Book 29

Thursday 18^th December 1941

This evening I met 2 old friends & made 1 new one.
On Charring X Stn, I met David Randall. He lives at Hornchurch now & he was saying that they used to have quite a good amateur RAF band there during the summer, & when I asked him some of their names he said “well there was Joe Daniels drums 3 & Joe Loss’s pianist 4 & some other chaps from big bands”, !!!!!! ………”Quite a good amateur band”.
We went to the club in the evening.

When we were finishing I saw a chap I thought I knew & I thought – shall I speak to him or not.
However I went up to him – & boy oh Boy am I glad I did. I asked him if he was at Lister Institute just
before war started, he was, & he remembered me once I spoke to him, we were soon talking away
furiously & I got from him the information that Doris Stainsby came back from evacuation about 3
months ago & he said that they still hold a club on Thursday night & that he thinks she goes.  He said that quite a lot of the chaps & girls are home now, Staveley is a messenger in the ARP now.

Anyway I’m going up to Lister next chance I get which is on the 8^th Jan to meet Doris if possible.

Some other chap also spoke to us as he wants to take up some instrument but he didn’t know what to take up, he said that whatever he takes up his father will teach him as he can play almost any instrument & he was in the army band when he was in the army, he taught Eric Tann of the Blue Rockets to play the trombone.

We said the best thing he could take up would be tenor Sax & told him that if we were to enlarge our band that would be the next instrument we would have.

I also found that he was interested in Jazz & has a small collection of discs & I said we will have to get together sometime.

Friday 19^th December 1941

I bought 2 of the jam session discs today.  FDH didn’t have the 3^rd but they will have it tomorrow.

I got “Tea for two” & “Honeysuckle Rose & “I found a new Baby” I also bought Teddy Wilson with Billie Holliday singing “I cried for you” & “I’ll get by”.

In the evening I painted a poster for the St Peters Hall.

That chap from night school called round with 50 fags for me.

Got 2 quid Christmas Box from firm.

Saturday 20^th December 1941

FDH didn’t have that 3^rd disc so I will have to try Monday.  Messed about all afternoon.  Went to St. Peters Hall this evening.

Bed 12.30

Sunday 21^st December 1941

Dad & I went to Laindon today.  I took down my records & went all through the other discs down there I found 2 or 3 good ones & 1 Red Nichols record.^I  I left them all down there. It was frightfully cold. 

Home 6.15.

I finished off a poster for St Peters Hall.

Bed 11.15.

Monday 22^nd December 1941

At the office we all put 2/6 & bought a bowl of flowers for Miss Joseph.

I went to FDH during my lunch hour & paid for my record & asked them to phone me when they had it.

 I bought a book of boogie woogie solos from P.M.

Stayed in during evening.

Tuesday 23^rd December 1941

I took Bert’s drum to the office.

Miss Joseph gave us all a diary & a pack et of fags. FDH came on & said my record was in.  In the afternoon I went to Waterloo to meet Mrs Guedalla & give her her turkey.

About 4.40 Miss Joseph came & said she wanted me to go to Mr Spyer’s flat at Hendon and collect a turkey Mr Spyer had got for her.  So I went up there (she said I could do it & get back in time for the dance).  But when I got there Mrs Spyer’s hadn’t got the turkey ready & I had to go & wait for it in the sitting room with her mother & brother.  They’ve got a newday “Mike”, I got talking to them & told them about our job tonight & they got me playing on their baby grand for a while, I gave them Russian Rose; Oasis, Sweet Sue & Whispering & then they had the turkey ready so I left with a handful of fags she gave me & an invitation to go to Totteridge & play on the big grand from Park Crescent.

I got back at the office at 6.15, Josey  was in a panic thinking I was lost & Bert was waiting for me, I had a wash & then scrammed, when I got downstairs Len & Ron had arrived so we all  piled on to the tube & were round to the White Hart, we set up about 7.30 & soon after that the dinner began & we were asked to sit in with them, we had soup, Ham & Beef with salad & beer, then there was a couple of speakers & then the dance started, they all got blind drunk & most of the fellows got round all the girls who were drunk in fact it was like a Honky Tonk after a while.  The piano was lousy but they liked us & we will get the job if there are any more dances.  

Home at 12.30.

On the way home Len slung his music case against mine & broke my St Louis Blues record, the soppy twerp.

Bed 1 am.

Wednesday 24^th December 1941

I bought a couple of ties today – one of them was Mums birthday present to me.  

We left the office at 4.50 – about an hour & a half earlier than I expected.  Just before I got home Mr Willett had brought mum a chicken that had just been killed & the Butcher had let mum have her weekend joint & then when Dad came in he had another chicken – & last Sunday we were wondering whether we would have to have bread & cheese on xmas day.

After tea I plucked the chicken Mr Willett had brought us.

XMAS DAY

Thursday 25^th December 1941

Up at 11.30.

Ron came round at 12 & said that Dolls brother, Fred, had come home on leave, so of course we told him to bring him round tonight as well.  While he was here Len came down to see what time he & his ma should come down tonight & later I saw Bert & asked him to come in.

Our party eventually was mum, dad, me , Len & his ma, Ron Doll, & Fred.  Ern went up West with Aunt Lilie Doris Les & Joyce & Aunt Maud.

We had a smashing party & eventually broke it up at 4am.

Friday 26^th December 1941

Up at 12.30.

We left for Walters at 3.40.  The party over there was Walter Doris – & Beryl, Ted his father his mother part of the time, some dame who was there about an hour, Fred Rose & their 2 girls Eileen & Edna.

We had a good time & broke it up just before 10 to 2.  Walter brought us home by car & we were indoors just before 5 to 2 & I was in bed just before 2.

Saturday 27^th December 1941

They had a big crowd at the dance tonight & Mum & Dad & Mrs Donovan came & Bob would have made a profit if it wasn’t for the fact that some girl had her bag stolen & he made that up to her.  But we heard another piece of bad news while we were there —- someone broke in the hall & ripped 24 hammers out of the new piano – tore down all the decorations & then used the place as a lavatory.  Bob had to get the police on their track & he says if he catches him he will take him apart.  We have our suspicions who it was, & maybe if it comes out & there is a big flare up – the club will quieten down after it.

Bed 12.

Sunday 28^th December 1941

Up at 1.

Len & I went out in the evening. Len had heard that on Sundays there was a dance at his school so we went there but there was nothing doing so we went round to St Peters & saw one of the chaps there who said there was a dance at this school every Sunday so then we went back but still nothing doing so then we thought we would go skating but there was no skating either so as I had left a piece of music at Walters we went there to collect that then we had a walk through Bush Wood & broke the ice on the pond & then rode home. 

Got home at 9.45 Les Doris & Joyce were there, they asked us all over next Sunday to a party for Albert & Joyce said that Albert wants to take Miss Ashton to lunch one day & asked me to tell her that Joyce would ring her up tomorrow & speak to her.

Ern & I stopped up till 12 playing cards.

Monday 29^th December 1941

I bought myself a watch today.

I’ve decided to change my job & I bought a copy of the Telegraph but there was nothing in it & I couldn’t even find out how much an Ad cost.

In the evening Dad & I drafted an Ad for the paper & then Dad suggested that I should pop down & see Buttle tomorrow so I decided to do so.

Firewatching 2 till 6.

Tuesday 30^th December 1941

During lunch I went down to see Buttle.  He is going to do what he can for me.  He was expecting his son home today & as I left his son (at least I expect it was) came on the phone.

We had a very nice chat & I think he would like to have me back again with him & he says that after the war he & Thurley (Mrs Thurley is very poorly) will be back together again.  He’s got my card & I wouldn’t be surprised to hear from him.

Went to Carlton in the evening & saw George ‘Formby in South American George” very good too.  Also an MOI^II film & a gangster picture.

Wednesday 31^st December 1941

We were expecting Gerald in today but instead of coming in he went to the city to some meetings & said we could go early in case we had to work another night. Left at 4.40.

Bert had his medical today & is exempt.  

Went to dance, they had a lousy crowd & we did more or less as we liked.

Thursday 1^st January 1942

Bloody awful at work, Gerald was in.

Got away at 10 to 6.

Went to the hospital in Balaam St.  We started at ¼ to 8 & finished at ¼ to 1.  We were absolutely super & a dame up there who has 2 brothers Trumpet & Trombone in a West End Band says she may be able to get us a regular Sunday job.

We had an interval of about half an hour & later on we went into the Sisters room & had drinks & cake.  As the papers put it “a good time was had by all”.

I bought some orks^III today.  We got “Lebensraum” “Why don’t we do this more often” “He wants to be a Pilot” & “Every little thing”, “Wrap yourself in cotton wool” & “Tahiti Rendezvous”, “Lonely Serenade “ & “When did it begin” & “Annie Laurie” & “Coming thro’ the Rye”.

Friday 2^nd January 1942

In the evening Len & Ron came & we sorted out all the music & weeded out the stuff we don’t use now.

Bert came later & we all had a talk till about 10.  Bed 11.30.

Saturday 3^rd January 1942

At the office till 1.15

When I got home Fred was there & he stopped till 4.15. I felt lousy & I didn’t think I would go to the dance tonight but when the time came I went & I shook off my lousy feeling & when I got home at 12 I felt o.k.

Sunday 4^th January 1942

Up at 8.40.

Went to school .

I told Mr Richards I want to change my job & he is going to look out for me.   Stayed in during afternoon. In the evening about 7.45 Len came down & we went to his house & had a practice till 10.  Bed 11.15.

Monday 5^th January 1942

Went to the Odeon in the evening & saw Bing Crosby, Mary Martin & Big T in “Birth of the Blues”^IV it was a smashing film & the music was o.k.

Also saw “The 7^th Survivor “& the film of the commando raid on Norway.

Tuesday 6^th January 1942

Albert came to the office today.  

We went to lunch together.

After lunch I began to feel lousy & by the time I got home I felt terrible.  I didn’t have any tea.

Went to music

When I got home I still felt rotten so I got out my gobstick & had a good blow on that & then went to bed without having any supper.

Wednesday 7^th January 1942

I felt fine when I got up in the morning.

Went to the dance in the evening.

Firewatching 10-2.

Ron didn’t turn up tonight & we wondered whether the baby had arrived.

Thursday 8^th January 1942

I shall be going up to Lister this evening – will I meet Doris?

When I got home Freddie was there.  So went up to Lister together when we got there no-one was there & the caretaker told us that during the summer they had had a social dance till blackout time but that stopped when the Blackout got early.

So I am foiled and my only chance of seeing Doris is an accidental meeting.

I took Fred round to Ron’s.  Ron has got a new guitar, the case is a huge thing & the guitar is super.  It is an uralon cello guitar & had a lovely tone.

Saw Bert later on & we had a discussion about the way Len has been going on lately & we decided to have it out with him soon.

Friday 9^th January 1942

Bert & I went round the hospital to see Ron & we had a session upstairs for a while with Piano & guitar.

Saturday 10^th January 1942

Bert & I went up the City this morning & tried to get “My melancholy Baby” but Browns were sold out & FDH had also sold out & couldn’t go to the stock room & get more because they were busy.

We bought “La Cumparsita”.

We spent ages wandering about looking for drums & as a desperate last resource we went to Ebblewhites & the chance came off – they have 2 drums in store at their country place so Bert took details & said he would let them know.

On the way home we discussed Len & what we would do when he joins the Home Guard, and what he is going to do with the music.  So after dinner I went up to his house & gave him his sax piece of “La cumparsita” & told him what I was going to do with my music i.e. write out the lists I want & then if I leave the Band will keep the music I paid for.

I went to Woodmansee’s & bought some collars etc.

Went round Ron’s & saw Bert & Ron & we discussed our campaign in dealing with Len & it was decided that Bert should suggest paying 1/6d a week into a fund for music & we would back him up & Len would be sure to disagree with it & then we could start about the music & then as a further lever we would draw a comparison between Ron & Len, Ron so badly in need of money bags a new guitar – practises hard – gets us jobs & is really keen, which Len – badly needs a new sax but all he talks about is getting a soprano sax which is hardly ever used – doesn’t practise much – he never gets us a job & shows no interest – merely takes his money & sits back & grouses. 

We went to the dance.

During the interval my nose started to bleed & it took about 1 ½ or more to stop it.  The boys really found my value then, there was Len playing a few bits on the piano & another Len – from the club playing a few & Bobs girl Joan playing a few times & when the others were playing Len couldn’t fit in on his sax thus proving conclusively he couldn’t busk for he knew the tunes – but in another key – but he still couldn’t play with anyone else.

My nose stopped at last & I resumed playing.

On the way home we did what we said we would but we got no sense from Len & we are going to let what we said sink in till Wednesday & then have another go at him, & Arthur may be there then.

Saturday 11^th January 1942

Up at 9.30.

Went to school.

 Saw Bert in afternoon & we went up the Greengate & met John & his cousin Cecil.  In the evening we went to the Hospital & Ron showed them his guitar.

We went up the Bridge House after – Bert to see Arthur about the drum because Arthur’s having the new one & Bert’s having his present one,  – & I went up to see the new sax player they have got – & boy what a saxist.  He is the hottest player I have ever heard outside a professional.  He reads & busks & plays counter melody & harmony while busking & when he takes a chorus he sounds like a member of the Radio KC Sextet. He also plays Tenor Clarry Violin & Piano – all swing style I heard him on the piano & he plays better than the real pianist. & to think that a couple of weeks back he offered to go over Lens sax for him & Len turned down the offer.

Arthur is having the new drum so I will call into Ebblewhites tomorrow & get them to bring it up for Bert.

Arthur will probably come on Wednesday.

Monday 12^th January 1942

In the evening Bert & I went round to Ron’s to do some ads for a dance.  We did very little of that but we had a good time talking about various things & we left at 11.30.  It had been snowing & was quite deep.

Tuesday 13^th January 1942

In the evening Bert & I went round to Arthurs & he got out a lot of old diaries from 1927 to 1933 & he went through them telling us of the places he has been.

Besides that we found out things about him we never even dreamed of, when Ted Temme^V was training for his channel swim Arthur used to go with him & he spent many weekends with his family beside which Arthur has played water polo for Plaistow United & has won medals for trick & high diving that explains why he is bald, swimmers always go bald, & also I know now why he is fat, – like Walter he used to go in for P.T. & when you stop it you get fat.  We had a fascinating talk & then while he was showing Bert a few tricks on the drums he let me look through his old Melody Makers that he has had bound & when at 11.30 we left, as I hadn’t even got through 1 he let me borrow 2 to read at home & Bert can let me have others as I go through them.

It had been snowing heavily & was quite thick.

I bought “My Melancholy Baby” but it was a waste of money the only instrument with melody are violin Tenor & Piano & the alto part is written for clarinet.

Wednesday 11^th January 1942

Went to the dance in the evening.  Ron took his new guitar.  The dame that runs it had asked the O.C. an antiaircraft unit to bring his men & when they came just before the interval the place was crowded in fact I think it was about our biggest crowd.  

I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn up again we played till 11 for them.

Thursday 15^th January 1942

Heard from Gerald today.  He arrived home in the morning & he is now stationed at Detling near Maidstone & will be able to come up about once a week.

Bert Len & I went to the club for about 2 or 3 hrs in the evening.

Friday 16^th January 1942

Stayed in & read in the evening.

Saw Bert & arranged to meet him tomorrow at Ebblewhites to get the drum.

Saturday 17^th January 1942

Left the office at 12.25 & met Bert outside Ebblewhites about 5 to 1.

We had a great disappointment.  They evidently thought that Bert was a green horn at the game & the drum they showed him wasn’t what he wanted & when he didn’t love it they got quite insulting over it.

We went to Bourdons in a last vain try but all we got there was a string for Ron & a reed for Len. 

Had a bath in the afternoon.

In the evening we went up the club.  The reed I bought for Len was a super one.  We played till 11.15 & we stayed talking to some of the girls & it was 12.30 when I got home.

Sunday 18^th January 1942

Up at 9.30 went to school.

After dinner I tried to orchestrate Melancholy Baby, as the one we bought is useless.  But I got stuck over some chords so I went rounds to Ron’s to borrow his guitar tutor.  When I got there Bert was there & I eventually stopped some time talking to them.

After tea I recommenced my orchestrating & after I had done most of Ron’s part & started my own I got stuck again so I took my gob strut round to Ron’s  while I played the tune he played the chords to see if they went alright.  They were O.K. too.

Then we got on to trying some other things out & eventually Bert, me, Ron & Doll all went out together.  We first went to see a chap whom Bert wants to get to play drums with us next Saturday so that he can go to a party & then we went to the Bridge House & while the boys had a rest Bert & I had a go on the piano & drums. & we were quite a success & everybody told us we were good.  

Home at 10.45

Monday 19^th January 1942

Bert took a day off & went to Selfridges to see if they still had the drums we saw there 5 weeks ago – they had – & Bert bought a Beverley Cable Drum.  They wanted £17/1//- but Bert got it for £15/15/-.

He met me in Lyons & after I had had my lunch I took him to the office & we fitted it up & tried it out.  It is an absolutely super drum it is 8 inches deep & with the foot pedal you can get about 6 different effects.

When I got home I went to see Bert again. He was going to take the drum for Arthur to see because it had been arranged that Bert was to buy a new drum & let Arthur have it.  Arthur would give him his present drum & the difference in money, but he had said he didn’t want a cable drum.

Bert found himself liking it so much that when he got round there (as he told me later) he said to Arthur” I tried to, but couldn’t get a drum like you wanted, so I’ve bought a cable drum for myself”.

When Arthur tried the drum out Bert could see that he liked it & he then said, “Well Bert, my offer still stands, my drum & the money for this”.

Bert then told me he had been wondering once or twice why Arthur had been willing to exchange his drum (Which before I had seen Bert’s had been the best drum I had ever seen so close up) for one which in all probability was not as good.  Was there something wrong with Arthurs?  So Bert’s reply was “Well Arthur, you said you didn’t want a cable drum & as that was all I could get I got it meaning to keep it myself, I’ve spent all the afternoon on it turning it up & getting it decent”

Anyway the upshot was that Bert kept the drum & Arthur & he parted brass rags^VI although he thinks Arthur will soon come round.  We went and saw Ron & was sorry it had happened as it did but he thinks Arthur will change his mind & he says Bert’s drum is better than Arthurs.

Arthur had promised to lend Bert his collapsible base drum for the weekend when he goes to Johns party & he said the offer still stands.

Tuesday 20^th January 1942

We went to the dance at Barclay Hall we played as we usually do & we had nothing but praise.  A dancing teacher there told us that we had perfect timing. & we have had the offer of 2 jobs from there.  Ron is going up there on Friday to see about 1 & the other one was mentioned by the caretaker of the hall.  Bert’s drum was super.

Home 11.45

Wednesday 21^st January 1942

Went to Cumberland Rd in the evening.

We were absolutely frozen there & if we can get another job or even gigs we will take it & leave the I.C.P. Hut.  In any case you aren’t appreciated there & only get what are supposed to be funny remarks thrown at you.

Thursday 22^nd January 1942

Earlier in the week Bert arranged with the chap we know to come & meet us at the hospital tonight so we can hear him on the drums.  We met him there at 7.15.

At the rehearsal Len was a bit funny (I think he was showing off in front of Fred the drummer).

On the way home we had a dig at him about the music & he climbed down & said he would leave it with us, but I still don’t trust him.  He has joined the home guard now.

Fred is bringing part of his kit round to Lens house tomorrow night.

Friday 23^rd January 1942

Len called down in the evening & asked me to come up for a practice with him & Fred but I wasn’t having any.

He was very enthusiastic about Fred & his kit although he is nothing wonderful.

Bert took his drum to the Bridge house collected Arthurs & I helped him.  On the way we discussed the way Len was acting.  It is ever since Bert has been leader that he has been funny, it’s plain he thinks he should be leader, though what qualifications he thinks he’s got that makes him fit for leader is beyond me.  I said I thought it was quite possible that he would form another band with himself as leader including Fred as drummer & all he has to do is get a pianist ———————if he can.

I said to Bert that it wouldn’t have surprised me had I gone to his house tonight, if he had suggested forming another band with himself as leader but I know what I would have told him.

Arthur was quite O.K. tonight & didn’t say a word about the side drum.

While we were up the B.H. the other chap who is learning the guitar from Don spoke & said he was going to see Ron some night when Don goes in the Air Force & see how they get on together.

But we had a piece of news that was absolutely super & just what the doctor ordered.

Jimmy came up & said “if ever you want a sax player one evening you have only to let me know the night before & I’ll be there”.

