Friday 19th January 1934
As in previous years, I will give a detailed account of my day.
7:15am Called, with a cup of tea and hot water. Dozed until
7:35am When I hurriedly got up.
7:55am Breakfast. (Porridge, sausage, toast, bread, butter, marmalade, tea) Read the “Daily Mail” as I ate.
8:20am Walked to work. Rather cold.
8:35am Was changed and at work in Paripan’s Making Shop. Gums.
9:40am Burnt on the right wrist while stirring in wood oil. My fault. Saw splash coming but did not move, pseudo heroic.
10:00am Pots nos. 2 & 4 off at 590f no 3 on at 540f.
That is the continuous morning work while running gums. On – off. Hot linseed at 565f Off – add wood oil and beware of splashes. Chalk up the time on the pot. On – off.
10:45am One pot had risen to 625f. Foreman dispelled the head. Pepper-like fumes.
11:10am No.1 pot taken off. High. Above 600f Should have come off earlier.
11:20am Rising and in danger of firing. Cooled in yard. Temperature fell
11:30am Worried about no.1 Was it my fault? Jack said, “Don’t you worry about that. It ain’t nothing”. Good old Jack!
12:00 With Ted in the yard, emptying a pot of gum. The foreman went to dinner.
12:30 Drawing off some wood oil in the stores and spilt a little and remarked to Arthur that it was what you would call “a bloody mess” Feelings greatly relieved. Bill and Ted went to dinner.
1:10 Having washed and changed, walked home across the warm, sunlit Medes. Thought I saw a girl riding in the distance. I was wrong.
1:20 to 1:35 Dinner: soup, fish and chocolate pudding. Harvey listening- in with headphones.
1:40 Smoking and reading the paper.
1:55 Back to work. Emptying gums with Bill and Ted, and thinning with spirit.
3:33 A few entries in my “recipe book” – how to make paint.
4:50 Emptied the last pot. Rolled up some old oil barrels and loaded them onto a lorry.
5:00 Washed and left work. Dusk as I walked home. A crescent moon. Noticed red-grey sky behind the wooded hill.
5:30 Back to digs. A fire now. Tea, with Harvey still listening in and I with “Alias Blackshirt” propped against a loaf. Chicken and ham, chocolate biscuits, toast, cheese.
6:10 Washed, donned clean white shirt and TocH tie, black socks and shoes. Old shabby suit.
6:40 Walked to Staines. Near the Bridge, a car’s wheel came off. The car rushed past me, sparks flying from the dragging axle, then stopped. Nobody hurt.
7:10 Library. Checking books out with two TocH men, Ford and Butler, until 8:5p.m. Wearing white gloves to hide my oil-stained hands.
8:40 Reading “Alias Blackshirt” by the fire, Harvey still at the wireless.
9:40 Began to read a psychological book but gave it up. Rolled a cigarette instead – “Gold Flake Honey Dew” tobacco.
9:55 Harvey gone to bed. Had my furtive supper, bread, cheese and butter. Bought the latter and scrounged the bread from the tea table. Reading Blackshirt again.
10:10 Began writing this. It is now 10:55 Shall roll another cigarette and listen to dance music. The earphones are on my head. The band is playing the new number of “Close your eyes”.
11:20 My day is done. To bed now. Warm for January.
A year ago I was 19. Well, I am still 19! Have left the Scouts. Sometimes the longing returns even now. But am keen on TocH. Asst. Pilot at Runneymede. I am a student at Paripans Ltd. “Nominal wage” 20/-(net) Since this time 1933 many changes have occurred. A happy year though it might have ended differently.
There usually follows my thoughts on - Girls. But now, what is there to say? All is clear, surely!
7:15am Called, with a cup of tea and hot water. Dozed until
7:35am When I hurriedly got up.
7:55am Breakfast. (Porridge, sausage, toast, bread, butter, marmalade, tea) Read the “Daily Mail” as I ate.
8:20am Walked to work. Rather cold.
8:35am Was changed and at work in Paripan’s Making Shop. Gums.
9:40am Burnt on the right wrist while stirring in wood oil. My fault. Saw splash coming but did not move, pseudo heroic.
10:00am Pots nos. 2 & 4 off at 590f no 3 on at 540f.
That is the continuous morning work while running gums. On – off. Hot linseed at 565f Off – add wood oil and beware of splashes. Chalk up the time on the pot. On – off.
10:45am One pot had risen to 625f. Foreman dispelled the head. Pepper-like fumes.
11:10am No.1 pot taken off. High. Above 600f Should have come off earlier.
11:20am Rising and in danger of firing. Cooled in yard. Temperature fell
11:30am Worried about no.1 Was it my fault? Jack said, “Don’t you worry about that. It ain’t nothing”. Good old Jack!
12:00 With Ted in the yard, emptying a pot of gum. The foreman went to dinner.
12:30 Drawing off some wood oil in the stores and spilt a little and remarked to Arthur that it was what you would call “a bloody mess” Feelings greatly relieved. Bill and Ted went to dinner.
1:10 Having washed and changed, walked home across the warm, sunlit Medes. Thought I saw a girl riding in the distance. I was wrong.
1:20 to 1:35 Dinner: soup, fish and chocolate pudding. Harvey listening- in with headphones.
1:40 Smoking and reading the paper.
1:55 Back to work. Emptying gums with Bill and Ted, and thinning with spirit.
3:33 A few entries in my “recipe book” – how to make paint.
4:50 Emptied the last pot. Rolled up some old oil barrels and loaded them onto a lorry.
5:00 Washed and left work. Dusk as I walked home. A crescent moon. Noticed red-grey sky behind the wooded hill.
5:30 Back to digs. A fire now. Tea, with Harvey still listening in and I with “Alias Blackshirt” propped against a loaf. Chicken and ham, chocolate biscuits, toast, cheese.
6:10 Washed, donned clean white shirt and TocH tie, black socks and shoes. Old shabby suit.
6:40 Walked to Staines. Near the Bridge, a car’s wheel came off. The car rushed past me, sparks flying from the dragging axle, then stopped. Nobody hurt.
7:10 Library. Checking books out with two TocH men, Ford and Butler, until 8:5p.m. Wearing white gloves to hide my oil-stained hands.
8:40 Reading “Alias Blackshirt” by the fire, Harvey still at the wireless.
9:40 Began to read a psychological book but gave it up. Rolled a cigarette instead – “Gold Flake Honey Dew” tobacco.
9:55 Harvey gone to bed. Had my furtive supper, bread, cheese and butter. Bought the latter and scrounged the bread from the tea table. Reading Blackshirt again.
10:10 Began writing this. It is now 10:55 Shall roll another cigarette and listen to dance music. The earphones are on my head. The band is playing the new number of “Close your eyes”.
11:20 My day is done. To bed now. Warm for January.
A year ago I was 19. Well, I am still 19! Have left the Scouts. Sometimes the longing returns even now. But am keen on TocH. Asst. Pilot at Runneymede. I am a student at Paripans Ltd. “Nominal wage” 20/-(net) Since this time 1933 many changes have occurred. A happy year though it might have ended differently.
There usually follows my thoughts on - Girls. But now, what is there to say? All is clear, surely!
posted by Paul Wilson at 7:25 pm
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