Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1951

1951

Rev. Capt. Cuthbert H. Heath-Caldwell DSO, RN, (ret.) aged 61

Violet M. Heath-Caldwell aged 65 (ne Violet Palmer)

Patricia C.M. Heath-Caldwell – aged 31 – overseas (Australia I think)

Rosamond Heath-Caldwell – (Ros)

Diana Heath-Caldwell – (Danny)

James A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 21 – in Navy.

Diary of Rev Capt C.H. Heath-Caldwell DSO

Monday 1^st January 1951

Hatcher, working on (footsalvs?) of cesspit – Walk – Tea – beans. Cleaning book shelves.

Tuesday 2^nd January 1951

Hatches completed operations on cesspit. Ancient Maps of Staffordshire’ received from Petty Richmond. Communist offensive in Korea. Walk. Hard snow on to of downs.

Shilly and Violet drove to Yeovil with Tab.

Books:-

‘The Jungle is Neutral’

‘The English Inheritance’ – G. Kitson Clark. SCK Prem 15/-

‘Christian Mysteries and the Natural World’ Joseph Dalby.

‘Theology for Modern Man’ rain.

J. Clark etc lid 7/-6

‘Dream and Reality’ N.A. Birdyaer. Geoffrey Bles 30/-

‘Male & Female’ Margaret Mead (Godlancs) 18/-

‘Revised Standard Version’ NT.
‘Revised Standard Version’ OT (1952)- Nelson

Wednesday 3^rd January 1951

Still freezing. Pm walk over downs with Shilly.

Thursday 4^th January 1951

Left 12.30 with Violet and Shilly, Axminster via Toller and Bridport  (50 min) Lunch at George. Returned via Beaminster. (1hr)

Thaw.

Friday 8^th January 1951

Mild – heavy rain. Lunch at Lodge. GM (Constance HC) to tea.

Saturday 9^th January 1951

Returned ‘Freedom of the Spirit’ to Hampshire County Library. Posted letters to D.Heath and Aunt Sophie. Rain and mild. Fetched Jimmy from Dorchester. Doing part of hen run.

Sunday 7^th January 1951

MP and HR Maiden Newton at 11. Tea at Cattistock Lodge. Took Jimmy to Dorchester to catch 6.08 train to Fareham on his way back to the ‘Dryad’ at Southurds(?) Fine sunny, cloudy pm. Mild.

Monday 8^th January 1951

10.30 to Dorchester to have oil changed and brakes adjusted (CAA) at Crabbs. Intended to get car license but left my registration book behind. Enquired about my watch at (Jeank?) & Good but it wasn’t ready. Bought 1lb of coffee at Parson, some (tomells?) cigarettes and some sprats at Mening(?) After lunch bought in cool filled paraffin heaters and fed hens. One egg.

Walk round downs, foggy up there but mild. Heavy rain before lunch, afterwards it cleared up.

Tuesday 9^th January 1951

Showery, bright intervals, sun, doing seed lists, pm drove trailer to Toller Porcorum (a pretty drive) to get load of firewood (2/6).

Read. ‘The Kon-Tiki Expedition’ by Thor Hyerdahl (Allen & Unwin). Wrote to Meredith Frampton (artist?) having heard a rumour (via Mrs James and (Phil?)) that he is engaged to be married.

Sat up till after midnight reading a (thriller?) (The Accomplice)

Labelled greenhouse Chrysanthemums

Posted car licence form, cheque and registration book and insurance certificate.

Wednesday 10^th January 1951

Posted seed orders to Carters. (1.0.9) and to Wheelers (10.3).

Walked past badgers up to Yeovil road and back along Charity Bottom, a lovely mild afternoon. After tea (6pm) walked round to Lodge to see GM but found she had gone up to (drews?) for dinner.

Rumblings from Cattistock Lodge.

Reading ‘Troilus & Cressida.’

Mr Skyrine appeared about 8 o’clock to talk about Civil Defence and stayed for some time.

Thursday 11^th January 1951

Lent ‘The Open Way’ to the General – walk.

Friday 12^th January 1951

Cold, rain, to Maiden Newton for paraffin and bacon.

Lunch at Cattistock Lodge. GM (Constance HC) to tea. Walk.

Seeds arrived from Wheelers, Salvins to follow.

Dividends

2 Dec 1950 Acct 3 ½ % – 37.8.11

13 Dec – Dorch County Soc 17.5.2

1 January 1951 – British Transport 3 – 3.13.4

Australian 3%  4.19.0

Saturday 13^th January 1951

Sunny morning. Glass rising. Wrote letter to Pat. Interesting broadcast by Nehru last night. 4 mead bottled from cask.

Started painting bookshelf. Br Legion Committee Meeting.

Sunday 14^th January 1951

HC Cattistock 8. MP Maiden Newton – Sermon “And Zion said” Against Despair.

Walk over Castle hill ( 2 ½ hours) before tea. Tea at Cattistock Lodge.

Lived very much in my thoughts all day. Some rain, fairly mild.

Monday 15^th January 1951

Fine day, sunny but wet. Did a little more of the book shelf. Letter from Meredith Frampton announcing his engagement to “Hilda who has the right age and has a kind heart.”

Walk. Violet to Dorchester in CAA in afternoon. Paid D.Palmer 1.5.6. No First Aid Class as Mr Waven is still suffering from flue.

Tuesday 16^th January 1951

High glass. Sunny morning. Cloudy pm. Took GM (Constance HC) for a drive, Crewkerne, Broadwarden, Beaminster, Rampisham and back to the Pound House to tea. Mae (dog) was sick in the car.

Wednesday 17^th January 1951

Showery. Bought and fixed new switch in kitchen. Seeds arrived from Carter. Painted shelves and began filing. Short walk. Mislaid small screwdriver. Violet went to the pictures at Yeovil with Tab, Danny and Jim.

Thursday 18^th January 1951

Falling glass. Showery. Sowed onion sees in greenhouse, painted book shelves. Pm walk round downs.

Reading Bryants ‘Age of Elegance.’

Telephone bill for last 6 months £7.1.4

Friday 19^th January 1951

Finished bookshelf. Ordered Wallflower and Viola seeds. And Dream and Reality. GM and Mrs Wormald to tea.

Saturday 20^th January 1951

Mild. Finished bookshelf. Sowed sweet peas. Walk. Jimmy (James Heath-Caldwell) arrived from Portsmouth 7.30pm on his new motorbike. Reading ‘Age of Elegance.’ Got Grandfather clock going.

Sunday 21^st January 1951

(Seplisayescience?) Mild and damp. More birds in evidence. Noticed Starlings in garden for first time.

11 MP and SA. Maiden Newton. Parable of Lazerus, opportunity, science and reward.

Monday 22^nd January 1951

Noticed a lot of dead trees outside No.4 pm. Put pads of (wailispack?) in all hives. Dorchester pm to dentist. Next appointment 4.20pm Tuesday 6^th February.

Got some (trow?) mixture, a shirt and pair of paints.

Letter from Shilly.

1^st Aid lecture Frome St. Quentin 7.- 8.30

Still to come from Wheelers – 1 packet yellow violets. 2 packets salvias.

Tuesday 23^rd January 1951

Mild. Made 10lbs bee candy. Wrote to Shilly. Took trailer to Pearce for puncture. Walk with Jimmy (JAHC) after lunch up by the Downs, along the Yeovil Road and back through Charity Bottom and round last edge of Downs. Violet and Jimmy unpacked Linley Wood silver.

Wednesday 24^th January 1951

Cooler. Sent in faulty ration books. Fed Candy to bees. Mixed P.L.C.  Walk. 3 eggs. Theological argument (whos?) guard. Finished ‘Age of Elegance.’

Thursday 25^th January 1951

Jimmy and I took trailer to Galpin’s for firewood and timber for his shelves. Foggy  and very damp. ‘Dream & Reality’ arrived from Storeham. 930/-)

Friday 26^th January 1951

Left Cattistock in CAA about noon. Lunch at Wimbourne 1.30. along south coast, Southampton, Fareham, Chichester, Arundel (where we had tea) arrived Stuccles about 6pm, where we found Freddie, Dorothy, Michael, Pamela, Sheila and another lady whose name I never got. Freddie took us on to Strood hotel, and afterwards on to the Downs hotel near Hassocks where we met the others and had an excellent dinner. Back to the Stroods about 10 where we met David Roberts (bridegroom), a chartered accountant, his brother, Guilque Roberts, (Raly?) Major and Mrs Macdougal (best man and matron of honour). A very comfortable hotel.

Lt. Col. Frederick Dunbar Heath – 1889- 23^rd Oct 1954

Dorothy J. N. Spencer 1892-1975

Pamela J.N. Roberts 1922-2000 married David Glyn Roberts

Sheila M. Howells

Michael R. Heath 1928-2008

Stuccles, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex.

Saturday 27^th January 1951

After breakfast walked to the vicars and met (Scrivers?) the rector and his daughter, and arranged details of the service which took place at Turnisham Church at 3pm. An old fashioned gallery at the West end where we could see the bell ringers. Altogether an attractive little church. Read gospel appointed for the communion service in 1928 book instead of an address. Two bridesmaids Sheila (Maling?) and Joan (Hebdilde?) On to the reception at Stroods, a cheerful and lubricated function followed by dancing and a dinner of about 14 (ages, courses?) Everyone in good form, to bed about 11, but was woken at intervals by another party which went on nearly all night. Wales was well represented in the wedding party.

Sunday 28^th January 1951

Managed to get up in time to attend TR (church?) at Sayers Green(?) at 8, where I formed half of half of congregation of 2. Scriven took the service in a sort of up and down sing song voice and was much genuflecting and on one occasion he even went down on all fours but at least there were no long (misterpotaking?) and one could hear most of it, and his technique was more edifying than Deanes. After breakfast paid bill (£4.6) and salied in at Stuccles, then on to Slinfold to call on Edwin and Janet Wood. Lunch at Midhurst at the Angus. Then on to (Wisper, Wilper?) where we arrived at 1.30 and left at 3.45.

Helen Brown has worked a pretty good miracle there starting from scratch. Admiral (Brooks?) was with Mary(?) Brown who of course looked desperately ill, but seemed to me better in his mind then when I last saw him at Ampfield some years ago.

Tea at (Culerar?) restaurant, Winchester about 5pm and home about 7.30.