What a break when Len is acting the way he is.

We are going to see.

Ron’s Sister at the hospital about the municipal job & say if she gives us £2/10/- we will supply a 5 piece band that will be absolutely super Ron thinks there is a good chance she will agree too.

Saturday 24^th January 1942

I had the morning off.  Got up at 2.15.

Went to West Ham with Bert, his Uncle, his Cousin, & Percy Sculfor.

We saw a wonderful match & West Ham beat the Arsenal by 3 – 0.

After tea Bert went to his pals party & I got ready for the dance.  In Bert’s absence I was Leader.  The evening started off badly.  We got to the Broadway as a bus was changing conductors & we ran for it, Len & I got on & Ron & Fred were left behind. Len & I each had some of Fred’s kit with us.

Ron & Fred walked & then they got there the same time as the bus.

We started fairly well I was on top of my form & Ron was doing fine.  Len was the same as he always is.  Fred is one of those swing drummers no doubt he will be a very good swing drummer when he has had a lot of practice but as one of the chaps said up the club he is not bad but Bert is much better for time & a steady rhythm Len was going into raptures over him.

They have got back the piano that was broken & there is a special device that you have to work now before it will open at the top.  At the rehearsal last Thursday we tried over a couple of waltzes 1 of them Len either wouldn’t or couldn’t play – I think he wouldn’t & the other one he played the vocal & verse.

So I put up the one he could play & got ready to play it.

The next thing I knew he came dashing over & said “What the hell do you mean by playing that thing you know what happened at the rehearsal Thursday” & he was leading off something terrible so I said alright then don’t play it.  Let’s play another instead.

As he went back I heard him say to Fred “That soon settled his bash” “Oh” “I thought “has it, we will see about that”.

Then something went wrong with his Sax & he couldn’t play at all so I put this waltz he couldn’t play up again & played it without him.

When the dance finished I went over to him & told him what I thought & instead off him showing me up in front of Fred I made him look a bloody fool.

I said “When you walked away just now I believe I heard you say to Freddy “That soon settled his bash “Well” I said “If you like to show your incapability of playing a simple waltz I don’t mind but the reason I didn’t play it was because I know that if anyone is certain he can’t play a tune he won’t play it & will spoil the others besides”.  He went absolutely livid & I thought we were going to have a scrap then, but it would have suited me down to the ground he didn’t like it especially because a dame he likes was standing in front of him & I’m sure she heard what I said.

After that he started buggering about so I didn’t bother & the dance was lousy after that.  I let Fred start off one quickstep “The Sheik of Arabi” & we played that at about 70 bars a minute & we gave him a chorus in  By By Blues which started off at a good time & that finished up at about 70 when he started playing.” Len is having him round his house again tomorrow.  I am seeing Ron at the hospital.

Sunday 25^th January 1942

Up at 9.30 went to school. In the afternoon I went to the hospital & I orchestrated “Melancholy Baby” & Ron & I went through a few tunes & I make out some part for Ron.

After tea I went there again after arranging that when Bert came home he would come up the hospital.  He turned up at 5 to 9 & had John & his sister with him they left at 9 & then Ron Bert & I went we met Doll outside & we all went up the B.H. with Arthurs drum.

We told him what happened last night & although I didn’t mention to Ron about Len starting another Band he said he thought he might do that.

We saw Jimmy about his fee & he said that O.K. I just come in with you boys & that suites us fine.  He also offered to look over my Clarry tomorrow if I like to take it up the B.H. about 9.  He also gave us his opinion of soprano sax which didn’t flatter them but even if we tell Len it won’t affect him.

We decided what music to buy.

Monday 26^th January 1942

I bought the Orks of “That lovely Weekend” “Do I worry” “Time Was” & Shepperd Serenade” “I walked into a Dream”.

In the evening Bert Ron Doll & I went up to the Bridge House with my gobstick^VII I had taken the music round to Ron’s & from there I had taken it to the B.H. & up there was Pat Dodge Ex Sylvester Pianist now in an RAF band & Bert (The pianist at the B.H.) tried out a couple of my tunes & then Pat Dodge used them so now the Melody Makers Library has been used by one of Victor Sylvester’s men.

Jimmy says my Clarry is an old army instrument but he is not sure whether it is high or low pitch, however he has taken the stick, the 2 mouthpieces & the reeds & he is going to test it out at home (it was OK when he played it at the B.H.) & if it is sharp pitch he will alter it to flat pitch.

Tuesday 27^th January 1942

When I got home my K.P. book on Boogie Woogie had at long last arrived.  It is a very good book indeed.  I think I’ll get the P.M. book tomorrow.

Went to music.

Wednesday 28^th January 1942

Ron is now a father.  Doris went away Tuesday morning & she had her daughter at 10 last night. & boy! Did we celebrate while we were at the dance we played “Daddy” & “Why don’t we do this more Often” to celebrate & everything we played was swing.

On our way home we left our stuff at the hospital ready for tomorrow night all except Len who won’t be coming as he says he has to go to the Home Guard.

Mum & Dad are going to see “Babes in the Wood” at the Stoll^VIII tomorrow evening so I am not going home but will go to the hospital direct from Plaistow Stn.

Thursday 29^th January 1942

I went to the Hospital Ron & I did some practicing but Bert didn’t turn up so at 9.30 we went.  We called at his house & his mother said he was in bed.  He was taken bad when he got home last night & kept being sick. We went in and saw him.

I am going to see Ron tomorrow night.

Friday 30^th January 1942

Bert was no better today so when I saw him in the evening I asked him if we should get the other drummer we decided I should.

So I went to Ron’s house & he came with me.  We first went to Lens & asked him if he had seen or was going to see Fred, but he hadn’t & wasn’t.  So he came with us & we went to Fred’s house.  His mother said he was out, that he had lent his kit to someone, & that he had arranged to go to a dance with a friend who was coming up to see him from Dagenham, anyway we arranged Len would see him tomorrow afternoon.

Then we went on to the Bridge Hse & Jimmy got Len to play his Sax & I was on the piano, Jimmy also has got him to go round his house on Monday or Tuesday the week after next & I will take him.

Saturday 31^st January 1942

Mrs Clay called me during the afternoon because Fred had called to see Bert & they wanted to see me.

We arranged in the end that Fred would collect the kit from the hospital & we would meet at Lens at 7 & all go together.

I registered today.  There wasn’t much in it.  Just a few particulars were written down & a form given to me saying I would receive a letter to go for an appointment.

I did most of the orchestration of “My Melancholy Baby”.  Fred brought his pal with him.

It was bloody awful playing Len was up to his silly tricks messing about like a kid instead of acting like a member of a band.

To see the way he acts no one would think he is only 2 months younger than me.

Fred was running in front all the time & kept getting off beat.

Bert went for a job “2 or 3 nights a week local” that was in Stratford Express & so they wanted to know where we could be heard he put St Peters Hall & we saw a man & 2 girls there & we are sure that they were the people & they walked out soon after the interval.

Sunday 1^st February 1942

Went to school.  In the afternoon I finished the orchestration of Melancholy Baby.

Ron & I saw Bert in the evening & we arranged that Ron would get time off Wednesday & play the drums instead of Fred & he will also play on Thursday.

Monday 2^nd February 1942

My P.M. book on Boogie Woogie came by post this morning.  

Len brought back my music.

Went to music.

Saw Bert & Ron after.

Bert said that when Len came in he asked him how he was & when Bert said he wouldn’t be able to play this week he said that he would go and tell Fred then Bert told him about Ron playing & didn’t like it much.  He asked Bert if anyone had been putting ideas in his head.  If he says anything to me about it I shall tell him what I think about Fred’s drumming.

I wonder if he had someone at his house last night trying him out for a pianist.

Bert gave Ron a lesson in drumming & I finished except for Ron’s part, Melancholy Baby.

Wednesday 4^th February 1942

When we saw Len tonight he started about Fred not playing tonight but I soon quietened him.

We packed up fairly early & took our kit to the hospital for tomorrow night.

Thursday 5^th February 1945

Went to the hospital dance.  Ron played drums & was much better than I expected – he even took breaks.

Friday 6^th February 1942

Saw Bert in the evening.  He is up now but he can’t go out till next week.

Saturday 7^th February 1942

Got “Concerto for 2” backed with “Some Chicken some Rock”.

Met Len at 1.15 and after some lunch we went to see “Get a load of This” we had a super seat & the show was excellent & we had a very enjoyable afternoon.

I absolutely avoided the band except when Len said the Home Guard was disbanding its present band as from last Wednesday & were reforming this week. He said he doesn’t think he’ll join them even if they ask him so I said, “Well that is a matter for you to decide it is not for other people to advise you”.  He said they have Piano Drums Trumpet alto & Tenor & they all busk.

When I got home I had tea & then went into Bert’s house to congratulate Stan & Ivy.  I played the piano Bert had his side drum & Ron his guitar.  When Len arrived it was time to go to the dance.

Len was funny again & he said his mouth was hurting him & he only played about 2 tunes after the interval & Ron & I enjoyed ourselves.

When we had finished Bob made an announcement to the club he said, “As you all know it was decided that if we got a poor crowd we would dispense with the band from tonight but we have had a good crowd so I will give you one more chance, if we have a good crowd next week the band stays if not it goes”.

That was the first we knew of it.  I’m sure we won’t be there after next week though because a lot of the boys have got together & they are all learning instruments & I think they’ll have them to play up there.

Book 30

Sunday 8^th February 1942

Went to school.  Mr Richards wanted to know whether I would be going in for the intermediate exam but I said I wouldn’t unless I had a job where I was using my knowledge.

Up about 12.30 Ron called & we both went to see Bert.  We told him what happened & Ron then said that he heard a chap playing a sax in the house next to where Cherry’s used to live & he said he was good but of course he doesn’t know whether he is in a band already.

I saw Bert again in the afternoon.

In the evening I sorted out all our extra parts into their different instruments so I’ll have to get the extra sax fonts of no’s 1 & 2 back from Len so as to complete the sets.

Ron & I went up the club for a while Len wasn’t there although we had expected he would be. 

I bathed when I got home.

Monday 9^th February 1942

I put an ad in the Daily telegraph today it cost 15/6d so I won’t bother to tell Dad unless anything comes from it.

I saw Ron in the evening & we wrote the words of some songs in a book I’ve got for that purpose so that Ron can learn them.

Tuesday 10^th January 1942

Dad phoned me up to say he had heard a firm of accountants who want someone & either he would ring me again when he had the details from the person who told him or I would be phoned by the firm

I heard again from Dad he said the firm is Evans Smith Boothroyd & Co of 19 Fenchurch St.  So I am going up there in my lunch hour.

I went to the accountants.  I saw one of the junior partners & after taking down details he said he would consult his partner & they would write to me.

Went to music in the evening.  Saw Bert he had a telegram from Bob saying, “Cancel Saturdays engagement letter following”.

I showed it to Len he didn’t seem surprised at it, but then neither was I very surprised.  

He came out with a tall one as I left.  He said that he had been on guard all the previous night.

I went & saw the baby.  Mother says that it looks like Ron but to me it looks like nothing on earth.  

I showed Ron the telegram.

On the way home I saw a “glow in the sky & crackling sound like gunfire a long way away & when I went into Bert to let him have the ‘gram he said a plane had gone over very low, as we were speaking there was a terrific bang & when I went out there wasn’t a trace of a glow in the sky.

Dad & I had a talk about clothes & I decided that I would go to his shop tomorrow & get a hat & be measured for an overcoat.

Wednesday 11^th February 1942

Up early.

That glow & explosion I heard was an R.A.F plane that crashed in a Leytonstone Street & killed 9 people.^IX

The explosion was the petrol tank going up.

Went to dads shop, he measured me for a coat & I bought a hat.

At lunch I bought a pair of gloves & 2 ties.

Went to the dance.  We had the worst crowd ever.  Len only played a few tunes & then he said his cough wouldn’t let him play so Ron & I played alone & then another note on the piano went & so the old dame said we could use the other piano but that was out of tune.

She didn’t want to pay us 30/- but I got it from her & after seeing Ron & Len I chucked the job up so we won’t be there anymore.

On the way home the long awaited explosion arrived & we told Len what we thought of the way he has been treating us lately.  He didn’t have a word to say for himself either, but before he went in he said he had to make a decision before he said anything.  Tomorrow night Ron & I have to call in to collect some music off him & I expect his ma & pa will have something to say about tonight but let ‘em all start, now it boiled up we’re ready for anything.  We called in & told Bert what happened.

Thursday 12^th February 1942

Len came down this evening & Ron followed him in.  Len wanted to see Bert as well.  We all went in & when we came out Len was not in the band anymore. “He wasn’t going to practice 3 nights a week” & a few other moans & it was all over.  We get back our music etc & he gets his dues & were all satisfied. – except maybe Len.

Ron & I went to the hospital & practised & we went through 45 tunes & all Ron couldn’t sing was 5 which is much better than I thought he would do.  I was firewatching 2 till 6 & I stopped up all night.

Friday 13^th February 1942

Ron & Doll brought the baby round. We saw Bert.

Saturday 14^th February 1942

I got a reply from the advert today. I got 8 letters but 1 was from an agency so I had 7 jobs offered.

I rang up the 3 best ones but I could get no reply from any of them – as I hoped.

I had a haircut.

Washed & got ready to go with mum to the wedding.

On the way to Romford I called in Erns shop with our present for him to take & arranged that if they asked us to stay I would ring him up.

We eventually got to the church & saw them married Joyce & Doris had instructions to bring us back to the house.  Mum rode & I walked with one of the chaps. I phoned Ern & arranged about dad & he’s coming over.

Harold Edie & the bridesmaids & the Best Man went to the photographers & came back then.

We had a super party. One of the girls had a load of music & I played for a long while.  We had a load of games & we had altogether a super timer.  

Edie’s father was a funny old cuss.

Sunday 15^th February 1942

Nobody really went to bed but some of them had a few hours sleep in any odd place.  There was a gallery of sleeping beauties in the kitchen & upstairs in the bedrooms.

After breakfast about 12 Ern & Joyce & I went for a walk. We went to Romford & back & we were out till 3.  Had dinner about 4 & about 5.45 Harold & Edie went by taxi to the Strand Palace Hotel.

They got a good send off. 

All their things in the case they took were sewn up & filled with confetti & on the bag was chalked AISLE ALTER HYMN. We tied tin cans on the back as they came out we drenched them with confetti.

Going home there was Dad Mum Ern Me Joyce Aunt Lily & Aunt Maud.

I called on Ron Bert was there stopped for about an hour.

Bed 10.

Monday 16^th February 1942

I went to Aldgate East & from there I went to Shoreditch High St & then made my way to Bethnal Green Rd to the first firm, Fairbrother Ellis but then I was asked to call back on Saturday as they were busy but I had already decided I wouldn’t go there.

I caught a bus to the Bank & went to Austin Friars & saw the 2^nd firm Hope Agar &Co.^X

I liked the place & the chap I saw was very nice & he arranged to phone E.J for a reference at 12 today.

When Jose got in I told her about it.  She said she was very sorry I was going & I said that I was sorry to go but I was thinking of the future etc etc.

I had spoken to the chap about leaving & he said he would arrange that with E.J. & they decided I should stop here for 3 weeks so that Miss B will be back from her holiday & if they have got someone else I will have been able to show him around.

The labour exchange sent 1 boy round but I don’t know whether he is coming or not & I arranged to go into Lister tomorrow morning.

Bert & I went to see Bob tonight.  We found him round the club packing up with some other chaps he said he would sent the money as soon as he could.

He said Len had been there Thursday & was coming again tonight but he hadn’t told him he had left us.

We called in Lens, he was in bed with a cold.  I got one piece of music from him & Bert got his record back.  He said he saw Bob but said it was “Private Business”

Bed 10.30

Tuesday 17^th February 1942

Had a letter from Hope Agar & Co confirming that I would start there on March 9^th.  

Bert & I went to get the music from Len, but he didn’t give us 34, 59 & the extras of 1 & 2.

Walter called with news of a job.  Teds sister is getting married on March 7^th & they are having a hall & want a band, so we are doing it for 30/-.

I went to the hospital & Ron & I wrote a verse for his song & went through the others to see which he could sing.

Thursday 19^th February 1942

Bert Ron & I had a good practice at the hospital. Bert & I spent £1.13.11d on music today we got “Barcarolle” “Speak to me of Love” “Charlie Kurri Medley” “Gay’s medley” “Chattanooga Choo Choo” “Annabelle Lee” “Lullaby to a Hero” “Circus Parade” “If you were beside me”.

Friday 20^th February 1942

Bert & I went to the Bridge House.

We saw Jimmy & he is going to play for us & also get us a Tenor Sax.

Saturday 21^st February 1942

Late home. Bert & I went to Ron’s in the evening.

Sunday 22^nd February 1942

Bert & I practised during the afternoon & evening.

I was firewatching 10 to 2 so I had a bath.

Monday 23^rd February 1942

Ron & Bert saw Jimmy in the evening & arranged for him to come to the hospital on Wednesday.

Tuesday 24^th February 1942

Went to music.

Bert saw Len & got all the music except “I love the Moon”.

Wednesday 25^th February 1942

Jimmy didn’t turn up with the Tenor as he said he would so at 9.15 we packed up & went to the Bridge House.  Jimmy was there & he said he hadn’t come along because the Tenor hadn’t turned up. Arthur was there & he said on the quiet that Jimmy is funny about turning up at places.

Thursday 26^th February 1942

Ern got me a pipe & some tobacco as I asked him to.  The first pipe I had nearly killed me but it got rid of most of the taste & the 2^nd one was much better.  Mum & Dad went to see “Gangway”.

Friday 27^th February 1942

Stayed in during evening.

Saturday 28^th January 1942

Home early.

Mum wasn’t very well so I did most of the shopping.

She went to bed a 6 & Dad went up about 9. I saw Bert.

Sunday 1^st March 1942

Dad called me at 9 & I went to school. Mum & Dad each tried to get up about 1 but they had to go back to bed. 

I saw Bert in the afternoon.  Ern was queer as well but he got up about 7.

Ern Bert & I repaired the pedal of Bert’s bass drum which has gone wrong.

I went to bed about 11 but Ern said he wouldn’t go up as he wouldn’t feel like getting up if he did & he has to do stocktaking by Tuesday.

Monday 2^nd March 1942

Ern got me up at 8 & he went about 8.45.

I phoned the doctor & he came about 12.30.  Mum has had the flu but she is getting over it now.  He said Dad has got congestion of the lungs.  I had to get some M&B & 93 tablets for Dad but he couldn’t take them & he had to have Kaolin Poultices & I had to go to the doctors in the evening for medicine for mum.  I was kept busy all day but still I don’t mind that.

Tuesday 3^rd March 1942

Mum got up for a few minutes today.

Ern came home this evening so I went & saw Ron for a few minutes with Bert.

Wednesday 4^th March 1942

Mum got up today & I went to work. I was very busy at the Courts & the registry.

Home early.

Doctor said today that Dad has bronchial pneumonia & he may have to go away.

Ern had rung up Joyce today & told her & Lily & Joyce came over.  

Bert had been helping mum by doing errands & he was in when they came.  Joyce invited him over to the wedding with his drums.

Thursday 5^th March 1942

Dad seemed a bit better in the morning.

Bert rang me up in the afternoon & said that the Dr said if he goes on as he is he won’t be shifted but if he gets worse he will have to go away.

We had a dance at the hospital.  Jimmy played with us & although we were good I didn’t know what to do when Jimmy was playing because of the difference between Len & he.  With Len I knew I had to nurse him along but I didn’t know whether to just vamp to Jimmy or fill in or what to do.

Home at 12.

Dad seemed a little bit worse tonight & has been delirious again.

Friday 6^th March 1942

Dad was a bit better again this morning.

My last day at work.

Ern got Joyce to try & get some fruit from Victoria but she was unsuccessful.

Saturday 7^th March 1942 

Had a haircut & went all the errands in morning & afternoon.

Walter called for us & we went to Ron’s house & collected him & he took us to the dance.

It wasn’t bad at all except for the piano which was lousy.

Home at 12.

Dad was rather bad & had been talking about money & Mum had been getting on about the money Walter owed Dad so Ern & I decided to go & see Walter tomorrow about it.

Sunday 8^th March 1942

Today is the vital day for Dad. He was very bad in the night & in the morning I didn’t go to school but I went out & phoned Walter & arranged to meet him at his garage at 3.30.

We made an excuse to mum & we went out. Walter was a few minutes late & when he did come we had a good talk & I think that it had done some good.

