February 97 from Ken. 209. Felt very tired after so many train journeys. Pretty dull day. Box of fish arrived from Seaton.
Tuesday 27 February Letters from Ken. Xxx o Betty and Frances. Lovely day. Stayed in all evening. John came home from Seaton 210
Wednesday 28 February. Went to the Rex to see "When Irish eyes are Smiling".

January 1945

Aunt Ruth - exact date not confirmed - kindly provided by Matt Hopkins, with thanks

Monday 1 January 78 from Ken.  (sadly I cannot read these few words - apologies that they don't make sense)Toten for living.Note 184 to Ken. Very lovely weather to start 1945.

Tuesday 2 January 79 From Ken. Wrote him 185

Wednesday 3 January Chief rang up from Wycombe en route to Reading airport. John came back from Devon.

Thursday 4 January Lovely day, cold and frosty 186 to Ken.

Friday 5 January  Started 187. Mother + Neil went to the pictures. Enjoyable evening –

Saturday 6 January Stayed in all afternoon + evening. June and I went to Wycombe in the morning bought keys. 81 from Ken

Sunday 7 January Terribly cold again. Finished 187. Had some snow.

Monday 8 January Took June to school. Collected some rents after work. Letter 80 from Ken. Washed mothers hair in the evening. Wrote to B

Tuesday 9 January Letter from Peggy. 188 to Ken. Snowy again.

Wednesday 10 January Mother and I went to see ‘Love Story’. Very good.

Thursday 11 January Heard that Chief had been in plane crash in France and was the only one to escape with his life – two broken legs. 189 to Ken also wrote to Peggy –

Friday 12 January Work as usual. No more news of chief.

Saturday 13 January Did Red X. Went to see ‘Adventures of Mark Twain.’

Sunday 14 January 190 to Ken. Heard that Chief was in hospital in Gloucestershire. Went for a walk in the afternoon. 83 from Ken.

Monday 15 January Collected rents in the morning. Betty rang up.

Tuesday 16 January 191 to Ken. Washed my hair. Jock rang up. Betty went to Gloucestershire to see Chief.

Wednesday 17 January Nothing exciting to relate. Started to read ‘Buried Alive’ by Arnold Bennett.

Thursday 18 January 84 and 85 from Ken. Wrote him 192. Very wet day.

Friday 19 January Paid wages in the afternoon. Betty rang up.

Saturday 20 January Went to Teddington to help Betty pack up. Quite a lot of snow in Wycombe when I got back

Sunday 21 January 195 to Ken. Lovely day – snow – but bright and sunny. Read quite a lot – ‘Anna’

Monday 22 January More snow. Betty rang up from Bristol

Tuesday 23 January Letter from Chief. He has been awarded the Purple Heart. Wrote to him. 194 to ken. Felt very dull all day and evening.

Wednesday 24 January Betty came over to stay for a couple of days. Very cold weather and quite a lot of snow on the ground. 86 from Ken.

Thursday 25 January 195 to Ken. Betty bought new slacks and a blouse in Wycombe.

Friday 26 January 88 and 89 from Ken. Arnold Stratford visited us on leave from M-E-F. Took Betty to the station for the 8.38. Russians have separated S Prussia for rest of Germany.

Saturday 27 January 196 to Ken stayed in all evening. Mother in bed.

Sunday 28 January Mother in bed. Lovely sunny day but very cold. Ida and June came up. Started 197

Monday 29 January More snow! Finished 197. Mother in bed.

Tuesday 30 January 91 from Ken. Deep snow. Betty rang up to say Chief was much better. Washed my hair. Thaw set in. 198 to Ken.

I Shall Pass

The words below were written in Ruth's hand at the back of her 1944 diary. According to Wikepedia - the words arecredited to Stephen Grellet. However Aunt Ruth wrote R.L.S below the poem - so I wonder if she believed it was attributed to Robert Louis Stevenson. When I read these for the first time they struck me as being the words by which Aunt Ruth lived!

I shall pass through this world but once.
Any good thing therefore I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now, let me not defer it or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.

December 1944

Friday 1 December Betty rang up during the evening.

Saturday 2 December  164 to ken. Shopped in the afternoon. Stayed in all the evening.

Sunday 3 December  165to ken. Wrote to Betty. Went for walk in the afternoon with Neil.  John and Pat rang up.

Monday 4 December  69.70.71 Three air letters , surface letter and anniversary telegram from Ken. 166 to hi. Lovely day. Collected the rent.

Tuesday 5 December 167 to Ken. Stayed in all evening.

Wednesday 6 December  In all evening. Jock rang up.

Thursday 7 December Spent evening at Kathleen’s. Terrible weather all day. John came back from Seaton.