Hard frost during the week and at lovely bright days.

The Sussex countryside looked particularly beautiful.

Monday 29^th January 1951

Cold and foggy. Fiddled about all day and wrote to Freddie, started off for First Aid class but decided fog was to bad to proceed.

Tuesday 30^th January 1951

Fine sunny day after fog. Usual chores. After lunch walked to Frome St.Quentin, tea with the Casletto and Miss Wharry – Violet and Jimmy went to a play “The Importance of Being Ernest” in Dorchester. Reading Birdarells “Dreams & Reality.”

Wednesday 31^st January 1951

Am. Maiden Newton for paraffin and toothpaste. Toller for firewood.

Met Galpin, pm. Walk round downs. After tea to Lodge. Violet and Jimmy to Leaders(?).

Thursday 1^st February 1951

Cheque for £7 to DAMC received and returned to CC.

Notice re transfer of Stewart and Lloyds shares.

Jimmy left for Rugby 10.am.

Letter from Freddie.

Sent of pension vouchers, letter to (English?) re shirt.

Pm – walk up Yeovil Road to Warden Hill, back through Charity Bottom. Violet went to W.I. Party.

Saw Mrs Robinson Civil Defence form.

Friday 2^nd February 1951

Sweater arrived from R.Neil, The Cross, Dunfrewshire (2.19.6)

Dewdney put PLC on hen run.

Fra(n Wcalural to her?) – to be removed Feb 12^th.

Lunch at Cattistock Lodge – GM to tea – Walk round downs.

Misty, damp but mild.

Saturday 3^rd February 1951

Colder, some sunshine, pm walked to Maiden Newton to get the bread and back via Chilfrome and the next lane across the railway and back via Sandhills. Visited Wheeler at Frampton to return the ‘Voyage of the Kontiki.

Ros telephoned. Violet went to bed after tea complaining of indigestion and aches and pains. Thinks she got a chill at the Women’s Institute party in the Savills Hall on Thursday.

Sent of Ronson lighter (2.15) to Meredith Fampton (wedding present).

Sunday 4^th February 1951

South-westerly gale day, night. 3 greenhouse panes broken. Violet still in bed. Jimmy arrived form Rugby in the evening.

Monday 5^th February 1951

Collapsed in evening with a head(?) and came to again on Thursday 8^th. Missed dental appointment on 6^th , next one on 12^th. Crabb and Co servicing car, brake adjustment, oil changing. 1.2.11.

Pearce, Jim petrol 1.10.4

Tyre for trailer 13.8

Dividends 1^st February – Stewart and Lloyd 6.12

16^th January Australian 5% govt bond 24.6.3

Friday 9^th February 1951

Jimmy and I lunched at Cattistock Lodge. Miss Barbara arrived from Chester to stay for one night at the Lodge.

Showery.

Saturday 10^th February 1951

Wound clocks. Maiden Newton for gumboots and paraffin, pm downs walk. 7.0pm British League annual dinner at Village Hall, Frampton. Strawridge (branch secretary) game me a lift in his car with two others. About 100 to dinner, guests Colonel Milligan from Cairo, Shoobridge from Dorset (County Chairman). Among those present Bullivant, Salts, Caven(?) Morrow, Fryer (chairman). Finished about midnight. My dinner marred by having to propose toast to absent friends. As usual most of the jokes were below the belt but some of them quite amusing.

Sunday 11^th February 1951

SR. Cattistock, accompanied GM to MP, Maiden Newton at 11. Walked round Castle Hill after a late lunch. Tea at Cattistock Lodge. Gentle easterly breeze, cool.

Books.

From Frontier

‘A Solovyor Anthology’ SCH Press 18/-

‘The English Inheritance’ SCH Kitson Clark  15/-

‘A History of England’ MacMillan 30/- Keith Fielding

‘Bolshevik Revolution 1917-1923’ E. H. Carr

‘A Certain Woman’ Victor MacCbuc(?) 10/-6 G.E. Harrop

‘Pocket Edition New Testament’ Ronald (Kivor?) 6/-, Burns Oates

‘Jews and the Resurection’ H.A. Wilkins 6/-6, Jerymans.

Monday 12^th February 1951

Dorchester to fit new teeth. Bought some pills, 2/- two (kits?) 22/10, ordered towel rail and electric heater,  and shoes, and bought a (shirt?) (4/6)

Pm walked to Chalmington, ordered potatoes, (3 cwt) tea with Hennings. (Thompsons also present)

7.0pm to Frome St.Quentin for the last of the Civil Defence 1^st Air lectures.

A lovely bright sunny day.

Jimmy went off to Yeovil to meet Anna Bartrop.

Wrote to Pat (Patricia C.M. Heath-Caldwell)

Next Dental appointment Monday 5^th March 4.20.

Tuesday 13^th February 1951

Letters from Basil Johnston re term dinner Friday 27^th April

Two packets Salvia seeds from Wheelers, Warminster.

3 cwt potatoes (majestic) from Chalminster 13/- cwt.

Telegram appointing Jimmy to HMS Loch Tralaig. Walk, overcast.

Wednesday 14^th February 1951

Jimmy and Violet to Dorchester. Fine but easterly air currant – overcast. Mended shelter, picked up broken glass. Mended garage circuit.

Thursday 15^th February 1951

Violet’s birthday,  (Violet Heath-Caldwell 66) A lovely fine sunny day. 09.00 to station to send off Jimmy’s luggage. He started off for Liverpool on his motorbike about 10.am. Sent off two telegrams for him, one to Ros, one to HMS Loch Tralaig. Telephone message pm from HMS Lock Tralaig saying that it was the first they had heard about his appointment.

Pm – walk. 6.0 The Hennings, Jems, Tabs, Diana,the Lutrells, Mr Dean and Strawbridge in for drinks.

Saturday 17^th February 1951

Order to Bamber (Barber?) and Son.

Diary of Sub Lt J.A. Heath-Caldwell RN – aged 20

17^th February 1951

Loch Tralaig – On Wednesday 14^th I received a telegram from the Admiralty directing me to join H.M.S. Lock Tralaig at Londonderry a.m. Saturday 17^th. I decided straight away that I wanted to take my motorcycle with me so I had to set out on Thursday to get the Thursday/Friday night boat from Liverpool –Belfast which sails regularly at 2100 or 2130 each day from Liverpool. I set off at about 10.30 am. Having decided that it would be out of the question to visit Ros and John Attwood at Rugby. However, having reached Yeovil in excellent weather I decided to continue up North via Warminster, Malmsbury and Cirencester. I reached 24 Wheatfield Road about 2.30 pm. To find Ros in and a telegram on the hall table to the effect that I should not be able to make it that day. Actually I did only just make it because when I reached the Foss Way I ran into thick fog which only cleared when I had passed Stow-in-th-Wold.

Ros was in very good form, expecting her baby in about 3 weeks time. She was rather perturbed however about getting to the hospital in a hurry, at Leamington. Apparently Rugby girls are inclined to have their children either soon after arrival at Leamington or in the ambulance. The reason being that the road is so rough that it gives them all a good pre-natal shake up.

After groping my way through the Potteries, passing about ½ a mile to the South of Talke-o-the-Hill, Staffs, I made Liverpool at 7pm, and had to waste an hour there waiting for the officials to arrive at the shed on the wharf to start loading and checking the passengers.

Diary of C.H. Heath-Caldwell

Monday 19^th February 1951

Paid Shergold’s bill, bought some Insurance stamps. Made 4 gallons mead – 2 ½ from (my Cabbs’s?)

Fine day. Civil Defence lecture, Frome St.Quentin. Rescue 1.

Diary of J.A. Heath-Caldwell

17^th/18^th February – Friday – Uneventful crossing to Belfast where it was raining as usual. Nobody asked any questions about my rifle which I imported into Northern Ireland quite openly. I was rather surprised about this because I was told that the Police were rather sticky about firearms.

I had to do something about the rain in Belfast so I bought a large pair of oilskin trousers. Certainly these did the trick and I was not troubled by the rain any more that day.

My first port of call was Armagh where I looked up the Armstrongs, friends of Ma’s people. I found Michael Armstrong superintending a crowd of workmen digging a trench at the gate at the bottom of Dean Hill drive. Unfortunately he was dressed rather like a tramp himself and it was several minutes before I caught on that Captain Michael Armstrong was right there in the flesh at the gate at the bottom of his drive. He didn’t know who I was either because I hadn’t told him I was intending to pay a visit, in fact he thought I was a student, or somebody like that, trying to find the Observatory at Armagh. I gathered that lots of odd people, professors, foreign students etc mistake Dean Hill for the Observatory.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Dean+Hill,+Armagh&biw=1350&bih=625&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=FaEgVYf8CuSjmwXN3YK4Cw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg

I had an excellent lunch with Michael alone, his aunt, Margaret Armstrong being at Belfast on some sort of business or other, and afterwards we went out onto his farm to dig a hole! Rather a large excavation it was, designed in the end, to become a silleage pit. I spent the afternoon removing roots and stones from the area under excavation so that the Fordson Tractor, or was it a Ferguson Tractor? Could scoop up the earth without any obstructions. The scoop, a new attachment, was fitted to the stern of the tractor and was operated, for lowering and raising, by two hydraulic arms. Michael reckoned that in a days work the tractor was paying its way, for it was doing the work of about 12 labourers or more.

I was persuaded to stay till after dinner and left just after dark to continue my journey to Derry by roads totally foreign to me. Luckily the route was fairly flat and wide but there were a large number of turns which were not marked with zig zig or warning signs. Thus at about 11.00pm. on the road from Omagh to Strabane I nearly came to a smashing end. The road had been quite straight for about 2 miles and then it quite abruptly turned off to the right, while a narrow lane only continued on straight. I came down on my side pretty fast. I suppose at about 40mph when I saw the lane turning to the left ahead and luckily skidded along down the centre of the lane. My motorbike was hardly bent, except that the head lamp was shattered. I thought at first that my headlights had gone U/S but no, inspite of the battering they still worked. I managed to get a lift in a lorry to the nearest telephone box and from there I passed a message through to the ship, being at the time unable to get through direct to the ship because the telephone line was so poor it could only get me to the nearest exchange.\

I staggered onboard eventually at 2345 to find everybody onboard in great spirits. The Flotilla has just held its Annual Variety Show in the Navy Hall and the Navigator and others were still busy repeating their various gags etc. The Captain, I thought, was very merry too and I think most of them had had one or two over the eight by then.

