Category Archives: Uncategorized

Diary Entry: Met Enid Wyatt for supper. Diary notes: Who ‘Enid Wyatt’ was is not clear – perhaps a colleague from the A.T.S.

Diary Entry: Rushes again. Saw “Pygmalion” Diary notes: “Pygmalion” was a pre-war (1938) British film based on G. B. Shaw’s play. It starred Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller’ See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_(1938_film) 

Diary Entry: Met José & Valerie & had dinner Hungarian Restaurant. Diary notes: José [McLelland]was a friend of KPD, and probably also in the A.T.S. KPD socialised with her, and even went on holidays with her over some years.  ‘Valerie’ may well be ‘Valerie Evans’, who was a friend KPD had met after joining the …

Continue reading “Diary Date: 1st May [1945]”

Diary Entry: Snow. Diary notes: A very late snowfall this year!  Only 11 days after a day KPD describes as ‘very hot’!

Diary Entry: Went for Gertrude for night. Niece Sheila there. Surrender of German armies in Italy. Diary notes: Gertrude was a friend KPD saw frequently – being mentioned in the diaries from 1933 to 1977 (as Gertrude) and to 1986 (as Trudie). 

Diary Entry: Called V[Veronica?] Spent evening Cosgraves Diary notes: ‘V’ may refer to KPD’s sister ‘Veronica Dell’, or to one of KPD’s friends called ‘Valerie’. Again mention of the mysterious ‘Cosgraves’.

Diary Entry: Saw “Keys of the Kingdom” Diary notes: “Keys of the Kingdom” is a 1944 US film based on a novel by A J Cronin. It stars Gregory Price and Vincent Price. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Keys_of_the_Kingdom_(film)  By The Keys of the Kingdom, a production of 20th Century Fox. – https://www.moviepostershop.com/keys-of-the-kingdom-movie-poster-1944, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72844422

Diary Entry: Doctor to Mother. A[Anthony] left early  Diary notes: It is clear that KPD’s mother, Ellen (‘Nellie’) Dell, was generally not in good health at this time, when she was 70 years old. In fact she lived until 1960 and died at 85. 

Diary Entry: Third day on Rushes. Had lunch Denham. Went home. Anthony there Supper Lewis’ Diary notes: ‘Rushes’ refers to the raw film shot during one day. See: https://www.mediacollege.com/glossary/r/rushes.html  ‘Anthony’ is ‘Anthony Dell’,  KPD’s closest brother (just one year older).   The Lewis’ were a family KPD worked for as a nanny, who became friends; …

Continue reading “Diary Date: 21st April [1945]”

Diary Entry: Very hot. Dinner Smiths Diary notes: It is unclear who these ‘Smiths’  are, but 1948-50 KPD was the Matron of one of the boarding houses at Malvern College, and whilst there mentions the ‘Smiths’ quite often. Whether these are the same people is not certain.