Andy Vining shares his mother’s diaries in his podcast. You can listen to these stories on Spotify.

MY MOTHER’S DIARIES

May and June 1950: Curtains, Cowslips and Haymaking

Two months at Hiltonbury Farm, recorded by Margaret “Bebe” Vining and retold by her son, Andy.

By Andy Vining

Spring cleaning, decorating, dancing, visitors, new chicks and haymaking filled Mother’s days as the weather moved from filthy rain to the hottest day since the previous September.

1–7 May: Spring cleaning, visitors and new chicks

1 May: Very busy day. Washed and ironed in the morning. Washed dining room curtains. Finished in the afternoon. Undercoat in the hall. John went to Masonic of Instruction. Bet walked up in the afternoon. I ironed the curtains.

2 May: Sweep came this morning and did the dining room chimney. Mrs Fullbrook spring-cleaned the dining room. Went to dance and called in to see Win. Cut the front lawn in the evening.

3 May: Nice day today, quite warm. I walked round to see Joan in the afternoon. John went to Growmore Club meeting. Darned all evening.

4 May: Nice day again. Les and a friend came up to try out discs again. Mother, Bella and Bet to tea. John and Fred went to cricket. I had a good laugh in the evening taking Mother home in the car.

5 May: Village in morning. John went to Bar End sale with Norman. Called to see Mrs St John. Finished darning in the evening. John went to a meeting in Winchester with Norman.

6 May: Very thrilled. Mary Sinclair sent me a huge box of clothes, including an evening dress and costume. Usual Saturday visitors. Bet and Fred walked up. Went back to supper afterwards at Beechcroft. 22 chicks hatched.

7 May: Rain all morning. John and Cross are busy bringing more chicks that Cross has reared. Went with Norman and Deans to pick cowslips. Dean came back for cuppa.

8–14 May: Dancing, cowslips and a lost case

8 May: Filthy day. Raining all morning. Cleared a bit in the afternoon. Went to Eastleigh with John. Painted door in hall. Did a bit of ironing.

9 May: Lovely day at last, quite warm. Bet came up for lunch. Dancing at school for the first time. Planted tobacco plant seeds. Finished ironing.

10 May: Lovely day. Went shopping in Winchester with Deans. Went to get more cowslips with Les and Joan. Went to North End afterwards. Janet lost her case on the bus.

11 May: Bet came up. Washed Mother’s blankets. Did some weeding in the front garden. Mother and Bella came up for the evening. John in Romsey for an NFU meeting.

12 May: Lovely day again. Took Fred to Dukes about the job. It looks as if he might get it. Had tea by the road. Went with Bet, Fred and John for a long walk at Flexford.

13 May: Usual Saturday callers in the afternoon. John and Frank went to Lodge. Win came up for the evening.

14 May: Joan and John Buckett and family to tea. Want Bet and Fred to take a job there, but Fred is not keen. John had a tummy upset.

15–21 May: Bluebells and a visit to the Sinclairs

15 May: John is feeling better but not too good. Hairdressers in the afternoon. Called in at Parkers and met Joan. I walked home with her. Finished ironing.

16 May: Dancing at the hall as the weather has turned very cold. Win picked up Janet’s lost case at the bus station. Mother and Bet called in. Went to see bluebells at Flexford.

17 May: John out all day on a farm survey. Took Jennifer and Janet to the dentist. Called in to see Joan and Les. Bet came up for the evening.

18 May: Fred got a job at Dukes of Bishops Waltham. Jennifer and Janet on holiday. Took Janet to Southampton for sandals. Bought curtain material. Mowed the front lawn. Bet and Fred came up. Sinclairs phoned.

19 May: Sweep came for the kitchen chimney. Bet came up and helped. Started off after lunch for Sinclairs. Stopped on the way for tea. Had a lovely journey and arrived just after six.

20 May: Got up late. Plenty of rain in the night. Went shopping in Gerrards Cross in the morning. Went for a drive to Burnham Beeches in the afternoon. Lovely scenery.

21 May: Rather stormy so stayed in all morning. Had a good laugh practising ballet lifts. Left Sinclairs about 5.00 pm. Called in at Alf’s Bakers on the way home. I arrived home at about 10.30. Ricks have taken peas.

22–31 May: Decorating, half-term and hot weather

22 May: Up early. Washing and ironing done before lunch. Gardening in the afternoon. Called into Deans and later to Beetons.

23 May: Hall for dancing in the afternoon. John went to Eastleigh Lodge. Did some gardening and finished darning.

24 May: Bella went on holiday. Hectic day. John and Fred distempered kitchen in the evening. Joan called in and brought some mango.

25 May: Terrible day with rain and cold. John went to see over a farm in the evening with the Growmore Club. Put an overcoat of paint on hall windows.

26 May: Kids broke up for half term. Put the undercoat on the kitchen wall over the stove and on the window. Cut up new curtain material.

27 May: Got up early and made a pair of kitchen curtains. Finished paintwork in the kitchen. Usual visitors. Win and Frank came in for the evening.