Friday 8 December 168 to Ken. First snow.

Saturday 9 December went to Betty’s for the weekend saw Carmen Miranda in ‘Greenwich Village’

Sunday 10 December 169 to Ken. Got back from Betty’s on the last bus. Had a very nice weekend.

Monday 11 December Started 170  to Ken. Talked to Jock on the phone.

Tuesday 12 December  Letter from Betty.  Finished 170. Wrote to Chief. Wet and miserable weather again.

Wednesday 13 December  74 from Ken. 171 to him. Very foggy day. Went to Wycombe and did some shopping before going to work.

Thursday 14 December  Packed up Xmas parcels and wrote letters. Ken’s mother rang up. Letter 172 to Ken. Miserable weather again.

Friday 15 December Usual sort of Friday at work.

Saturday 16 December  Collected Red Cross. Neil and I went to the pictures. No 173 to Ken.

Sunday 17 December Washed my hair. Played gramophone records. Started 174 to Ken.

Monday 18 December Lovely day. Collected some rents in the morning . Finished 175.

Tuesday 19 December  Xmas greetings in letter from Ken. Very foggy day. Mother and I went to Wycombe and bought reading lamps for John and Neil. 176 to Ken.

Wednesday 20 December 10.15 a.m Mr Vaughan. Very foggy in London. Had quite a good day. 177 to Ken.

Thursday 21 December Letter 76 from Ken. Jock rang up.

Friday 22 December Finished work at lunch time. Went to Wembley to take duck to Peggy. 178 to Ken on the train. Betty came.

Saturday 23 December Neil, Betty and I went to Wycombe in morning and had a drink at the Red Lion. Mad mince pies in the afternoon. Stayed in all evening. Jock rang up. 179 to Ken.

Sunday 24 December  Chief came home from France for 7 days leave. B. he and I got very merry on John’s gin at night. Very cold and frosty.

Monday 25 December  Oranges from Ken. Betty x Chief went to London for a broadcast. Letter from Chief. Wrote to Ken.

Tuesday 26 December Betty and Chief went back. Went to the pictures in the afternoon. Started 181 to Ken. Jock rang up during the morning.

Wednesday 27 December Wrote to Ken’s Mother. Didn’t go to work. Heating system frozen up. Finished 181. Received lemons from Ken. June came for a few days.

Thursday 28 December Did office work at home as heating was frozen up. Very dull evening.

Friday 29 December 182 to Ken. 77 from him. Still very cold and frosty. Mother full of xxxx as usual.

Saturday 30 December Collected for Red X June came with me. Stopped in all evening. Very miserable. Letter from Ken’s Dad.

Sunday 31 December Went for walk in the afternoon. Very Dull. 183 to Ken. Jock rang up. Saw the new year in. Jock range after midnight to say happy new year.

Monday 1 January 78 from Ken. Token for him. Wrote 184 to Ken. Very lovely weather to start 1945.

November 1944

Wednesday 1 November Went  shopping before going to work. Bought book of Country poems to send to Ken -also crossword puzzle book and Xmas cards. Received letter from Jock. Went to the pictures with Neil to see ‘Destination Tokyo’.

Thursday 2 November 148 to Ken. Rang Jock

Friday 3 November Boring as usual

Saturday 4 November Surface letter to Ken. Received one from him addressed to John, Neil and I. Went to see ‘Home in Indiana’

.

Sunday 5 November Started 149 to Ken. Chief broke his ankle playing football. Dreadful day – stayed indoors all the time.

Monday 6 November Letter 64 from Ken. Sent him 149. Collected rent in the evening. Started 150. Ida went away for a few days.

Tuesday 7 November Letter and football poster from Betty Lovely day again. 150 to Ken. Betty rang up during the evening. Boxing tournaments started in Wycombe again.(below are scores from 7 November 1944)

Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
		Teddy Peckham		L	Mick Carter		PTS	8	8x3
		Harry Legge		W	Billy Haley		PTS	8	8x3

Wednesday 8 November Pretty dull. Wrote surface letter to Ken and packed Christmas parcel.

Thursday 9 November Letter 65 from Ken. Took only 3 days. Sent off his parcel. Betty rang up in the morning after her interview at the Ministry of Labour.

Friday 10 November 151 to Ken. Very cold but nice day.

Saturday 11 November Remembrance Day. Collected Red X. Dreadful weather.

Sunday 12 November Neil and I went to church in the morning. Wet in afternoon. Stayed in for the rest of the day. 152 to ken.

Monday 13 November 66 from Ken. Also letter from Betty. Very cold weather. 153 to Ken, Jock rang up.

Tuesday 14 November Cold and miserable day. Betty rang up. 154 to Ken.

