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.
Another cold day again with some slight snow showers. Some sunshine. Cleaned all lab grids out. 600 galls of oil came. X. Cleaned both jet and both cold filters. X. Carron left tonight. Gordon putting shed by the T pen.
(Just reminder, I have no idea what X means. It appears often. I think T pen is turkey pen.)
Another bitterly cold day with the wind still in the east. Some heavy snow showers. Went to Fern Bank to re stack the hay. It had fallen down. Cleaned the pumps and oiled them.
Another bitterly cold day with east winds and snow showers. Washed Bond’s car. Cleared the silage out again. Washed the lind in boiler room. Feeding the birds in the wood again.
A bitter cold day again with frost and snow last night. Only washed 1 car. S.B. makes 49 to date. Cleaned both jets again. Boilers slow building up a temp owing to bitter wind.
Got up at 10am. Still very cold with heavy snow showers. Ron and Dot came. Ron took post home with him. Went to Wheat at night. Saw Arthur Cottrel.
Day on today. Got done early. Very cold again. Wind still east. Went to P in the afternoon. Rose pruning. Paid HIM 16/- for the knives. Nothing unusual to report. 3/- Bill Edwards sweep.
A bitterly cold east wind still blowing. Car washing again H.A.Mc.S. making 47 to date. 1 ton of coke off A.P. X Cleaned the copper in the boiler room. Mulrey off sick.
A sharp frost this morning and a bitter east wind blowing all ay. Got 16/ off Howarth for the knives. Painted four boards for Gordon Robinson. Two coats each. Cleaned both jets.
The wind cold out of the east again today. Sawing up old turkey pen doors. Swilled round the bins. Put new gasket on No.1 hot oil filter. Also a new olive on short oil pipe.
A nice mild day again. Did some forking in different places. The Yanks put a man in orbit. One of the rhodies down the drive coming into flower. Cleared the silage bins again.
(John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth on this day.)
My Granddad is Keeping Busy 