Went to Hampton Court with Don. Weather is too hot. Not a breath of air anywhere.
In other news: Germany invades the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa.
Friday 20th June 1941
Actually going out for a walk with Freddie. Went to Hampstead Heath & Ken Wood. Very nice. It made a lovely change.
Thursday 19th June 1941
Went out for a long hike with Don. We certainly covered some ground. Still having lovely weather.
Tuesday 17th June 1941
Another lovely day. Getting quite sunburnt. Went to Gaumont Haymarket with Freddie. Had quite a nice evening.
Monday 16th June 1941
Don came over unexpectedly. Met Dad from work. Had drink & came home. Been a beautiful day.
Sunday 15th June 1941
Don, Kate, Gladys, & Freddie Barnard came over to tea. Don & I did not go out after.
Saturday 14th June 1941
Went to the Gaumont with Mum in the afternoon. Went to the Palace with Don, his mother & cousin in the pm.
Thursday 12th June 1941
Had ½ day. Went to the Plaza & Covered Garden. Had a lovely time during evening. Freddie & I both enjoyed ourselves very much.
Tuesday 10th June 1941
On Fire Duty tonight. Pelting with rain this morning. Worked till 8pm. No air raid.
Monday 9th June 1941
Don came over. It's rained all day. Freddie wanted me to go out. But I'm seeing him Thursday.
Sunday 8th June 1941
Went to see Don's relations at Kingsbury. Came home at eight. Aunt Kate & Uncle Fred came up. All went out for drink.
Saturday 7th June 1941
Saw City of Conquest at the Forum. Very good. The best film I’ve seen for weeks. Stopped in during evening.
Get "City for Conquest" on-demand video from Amazon.com
Get "City for Conquest" on-demand video from Amazon.com
Thursday 5th June 1941
Funny morning after a violent storm & air raid. Saw Don & went to Chelsea Palace. Not very good.
Wednesday 4th June 1941
Freddie came through. Went to the London Pavilion. Saw "Topper Returns" quite good. A really enjoyable evening.
Tuesday 3rd June 1941
Awfully cold morning. Went over to Don’s place during evening. Quite enjoyable.
Monday 2nd June 1941
Don came over in afternoon. Went to Streatham Hill Theatre with Happy & Gladys.
Saturday 31st May 1941
Another miserable morning. Freddie came over early. Went to the Metropole. Came home & went down the Pier Hotel with Mum & Dad. All enjoyed ourselves. Gave Freddie his pullover.
Friday 30th May 1941
Went out & bought my new dress, then went to the Gaumont by myself. Not bad films.
Thursday 29th May 1941
Miserable morning again. Don came over. Went for a walk in the rain. Not seeing him till Sunday.
Wednesday 28th May 1941
Quite a nice morning. Went to the Dominion with Freddie. He & Mrs. Green both gave me a present.
Tuesday 27th May 1941
My 19th birthday. Freddie came through. Thinks my birthday tomorrow. Don came over. Went out with Mum & Dad for a drink.
In other news... The Bismarck was sunk by the British.
In other news... The Bismarck was sunk by the British.
Sunday 25th May 1941
On Fire Duty all day. Don met me. Didn't go anywhere special. Just called in for a drink.
Saturday 24th May 1941
Friday 23rd May 1941
Went to the Plaza. Saw the Lady Eve. Quite good. Very funny. Freddie lost his gloves this morning. Bet he doesn't go to Baker St for them.
Thursday 22nd May 1941
Freddie came through so we will be going out Friday. Stopping in during evening.
Tuesday 20th May 1941
Met Freddie. Went the Odeon. Saw "Chad Hanna". Quite good. In technicolour. Hope to see Freddie Friday.
Monday 19th May 1941
Don came over & we went to Chelsea Palace. Not so bad this week. Was going out with Freddie but he had to work.
Sunday 18th May 1941
Don came over in the afternoon. Went for a walk, had tea, then went over to his place.
