MY MOTHER’S DIARIES

September and October 1950: Autumn Turning

Harvest’s end, a child leaving for school and autumn settling over Hiltonbury Farm, recorded by Margaret “Bebe” Vining and retold by her son, Andy.

By Andy Vining

As the harvest machinery quietened, Hiltonbury moved into autumn sowing and its new cowshed. Family life brought carnival prizes, shows, films, dances and preparations for seven-year-old Andrew’s departure to boarding school.

Early September: Carnival triumph and the last of harvest

September opened with Eastleigh Carnival. Jennifer looked splendid on her pony, dressed as an Arab, and won first prize. Afterwards the family travelled by bus to Southampton Stadium for the jumping and even entered the Donkey Derby, although without success. That evening the Deans, Parkers and Beetons gathered at Hiltonbury, where tea became supper and the kitchen became a party.

The next day brought sheets of rain—a ‘black day’—and the month continued to alternate between brightness and wet. John was still occupied with the harvest’s final work. The threshing machine rattled in the yard; dust and straw flew, engines chugged, bales formed ricks and sacks of corn accumulated in the cartshed. Men shouted over the noise while every threatening shower prompted anxious looks at the sky.

September: Preparing Andrew for St Probus

Alongside the harvest came preparations for Andrew’s new school. Trips to Southampton and to Wiltons in Salisbury produced his uniform, six pairs of socks and other necessities. Blankets were washed; clothes altered, buttons tightened and labels sewn in. Everything was repeatedly packed into the tin trunk bearing ‘A. R. Vining’ in large letters.

On 13 September, seven-year-old Andrew was taken to St Probus. He seemed excited and happy, which was comforting, but leaving him was a great wrench and the farmhouse sounded different without him. His weekly letters became treasures, read and reread; when he requested toys, they were sent immediately. The girls, meanwhile, moved up at their own school and family life continued at speed.

Mid to late September: Shows, films and autumn sowing

There was little time for melancholy. At Ampfield Gymkhana Jennifer won again. Other outings included Romsey Show, football at the Dell and Danny Kaye at the cinema. Mother was particularly affected by Odette, with Anna Neagle as the courageous wartime SOE agent Odette Sansom and Trevor Howard as Peter Churchill.

Mary and Bill Sinclair stayed for several days, and there was a visit to Hursley to see Norman’s beautiful Jerseys. Joan’s birthday brought a small party at her home. Mother and the Sinclairs also viewed some beautiful dachshund puppies but decided against taking one.

John was already planning the next season. Oats were sown at Flexford and wheat at Ramally and Far Hill Field. Potatoes and mangolds were lifted and stored—the potatoes in the cellar and the mangolds in a huge clamp near the elm trees above the new cowsheds. Hiltonbury won second prize in the Romsey Show root competition, which was very pleasing. At the end of September Jennifer missed several school days with earache, while more letters arrived from Andrew.

Early October: Into the new cowshed

October began with the herd moving into the new cowshed for the first time. It was a major advance from hand milking to machines, although the cows needed time to become accustomed to the system. Work continued until five o’clock, but everything eventually functioned properly. The cows entering, the machines humming and the warmth of the shed would soon become an entirely familiar rhythm.

One evening the house was unusually quiet: John was at Masonic, the children were with friends, and Uncle George and Auntie Toss were away at Standon. Mother used the solitude to ice a birthday cake.

The following morning brought Hiltonbury’s first pure Jersey heifer, a beautiful calf from Hiltonbury Dreaming and the beginning of the farm’s true Jersey bloodline. John was delighted. A cheerful letter from Andrew arrived the same day; Mother completed the ironing before dinner, cut the front lawn and welcomed Win that evening.

October: Wheat drilling, celebrations and the first autumn fire

John drilled oats and wheat at Flexford while Mother darned. Bet brought bowls and garden bulbs, and news came that John had won second prize at Romsey for his roots. Mother visited the hairdresser, leaving Heather with the Deans, and the Fullbrook family later collected a cake amid much chatter and laughter.

