My Dad's Diary : Wed 31st December 1947

"Work again.

Paid 1st full monthly salary £21.14.9.

Saw the New Year in at Mother's with Ronnie & Glad, Billy & Winnie."

And that, of course, is the last entry of the Diary. In the Notes at the bottom of the final diary page are these important dates:

"1947

Harry born Jan 29th.

Established as Sen. Mss. Nov 10th."

Finally, at the back of the diary, is a list of music that presumably my Dad listened to and thought worthy of noting down:

"Mood Indigo.
Moonlight Sonata.
Concerto for Two.
Rachmaninoff's Second.
The Flea.
The Folks Who Live on the Hill.
Liebestraum.
On with the Motley.
The Student Prince.
The Desert Song.
Tommy Dorsey - Getting Sentimental.
Cabin in the Sky.
Gloomy Sunday.
Westering Home (Robert Wilson)
Tenement Symphony (Anne Shelton)
The Folks Who Live on the Hill."

And yes, "The Folks..." does appear twice.

I hope at least some of you have found these diary entries of interest and my thanks to those who may not have found them so, but stayed on nevertheless.

To those who unsubscribed because "Content no longer relevant" I have nothing to say because you won't read it anyway (smiley face).

My Dad's Diary : Mon 29th December 1947

"A/L. 

Mother minded Harry in PM. 

Took Doris to Westgate to see Charlie Chaplin."



The film was probably Monsieur Verdoux, a black comedy in which Chaplin abandoned his little tramp persona to play: "A suave but cynical man supports his family by marrying and murdering rich women for their money, but the job has some occupational hazards."

The film was not well received by the press and did better in Europe than America, but it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing in 1947.

My Dad's Diary : Sun 21st December 1947

"Took Harry for a walk, called in at Freeman's.

Usual night with Ronnie."

I don't know who Freeman was.

My Dad's Diary : Sun 30th November 1947

"Took Harry in pram to garden.

Everything frozen - bad walking.

Went to mother's at night."

My Dad's Diary : Thur 9th October 1947

"Harry now has 5 teeth.

Wrote to Joe Milburn."

My Dad's Diary : Fri 5th September 1947

"Harry is now 19 lbs 8 ozs.

Very light shower during night. Hot & dry during day."

My Dad's Diary : Tues 2nd September 1947

"Still hot and dry.

Overtime.

Harry cut his second two teeth."

My Dad's Diary : Tues 19th August 1947

"Sat for Promotion Board.

Hot day. No rain.

Stayed in at night to look after Harry."

My Dad's Diary : Wed 23rd July 1947

"[1st WEEK HOLIDAY]

Wet this morning. 

The others left at 11.30. I stayed behind to clear up and look after Harry.

Fine afternoon."

My Dad's Diary : Tues 22nd July 1947

"[1st WEEK HOLIDAY]

Harry cut two teeth.

Lovely hot day. Lazed about.

Went down to Cresswell, then to Plough with Ken."

I think this is The Plough:

My Dad's Diary : Mon 16th June 1947

"Dull day.

Coal arrived.

Harry weighs 15 lbs."

My Dad's Diary : Wed 11th June 1947

"Fair day.

Doctor says Harry OK.

Finished off front passage."

My Dad's Diary : Sun 8th June 1947

"Windy and showery.

Suspect Harry has measles, but he seems fine.

Out with Ronnie at night."

My Dad's Diary : Sat 7th June 1947

"Anniversary Father's death (1 yr).

Distempered front bedroom.

Harry develops spots."