Saturday 17th May 1941
Going to be a lovely day. Went out in afternoon. Bought new coat hat shoes & bag. Grey & burgundy. Saw Don in the evening.
Friday 16th May 1941
Lovely morning for a change. Stayed in for a change. Warning during the night woke me up, but went to sleep again.
Thursday 15th May 1941
Fire Drill at the office with water this time. Freddie came through. Still a job to get him. Went to the Metropole. Quite enjoyable. Funny films.
Wednesday 14th May 1941
Went to the Forum with Don. Saw the Fighting 69th. Not a picture for these times.
Buy The Fighting 69th from amazon.com
Buy The Fighting 69th from amazon.com
Tuesday 13th May 1941
Went to Battersea Town Hall with Audrey. Saw Don. Fed up so came home at 9pm. Don came home for me. He's had an accident to his ankles.
Sunday 11th May 1941
Woke up 10 a.m. Met Don at 2pm. Went to Walton on the Hill & Epsom. Lovely day. Really enjoyed my day.
Saturday 10th May 1941
Went to Wembley Stadium to see the Cup Final with Freddie. Match was a draw. Had a bad air raid. Fires all round. Went to bed at 5am.
Friday 9th May 1941
Went to Benham Works Dance. Celebrated Don's ten bob rise. Saw very little of dance.
Thursday 8th May 1941
Don met me from work. Went home had tea then on to second house Palace. Very poor show. Mum & Hilda like Don.
Wednesday 7th May 1941
Went to the Metropole with Freddie. Saw "So Ends Our Night" Propaganda but quite good. Freddie has got the tickets.
Tuesday 6th May 1941
On Fire Duty tonight. Rang Don. He's coming through Thursday. Freddie trying to get tickets for Wembley Cup Final.
Monday 5th May 1941
Cold morning again. Went to Wandsworth & had drink with Don. Did nothing very special.
Sunday 4th May 1941
Went to tea at Mrs. Foord's. The 1st day of summer. Lovely weather. Went down Horse & Groom later on. Air Raid during night.
Saturday 3rd May 1941
Lovely morning. Went to Metropole with Freddie. Saw "Arise My Love" & "Ghost Train". Both very good. Went down Six Bells. Later Air Raid as soon as Freddie got to the station.
Friday 2nd May 1941
Pay day thank goodness. Been really broke this last week. Went to Putney in evening. Went to dance for about ¾ hr. Got home 11.30pm.
Thursday 1st May 1941
Went to the Horse & Groom. Played darts. Don’t feel too good. Still got sore throat. Got home at eleven.
Tuesday 29th April 1941
Went to the Battersea Town Hall Dance. Saw Don. Met quite a number of people I know. Had a good time. Got home 11.15pm.
Sunday 27th April 1941
Went to the Forum with Don. Then went to Horse & Groom. Got home soon after ten. Quiet night.
Saturday 26th April 1941
Lovely morning but very cold wind. Went to Streatham Hill Theatre with Don. Saw the "Body was Well Nourished" with Jack Buchanan & Elsie Randolph. Very good play. Quite a change to see something worth while. Went down Horse & Groom at Wandsworth. Very jolly crowd.
Friday 25th April 1941
Finished work early. Went to the London Pavilion with Freddie. Saw W C Fields in the Bank Detective. Very weak programme.
Thursday 24th April 1941
Fredie came through first thing. Going out tomorrow. Went down to the Windsor Castle with Don in evening.
Tuesday 22nd April 1941
Lovely morning. Went to dance at Battersea Town Hall. Air Raid. Walked most of way home. Soon all clear.
[added later]
Met Don.
[added later]
Met Don.
Monday 21st April 1941
Going to Metropole with Freddie. Saw Marlene Dietrich in Seven Summers [sic - assume she means Seven Sinners]. Quite good. Short air raid.
Saturday 19th April 1941
Freddie rang, been on duty almost all the time since Wednesday. Told him to get some sleep so won’t be going out.