My arrival onboard was totally unexpected. The day before the ship had received a telegram sent from home saying I was arriving by motorcycle and this was their first intimation that I was about to join the ship for the second time. Number One, Lieutenant Wyhes Sneyd that some mistake had been made and that the Admiralty had got 1950 and 1951 muddled up or something. Captain (D)’d secretary knew nothing about my appointment.

Diary of C.H. Heath-Caldwell continues

Tuesday 20^th February 1951

Rain. Dorchester Player, so called theatre(?), ‘The Late Edwina Black.’ (by William Morum and William Diner)

Wednesday 21^st February 1951

In bed – head.

Thursday 22^nd February 1951

Violet in bed , flue relapse.

Friday 23^rd February 1951

Lovely sunny day. 7 ½ cwt (6 loads gravel) 7/-6

Saturday 24^th February 1951

Letter from C.E. Heath & Co, 107 Leadenhall St, EC2 re premiums on furniture insurance. (2032.10) £10.4.3

Sunday 25^th February 1951

8. HC Cattistock – North West wind cold, rising glass.

Violet still in bed – flu.

Monday 26^th February 1951

Fine first thing but rain later. High glass. Violet up for lunch and tea.

Tuesday 27^th February 1951

Lovely sunny day. To Toller for a load of wood. A propos British Railway. Galpin told me that when he had 90 tons of timber to send to Liverpool the quotation from British Railways for transport was £600. Road transport £300, so he sent it in his own lorries without a return load at a cost of £80.

Wednesday 28^th February 1951

Another lovely sunny day. Glass high and still rising. Telegram to JAHC – pm load of (grard?) 7/- 6 barrow loads. Paid R.C. bill. 1^st after ten weeks.

Diary of J.A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 20 continues

Officers onboard the Loch Tralaig, February 1951

Mr Tole is still the Engineer Officer onboard the ship, but otherwise everybody I knew before has left. Mr Everard, the Flotilla Gunner T.A.S. is still with us but is now in H.M.S. Lock Fada, which as far as I could gather he liked less than the Lock Tralaig.

Lieutenant Iles is, the Electrical and Gunnery Officer, and he certainly knows, and lets everybody else know it too, that he knows his ‘onions.’ Lieutenant Burgoyne had the Ship’s Office before my arrival, but when Lieutenant Johnston, who is the navigator, leaves the ship to do his Long Navigation & Direction (ND) Course, Lt Burgoyne will relieve him, leaving me with the office.

Lieutenant Johnston relieved Lieutenant Parker-Jervis, who I believe is also doing his (ND) course at the moment. Mr Hammond, the Flotilla Commissioned Communicator Officer, relieved Mr Simpson who was at H.M.S. Mercury while we were on course there. The Flotilla Electrical Officer, Lieutenant Clark also lives onboard.

Lieutenant Commander Manwaring, the Flotilla ND. Officer also resided onboard. To assist and do very little, as I did this time last year we have Acting Sub-Lieutenant M.D. Cowley who is due to go to Greenwich College shortly, and Midshipman, shortly to become A/Sub, De Winton. Both appear to enjoy being at Londonderry, though both are loath to admit it. Everybody thinks I was mad, quite mad, to have wanted to come back here, but I have my reasons.

February 1951

A few days after my arrival we went into dry dock at Londonderry in order to change the dome and inspect the bottom of the ship, which was a little dented from a grounding which happened just before Christmas, as far as I could gather. I think I must have contracted a mild form of flu just before we docked because I felt very ill all day and I lost interest in what went on down in the dock, much to No.1’s disgust. The dome, which had been prone to give too many water noises for good operating was found to be rusted where the window joins the steel casting. The new dome was fitted without much trouble except that it was found to be necessary to use an immiscible fire pump to pump the dock dry below the blocks in the bottom of the dock and of course everything was very muddy indeed. The new dome itself, which arrived from N.S.O., Londonderry was very rusty when we unpacked it but its condition was not as poor as its outward appearances seemed to indicate at first – all the rust was removed with a wire scrubber and emery paper in next to no time. Although this was the first time recently, in recent years, that a dome had been changed in the dry dock at Londonderry its crane driver informed us that he had helped change many of them during the war.

The condition of the dry dock itself and its facilities leaves a lot to be desired. The pumping machinery, a hot bulb paraffin or petrol engine powered pump can only cope with pumping out the dock when the tide is going down and then it takes about 4 hours or more. Lock Class frigates can only cross the sill of the dock at high tides and at high water which usually occurs round about 5.30am or at 1730pm or at any rate at some inconvenient time out of working hours. The toilet facilities ashore were typically Irish, I suppose, and antique in the extreme so that we all paid visits to ships in the dockyard during the forenoon if we could to go to the heads.

Diary of C.H.Heath-Caldwell – aged 61 continues

Friday 2^nd March 1951`

Violet and I left in CAA 11.am. Lunch at Cirencester. Arrive Wheatfield Road, Rugby about 4.20. Violet stayed there. I slept at Grand Hotel. Rain pm.

Saturday 3^rd March 1951

Walk with J.A. 1pm left in CAA – arrived Upper Sandowne 4.30pm. Tea with Bartropps, on to Brixton (Brixton Deverill), arriving tea with (Maire?) Wally and the Poldes. I home by 9.30.

Fine day.

Monday 5^th March 1951

Dorchester, visited dentist for new teeth, next appointment 28^th. Lunch at Cattistock Lodge.

Tuesday 6^th March 1951

Left Cattistock 8 o’clock, arrived Porlock(?) 10.20. Day on the moors, one snow shower, otherwise fine. Left Porlock(?) about 8 o’clock and arrived Cattistock about 10.20 – pouring most of the way.

Wednesday 7^th March 1951

Feeling rather tried – lunch at Cattistock Lodge. Went for short walk, wrote several letters. Visited General. Early bed.

Thursday 8^th March 1951

Lunch and dinner at Lodge, sowed broad beans. Downs walk after tea. 4 eggs. Towel rail fixed in lower bathroom.

NEXT DENTAL APPOINTMENT – Friday 30^th March 3.50pm.

Friday 9^th March 1951

Cold, drizzly, Northerly wind, snowy sleet on hills. Wrote to Violet and Kit. Lunch at Lodge. Got seed boxes ready or began to, and a load of sand from Palmer. After tea Downs walk. 6.15-7pm. Also got paraffin and bacon ration from Maiden Newton. Hens produced 6 eggs.

Saturday 10^th March 1951

Lunch Cattistock Lodge. Prepared seed boxes. After tea Downs walk.

APCH. 30^th March 8pm.

Monday 12^thMarch 1951

Left Cattistock 1pm for Rugby via Frome, Malmsbury and the (Trmmany?) arrived 6.30. Had thermos tea near (Cuencuk?) Fine day.

Tuesday 13^th March 1951

Left Rugby about 11. Had a good but expensive lunch at Kings (Head, Most?) Cirencester, called at Mrs Salt who was away and looked Mabel and Walter where we had a cup of tea. Arrived Cattistock at 5.40pm.

Wednesday 14^th March 1951

Telephoned Crabb re servicing car tomorrow. Sowed Salvia, and yellow violets(?) (Vicky?) and brussel sprouts.

Telephone from John Attwood to say David Edward Atwood born last night.

Thursday 15^th March 1951

Fine sunny day. Dorchester am. To have oil changed in car and brakes adjusted. Returned library book to Museum. Paid 15/6 Wheeler for mending shoes, brought tools back, toothpaste and laxative tablets, and 1oz (weans brand rubbed flake?) and small screwdriver. Pm Trailer load of firewood from Galpins. After tea Downs walk. Reading Herodotus.

Diary of J.A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 20 continues

March 1951

During our Emergency ship week we were called out to search the seas round the Inner Hebrides for a trawler reported missing en route from Ullapool to Oban. We went up to Ardnamachan Point, South of the Isle of Skye and patrolled between Tiree and the Dutchman’s Cap and between Tiree and Col and Benbecula. We had no luck in our search but the Mallaig life boat picked up a corpse off Ardnamachan point somewhere so after 3 days the search was called off. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to invite the life boat’s crew off for a P.V. when we went up to Mallaig at the end of the search.

Easter Weekend. 1951

H.M.S.Lock Tralaig - Londonderry

We spent the Easter weekend at sea with 40 Sea Cadets from various Ulster Sea Cadet Units onboard. We embarked these at Londonderry on the Friday, I think, and proceeded to the area round Ailsa Craig where we rendezvoused with the rest of the flotilla, bar H.M.S.Crispin, who all had R.N.V.R. officers and ratings onboard from the Glasgow, Liverpool and Isle of Mann Divisions.

To impress our passengers we fired our oerlikons at parachute targets off Ailsa Craig before we all went into Campelltown. There everybody went ashore except myself, because I was still then feeling bogged down by the office. I don’t think much went on ashore at Campbelltown because on Saturday evening everybody was onboard again with a few guests, these were for the most part hotel proprietors -  because it is still too early for the tourists.

Lieutenant Commander Stone, the Chief Sea Cadet Officer of Northern Ireland, who accompanied his 40 Sea Cadets, turned out to be a great man for fun and games: he let off a great deal of steam at Campbelltown, I suppose as a reaction to his farming life in Ireland. I gathered that he is very wealthy, but inspite of his money he chooses to live in a huge house without any of the modern conveniences of like somewhere in County Down, near Donahadee I think. The Sea Cadets were all sea sick as soon as we left the Foyle (with exception of 3 – I was sick too) but later they all got used to it, and anyway they soon forgot about  that because the ship’s company had them all scrubbing and everything in next to no time. No.1 organised the Ship’s Company so that each seaman was allocated one Sea Cadet to look after and to keep occupied.

As evidence of the keenness of the Sea Cadets, on Saturday they all turned out at about 3.30am and had to be turned back in again, not before some had already lashed up and stowed.

April – Easter Period Leave

H.M.S. Lock Tralaig – Londonderry

Diary of C.H. Heath-Caldwell – aged 61 continues

Friday 16^th March 1951

Pouring all day. Lunch at Cattistock Lodge and GM to tea. Dewdney appeared and began to prepare the bee path for concreting and he and I had all five hives forward two feet.