Dad began to get more peaceful in the evening & he had sleeps of a few minutes when he didn’t ramble.

Joyce & Doris came over & they Ern Bert & I played cards till 11.15 when they went.

Dad gradually had longer sleeps all evening.

Monday 9^th March 1942

Dad was definitely better this morning although he was very weak.

Got to the new office at 9.15.  It is quite decent there & I’ve only had 1 job all day & I’ve not finished that yet – I had to go through 2 books & cast them.^XI

Saw Bert in the evening.

Tuesday 10^th March 1942

I went to Coates for the whisky they promised Dad but they were sold out till next Monday.  Stopped in during evening.

Dad is getting better every day.  He had something to eat today.

Wednesday 11^th March 1942

Saw Ron in the evening.

I went out today for the first time, to a stockbrokers where we did bank reconciliation statements.  I went with Miles

Thursday 12^th March 1942

Ern came to the college with us.

The 2 Sax didn’t come but sent trumpet & tenor & it was lousy the blank M.C. didn’t anything about what he was doing.

Still the less said the better.

While I was at lunch I met Sylvia Shovensky, who used to go to Lister.

Friday 13^th March 1942

Tomorrow is my Saturday off.

I went to the pictures with Ern at the Premier we saw “Ride em Cowboy” with Bud Abbott & Lou Costello & the other film was “Flying Cadets”.

Firewatching 10 to 2.  Saw Bert he & Ron have decided we ought to change our name & they decided on Bobcato & I’m quite in agreement.  Change name change luck.  We will have to alter the banner now thought.

Saturday 14^th March 1942

Had a letter from Guedalla’s asking where something had been put I will ring them Monday.

I helped mum a lot.

About 4 Bert & I went down Green St to look in the Carlton stores for a collapsible drum or a cover for a cymbal.  But they had nothing. 

Then we went to East Ham & Bert had a brainwave he said let’s see Eddie Similton he’s at the station at the back of the Town Hall so we saw him & it was luck.  He put us on to an alto who might be able to get a tenor & he told us that he was doing a dance tonight as the band does jobs sometimes.

Bert & I went to the dance in the evening & in the end we fixed up Les Wilson to play alto for us on Monday.

CHANGE NAME CHANGE LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ron can get the loan of a trumpet for Ern & Ern said he would like to borrow it.

Sunday 15^th March 1942

Went to school.

Saw Ron and asked him to get the trumpet.

In afternoon I turned out a lot of wastepaper from my desk.

In evening Bert & I went to Ron’s house.

Home 10

Had a bath

Bed 12.15.

Monday 16^th March 1942

We started at the Cave tonight. We had to walk there from East Ham Station & got there at 7.15.

Les Wilson was outside.  I must say the place is far better than I even expected & it really looks very nice.

We did very well really & Les was a super timekeeper.  There were only a few people there however & he made a loss of about £2 or move I imagine.

Ron brought the trumpet round & when I got home I found that Ern had learnt to blow it – in fact he showed me how to blow it.

Tuesday 17^th March 1942

Went to music.

Afterwards I sorted out some stamps.

I joined a library today & I got “The Dance Band Mystery” by Ray Sonin. 

Wednesday 18^th March 1942

I sorted out stamps in the evening. 

Thursday 19^th March 1942

 Went to library & got “Vinegar & Brown Paper” by J.P. Carstairs.

Went to Premier & saw “Hellzapoppin” & “In the rear of the enemy”

Friday 20^th March 1942

Went to the cave in the evening. We had an NFS chap named Tommy Wrentham he was smashing & we played super.

In the interval I met a chap who used to be at Lister & he told me he had been going out with Kathleen Candron & I asked him to find out whether Doris Stanisky was home, he has promised to do his best for me.

Home at 1 am.

Saturday 21^st March 1942

I bought 2 quid’s worth of music from Browns. I got “When I love I love” “Baby Mine” & “When I see an Elephant Fly” “When this Crazy World is Sane Again” “Bye Bye Blues” “When your Somebody” “Margie” “In the Mood” “Oasis” “Whispering” “In an old fashioned Town” “Sweet Sue” “Lady Be Good” & “Dark Town Strutters Ball”.

We started at the Royal Naval Club tonight it’s not bad there but I don’t like clubs.

We saw Molly & Joyce there & there were one or 2 others from the club.

Sunday 22^nd March 1942

Went to school.

Richards taught me about logarithms today & I entered for the exam. 

I didn’t feel too good in the afternoon & when we saw Ron at the club he said he had been in bed all day.  We had a pretty good time & were home at 11.30.

I had a tot of whisky & a cup of hot milk when I got in bed as mum was afraid I was catching the ‘flu.

Dad sat in a chair in the bedroom most of today I expect the doctor will let him come down tomorrow.

Monday 23^rd March 1942

Dad did come downstairs today.

Jimmy Dicks played with us at the cave & he will do it for us regularly – he says.

I met a chap who used to be at Lister by the name of Johnny Knape & he goes out with Kath Condron & I got her number to ring up to see if she knew if Doris Stanisky. Home 11.45

Tuesday 24^th March 1942

I rang up Kathleen Condron but she didn’t know anything about Doris.

Went to music.

Wednesday 25^th March 1942

Stayed in all night.

Mr Webster came.

I bought a slide rule today.

Thursday 26^th March 1942

Dad went out for a while this afternoon.

 I went to Ilford Hippodrome & saw Ambrose’s Merry Go Round with George Shearing Ann Shelton & a load of other stars.

Friday 27^th March 1942

Jimmy didn’t turn up at the Cave till 8.

He found out we want an amplifier & he phoned the boss’s son at the Bridge Hse & said he would let us have one for £12.

Saturday 28^th March 1942

Up at 10.30.

Went up the Bridge House with Ron & Bert.

We got a super amplifier. The mike alone is worth £5.  It is on a stand & that is the only drawback.  The mike won’t screw in the top of the stand & we have to fix it.

Ron fixed it up round his house & we took it to the R.C.C. & used it there.

Ron did a good bit of crooning.

Sunday 29^th March 1942

Up 9.30. went to school. Doris & Joyce came over. Joyce is 21 today.

After dinner Bert & I went round Ron’s & we messed about with the amplifier.

The mike was so powerful that when we put it on the windowsill we could hear the kids talking abut 25 yards away quite plainly.

Molly & Joyce came to the club & Bert & I got dates for Thursday.

I’ve got Molly, & Bert’s got Joyce (Woo Woo)

Monday 30^th March 1942

Played at Cave in evening

Tuesday 31^st March 1942

I went down to Feltham today to General Aircraft.

There were 7 of us. We get a free lunch there.

After lunch we walked all over the factory & had a look at the airfield.  I saw quite a lot of fighters & there were some huge gliders with tanks already in them.

In evening I went with Bert to Bobs house but he was out.

Wednesday 1^st April 1942

Went to General Aircraft.

I went to the Premier & saw “Dumbo” & “Obliging Young Lady”

Thursday 2^nd April 1942

G.A. again.

Played at the Hospital. Took Molly & Joyce home & Bert & I arranged to see them tomorrow at the Carlton.

Friday 3^rd April 1942

Ern & Bert got me some music they got me “Do you Care” “Shrine of St Cecilia” “Sailor with the Navy Blue Eyes” “You Bring out the Boogie Woogie in me” “Madelaine” “I know Why” “If I Could Print a Memory” “Apple Blossom Time” “Jim” “Rustic Rhapsody” & “Greetings From You”.

Had a good practice.

Bert & I went to the Carlton but the girls didn’t turn up so we came home. I read a book.

Saturday 4^th April 1942

Up late.

Saw Ron in afternoon.

Went to the Club in evening. Home at 12. Ern & Albert were in.

They went to bed at 2.30 I went up at 3 after clearing up all the things.

Sunday 5^th April 1942

Up at 9.

I was the first to be ready Ern & Albert weren’t ready till 12.45 & Walter called at 1. We went to Forest Gate & picked up Doris & the baby.

When we got to Homerton we put the drums in the house & then Albert Ern, Bert, me, & a couple of others went round to church.

All through the service Beryl kept us all in fits of laughter because of her antics.

When we got back we had a stand-up meal.

There were some smashing bits of stuff there. Doris brought a girl who worked with her named Joyce & there was some girls from Joyce’s place there. Ern had a bit of stuff who is 37 & it seems he has been out with her before.  I hope she doesn’t get him.

About 11 I got Doris on my lap in the sofa for about ½ an hour & afterwards I got her friend Joyce for a time.

Later on I had them both at once – luverly – some of them went out for a walk about 3.30am. when Stan & Joan got back they said a policeman followed them.  I suppose it was because Stan in his RAF clothes was wearing slippers.

About 4.30 Doris & Joyce said they would like to go out so Bert & I were going to take them but unfortunately another Bert – a sailor (actually Edie’s brother) said he would come & although he said he would go by himself when he found he split a foursome of course we didn’t let him & in the end he had Joyce & Bert & I had Doris.

We lost the sailor & Joyce once but they got home just after us & then we had another short walk.  When we got back I got some drinks & we made sandwiches in the kitchen & then we started a necking party.  The sailor Bert pinched a crate & sat on that with Joyce in his arms & I sat on the floor with Joyce on me. We had our back to the door so no one could surprise us.

Ern & this dame he was with came down once to see what was going on & we said we didn’t interrupt your necking so please leave us alone.

I had a smashing time with Doris. I know the poor kid misses Les & someone has to make up.  I wish she didn’t live at Homerton or I wouldn’t mind taking her out.  If she does marry Les in May I think he will be the luckiest block going for she is a girl in a million.

Monday 6^th April 1942

I had a couple of hours sleep in a chair and woke up at 10 so I had a wash & till dinner we just messed about.

Everything would have been marvellous but during dinner Bert had a fit.  It wasn’t very bad but it was bad enough luckily Walter came over & he took us home, on the way we left the drums at the Cave.

We played there with Tommy Wretham.  They had to shut the door and keep them out back.   Because of one or two tunes it was bloody lousy.

Home at 12.15

Tuesday 7^th April 1942

A new chap started today.  

Went to music in evening I shall go on Thursday now starting from next week.

Saw Bert.

Wednesday 8^th April 1942

Went to Browns & bought “St Bernard’s Waltz” & “I come I saw I congaed.

Stayed in during evening.

Thursday 9^th April 1942

Stayed in during evening.

Friday, 10^th April 1942

Played at Cave in evening.

Pretty good night.

Missed last bus & had to get Walter to bring us home.

Saturday 11^th April 1942

Played at R.N.C.

The old boy behind the bar has good a dislike for us because he wants a pal of his in there, & he has got rid of us for Sundays & we will get 12/6d Saturdays but he is trying to call a meeting to get rid of us for Saturday.

Sunday 12^th April 1941

Up at 12.

Saw Ron in afternoon. Bert Ron Doris & I went to the Bridge House & saw Jimmy in the evening.  He was quite eager to come back to us.

Stayed at Ron’s till 11

Monday 13^th April 1942

Played at Cave with Tommy Wretham.  We were super.

But the old boy wants to chuck us out because of changing saxes but if he likes to pay us another 12/6. Tommy can get us a Tenor double Violin & they will be able to do Mondays & Fridays.

Home at 12.15.

Tuesday 14^th April 1942

I met Doris this morning.

I met her on the platform she came back from Oxford last August & lived at Forest Gate till a couple of weeks back.  Now she is local & goes to work from Plaistow.

Actually I couldn’t think of much to say to her but I mean to meet her tomorrow and ask her to come to Ilford Hipp with me.

Wednesday 15^th April 1942

Stayed in during evening as Doris couldn’t come out with me.

Thursday 16the April 1942

Rang up Doris & got her to come to the Ilford Hippodrome.  Had a pretty good time there.

She lives at No 1 Russel St.

Home 11.

Friday 17^th April 1942

Saw Doris in the morning.

Played at Cave we didn’t have a sax player but we did very well.

Saturday 18^thApril 1942

We played at Balaam St school & were very successful.

A RAF boy there is a smashing guitarist who had played in bands & broadcast.

Sunday 19^th April 1942

Went to Laindon with Mum & dad.

Had a busy day & got home at 10.

Monday 20^th April 1942

Met Doris but she said she was going out tonight so I didn’t ask her to come out with me.

Saw Ron.

Tuesday 21^st April 1942

During lunch I went to Incorporated Accountants Hall & got their syllabus for the Prelim exam.  It is pretty stiff.

When I went to school I saw Richards about it.  He wasn’t very hopeful about it but he said you may as well try for it.

So I want to get the name of the school Doughty goes to for his teaching.

Wednesday 22^nd April 1942

In the evening Bert & I went to Ron’s place. We had a smashing time, Doll had on a very short dress that buttoned all the way down & we bet her & Bert that they wouldn’t undo all the buttons on her dress & his flies & they took us on.

Bert was lucky it wasn’t poking out.

Doll didn’t have much else on so we didn’t miss much.

I came off better thought because I had Doll on my knees for about half an hour. If the others hadn’t been there I would certainly have got somewhere.

Thursday 23^rd April 1942

Went to music.

Afterwards I saw Bert

Friday 24^th April 1942

Bert & I went to the Cave.  Ron didn’t feel well.  Tommy came. The old boy had engaged another band so we were not  wanted, we got our money though.

We saw Ron after.

Saturday 25^th April 1942

Today was my day off but as I had a job to finish for Mr Agar I went in to finish it.

Bathed in afternoon.

In evening we played at Balaam St & had a jam session.

Book 31

Sunday 26^th April 1942

Went to Laindon

Monday 27^th April 1942

Had a bad nose bleeding at work.

Tuesday 28^th April 1942

Had 2 nose bleedings at work.  I left at 5 had another when I got home.  Went to Dr Kyndt he gave me a letter for London Hospital.  Went to Ron’s when I got home.

Wednesday 29^th April 1942

Stayed in during evening.

Thursday 30^th April 1942

Went to London Hospital.

I was waiting from 9 till 2 & of all the boring things that was the worst.

However when I saw the doctor he soon got on with the job, he tested my blood pressure & had a look at my nose & gave me some ointment which he said will draw the mucous membrane together & maybe stop it altogether.

Home at 3.

Mrs Lifer called & gave us a strong invitation to call & see her.

When to music & the saw Ron.

Friday 1^st May 1942

I bought “Time on my Hands” today.

In evening Bert & I saw Jimmy & asked him about the Clarry & he arranged to meet us at 12.30 outside FD & H tomorrow.

Saturday 2^nd May 1942

Bert & I left at 8.45.  

Bert put an ad in the Daily Telegraph.

Went to several shops but Bert couldn’t get any drum stuff.  We rang up Bourdons & he said he had some stuff.

We went to Chappell’s & joined the club we got “Dream Dancing” “2 in love” “My hearts with a Convoy” “My Paradise” “Strolling Round Leicester Square” “My Mother would love you” “Swing Bugler” “How do I know it’s real” “If I painted a Picture” & “Day Dreaming”.

Also got “Harlem” “Night & Day” “Sympathy “Giannina Mia” “Softly as in a morning sunrise”.

Went to Browns & got “Soft Shoe Shuffle” “Temptation Rag” “Canadian Capers” & “Dream Rover”.

I bought the piano parts of “Whistlers Mother in law” “Spring is here again” & “This is no laughing matter”.

We played at Balaam St with Tommy & a Tenor who is in the N.F.S.

What a band.  We’ve never been so good.

We’re having them next Saturday.

Jimmy Dacks didn’t turn up to see us at FD & H & we were there from 12 till 1.

Sunday 3^rd May 1942

Up at 11.  Mum & Dad went to Laindon.

Spent most of the day round Ron’s.

Monday 4^th May 1942

I haven’t seen Doris for over a week.  After asking her to come out so many times & being refused I came to the conclusion she didn’t want me but I must try to see her again & have a last try.

We had a firewatchers meeting.  It certainly was more business-like than the others & several resolutions were passed.

I was on duty 2 till 6.

Tuesday 5^th May 1942

Went to Night school in evening.

Wednesday 6^th May 1942

I saw Doris this morning & didn’t have the guts to ask her out.

I shall have to try to get her to come to our dance on Saturday if possible.

Went round Ron’s.  Bert has tried to get Ron into Scholl’s & Scholl’s want Ron to go for an interview.

We developed one of my films & also started to make some music covers.

Thursday 7^th May 1942

Saw Doris again.

In evening I went to music.

Afterwards Bert & I went to the Odeon & saw Bud Abbott & Lou Costello in “keep em Flying” & “Man at Large”

Friday 8^th May 1942

We did the job Mary got us.

The piano was lousy & Tom wouldn’t turn his sax up but we managed alright & they said we were very satisfactory.

We dropped the gear at Balaam St.

Saturday 9^th May 1942

I made 8 music covers out of an old case today.  

We played at Balaam St.

Sunday 10^th May 1942

We all went to Laindon.

We got a good bit of work done.

Walter Doris Beryl & Ted came down about 6 & brought us home.

I went & saw Bert.

Monday 11^th May 1942

Bert is going after a job today so he came with me.

He didn’t get a job. He came to lunch with me.

We went round to Taborns in Eldon St & Bert bought a Zildjian^XII for 35/- & I bought “Georgia” “Honeysuckle Rose” “Goodnight Sweetheart” & “Bugle Call Rag”.

Bert & I had a practice.

Tuesday 12^th May 1942

Went to night school Doris & Len called in the evening.

Wednesday 13^th May 1942

Went to East Ham Palace the only good turn was the Tom Patz saxophone.

Got “Maryoneta” “Hy Ho the Merry Oh” “In an 18^th century Square” & “Flamingo” from Chappells.

Thursday 14^th May 1942

Got Anniversary Waltz from Chapple’s.

Went to hospital they gave me some more stuff to use for 6 weeks & then call back.

Work at 11.30.

Went to music.  After I took the music covers to Ron & we painted them.

Friday 15^th May 1942

Messed about in evening.

Saturday 16^th May 1942

For our job tonight we had Frank Butley alto & Cyril Wilson Tenor.  Cyril told us that Les Brown the noted pianist gave lessons at Stratford & I think I’ll have a walk over there one night.

Sunday 17^th May 1942

Mum & dad went to Laindon & Ern & I messed about all day.  I read “The Citadel” by Corrin which is a very good book.

Monday 18^th May 1942

I bought “I don’t want to walk without you”

Bert & I went & saw Tony Keith Saturday.

We saw Mrs Deeks she said Jimmy has been called up but he is going to see me when he gets home about Wednesday week.

Tuesday 19^th May 1942

Went to night school.

Wednesday 20^th May 1942

Went round Ron’s in evening with Bert

Thursday 21^st May 1942

Went to music.  Ern finished repairing the gramophone he bought & put on it an adaptor so that we can put it on the amplifier.

Friday 22^nd May 1942

I had to go to Stadler’s so I left the office at 4.30 & got to Plaistow at 5.15.  I waited for Doris but she wouldn’t come out with me.

Bert Ron Doll & I went to the Granada & saw “Vessel of Wrath” & “Mystery Shop”.

Saturday 23^rd May 1942

Played at Balaam St.

Sunday 24^th May 1942

Up late. Went round Ron’s & took the Gram & records. We put it on the amplifier.  Ern came later & we stayed till 2.

Firewatching till 6.

Monday 25^th May 1942

Up at 2pm.

Messed about all day. 

Tuesday 26^th May 1942

Messed about.

Wednesday 27^th May 1942

Went to Odeon with Bert we saw a really good show Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland in “Babes on Broadway” one of their best.  A cartoon, a war film called “5 men of Velish”^XIII & “Pips & Puzzles” showing how psychology is being used to put the right men in the right job.

Thursday 28^th May 1942

Went to music & saw Ron after.

Friday 29^th May 1942

Bert & I went to the “Fishing Smack” at Barking where Bert was playing.^XIV

We had a damn good time & we came home by car.

I arranged to go to Bert’s place tomorrow for a jam session.

Saturday 30^th May 1942

After work I went to Scholl’s & Bert Ron me & Bob who plays Clarry & John Bert’s pal went to a pub & had a jam session.

Home at 3.30

In evening we played at Balaam St there was only 3 of us & we had a huge crowd.  The district warden said it was the biggest & best of the 4 dances he had been to that night.

Sunday 31^st May 1942

Went to Laindon.

I didn’t do much work.

I brought some records home.

Monday 1^st June 1942

I took some of the records round to Ron’s.

Tuesday 2^nd June 1942

Went to school in evening. 

Firewatching till 2.

I was out for about ¾ of an hour listening to the planes flying about.

Wednesday 3^rd June 1942

Bed at 2.15 & soon after more planes came over & then guns fired & then more planes.