Wednesday 16th April 1941
Worst Blitz of the War. Land Mine at Cranmer Court. 3 bombs in Sydney St & Womens Hospital hit. Chelsea Old Church down to ground, Pensioners hit again. Went to London Pavilion with Freddie. He got home 3.45 a.m.
Tuesday 15th April 1941
Went to Regal in afternoon. Saw No Time for Comedy & Gallant Sons, Got ready for work in the morning.
Sunday 13th April 1941
Went to allotment in the morning. Went for a walk with Mum & Hilda in evening.
Saturday 12th April 1941
Saw Freddie today. Saw Virginia, Quite good. Went to the Six Bells in evening. Just opened up after bomb on lawn.
Friday 4th April 1941
Lovely morning. Sin to be in office. Saw Freddie at office. Went to Gaumont in evening. Saw Boris Karloff in "Before I Hang". Very depressing.
Thursday 3rd April 1941
Went to Dominion with F. Saw George Formby in Spare A Copper [VHS] [1941]
. Not so hot. Air Raid Warning at 10.40pm. 2 or 3 after.
. Not so hot. Air Raid Warning at 10.40pm. 2 or 3 after. 
Tuesday 1st April 1941
Work. Doing Fire Duty. Played table tennis most of evening. No air raid. Willesdon Junction all lit up.
Monday 31st March 1941
Work as usual. Now working 8 to 5. Went to Metropole with Freddie, saw North West Mounted Police. Very good, lovely colouring.
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Saturday 29th March 1941
Went to Regal Walham Green with Syd & Hilda. Saw Date with Destiny, quite good.
Thursday 27th March 1941
Freddie came down to office. Sliding all over floor owing to French chalk for dancing class night before.
Monday 24th March 1941
Had ½ day & went to Metropole with Freddie. Pictures not very good. Went to Palais in evening.
Sunday 23rd March 1941
Went to the pictures with Syd & Hilda. Aunt Kate wasn’t in when we went down in evening.
Friday 21st March 1941
Work again. Bought new pair of shoes. Went round Aunt Mary’s to help clear up.
Thursday 20th March 1941
Had ½ day. Saw Gordon Harker in Once a Crook, had tea, & went to Metropole. Think Freddie enjoyed himself.
Wednesday 19th March 1941
Had ½ day. Went to the pictures with mum. Went to Aunt Mary’s & stripped her wall. Very heavy raid.
On this day: a 500 bomber raid on the docks and East End of London killed 750 people and injured over a 1000 people seriously.
On this day: a 500 bomber raid on the docks and East End of London killed 750 people and injured over a 1000 people seriously.
Monday 17th March 1941
Went round Aunt Mary’s in evening. Weather very cold. No air raid for a change.
Saturday 15th March 1941
Freddie came through this morning. He’s having terrible hrs next week. Going to the pictures next Thursday with him. On Fire Duty all night. Went on roof 9.30 to 10.30. Very quiet. Played table tennis till one.
Thursday 13th March 1941
Stopped in all evening. Jerry paid us another visit. Dad on all night duty.
On this day: Glasgow is hit by its first significant air raid of the war. Because Clydebank, Scotland, with its vast areas of dockland, lay so far north, its citizens dared to hope that they were safely beyond the range of German bombers. However, on the nights of March 13-14 and 14-15, they were disabused of any such hopes when 400 bombers dropped more than 500 tons of high-explosive bombs and 2,400 incendiaries on Clydebank. In addition to devastating the docks, only eight of 12,000 houses escaped damage. Approximately 35,000 people became homeless and more than 1,000 were killed. The resulting fires were visible 100 miles away.