Planted out storks. (Gavin?) Dean proposed agenda for Trust Meeting and APCM. He didn’t seem to think much about it or even bother.

Letter from Sister Portes which I answered. Sent 3/- postal order to British Pioneer Tobacco Growers Society. (Cromham?) Hants for Sam Turkish tobacco seed.

Johnson (Mere) telephoned.

Saturday 17^th March 1951

6/-9 to B.H.R. Gloucester(?) for Dual.lax. Parafin and bacon from Maiden Newton. Pall’s arrived to (juke Pates?)

Sowed Venables (March Beauty and Fruit) manor of his acting in (Gradahm?), 2lbs sugar to No.3 pm.

Pouring all day. Impression play, Caesars friend (?)

Sunday 18^th March 1951

Sunny first thing about 7. Afterwards rain all morning, but cleared and sunny again after lunch.

G.M. (Constance HC) Cattistock 11.pm.  M.N. Downs walk after lunch.
Tea at Cattistock Lodge.

Monday 19^th March 1951

Sowed Virginian Tobacco, autumn broccoli, and dainty cabbage. After lunch CAA to Godmarston (wheres Rdpela?) bought 50 4ft bamboos for 12/-. Terrifically heavy showers with bright intervals.

Tuesday 20^th March 1951

Rising glass, fine sunny day. Sowed Turkish tobacco. Did some digging. Dewdney concreted path for beehives.

After tea Downs walk. Removed sweet peas and onions from greenhouse to (cloche?) 7 barrow loads of sand.

Wednesday 21^st March 1951

Started fine with East wind, but rain set in after lunch although the glass is high (30º). Sowed celery, (gasbed?) up and staked two short rows field peas.

Thursday 22^nd March 1951

Sore throat and cold developed suddenly, gargled with salt and apparently recovered. Working outside in the hut most of Wednesday. Thursday morning feel ill and went to bed (heavy chill) came to again Saturday afternoon.

Earth Day. Quiet day, stayed at home. GM, Danny and Tab to tea. Rain.

Monday 26^th March 1951

Wrote to Jimmy and Pat. Rain, Replaced beehives. Diana went to Hunt Ball with Thorneycrofts party.

Tuesday 27^th March 1951

Fine and sunny to begin with, later snow and sleet showers, but sunny cold afternoon and raining. Paid Dewdney 30/- for last week. To Maiden Newton for paraffin, afterwards to Sundown Apiaries for

Wednesday 28^th March 1951

Jimmy’s 21^st birthday. Bright sunny intervals, warm in sun, otherwise cold with scattered sleet. All day in garden. Sowed scarlet astias, May King lettuce, dwarf scabiau(?), Havana Tobacco, Zirinia(?) in greenhouse, only a bit of digging, ground too soaking(?) for sowing outside. Transplanted 5 hollyhocks. Still have a bit of a cold in the nose. Letter from Ros.

Diary of J.A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 21 today, continues

The leave period commenced on 28^th March, a Wednesday. I thought I was never going to get away, however I pushed a minimum number of clothes etc into my grip just before 1600 and jumped on my motorbike and made hot foot for Belfast where I arrived in good time to catch the 7pm Belfast – Liverpool boat. After another uneventful crossing I again visited Ros and David Attwood, John Edwin Attwood, now about 3 weeks old (born on March 13^th), that is we think he was born on the 13^th of March but as it was within 5 minutes of midnight nobody was quite sure – also Ros’ watch was slow or fast, at any rate, wrong.

Ros was feeling rather under the weather because she was having to put up with Cummy, the old Attwood family nurse who is about 50 years behind the times as regards baby maintenance, sustenance and servicing. Ros was insisting on feeding the baby herself, but Cummy, I think, would have acquired a wet nurse had it been possible to do so. Anyway Ras Attwood was counting the days till Cummy had to go.

On from there back home. At Malmsbury I discovered that my grip, containing all my clothes, washing gear etc, was not on the back of my motorbike. I reported the matter to the police and the A.A. at once but they had received no reports about it. Thus my leave began.

Little did I realise that my case had been picked up in Kemble and handed into the local Police there on the same evening that I dropped it and that had I gone back and enquired I might have recovered it. As it was I picked up my bag the day I went back off leave.

Easter Leave Weekend – Not much comment – I went to one Point-to-Point and that was about all. I met nobody. The weather wasn’t bad but I was feeling pretty bored the whole time.

Sunday 1^st April 1951

Off colour Thursday and Friday but recovered today. Weather mostly rain and rather cold but sunny intervals.

Last week, transplanted hollyhocks. Dewdney sowed late broccoli, sprouts, peas, carrots, parsnips – planted shallots, commenced planting out sweet peas.

Jimmy (J.A.Heath-Caldwell) arrived (unannounced) on Thursday evening having dropped his bag off the back of his motorbike between Halford and Cirencester – Returned next day to Warwick to look for it (unsuccessfully)

Got my new upper dentures on Friday.

Ordered hydrangeas and jasmine from Ashford.

Sent subscription to ‘New Outlook.’

Took service at Cattistock this morning. “If they have not (words?) of the Prophets.”

APCM meeting here on Friday evening.

Monday 2^nd April 1951

Fine sunny day, warmer (about 50º) To Toller for trailer load of firewood. Fed bees No.2 and 5 hives, 2lb sugar each.

Plant onions, cabbage, broccoli seedling in manure. Downs walk after tea. Jimmy and 2 boys (days?) left 10am, returned 8pm having walked to Burton Bradstock, Bridport and back (about 30 miles)
Planted 1 row Duke of York, soil very sticky.

P. Vercoe at the Lodge.

Tuesday 3^rd April 1951

Fine morning, not afternoon and evening. Dewdney transplanted about 8ft of beech hedge to make room for hydrangeas ordered from Beauchamp Clark, Minehan, Ashford, Kent.

Violet and Jimmy went to Dorchester for play –

Wednesday 4^th April 1951

Wet in the morning, fine in afternoon. Working in garden part of day. Violet and Jimmy to Dorchester (receled?) last barrow.

Thursday 5^th April 1951

Fine sunny day, warm. Had my first cold bath of season. Planted 5 rows Duke of York potatoes. Transplanted Paeonies, Poppies, and yellow heddiia(?). Walk on downs after tea. Fed 2lbs syrup to No.1 hive. Put P.C.C. members list up on Church notice board. Mended hens feeding trough.

(Juliending?) broadcast last night: ‘Why defend freedom?” Viscount Samual, Bertrand Russell, Harold Nicholson.

Definition of Freedom. – National, Economic, Personal.

Definition of Democracy – Minority free to civilian majority(?) Why does Communism - - -- ?

According to Russell, (enthusiasm?) which is (constant?) is a sign of intellectually weak case.

Marxism 100 years out of date.

Peace and freedom negative, conditions, not ends.

Friday 6^th April 1951

Pouring all day – Lunch at Lodge. GM and Thorneycrofts to tea. Dewdney fell off ladder and broke windscreen of Jimmy’s motorbike.

Saturday 7^th April 1951

Snow and sleet am. Showers and bright intervals, pricked out lettuces, sowed marrows. Walked to Maiden Newton, called on Mitchells. Sowed onions and sprouts, broccoli.
From Spectator 6^th April

The Line and Think

O Painters, Poets, wisdom drink

From that small philosophic wit

Who said, tis told, “ I think a think

And then I make a line around it

When think and line (or words) well fit,

Forged is Arts lordy lasting (Wit, Unit?)

Yet some who make a line omit

To put inside it any think.

Even a foolish or distraught one

How could they, having never thought one?

Anundell Esdaile

Sunday 8^th April 1951

HC Cattistock, M.P. Maiden Newton

Showery, bright intervals

Monday 9^th April 1951

Rain all day

Tuesday 10^th April 1951

Dewdney planted early potatoes, D’ of York, and (Have Guard?). Rain am. Fine pm. Downs walk. Visited Cattistock Lodge after dinner to talk over the business of execution for my father’s will.

Wednesday 11^th April 1951

Fine day. Discovered No.4 hive full of dead bees, same hive had it roof blown off early in the winter. Removed same. Cut grass upper lawn. (Melted?) some wax. Visit from Mrs Barrett after tea.

Thursday 12^th April 1951

Jimmy left for Londonderry, via Rugby and Liverpool on his motorbike.

Friday 13^th April 1951

Fine and sunny intervals with hail showers. Lunch Lodge, GM to tea.

Dewdney finished planting potatoes.

28lb Duke of York

42lb (Have Greund?)

28lb Arran (browns?)

Diary of J.A. Heath-Cadlwell – aged 21

13^th April, 1951 – End of Leave.

During the leave period a large pile of mail accumulated in the office – this had to be dealt with before we sailed on the Norwegian cruise, so the few days between getting back off leave and going off to Norway were very busy.

Finally the great day came and everybody was keyed up for a quick, smart getaway. I think the H.M.S. Arhaig was the first to slip – before two minutes had past she had a wire round her screws, so she was U/S for a few hours – she secured alongside the Dry Dock and the Sea Eagle diving team cleared her there. We head about this at breakfast, and of course we all laughed up our sleeves – we laughed rather before our time. Within a half hour we also had a wire round our screws – but we did not do anything about it hoping it would come free as we went down the River Foyle. At Lisahally we signalled TF3 about it, and proposed anchoring of Moville to clear it. The reply was immediate – “Return to Londonderry and free wire.” Actually we only went back as far as Lisahally where we went along side at Dog berth and were cleared – having made a rather precarious turn off Quigley’s point, letting go an anchor as we did so. Altogether the 3^rd T.F. left Ireland in a very ragged state.

We finally caught up with H.M.S. Crispin and the other ships off Ardnamachan Point, just to the South of the Isle of Skye just before the sun set. The sea was calm at this time and the sky clear but there was a gale warning – we thought we’d have a rough passage round Cape Wrath, and we did.

After one whole day at sea in the North Sea we sighted the Norwegian lights off the Haradanger Fjord at about 6am on the – April in foul weather. At 9am we were off Haugesund and preparing to go alongside in a blizzard. This was just what we’d hoped would not happen. However we did not make any mistakes coming alongside and everything was squared up pretty soon. We were alongside the jetty and H.M.S. Loch Arhaig was on our Starboard side.