At 2.38 the ARW sounded so I got up.

There were only a few planes over & then the AC went at 2.56.  I went back to bed at 3.45

Friday 5^th June 1942

Messed about during evening.

Saturday 6^th June 1942

Went to Bennetts this morning he took out one tooth & told me to come back as some want filling and the rest need cleaning.  In the evening went round Ron’s & had some fun. Home 11.30

Sunday 7^th June 1942

Up 11.15.  Had a bath. In afternoon Bert & I went with Ron & Doll to some friends of theirs over Leyton.  Home at 10.30.

Monday 8^th June 1942

Doughty & I went to lunch in the Abercorn Rooms.  It cost us 5/- each but it was a grand experience for us.  There were all the usual type of people there – Bishops retired Colonels & Bishops etc. we had a very good lunch and it was excellently cooked.

Dads Birthday.

Bert & I saw Ron for an hour in the evening.

Tuesday 9^th June 1942

I went out with Selby in the afternoon & when I came out of Adelaide House at 5 a gas test was in progress & I had to go to London Bridge & travel on the Northern to Moorgate. It wasted 15 minutes for me.

Went to night school. I bought Dad some cigars for his birthday.

Wednesday 10^th June 1942

I decided to go to the Premier to see “Shanghai Gesture” & “All American Co-Ed”.

A letter had come for Ern so I took it but I couldn’t see him about when I got to the shop so I went to the films – damned good too – and then I waited outside the shop till he came along.

We went & had a drink with the chap Ern was on with & in there I saw Cyril Wilson.

Ern wants me to Firewatch for him one night & I shall be on with the chap I saw.

We went in Erns shop & while there I tried on some shoes & Ern is keeping me a pair I also got a pair of holiday shoes.

Ern has bought a clock for Doris & Les. I brought it home.

Thursday 11^th June 1942

Mums Birthday.

She & Dad went to Laindon.

I bought her some flowers.

Went to music.

Then we went to the dance at St Mungo’s. Packed up at 10.

Friday 12^th June 1942

In evening we rang up a bloke advertising in the express as a sax player. We got him for tomorrow.

Saturday 13^th June 1942

Went to Barclay Hall in evening.  The sax was good & we booked him for some more dates.

Sunday 14^th June 1942

Up late.

The Victoria Tavern was burnt out last night.  The managers wife was burnt to death.

I went & had a look at it in the evening. It is absolutely gutted.

Monday 15^th June 1942

I settled up with Dad for my suit etc.

Then I went to Erns shop & settled up for my shoes etc.

Then we went to the Premier & saw “Hay Foot” & “How Green was my Valley” which is a super film.

Tuesday 16^th June 1942

Uneventful

Wednesday 17^th June 1942

Ditto

Thursday 18^th June 1942

Bert & I went to Barclay Hall.  The other job they wanted us for has been cancelled.

Friday 19^th June 1942

Selby forgot I was going on my holidays & didn’t draw my extra money & he had to pay me out of P.C.^XV

Aunt Lillie & Doris came over. Doris is coming again tomorrow with her sister to go with Mum to order her flowers.

Saturday 20^th June 1942

Bert went to Central Park in evening & watched Eddie & the boys.

Ern & Lil went to Greenwich.

I poshed myself especially to meet Elsie (Doris’s sister) and I thought she was a peach from what I had heard of her.

But when I saw her — I didn’t think 2 sisters could be so different.

Sunday 21^st June 1942

Went to Laindon & got beautifully sunburned.

Monday 22^nd June 1942

Went to Premier & saw “Call out the Marines” & “Wake up & Dream”.  Damn good show.

I went into Bristol H.S. & saw in there a record of “Blues Galore” & “29^th & Deadborn” by Johnny Dodd’s & his Chicago boys so I bought it.  A smashing record.

Tuesday 23^rd June 1942

Went to night school & after I went to West Ham Lane Park & saw Eddie & the boys they had a 10 piece outfit & it was super.

Wednesday 24^th June 1942

Went to the Palace & saw “Full Swing” with Jack Hulbert & Cicely Courtneidge.

 A good show but I’ve seen better.

 I went round the music shops & bought

“Basin St Ball
Bounce me brother with a Solid 4
Solitude
Miss You
Angeline
If you build a Better Mousetrap
How Green was my Valley
The street of Regret
I try to say I love you
The Window Wash Man
10 million kisses
He stole my Heart away
A Gay Ranchero
Deep in the heart of Texas
How about you”

Total 16/-

I bought a couple of books “For Amazement Only” & “No coffins in China”.

Thursday 25^th June 1942

Went to the London Hospital & I needn’t go any more.

Went to Granada & saw

“Sailors on leave” & the crazy gang in “The Frozen Limits”

We played at St Marys in evening with Fred Gillam (Gtr) & Harry Bray (Alto)

What a jam session.

Friday 26^th June 1942

Went to Library & got “If Hitler Comes” “Children of the sun”.

Had a haircut.

Went to Ilford Hippodrome & saw George Scott Wood & his band.  Pretty good show.

I went to do Erns Firewatching.  I was with Mr Brooks of the Bank & I stopped with him.  I left about 6 am.

Saturday 27^th June 1942

I bought myself a white shirt.

Yvonne Major called to see mum in the evening. Her brother had got married & the reception was at Elcaas hall & the band hadn’t turned up & she asked me if I would like to go but I didn’t want to & said I had arranged to see our guitarist (I hadn’t) & went round to Ron’s.

I saw his electric guitar. Stayed till 11.

Went to library & got “Death in the A.R.P.”

Ern came back from Scotland.  He appears to have had a good time.

He had been to Homerton & had Leslie with him.

Bed 1.30.

Sunday 28^th June 1942

Up 9.30

Great Bustle all morning.

After we had had dinner Mick & Elsie came at 1.40. Walter came.

There was Walter Mick Bert Les & I in 1 car & Ted Ern Mum Dad & Elsie in the other.

The wedding was very nice & we had a good time after.

There were mostly young chaps there & Les had brought some chaps from his station one of them was a super swing style pianist.

Walter took most of the people home & we left about 1.20am.

My nose bled for about 10 minutes early in the afternoon.

Monday 29^th June 1942

Didn’t do much all day & in the evening I went to E.H. Palace & saw Eric Winstone’s^XVI Swing Quartet & Clarrie Wears Rumba Band in Battle of the Bands.  It wasn’t bad but Winstone’s played all numbers too fast & I’m not very keen on Rumba Rhythms.  Still it made a change.

Tuesday 30^th June 1942

Ern & I went & saw Walter & Doris. Ern later went to Homerton & I went over the flats.

While I was there I saw Walters dog Rover run over.  The only thing was that death was instantaneous & the dog didn’t know anything.  Walter was very cut up & broke down.

Wednesday 1^st July 1942

Ern & I went to Laindon.  Mum came down in the afternoon.

I went out on the bike.

We went to bed at 11.30

Thursday 2^nd July 1942

Up at 10.

Mum & Doris came down with the Baby at 12 & had arrived at 1.30.

Something went wrong with the bike & although I couldn’t find a puncture the tyre kept going down so I couldn’t go over Fred’s as I intended to.

We caught the 9.5 train home.

Mrs Clay said Bert had had a letter from Bray saying he couldn’t come on Saturday.

I went to Ron’s thinking he would be there but Bert had gone on to Fred’s.

Friday 3^rd July 1942

I went to the Granada & saw “Wolf Man” & “Kate plus 10”.

In the evening Bert & I went all over the place trying to get an alto tenor or trumpet.

But although we tried about 2 dozen & spent about 5/- we couldn’t get one for Saturday – we got plenty who could do weeknights – so the personnel for Saturday is Me Piano, Bert Drums Ron Spanish Guitar Fed Gillian Electric & Spanish Guitar.

Saturday 4^th July 1942

Went to dentist had 1 tooth filled price 10/-.

Although we didn’t feel very happy about going we got nothing but praise & promises of more jobs.  So it was O.K. after all.

Mum said Fred had called. He is home for good & is coming over tomorrow.

Sunday 5^th July 1942

Ern Terry I mum & Dad went to Laindon.

Going to the bungalow we were speaking to 4 girls – at least us boys were –

Soon after we had arrived the girls came & looked for us, but they soon went.

After dinner Fred called & us chaps went for a walk on top of Crown Hill we met 3 Welsh girls we spent some time with them & going back we fell in with the 4 girls of the morning.

While we were larking about one of the girls hurt her ankle & soon after I did the same thing I managed to get to the bungalow & bathed it & then put a cold water bandage round it.

We left with about 50 minutes to spare, but we would never have done it if Terry & Ern hadn’t carried me most of the way.

Monday 6^th July 1942

Mum got some lotion from the chemist that is doing my foot good.

I had to spend nearly all day sitting down with my foot up.

Saw Bert in the evening.

Tuesday 7^th July 1942

Still couldn’t go in but my foot is getting on.

Wednesday 8^th July 1942

Went to work but I had to wear my tennis shoes.

Someone had told Joyce that we were playing at St Marys tomorrow so we went & saw Bill Kemfry but there will be no dance for 3 or 4 weeks as they can’t get the hall.  

About 9 Doris came.  The band at Fairbairn won’t be able to play there for 5 weeks.

So Bert & I went along.

We asked for £2/5 for a 4 piece or 35/- for a 3 piece & they asked us for a 3 piece.  Len was up there his tone is no better but he is better at reading.

When we left Doris told us that all profits go to the forces comforts fund so we are going to get a 4 piece for the same money & also try to get Les Ashby to come for a spot of practice there.

Thursday 9^th July 1942

We had some stuff from Chappell’s “Moonlight Cocktail” & “Skylark” & “You’re the one” & “Wedding of the Gingerbread’s”.

Bert went to Browns & bought.

“I don’t want to walk without you

This is no laughing matter & Window Washer Man

Tiia Tu Tuea Ta & Somebody Else is Taking my Place

Cokey Cokey & I Overheard a Conversation

An Old Fashioned Love Song

How Green was my Valley & Miss you

Deep in the Heart of Texas 

I try to say I love you

Took Ron’s parts round & then went to Fred’s.

We arranged for a practice on Monday.

Friday 10^th July 1942

I rang up Les Ashby but he can’t come on Monday so I asked him to come round tomorrow at 2.

In the evening I went to Scholl’s where they were holding a dance of course the band wasn’t up to much but the people enjoyed it.

Home 11.

Saturday 11^th July 1942

Les Ashby came round for a practice in the afternoon but he couldn’t get in tune with our piano but still we played a few tunes.

Bert & I went over to John’s house at Lewisham. We went to a dance there with some of John’s gang.  The band was pretty good but the leader was an awful swanker.

Home 11.15.

Sunday 12^th July 1942

Went to Laindon.  Will & Arnold were supposed to be coming about 12.

I rode down to Wayletts to meet them but they didn’t turn up & so after dinner I went to Fred’s.  Fred & I came back about 5 & Will & Arnold had arrived then about 6 Ern Will Arnold Fred & I walked to the Crown for a drink we got to the bungalow again about 9.30.  Will & Arnold started for home & we went down to the station we caught the 10.21 home – proper drunken train it was too.

Monday 13^th July 1942

Bert & I went to Fred’s for a practice.

Tuesday 14^th July 1942

Went to school it is finished till September now.  Went round Ron’s.

Wednesday 15^th July 1942

We played at Fairbairn.  Jolly good it was too.

Thursday 16^th July 1942

Went to music.

When I got back I made an orchestration of the Waltz “Love Me”.

Friday 17^th July 1942

Les Ashby Bert & I went to Fred’s for a rehearsal.  Ron came later.

Les is really quite a good player & when he has had experience he should prove to be really excellent.

We had an air raid from 5.11 pm to 5.32pm.

Saturday 18^th July 1942

Went to the dentist & had another tooth filled.

Messed about in evening.

Sunday 19^th July 1942

Went round Les Ashby’s with Bert in afternoon he had the Orks of Lebensraum & Alexanders Rag Time Band which he sold to us for 4/6.

In evening we went to Ron’s & had some fun.

Monday 20^th July 1942

Went to Walters in evening with Bert as Bert had a job for him.

Firewatching 2-5 am.

Tuesday 21^st July 1942

Went round Fred’s in evening with Bert & Les.

Wednesday 22^nd July 1942

Played at Fairbairn. Les came & we had a 5 piece pretty good too.

Thursday 23^rd July 1942

Went with Ern to East Ham Palace.  Saw Harry Parry & Group with Yourk de Sousa (good) & Johnny Claes (bad).  Good supporting show.

Home 11.30

Friday 24^th July 1942

Saw Bert in evening & just messed about.

Saturday 25^th July 1942

Went to Bert’s cousins wedding in afternoon the reception was at Romford.

We were quite near to where Harold’s wedding was held.  Bert took his drums.  We had a good time but not as good as  at the other weddings this year.

Sunday 26^th July 1942

We left Romford at 12.  Home 1.30.

I wrote some Trumpet parts in afternoon.  In evening Bert & I saw Les & we had a jam session.

Monday 27^th July 1942

2 air raids one 6.31am -6.50am then 7.16am – 7.32am.  both quiet.

Went to Odeon & saw “One of our Aircraft is Missing” & “Henry & Dizzy “  Bert & I met Les Wilson & he came in with us.

Tuesday 28^th July 1942

ARW 3.5 am to 4.15am.

Guns were heavy before ARW during the raid we heard several planes & the guns were heavy.

The new Rocket AA’s were in action.  The noise was terrific & the shells look like showers of golden rain going up.

In evening Bert Ron & I went to Fred’s for a rehearsal.

Ern had to go to a meeting. He was told there that during raids in future it would be dangerous to go out because of the shrapnel from the new guns apparently all people who have to be out in raids are to be issued with special shoulder pads.  When a lot of shrapnel comes down another lot will follow & also if an AA shell lands unexploded it is not safe to go near it as a shadow passing over it will detonate it.

When Bert & I got back from Fred’s we decided to go & look for Ern & see if he required any help as he had to go & tell all party leaders.

We went up by Plaistow stn. first & we thought we saw him go down Grasmere Rd but it wasn’t him.  We came back through Clegg St & a copper stopped us & wanted to know why we were running so we explained why we were out & showed him our cards.

We came back down Dundee Rd & as we turned into Edinburgh Rd we saw something lying in the Rd.  We go & look & find a bloke laying there.  He’s alive all right & we lift him up & find his blindo with whisky.  We get him on the path & find out he lives at 4 Nile Rd & start to take him home.  We had just got into Southern & several NFS Tenders come clanking round, if we hadn’t pick up that chap when we did we would have found several bits.

Wednesday 29^th July 1942

I bought a copy of Metronome very good book.

Went to Fairbairn.

We were lousy.  Ern came.

Thursday 30^th July 1942

ARW 1.55 am to 4.10am.  We heard guns before the ARW afterwards it was quiet most of the time.

I went round Ron’s.

Friday 31^st July 1942

Saw Ron in evening.

ARWs 2am 2.35am quiet

3.8am 3.36am Guns before ARW quiet after.

Saturday 1^st August 1942

Went to dentist I now have to go once more.

In the afternoon some papers came for Ern about new types of I.B.s so I rang him up to see if I could help him by taking the forms to the party leaders. But he said he’d do it himself.  Bert & I went with him when he went out in the evening & we covered all the area we finished at the post & were there for about an hour.

Bed 1.15am.

Sunday 2^nd August 1942

Caught 9.7 train to Laindon in the morning.  We had to catch a bus to get out of the rain.

Couldn’t go out till the evening & then I went cycling with Fred we visited a lot of his pals.

Bed 10.45

Monday 3^rd August 1942

Up 11

Went out with Freddie to see the preparations for the fair at the Crown.  It seemed that it would be pretty good.

After dinner we went to the fair at the bottom of 4^th Avenue it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t  good either.  They had a dance band that would have been thrown out of any London hall.

We met the girls next door down there & we managed to have quite a good time.

We left to catch the 7.7 train but we got to the station at 7 & the 6.50 which was late was the one we caught. I went round Ron’s, Fred was there.

This morning an alarm sounded from 3.25 to 3.47 Bert told me.

Book 32

Tuesday 4^th august 1942

Went round Fred’s in evening & had a bash.

Wednesday 5^th August 1942

I saw Doris this morning. She spoke to me first & seemed quite friendly – different to the last time I spoke to her.  I think I made a good impression I’ll try to keep it up.

Played at Fairbairn.  Elsie was there.

Thursday 6^th August 1942

Went round Ron’s in evening

Friday 7^th August 1942

I bought a record of “Red duster Rag” & “I don’t want to walk without you”

Saturday 8^th August 1942

I went to the office & found everyone else was in so I went round to Bert & stopped there.  

ARW 6.4 to 6.36pm.

We played at the wedding of Mr Bills daughter at Balaam St.  Good time.

Sunday 9^th August 1942

Went to Laindon.  Doris Beryl Rose Edna & Eileen came down in the afternoon & stayed.  They’re going home on the 17^th.

Monday 10^th August 1942

Tiffney Baron & me started work at Finsbury Park with a firm named Haggis.  Lovely place.

Bert & I went to Granada & saw “Ghost of Frankenstein” & “He found a Star”

Tuesday 11^th August 1942

Left home at 8.25 home at 6.15

Messed about in evening round Ron’s.

ARW 1.15 to 1.35am all quiet.

Wednesday 12^th August 1942

Haggis again.

Read in evening.

Was firewatching 10 to 2

ARW 2.15 to 2.37 all quiet.

Thursday 13^th August 1942

Haggis again.

Went round Ron’s in evening.

ARW 2.47 am 3.15am.  Some gunfire Bombs on London area.

Friday 14^th August 1942

Haggis again.  I expect to be there till about Tuesday or Wednesday.

Went round Fred’s for a bash in evening.

Saturday 15^th August 1942

Bert & I went to a party at Johns house.

There was a smashing piece of good there named Evelyn Tilby.  I was o.k. with her getting her in all the xing games.

About 2 some of us went for a walk.  Bert & I & Evelyn were in front.  Cecil who was after her & apparently did alright at the last party was cut right out.

Anyway we lost the others & were walking about till 3.20 when we found our way back.  Bert & I had asked her out & we finally arranged that Evelyn & I Audrey & Bert & Doris & John would go out next Friday.

On the 31^st Evelyn is starting work at Barclays bank 54 Lombard St.

Sunday 16^th August 1942

Up at 10.

I stayed to dinner.  After dinner Bert John & Evelyn & Audrey had our photos taken. I went to Laindon.

Mum & Dad & Ern were going but when I got there it was 4.30.  Doris & Beryl Rose Eileen & Edna who had been there the week were there with Fred who had come down Friday night.  Apparently, the rain had put off Mum & Dad.  When I got home about 9.45 I found that was true.

Monday 17^th August 1942

Bought a copy of the Book “Ark Royal”

Tuesday 18^th August 1942

I am writing all this (15^th onwards) on 28^th Aug & I can’t remember all I did.

Wednesday 19^th August 1942

Finished at Haggises today.

Thursday 20^th August 1942

I saw Bert in evening.  He has been on holiday & been at Johns most days.  He has booked tickets for tomorrow at the Phoenix to see “Sky High” but unfortunately he could only get 4 dress circle & 2 upper circle seats so John & Doris will have the upper circle seats.

Friday 21^st August 1942

Evelyn Audrey Doris Bert & John met me at the office at 5.30 & we went to the Strand corner house first but they were only serving dinners in the Brasserie so we had tea in the ABC.

Then we went to the Phoenix, the show was quite good (Naunton Wayne Elizabeth Welch Joe Gail & the 2 Hermione’s etc)^XVII & I also got on alright with Evelyn after the show we went to the Tottenham Court Rd Corner Hse for supper then had a walk round & went to Charring X Stn

They caught the 11.44 train & Bert & I got home at 12.40

Saturday 22^nd August 1942

We went to a dance in the evening & I won 5/- in a raffle (first time I ever won a raffle).

Afterwards Les & I went to party at Les’s cousins.  It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t as good as our parties.

Home at 7.20am.

Sunday 23^rd August 1942

Went to Laindon.  Freddy didn’t call & I felt too tired to call on him.

Ern & I had a game with Crockett’s & Ern & I came home with a soldier relative of theirs on leave. Mum & Dad are staying there for the week.

Bert wrote to Audrey today asking her & Evelyn to come out again at my suggestion.

Book 33

Monday 24^th August 1942

Stayed in all night. Ern was firewatching. 

I had my records on.

Tuesday 25^th August 1942

I got a copy of “Sweet Elsie” today.  Ern came in about 10 & we played cards.

