Cynthia’s Diary – Jan 7, 1940

Sun 7

Called for  Pamela too late to go church, went walk, Church afternoon.  Took Wendy walk in morning.  Went to ?gus match, out with Paddy.

Mon 8

Went to school, all girls have not come back yet.  Pam went to new school.

Tues 9

Called for Janet & Renee, skated on ice, had fun, boy went through ice.

Wed 10

Wrote letter to Mummy.  Lotty is going to dance, so is Renee.  It is 2/- hope Fred goes, bet he doesn’t.  Skated, Janet’s foot went through ice.

Thurs 11

Skated again, saw Fredallie ??Brother??.  He’s getting friendly.

Fri 12

Had letter from Mummy.  Went to Alfold Guy Fawkes Carnival dance, had fun.  Danced every dance.  Nearly won two prizes.  Boy image Jackeie and Elizabeth and Peter were there.  Jack went by bus.

Sat 13

Went ice skating with Renee.  Had ride on her bike, saw Fred.

Sun 14

Missed a treat, could have had breakfast in bed.  Water froze in taps.  Went out with gang & Paddy.

Mon 15

Went moonlight skating, had go on sleigh.  Went out with gang, kissed Paddy, arranged to go out.

Tues 16

Weather is freezing, did not do much.  Have some fun at school.  One of twins fell down on ice, slight concussion.

Wed 17  Went out with….(Shorthand)

Thurs 18  Every day we get snow-balled.  Boys wait at the corners of the roads and shower us with snow.

Fri 19

Got Mummy’s letter, money.  Went out with gang.  Had some fun, good eats, mistletoe.

Sat 20

Eileen B—-, Reggie’s party.  Stanley there.  We——— by 12 o’clock.—there.  Reggie, Eileen, Pat, Willie, Stanly, Cynthia, Freddie, Cicily, Larry, _____, John, Janet.

Cynthia’s Diary – Jan 1, 1940

January 1940

Mon 1

Went to cinema with Auntie Pat, Pat, Pam & Wendy.  Saw Mr. Motto Takes a Vacation, Stanley & Livingstone.  Good.

Tues 2

Mummy took Pat, Pam & myself to see “All the Best”, a review.  2/-  seats, ices and sweets, enjoyed ourselves.  Wendy at Auntie Pat’s.

Wed 3

Went to Auntie Pat’s, helped with curlers.  Torch broke.  Had film developed, jolly good.  Put them in album mummy gave me for Xmas.

Thurs 4

Went to Auntie Pat’s.  Mummy came later, arranged to have a party, we were going to play tennis on Friday, too cold.

Fri  5

Had a bit of a party.  Phoebe came gave me 6d.  Had a nice tea.  Mummy came out without key.  I was at Auntie Pat’s, she came in slipped???

Sat 6

Came back to Alfold, such a night, nearly got on wrong train, held it up, met Janet, went to new billet.  Quite nice, Miss Watson gave me 6 l. Mummy saw us off.

 

Cynthia’s Diary – October 1, 1939

The Rectory 1939 (Cynthia waving)

When Cynthia was evacuated from London, in September 1939, she and her baby sister Wendy were first billeted at the Rectory in Alfold village.  Her bedroom faced the cemetery, where a large rock supposedly marked the grave of a witch.  A previous occupant of the room, a girl named Mary, had scratched her name on the pane of glass with a diamond ring.  I wonder if it is still there?

Dorothy, Wendy, Margaret at the Rectory garden, facing Surrey Downs, October 1939

Cynthia’s Diary – Story of evacuation to Alfold, September 1939, page 8

I would have to guess mostly what she was saying, as her accent was really broad.

Naturally, I took advantage of the opportunity to get out, although in a little village like that, there was nowhere to go anyway.  I used to meet some of the other girls, and a few of the village boys.  It was all very harmless.  In the cold weather, if there happened to be ice, we’d go sliding around on it.  In the warm weather, we’d just walk and talk, and the boy I liked and sort of paired off with, would walk me home, and give me a shy boyish good-night kiss.

I think my trouble started, when I was invited to a birthday party for Beryl Burst.  A number of us went, and as the Eildons (Newburys??), went to bed fairly early they gave me the key to let myself in.  It was a wonderful party, and none of us got home until about 1 A.M.  Mr. Eildon informed Mr. B. that they had worried over me for hours.  I really don’t know what time they expected me to arrive home from the party.  Anyhow I was given a reprimand, and was told I had to get permission every time I went out, and to be back by 9 o’clock!  What humiliation, after all I had had permission to go to the party.

In my spare time, I wrote some letters, one to a girl friend, and one to the Daily Mirror, which I really hadn’t any intention of mailing.  Anyhow in the girl’s letter, I had mentioned a boy named Red, had kissed Joan, and had now got the measles, and in the other, had asked any lonely soldiers, sailors or airmen, if they wanted a pen pal, to write to me, as I was lonely too.  Mrs. E. must have been looking through my belongings, because one morning her husband asked me to please bring down the two letters I had in my drawer upstairs.  I like a frightened chick, went upstairs and got them and handed them over to him.  Next day, I was called to the headmasters study.  What a catastrophe, apparently it was immoral for the kids to have crushes and kiss boys, and there would probably be an epidemic of measles, (naturally the girl in question, denied kissing the boy), according to my letters the whole school was corrupt.