Diary of C.H.Heath-Caldwell – aged 61 continues

Saturday 14^th April 1951

Hydrangeas and Jasmins plants arrived from Beauchamps Clarke, The Nursuries, Minham, Ashford, Kent.

3 doz shoots 12/6 each

2 Altona Supera

2 Ami Pasquier

2 Parsival

2 Jasmin Officinales

Sunday 15^th April 1951

Sunny day, cold wind. 11.MP & R Maiden Newton. Downs walk after tea. Summer time began, clocks on one hour.

Monday 16^th April 1951

Sunny, cold wind. Covered 3 iron frames with wire netting. (6/- each) Marley tiles laid in back passage and dining room. Deane came in re PCC meeting.

Diary of J.A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 21 continues – HMS Affray lost this day.

16^th April 1951

H.M.S. Loch Tralaig – Operation Submash was carried out off the Isle of Wight today, because H.M. Submarine Affray failed to surface on time. She dived somewhere to the South of the Isle of Wight and was due to proceed down Channel, submerged, with the object of landing two or three Royal Marines at some point on the South Coast between midnight and 8am. Nothing was heard from her after she dived, but the Submarine Sea Devil though she heard S.S.T. originating somewhere in the vicinity of the place the Affray was supposed to dive. Thus all the ships that had been called out formed 2 circles round this position and then dropped 12 charges – the signal for the submarines crew to abandon ship – all being ready on the surface – ships boats manned, sick bays manned and the Padres waiting with Bibles in hand etc etc.

Onboard the Affray were 14 of my term including:- Dicky North, A.A. Frew, Fatty Garwood, Parky Preston, Howard-Johnston, Mackenzie, Mackenzie Edwards.

[Sub Lieutenant R.F. North, Sub Lieutenant Antony A. Frew, Sub Lieutenant A.R. Garwood, Sub Lieutenant Robin J. Preston, Sub Lieutenant R.G. Howard-Johnston, Sub Lieutenant C.I. MacKenzie and Sub Lieutenant R.P. MacKenzie-Edwards]

It is now assumed, on inspection of the defective Snort tube, that a fault in the welding caused a fracture through which water managed to get to the submarines interior. McLimby, our Engineer Officer, who spent most of the war in submarines, both German, British and American, does not think that the fracture in the ‘snort’ was the only cause of the disaster. The latter maintained that the valve fitted in the hull at the foot of the Schnorkell is easily closed and that as soon as any water started coming in the wrong way the officer of the watch would have had it closed.

One theory, the Captain’s, was that the value was closed but the diesel engines were not stopped in time, thus a big vacuum was caused inside the submarine to the detriment of life of all contained therein. This was because the diesel was acting as an air ejector from the submarine after it had lost the supply of the air through the snort. I do not know whether that theory can be proved incorrect on technical grounds or not, the question being whether the diesel would stop working, due to loss of pressure outside before those in the submarine died of vacuum effect.

The search for the Affray continued for six weeks after the loss, until it was finally confirmed as found by the salvage ship H.M.S. Reclaim. Although other ships, using asdics, echo-sounders and “Cockchaffer,” were able to get many detections of under water objects, these ships could never positively identify what they had found, except by putting down divers.

H.M.S. “Reclaim” used a new device for positively identifying the wreck – a television camera lowered to the depth of the wreck with a coupled receiver in the Captain’s cabin. I believe Decca were responsible for producing this gadget – and according to the newspapers etc the inventing was put into commission in a remarkably short time.

Diary of C.H. Heath-Caldwell – aged 61 continues

Tuesday 17^th April 1951

Sharp frost in early morning. Marley tiles completed. Took round PCC meeting notices. Dewdney sowed parsnips, onions, beat carpets.

Sent on Jimmy’s binoculars.

Wednesday 18^th April 1951

Fine day, but overcast. Maiden Newton for paraffin and bacon. Palmers men working on dining room ceiling. Pricked out violas and cut up old linoleum for bees. Put baby lettuces in frame, pruned (forsythia?)

Thursday 19^th April 1951

Fine, warmer. Dining room restored to normal, pricked out 2 boxes violas, one box Turkish tobacco, made 2 wire guards. Downs walk.

Friday 20^th April 1951

Paid Hatches 5.15 for 19 onion(?) frames.

Dewdney sowed peas and carrots, forked up herbaceous border. Violet to Yeovil shopping, self lunch at Cattistock Lodge, where Q’s have given notice. Fine sunny warm day, cold wind at first. Planted out 12 Salvia plants (bought by Violet) Heard Cuckoo before tea. Saw Goldfinchs and Tits. Tea in Garden Room. (Segt?) planted herbaceous borders at the Lodge.

Saturday 21^st April 1951

Fine sunny day, and a northerly wind. Eighty day already. Took GM for drive 3.30 – 5.00pm. Abbotsbury, Burton Bradford, and back by (Nikersurle?) and Toller. Gave seedlings and airing. Fitted more fames with wire netting.

Sunday 22^nd April 1951

HC Cattistock 8. MP Chilfrome and took celebrates (11)

Tea at Cattistock Lodge – 7pm Downs walk. Fine sunny day. Northerly breeze drying up.

Monday 23^rd April 1951

Letter from Archdeacon Stanford. Filo caught at big rat which he which he must have dropped up his ladder I think an soon before depositing in passage. Fine warm sunny day. Aurrelia(?) looking nice. Cut grass lower lawn, pricked out (play Kg?) lettuces under (clothesline?) Finished wiring onion frames, mulched various plants with grass cuttings. Downs walk 7.30 – 9.00.

Tuesday 24^th April 1951

Warm sunny day. Dewdney planted 5 Dahlias and Gladiolas. Sowed beet and turnips. Palmers 2^nd day on chimney, which he finished and painted the other one, also put in new beam in roof.

Spent afternoon at bees – all five hives. Decided to unite 1 and 2 hives.

Wednesday 25^th April 1951

Saw first Swallow (or Swift) – Maiden Newton to enquire about trains – pricked out lettuces and tomatoes. PCC meeting 8pm – to elect officers of PCC and discuss finance. Deane wanted a fete but nobody else did and it was decided to have a sale in the Saville Hall on August 2^nd or 9^th, and a General Meeting about it on Thursday 24^th May.

Thursday 26^th April 1951

Pricked out one box Virginian, one Turkish, two boxes (aders?) limited No.1 hen(?) (Queenley) 4 No.2 using paper and seat(?) – then about 7.30 (BST) Fine warm day, cold northerly wind – saw two Swallows.

Shilly(?) (Shirts?) renovated – Renora, 147 Ballands Lane, London N.3.

Friday 27^th April 1951

Left 3.pm train Yeovil Junction, arrived Waterloo 6.40. Taxi to (Jemys?) – Met Mincum, Prior and Johnston. 47^th anniversary of my term in Britain. Dinner 8pm. 17 out of 26 survivors.

B.L. Johnston

J.M. Allegre

-- Inglefield

A.J. Prom

P.B. Hodge

H.F. House

En N. Syke

R.A. Trevor

D. Pae Frome

J. Jainey

J. Scorfield

S.V. Smith

N.V. Willis

Gilchrist.

H. Minchin

Self.

F.M.C. Curtin

Unable to come – Sharpe, E.F.L. Jones, Lubbiies (S apin)

Cold spell till 2^nd May.

1^st May 1951

Letter from Cof E Pensioner Board alleging that I have owed them 1.15.9. contributions to Widow and Orphans Scheme since leaving B.D. Made me very (oretailed?) Sent cheque.

Thursday 3^rd May 1951

Dorchester to consult Jordan on NP Bank. (Parsons manager)

Ascertained present for Pat Sent 15^th March.

Cherry trees out – blossom good.

Friday 4^th May 1951

Letter from Clergy Treasury(?) Committee (PCC) to be returned by the end of the month.

Saturday 4^th May 1951

Left in CAA 2pm, took tea in car. Arrived Dunchurch about 7.45 where we dined (the Dun Cow). Terrific thunderstorms and rain over the Cotswolds between Stow-in-the-Wold and Moreton in March, travelled along the (Yorkway?) as far as (Princethorpe?) Left Violet at Wheatfield Road, went on to Grand Hotel which was quite comfortable. (Bed, breakfast 2 nights and garage 2.3.6 plus 5/- tips)

Sunday 6^th May 1951

Got up late and up to Wheatfield Road. Lunch with J.A. (John Attwod) and his Father and (dinner?) at the Grand. Baptism of David John Edwin Attwood at Bilton Parish Church (Stanford, Archdeacon of Coventry, 5 other babies, also present, Posy, Rodolph, the Attwoods, Prue Attwood, the (Fairley?) and Duncans.

Posy = Rosamond E.B. Heath 1893-1970

Rodolph = Rodolph and Madeline Marion de Salis (1892-1978)

Monday 7^th May 1951

Left Rugby about 11. Lunch at the Bear, Meeksham, home at 4.30pm. Downs walk. Letter from (Mlen Brun?), N.B. departed 4^th May.

Tuesday 8^th May 1951

Paid Mr Duke & Son 5/16 tithe.

Cold NW wind. Walked up hill, back by Charity Bottom. Cowslips out. Cherry trees, wall plums and Forgetmenots. (a week later than last year). Two Marsh thrushes building in fork of Cherry tree.

1917

Dividends

Australian 3% - 15.15 – (Current acct 412)

Wednesday 9^th May 1951

Still cold but Northerly wind gave way to misty drizzle after lunch. Cherries, wall plums and forgetmenots in flower. Walk, 2.45 – 5.45 up Yeovil Road then back across country, a rather windy route. Few thrushes began building in fork of cherry tree.

Bill from Shergold

Bee sugar 14/7

April meal 18/p

Potatoes 1.13

May meal 1.0.10

Gratis 11.8

£4.18.10

Receipt for 1.15.9 from Church of England Pensions Board.

Thursday 10^th May 1951

Receipt for Tithe payment. Receipt for furniture insurance, bill drawn.

Friday 11^th May 1951

John, Ros, David and Sambo arrived. (Attwoods)

Saturday 12^th May 1951

1^st warm day. Trevor came to tea.

Wednesday 16^th May 1951

36 years today since Martin (Heath-Caldwell 1893-1915) was killed in action, 9.30am. near Festubert

(Richbourg l’Avoue)

Took car to Dorchester yesterday for relining brakes.

Walked back.

Income Tax Return

Pension                                                £583.14.6

Amalgamated reclad(?)                       £30.