ARW 4.52 to 5.24

We heard planes & guns over city.

Wednesday 26^th August 1942

Mum came up today.

Ern Bert & I went to Senior Fire Guard meeting today.  They want to sling the fire guard training on to the Senior Fire Guards.

When the meeting was over the fire guards had one of their own & they agreed to meet occasionally but I don’t suppose anything will come of it.

Thursday 27^th August 1942

Bert & I went to the Odeon & saw Charlie Chaplin in “the Gold Rush” & also saw “Way of the Army”.

Ern was firewatching.

Friday 28^th August 1942

Mum came up.

Ern was firewatching.

I went round Ron’s till 11.30 then came back & did my firewatching went to bed at 2.30am.

Saturday 29^th August 1942

I took my stamps to the office & swapped with Cruse.

Messed about all afternoon bathing etc.

Heard the first commentary of the season when West Ham beat Portsmouth away by 5-4 in their seasons first game.

First time West Ham have won their first game of the season for years. 

Went to the dance round Pretoria. It was very hot & we played hotter than we’ve ever played before & we nearly melted away.

Les stayed at our place as it was raining

Sunday 30^th August 1942

We were talking to Ern & didn’t get to bed till 3 & it was 5 before we slept & we didn’t wake up till 10.  I was supposed to be at a lecture at 10 with Ern but I couldn’t sling Les out so I didn’t go. I missed the 12.0 to Laindon & had to change at Upminster to catch a bus but they were so slow that I took a share in a taxi to Laindon.

Arrived at 2.

We caught the 8.45 home.

There was an alert at Laindon about 2.45.  Plane came over guns fired ARW then we heard a fight & the planes gradually faded out the AC after a while.

Monday 31^st August 1942

Evelyn starts today at the Bank I didn’t get a chance to go to see her although I would have liked to.

When I saw Bert he had been to see her but was unlucky.

While I was talking to Bert a chap came from Mrs Scott to give us another date & he also gave us some tickets for Saturdays dance & on the tickets was “SIX MELODY MAKERS BAND” & we have only got 5 so we went to Fred’s & saw him & arranged to go to West Ham Lane Park tomorrow & see Eddie Sinclair.

Tuesday 1^st September 1942

I got to the Bank at 5 to 12 & waited till 12.20 for Evelyn but didn’t see her.

We went & saw Eddie & Fred has got it so that we will either get a tenor or Eddie himself.

We all went round Ron’s after.

Wednesday 2^nd September 1942

In evening Bert & I went round with Ern on F.G. business & finished up by going to 704 Barking Rd. to collect 150 sand mats

Thursday 3^rd September 1942

We started 4^th year of War

   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Went to music

Bert & I went round Fred’s & sorted out a programme for Saturday.

Friday 4^th September 1942

Went to Premier & saw “Twin Beds” & “Women in War”

Saturday 5^th September 1942

ARW Heard guns & planes.  

We were let down by Frank the Alto & we had Piano Drums 2 gtrs & tenor.  Still we were alright.

Sunday 6^th September 1942

Mum & Dad went to Laindon.  Ern & I went over Stratford for the Stirrup Pump test for the SFG’s.(Senior Fire Guards)

Erns team was himself Miss Armstrong Mr Marchant and another chap.

Yesterday Mr Rose was best. His team took 5 ½ mins & got 75%.  Today the first team got 6 ½ mins 75%, 2^nd team 5 ½ mins 85%. Erns team 5 mins 85%.  The last team I couldn’t see what the instructor gave them but I’m sure they took longer.  Ern as No 1 did several things the others hadn’t thought of.

In afternoon & evening Bert & I went round Ron’s.

Firewatching 2-6am.

Monday 7^th September 1942

Bert & I went to Premier & saw “Pardon My Sarong“ (Abbott and Costello) and “Red Flyer”. 

ARW 10.48pm to 11.38pm. Guns & Planes bombs in distance Flares seen.  Fire started at Hainault.

Tuesday 8^th September 1942

We had a Fire Watch Committee meeting & afterwards a meeting of Dundee Rd & we got them well started

Wednesday 9^th September 1942

Went to the stationary office & bought “Air Sea Rescue” “We Speak from the Air” “The Highland Division”.

Went round Ron’s in evening & we wrote out some music.

Thursday 10^th September 1942

Went to music.

Went round Ron’s & we wrote some more music.

Friday 11^th September 1942

Ron Doll & I went to the Granada & saw “The mystery of Marie Roget” & Old Mother Riley MP”  the stage show was “War Workers Entertain”.

Saturday 12^th September 1942

Went to work in morning.

In afternoon I saw West Ham play Crystal Palace & draw 2-2.

In evening we played at Pretoria Rd.  We had Frank Bating on alto. I don’t like him much – his tone is rough & he buts in on your solos – but if Fred asks him in I shan’t quibble – he is leader.  

Frank won the raffle that makes 3 of the band winners Ron & I have also won.

Sunday 13^th September 1942

Mum & Dad & I went to Laindon & picked abut 4 ½ lbs of blackberries.  Home at 8.40.

Monday 14^th September 1942

I joined Night School & when I got home again I wrote out some more music.

Tuesday 15^th September 1942

2 yrs. ago the RAF shot down 185 jerries’.

I went to school.  Mr Richards is still teacher & there are 3 of us from last year.

Firewatching 10-2

Wednesday 16^th September 1942

Bert & I had a dancing lesson at Fred’s.  I did quite well.

Thursday 17^th September 1942

I bought Victor Sylvester’s book on Ballroom dancing.

Went to music.

Friday 18^th September 1942

I had to go to New Barnet in the afternoon. I went by tube.  I had a hell of a job to find my way to the place when I left the tube at High Barnet. & when I found it I had to serve a notice to quit on a woman – distasteful job – I got home at 7.

Saw Bert.

Les came round & I gave him the music.

Saturday 19^th September 1942

I didn’t have to go in so I had a haircut.

Bert & I saw West Ham beat Tottenham 3-1 in the afternoon. & we played at Pretoria in the evening.

Sunday 20^th September 1942

Mum & Dad went to the bungalow for a week.  I sorted out a lot of old clothes.

Ern & I went to Homerton in the evening.

We saw Doris Elsie Lillie Rose Arnold & Will but he had to go firewatching.

Some time ago when he was in the navy he took part in a film called “In which we Served”  the ads were in the paper so we put his name in prominently & cut it out & Elsie is taking it to work to put on a card & send a typed compliment slip with it to say “with the compliments of Sam Goldwyn” & saying it entitles him to 6 free seats at the cinema where it is showing.  Elsie will post the letter to Will.  I’d like to see his face when he gets it.

Monday 21^st September 1942

Ern was supposed to go firewatching but didn’t.  I went round Ron’s.

Tuesday 22^nd September 1942

I went to school. Ern went firewatching.

When I got home from work I found a note asking me to ring ALB 2599 about the band before 7.

I got in touch & found that the chap wanted a band for Oct 16^th (Friday) at the Public Hall so I booked the job & said the leader would get in touch about the fee. When I saw Bert after school we went round Fred’s but he was out.

Wednesday 23^rd September 1942

I rang Fred & told him about the job & he asked if Bert & I were coming round tonight for a dancing lesson.

We went round. & had another lesson.

Fred hadn’t been able to get in touch with the fellow as yet.

Thursday 24^th September 1942

I was firewatching 2-6 so I asked Reddin to do the 2-4 part & call me he went off the deep end & we had a glorious row. 

I didn’t go to music but I collected a new piece of Miss Elson’s one of Beethoven’s Sonatas.

Ern & I went to the Odeon & saw Will Hay in “The Goose Steps Out”.  We also saw “Dr Broadway” & Arthur Askey in a short called “The Nose Have it” about the dangers of sneezing.

Friday 25^th September 1942

I went round Ron’s & found them upside down as they are moving tomorrow.

They were proposing to sleep on the floor but as Ern was Firewatching I said they could use his bed so they stayed with me the night.

Saturday 26^th September 1942

Up at 7.30.

Bathed in afternoon.

Played at Pretoria. We got several more jobs booked.

Home 11.45

Sunday 27^th September 1942

Ern & I caught the 9.3 to Laindon.

I went over to see Freddie in afternoon & was late back.  We caught the 9.11 home.

Monday 28^th September 1942

Bert & I went to the Odeon & saw “The Palm Beach Story” & “Salute John Citizen”^XVIII which is a really good film.

Home 10.45

Tuesday 29^th September 1942

Went to school in evening. 

Wednesday 30^th September 1942

Went to Fred’s & had a dancing lesson in evening.

Thursday 1^st October 1942

Went to music in evening

Friday 2^nd October 1942

Doris rang me up to find whether we were playing tomorrow & she said Elsie & she would come over tomorrow night to come to the dance.  Trilby lent me some records & Bert came in to hear them.

Saturday 3^rd October 1942

Up at 11.15

Mrs Clay became Mrs Neaves today.  Fred & his wife & boy came to the church & were at Bert’s for a while. I played for a bit.

Doris & Elsie came at 6 we left at 6.30. we were at Pretoria it was quite good.  Ern popped in to see how we were doing & he took the girls part of the way home.

Sunday 4^th October 1942

Up at 12.45

Mum & Dad went to Laindon Ern was working on the Women’s Firewatch registration.

I heard the Jazz Jamboree on the wireless. The American band was lousy.  The RAF Band & the Blue Rockets were best.  But there wasn’t enough jazz in the jamboree.^XIX

Monday 5^th October 1942

Went to the Kinema.

Went to Ham Lane & saw “Mystery of Maria Roget” & “Blues in the Night”. Very good film indeed.

Tuesday 6^th October 1942

Went to school.

Wednesday 7the October 1942

Bert Les I & George played at the St Georges Hall Masterman Rd.

Went bad for first time.  We’re there on next Wednesday & maybe Monday & Wednesday after.  They want a new piano & want me to pick one.

Home 12.

Thursday 8^th October 1942

Went to music in evening.

Friday 9^th October 1942

We played at Drew Rd school this evening as we played till 11 we lost the last bus & train. We rang up Walter but he was on a job so we rang one of his associates & it cost us 10/- to be taken home.  Still we had quite a good night.

Saturday 10^th October 1942

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 11^th October 1942

After dinner Les came round and Bert brought his drums & we had a jam session for 3 hrs excepting when we had competition from the Salvation Army Band.

Les stayed to tea & went about 8.  I stayed in and read.

Monday 12^th October 1942

Went to Carlton & saw George Formby in “Much too Shy” & “Dangerously they live”.

Tuesday 13^th October 1942

Went to night school.

Wednesday 14^th October 1942

Played at St Georges.  Still a poor crowd.

Thursday 15^th October 1942

I went to a meeting of Party Leaders with Ern & the head Fireguard Marsden took the meeting.  Kinch was there & when the meeting was over he took us to the ELCCAS.

I am going on Sunday & I am trying to get Les to come as they want a melody man for the band.

We saw the films they have on Thursdays & then we went to see old Mr Living who is 94, a marvellous old boy.  He spoke of the time when Plaistow was all country just 50 odd year ago.

Friday 16^th October 1942

We played at the Public Hall it went down very well & Les who was a bit nervous when we started went down very well.  I had a lovely time on the Grand.

Saturday 17^th October 1942

I got up at 12.

Bathed in afternoon & we played at Pretoria in evening. 

Sunday 18^th October 1942

One of Teds sisters is getting married on Saturday and Ted wanted us to play but as we are booked we couldn’t do it but we promised to get someone else.

Mum & Dad went to Laindon. I got up at 12.15. & put on some records & generally messed about.

Ern got up at 3.30.

Bert & I went to see Eddie to see if he could get a band for Ted.

We had an interesting talk & he told us to ring Newton (he said Newton would only get in touch with him but that would be best) so Bert will ring Newton tomorrow.

Les & his pal came round in the evening & we all went to the ELCCAS. Les played the night.

Ern Bert Gerry & I all joined the club. Les didn’t get a chance to as he was playing.

We had quite a decent time but like all clubs it is too cliquey.

Les got 7/6 for playing.

The others get a dollar a night on Tuesdays & Sundays.

Monday 19^th October 1942

Had two warnings in city heard nothing. Times

10.9 am to 10.29am 

10.59am to 11.16am 

12.13 pm to 12.24pm 

Guns heard in 3^rd raid.

I joined 5 clubs today for P.Cs.

I joined Victoria. FDH, Campbell Connelly, Victoria & Sun.

I have 120 no’s in all to come & I have got 44 today P.M. wouldn’t let me join for P.l so I just bought “one more Kiss” .

Saw Ron in Evening.

Wednesday 21^st October 1942

Played at St Georges

Thursday 22^nd October 1942

Ron Bert & I played at the YMCA for Fred’s A.B. Social. Had quite a good time & had a game of table tennis after.

Friday 23^rd October 1942

Played at Drew Rd.

Saturday 24^th October 1942

Went to Football & saw Hammers play Watford & win 3.0

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 25^th October 1942

Stayed in all day

Monday 26^th October 1942

Did nothing much.

Tuesday 27^th October 1942

Played at Dockland Settlement^XX & had a talk with Miss Brierly whom Mum Dad & Walter know 

Wednesday 28^th October 1942

Played at St Georges. 2 girls whose parents Fred knows came to the dance. Bert took them home.  I didn’t go because well ———–

Thursday 29^th October 1942

Ron Bert Les & I played at St Marys Church

Friday 30^th October 1942

Fred Ron Les George & I played at Elccas.  We got nothing but had a good jam.

Saturday 31^st October 1942

Played at Pretoria

Sunday 1^st November 1942

Stayed in till evening went up Elccas & Saw Ron & Doll there.

Monday 2^nd November 1942

Ern had to Start giving lectures to the fireguard tonight & I went with him to assist in a couple of demonstrations

Tuesday 3^rd November 1942

Went to night school & then went to help Ern at his lecture.

Wednesday 4^th November 1942

Played at St Georges.

Thursday 5^th November 1942

Went to music & got “Concerto for two” classic (original) Went with Ern to his lecture after.

Friday 6^th November 1942

Played at Drew Rd.  Walter took us home.

Saturday 7^th November 1942

Went to Odeon in afternoon & saw “My Gal Sal” & “About Face”

Went to Pretoria in evening.

Sunday 8^th November 1942

Went up Elccas in evening.

Monday 9^th November 1942

I went round Ron’s & gave him a music lesson

Tuesday 10^th November 1942

Went to night school

Wednesday 11^th November 1942

Les Bert & I went to Walters & had a practice. We had a thick fog and we almost walked home as we helped to lead the bus.

Thursday 12 November 1942

Went to music & after I stayed in & wrote some sax & trumpet parts.

Friday 13^th November 1942

Played at St Georges.

Saturday 14^th November 1942

Went to Town Hall & got my 10 extra clothing coupons^XXI went to the Broadway & saw “Moontide” & “Give Out Sisters” with the Andrew Sister.

Played at Plaistow Sec.  we were on top of our form.

Sunday 15^th November 1942

Stayed in all day & wrote out some trumpet parts.

Book 34

Monday 16^th November 1942

Stayed in all evening.

Tuesday 17^th November 1942

Went to night school & went to see Ron after.

Bert saw me later.  I am going to buy all the old parts from the band in exchange for 4 orks.  I am getting Dinah, Limehouse blues, after you’ve gone & only you backed with Autumn in Old London Town.  We are also buying 3 minutes of heaven.

Wednesday 18^th November 1942

I went to Browns in my lunch hour & bought the orkes. Also went to FDM & got 2 manuscript books.

We played at St Georges in the evening.

I was firewatching with Brett from 2-6.

Thursday 19^th November 1942

Went to music in evening & after I stayed in and got bored & generally messed about.

I heard the radio show Youth Magazine.^XXII A load of tripe if ever there was.  The people brought to the mike are the minority of today’s youth not the majority.

Friday 20^th November 1942

I bought Dad & myself a diary each today.

We played at Drew Rd.  had a Jam. Walter called for us.  He may be able to get us a contract with a chap.

Home 11.30

Saturday 21^st November 1942

Had a bath in afternoon.

Played at Pretoria in evening.

Sunday 22^nd November 1942

Stayed in bed till 2.

I went to see Ron in evening but he was out.

Monday 23^rd November 1942

I went to the Odeon & saw Bud Abbott & Lou Costello in “Who Done It” also saw “The great impersonation”

Good show.

Tuesday 24^th November 1942

Went to Russo with Salkeld.

Went to Night School saw Ron after & gave him another music lesson.  He seems keen to get the alto now.

Wednesday 25^th November 1942

My 18^th Birthday.

Mum & Dad gave me some socks & Pyjamas. Walter & Doris sent a card.

Went with Salkeld to Riccardo Daniels.

I had to go to the Borough later on for Tuffney & I went in a music shop there & Bought F&Ds 4^th piano album including Russian Ray Blue Skies Wabash Blues I saw Stars Etc.  also bought “The Man who comes around”

Thursday 26^th November 1942

Played at St Marys Church (writing this on 17/12/42)

Friday 27^th November 1942

Forgotten

Saturday 28^th November 1942

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 29^th November 1942

Bert brought me my cards I’ve had printed.  

Ern brought Jean home to tea & we played cards etc after.

Monday 30^th November 1942

Started at Dingwall’s with Tuffney & Bacon

Bought “Front Line” the story of the Blitz.^XXIII

Damned awful at Dingwall’s no convivences and very uncomfortable.

Played at 7 Kings Hotel for the Assistance board.  Pretty good.  Ron got a sax & brought it.

Tuesday 1^st December 1942

Went to school & then went to Ron’s & gave him some tips on playing Sax.

Wednesday 2^nd December 1942

Went to Premier & saw Gloria Jean in “She’s my Lovely”

Thursday 3^rd December 1942

Went to music

Went to Liverpool Arms with Bert to see Arthur & as the pianist hadn’t turned up I played for an hour & got 10/-.

I shall be up there other nights as well.

Friday 4^th December 1942

Played at Drew Rd. they gave us a car home & paid 5/- each for us before getting cars.

Got the Beveridge Report.^XXIV

Saturday 5^th December 1942

Played at Pretoria.

We saw Arthur last night & he asked me to go to Princes Hall Barking with him tonight because they want a pianist after next week.

So I went & played a few numbers but the bloke they had (RAF bloke) who is going abroad said I was too inexperienced but I didn’t think much of him actually.

Monday 7^th December 1942

Had to go to the office before going to Dingwall’s.

Went to Premier in evening & saw “Went the day well” & The Postman didn’t ring” jolly good show.

Tuesday 8^th December 1942

Bought the Warsaw Concerto.

Went to night school.  I was supposed to Firewatch at work tonight but got out of it because I was out of the office.

Wednesday 9^th December 1942

Played at Pretoria.

Thursday 10^th December 1942

Fred Bert & I did a small show for a kids party at the Gwen Wilson Inst. But it was lousy & I will never do another.

Friday 11^th December 1942

Ron, Les & myself played at Elccas for the firewatchers social.  Ron getting on well with the sax.

Saturday 12^th December 1942

Bert was taken bad today & couldn’t play & Les was with the HG so Fred Ron & I put up a show at Pretoria & did quite well 2 chaps who play trpt, & Violin & Clarry gave us their addresses & will come up Elccas with us one night.

Sunday 13^th December 1942

Ern brought Jean home & we played cards etc.

Monday 14^th December 1942

Went to Kinema & saw Flanagan & Allen in “We’ll smile again” & “Murder at Midnight”.

Quite good.

Tuesday 15^th December 1942

Went to night school.

Saw Ron after.

Firewatched 10-2

Wednesday 16^th December 1942

Bert is still ill so Fred & I played at Dingwall’s alone.  It was pretty awful because most of the birks only came to skylark about.

Thursday 17^th December 1942

Went to music.

Helped Ern in evening with firewatching matters & afterwards sorted stamps.  Fred called round.

Friday 18^th December 1942

I managed to get my firewatching altered from Saturday to Sunday.

We played at Drew Rd with Ron on drums.

Walter brought us home by car. We left the kit at the YMCA.

Cruse has his papers & goes on Monday to HMS Collingwood.

Saturday 19^th December 1942

The NFS have organised a demonstration round the area for this afternoon & Ern didn’t know till Thursday night so I spent the afternoon when I got home from work rushing around getting men to come & finding out all I could about it & then I handed over to Mr Parker.  As I had to go to the YMCA at 4.

Just on 4 Doris & Elsie called over.

Bert & I got to the YMCA at about 4.15 we started at 4.30. & played till 10. It wasn’t very good thought & I was glad to finish.

