Diary Entry: Went to Wittenham to stay Pitts. Diary notes: The Pitts, who were were friends and neighbours of the Dells in Orpington. Elaine Dell, wife of Martin Dell, was a Pitt. Long Wittenham is a village between Didcot and Abingdon in Oxfordshire.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Diary Date: 12th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Started leave. Home by 10am Tea Orc[hard] Cot[tage]. Tried June in car. Diary notes: Home for KPD was still her Mother’s home, 35 Broxbourne Road, Orpington, Kent. Orchard Cottage, Crofton (near Farnborough, Kent) was the home of the Lewis family, former employers of KPD who became good friends. ‘June’ is ‘June Lewis’, and …
Diary Date: 11th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Went to church. Very wet. Diary notes: All her life KPD was a keen churchgoer, though her allegiance to a specific church was less than that to churches in general.
Diary Date: 10th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Went Abbots Langley for night. Flora & friend Dorothy there. Diary entry: KPD often mentions going to stay at Abbots Langley, so clearly had friends there, but although a number of them are mentioned by Christian name only, their full identity hasn’t been given. Abbots Langley is only 10 miles from Berkhamsted, where …
Diary Date: 9th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Fetched N.A.A.F.I. & maintained Diary notes: The NAAFI was a company created by the British government on 9 December 1920 to run recreational establishments needed by the British Armed Forces, and to sell goods to servicemen and their families. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy,_Army_and_Air_Force_Institutes
Diary Date: 8th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Men’s billets am. Eileen, Joan, Audrey & I had tea & went to “Waterloo Road” Diary notes: ‘Eileen’, ‘Joan’ & ‘Audrey’ were all friends KPD met whilst working in the A.T.S. “Waterloo Road” is a 1945 British comedy starring Alastair Sim, Stewart Grainger and John Mills. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_Road_(film)
Diary Date: 6th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Curzon St. Rations & coke to Kenton. Went to see Valerie. Diary notes: A day spent fairly close to her home base (Kenton is less than 5 miles from Wembley). ‘Valerie’ may well be ‘Valerie Evans’, who was a friend KPD had met after joining the A.T.S., but there are other Valeries she …
Diary Date: 5th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Took Miss Daley & Hatcher to Surbiton. Lecture on Russia. Diary notes: More general driving work in London for KPD. The ‘lecture on Russia’ is interesting – at this time the Soviet Union were still our allies in the war versus Nazi Germany, and British propaganda was ‘pre-Russian’ (hence George Orwell having difficulties …
Diary Date: 4th February [1945]
Diary Entry: Breakfast in bed. Met M [Marjorie Webb]. & Miss Beardshaw lunch at B.R. Diary notes: A rare lie in on a Sunday for KPD. ‘Miss Beardshaw’ must have been another friend. The meaning of ‘B.R.’ is not certain.
Diary Date: 3rd February [1945]
Diary Entry: Wealdstone a.m. To Aylesbury stay Marjorie Webb Diary notes: The Webbs, who lived at a house called Ingleside in Chesham, were friends whom KPD frequently visited, esp. Dorothy and Marjorie. On this occasion KPD seems to have been visitng Marjorie who was living at another location.
Aunt Pamela's War 