Australian 3 ½ %                                £136.3.3 (1966)

-5% Govt Bonds                                 £88.8.4 (1955)

3% 1965/67                                         £18

3% 1964-65                                         £60

B. Transport 3                                     £13.6.6

Excess Insurance                                 £240

ICI                                                      £20

N.H Life Assurance Prov                   £17.10.2

3% Saving Bank 1960/70                   £32.17.10

Shell                                                    £27.5

Stewart at Lloyds                               £37

Dorchester Building Soc.                                            £17.5.2

£1303.9

(calculated?) 13105.1 3 ½ (investment?)                    £22.18.7

Pound House                                                                                      £28.

£40.3.9

£1343.10.9

Friday 18^th May 1951

Train to Dorchester, brought car back. Still a cold Northerly wind. Beech hedge coming out. 2 Goldfinches in garden. Blackbirds nest in shelter. Lunch at Cattistock Lodge. G.M. to tea.

Yesterday began sketch of cherry tree.

Saturday 19^th May 1951

Dorothy Plomer at the Lodge for the weekend and came to lunch here. Slight shower, afternoon fine but overcast, warmer. Sketching cherry tree all day. After tea fed hens, walked to Maiden Newton, then up the hill and back over Downs. A lovely evening with slight sea mist. Lilacs just coming into flower.

Sunday 20^th May 1951

HC. Cattistock 8am. M.P. Maiden Newton. Cold and heavy rain after lunch. Stayed in and just as I was going to brave the weather the General turned up.

Monday 21^st May 1951

Fine, sunny day, warm, bees working(?). Planted out lettuces, sprouts, broccoli and pricked out celery. After tea Downs walk. Sent off Jimmy’s Firearm Certificate.

Tuesday 22^nd May 1951

Southwesterly gale.

Wednesday 23^rd May 1951

Showery.

Palmers bill –

Marley Tiles

Dining room and back passage.          £27

Dining room ceiling                            3.19

Glass, cement and sand.                     1.2

Chimneys repair                                  14.19

Violet Heath-Caldwell            Interest

50 3 ½ War Stock                   £1.18

A Guineas brd                                                 £28.16

-          & Pref                                                 £11.10.6

Prov Bank of Ireland                                      £5

Scotland An Life Assurance                           £46

(Annuity)

Mortgage Cattistock Lodge                            £260

Insurance Rebate

National Mutual 4.21 Premium £45

Thursday 24^th May 1951

No.582/12052/-

Code Number (67) from Chief Inspector Taxes

Littlewoods Buildings

Edge Lane

Liverpool]

Personal Allowance                £190

Life Insurance                         £26

No. 1 Contribution                  £12

Deduct Interest                       £47

Allowances against pay          £181-

Crabbes – Long and Lipscombe –

English – Price -

Friday 25^th May 1951

After lunch to Bournemouth to see 1948 Ford Prefect at English.

Decided to buy HLJ479 – 1948 Ford 10 £700

Tuesday 29^th May 1951

Took over HLJ479-

Wednesday 30^th May 1951

(Maty Synum?) from No.5. Changed him.

Friday 1^st June 1951

Realised 400 WSC, and 140 of Transport Stock.
Visited Bath, went yesterday. (Floors Intut?) slow.

Sunday 3^rd June 1951

Julian Howard and Geoffrey Lemon here for Saturday night. MP. HC at Maiden Newton. Barton Bradstock, bath pm. Warm weather (began May 31^st.) May, Lilac and Laburnum out.

Monday 4^th June 1951

Another warm day. After tea to Burton Bradstock but fog bank low down made it to cold to bathe.

Dividends 1^st June 1951

Stewart at Lloyds 8.8.10

War Bonds 22.18.7

Australian 3% 35.14.10

Tuesday 5^th June 1951

Another hot day. Violet to London by 1.40pm from Yeovil Junction to attend Women’s Institute Festival.

Wednesday 6^th June 1951

Lovely day. Twice into Dorchester , am, to change oil in HLJ, pm to take GM to National Providential Bank to see Manager. (Heseltine).

Saturday 7^th June 1951

12. Left for Warminster, lunch at top of Mere Down. Wedding of Margaret Colson and Sandy Gow at the Minster. Reception at Graham Campbells barn, the old Rectory. Not a great many Warminster people. Jack Brown and his wife, a lady from Proceham Road whose name I forget, Old Marshall the solicitor, the Miles’s, Bovell, Graham Campbell, Mrs Borthswick. Left about five and had a cup of tea with (Deane and wall?), stayed till 6.30. I heard Mrs Jones was ill, and Mr Allard not too good. Allards now have a thousand chickens on the (Dalbs?) and are doing very well. Heard Harold (Poletro?) dead. Beaches still there. The Leites(?) have a married Italian couple who began in the house(?) but moved to cottage when a baby was imminent. I heard(?) Mrs L has contracted to keep them for 12 months. Left (Porxty?) about 6.30, up to the (Franpins?). Really a good picture when they saw an (English) strange couple drive up. However, they seemed very pleased to see us. Stayed about an hour or more. (Stren?) in complete confusion as usual.

Then on to the Townsends, arriving about 7.45 and staying until 9pm. Rather a cold day with several storms. Arrived home about 10.30.

Monday 11^th June 1951

Erected cage over cherry tree. Broom in blossom. Rain – Downs walk.

Tuesday 12^th June 1951

Visited Trevors at Longburton. (Pairent traily and nane plate??)

Dorchester am.

Wednesday 13^th June 1951

Shower – cold wind – met Shilly at Axminster. 11.30. Downs walk after tea.

Thursday 14^th June 1951

Mild and muggy, drizzle all day. Glass high. Downs walk with Shilly after tea.

Friday 15^th June 1951

Warm, sunny day. Took G.M. and Shilly to Burford House, 3.45 – 8pm. Amy and two daughters. Tea en route.

Saturday 16^th June 1951

Took Shilly for a drive. Porterham, Abbotsbury, along coast road and back by Burton Bradstock. Tea at Bell Inn, 3.45 – 6.30pm.

Sunday 17^th June 1951

HC, MP. Maiden Newton 11. Tea at Lodge. E. Chilfrome.

Monday 18^th June 1951

Pm. Visited (Lubworth?). Took tea.

Tuesday 19^th June 1951

Took Shilly to Axminster.

Mothers Union tea party. GM to tea.

Wednesday 20^th June 1951

C.J. Denham, Renora Ltd 7/-3 No.6053

Downs walk.

Thursday 21^st June 1951

A lovely sunny day, warm without being too hot. Planted celery. Dorchester am. Two books from C. Library. (Dioson of Sum’ and ‘??)

Painted (2^nd coat) windows overlooking Pound.
Swam.

Diary newspaper note – J.A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 21

Affray Found 258ft Down in Channel

Diver read name: Wreck 37 miles off dive Area.

By Nowell Hall

Daily Telegraph Naval Correspondent.

The submarine Affray, for which continuous search had been made for 58 days since she dived off The Needles on April 16^th with 75 officers and men was lying in 258ft of water 37 miles south-west of her reported diving position.

She is on an even keel on a silty bed on the lip of the Hurd Deep, about 16 miles due north of [unreadable] Announcement pf the discovery was made in the House of Commons yesterday be Mr Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty.  A similar item was made in the House of Lords by Lord [unreadable], First Lord of the Admiralty.

After making an asdic contact the submarine rescue ship Reclaim early yesterday lowered and observation chamber used in diving operations at great depths. With the aid of the chamber’s powerful searchlight the diver within was able to see the submarine. He could read the name Affray on her side.

The Admiralty has yesterday afternoon issued a communique giving her exact position. It is 49 degrees 9 minutes North 2 degrees 34.2 minutes West, 67 miles 228 degrees true from St. Catherine’s Lighthouse, Isle of Wight.

Buoy Marks Site

Another Survey Today.

The site has been marked by a buoy. A further, more detailed survey of the wreck is being attempted at 1 a.m. tomorrow, during the next period of slack water.

According to the chart of the area – whose readings represent depths of water at low tide – the minimum depth at this sport is 35 fathoms. The depth hereabouts abruptly increases to 95 fathoms. At various states of the tide it is appreciably more.

Since the war Hurd Deep has been a favourite dumping ground for unserviceable ammunition.

In the past six years the War Department had made arrangements on its own behalf, and on behalf of the Air Military and Ministry of Supply for dumping 400,000 tons of German ammunition in this submarine canyon, Mr Strachey, Minister for War revealed in the House of Commons in April.

The Admiralty sand 25 tons of ammunition there during March. It is unlikely, however, that this use of Hurd Deep in any way contributed to the Affray disaster.

Fatal Dive

Naval Expert’s Theory.

The fact that the submarine was found on an even keel suggests she was flooded so quickly – possibly while on or near the surface – that all in her perished almost immediately, and that there was no time to release even one of the two marker buoys which would indicate the submarine’s position from the surface.

Until a detailed examination is made it can not be established whether she was damaged in collision, or whether any of the hatches were open when the Affray made her fatal dive. One theory advanced by a naval expert last night is that flooding occurred early on the morning of the 17^th.

Affray was then due to carry out a training exercise which centred on four Royal Marine Commandoes who were on board. Wearing frogmen’s equipment these men were to have left the submarine in a collapsible canoe.

If this theory is sound the Affray would probably have been on the surface when flooding began. The position in which she was found, so far from her diving place and off the direct course to Falmouth in which area she was instructed to surface the following morning, is explainable by her sailing orders.

The Affray was at liberty to range over a wide area of the Channel and was not obliged to keep to one course.

Since the search began more than 2,000 square miles of sea have been systematically searched by 12 or more ships. They were assisted when weather permitted by aircraft.

Hunt Widened.

New Search Area.

More than 70 contacts had been made, chiefly by asdic and echo-sounding apparatus – electrical equipment emitting sound waves “bounce” from the sea bed or any submerged object back to the searching ship. All the contacts which divers were able to investigate were found to be old wrecks.

As the hunt continued the area was gradually widened from the original diving position. Affray as found on the edge of a new search area in which work began at the beginning of this month.

The Admiralty last night sent the following message to Admiral Sir Arthur Power, C-in-C Portsmouth,” Their Lordships wish to express their appreciation to you, the searching forces and diving team on the success attained by intensive work over a long period, often under difficult conditions.

