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.
Fairly mild today again. Clay beat Liston last night.* No men to do the boiler yet. Cleaned Shack’s car. Cleared out the silage lab. Did all the Ts. Not a lot to burn today.
*Cassius Clay (Mohammad Ali) beat Sonny Liston to become World Heavyweight Champion.
A lovely day again with some sunshine. Dot and Jane at home today. Loaded the trailer with the stuff from the boiler. No one on it again today. Did all the Ts again.
A lovely mild day with rain until about noon. Car washing again. T.B.K.G.Mc. making 40 to date. No men working on the boiler today. Cleaned the outside Ts.
A good bit warmer today. Came out to see the burner again. Raining nearly all day. Frank and Dora came. Also Dot, Ron and Jane came for tea.
Day off today. Still bitterly cold. Came out to see to burner. Men not working on boiler. Time wasted. Too cold to do any gardening. Ann left last night.
A sharp frost last night and a bitter east wind again. Insurance man came out to see the boiler room. Don’t know as yet what will happen.
A bitter, cold day again. A hell of a mess in boiler room. About three inches deep in water. Had to move it all in buckets. Don’t know how long it will take.
Still that bitterly cold east wind blowing. Some frost this morning. Finished whitewashing down boiler room. 600 galls of oil came. Did all the Ts again. Got 1 doz eggs.
A very cold east wind today with a frost last night. Did some whitewashing down the boiler room, the cold place. Cleared the silage lab out and did all the Ts.
A bitterly cold wind. Some rain and hail. Some snow in the night. Car washing again. B. Polished G.Mc. making 35 to date. Did all the Ts. A lot of stuff in to burn.
My Granddad is Keeping Busy 