My granddad died in 1983. For the previous 20 years, he kept a diary, recording his day as a farm worker and then through his retirement. We are lucky enough to have his notebooks, all the entries in block capitals, often in pencil. He always tells us about the weather, sometimes about what is going well at the allotment. We get updates of how Liverpool are doing and the occasional political thought. He suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, was always in pain, but you would never know from these entries. My mum once described him as a contented man. Who knows, really, but certainly, there is something soothing about these entries. So I thought I would share them with you. We have a few years to cover so buckle up.
A lovely mild day. Got moped back from Cameron’s last night. 12/-. Seems ok now. Old Dot passed her test yesterday.* Car washing K, B2, H. making 14 to date. Did B1, A, G in the week.
(At aged 90, my mum had just turned in her license. As she frequently reminds us, she’s never had a fine or penalty in 61 years of driving.)
A nice day but started to rain about 4pm. Washed two cars. B1 and G. Cleaned the silage lab out. Came push bike again. Stayed dinner. It’s dammed hard work, peddling with one leg.
More rain again today but nice later on. Came to work on the push bike. Stayed dinner. John took moped to Cameron’s. Won £1 on the sweep on the St Ledger. Cleaned A’s car. Did all the usual chores.
Rain all day again but warmer. Jack Earle came to do moped last night but it conked again at dinner time. John going is going to take it to Cams*. Cleaned No.2 jet. Came back from dinner on bus.
A heavy fall of snow in the night. Earle never came to do the moped. Still sleeting and snowing for most of the day. Dot, Ron and Jane came for tea. Went to see Jack.
Day off today. Tried to get the moped going but no luck. Heavy rain all day. Changed to snow at night. Went to the WSheaf for a bit. Nell went to bingo. She asked Earle to come and do moped.
Not a very nice day. Drizzling all the time. Did Gay’s car. Moped packed up. Getting a new plug for it. Best down here about the ventilation. Miss Robb got engaged Wednesday.
A mild day again with slight rain in the afternoon. Stayed for dinner and went for petrol 5/8. Did the flues. No.2 very dirty. Len on two days holiday.
Got up at 9.30am. A nice mild day again. Finished pruning the roses. Went for a kip after dinner. Dot, Ron and Jane came for tea. Saw Ron’s new watch. Very nice.
Day off today. Got up about 9.15am. A nice mild day. Cleaned my moped. Went to Sheaf at night. Saw Mick. Paid him for the tickets 7/-. All square now again.
A lovely mild day with sunshine. Car washing G.B.H.T. and B2 in the week making 8 to date. Had half a week’s pay bonus today. Bert did electric blanket for me.
A frost at first but nice and sunny later. Dot and Jane home today. Washed Bill Barnes’ car. Did outside Ts. Leg fairly good today. Lpool beat Leicester 1 none last night. Ron got (drawing of a football).*
(*FA Cup 6th round replay. I have conferred with my dad, who has no memory) of getting the football after that match, which seems unlikely. So, no idea what that means.)
A dull day with a cold, east wind. No.2 on red this morning. Centre frugal switch sticking. Bert and I cleaned them on both motors. Cleaned silage lab out.
A slight frost at first but lovely and sunny later. Cleaned TS car. Very dirty. Cleaned both jets. Rolly came to see me. He looks well. Got a new leather off Mrs. H. L
Work again today. Came on moped. Roads ok now. Did some car washing. K.A. making 3 to date. A lovely warm sunny day. Real spring. So different from last week.
Day off today. Got up at 9.15. Ron brought Jane at 9am. Going to match at Leicester. Dot came after dinner. Went back on 6 bus. Went to the Sheaf at night.
Frost again last night. Weather a bloody (something I can’t read). John brought me in. No.2 went on red. Did H car and cleared all lab bins. Ted taking me home tonight.
Heavy snow last night. Old Road blocked again. Not fit for moped. John came for me. Power cut. Both XH off. No.1 on red. Had a big pig to burn. Terry taken me home tonight.
Second day at work today. Leg not so bad when I got up and ok all the morning. Went and got half a gallon of gas at dinner time from the Shrew garage, 2/-11d.
Not a bad morning. Got up at 9.30. Little Jane stayed the night with us. She was very good. Ron and Dot went to a dinner at Lever’s last night. Came to us for dinner today.
(Mum and Dad failing to remember what that dinner was. “Not the managers’ dinner.”)
Got up at 8.30 and went to Selby for the final note. Harry Welsh came to see me. We went for a drink to the Wheatsheaf. Stayed until 1pm. Horace came at night.
Got up 9am. Not a bad sort of day but a cool wind. Went to Dot’s on the moped. Jane pleased to see me. Someone pinched £400 out of the safe at work last night.
A dull rather cool day. Went to Selby for a sick note first. Then went to C’Bridge to see Mr Partridge. Went on moped. He said I could start work Monday.
Got up at 9.30. A cold, raw day. Ron brought Jane and Dot for the day. Ron gone to Bolton to watch Liverpool in cup match. Got back about 7pm. M Steward buried.
(Liverpool won, 0-1, scorer Ian Callaghan. My dad has just told me that he had a car crash on the way home. “Not sure why I wasn’t prosecuted.” Don’t think my Granddad was aware.)
Got up at 8.15 to go to therapy again. Got back about noon. Nell gone to Dot’s on the 1 bus. Got back at 4.30pm. Nothing important. Bill and Dora came.
Got up at 9.30am. A rather cold morning. Jane and Dot came to see us. Old Horace Ford came to see me. Stayed until about 9 o’clock. Thought he was never going.