It is problematical whether the salvage of the Affray will be attempted. Such an operation would be carried out at an unprecedented depth for such work.

Note in Diary – J.A. Heath-Caldwell

Mr J.Otis MacLeod

Uigg, Prince Edward Island

Announces the marriage of his daughter

Jean Shirley MacLeod

To Lieutenant Charles Edmund Leighton, Royal Canadian Navy, on Saturday the 17^th November 1951, Duncan, British Columbia

Diary of J.A. Heath-Caldwell – aged 21 - continues

S.277

(Established – August 1921.)

(Revised – July, 1949)

NIGHT ROUNDS REPORT

H.M.S. Loch Tralaig

Date 29^th Dec 1951

                                    Ratings            R.M.’s             Total  

Long Leave                             30

Short Leave                             31

Canteen Leave                        8

Absentees                                -

C.D.A. Mess                           -

Hospital                                   -          

Sick on Shore                          3

Detention                                -

Cells (Temperature…) -

Prisoners                                  -

Offenders Close Custody       -

Offenders Open Custody       -

Offenders No.11                     1

Offenders No.12                     3

Offenders No.16                     -

Offenders 2^nd Class for Conduct

Offenders 2^nd Class for Leave

Ratings entered on S.B….      No. Victualled

Ratings discharged from S.B….84 + 4 Officers

Fresh Water

Tons.

Night Boat                              2^nd Port

Remarks.                                 N.E. Irwin Electrician

Sick on Shore

L.R.E.M. Price

A.B. Mackay

S.M. Marsh

No.11

S.M. Downey

No.12

L.S.M. Fendt

A.B. Gibbins

O.Tel Day

Diary of Rev. Capt. C.H. Heath-Caldwell RN ret continues



Saturday 23^rd June 1951

Swam to N. 4pm.

Sunday 24^th June 1951

HC Cattistock – Sailing with Mitchell in Scamp round Portland Harbour. Rather cold. Back about 7pm (Met?) Flower Simmonds.

Thursday 28^th June 1951

Melting wax. After tea to Osmington, 20 miles via Winterbourn Abbas, Steepleton and St Martins (Martinstown?), Upwey, Preston – 40 minutes

Met Bullock, Mrs Bullock, Mrs Dalton – return via Poxwell, Broadmayne, Dorchester, - 21 miles Yeominster.

Melted some wax.

Doctor called re indigestion.

Friday 29^th June 1951

Returned (Ousenkils Saltum Organum?) and (Beadough?)  (Drove Apern to Camp delivery?) Took GM for a drive.

Saturday 30^th June 1951

Letter from Ros.

Appointment – tummy specialist – 19^th July.

Bathed.

Sunday 1^st July 1951

MP and HC Maiden Newton. E. Cattistock.

Hot day. Strawberries.

Monday 2^nd July 1951

Bathed, Burton Bradstock.

Tuesday 3^rd July 1951

Dorchester – car greand(?)

Dental Appointment Moon Wed 18^th July

Wednesday 4^th July 1951

Fine and warm. Cherries, strawberries. 1^st Dels appear (pilot).

Friday 6^th July 1951

Took GM and Violet to tea with Mrs Frank Johnston at Bournemouth. At about 4.15pm approaching a road junction with an island in the middle near the square was going dead slow and pulled out slightly to the left without signalling as I was uncertain which side of the island to pass. A boy on a bicycle suddenly flashed past, hit and scratched my off wing and fell off in front of the car. Picked himself up and said he wasn’t hurt, but he had one spoke broken and wheel (possibly?) buckled. I told him I did not admit liability but gave him my name and address and 10/- to pay for the damage to his bicycle, telling him he could send me the change. Thinking it over decided to report to the Police which I did at Winton Police Station about 5.30. To be asked if the boy was hurt I said that (he?) was alright.

At the time of the accident there was plenty of room for the bicycle to pass. He was going too fast.

Sunday 8^th July 1951

Went to Poxwell and Osmington, took M. Celebration 9 – 11.

Rain showers during the day. Tea at Lodge. Walk after supper, sighted two badgers.

Monday 9^th July 1951

Rain.

Tuesday 10^th July 1951

3pm left for (Hing?) Tea with Johnson at Mere. Left 6.30 saw Mabel. Stopped at Colsons, arrived Keypot Upton Sandanes about 7.30. Bartrobbs and Mrs Thomson.

Wednesday 11^th July 1951

Left US Wednesday 12.30, Lunch with Colsons. Saw Curtis. Mrs Sert(?) Arrived Pound House 4.45pm.

Bought some Johnsons (Platter?) for the car.

Stuff for strawberries.

Pestox 34.  Pest Control, Harston, Cambridgeshire.

Thursday 12^th July 1951

(Parkbulars?) of Tunis – Book Club received.

Friday 13^th July 1951

Left 2pm, arrived Rugby 7.30.

Saturday 14^th July 1951

Left noon,  arrived Cattistock 5.45.

Sunday 15^th July 1951

Letter from Colleges, Bristoo & Co

4 Bedford Place, WC1

Re Kitlands and Charemore.

Walk pm. Saw one badger.

Monday 16^th July 1951

Bathed at Burton Bradstock.

Tuesday 17^th July 1951

All day in garden. Began 6 pints a day.

Wednesday 18^th July 1951

Dorchester dentist. Pm bathed at Burton Bradstock.

Returned Adlers (Eltucet?) Philosophy and History of Words.

Took out – Hugels “Man, Morals and Society.” And “The Legacy of Greece.”

Thursday 19^th July 1951

And Friday

Took several cuttings using Hortomone.

J. Attwood arrived pm.

Saturday 21^st July 1951

Burton Bradstock pm. Pleasant but rather a stiff South Easterly wind blew up a good deal of sand.

Sunday 22^nd July 1951

Thunderstorm. Electric and telephone out of action. Took Celebration at Chilfrome Noon.

6 baby chicks.

Monday 23^rd July 1951

Electricity restored. Pm.

Thursday 26^th July 1951

Burton Bradstock, bathe.

Friday 27^th July 1951

Walk.

Saturday 27^th July 1951

Tea and croquet at Chalmington. Hottest day.

Sunday 28^th July 1951

HC Cattistock, MP, HN Tea at Lodge.

Monday 29^th July 1951

Reddish purple (pm?) Betony(?) Writing manu. Squirancy.

Bartrop came down from Chalmington.

Friday 3^rd August 1951

John, Ros, David and Sambo left for Busebells. Rain.

July Dividend – Shell – 11.5. (Nat grnd?) Bonds 23.

Thursday 9^th August 1951

Walked to Batcombe Down and back across country 3.30  - 8. Got some mushrooms.

Friday 10^th August 1951

Paid L. Hatcher – 3.7.6 for Catchful(?)

Koko arrived.

Saturday 11^th August 1951

Rain.

Sunday 12^th August 1951

Took service Cattistock 8. Chilfrome 11. MP and (baptism?) at Cattistock.

Monday 13^th August 1951

Left 12.30 for Burrow Corner(?) Trenton tea. With K, Mrs P.S. arrived 3.30, left 6, arrived back 8.

Tuesday 14^th August 1951

Dorchester am in HLS, service and oil change.

Pm took Mother to (Locks?)

Wednesday 15^th August 1951

Eleven for Aunt (Berns?) funeral. Left 10am, arrived about 2. Dining in New Forest, back about 10.

(Aunt B? was at wedding previous year – Lady Elizabeth Heath died 1951)

Friday 17^th August 1951

Drove GM (Constance Heath-Caldwell) to (Pensy?) to see Margaret and Rosamond (Opins?) 1pm – 8pm. 140 miles.

Sunday 19^th August 1951

Took services. 8. Cattistock. 11. Chilfrome 6.30.

Monday 20^th August 1951

Tea with Lanes at Poxwell Manor.

Tuesday 21^st August 1951

Cleaned sitting room carpet. Rain – Downs walk with Koko.

Wednesday 22^nd August 1951

Fine. Downs walk with Koko

Thursday 23^rd August 1951

Horticulture Show, Cattistock. Took 20lbs honey pm No.6

GM to tea. Violet Grahams re C.D. (Cinema?) Show.Oct 7^th.

Friday 24^th August 1951

Cleaned sitting room carpet with Venstock ( liquid carpet & swap)

Saturday 25^th August 1951

Met Jimmy at Yeovil (J.A. Heath-Caldwell)

Woolleys (Wookeys?) arrived at the Lodge

Sunday 26^th August 1951

HC Cattistock. M.P. Maiden Newton.

Freddy and Dorothy came to lunch and left after tea, which we all had a Cattistock Lodge.

Monday 27^th August 1951

Rain. Dinner at Lodge.

Tuesday 28^th August 1951

Rain. Wookeys to tea. Dorchester a.m.

Wednesday 29^th August 1951

Gale. Burton Bradstock. Bathe.

Thursday 30^th August 1951

Showers. Arts and Crafts exhibition, Canford School. Jimmy went with D.T. and H. WOokey to (Melplands?) show.

Friday 31^st August 1951

Showers, but went to sea about 4 o’clock and spent a pleasant two hours there. Bathed, fine. Wookeys left the Lodge.

Saturday 1^st September 1951

Showery. Fine afternoon, bathed at Burton Bradstock.

Sunday 2^nd September 1951

Jimmy left for Londonderry 16.10 train Maiden Newton. Supper at the Hares.

Monday 3^rd September 1951

Took (hay, honey?)

Tuesday 4^th September 1951

Rain.

Pioneer Tobacco Curers. Dept L. Crookham, Aldershot.

Burton Bradstock and Bridport.

Wednesday 5^th September 1951

Cloudy and foggy. High glass

Thursday 6^th September 1951

Still foggy.

Saturday 8^th September 1951

Less oppressive. Some heavy showers. Walked to Batcomb Down. Sunny evening.

Monday 10^th September 1951

Violet to High (Hock?) Newton Abbott (62 miles)

Left 12.30, picnic lunch near Axminster, arrived Rectory about 4 – Returned alone 5.30 – 7.30. Paid Shergold 2.12 hen food.

Shilly’s telephone No. Newton Abbott – 959

Tuesday 11^th September 1951

Walk with Koko a.m. Lunch at Cattistock Lodge. Took G.M. to Dorchester to sign Will. She also bought a hat. Bought toothpaste and tobacco. Wrote to Violet.