Sunday 20^th December 1942

There was an ARP film demonstration at the Broadway & I went.  Ern was firewatching & got there later & I met him after. I was with Mr Parker.

The show was quite good on the whole.

Home at 1.30 Mum & Dad had gone to Laindon to get our Rabbit for xmas.

I left at 3.30 to go firewatching. I was not very keen on it.

The only redeeming feature was that I won at pontoon only 1d but at one time I was 3/- down.

Went to bed at 12.45

Monday 21^st December 1942

Up at 7.15

Went to the station & bought a paper & had breakfast & messed abut in office till the others got in.

I bought 2 records.

I got Sid P Phillips quartet playing “Running Wild” & Yankie Doodle Blues” & Mound City Blue Blowers in “Muskrat Ramble” & “High Society”.

I went with Arthur Thompson to a job for Bert Harris to hear me.  He offered me a job with the band but as I wouldn’t leave the MMs it fell through.

Tuesday 22^nd December 1942

Went to Odeon & saw Bing Crosby in “Road to Morocco” & “Wrecking Crew” jolly good show.

Went with Roff to Pharaohs Grieves at Adelaide House.^XXV

Wednesday 23^rd December 1942

Went with Roff to Pharaohs, coming home I met Doris on Monument Station. Had an interesting talk with her.  I don’t know whether to ask her out or not.

Played at Pretoria felt bored so Les Ron Harry & I went & had two whisky’s & a brown ale but we didn’t feel any better.

Thursday 24^th December 1942

Office close at 3.30 but the trains were lousy & didn’t get home till 4.30.

I went & saw Les and after listening to some records we went out round some pubs & finished up in a café for supper.

Home 12.30

Friday 25^th December 1942

Uninteresting day.  Ern went to Jeans & I messed about all day listened to the wireless all day.  We wound the day up with a game of baccarat & I won a 1/-

Saturday 26^th December 1942

Had a bath in morning went to Walters for tea then went to play at Dockland.  Absolute mess up Les didn’t come eventually.  I missed the last bus & had to walk from Green St to Walters.

Ern & Jean had arrived & we stayed till 1am.

Sunday 27^th December 1942

I went to Lens for tea & then we had a jam the chaps who spoke to us at Pretoria came as well.  The trumpet isn’t very good & the clary had to go early so didn’t bring his Clarry.

But we will see them maybe on Thursday, definitely on Friday.

Monday 28^th December 1942

Went to the Premier & saw Arthur Askey in “King Arthur was a Gentleman” & One Thrilling Night”.

Tuesday 29^th December 1942

Stayed in all night & made a list of records I want.

Working at Pharaoh

Saw Doris on the train coming home from Monument.

Wednesday 30^th December 1942

I was firewatching at the office. I was round Control. I lost at pontoon.

Bed about 12.30

Thursday 31^st December 1942

Up at 6.45.

Had breakfast out & went to Pharaohs

I bought a book called “My Thrilling Adventures” all true stories very interesting. 

Saw Doris on station.

She’s a smashing girl.

Went to music.  Then went to Pretoria to play out the old year.

Quite good dance.

1943

Friday 1^st January 1943

Saw Doris on Station in evening.

We played at the Elccas for the firewatchers social.  We had piano drums clarinet alto & 2 trumpets.

In interval Les me & the drummer went to the couch & had 3 Browns & 3 singles & a double whisky.

I was sick after it but Les was worst of because he got it in his head & didn’t know what he was doing

I was supposed to Firewatch but I went to bed.

Saturday 2^nd January 1943

Up at 2.30

West Ham won 10.3 today.  

We played at Pretoria afterwards Ron took Les & I to a wedding in Harold Rd.  we had a pretty good time.

Sunday 3^rd January 1942

Home at 8.30.

I lit a fire & read the paper & had a doze for an hour before the others came down at 11.30.

Ern Dad & I put up the wireless & cloths poles that had fallen down.

In evening I called on Ron for an hour

Monday 4^th January 1943

Up at 6.30

Went out & got a paper & had breakfast.

I was in the office & I was able to do some orchestrating.

I bought 2 records 1 of Louis Armstrong & the other a Bud Freeman.

Went to night school.

Afterwards I took my records round to Ron’s.

Fred came round. While I was there.

Wednesday 6^th January 1943.

Messed about all day in office.

I have to register Saturday.

We played at Pretoria.

Les is volunteering for Marine Board tomorrow.

Thursday 7^th January 1943

I went to music & after I played records & did some orchestrating.

Friday 8^th January 1943

Worked at Pharaoh Grieves with Roff.

I went round Fred’s & we had a talk.

Saturday 9^th January 1943

As my season ran out last night I didn’t go in today.

Up at 10.30

Registered about 2pm. Put down for RAF Flying duties.

Played at Pretoria.

Les showed us a letter he has had from the marines saying he is too old.  – at 17.

He is going to try for RAF Rescue Services now.

The MC we had was the biggest twerp I have known for an M.C.  I’d liked to have wrung his neck.

Had a bath when I got home.

Bed 2.30

Sunday 10^th January 1943

Up at 11.

Went round Fred’s for a bash in afternoon with Bert Les Ray & Ken.  Ron didn’t turn up.

Home at 5.30 just after Ern had brought Jean home.

After tea we played cards etc.  Ern took Jean home at 9.30.  I went to bed at 12.15.

Monday 11^th January 1943

Went to Premier & saw Gloria Jean in “Date with an Angel” & “Sin Town”.

I only bought a monthly season ticket for this time.

Tuesday 12^th January 1943

I went to night school.

Afterwards I listened to some of my records.

Wednesday 13^th January 1943

Bert Fred Ron & I played at Docklands. Awful as last time with all the hooligans there.

Thursday 14^th January 1943

Went to music.  Miss Elson lent me a theory book to do some work on.

When I got home I did some orchestrating & listened to some records.

I bought a copy of “Costal Command” today.^XXVI

Friday 15^th January 1943

Had some fun at the office today.

Baxter gave me the job of sending off 1200 cheques & to help me I had Miss Ginn Miss White Pratt & Trickey & we had the end room to ourselves & we had some real good fun while we were working.

Saturday 16^th January 1943

Went in in the morning, kept busy 

I sent up for 12 swing scale studies issued by Vic Fitman of Blackpool.  It is apparently very good.

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 17^th January 1943

Stayed in all day 

We bombed Berlin heavily last night & at 8.20pm we had an A.R.W

The barrage was the loudest we’ve heard & when a whole battery of rockets go up it’s like the biggest bomb ever, in descent except that it dies away instead of gets louder. Many people were killed by gun splinters for when a battery shells explode the sky is alive.  The bombers tried diving & zooming to escape the barrage but 10 were shot down

The noise of the guns was so great I didn’t hear any bombs but from Bushey Rd (a D.A.) to East Ham Town Hall (H.E.) there was trouble at Boleyn there were more H.Es and shells falling & exploding & outside the Granada there’s a D.A.

AC at 9.58 pm 

Ern was over Leyton & had some narrow escapes when he & Jean were out.

Monday 18^th January 1943

Stayed in during evening.

ARW at 4.45 am

Heavy barrage as in last raid.  A.C. 5.48 am. 

Another at 7.48pm till 8.20pm guns heard faintly just after ARW but nothing after.

Tuesday 19^th January 1943

Went to night school

Mr Richards asked me if I knew anyone who had a violin for sale as a friend of his wants one, I said I would do what I could.  I think Martin has one.

Went round Ron’s after.

Wednesday 20^th January 1943

Played at Pretoria. 

I bought two HMSO books transport goes to war & the Campaign in Greece & Crete.

We had an ARW at 12.33 while I was at lunch Geoff Pratt & I were in Lyons.

When we finished lunch most of the trouble was over but from the office roof we saw the guns firing.  A school was hit and the final death toll was 48.

Book 35

Wednesday 20^th Jan Contd.

ARW as we finished at Pretoria’s dance at 10.49pm.  There was some gunfire but the AC went at 11.3 as Fred Bert & I were halfway home.

Thursday 21^st January 1943

ARW 1.5am AC 1.22am guns with warning quiet after.

I was firewatching at office & supposed to be on duty at home but Mum who is on the rota for the first time did our turn 10-2.  I had a quiet night bed about 12.30.

Mr Roff & I started work today at the Timber Trade Federation of the UK at the London Chamber of Commerce in Cannon St.

Friday 22^nd January 1943

Bert & I went round Ron’s in the evening.

Saturday 23^rd January 1943

Les was with the H.G. & we played at Balaam St with Ray.  Quite good really.

Doris called over in the afternoon.

Sunday 24^th January 1943

Up at 3pm.

Felt very bad & had terrible pain behind my eyes.

About 9 I got rid of it by using smelling salts & clearing my head & then I had a bath & went to bed.

Monday 25^th January 1943

Felt better this morning. 

At T.T.F.

Ern started work at Ronan’s today as repair mechanic.

Went to the Premier & had to go the long way round Green St because the DA is still in front of the Granada.

Saw “7 Days Leave” “Mexican Spitfires Elephant” & a captured German newsreel.

When I got home I heard that Tommy Wretham had called round for me to do a job, I wish I had been in.

Kinch had also been down to see if I would play for him tomorrow night.

Tuesday 26^th January 1943

I rang up Kinch & said I’d play.

Went to school & to the Elccas after.

One of the girls Mary was quite friendly & I decided to go on Friday.

I rang up Les, and was told he was ill, during lunchtime.

Wednesday 27^th January 1943

I was going to see Les but didn’t feel too good so I stayed in and wrote out some band parts.

Thursday 28^th January 1943

Went to music

Went round Ron’s after.  He said he’d come tomorrow.

Friday 29^th January 1943

Still at T.T.F.

Went up Elccas at 9.

Mary was there but she disappeared at the end so I wasn’t able to take her home as I had hoped.

Saturday 30^th January 1943

I got mum to put £10 in my Post Office A/c for me.  Had a bath in afternoon & went to Pretoria in evening.

Sunday 31^st January 1943

Up at 11.30am.

Went round Les’s but he was out.

While I was knocking a chap came up & asked if I was the chap he brought home last Monday apparently he found Les half naked in the road late at night & brought him home. I left a note asking him to “Ring me tomorrow night while I am firewatching.  

I went up Elccas but Mary wasn’t there.

Monday 1^st February 1943

Roff & I nearly finished TTG & while he was finishing it I got on with L & D S M O Assn which is in the same blding & only a small job.

I bought the HMSO book Battle of Egypt.  Quite good.

I was firewatching in office 

The weather was very bad and we had the wireless on, suddenly we heard (as we thought) the guns open up.  Everybody dashed for helmets etc & we prepared for duty until someone switched off the wireless & we realised it was only thunder.

Bed 12.30

Tuesday 2^nd February 1943

Up at 7.15

Played at Elccas

Finished at TTF

Wednesday 3^rd February 1943

In the office today kept busy.

Went to music.

Friday 5^th February 1943

During lunch I went to Browns & FF&H & Pestons & got some music for band & myself & got some manuscript paper.

Got my notice for medical next Friday.

Saturday 6^th February 1943

Went in in morning.

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 7^th February 1943

Didn’t do much all day.

Monday 8^th February 1943

Went to Premier with Bert & saw “Rookies with Abbott & Costello & “Sherlock Holmes in Washington”.

Tuesday 9^th February 1943

Played at Elccas

ARW 8.33 to 8.48am.  no action

Wednesday 10^th February 1943

Bert & I went round Freds.

ARW 4.49 to 5.10pm. no action.

I was at LHWG.

Thursday 11^th February 1943

Went to music

Friday 12^th February 1943

Up at 11.

Left for my medical at 1.45.  Got at the place at 2.30.  It was only 2 private houses.  After waiting a bit we were sent upstairs & undressed keeping on shoes trousers jackets. We went round 4 at a time.  We were weighed & measured.  Descriptions noted any marks put down, then the 1^st doctor tried eyes & reflexes & called out a list of illnesses to see if you had had any of them then the second Doctor called out another list & tried ears mouth & generally ran over you.  3^rd bloke tested your chest & he laid me on a table & started poking my chest about & called another bloke over.  Anyway they passed me Grade 1.

Then I got dressed & went downstairs.  I had a talk with some of the chaps there & I met a couple of chaps from school.

After more waiting I went up to see the RAF officer & he eventually presumably accepted me as navigator or W.O.  My eyes are too weak for Pilot or anything else.

So I went downstairs & filled in an RAF VR form & an allotment form & now I have to wait till I hear & then go up for 3 days for the really stiff medical & final acceptance in the RAF. 

Home at 5.30.  on the way I saw Len & Mrs Donovan & told them & Len said that he had put down for air crew.

Les called round & of course he heard all about it.

Saturday 13^th February 1943

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 14^th February 1943

Didn’t do much.

Monday 15^th February 1943

Got a new season ticket 

I told FM about the medical & had a talk with him.

Fred has had an offer to get up a big band with plenty rhythm to play at the Public Hall several nights a week & he wants to get Alto & Tenor sax to come with Les Bert Myself & him. So the 4 of us had a talk round my place tonight but we didn’t get very far.

Something I had at Lyons today upset me & after the boys had gone I was terribly sick & in fact Ern had to hold me while I was sick I felt so awful, so I went to bed early.

Tuesday 16^th February 1943

I felt ok this morning but I took sandwiches to lunch.

Played at Elccas 

I have to go out tomorrow so I arranged to meet Ern & have lunch with him.

Wednesday 17^th February 1943

Met Ern & had a jolly good lunch with him at the Black Sun.

Played at Pretoria.  We are out of a job Saturday as there has been some wangling going on & another band is there.

Thursday 18^th February 1943

Took sandwiches for lunch.

I saw Fred & Bert.  Ray will not be able to join us as he is only free 2 nights a week so after music I went to see Ron & told him about it, he seemed keen & promised to learn to read properly.

I ordered a book “Background of the Blues” from Stoneham’s

Friday 19^th February 1943

Did some orchestrating in evening.

Saturday 20^th February 1943

Put £7 in P.O.S.B.

Doris isn’t well & I rang up to see how she is.

Started on some more orchestrating but Ron called round & asked me to a party.  It was at the Boleyn & was a friend of theirs. I had a jolly good time playing Hyde Park etc.

Sunday 21^st February 1943

In the evening I went round to Lens & took some music.  May was there.  We had a bash & heard some records.  Home 10.20.  Had a bath & went to bed.

Monday 22^nd February 1943

Went to Stoneham’s for my book & they said they were waiting for it to come in.  but he chap at the office had told me Stoneham’s keep you hanging about for book so I rang up the WMA who publish it & found they hadn’t even got an order. So I told Stonham’s what I thought of them & wrote to the WMA for a copy of the book.  I also asked for a catalogue.

Tuesday 23^rd February 193

I was supposed to be firewatching but I got Roff to change & he did tonight for me & I do Sunday.

Went to school & Elccas.

Wednesday 24^th February 1943

Got “Background of the Blues” a really good book on jazz.  And there’s a smashing list of records.  They also sent an entrance form & catalogues of music & records. Etc.

Thursday 25^th February 1943

Went to music, & afterwards I went round to Les’s.  we had a good practice & I started Les on the -12 Bar Blues.

Ray called before I saw Les.  He has got his sax – an alto 

Friday 26^th February 1943

Went to Carlton in evening on my way I met Doris who was on her way to her sisters had interesting talk.

Saw “Orchestra Wives” with Glen Miller & Orch.  Jolly fine. & “Flight Lieutenant”.

I got a letter from Miss Joseph asking if I knew anyone who wanted a job there.

Saturday 27^th February 1943

Up at 11.30.

After Dinner Bert & I took the drums to the fire station we are playing tonight in North Woolwich Rd just past Lyles.

Ern & I went to East Ham to get some fruit after we got it I brought it home & he went to Jeans.  On my way home I called in Reeves & got the RAFDO^I playing “Anchors Aweigh” & “Blue Lou” & I also bought the Decca & Parlophone Catalogues.

It was alright at the fire Stn & we packed up at 11 & were home at 11.30 because they got a tender out for us.  They’ve booked us for the 27^th.

Sunday 28^th February 1943

Up at 11.30. Ray called he brought his sax & boy – he is really good on it, & plays his dots o.k.  He can play “In the Mood” melodic or hot a great feat for any Sax player.  

The sooner he joins the band the better for us all, we could step straight into the public hall jobs then.

Went firewatching at the office.

Bed at 12 & I didn’t get to sleep until nearly 2 I should reckon.

Monday 1^st March 1942

I came home at 7.30 & went back at 9.

Roff & I went to London Hardwood, – awful place.

It was Bert’s birthday so I bought him “Adastral Bodies” a humour book of the R.A.F.^II

I also bought “Ur of the Chaldees” or 7 yrs of excavation Sir Leonard Woolley.^III

I rang Miss Joseph & said I am after a boy (through Martin) & if that failed I might get a girl from Erns shop actually).

Tuesday 2^nd March 1943

Went to school & Elccas.

During my lunch I went to St Pauls & saw the Stirling Bomber they’ve got there, it certainly didn’t look a 99 ft wingspan, but it was very interesting.  The only thing was you couldn’t get very near.^IV

Wednesday 3^rd March 1943

We played at Pretoria – or were supposed to.  On Monday we gave Berlin a bashing & really beat them up.^V  Anyway tonight Bert & I were there at 7.15 Les about 7.25 & we had a bash.  Ron came & joined in and when Fred came we started on the dance properly we played Q.S. W. F.T. Q.S. W. (quick step, waltz fox trot quick step waltz) & then at 8.19pm the ARW sounded.  They stopped the dance & everyone had to go in the long narrow hall, where they had the blast walls, & take shelter.  We kept looking out of the doors but you couldn’t see much.  The gunfire was fairly heavy and they got 2 fires going. There were one or 2 quiet periods.

They let a couple of Rocket Batteries & the first one nearly made Mary pass out. Anyway the AC went at 9.49 & everybody went home.

Firewatching 2-6

Thursday 4^th March 1943

In my Firewatch we had an ARW from 4.30 am to 5.38am but the raid wasn’t very bad: quite a lot of gunfire but the planes must have been very high because we couldn’t hear any engines.  Mum was on with me.  Dad Ern & I stayed up after the AC.

Went to London Hardwood.

In evening went to music.

Ray & Les came round.

Ray is definitely going to join us.  I didn’t feel too good & went to bed early.

Friday 5^th March 1943

I stayed in bed all day, I had a slight touch of flue. Dad rang the office for me. It was a very boring day.

Saturday 6^th March 1943

Got up. I was supposed to firewatch at office but I didn’t go. Went to the dance at Pretoria.

Reg played for a while. Wasn’t too bad.

Sunday 7^th March 1943

Went to Elccas with Bert.

Ray called & Fred called while he was here.  Had an interesting talk about the band.

Monday 8^th March 1943

Went in. I rang Roff at LHWG & he told me to go to GA tomorrow.  Bratt Bell Lalheld & Hancock are down there today.

Ashworth & I went to Trafalgar Square to see the Lancaster.

I went in to Guedalla’s. Miss Ashton & Miss Bayley were at lunch & Miss Joseph was by herself.  I had an interesting talk with her.

Went to Odeon & saw “Footlight Serenade” and “Natasha” about the Russian war.

Tuesday 9^th March 1943

Left home at 8.15. went to Monument then Bank & then by City Line to Waterloo caught the 9.14 to Feltham with Bell Lalheld Pratt & Hancock.

Mett Roff down there. Had quite an interesting day. Home at 6.30.

My nose bled & in the end I had to give up any idea of going to school.  I went to the club though.

Wednesday 10^th March 1943

Caught 9.14 again.

Spent evening going through music.

Thursday 11^th March 1943

I caught the 8.54 today.

We can get cakes at Feltham so I bought a cake home with me.  I got home too late for music.

I sorted some music & later I saw Ron & asked him to come tomorrow to Elccas for the firewatchers social.  I went all over the latest Spitfire Mark iv today.

Friday 12^th March 1943

I put £4/10/- in West Hams Wings for Victory target of £750,000.^VI

Played at Elccas with Les Ray & Jim. Bert came along.  Ron couldn’t come as Doll was Queer. 

We got browned off at the end & said we wouldn’t go any more.

Saturday 13^th March 1943

Had a lay in till 12.30.

Had a haircut in the afternoon.

We had Ray playing at Pretoria & it was super.

2 alts trpt piano Grr & drums.

Sunday 14^th March 1943

Up at 12.30.

Messed about all day. Went up Elccas in evening with Bert.

Monday 15^th March 1943

Caught 8.54 train.

I bought a weekly season to Feltham & I also had to get another ordinary season so I got a monthly to Aldgate East.