On this day: Glasgow is hit by its first significant air raid of the war. Because Clydebank, Scotland, with its vast areas of dockland, lay so far north, its citizens dared to hope that they were safely beyond the range of German bombers. However, on the nights of March 13-14 and 14-15, they were disabused of any such hopes when 400 bombers dropped more than 500 tons of high-explosive bombs and 2,400 incendiaries on Clydebank. In addition to devastating the docks, only eight of 12,000 houses escaped damage. Approximately 35,000 people became homeless and more than 1,000 were killed. The resulting fires were visible 100 miles away.
Wednesday 12th March 1941
Had ½ day. Saw Applesauce, had some tea & went to Metropole. Had a good time.
Monday 10th March 1941
Freddie came through. If Hitler permits going to see Applesauce with Freddie on Wednesday afternoon.
Saturday 8th March 1941
Blitz came back to London in evening. Fairly lively. Had my ends permed. Doesn’t look so bad.
On this day: The Cafe de Paris, London's most fashionable nightclub, was packed out. Officers on leave and their girlfriends, a wedding party and a birthday party danced to the music of 'Snakehips' Johnson. Nobody bothered when the sirens wailed, the nightclub was underground and they felt safe. Anyway, there was a war on and everybody was determined to have a good time while they were still alive. Just before 10 o'clock a bomb crashed through the roof and exploded on the dance-floor - killing 33 of the revellers and wounding scores more. 'Snakehips' was decapitated. Among the dead were all the people around one table; their open bottle of champagne still sanding upright in the centre, with not a drop spilt.
On this day: The Cafe de Paris, London's most fashionable nightclub, was packed out. Officers on leave and their girlfriends, a wedding party and a birthday party danced to the music of 'Snakehips' Johnson. Nobody bothered when the sirens wailed, the nightclub was underground and they felt safe. Anyway, there was a war on and everybody was determined to have a good time while they were still alive. Just before 10 o'clock a bomb crashed through the roof and exploded on the dance-floor - killing 33 of the revellers and wounding scores more. 'Snakehips' was decapitated. Among the dead were all the people around one table; their open bottle of champagne still sanding upright in the centre, with not a drop spilt.
Friday 7th March 1941
Still raining. Being given another war Bonus. Means more income tax. Went to H.P with Freddie Hilda & Peter. Wynne with the RAF.
Friday 28th March 1941
Went to Metropole with Freddie. Quite good films. Had drink in Windsor Castle. Raining very hard.
Wednesday 5th March 1941
Nothing exciting happened. Aunt Lis buried & baby Elise goes in St Lukes with pneumonia. Freddie not in office.
Tuesday 4th March 1941
Had ½ day. Went to Dominion with Freddie. Didn't go to H.P. didn't feel like it. Got a photograph at last.
Sunday 2nd March 1941
Went to allotment in afternoon. Freddie & Elsie & baby came round. Went out for a drink then went to Aunt Mary’s.
Saturday 1st March 1941
Work as usual. Went to Dominion with Freddie in evening. Air Raid as we came out. Nothing happened very quiet.
Friday 28th February 1941
Freddie rang. Probably going out tomorrow evening. Sirens went at 8.20 pm.
Wednesday 26th February 1941
Aunt Lizzie died. Another air raid fairly lively. Bitterly cold all day & night.
Saturday 22nd February 1941
Went to pictures in afternoon. Got remainder of wool for coatee. Stopped in during evening.
Friday 21st February 1941
Work. Feeling rather muzzy. Freddie came up to office. Went to bed at eleven & slept like a log.
Thursday 20th February 1941
On fire duty tonight. Very lovely night. On roof 1.20am to 2.45am. Lovely up there, Beautiful stars for astrologers.
Wednesday 19th February 1941
Went to Warner Cinema with Freddie. Saw the "Road to Frisco". Very good acting. Went on to Hammersmith Palais with Hilda, Doris, Syd & Freddie. Another air raid warning. Only for a couple of hours.
Monday 17th February 1941
Hilda's 15th birthday. Went to Hammersmith Palais. Hilda enjoyed it. She had couple of rivals after her. Air Raid warning.