Wednesday 15 November Letter 67 from Ken. Lovely day. Jock rang up. 155 to Ken.

Thursday 16 November Finished 155. Mother and I went to see ‘Passage to Marseilles’ rather depressing.

Friday 17 November Rained all day long. Letter from Jock.

Saturday 18 November Mother and I shopped in the afternoon. Had tea at Sherriffs. 156 to Ken.

Sunday 19 November Jock came. Very wet day.

Monday 20 November 157 to Ken. Betty rang up.

Tuesday 21 November Lovely day. Wrote to Jock, also to Frances.

Wednesday 22 November Mother, Neil and I went to see ‘Double Indemnity’. Very dismal day. Wrote 158 to Ken, also wrote to Betty.

Thursday 23 November 67 and 68 from Ken. Wrote him 159. Betty rang up.

Friday 24 November Letter from Jock. Betty and Chief came back for two days.

Saturday 25 November Met Betty + C in Wycombe, had a meal with them then went to the local for a drink. Collected Red X. Wrote 160 to Ken.

Sunday 26 November Betty went back. Very miserable weather. Surface letter to ken, sent him wedding photo’s from Betty. Jock rang up.

Monday 27 November Jock range up again to say his father was dangerously ill and not expected to live. Letter 161 to Ken.

Tuesday 28 November Ida showed up in her true colours she came in at night and there was a ‘show down’

Wednesday 29 November Letter 162 to Ken. Ida and her family having to go to digs in Wycombe. Betty rang up to say Chief had gone to France. Rang again in evening.

Thursday 30 November 163 to Ken. Ida and her family departed. Wrote to Betty. She rang up . Wrote to Peggy Tyas. 

October 1944

Sunday 1 October 134 to Ken. Returned home at 7pm. Rained in evening

Monday 2 October Helped Mother with rent  collecting. 185 to Ken. 55 from Ken

Tuesday 3 October Letter 56 from ken. Helped Mother to get ready for her holiday.

Wednesday 4 October Went to Waterloo with Mother to see her off to Seaton. Met Betty there – then went shopping. B bought a coat. Returned after lunch. Jock came over

A later postcard showing the 'prom' at Seaton.

Thursday 5 October 136 to Ken. Made blackberry and apple jelly. Wrote to Mother at Seaton.

Friday 6 October Neil and I lunched at Sheriffo (?) Rang Betty.

Saturday 7 October Trouble at Ida’s. Peggy + June came up to stay, Ida came late at night. Jock came in the afternoon from London. 137 to Ken. Recd. Letter and photos from Ken.

Sunday 8 October More trouble at Ida’s. Jock visited us again in the afternoon.

Monday 9 October Letter 59 from Ken. Very nice one. Seems fit. Also recd letter from Fran. Collected the rents. Wrote to J. 138 to K.

Tuesday 10 October Very Busy. Bathed June then washed my hair.
Wednesday 11 October 139 to Ken. Letter from Jock. Awful weather. Did some cooking during evening.

Thursday 12 October Wrote to Jock. Terrible weather. Betty rang up in afternoon. Ida x family still with us.

Friday 13 October 140 to Ken. Another busy day.

Saturday 14 October Lovely day. Collected for Red X. Neil and I tried to get into the pictures in ?????

Sunday 15 October 141 to ken. Glorious day – busy all the time. Peggy + June here. Ida away for the weekend.

Monday 16 October Collected rents after work. Ida came back at night. Mother rang up from Seaton. 59 from Ken

Tuesday 17 October 142 to Ken. Mother rang up again.

A picture of Betty and Chief sent to Ruth

Wednesday 18 October – no entry

Thursday 19 October 143 to Ken

Friday 20 October Jock came over in evening

Saturday 21 October Mother and I went to see ‘Song of Bernadette’ in the afternoon.

Sunday 22 October 144 to Ken,

Monday 23 October 60 and 61 from ken. His trip was very successful. Took red X box back £3.18.0 for 2 mnths

Tuesday 24 October Betty came over to stay for a couple of days.

Wednesday 25 October 145 to Ken

Thursday 26 October Betty went back in the morning. Mother still in bed with a cold. Ida and family still with us.

Friday 27 October Neil, John and I lunched at The Red Lion. Mother in bed.

Saturday 28 October Met Frances in Wycombe in the evening for a couple of hours. Wrote 146 to Ken. Rang Pat. Jock rang me later.

Sunday 29 October 147 to Ken. Busy in the house all day. Jock rang up

Monday 30 October Lovely autumn day. Letter 63 from Ken. Also heard from Betty. Sent 147 to Ken

Tuesday 31 October Nice day. Betty rang up and asked me to take ?????? to Moira. In at the evening as usual.