At 5 there was a meeting in the room we were working in so we caught the 5.5 home.

Went to Premier with Bert & saw “Desert Victory” the 8^th army film so far also “Silver Queen” Lousy.

Tuesday 16^th March 1943

I had to leave home at 8 to go to the office to collect a comptometer^VII as a girl is coming down to work it. Caught 8.54 train. 

Jeff and I found a record shop at Feltham & bought Teddy Powell^VIII playing “In Pinetops Footsteps” & “Sans Culottes” Count Basie playing “Harvard Blues” & “Coming out Party” & Louis Armstrong in “Lawd you made the night too long” & “I got Rhythm”.

Went to school & played at Elccas later.

Wednesday 17^th March 1943

Caught 8.54 train.

I had to Firewatch at the office so I couldn’t play at Pretoria.

I left Feltham by the 4.35 train. 

We had a damned drill on the roof – a wet drill at that.  Ern doesn’t know much about it & I know he didn’t tell me anything I didn’t know.

I had a game of darts & went to bed early.

Thursday 18^th March 1943

I left the office at 7.15 home 7.45.  left home 8.15 & though being held up by the crowd at Bank I just missed the 8.54 so I caught the 9.14.  Roff is ill & didn’t come. He will be in again Monday.

As Roff isn’t here I shall work with Salkeld & Hancock will be in the office till next Tuesday.

Home 6.30.

Saw Bert.

Last night was O.K. He & I went round Freds & took some records & we had a good talk.

Friday 19^th March 1943

While we were at lunch Pratt & I went to the record shop.  As I walked in I saw a quid on the floor, the bloke who dropped it was there & he gave me 2/-. I bought a record.

I also got some Hair cream.

In the afternoon Fillmore rang me & asked me to do his firewatching Sunday & he will do mine the following Sunday.  Stayed in in evening.

Saturday 20^th March 1943

Went to office.

Went to Football & saw West Ham lose to Arsenal.

Ray played at Pretoria with us.

Mum got me a pair of gloves.

Fred is playing at the Public Hall next Friday with Bert in the WFS band so I Bought a ticket for it. 

Sunday 21^st March 1943

I went to see Les to suggest that he, I, Ray & Ron have a practice.  He is o.k. & so is Ron, Ray was out when I called.

Firewatched at office.

Fillmore’s team are a good lot.  The best I have been with anyway.

Monday 22^nd March 1943

Roff was still out.

Ray came round & as Bert was in he heard about the practice he also turned up & we are all o.k. for Wednesday.  After they left I did some orchestrating.

Tuesday 23^rd March 1943

Roff came in.

Played at Elccas after school.

Wednesday 24^th March 1943

I was queer all day & still don’t feel well in the evening but we had a good practice just the same.

Thursday 25^th March 1947

We played at the radical club & Fred wondered where the improvement came from till we told him about the rehearsal. 

Friday 26^th March 1943

Went up Public hall to the dance, the band was quite good but it was too big – 3 saxes 2 trumpet & 4 rhythm — & it sounded overbalanced most of the time.

Ivy & Edna were there & Bert & I took them home.

Saturday 27^th March 1943

Up late.

Had a bath.

We played at the fire Stn near Tate & Lyles again. Pretty good.

Fred had some players at 1/9 for 20 so I got 60 off him.

Sunday 28^th March 1943

Ern Jean & I went to Homerton as Elsie & Joyce have their birthdays on the 28^th & 29^th.  They had a bit of a party but we had to leave at 10 to get home.

Still it made a change.

Monday 29^th March 1943

I bought some more records at Feltham.

In the evening I stayed in & made my book for my music index.

Tuesday 30^th March 1943

Went to school & Elccas

Wednesday 31^st March 1943

Ray came to Pretoria so we had a 5 piece out.

Thursday 1^st April 1943

In evening I started indexing the music.

Friday 2^nd April 1943

Roff & I were the only ones at GAL.

There was a Fireguard meeting at Lister & I went with Ern.

There was a bit of sorting out up there & Kewell asked us all to go to his place for tea & Ern, I, Marchant, Ladbrook, Bal & Marsden had tea there.

I asked Marsden if he would shift the pitch of my piano & he is coming tomorrow.

Saturday 3^rd April 1943

Went to the office.

Home 1. Sally told me I was given a 5/- rise starts next week.

I saw Ray & borrowed his sax.

Marsden called about 4.30 & I tuned up the Sax & showed him how much it was out & he is coming Monday night to start.

Went to Pretoria.

Ron had an electric gram motor & I took it home to see if it is o.k. if it is worth 25/- to me. Ern & I stopped up till 2.30 trying it. It is ok. 

The clocks were altered to double summertime.

Sunday 14^th April 1943

Up at 12.3 When uncle Bob called with Ivor the strongest of queenies twins. He is a lovely kid.

Went to Ron’s & bought the motor.

In the evening I played at a wedding at Sid Payton’s at 2 Glasgow & got 15/-

Monday 5^th April 1943

Went to G.A.L.

Marsden came & shifted up the piano nearly a tone.

Tuesday 6^th April 1943

Went to night school & Elccas.

Wednesday 7^th April 1943

Ray called round & I gave him the chords of one of our numbers.

Ern & I went to a SFG meeting at 7.

Thursday 8^th April 1943

I bought a record of J Linnieford playing Strictly Instrumental & Chuck me a Kiss.

Finished at GAL.

Firewatched at office.

For some unknown reason I changed in flannels when I got there instead of leaving it till I went to sleep, & it was lucky I did because at supper I upset a cup of tea over my trousers.

Friday 9^th April 1943

I got my increased wage overtime & exs (expenses) today.  Over time was £2-16 & exs £2-3-11 and so with my band earning I collected £9 or more this week.^IX

Had a haircut.

We had an ARW from 11.49 to 12.3 but it was all quiet in the city & at home.

Stayed in during evening.

Saturday 10^th April 1943

Stayed in till evening when I went to Pretoria.

I am going to check up on my smoking I had 73 this morning & I shall count what I have left next Saturday morning,  I also got my pipe going.

Sunday 11^th April 1943

We all went to Laindon, Ern brought Jean along. We had some fun down there & I got a good bit of work done, in fact we all did.

Home at 10.15

Monday 12^th April 1943

I bought a classic of Jazz today L Armstrong West End Blues backed with Eddie Long Ork playing Freeze & Melt.

If the tax goes up with the new budget it will be the last record I buy till the war is over.

Went to Premier & saw “Fires were Started” a very good film about the NFS & “Katina”.

Marsden came again & now I can’t play it because the notes are all out.

Tuesday 13^th April 1943

Went to night school.

I found an error in my Fieldhouse & Richards advised me to write to him about it.  NS finished tonight till 4 May.

I played at Elccas.

Kinde asked me to play next Wednesday as well as Tuesday.

Wednesday 14^th April 1943

I rang up several music companies to see if they ran PL clubs & wrote to Noel Gay L Wright Chappell’s & Linephonic enclosing P.C. sub.

Also wrote to P Maurice for a copy of “The Blues & how to play em” & to the Parlophone Co for 2 personnel booklets.  The Budget has put 100% p.t. (Purchase Tax) on luxuries i.e. records & fags are now 2/4 for 20.

& I drafted out a letter to Fieldhouse.

Played at Pretoria.

Thursday 15^th April 1943

ARW 12.28 am to 1.27am.

We heard the guns in the distance & our local guns fired after the A.C.

I finished my letter to Fieldhouse during the raid.

In the morning I had a letter —————— from the RAF.  I have to go to Cardington next Tuesday for an interview but I suppose it means medical as well.

I told the office.  It looks as though I shall get a week’s money for working Monday because even if I’m only there 2 days the end of the week is holiday.

I bought an album of solos for piano.

Ern has got a gram table for me & we have now nearly got the electric gram fixed up.

I bought a new Season Ticket.

I also spent part of the evening sorting the contents of my desk.

I saw Fred in the evening on his bike so I told him all about it.  He was surprised.

Miss Elson was going out & didn’t want me to come so Mum explained about my papers & so I shall not be going to music till 29^th April. 

Friday 16^th April 1943

Aunt Maud called in the evening to ask us to go to Stan & Joan’s wedding on the 1^st May at Hornchurch.  I may go to the church but I am playing in the evening.  Ern is to be best man.

I told Kench that I wouldn’t be able to turn up next Tues & wed.

ARW 4.50pm to 5.3pm.  Quiet in City & at home.

Saturday 17^th April 1943

We had an ARW this morning at 12.20am till 1.39am.  we heard the guns several times & also heard planes but as it quietened towards the end I went back to bed.

I had 14 fags left this morning so I smoked 59 during the week, a big cut on my usual.  I usually spend 10/- a week on fags.

I got 100 Top Score from Mrs Jenick for 10/- this afternoon.

Marsden called again & finished the piano, he only charged 19/-.

Played at Pretoria.

Sunday 18^th April 1943

Mum & Dad went to Laindon.

I got up at 12.

After dinner I pressed my trousers.

Had a bash on the piano.

Bert’s pal Johnny came over. After tea Bert Johnny & I went up Elccas.  Johnny & I took 2 girls home.

ARW 1.52pm 2.3pm all quiet.

ARW 10.23pm 10.42pm.

Heard planes and guns fired in the distance our local guns fired after the A.C.

Monday 19^th April 1943

ARW 1.5 – 1.19am few guns heard & our locals fired once.

Wasn’t very busy at work.

I messed about all evening.

Tuesday 20^th April 1943

Up at 8.30.

I left home at 11.5. 

Had lunch at Kings X in the A.B.C.

While I was in the train waiting to go I saw Woodford a chap who used to be at Guedalla’s’ so I got in with him.  He was off to Cardington, after the same job as me – navigation – or pilot.

We had a change at Hitchin so we had some tea there.

When our train came in, it was a potty affair of an engine & 2 carriages & it ran on a single track to Bedford.

When we got to Cardington we found a one eyed little station & we had to jump over the lines & pass through a little gate & we were in the camp.

The security officer sent for a chap to take us to the actual camp as it is quite a big place.

Our first job was to have an F.F.I. & then we went to the “Intake Section” & sat in a room with some other chaps – mostly aircrew but some ground among them.  All the ground chaps were there for good.

Our only entertainment in the room was a notice that we should give & obtain a receipt for any cameras firearms alcoholic drinks seditious or obscene literature etc.

After about ¾ of an hour we were sorted out by a Corp into Ground & Air & then issued by a WAAF with a course pillowslip containing 2 sheets & a towel, mug, knife, fork a spoon which we signed for.

Then we went to the next room & had our particulars taken & were given a tag slip with a hut no & bed no.

We were then marched to the hut & told to put our kit on the bed by the corp.

Later he called back for us & with our mug knife fork & spoon we went to tea.

We lined up as though for a cafeteria & filled our mugs with tea & collected a plate that had something that looked like custard on it.  As we passed on another chap slung some bread & cake on our plate & then we went to a table.  On the table was a plate with marg & another with jam.

The custard looking mess we eventually found to be mashed spuds & grated cheese.

When we finished we joined on a line & scraped our plates in a swill bin — & the waste was awful & then filed in & rinsed our mug knife fork & spoon under a tap & then went back to our hut No 401.

I had a wash then.  Eventually the corp collected us & we went off to a hut & filled in a lot of forms & then we were taken into another hut & again subdivided & some of us went off for our first test – the Morse aptitude test.

In this test you wear headphones & a record is played.  You have a paper on which you put your name  & on it is “practice test” & no’s 1 to 4 & by each no is “yes” “no”. The other side is No. 1 to 78 “Yes” “no”.

When the record starts you hear 2 Morse sounds i.e. ….-.-. & …..-..-. & you have to underline “Yes “ if you think they are alike & “no” if they sound different to you. The practice questions are easy & so is the first part of the test but it gradually gets harder.  What I did though when possible was to liken the sounds to fragments of tunes & this made it easier & so I think I did well.  

After the test we did some more waiting & then had the “Joystick” test

In this test you sit in a wooden affair supposed to be a cockpit & put your feet on rudder bars & your right hand on a joystick & your left hand on a lever on the side of the jib.

In front of your eyes is a glass screen with lines on it like this   

• 

& you are supposed to keep a little white light in the square in the middle, the light, controlled by something is always trying to move from the middle & you adjust it by using the rudder bars for left or right & the joystick for up or down.

Under the screen is a white light on the left & a red light on the right. When the red light come on, you push the lever forward with our left hand & it goes out. When the white light flashes on you pull the lever back to put it out.  You have a practice run & then your test is on

I did quite well except for the occasions when I forgot the rudder bars worked the opposite way to a bike, so I managed the lights well except when the little light got up top & didn’t notice the red light for about 3 seconds.

After this we finished for the night & we went back to our huts. We made our beds – you each get 3 blankets – & then we went to the NAAFI.

Woodford & I were going to have a supper but there was such a queue we left & got on the tea queue at another counter & had a cake & tea. The tea was awful but the cake was good.

We went back to our hut & cleaned up & got in bed.

We tried to listen to “Music Society of Lower Basin Lt” but the wireless was awful.

There are about 30 beds to a hut.  At 10.15 the Corpl came in & said we would get up at 6 & be ready for the breakfast queue by 6.20 & have our beds packed up & then our kit on the shelf above the bed by 7.30 when our day would start. Then he said that we were to take no notice of an alert but if the take cover came over the speakers the shelters were behind the hut & get in em.

He finished by saying that all men on one side would take down their blackouts after he had put out the lights.  I was one of the unlucky ones. & so my day ended.

If I had been at home I would have been swinging it at Elccas.

The last cigarette I had was on Sunday night coming home with Johnny.  It was a struggle but I might get through the medical & if I do it will be worth not having smoked for a couple of days.

ARW 22.30 – 22.59 Mum & Dad said that it was fairly heavy & flames had to be put out.

Wednesday 21^st April 1943

Up at 6. Dashed out to wash & came in frozen & couldn’t put my collar on. Got in the queue with my knife mug fork & spoon at 6.30, the corp marched us off about 6.15. We had tea sausage & mash porridge & bread & butter.

Went back to the hut & listened to the news, heard there was a raid on London last night & bombs were dropped.

We went for our intelligence test about 7.30 & started it at 8.

We had a general knowledge test & maths test & had to write 2 essays & one on the Battle of the Atlantic & one on the AA Defences.

After that we were marched to another hut & waited till about 10, then we were asked some questions & then we went before the selection board.

I thought I was o.k. at first but eventually the twerp in charge said, “as you know our job is to accept people not turn them down but you can’t swim & know nothing about aircraft recognition & haven’t been in the scouts or A.T.C. & so I am afraid we must turn you down.”  I crawled out & sat down & couldn’t even think – except that I would like to kick the twerp from here to Berlin.

But I found that he had turned down everyone else so far & eventually he only passed 2 flight Engineers, which they are short of, so I suppose he had been told to .

I palled up with another chap who had been turned down & eventually we were taken elsewhere & a Waaf saw us & asked if we would like to be ground so we said yes.

Then we went before a flight sergeant he asked me if I would like to be a W.Operator,  so I said yes & he then told me to go to hut 342 for another intelligence test.

The other chap got the same.

We saw the Corporal & told him & then he said that we could not have 2 intelligence tests in 1 day the reason being that a load of ATC blokes once came & failed their air crew & when given their ground test said that it was too much to do 2 tests in one day so the CO said that no man could have 2 tests in one day.

All we had to do then was go to the intake section & get accommodated & we were then finished for the day.

So we had a walk round & went to the Naafi & I had a bash on the piano & in the evening we went to the Camp Cinema & saw “In which we Serve” but I didn’t see uncle Will. The other film was “Operational Heights”

We went to bed at 9.30.  I was one of those who had to get out of bed again for the Blackout.

---

I: Ernest Loring “Red” Nichols (May 8, 1905 – June 28, 1965) was an American jazz cornetist, composer, and jazz bandleader.
Over his long career, Nichols recorded in a wide variety of musical styles, and critic Steve Leggett describes him as “an expert cornet player, a solid improviser, and apparently a workaholic, since he is rumoured to have appeared on over 4,000 recordings during the 1920s alone.”

II: Ministry of Information (MOI)Cinema Wikipedia
The story of the British cinema in the Second World War is inextricably linked with that of the Ministry of Information. Formed on 4 September 1939, the day after Britain’s declaration of war, the Ministry of Information (MOI) was the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda in the Second World War. It was the ministry’s function to “present the national case to the public at home and abroad”. The MOI was keenly aware of the value of commercially produced entertainment films in furthering the national cause generally and maintained close contact with film makers:
The Ministry both advised the producers on the suitability of subjects which they had suggested, and proposed subjects which we thought would do good overseas. Whenever the ministry had approved a subject we gave every help to the producer in obtaining facilities to make the film.
As a result, the typical British war film attempts to construct a gripping suspense story which at the same time conveys propaganda ideas in support of the Allied cause. Kenneth Clark, as head of the Films Division of the MOI, argued in 1940 that the public must be convinced of German brutality, stating “we should emphasise wherever possible the wickedness and evil perpetrated in the occupied countries.” Subsequently, the Home Planning Committee felt it essential to portray fully “the evil things which confront us … to fortify the will to continue the struggle”. By 1942, the fear of invasion (as depicted in films such as Went the Day Well?) had receded, and film makers began to turn to the brutal reality of life in occupied countries. The Day Will Dawn (1942) was a film about the Norwegian resistance, while Uncensored told the story of the Belgian resistance. Tomorrow We Live show the French Resistance and the heroism of ordinary French civilians, while One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) shows Dutch civilians risking their lives to help a group of British airmen back to England.
Films were also imported. Churchill ordered the entire sequence of Frank Capra’s Why We Fight to be shown to the public.

III: Orchestrations

IV: From Wikipedia 
Birth of the Blues is a 1941 American musical film directed by Victor Schertzinger and starring Bing Crosby, Mary Martin and Brian Donlevy.
The plot loosely follows the origins and breakthrough success of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in New Orleans. It was well received by critics on its release. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

V: Wikipedia Edward Harry Temme was an English swimmer and insurance clerk. Temme was the first man to swim across the English Channel both ways, from France to England on 5 August 1927 and from England to France on 18 August 1934. Born: 16 September 1904, Plaistow, Newham. Died: 26 June 1977, Padua, Italy

VI: Source: theidioms.com
part brass rags, Meaning:  
quarrel and break off friendship with someone
to part with a friend by breaking friendship
This expression has its explanations in The Tadpole of a Archangel a short story by W. P Drury written in the year 1898. According to the story When sailors want to prove the brotherly love to inspire one another, it is a ritual to keep their brass work cleaning cloth in a joint ragbag. But if their relations become unhealthy, the bag owner would throw away his brother’s rags on the deck. As the brass rags separated bitterness creeped. The phrase has its origins from the 19th century.
P G Wodehouse used it a lot — it appears in at least five of his early works, in the decade from 1906 onwards — and my guess is that he did a lot to popularise this odd bit of lower-deck slang.

