Tuesday 30th March 1937

Met Vera and Anne in the evening and took them to see some all-in wrestling. Filthy fouls and a match where the weaker man took some grim punishment (“lay off, you’ll break my bloody leg!”) and eventually got a locked jaw. Anne was rather disgusted but Vera loved it. Her eyes gleamed with excitement and she convulsively seized my arm.

Back to Canvey afterwards. Rather delicious when, as we lay beneath the eiderdown, on my bed, I pretended to be disgruntled. First Vera sang softly – a favourite song of hers called “Sentimental Fool” – then she called me “Sulky Peter” and tried to make conversation. I still feigned gloom as she said I was stupid - and kissed me.