Wednesday 12^th September 1951

Attended Min Radford’s(?) funeral. Gleaning in top field. Got bacon from M.N.

Friday 14^th September 1951

Porlock.

Sunday 16^th September 1951

HC and .. Maiden Newton. – Evening Cattistock.

Monday 17^th September 1951

Yeovil, saw (Fowler?) re field.

Tuesday 18^th September 1951

11am started to walk to Stoke Abbott. Through Chilfrome up hill to Crewkerne Road,. Left before Wraxall, then leaving WT station on right. Through field passing to Stocke Court on my left, turned right into Beaminster Road, then left through Cockleigh Farm and Mapperton where I missed the turning up Comb Down Hill and found myself at Melplash, then left along Bridport Road, through Nethersby, again missed my way going too much to right arrived 8 almost. 3.45 tea with (Franks?) left 6.15, arrived 9.45 evening home by road.

Thursday 20^th September 1951

Took last (qts?) honey. Dinner at Cattistock Lodge.

Friday 21^st September 1951

Lunch at Lodge. Took GM for drive round Batcombe Down and Cerne Abbas. Trailer load of firewood..

Saturday 22^nd September 1951

Galpin came over 10am to look at trees in Churchyard. 12.10 left to Porlock. Walk over Bossington. Tea. Back at 7, dinner at Cattistock Lodge.

Sunday 23^rd September 1951

Wrote to Driscoll.

Monday 24^th Sept 1951

Left Cattistock 11., arrived High (Yorks?) about 1. (Shilly’s place at Newton Abbott)

Left about 3. Returned about 5pm.

(Stony, Storm?)

Paid 5/16 Tithes.
Ref No. 10/31/84

The Secretary

Tithe Redemption Commission

33/37 Finsbury Square

EC2

Left suit (with Vine(?)) to be (darned?)

Tuesday 25^th September 1951

Rain. Lit paraffin stoves. Maiden Newton for paraffin, bacon, battery, and 3 foot ruler. Moved chicken pen, repaired nest box.

Fire pm.

Wednesday 26^th September 1951

Dorchester with Violet at 10.30, engine oil, grease for car. Bought tobacco, foot powder and puppy biscuits. Back again after lunch for the demonstration of Bendix Washing Machine at Thurmans, ordered one but unlikely to get it for 6 months. After tea bought more 4 R.R. pullets from Tab. Took Koko for a walk, he gave me the slip. The figure of Beatrice by Charles Williams. Met a hedgehog in the garden.

Thursday 27^th September 1951

Rain. New washer to hot water tap in (long?) bathroom. Stowed two boxes reed potatoes in attic. Howe Grand, Duke of York and Arran bawns(?)

(Tukierty?) broadcast last night Darlington Hall

Friday 28^th September 1951

A lovely Autumn dayl, good to be alive, a.m. attending to bees, planted out some cuttings, pm. Violet blackberrying with Mrs Morris. I walked up to Crewkerne round and back through fields. After tea, a few odd jobs, (meta?) to lettuces frames, (pealed?) some tomatoes, attended to compost heap.

Sunday 30^th September 1951

Rather cloudy. M.P. Maiden Newton. After lunch to Burton Bradstock.

Gran’s pm Tab.

Reviewed in Sunday Times favourably by Kenneth Walker.

“Psycology, Religions & Healing” by Leslie Weatherhead.

Hodder & Stoughton.

Monday 1^st October 1951

Paid Rates £16.2.

Wheeler’s (claim?) £1.

Wrote to Jimmy. Fed remaining 3 hens 14lbs of (soup?) Began cleaning out honey extractor, stored frames (us lgt?) (Irot?) sprayed scratch on car (wing?) Short walk after tea. Met Meach, asked him about (coin?) for Jen

A.P. oil dispute referred to Security Council.

Tuesday 2^nd October 1951

Fine sunny morning. Windy haze pm.

GM to lunch. 3pm drove her and Voilet to Rampisham, Hooke, Beaminster, Broadwindsor, Marshwood, stopped for tea Lanchers’s Castle hill, turned left for Fishpond, Bahen, cross, Morcombelake, Chideock, . Bridport, Spyway, Toller, back at 6pm. Interesting broadcast on (Trercham?) government by Norman Ingold.

Wednesday 3^rd October 1951

Am. Maiden Newton for bacon, paraffin and repaired suit. Removed feeding tins from bees, cleaned rebuilt honey extractor. Paid Vin £1. Pearce £4.16.1 Foote for dog biscuits. 13/10

Thursday 4^th October 1951

Dorchester am. Library – took back “The Figure of Beatrice” (Charles Williams)

Took out Birdyear (R. Niebuhr?) (“Destiny of Man”) and “Introduction to Birjaev (Niebuhr?). Fielding Clarke.

4.15 the French family to tea, 3 lively children. Matthew (6), David (?) Jenny (2) and Simon the Spaniel.

In the Frontier, review of “The life of Baron Von Hugal” by Michael de la Bedoyere by Edwin Barker.

V.H.A.belief, 3 elements of any religion that is free and loving,

1) Mystical, direct leaping across disciplinary facts and laws whereby the human personality is limited to God in the authentic act of religion

2) the intellectual within which scholasticism and science have their place.

3) The institutional, the ecclesiastical organisers whereby the whole is mediated to the world and to the future.

Religious life is a strain and tension between s demi-apprehension of God, a partial and uncertain knowledge intellectually acquired and tested, and the maintenance of the institution seen by imperfect and prejudiced, stubborn and (scubing?) men to pass on the fact of (trentis?) of God.

Friday 5^th October 1951

Am. Arranged about CD cinema on Sunday. On spur of moment Violet suggested taking GM for drive to the Deverills. Left Cattistock Lodge at 3.15pm, via Sherborne. Tea on Mere Down overlooking K.D. at 4.15. Visited Miles, Mabel and Walter and Mrs J, and met George Dufour and his sister. Left 5.50 returned via Yeovil arrived Lodge 7pm.

(87 miles)

Saturday 6^th October 1951

Spent half the time morning fiddling about organising transport for Civil Defence cinema show. After lunch Downs walk with the reluctant Koko.
The Hemminges to tea.

V. Hughes “Mystical Element in Religion.”

Sunday 7^th October 1951

Harvest Thanksgiving at Cattistock. Took 11.45 celebrations. Pm Civil Defence film show at Playa. “Bikini Trials.”

Monday 8^th October 1951

Danny’s birthday. Dinner at Cattistock Lodge. Reading “Destiny of Man.
 

Tuesday 9^th October 1951

Cut down Crab tree. Lovely day. Tea on Batcomb Down.  Rockhurrying(?)

Covered second beehive with straw and lino.

Wednesday 10^th October 1951

Maiden Newton for bacon and paraffin. Covered 3^rd beehive. Took tea to Burton Bradstock, and back via Kingcars.

Thursday 11^th October 1951

Shoes back from White.

Fine sunny day. Finished packing up hives for winter. Put up (anteful?) protection to fig tree.

Walk with Koko along Yeovil round back through Charity Bottom.

Friday 12^th October 1951

Bright sunny day, a.m., walked back from Maiden Newton via Chilfrome via John (Mdetnes?), p.m. put up sacks for fig tree.

Listened to “Living on the Edge” by F. Francis Darby.

Saturday 13^th October 1951

Muggy. Distributed Notices re P.C.C. meeting.

Sunday 14^th October 1951

Lovely day. HR Cattistock 8. P.m. drove GM to Pilton, tea with Walkers.

Monday 15^th October 1951

Write to Aunt Ada. Picked Bramly seedling. (molty?) cracked. Melted down some beeswax.

a.m. to Yeovil, saw Fowler and bought some port for G.M.’s birthday.

Tuesday 16^th October 1951

a.m. Maiden Newton, ordered Primus, get paraffin and bacon. Melted some beeswax. Fine sunny day, early fog, Downs walk.

Wednesday 17^th October 1951

Walked to Maiden Newton a.m. P.m., Melting beeswax.

Thursday 18^th October 1951

12 off to Bristol, picnic lunch. Arrived Bristol (renrcury?) 2.30. Viewed 60 pictures for 1951, and pretty awful they were, but worth seeing in order to realise how the Arts Council is spending public money. Among the pictures was the famous “Autumn Landscape.” Afterwards went on to tea with Joyce and Gillian and back via Chipping Sodbury, Bath, and Frome. 6-9 pm – 150 miles

Friday 19^th October 1951

G.M.s (Constance M.H. Heath-Caldwell) birthday – GM to tea – Lunch and dinner at Cattistock Lodge. Chilfrome and to pick up Mitchells (beans?)

Saturday 20^th October 1951

Melted wax – pm Maiden Newton – cheque to (Disturb S.F.?) Association.

Sunday 21^st October 1951

MP HR, Maiden Newton with GM, Tea at Cattistock Lodge. Walk with Dorothy (Planes?) pm.

Monday 22^nd October 1951

Pm drive GM to Winterbourne (Gelstones?) to leave puppy with Mrs Davies.

Tuesday 23^rd October 1951

Sharp frost. Shook up remaining plums, finished dahlias and hydrangeas. Dewdney digging herbaceous border, began creosoting hen house.

Telephone (Fowler?) last night offering 150 for field. One RIR pullet missing in the evening. Clipped wings of the other 3.

Thursday 25^th October 1951

General Election. Conservatives majority 18.

Friday 26^th October 1951

Left 11.30 in Rover with GM and Mrs (Pohs, Poll?), arrived Broxten about 6.30pm. 200 miles. Exhaust gasket blew. (plenty of bumps?)

Saturday 27^th October 1951

Left Broxten about 10, arrived Cattistock 4.5pm.

Sunday 28^th October 1951

Took HC Chilfrome, 12 O’clock. John Mitchell staying for weekend.

Monday 29^th October 1951

Rain. Saw Foster and arranged about Civil Defence lectures. Paid shoe repair bill. Mending Pound House wall.

Tuesday

Dewdney working on new herbaceous border. Self repairing Pound House wall. Met M. Atkinson to whom I showed the wall. He said he would tell his man to repair the other side.

Sent cheque for £15 payable to Palmer a(& Snell?) to Fowler, as deposit for purchase of field.

P.C.C. meeting here at 8pm.

Wednesday 31^st October 1951

Rainy with bright intervals, a.m. to West Bay to see about concrete parts for fence.