MY MOTHER’S DIARIES

November and December 1950: The Turning of the Year

Half-term, Bonfire Night and a busy Hiltonbury Christmas, recorded by Margaret “Bebe” Vining and retold by her son, Andy.

By Andy Vining

As autumn gave way to winter, Hiltonbury moved from half-term and Bonfire Night into the demanding preparations for a family Christmas—and the quiet close of another farming year.

Early November: Half-term and Bonfire Night

November began with the children at home for half-term. Mother rode Smokey to Beechcroft in the fresh autumn air, while Enid Shuttler, a friend of Janet’s, spent the day at Hiltonbury. Indoors, Mother began altering an evening dress, a job that continued for weeks.

Win Dean’s birthday fell on a day of pouring rain. Mother delivered flowers and a present before the family travelled to Salisbury to collect Andrew from St Probus. He looked very well and boarding school appeared to suit him. They returned to the Deans for birthday tea, then called on the Frys. Further trips to Southampton supplied boots for the children, while evenings were spent washing and mending Andrew’s school clothes.

The children built an enormous bonfire from gathered wood and rubbish, topped with their own Guy. John watched Southampton beat Coventry 5–4 at football and Marjorie called. That evening brought a blazing fire and an excellent display of fireworks, followed by eggs and bacon. John and Frank attended the Growmore Quiz while Win stayed with Mother.

On Sunday Mother baked Andrew’s favourite coconut cake. Mr Cross and the usual visitors called, while Tommy Parker and Hugh arrived with a sick chicken, which caused concern although little could be done for it.

November: Farm work, family routines and dancing

An early start took Andrew back to school. Mother and Julie drove to the village, followed by afternoon ironing. A heifer calved, but the bull calf was dead—a painful farming disappointment. Exhausted, Mother slept much of the evening beside the dining-room fire.

The hounds swept across the cricket field one morning, creating sudden excitement. Mother gardened, dug ground for roses and continued the endless evening darning. When the slaughterers arrived for the pig, they took it away; the sombre business was followed, incongruously, by an appointment at the hairdresser.

Rain returned. Mother bought her own mother a birthday present in Eastleigh and went to Beechcroft for the celebration. A small tea dance at Romsey with the Deans proved enjoyable. The car then broke down and John nearly missed Masonic; he travelled to Hursley by bus and Kath and Norman brought him home. The following evening everyone ate liver and bacon from their own pig at the Deans. Auntie Toss and Uncle George left to stay with Cyril Westbrook, making home rather quieter.

Fine mornings sometimes turned miserable by afternoon. Mother cycled to the Beetons; the children staged cheerful little concerts. Washing, ironing, suppers with Bet and Fred, including pig’s trotters, and occasional early nights continued. There was dancing at St Boniface Hall and old-time dancing at the Richie Hall, usually followed by tea at the Deans.

Late November: Christmas preparations and an anniversary adventure

Thoughts turned towards Christmas. Wallflowers were planted, Winchester shopping trips produced presents and children’s clothes, and Bill Wicks came to do the books. In Southampton Mother bought taffeta for the girls’ skirts, borrowed cake tins, prepared the fruit and baked the Christmas cakes. Hiltonbury did well at the poultry show, winning two prizes for eggs. Evenings were devoted to sewing sequins onto Mother’s altered dress.

On 22 November, Mother and John marked their wedding anniversary quietly with village shopping, tea at the Deans and a call at the Richie Hall. That evening the Parkers, Beetons and Deans joined them and the children at the farmhouse.

The Deans then provided an anniversary excursion to London in their new Rover. Dinner at the Ariston was followed by Ivor Novello’s King’s Rhapsody at the Palace Theatre, which Mother greatly enjoyed. They returned late but delighted with the outing.

A cold arrived with a vengeance near the end of the month, but ironing and sewing continued. Mother bought Andrew a train set in Southampton, although repeated attempts could not make it work. November nevertheless ended cheerfully with an evening at the Cadena and a determination to enjoy themselves.

Early December: Andrew on stage and winter reaches the farm

December opened wet and grey. The family travelled to Salisbury for Andrew’s school concert, where he played Alice in Alice in Wonderland. At an all-boys school someone had to be the girl, and he looked fetching in a blue skirt and white pinafore. It was an excellent performance and his parents were very proud.

Football, dressmaking and visitors filled the following days. A determined fox broke into the duck house and killed several ducks. The first snow arrived, although it did not last. Mother’s cold spread to Jennifer and John, but she kept the household moving through village errands, friends’ visits and dancing when energy and weather permitted.

Shortly before Christmas, Andrew was collected from school with a report considered quite good, although his reading and writing needed improvement. Snow began on the journey from Salisbury and fell heavily overnight. The cows had to remain in the cowshed, requiring fresh litter and extra cleaning before morning milking.

Christmas preparations: Sewing, cakes and thirteen chickens

The days before Christmas were relentless. Mother sewed late into the night to finish the girls’ frocks, once working until two in the morning. The house and bedrooms were prepared, while carols were practised at the Sanatorium.

Freezing, thawing, rain and fog sometimes arrived in a single day. Washing dried on the kitchen rack; presents were wrapped; cakes were marzipanned and iced; and Christmas cards—an enormous task—were written. Winchester shopping continued. One evening Mother, Bet and Fred drew thirteen chickens for customers, with a stream of callers arriving to collect them.

Christmas Eve brought baking, jellies and stuffing the turkey. After carol singing at the Sanatorium, Joan and Les joined the household for mince pies, cherry brandy and a little merriment.

Christmas and the closing days of 1950

Christmas Day began with seven o’clock church, followed by breakfast and presents. Mother and Bet joined the family for a very happy day, ending with darts. On Boxing Day the hunt met at the Dog and Crook, with Jennifer riding Smokey amid the impressive sight of horses and hounds. Later everyone enjoyed Coppélia at the Gaumont and spent the evening with the Deans.

The whole family travelled to Bournemouth for the excellent pantomime Aladdin, followed by tea at Norah’s. There were evenings with the Beetons and a lovely Police Ball at the Guildhall. The cold persisted; children skated on the pond and on Chandler’s Ford Lake off Lakewood Road, while others attended parties. Jennifer and Janet eventually became quite unwell, bringing a quieter mood.

New Year’s Eve was subdued, with the wireless playing in the background. John and Mother welcomed 1951 together with a small glass of cherry brandy as the house settled and another year passed.

Looking back on Hiltonbury in 1950

The year had moved from winter fields through anxious haymaking and harvest weather to snow and inward winter work. The new cowshed—with 36 standings, Tilley lamps and a Lister engine driving the milking-machine vacuum pump—brought progress, alongside all the work and worry of establishing the growing pedigree Jersey herd. Calves were born and, sadly, some were lost.

The children grew through terms, holidays, concerts and parties; clothes were continually made and mended, and Andrew began his great adventure at boarding school. The Deans, Beetons, Bet and Fred, the Bazeleys, Millers, Wests, Mother and Bella passed through a farmhouse always full of visitors, dancing, shared suppers and laughter.

It was not a year dominated by one great event. Its meaning lay in many smaller things: fields and animals, weather and machinery, cakes and parcels, children and friends. Hiltonbury closed 1950 quietly—grateful for what the year had brought and hopeful for what might come next.