VII: Slang for clarinet

VIII: cinematreasures.com
Stoll Theatre, 22 Kingsway, London, WC2 6NR
Closed, Demolished
Previous Names:
London Opera House, Stoll Picture Theatre
Opened as the London Opera House, a project of American impresario Oscar Hammerstein to have his own theatre in London which would be a rival to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It opened on 13th November 1911 with a production of an opera new to London “Quo Vadis?” by Jean Nougues.
The building was huge, the area covered 24,500 square feet of ground and cost over 200,000 pounds to build. It took up an entire block along the newly constructed Kingsway. The length of the facade was 272 feet and was treated in a French Renaissance style in Portland stone with Norwegian grey granite bases. The building was 80 feet high and had Corinthian pilasters on the upper storey. A notable feature was a centre window which was 39 feet tall. On the main cornice were twelve statues sculptured by Thomas Rudge of Clapham. At the ends of the building were groups of three figures, representing Melody and Harmony, and over the central window were seated figures representing Inspiration and Composition. Between these and the end groups were four single statues of Comedy, Tragedy, Dance and Song.
The entrance hall was flanked by white and gold fluted columns, surmounted by bas-reliefs of famous composers.
The interior matched the exterior in elegance and extravagance. It had everything an opera house of its time should have. Designed in a lavish French Renaissance style with three rows of three boxes plus two stalls boxes on each side of the proscenium (that’s 22 boxes in total), three balconies and numerous painted panels on the ceiling. The seating was provided for 675 in the stalls, 40 seats in the boxes, 625 seats in the dress circle, 403 in the upper circle and 344 in the gallery. The proscenium was 44 feet wide, the stage 83 feet deep and there were 13 dressing rooms which could accommodate a total of 76 artistes.
With all good intentions and despite having a beautiful building, Hammerstein soon came up against his rivals at Covent Garden. They had the international stars and a well-known repertoire of opera’s, and the London Opera House was left with new works or those that were not so well known. Hammerstein was forced to close the London Opera House on 13th July 1912. He returned to America, said to be 47,000 pounds out of pocket.
The theatre remained closed until Christmas 1912 when French impresario Fernand Akoun took over with a season of variety and films. Oscar Hammerstein then disposed of his interests in the building to a new company London Opera House Ltd. They experimented with variety shows and then a revue “Come Over Here” which ran for 217 performances. Three other shows followed which were not successes and the theatre was closed more than it was open.
In 1916 Oswald Stoll took control and staged several attractions which were only minor hits. On 31st April 1917 he converted the building into a full time cinema, known as the Stoll Picture Theatre, and at last, this was a success. A Jardine tubular pneumatic orchestral organ was installed in 1927, played by Jack Courtney and it was so popular that in 1930 Jardine installed a larger theatre organ. There was a large orchestra to accompany the silent films.
The Stoll Picture Theatre, despite its ‘out of the way’ location was a popular family cinema and stage shows were introduced as part of the programme. It began losing out to the newer, more modern cinemas opening in London’s busy West End and the Stoll Picture Theatre was closed in September 1940 with a double feature film programme and a stage show. The effects of Hitler’s Blitz on London took its toll on ‘family’ audiences.
It re-opened on 1st September 1941, but as a live theatre presenting mainly revues and musicals. Oswald Stoll died in January 1942 and the theatre was taken over by Emile Littler, and re-named the Stoll Theatre. Shows that played during the next few years included revivals of “Rose Marie”, “Lilac Time”, “Show Boat” and “The Student Prince”. In 1947 it became the home of a series of “Ice Spectaculars” staged by Tom Arnold on the enormous stage. A revival of “Wild Violets” was followed by a transfer from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane of “Oklahoma”. In 1951 the Festival Ballet performed for a sell-out season with Anton Dolin and Alicia Markova. This was followed by “Porgy and Bess”, Ingrid Bergman in “St. Joan at the Stake” in October 1954. “Kismet” with Alfred Drake and Doretta Morrow opened in April 1955 and ran for 648 performances, the longest run at the theatre. Some Italian opera filled in until the final production at the theatre was Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in “Titus Andronicus”. The theatre closed to a packed house on 4th August 1957. There was talk about it being converted into a Cinerama Theatre, but the London Casino was chosen for that role.
It had been purchased by a development company to be demolished and an office block to be built on the site. Permission to demolish was given only on the proviso that a theatre would be included in the new development.
It was demolished in 1958 and a new office block rose on the site, the new theatre was in the basement, with an entrance tucked away around the corner in Portugal Street. This opened in June 1960 as the Royalty Theatre, now known as the Peacock Theatre. Cinerama did play eventually on the site, as the Royalty became London’s third Cinerama Theatre for a while.
The loss of the Stoll Theatre was one of the great tragedies of London’s West End, and if it had survived another few years, would definitely have been granted Listed building status and saved. Sadly back in 1958, the greed of commerce was king and it was ‘out with the old, in with the new’.

IX: Article in East London & West Essex Guardian 9^th April 2014
Relatives of 11 people who died when a bomber crashed in a Leytonstone street during World War II may still live nearby, an amateur historian believes.
The Vickers Wellington MK1C aircraft came down on February 10, 1942, when its electrical generator failed in bad weather and radio contact was lost, forcing it to fly lower to identify its position, but the engines stalled.
All six crew died, as well as five Civil Defence volunteers working as air raid precautions (ARP) wardens on the ground.
A plaque dedicated to their memory now stands in Corn Way, where the plane crashed into what was formerly Harrow Green School.
Local historian and researcher John Turner believes bomber X9905, which was based along with its crew at Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire, was attempting to carry out an emergency landing on Wanstead Flats during a night flying exercise when it nose-dived.
“I feel there’s quite a possibility, although it’s 70-odd years ago, there are descendants of those who died still alive nearby,” the 58-year-old Langthorne Road, Leytonstone, resident said.
“The ARP wardens who sadly died on that day in 1942 all lived in the Crownfield Road area, except for one who lived in Wanstead.”
He said it would be fascinating to make contact with any relatives.
Four of the ARP wardens killed, Henry Arthur Edwards, Joseph G Smith, James Edward Gorham and Walter G Black, lived in Leytonstone, Mr Turner said, while Albert Edward Stanlon came from Wanstead.
Four of them were given a joint funeral, attended by the mayor of the Borough of Leyton, as it was known then.
The crew consisted of two pilots, William Mance and John Taylor, an observer Harold Jowett, two wireless operators and air gunners Allen Rogers and Arthur Ford, and a third air gunner Arthur Foote.
The final crew member and second pilot Jack Taylor came from Whelley, near Wigan.

X: This is the firm he did his Articles with.

XI: Add up.

XII:  Wikipedia
The Avedis Zildjian Company, simply known as Zildjian is an American-based cymbal manufacturer founded in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul, Turkey) by Armenian Avedis Zildjian in the 17th century. It is now based in Norwell, Massachusetts. Being nearly 400 years old, Zildjian is one of the oldest companies in the world. Zildjian also sells drum-related accessories, such as drumsticks and cymbal carriers. It is the largest cymbal manufacturer in the world.

XIII: From BFI 
The FIVE MEN OF VELISH (1942)
Presenter Wilfred Pickles 
Production Company  Soviet War News Film Agency
Sponsor Ministry of Information

XIV: closedpubs.co.uk
The Fishing Smack was situated at Hewett’s Wharf, Fisher Street (now 92 Abbey Road).
This pub dates back to 1855 or earlier. Closed in 2003 and demolished with surrounding buildings in 2008/9. Subsequently replaced by housing. A smack was a type of boat used by fishermen.
Colin Price – My father was the landlord of the smack from the early thirties to 1946 he was George Applebee in 1946 his brother Jim took over until retiring to be a hotelier on the isle of wight (the Burlington)in the late seventies I lived in the smack for only one year 1945 when my father moved to the White Hart in Collier Row and then on to the Coach &Bell Romford where he died. My mother took over for 5 years and then moved to the Bell at Rainham for 6 years after which we moved to the Laurie Arms Romford for2 years then finally in 1964 to the Woodman’s Arms in Thundersley until she retired in 1989 end of an era
Chris Applebee (June 2016)

XV: Petty Cash

XVI: Wikipedia
Eric Winstone (born 1 January 1913 in London, died 2 May 1974 in Pagham, Sussex) was an English big band leader and composer.
Playing piano in his spare time from a job as Westminster Gas and Coke Company led him to form his first band in 1935.  He learned the accordion, started an accordion school and formed an accordion quintet, a swing quintet, and a big band orchestra.
During World War II his orchestra entertained the forces and performed at holiday camps after the war. In 1955 a CinemaScope short of The Eric Winstone Band show was made.
He was quoted in 1955 as saying that “With the exception of money, length of working hours, living and working conditions, the price of beer, and the opposite sex, a musician is completely unconcerned about the material things of life.”
Dance Band Diaries Volume 12 1941-1943 0009 – National Jazz Archive
https://archive.nationaljazzarchive.co.uk/…band…/52285-dance-band-diaries-volume-…
Eric Winstone achieves a big success with his Battle Of The Bands stage presentation at London Cinemas with Edmundo Ros, who now has to leave and is replaced by Clarrie Wears and his Rumba Band.

XVII: http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/12th-june-1942/11/the-theatre
“Sky High.” At the Phoenix Theatre.
The stage is bigger, the settings more elaborate, the costumes more kaleidoscopic than in those far-off days when the two Hermiones divided our pleasures between two small theatres instead of combining them into one large one ; but the material is very much the same. To say that it is not so good as in the previous show might be unfair. It is probably just as good, but it is also far too similar. For aught I know, Miss Gingold’s lecture on bicycling is—as Bertie Wooster would say—of the essence ; but one cannot feel that it is really as good as her lecture on the music of Bucolosi. In the same way Miss Baddeley’s tropical vamp hardly stands up to her Chelsea drab or her equally famous Madam Butterfly. On the other hand, the two Hermiones together have seldom, if ever, equalled their antics as two ladies of the deep, scanning the barnacled bottoms of passing ships and making dates by impaling letters on convenient anchors ; Miss Baddeley’s yellow wig (which, as her opposite number acidly points out, is full of surf) is in itself worth a pair of opera glasses, while Miss Gingold’s refusal (by telephone) of a boatswain’s offer to mate, is a model of undersea curtness.
There is a good deal of the usual sort of revue-dancing and revue- singing, which is quite pretty to look at ; and there is also a fine effort by Walter Crisham, splendidly out-of-step and out-of-voice as the Norwood Nightingale—a choir-boy whose voice has capitulated to the onslaught of adolescence. Of the two newcomers to the usual galaxy, Naunton Wayne, with the exception of an excellent parody of Emlyn Williams, is given little opportunity to exercise his dry and delicious wit ; while Elizabeth Welch, simply by refusing to let anything damp her splendid exuberance and her magnificent voice, infuses an electric excitement into a series of musical clichés. If only someone would let her take the stage for fifteen minutes with, say, a programme of unadulterated Calypsos—that would indeed be a revue-item worth seeing and hearing.
BASIL WRIGHT.

XVIII: Wikipedia
Salute John Citizen is a 1942 black and white British drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Edward Rigby, Mabel Constanduros and Jimmy Hanley.  The Bunting family face up to the fortunes of war during the Second World War.
Plot
The life of an ordinary family during the London Blitz. In the summer before that explosive September, elderly clerk Mr. Bunting (Edward Rigby) loses his job at the Department store where he’s worked for over 40 years. George Bunting is the head of a happy home, with wife Mary (Mabel Constanduros), daughter Julie (Peggy Cummins), and two sons, Chris (Eric Micklewood) and Ernest (Jimmy Hanley). When the Blitz hits London, we observe its effect on the family, and how they cope with the crisis. Mr. Bunting is rehired in his former job due to the shortage of manpower, though little else in his life is positive. Daughter Julie goes to work in a factory. The London blitz destroys everything in sight, and one of his sons, Chris, is killed. In the wake of this destruction, his other son, Ernest is converted from pacifism to the war effort.

XIX: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/forces/1942-10-04
‘JAZZ JAMBOREE, 1942’
Presented by the Musicians’ Social and Benevolent Council. The greatest annual dance-band concert in Europe, held in aid of the Musicians’ Union (London Branch) Benevolent Fund. The following bands, introduced by David Miller , are heard in the broadcast :
No. 1. Balloon Centre Dance, Orchestra (by permission of the Commanding Officer), directed by Cpl. Paul Fenhoulet
United States Army Dance Orchestra (by permission of the Commanding General)
R.A.O.C. Blue Rockets Dance, Orchestra (by permission of Brigadier E. P. Readman , O.B.E., T.D.), directed by Sgt. Eric Tanri
Dance Orchestra of His Majesty’s Royal Air Force (by permission of the Air Council), directed by Sgt. Jimmy Miller.

XX: Dockland Settlements
http://docklandsettlements.org.uk/history/4587831784
The Dockland Settlements has been helping deprived communities since 1894 when Malvern College school in Worcestershire started a school mission, in Canning Town in London’s East End, for the purpose of bringing welfare and recreation to the youth of the dock area slums, who were mostly unemployed and extremely poverty-stricken. The Docklands Settlements used to have centres across the country, traditionally located in areas where dockers and their families lived. Over the years this has changed and we now operate in areas where deprived families might live including Newham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets.

XXI: Imperial War Museum
Extra coupons were given to children
Children’s clothes had lower coupon values in recognition of the fact that they would need new clothes more often as they grew. From 1942, all children were allocated an extra ten coupons, with additional coupons being issued for older children or those classed as ‘outsize’. Coupons were also needed for school uniforms, which could be a particular problem as many schools did not relax their rules on uniform during wartime. Clothing exchanges were set up by the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) to help meet the needs of women struggling to clothe their families. Women could take the clothes that their children had outgrown and were given a number of points for the clothes she handed in. These could be ‘spent’ on other clothes at the exchange. Mothers were also encouraged to buy children’s clothing in bigger sizes so it could initially be taken in and then let out gradually as the child grew.

XXII: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2dd9c1f3a3f9465e82007ad69130dd38
‘YOUTH MAGAZINE’
BBC Home Service Basic, 19 November 1942 20.00
Synopsis
Weekly programme for under-twenties, introduced by Hamilton Kennedy

XXIII: Front Line 1940-1941 This book was amongst his war memorabilia

XXIV: nationalarchives.gov.uk
The welfare state
On 1 December 1942 the wartime coalition government published a report entitled ‘Social Insurance and Allied Services’. It had been written by Sir William Beveridge, a highly regarded economist and expert on unemployment problems. The Beveridge Report quickly became the blueprint for the modern British welfare state. More than 40 years later, even a white paper on social security drafted by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government, which opposed many of the principles behind Beveridge’s work, recognised his report as ‘by any measure a landmark’.
The Beveridge Report aimed to provide a comprehensive system of social insurance ‘from cradle to grave’. It proposed that all working people should pay a weekly contribution to the state. In return, benefits would be paid to the unemployed, the sick, the retired and the widowed. Beveridge wanted to ensure that there was an acceptable minimum standard of living in Britain below which nobody fell.
Although it was a complex document of more than 300 pages, the publication of the Beveridge Report was a huge success. Opinion polls reported that the majority of the British public welcomed the report’s findings and wished to see them implemented as quickly as possible. This shows the extent to which the population had shifted to the Left during the course of the Second World War. The first post-war election, in June 1945, resulted in a landslide victory for the Labour Party, who were enthusiastic supporters of the Beveridge Report.

XXV: Wikipedia
Adelaide House is a Grade II listed office building in London’s primary financial district, the City of London. When it was completed in 1925 it was the City’s tallest office block, at 43 m (141 ft). It is located on King William Street, adjacent to London Bridge, on the site of the old London Bridge Waterworks. London Bridge Wharf stood below it and was later incorporated into New Fresh Wharf, before being redeveloped in the late 1970s.
The building was named in honour of King William IV’s wife Adelaide, who, in 1831, had performed the opening ceremony of London Bridge.
Adelaide House was the first building in the City to employ the steel frame technique that was later widely adopted for skyscrapers around the world, and also the first office block the United Kingdom to have central ventilation and telephone and electric connections on every floor.
It was designed in a discreet Art Deco style by Sir John Burnet and Thomas S. Tait, with some Egyptian influences, popular at the time after the recent discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb. There used to be a fruit and flower garden and an 18-hole mini golf course on the roof.

XXVI: This book was amongst his war memorabilia

I: Royal Airforce Dance Orchestra
https://www.amazon.com/Squadronaires-Royal-Force-Dance-Orchestra/dp/B004NIYEHK 2011 collection. The Squadronaires, one of the leading British bands of the 1940s, first came into being in direct response to an executive decision taken by Wing Commander Rudy O’Donnell (Director of the RAF’s Central Band Wing) to recruit professional dance-band musicians. O’Donnell rightly believed that dance bands would boost morale on a par with other military ensembles. Initially, the recruits were formed into five-piece groups and posted at RAF stations throughout Britain, but in March 1940, 14 top British players were selected for the RAF Number One Dance Orchestra which, as far as the RAF were concerned, remained their official nomenclature for the duration of their service, the ‘Squadronaires’ being their unofficial name. Features 25 tracks. Bygone Days.  
As an aside, one of the last shows he saw was at the Cliffs Pavilion theatre Southend, was the Squadronaires in approx. 2009.

II: Taken from Waiting for Something to Happen: An RAF Serviceman’s Reflections on Life by Athol E Varley
I have bought two books by the Punch writer Basil Boothroyd –   “Adastral Bodies” and “Home Guard Goings on”. The former is a brilliant effort to describe life in the RAF and it deals with all the inefficiency and nonsense in the only acceptable way – with a sense of humour.

III: Wikipedia
Sir Charles Leonard Woolley (17 April 1880 – 20 February 1960) was a British archaeologist best known for his excavations at Ur in Mesopotamia. He is recognized as one of the first ‘modern’ archaeologists, who excavated in a methodical way, keeping careful records, and using them to reconstruct ancient life and history. Woolley was knighted in 1935 for his contributions to the discipline of archaeology.

IV: historytoday.com
Bomber in the City, 1943
The appearance of a Short Stirling Bomber near St Paul’s Cathedral prompts Roger Hudson to recall the Wings for Victory campaign.  Published in History Today Volume 66 Issue 4 April 2016
It is the beginning of the Wings for Victory campaign in March 1943 to raise money for warplanes. A Short Stirling bomber has been brought in pieces and then reassembled on a bomb site to the east of St Paul’s Cathedral and there is an Avro Lancaster in Trafalgar Square, too. The high point of the City of London’s effort is a parade and march past the Lord Mayor, the biggest since 1939, with contingents from the three services and men of the merchant marine. At the end there are various-sized bombs on trolleys, including a blockbuster with ‘Hitler’s Easter Egg’ chalked on its side. At Trafalgar Square 1,300 carrier pigeons are released with messages for savings committees throughout the country.
There had been a War Weapons Week in 1940 to replace armaments lost at Dunkirk, a Warship Week in 1942, as well as a Spitfire and a Tanks for Attack Week and, of course, there was always Dig for Victory. Now most towns were to devote the first week of May to Wings for Victory. Targets were set for counties and then divided up between urban and rural district councils. The Yorkshire town of Settle’s target was £150,000, enough for three Sunderland flying boats, though its final total was £223,000. For every target achieved, the Air Ministry awarded a white plastic plaque featuring a nude St Michael the Archangel brandishing his sword at a three-headed Lucifer, while the planes were named after the town or county which had raised the money. Plastic was an exotic novelty in 1943.

V: http://ww2today.com/1st-march-1943-bomber-command-revisit-berlin After a couple of large raids in January Bomber Command had made a point of visiting Berlin on the 10th anniversary of the Nazi party. That had just been a minor diversion with Mosquitoes. Now in the largest raid they had yet made on Berlin the heavy bomber fleet made the long trip in a dramatic demonstration of what the RAF was capable of achieving. In the belief that German morale was already under strain, raids on the capital were regarded as an essential part of the war effort, undermining all the Nazi claims that they could protect the Reich.
There were 302 aircraft on this raid, including 86 Halifaxes. Squadron Leader Alan Frank was leading No. 51 Squadron in this aircraft:
Although there were 5.6 % losses on this raid and much of the bombing was dispersed over an area of nearly 100 square miles, it was regarded as a success. A significant proportion of the bombs fell in concentration on the south west of Berlin, destroying large areas on factories and workshops.
The weight of bombs was now so large that even a raid where only a proportion of them hit the target was regarded as a success. For analysis of every World War II bombing raid by the RAF see the Bomber Command War Diaries.

VI: The Wings for Victory Weeks were held across the country in 1943, from March onwards, to raise money by, among other ways, encouraging civilians to save with War Bonds.

VII: Wikipedia
The comptometer was the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator, patented in the United States by Dorr E. Felt in 1887.
A key-driven calculator is extremely fast because each key adds or subtracts its value to the accumulator as soon as it is pressed and a skilled operator can enter all of the digits of a number simultaneously, using as many fingers as required, making them sometimes faster to use than electronic calculators. Consequently, in specialized applications, comptometers remained in use in limited numbers into the early 1990s, but with the exception of museum pieces, they have all now been superseded by electronic calculators and computers.
Manufactured without interruption from 1887 to the mid-1970s, it was constantly improved. The mechanical versions were made faster and more reliable, then a line of electro-mechanical models was added in the 1930s. Notably, it was the first mechanical calculator to receive an all-electronic calculator engine in 1961, with the ANITA Mark VII model released by Sumlock Comptometer. This created the link between the mechanical calculator industries and the electronic.
Although the comptometer was primarily an adding machine, it could also do subtractions, multiplication and division. Its keyboard consisted of eight or more columns of nine keys each. Special comptometers with varying key arrays were produced for a variety of special purposes, including calculating currency exchanges, times and Imperial weights. The name comptometer was formerly in wide use as a generic name for this class of calculating machine.

VIII:  Teddy Powell (Teodoro Paolella) (March 1, 1905 – November 17, 1993) was an American jazz guitarist, composer, and big-band leader. Some of his compositions were written under the pseudonym Freddy James.

IX: https://www.moneysorter.co.uk/calculator_inflation2.html#calculator
£9 in 1943 worth £286 today