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Diary Entry: Went up to town to meet Moona who came to stay. Diary notes: Miss Noyes [aka ‘Moona’] was a friend of KPD’s (they went on some holidays together); She was, like KPD, a Nanny/Matron, and was also at Rossholme. She was with KPD on the latter’s birthday in April 1954, but died 9 …

Continue reading “Diary Date: 12th January [1942]”

Diary Entry: I saw Peggy off from Euston. Diary notes: ‘Peggy’ is Peggy Dell; Anthony (KPD’s brother) had married Peggy (1910 – 1991), his first wife and mother of his two children, Grahame & Jennifer.

Diary Entry: A [Anthony] left. Diary notes: Anthony, KPD’s closest brother, had volunteered (for the Territorials) before war was declared he had already been called up. He served in the Royal Artillery (Searchlights), and ended the war as an Acting Major.

Diary Entry: Mrs & Miss Humber to tea. Diary notes: ‘Miss H’ refers to Catherine Lucy Violet Humber (c.1889-1975) who lived next door to the Dells (at 37, Broxbourne Road, Orpington); she remained a friend of KPD until her death and is often referred to in KPD’s diaries.

Diary Entury: Anthony & Peggy came for nights. Diary notes: Anthony, (born 1909), was KPD’s closest brother, both in age and as a friend; he married Peggy (1910 – 1991), his first wife and mother of his two children, Grahame & Jennifer, in 1936.

Diary Entry: Left & had coffee Mrs Kemp Berkhamsted & took Ian out to lunch Watford. Saw Joan & four boys went home. Diary notes: The ‘Kemps’ were friends and former neighbours (when the Dells had lived in Berkhamsted). One, ‘Chrissie’ [CMK], remained a friend until then end of her life.

Diary Entry: All day in car. Wendover, Slough, Datchet, Uxbridge, Hillingdon, Denham, Gerrards X, Uxbridge, Amersham, Chesham. Diary notes: Whose car, one wonders…in the middle of the war? How did they get petrol? It wasn’t easy! Petrol was one of the first items rationed (September 1939) and it lasted until 1950! See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/26/newsid_2502000/2502691.stm

Diary Entry: Went to see Mrs Garment. 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: “”Called Lyn Davies, Royalty Theatre” Diary notes: Although there are many references to a ‘Lyn’ (or perhaps to a number of ‘Lyns’) in KPD’s diary, this is the only one given a surname, so it’s not possible to be sure if she is the same person mentioned elsewhere. There are several mentions

Diary Entry: Went with Marjorie to to Stony Stratford & Newport Pagnell. Diary notes: A journey of some 26 miles. But no indication of whether they travelled by bus, train or in someone’s car.