28 May: Cross came in morning. Went for a ride round the countryside. It’s very enjoyable. Mother and Bet to tea.

29 May: Up early for washing. All ironed before lunch. Finished kitchen curtains. John went to play cricket all day. Tea at Deans. Ride round in the evening, back to the farm for supper.

30 May: Bob sails today. Southampton in the morning with John and children to buy new shoes. Collected George from Nora’s. Darned outside in the afternoon—lovely hot day. Tennis in the evening at Chalks.

31 May: Quite hot still. Finished weeding raspberries. Cross came in the evening.

1–8 June: Sun suits, picnics and haymaking

1 June: Went to Reading with John, Norman and Kath. Kath and I looked at shops. I had lunch. Bought two jersey jumpers. Mother, Bet and Fred for the evening.

2 June: Still hot. Darned in the afternoon under the apple trees and donned a sun suit for the first time this year. Joan and Les came for the evening.

3 June: Jolly hot today. Sunbathed in the garden in the afternoon. Cut the front lawn in the evening. Stanley brought over a box of cobilius. Win and Frank came up for a cup of tea.

4 June: The weather is still lovely. Went for a picnic with the Dean family. It’s most enjoyable. Supper at Deans in the evening. Hay picked up at Ramally.

5 June: Hottest day since 2nd September. Washed and ironed as usual. McCloud’s traveller called. Jennifer helped me plant out the lobelias in the front garden.

6 June: Still hot. Dancing at school. John went to tennis in the evening with Frank. Back early and listened to fights on car radio. Bed early.

7 June: Still quite hot. Sunbathed in the garden and finished darning. Took Mother with Deans to look over Ford Sawthlings Gardens. Super.

8 June: It’s a bit cooler today. I went to school for dancing again. Called in to see Joan and had a cuppa. Picked me a bunch of pinks. John is busy with hoeing.

9–16 June: Janet’s birthday and the hay harvest

9 June: Shopping in the morning. Called in at Deans. Sunned myself in the garden in the afternoon. Put marzipan on Janet’s cake. John cutting hay.

10 June: Still hot. Busy all day cooking and getting bathing togs ready. John and Frank went to play tennis. Went to Deans after for a cuppa.

11 June — Janet’s Birthday: Lovely day at Highcliffe with Deans. I had dinner and tea.

12 June: Up early for washing. Main dressing (unclear). Brought ices for tea and took them to Joan’s. Mother, Bet and Fred to tea. Carol Lister to tea. Picked up hay in the front field.

13 June: Fine day. I went to school for dancing. John is busy picking up hay in Flexford. Looks like rain.

14 June: Rain all day on and off. Finished all my darning and listened to play on wireless, “Claudia”.

15 June: Cooler today. I went to school for dancing. John went to play cricket with Norman. Went to tennis in Frank’s car.

16 June: Village in morning. Called in at Deans for a cuppa. Jenkin called in to see John. Julie stayed the night. Joan and Les came round and took back chicken.

17–23 June: The Royal Counties Show and the TB test

17 June: Usual Saturday visits. Norah came. John and Frank went to play tennis. Win and Frank came to supper afterwards.

18 June: Not a bad day. Went for a walk to Flexford with John and Heather. Round to Beechcroft for supper.

19 June: Bob and family arrived in England today. Took Janet to the doctor about her chest but seems OK.

20 June: School for dancing. Met Joan in the woods. Bella back from holiday. Aunt Florrie staying. John played cricket against boys at Eastleigh.

21 June: Wrote yesterday’s diary in Dean’s car coming back from the Royal Counties Show. Had a lovely day, a bit cold and windy but not much rain. Dean family to supper.

22 June: Mrs Fullbrook was on holiday all week, so had to clean bedrooms and dining room. Too wet to go dancing. All cows except two passed the TB test and John was very pleased.

23 June: Busy washing kitchen, so no village. I went dancing. Called in to see Joan. Went into Southampton in the evening with Deans to see a fish exhibition. Mr Knight won the prize with his (unclear fish breed).

24–30 June: Raspberries, good news and the Potters Heron

24 June: Usual Saturday. Mrs Payou came up for the first time since her operation. Marjorie and Darcy came. Dressed a chicken for Norah. Deans for supper in the evening. Too wet for tennis.

25 June: Nice day today. Bella, Mother and Florrie to tea. Bet and Fred away at Maidenhead for the weekend.

26 June: Nice day. Got ironing done before lunch. Bet came up in the afternoon. Picked first raspberries. Les and Joan came up. Went over to see cottage with Joan. Called to see Bon and he looks just the same.

27 June: Bob and Bet came up this morning. School for dancing. Heard Andrew has passed the exam, but no room at St Mary’s. Beechcroftites came round. Tennis at Chalks.

28 June: Went into Winchester with Frank and Win. Bought new striped sugar pot and spotted dishes. Darned in the evening.

29 June: Girls had a holiday today. Bob, Mother and others round to supper, with ham, strawberries and ice cream. Jolly good and had a good laugh.

30 June: Village in morning. Cup of tea at Deans. Dancing at school in the afternoon. Dinner at Potters Heron with Deans, Beetons and Parkers. It’s good fun.