Saturday 15th February 1941
Freddie Taylor rang up. Saw him & went to Waterloo to see him off. Couldn't get F.R. for him.
Thursday 13th February 1941
Had ½ day. Went up city with Freddie. Went to Met. Saw Wallace Beery in Bad Man of Wyoming. Very happy evening.
Wallace Beery in "Bad Man of Wyoming"
Wallace Beery in "Bad Man of Wyoming"
Monday 10th February 1941
On fire duty. Warning at 10.15 p.m. Off in ¾ hr. Played darts till 12pm table tennis till 1 a.m.
Thursday 6th February 1941
Went & got Mac's wedding present, bureau. Finished Mrs. Waterman's jumper.
Wednesday 5th February 1941
Went to Gaumont with Mum & Hilda. Saw Gasbags. Not so good.
Buy Gasbags on DVD from Amazon.com
Tuesday 4th February 1941
Snow freezing again. Went to Metropole with Freddie. He’s going to have terrible hrs week after next.
Monday 3rd February 1941
New hrs begin today. Not so bad. Stopped in knitting as usual. Air Raid last thing at p.m.
Saturday 1st February 1941
Up at 6.30 am. Playing table tennis by 7.30 am. Saw "Brigham Young" in the afternoon. Stopped in during evening.
On this day: Recognizing a need to protect merchant ships in the Atlantic, the U.S. Navy creates the Atlantic Fleet, with Rear Admiral Ernest J. King commanding.
On this day: Recognizing a need to protect merchant ships in the Atlantic, the U.S. Navy creates the Atlantic Fleet, with Rear Admiral Ernest J. King commanding.
Friday 31st January 1941
On duty all night. No raid alerts during evening. Played darts & table tennis till 12pm. Freddie highly amused.
1940s Table Tennis accessory set
1940s Table Tennis accessory set
Thursday 30th January 1941
Work as usual. Told we are to do night duty at office for fire duty. Air raid imminents all day.
Sunday 26th January 1941
Came home from Wynne's at eleven. Went to the pictures in afternoon & saw Aunt Kate etc in the p.m.
Saturday 25th January 1941
Wynne’s birthday party. Enjoyed ourselves very much. Freddie & I stopped all night.
Tuesday 21st January 1941
Nothing exciting happens. Stopped in & finished off my new dress.
1941 Sewing book
1941 Sewing book
Monday 20th January 1941
Had Gin for first time in life & felt awful after a time. Wynne got very drunk. Took her home in Frank’s car.
Sunday 19th January 1941
Wynne's 21st birthday. Stopped indoors all day. Played darts with Syd, Hilda & Dad in evening.
Friday 17th January 1941
Went to Oxford St with Mac to get Wynne's 21st birthday present. Got a bed-side lamp.
Wednesday 15th January 1941
Morning pitch black. Working O/T. Snow fell heavily. World looks quite different, clean, with a bit of snow around. Stopped in pm + did some darning.
Tuesday 14th January 1941
Had ½ day. Went to Metropole with Freddie. Played Monopoly with Freddie, Syd Hilda, Dad. They owed me thousands.
Saturday 11th January 1941
Went to Gaumont with Mum. Saw "Neutral Port", Will Fyffe & "Cross Country Romance" Gene Autry. Weather rather frosty.
Will Fyffe and Yvonne Arnaud in "Neutral Port"
Also on this day: 117 people were killed in Bank Underground station when it took a direct hit.
Will Fyffe and Yvonne Arnaud in "Neutral Port"Also on this day: 117 people were killed in Bank Underground station when it took a direct hit.
Friday 10th January 1941
Hilda goes to Wren House for the day. More incendiaries & H.E's. Dad driving & dodging oil bombs.
Sunday 5th January 1941
2nd Great fire of London. Blazes all around. Cornwall Hse hit. Hilda will not have to go to work.
Thursday 2nd January 1941
Went to Commodore with Freddie. Air Raid but very quiet. Beautiful clear night.
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