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Diary Entry: Half-day. Went Wrexham with Joan Rogers. Went to see Leslie Howard in “The Scarlet Pimpernel” Uncle Claude died. Diary notes: “The Scarlet Pimpernel” was a 1934 film starring Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon and Raymond Massey. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Pimpernel_(1934_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9780067 ‘Uncle Claude’ was Claude Evershed, KPD’s maternal uncle, who lived near Tunbridge Wells. He had …

Continue reading “Diary Date: 22nd October [1943]”

Diary Entry: Convoy to Bala – rather wet. Went theatre. Diary notes: A 70 mile round trip. Presumably the theatre in Chester KPD mentions quite often.

Diary Entry: Solo to Rhyl. Pouring rain. Lunch & tea Dowells. Diary notes: The Dowells were friends living in Rhyl who KPD met quite often.

Diary Entry: Win & I went to Wrexham. Tea & to “We dive at dawn”. Diary notes: Win. [Winifrid] Quarmby was a friend, probably a colleague from the A.T.S. “We dive at dawn” is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring John Mills and Eric Portman. For more information see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Dive_at_Dawn

Diary Entry: Shopped. Went Watford after lunch. Tea Joan Gardener & saw Judy, John, Mark Michael but not Dick. Returned Gresford. Diary notes: Joan and her four sons seem to have lived in or near Watford. KPD mentions then a few times in her diaries.

Diary Entry: Went to shops. Went mushrooming Ashley Green & woods afternoon. Went up to see Betty & Christopher pm. Diary notes: Berkhamsted, where KPD had grown up (the Dells lived there 1914-26), still held happy memories and a number of friends for her. ‘Betty & Christopher’ were presumably two of those.

Diary Entry: Lunch Mrs Garment. Left early tea Webbs Chesham. Night Mrs Kemp. Kitsbury Rise. Diary notes: Mrs Garment seems to have been a friend from the Berkhamsted area, where the Dells had lived more than 20 years earlier. KPD often returned there to stay or visit.

Diary Entry: Left 12.22. Went to Berk[hampsted] & had tea Simpsons. Went to Aylesbury for night M.F.W. Diary notes: ‘M.F.W.’ is Marjorie Webb. The Webbs, who lived at a house called Ingleside in Chesham, were friends whom KPD frequently visited, esp. Dorothy and Marjorie.

Diary Entry: L [Lilian Richards] & I biked Chelsfield, Shoreham, Chevening, (picnic lunch), Brasted, Westerham, Cudham & Downe.L left & I met Valerie Evans 2nd sub at Waterloo. Diary notes: This bike ride is around 25 miles.Valerie Evans was a friend KPD had met after joining the A.T.S.

Diary Entry: Humbers to tea. Lilian Richards for night. Diary notes: The Humbers were the next door neighbours, and friends, of KPD and her Mother. Lilian Richards seems to have been a friend KPD saw quite regularly during the war years.