Bob, Bunty and their family returned to Beechcroft for a while. With John drilling wheat all day, Mother worked in the garden before the cold arrived. That evening they attended Cyril Fullbrook’s twenty-first birthday dance at the Richie Hall—a fine village occasion filled with music and dancing.

Joan joined Mother for a walk and they picked sloes at the Camel’s Hump. Later, John and Mother saw the light-hearted Gilbert and Sullivan film The Gondoliers. Calling at Beechcroft afterwards, they learned that the Millers had definitely decided not to return to India.

On Saturday John went to football; Marjorie and Malcolm West called, Mother gardened, and supper at the Deans ended with gin rummy. The first pullets’ eggs then appeared, signalling a new laying season. Crossy brought chrysanthemums, the first proper dining-room fire of autumn was lit, and Mother settled down to write letters—including one to Andrew.

Mid-October: Pictures, parcels and late-night visitors

The following week combined steady work with small pleasures: washing, ironing before tea, calls at Mother’s, dancing at the hall and John attending Growmore meetings. Mother went with the Mannings to see The Wooden Horse, followed by grilled bacon at home, and sent another parcel to Andrew. A further Jersey heifer arrived.

There was baking and a houseful of tea visitors — Bet and Fred, Mary and Ann — while John attended a Chandler’s Ford Cricket Club meeting. Mother walked with Joan and the dogs, mended clothes and spent an evening making knickers.

Fine days continued, though they were not always suitable for drying. John went to football and Lodge; friends visited; and one particularly long evening ended when John, Bob and Ben arrived late and Ben had to be driven home to Havant. They returned at two in the morning, despite the certainty of an early start the next day. Apples still needed picking, Mother helped with milking, and evenings brought more mending. A trip to Annie Get Your Gun, which Mother thoroughly enjoyed, ended with tea at the Deans.

22–25 October: Winter clothes and ordinary farmhouse days

As the air cooled, the girls left early for netball practice. Mother gardened and walked to the village for a card marking Joan and Les’s anniversary. A Young Farmers’ dance at Winchester Guildhall was great fun, followed, as usual, by tea in the kitchen.

A Southampton shopping trip supplied the girls with boots, gloves and socks for colder weather. Feeling a cold beginning, Mother sensibly went to bed early. Sunday 22 October brought a busy morning’s cooking. Joan and Les called merely to look around but naturally stayed for tea, while Mother spent part of the day marking socks.

The final week included gardening, ironing, cutting out a little checked skirt for Heather and another letter to Andrew. A cot was returned to the Deans and dancing produced a good laugh, although the illness of Smudge the cat caused concern. Other quiet moments included taking a rabbit to the Deans, sharing coffee, afternoon gardening and Jennifer visiting the dentist.

26–31 October: The Dairy Show, Carousel and sad news at home

Thursday 26 October was exceptional. Leaving the children with the Deans, John and Mother travelled early to London by Jones coach for the Dairy Show. Dinner at the Strand Palace was followed by the musical Carousel, which they greatly enjoyed, and fish and chips on the journey home. The pleasure vanished when they returned to find that Smudge had died.

The remaining days were quieter: visits to the village, early purchases of Christmas crackers, a call on Mother at Beechcroft and sewing for Heather. A beautiful frosty Saturday included another Southampton trip and an evening dozing beside the fire.

The last Sunday was fine. Morning gardening was followed by an enjoyable short ride with the children on Smokey, tea at the Deans and table tennis. As October ended, ironing and evening darning continued while John worked with the mangolds at Flexford. On the final night they danced at the hall and called at friends’ homes despite thick fog. A telephone call to St Probus confirmed that Andrew could return for half-term on Thursday, welcome news at the close of a month of work, small pleasures and the year quietly drawing in.